Hospitality leader Lisa Messina is leaving Las Vegas to take the role of chief sales officer at Visit Orlando. The Smart Women in Meetings Hall of Fame winner held the same title at Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority for the last two years and at Caesars Entertainment before that as part of her 30-year meetings and events career.
The Cornell University Hotel Administration graduate also had numerous sales leadership roles during 16 years with Hilton Worldwide and was chief marketing officer with ConferenceDirect.
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Reached by phone, Messina said, “I’ve worked hard in my career to achieve great things, but it is truly an honor to have the ability to represent the two best in the business in Las Vegas and now Orlando. I’m appreciative of the customers, communities and team members who helped put me in this place.”
“Lisa Messina is a powerhouse in the meetings and conventions industry, has a tremendous reputation and a diverse hospitality background,” said Casandra Matej, president and CEO of Visit Orlando and another Smart Women in Meetings Hall of Fame inductee. “Her rich experience in leading high-performing teams, focus on driving results, passion for the industry and alignment with our company culture are exactly what our organization and destination need right now for this critical role.”
Messina has served on Cvent’s advisory board, HSMAI’s advisory board and the executive board of the American Heart Association Southern Nevada. She currently serves on the Meeting Professionals International board of directors.
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She joins the Central Florida organization at a crucial time. Orange County Convention Center is set to embark on an expansion project to the North-South Building, opening up opportunities for new businesses to the region. Visit Orlando also grew its travel industry sales presence to more international markets as part of a plan to remain vital and drive full recovery in international visitation.
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Mike Waterman left the chief sales officer role in Orlando in April after five years, migrating to Visit Anaheim in California. In May, another Smart Women in Meetings Hall of Fame winner, Mariles Krok, left her role as vice president of meeting and partnership sales at Visit Anaheim, where she had been for almost eight years, to take the job of chief sales and services officer with California’s Visit Sacramento.
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