The U.S. Travel Association has hired three senior leaders who will help spearhead a bold agenda, new membership structure and refined value proposition, president and CEO Geoff Freeman announced today. The positions were created to "help expand the association's services, provide members with greater value and ensure that the industry achieves newfound success," he said.
Following are the new hires:
Kevin Hinton, Managing Director, Group Travel
An experienced association executive and meetings industry leader, Kevin Hinton most recently served as executive vice president of strategy at consultancy Minding Your Business. Former roles included CEO of Hinton + Grusich, CEO of the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence and executive vice president at Associated Luxury Hotels International.
Allison O'Connor, Senior Vice President, Strategic Communications
With extensive experience in global communications, public relations, crisis management and brand awareness, Allison O'Connor has held senior-level positions in public relations and strategic communications for Marriott International and the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company.
Courtney Mesmer, Vice President, Event Programming and Experience
A global innovator in event production, Courtney Mesmer will provide leadership and support to the association's signature events and member experiences. She joins U.S. Travel from her roles as vice president of events for WorldAtWork. Mesmer has deep experience in event design at multiple trade associations, including Finseca, the American Telemedicine Association and the American College of Cardiology.
