ILEA is the International Live Events Association. The awards and installation were for the Hampton Roads Chapter at given at the Virginia Beach Hilton last night, June 12.
Distinctive Gourmet – ILEA Knife & Fork Winners
Photos from Wednesday’s ILEA (Int’l Live Event Association) Gala at the Hilton VB Oceanfront.
DG won both the judge’s and people’s choice for best food display/best food!
And the VBCC was voted Best Venue by ILEA Hampton Roads members.
Wacky Trends from the Desk of Kelsey
Kelsey Blevins, Marketing Strategist, compiles a trends document every quarter to update our industry partners on all things advertising, culinary, travel, arts and entertainment related. Check out her recent trend report that includes wacky items like yoga with lemurs to mommy-moons.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kXSm3inawofqQy1nyBe2Z9T-0ob8afrh/view
Congratulations Chef Desiree!
Please join the DG team as we congratulate Chef Desiree – she will be graduating this Saturday with her degree in Associates of Applied Science in Advanced Culinary Arts! Great job, Chef!!
Employee Spotlight – Bryan Ryals
- Employee name: Bryan Ryals
- Where were you born and where is your hometown? Born in Panama City , Panama but have lived in Va since 1988
- What division and position do you work for? Directors Office – IT Manager|CRM Admin
- How many years have you worked for the CVB? 5 Years in August
- How many years have you worked for the City of Va. Beach? 8 years in November
- What is the best vacation you’ve been on? A family trip to Freeport, Bahamas during Junkanoo
- What is your favorite thing to do in the wonderful City of Virginia Beach? Drive down to the oceanfront and walk along the boardwalk.
- What is your favorite quote? “If You Are Working On Something That You Really Care About, You Don’t Have To Be Pushed. The Vision Pulls You.” – Steve Jobs
- Do you have an office nickname? If so what is it? N/A
- Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us: I have climbed the Swiss Alps twice and crash-landed a plane twice.
- What do you like to do for fun? I love watching a good Scifi or action movie at home
- What is one thing you cannot resist? A slice of New York Style Pizza
- What is on your bucket list? Drive across the country in an RV
- What is your hidden talent? I have an aptitude for home improvement work – specifically installing floors.
Happy Pride Month!
Teresa Diaz hands out Pride wristbands branded with the VisitVirginiaBeach and #vistvabeach messages!
Teresa Shares VB Pride at Harbor Park
Marcomm’s Teresa loaded down with Pride promo items and hit Norfolk on Wed., 6/11, to promote Virginia Beach’s “Pride At The Beach” event scheduled to close out Pride Weekend in Hampton Roads. She and her loyal sidekick and devoted husband, Richard, distributed about 600 Pride wristbands branded with the VisitVirginiaBeach and #vistvabeach messages and approximately 300 hand fans during Pride Night at Harbor Park. A pre-game event was held at Selden Arcade and the dynamic duo started there before heading over to the game. Teresa happily engaged hundreds of people in the stands, many who had heard of our first Pride event and were planning to attend. As the crowd increased, Teresa took to the park’s concourse and blanketed the area with VB swag! Want some swag for yourself? Great! Email tdiaz@visitvirginiabeach.com
If you haven’t heard, Pride At The Beach will take place on Sun., 6/23, from 2 – 7 pm at Neptune’s Park. The event will be a themed in white (white dress encouraged) and feature a DJ from Washington DC among other entertainment. Free and open to the public. Please join in sharing our pride that VB is welcoming to all!
Virginia Beach One of 7 Destinations Named “The Best Small Beach Towns in the U.S.
Virginia Beach One of 7 Destinations Named “The Best Small Beach Towns in the U.S.”
CVB Public Relations Director Erin Goldmeier recently returned from New York City following one-on-one meetings over several days with a variety of travel writers. We were notified this week that the first story attributed to Erin’s pitching has published in a premiere travel publication. Following her meeting with Erin, AFAR magazine’s Managing Editor Ann Shields submitted Virginia Beach for the article titled, “The Best Small Beach Towns in the United States.” With only seven small beach towns on the list, Virginia Beach is in good company with other East Coast beach destinations such as Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts and Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina. The article also includes mention of one of our “natural charms,” First Landing State Park. Read the article here:
https://www.afar.com/magazine/the-best-small-beach-towns-in-the-united-states.
With an audience of more than one million, AFAR is a multi-platform travel media brand that inspires and guides those who travel the world to connect with its people, experience their cultures, and understand their perspectives. Its platforms include the award-winning AFAR magazine; AFAR.com, recently named a Top 10 site That Makes Travel Easier; the non-profit foundation Learning AFAR, and immersive travel series AFAR Experiences.
Way to go, Erin!
Love for Virginia Beach
For those of you who may not have been with the CVB when she worked here, Lisa Bleakley was on the CC team and send this awesome photo and note from her team in Montgomery County.
Employee Spotlight – Ashleigh Nader
- Employee name: Ashleigh Nader
- Where were you born and where is your hometown? I was born in Silver Spring, Maryland. Grew up in Frederick, Maryland and moved to Chesapeake, Virginia in 2004.
- What division and position do you work for? I am working with the Virginia Beach Sports Marketing team as the Administrative Technician.
- How many years have you worked for the CVB? 0 years, 7 Days, and 8 hours J
- How many years have you worked for the City of Va. Beach? This is my first time working for the City of Virginia Beach.
- What is the best vacation you’ve been on? I love the OBX.
- What is your favorite thing to do in the wonderful City of Virginia Beach? Favorite thing to do is to go to Sandbridge for the afternoon enjoying the summer weather.
- What is your favorite quote? “Don’t be dumb”
- Do you have an office nickname? If so what is it? No, only time will tell.
- Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us:
- What do you like to do for fun? For fun I love to tour museums and historical homes.
- What is one thing you cannot resist? Coldstones coffee lover’s ice cream.
- What is on your bucket list? To visit Mount Olympus
- What is your hidden talent? Planning awesome kid birthday parties.