Travel Personnel News: November 2011

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Travel Association appointed Blain K. Rethmeier as senior vice president for public affairs and government relations. Rethmeier will lead lobbying, communications, grassroots and research activities for the company. Previously, he served as senior vice president for public affairs for the American Insurance Association. Rethmeier takes the place of Geoff Freeman, who was promoted to executive vice president and chief operating officer of the association.

ENID, Okla. – Marcy Jarrett was named interim general manager of Global Spectrum’s Cherokee Strip Conference Center. Jarrett currently works as the director of the Enid Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB), which Global Spectrum also manages. She will keep her job at the bureau during the transition. Jarrett comes with 12 years of travel industry experience, and has worked for the conference center before becoming director of the Enid CVB.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Louisville CVB has hired David Kinney as director of Midwest sales. Kinney will be based in Chicago while representing the Louisville area. Most recently, Kinney worked for the Puerto Rico CVB as regional sales manager for two years. Previous employers also include Hilton Orrington and TravelCLICK.