SPIN Announces Inaugural 40 Over 40 Winners: Industry’s First Recognition Solely for Veteran Planner

SPIN:Senior Professionals Industry Network announces the 2017 recipients of the industry’s first recognition for veteran meeting planners - SPIN:40 Over 40. This new initiative was created to recognize and honor planners who are industry role models, influencers, innovators, and pioneers.

“We had a great response to this call for nominations. The depth and breadth of what these individuals have achieved is amazing,” said Shawna Suckow, SPIN founder. “Just like our membership, this list is diverse and includes planners for large corporations, associations and smaller third-party agencies. Our award recipients speak, they teach, they plan large conferences, small incentive programs, work locally and globally and find time to mentor and volunteer.”

“This is an exciting and humbling honor to be recognized by SPIN for my contributions to the industry,” said Terri Woodin, CMP of Meeting Sites Resource. “There are so many truly amazing planners around the globe that work tirelessly to achieve great things for this industry, their company, and themselves, so to be selected as one of the first 40 is very rewarding.”

Marti Fox, CMP, CMM, CPECP, of GlobalGoals, Inc. echoed that sentiment and added, “We have taken different paths to get where we are today and are all committed to the elevation of the meeting planning profession.”

2017 SPIN:40 Over 40 Winners

Deborah Agricola Kuns, CMP, Frosch & Christine Peat International
Jan Aument, CTSM Silver, Good Plan Jan
Melissa Benowitz, MRB Meetings & Management, LLC
Lisa Boyd, CMP, CEM, CASE, Institute for Electrical & Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Patrice Bradshaw, CMP, Boeing
Jody Brandes, CMP, CMM, Genentech
Mozella L. Brown, CMP, M. L. Brown & Associates
Carolyn Browning, CMP, CMM, HMCC, MEETing Needs, LLC
Alexandra Carvalho-Lukachova, CMP, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. (Kaiser Permanente)
Carolyn Davis, CMP, Strategic Meeting Partners, LLC
Corné Engelbrecht, CMP, Conference Consultancy South Africa (Pty) Ltd
Marti Fox, CMP, CMM, CPECP, GlobalGoals, Inc.
Leticia Harnung, LMH Consulting Services, LLC
Lori Hedrick, MHA, CMM, CMP, CSEP, Burroughs Wellcome Fund
Abbey Herman, CMM, Meeting and Event Consultant for Fortune 500 Companies
Donna Johnson, CMP, CMM, Capitol Hill Management Services (CHMS)
Desirée Knight, CMP, The American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA)
Christy Lamagna, CMP, CMM, CTSM, Strategic Meetings and Events
Wendy Laugesen, CMP, MarkLogic
Michael D. Lynn, CEM, CME, CMM, CMP, CPC, CPECP, Global Protocol, Etiquette and Civility Academy | Professional Tradeshow Resources
Pam Martin, Creative Meetings & Incentives (CM&I)
Terry Matthews-Lombardo, CMP, TML Services Group, LLC
Deborah Molique, Molique EPS
Pat Moore, CMP, Mattel
Annette Naif, Naif Productions
Natalie Norris, CMP, CMM, Meetings and More, Inc.
Qualena Odom-Royes, CSEP, CMP, CDMP, EventEssentials, LLC
Barbara Ozenbaugh, CMP, CAE, Seaside Event & Non-Profit Management
Sanece Marie Poolas, Strategic Meetings & Events
Dana L Saal CMP, CAE, Saal Meeting Consulting
Heather Sampson, CMP, DES, Aspire Meetings & Events, LLC
Bonni Scepkowski, Stellar Meetings & Events
Arlene Schilke, CMP, Timewise Event Management Inc.
Marilee Sonneman, CMP, DMCP, Spotlight Sojourns
Karin Soyster Fitzgerald, CMP, CAE, International Association of Fire Chiefs
Chip G. Stockton, CMP, Conference ConCepts, Inc.
Tracy Stuckrath, CSEP, CMM, CHC, CFPM, Thrive! Meetings & Events  
Heather Switzer, CMP, Winsight, LLC
Peg Wolschon, CMP, CTA, Calyx Software
Terri Woodin, CMP, Meeting Sites Resource

The 40 honorees will each receive complimentary registration for SPINCon 2017 (one for the honoree, and one for their nominator or a fellow qualified planner), and they will be recognized at the conference in a ceremony amongst their peers. SPINCon 2017 will be held at the Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, Texas, December 3-5.

About SPIN
SPIN:Senior Professionals Industry Network is the world’s largest association for senior-level planners. SPIN has recently invited all hospitality professionals who have at least 10 years of experience to join their ranks.

For more information:
Carolyn Browning, Director of Communications, SPIN – crb@carolynbrowning.com
Shawna Suckow, Founder, SPIN – shawna@spinplanners.com
Catherine Jensen, VP Operations, SPIN – catherine@spinplanners.com

www.SPINplanners.com