The Events Industry Council has announced that Northstar's longtime legal contributor, Jonathan T. Howe, is one of three inductees to the 2020 Hall of Leaders. He and John H. Graham IV, CAE, and Anita Pires will be honored at a virtual celebration on March 25, 2021.
Howe is president and senior partner of the Howe & Hutton law firm in Chicago and has been contributing contract advice for readers of Meetings & Conventions for more than 30 years. He has been incredibly generous with his time and expertise during the pandemic (click to read his advice on force majeure and cancellation clauses), and will be featured during a new webcast on March 24 at 2 p.m. Eastern, "Ask the Attorney: New Legal Issues for Event Planners and Suppliers" (register here).
The recognition is posthumous for Graham, who was president and CEO of the American Society of Association Executives when he died in January 2020. Graham led ASAE for 17 years, from 2003 until his death.
Anita Pires, president, Pires Destinations & Events Intelligence, works out of Coqueiros, Brazil, and actively promotes the meetings industry in Latin America, having once served as director of the Congress Organizers and Allied Organizations of Latin America.
The EIC, an umbrella association that counts more than 30 meetings industry organizations as members, uses the Hall of Leaders award to recognize those who have had a legacy impact on global business events. These inductees join 137 previous honorees.
“This year, in addition to honoring our Hall of Leaders winners, we have incorporated important recognition for those who have lead in a time of great uncertainty and motivated others to do so as well," said EIC CEO Amy Calvert. "We are struck by the the grace and determination and inspiration these leaders have provided our workforce."
The EIC also announced the recipients of its new Social Impact Awards, which were introduced in 2020. Winners are individuals or organizations in the events industry who have shown extraordinary effort in the areas of diversity, inclusion, equity and accessibility. The following are this year's winners.
EIC Social Impact Awards
Individual:Latoya Lewis, founder and executive director, EnventU
Organization:The Above and Beyond Foundation
Leading in Times of Crisis: Black Tourism and DMO Leaders
- Cleo Battle, CDME, CTA, COO, Louisville Tourism
- Timothy Bush, CDME, TMP, chief tourism development officer, OneSpartanburg
- Julie Coker, president and CEO, San Diego Tourism Authority
- Gregory DeShields, CHE, CDE, executive director, PHL Diversity
- Jason Dunn Sr., CTA, group vice president, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Cincinnati Convention & Visitors Bureau, and immediate past chair, National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals
- Lorne Edwards, senior vice president of sales and services, Visit Phoenix
- Elliott Ferguson, president and CEO, Destination DC
- Darren Green, senior vice president of sales, Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board
- Michael Gunn, CMP, CFMP, senior vice president of convention sales, Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Al Hutchinson, president and CEO, Visit Baltimore
- Charles Jeffers, COO, Visit Baltimore
- James Jessie, CSO, Travel Portland
- Connie Kinnard, vice president of multicultural tourism and development, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Robin McClain, senior vice president of marketing and communications, Destination DC
- Angela Nelson, CTA, vice president of multicultural Business Development, Experience Grand Rapids
- Marie Sueing, senior vice president of diversity and inclusion, Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau
- Melvin Tennant, CAE, president and CEO, Meet Minneapolis
- Rickey Thigpen, MSL, president and CEO, Visit Jackson
- Dan Williams, CTA, vice president of convention sales, Experience Columbus
- Ernest Wooden Jr., former president and CEO, Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board