SITE Announces 2017 Int’l Board, Foundation Trustees

PANAMA CITY, PANAMA — During its Global Conference in early November, the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) announced the SITE International board of directors and SITE Foundation board of trustees, effective Jan. 1, 2017.

Rajeev Kohli, re-elected as SITE board president.

Rajeev Kohli, CIS, joint managing director, Creative Travel Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi, India, has been elected as SITE board president for a second term.

Serving with Kohli as officers and returning directors are:

• President-Elect: Annamaria Ruffini, CIS, CMP, president & CEO Events In & Out, Rome
• Immediate Past President: Rhonda Brewer, CIS, chief sales & operations officer, RMC DMC, U.S.
• Vice-President Finance & Business Development: Philip Eidsvold, CIS, account director – employee & channel loyalty, Aimia, U.S.
• Vice-President Education & Certification: Jennifer Glynn, CIS, managing partner, Meeting Encore Ltd., Canada
• Member-at-Large: Daryl Keywood, CIS, managing director & CEO, Walthers DBS, South Africa
• Ex-Officio: Kevin Hinton, CIS, SITE chief excellence officer
• Olga Navarro, CIS, executive director, ITB DMC, Spain
• Eda Ozden, director, business development, MEP Destination Business Solutions, Turkey
• Jonathan Richards, CIS, sales manager, North America & Europe, corporate gifts division, Maui Jim Sunglasses & Zeal Optics, USA
• Julia Trejo, CIS, CMP, DMCP, director of special projects, Terramar Destinations, Panama
• Alicia Yao, CIS, general manager, IME Consulting Co., Ltd., China

Three new directors join the board in 2017:

• Kevin Edmunds, vice-president, Hard Rock All-Inclusive Collection, U.S.
• Anne-Marie Rogers, director of meetings & incentives, Direct Travel, U.S.
• John Iannini, CIS, CTC, vice-president, Melia Hotels International and President-Elect, SITE Foundation, U.S.

SITE expresses appreciation and gratitude to Jacqueline Goldy, CIS, vice-president, incentive sales, MGM Resorts International, who will be leaving the board at the end of 2016, for her leadership and service.

SITE Foundation Board of Trustees 2017

Rhea Stagner, named SITE Foundation president.

Rhea Stagner, CIS, division vice-president, sourcing and supplier relations, Maritz Travel – a Maritz Global Events Company, St. Louis, Mo., will serve as SITE Foundation president 2017.

Serving with Stagner as officers and returning trustees are:

• President-Elect: John Iannini, CIS, CTC, vice-president, Melia Hotels International, U.S.
• Immediate Past President: Denise Dornfeld, CIS, chairperson, AlliedPRA, San Diego, Calif., U.S.
• Vice-President, Finance: Carina Bauer, CEO, The IMEX Group, Regent Exhibitions, U.K.
• Vice-President, Research and Education: Tina Weede, CRP, president, USMotivation, U.S.
• Vice-President, Fundraising: Lynn Pavony, director of incentive sales, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, U.S.
• Padraic Gilligan, managing director, SoolNua, Ireland
• Martin Lewis, managing director, CAT Publications, U.K.
• Jimmy Romo, general manager, specialty sales, Delta Airlines, U.S.
• Michele Samoulides, senior manager, worldwide reward & recognition programs, Microsoft Corporation, U.S.
• Chris Wheeler, executive director, global incentive sales, Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas
• Aileen Zerbonia, CMP, senior manager, corporate events, Informatica, U.S.

New trustees include:

• Bonnie Boisner, vice-president, event management, Aimia, U.S.
• Anne DiGregory, corporate director, intermediary sales & strategy, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, U.S.
• Terry Manion, executive vice-president, Meridican Incentive Consultants, Canada
• Annamaria Ruffini, SITE President-Elect 2017

The Foundation pays tribute to Kurt Paben, CIS, president, channel & employee loyalty U.S., Aimia and Jonathan Caplan, vice-president sales & field marketing, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, who are retiring their positions on the board.