New IACVB CEO Eyes Biz Market IACVB's CEO Jordan To Bring Corporate Focus

<H1> New IACVB CEO Eyes Biz Market IACVB's CEO Jordan To Bring Corporate Focus</H1>By Lauren Bielski

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<B>K</B>aren Jordan, newly appointed to become president and CEO of the International Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus this fall, wants IACVB to help bureaus do a better job of marketing their destinations to meetings buyers.

While Jordan is not yet in a position to spell out an agenda for the organization, her appointment appears to be good news for corporate meeting planners. As a former CEO of the Dallas and Austin CVBs, which tend to work with corporations a bit more than most bureaus, she already has an appreciation for a market that is only beginning to get real attention from IACVB.

In fact, one of her first duties will be to oversee a brand-new "destination showcase" program that targets the corporate market. Jointly sponsored with four chapters of Meeting Professionals International, the Oct. 2 program at the Sheraton New York will feature the services and facilities that individual CVBs can offer large corporate meetings. "We chose New York City to host the event because of its obvious concentration of corporate buyers," Jordan explained.

Jordan intends to use strategic partnerships-like the joint showcasing effort with MPI-whenever possible. She said that two years spent away from bureaus, as the vice president of sales for Loews Hotels, gave her a valuable outsider's perspective on bureaus and additional insight into the needs of buyers.

Jordan understands that one thing that is critical for making inroads in the corporate market, where short lead times are the norm, is rapid response to information requests. "Only efficient and informed bureaus will score high marks," she said.

"I want a CVB to be thought of as the first place to call when a planner is trying to pull together a citywide meeting," Jordan said. "A well-run CVB can get far more comprehensive information on hotels fitting a group's profile more quickly than any single planner can; they need to showcase these capabilities."

Originally on the search committee to find a replacement for interim president and CEO Jeter Walker, Jordan agreed to resign from the committee and submit her application for the position when approached by fellow committee member Dave Whitney. Jordan officially accepted the post in March, and will move to Washington to begin her new duties in September.