Maryland Tourism Development Board - 2008
The work of the Office of Tourism is guided and supported by hospitality industry leadership under an appointed board of executives representing destinations, lodging, retail, transportation, food service and attractions, and six members of Maryland’s General Assembly. By General Assembly authority, the Board has broad policy powers to guide the direction of the Maryland Office of Tourism and its activities developing and marketing the State as a destination.
Ms. Connie DelSignore
President and CEO
Annapolis & Anne Arundel County CVB
Ms. DelSignore has broad-reaching experience promoting tourism on a regional, national and international level. She is the Chair of the Maryland Association of Destination Marketing Organizations.
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Mr. Khaled Said
Marketing Research Analyst & Vice President, Operations
Northstar Hotel Management ,LLC
Mr. Said is a committed hotel professional with extensive hospitality management in all facets of the industry. He has held various operational and senior management positions with well-renowned international hotel chains. He is headquartered at the Best Western Hotel in Baltimore and directed the opening of Toby’s Dinner Theater in Baltimore.
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Ms. Debbi Dodson
Director
Talbot County Office of Tourism
Ms. Dodson has 25 years of marketing experience in healthcare, hospitality and destination marketing. She has strong community, non-profit, corporate and government management experience.
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Ms. Kathleen Cloyd Sher
Deputy Director of External Affairs
National Aquarium in Baltimore, Baltimore
Ms. Sher has more than 25 years experience in executive management, strategic planning, external relations, fund raising, marketing, visitor services and retail. She has consulted for numerous aquariums and cultural organizations in the United States and Europe and is active with organizations that promote ecological sustainability and tourism.
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Ms. Kelly Groff
Executive Director
CVB of Montgomery County, MD, Inc.
Ms. Groff has more than 20 years experience in the economic development, hospitality and tourism industry. She is a professor at the University of Maryland teaching various courses geared toward tourism and hospitality students.
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Mr. Sheldon Suga
Senior Vice President and General Manager
Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center
Mr. Suga is leading the way in opening the largest hospitality business in the state. His project scope includes the staffing and operations of a 2,000 room and 470,000 meeting space complex. Mr. Suga has worked in all aspects of hospitality management across the globe.
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Mr. Michael E. Haynie
Vice President and Managing Director
Tremont Suite Hotels, Baltimore
Mr. Haynie has been involved in the hospitality industry for more than two decades. Throughout his career, he has risen through the ranks from the front line to the executive suite. He is very involved in the organizations that support the industry and its future workforce.
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Ms. Alice Torriente
Owner
African American Tours,
Baltimore
Ms. Torriente has seen first hand the economic development of African-American tourism. She began her company a decade ago to showcase Maryland’s rich heritage and culture to the buying public. After many years in education, Ms. Torriente has taken that passion for learning and has turned it into a sharing experience for her clients.
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Mr. Gary Jobson
Jobson Sailing, Inc./ESPN Commentator
Mr. Jobson
won the America's Cup in 1977 as tactician for Ted Turner. As a broadcaster/producer (he is ESPN's Sailing Analyst), lecturer, and writer, Mr. Jobson is the pre-eminent ambassador for sailing in the U.S and widely promotes his home port of Annapolis as the Sailing Capital of America. He also worked tirelessly on bringing the Whitbread Round the World Race and the Volvo Ocean Race to Maryland.
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Mr. Andrew L. Vick
Executive Director
Allegany Arts Council
Mr. Vick is an advocate for the arts as a change agent for communities through economic development and enhancement for quality of life. Bringing a management and marketing perspective to arts organizations, he serves on a variety of boards that promote tourism and the arts.
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Ms. Peggy Maher
Vice President Sales
Veolia Transportation, Baltimore
Ms. Maher is an expert in getting people to where they want to go through her knowledge of ground transportation from motorcoaches to limousines. She has supervised and managed all aspects of the transportation industry from drivers, sales staff and dispatchers. Ms. Maher has been awarded the Transportation Professional of the Year.
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Mr. Sergio A. Vitale
Owner
Aldo’s Ristorante Italiano and CIBO Bar and Grille,
Baltimore
Mr. Vitale has fashioned two dining experiences that cater to the wants of consumers for either superb cuisine with the gracious style and hospitality of world-renowned restaurants in Italy or stylish, affordable and utterly cool “Casual Cuisine.” He serves on the board of the National Restaurant Association.
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Mr. David Meloy
President
Merit Hotel Group, Rockville
Mr. Meloy has been involved in the lodging industry for three decades. During that time, he has served in many aspects of the hotel industry from director of sales to vice president of operations. Mr. Meloy currently owns and operates his own company that owns four properties and has others in development. He also has a passion for ensuring that the hospitality industry’s workforce of tomorrow is trained today.
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Elected officials to the Maryland Tourism Development Board:
The Honorable John Astle
Senator, District 30, Anne Arundel County
Senator Astle has served on the Maryland Tourism Development Board since 2004. He has served his country in the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Marine Corps Reserve.
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The Honorable Jennie M. Forehand
Senator, District 17, Montgomery County
Senator Forehand is a recent appointment to the Maryland Tourism Development Board. She is the president of Forehand Antiques and Interiors.
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The Honorable Wendell R. Beitzel
Maryland House of Delegates
Delegate, District 1A, Garrett & Allegany Counties
Delegate Beitzel is a recent appointment to the Maryland Tourism Development Board. He is owner of the Accident Bakery and President of Beitzel Enterprises, Inc.
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The Honorable Nancy Jacobs
Senator, District 34, Cecil and Harford counties
Senator Jacobs has served on the Maryland Tourism Development Board since 1999. She has been a small business owner, realtor, teacher, political columnist and radio talk show host.
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The Honorable Anne Marie Doory
Delegate, District 34, Baltimore City
Delegate Doory has served on the Maryland Tourism Development Board since its inception in 1993. She has a law degree from the University of Baltimore.
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The Honorable James N. Mathias
Maryland House of Delegates
Delegate, District 38 B, Wicomico and Worcester Counties
Delegate Mathias began his service to the Maryland Tourism Development Board in 2007. He is a small business owner and served as mayor of Ocean City.
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MTDB Officers:
Chairman: David Meloy
Vice Chair Attractions: Kathleen Cloyd Sher
Vice Chair Food Service: Sergio Vitale
Vice Chair Lodging: Michael Haynie
Vice Chair Transportation: Peggy Maher
Secty./Treasurer: Alice Torriente
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