Month: October 2018

Here are a few blog posts that were published on the Visit Virginia Beach Blog and Meetings Blog this week. Please feel free to share these with your clients or on your own social media channels.

4 Ways to See Dolphins in Virginia Beach

Halloween Fun You Won’t Want to Miss Near Virginia Beach

7 Virginia Beach Wine Bars you Won’t Want to Miss

7 Places to Celebrate National Chocolate Day in Virginia Beach

8 Family-Friendly Trails in Virginia Beach

Check out VBCC’s new shuttle! Thanks, MARCOM for the cool design. Something different on each side.

Team Virginia Beach checked out the new Elite Cruise ship managed by Spirit Cruises for private events! The perfect size group is around 40-60pp – Ahoy!

Employee name: Mayumi Hiltibran

Division: Visitor Information Center

Where were you born (Kamakura, Japan) and where is your hometown (VB)?

How many years have you worked for the CVB? 13

How many years have you worked for the City of Va. Beach? 13

What is the best vacation you’ve been on? Tasmania (Australia), Phuket, Bali, Costa Rica…..too many to list!

What is your favorite thing to do in the wonderful City of Virginia Beach? Going to the beach

What is your favorite quote? I don’t have one.

Do you have an office nickname? If so what is it? No one has shared with me.

Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us: I raise 18 chicken, but no kids.

What do you like to do for fun? traveling

What is one thing you cannot resist? Taco Bell

What is on your bucket list? My bucket is empty at the moment.

What is your hidden talent? Believe or not, I can knit.

https://video.nest.com/live/sE2upjgfSe

Check out ongoing construction of the sports center from this live cam feed!

1. Employee name: Claire Eder
2. Where were you born and where is your hometown? Born in Salisbury, Maryland and from the Eastern Shore, Virginia
3. What division and position do you work for? Virginia Beach Convention Center- Event Coordinator
4. How many years have you worked for the CVB? It will be one year in January!
5. How many years have you worked for the City of Va. Beach? Same as above
6. What is the best vacation you’ve been on? My honeymoon to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
7. What is your favorite thing to do in the wonderful City of Virginia Beach? Go to the beach and suntan
8. What is your favorite quote? “Be grateful for good friends, hot sun, and clear water.” -Anonymous
9. Do you have an office nickname? If so what is it? Claire Bear
10. Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us: I was an All-State Softball player in High School and played Volleyball in college.
11. What do you like to do for fun? Play with my doggies and take them out on the boat.
12. What is one thing you cannot resist? A good deal on makeup.
13. What is on your bucket list? To visit Thailand.
14. What is your hidden talent? I can kind of paint.

Team,

Jessica and I want to share our gratitude for all of your hard work and dedication to making the Public Procurement Forum 2018 a success.

We want to share a few summary points that we believe speak to your hard work.

– Downloaded Forum App reached 100%.

– Catering received 4 stars or higher for each luncheon.

– Over 90% of the educational sessions received 3.5 stars or higher.

– Registration received 4.5 stars.

– Supplier Connect received 4.5 stars.

Please share with your team and we look forward to seeing you in 2019.

Kind regards,

John

1. Employee name: Bill Kelly
2. Where were you born and where is your hometown? I was born in C-Town…Cleveland, Ohio.  My family moved when I was 6 years old and replanted our roots in Virginia Beach where it all began…my Grandmother was born and raised in Princess Anne County and lived on the family farm off Fitztown Road.  There is no better place to raise our family…Emily, Jack and Mary Kate.  
3. What division and position do you work for? Sports Marketing, Sales
4. How many years have you worked for the CVB? I started with the CVB in 2004 working in the Resort Management/Special Events and Film Office serving as the Resort Events Manager.  Our division, Resort Management/Special Events and Film Office, was transferred to the Strategic Growth Area Office in 2011.  In 2014, I was hired by Nancy Helman to begin a new journey in my career with the CVB working with Sports Marketing.
5. How many years have you worked for the City of Va. Beach? I started with the CVB in 2004 working in the Resort Management/Special Events and Film Office serving as the Resort Events Manager.  Our division, Resort Management/Special Events and Film Office, was transferred to the Strategic Growth Area Office in 2011.  In 2014, I was hired by Nancy Helman to begin a new journey in my career with the CVB working with Sports Marketing.
6. What is the best vacation you’ve been on? The best vacation that I have ever been on is any get away with my wife, Mary.
7. What is your favorite thing to do in the wonderful City of Virginia Beach? Besides going to the beach…We enjoy the athletic facilities that the city has to offer.  I spend a lot of time at the Sportsplex and PAAC coaching my both my kids’ lacrosse teams (Jack, 9 and Mary Kate, 7).  We also get to enjoy our indoor facilities watching Jack play basketball 9 months a year.  I can’t forget about First Tee.  Both Jack and Mary Kate are learning to play the sport for life, golf.
8. What is your favorite quote? “Do it, dominate it and deserve it.  Whatever you are doing, do it to the best of your ability, dominate what you are doing and you will deserve what you get at the end.  Remember, the only cause of failure is your lack of determination, not your lack of talent that God gave you.”
9. Do you have an office nickname? If so what is it? Big Billbowsk
10. Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us: I like to garden.
11. What do you like to do for fun? I play golf, spend time at the beach, but most fun of all for me is being a coach.  As a coach, I feel like I am teaching kids through sports.  The game is only a platform to teach kids how to succeed.  As a coach it takes preparation, facilitation, confronting mistakes with listening, and explaining how to learn from the mistakes…it’s all about teaching life lessons through playing a game.
12. What is one thing you cannot resist? Reading and watching historical and political documentaries.  I am kind of a political junkie.
13. What is on your bucket list? Attend the final round of the Masters
14. What is your hidden talent? If I tell you my hidden talent then it’s not hidden.

The Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau was recently designated as a Smart Meetings 2018 Platinum Choice Awards winner. The Platinum Choice Awards honor the hospitality industry’s top-ranked hotels, venues and CVBs that display the highest standards of overall excellence in service and amenities including ambiance, breadth of resources, facility quality, guest services, recreational activities, dining options, technical support and more. Industry pros and Smart Meetings’ readers cast their votes and each nomination receives a thorough review from the Smart Meetings editorial team who selects the final honorees. As a winner of this industry honor, the CVB will be featured in a national press release published over major newswires, recognized in the December issue of Smart Meetings print and digital magazines and featured in a dedicated online winner’s article that garners national social media attention. Congratulations to the CVB’s Meeting & Conventions team on achieving this distinguished honor!