AMERICAS – Michael Krouse has joined the Ontario Convention Center and Visitors Bureau (OCCVB) as its President and CEO.
The move follows months of disruption at the OCCVB, which saw the departure of four top executives in July following an internal audit of the bureau. The centre’s CEO and GM, Bob Brown; the Director of Operations, Clemmie Taylor; and Human Resources Manager, Delana Grande, all resigned following the audit. The Director of Finance, Sue Dang, left before the audit.
Starting immediately, Krouse’s remit is to attract more conventions to the 21,000sqm centre and to generate more hotel stays for the Canadian city. He was the Senior VP of Sales and Client Services for the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board, which is also run by the convention centre management company, SMG World.
Following the audit, SMG officials appointed Traycee Mayer, from the Long Breach Convention Center, as interim Assistant GM and National Director of Convention Development and Tourism. She is now the permanent GM of the centre.
“The bureau is a well-respected institution, and I am truly honoured that SMG and the City of Ontario have entrusted me to build upon their success,”Krouse said. “Having been directly involved with the nation’s 16th largest convention centre, I have become keenly aware of the success and reputation SMG has earned at so many of these venues. I am proud to join their team in helping to grow Ontario’s market share.”
Krouse has a Certified Association Sales Executive (CASE) certification from the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) certification from the Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and has earned the title of Certified Hospitality Marketing Executive (CHME) from the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International.
He has served as a Board Member of the UCLA Extension Executive Hotel Program and Creativity Advisory Council and Los Angeles Hotel/Motel Association. He is also a member of the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), MPI and the Convention Industry Council (CIC).
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