The Caribbean Tourism Organization annual conference is coming up in Nassau, the Bahamas in two weeks. Elections for the allied CTO Board of Directors for the 2018-2020 will be on the agenda.

Here are the candidates:

• DAVID BAHLMAN: Vice President, Tourism & Hospitality Division  ADARA

  I have successfully driven hotel revenue as a Director of Hotel Sales and Marketing in Washington, DC, was appointed Deputy Director and Acting Director by Governor Bob Ehrlich for the State of Maryland, led the tourism and Hotel/ Airline partnership team as the Global Director of Destination Marketing at Orbitz Worldwide, and am currently the Vice President, Tourism and Hospitality Division at ADARA.

• BARRY BROWN: Executive Director/ Caribbean & Latin America AFAR Media

  Barry Brown is an advertising and publishing professional who has been connected to the Region and the islands of the Atlantic/Caribbean for over 25 years.

  Barry joined AFAR Media in 2010 – the experiential luxury brand that explores destinations and travel through the insights of locals. AFAR is a long-time partner of many destinations and partners across the Region and is proud to drive increasing amounts of business to the Caribbean.

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• CASEY DAVY: Consultant, co founder, VO Sales and Marketing CAPP Busy Rooms Ltd.

  Casey Davy has spent the last 15 years positioning, transforming and progressing companies in Travel, Media and Marketing as both a consultant and in senior commercial/marketing roles. This has included, profitably delivering loyalty programs for IHG and driving growth in EMEA for eRevMax, one of the first channel managers.

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• RICHARD CUTTING-MILLER: Executive VP Resonance Consultancy LLLP

  Richard Cutting-Miller is a senior Travel & Tourism industry consultant with more than 30 years of international experience, focused on Travel & Tourism strategy, policy and planning, economic and travel trend research, policy analysis, lobbying and advocacy. He has worked in more than 65 countries and 350 destinations around the world.

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• JULE GUAGLARDI : Partner ZLMN

  I have spent much of the past 25 years of my career working toward the betterment of Caribbean Tourism through my efforts as a member of the press – writing and photographing features for 12 different magazine publications and newspapers, through marketing – representing various Caribbean based entities to the US market.

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• JACQUELINE JOHNSON: CEO Global Bridal Group

  Jacqueline Johnson, CTC holds the distinction of being a pioneer in the publishing industry as the only minority to head up her own Media Company. A Media Company (Global Bridal Group) that provides comprehensive Bridal & Honeymoon guidance through interactive-target marketing.,

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• SOLOMON LUKE: Founder & CEO Strategia Solutions, LLC

  As the Founder & CEO of Strategia Solutions, LLC, Solomon Luke is responsible for the strategy, vision and direction of the firm. Solomon has over 17 years of information technology experience and is known for the development and implementation of his firm’s IT strategy, the judicious use of resources for his clients, and the ability to tailor pragmatic resolutions. Solomon is currently on contract as an Information Technology Specialist at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) where he manages FEMA’s most complex core financial systems.

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• BARBARA MAGRO: Director of Business Development Florida & Caribbean: Questex Travel Group

  Barbara Magro was born and raised in the suburbs of New York City. A graduate of the University of Colorado in Boulder with a BA in English, she began her career as a media professional in Los Angeles, California. She has worked in advertising sales for premier food and travel magazines in the United States and Australia.

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• JENNIFER NUGENT-HILL:Director Government & Community Affairs Tropical Shipping

  Jennifer Nugent-hill began her career in shipping and trading at tropical shipping in 1995 on St. Croix US Virgin Islands. Prior to her joining tropical shipping she served the people of the US Virgin Islands thru the post-recovery period from the devastation of category 5 hurricane Hugo as the first female Commissioner of Housing, Sports, Parks and Recreation. She received unanimous confirmation by the Virgin Islands legislature who supported her appointment by Governor Alexander Farrell and served with him thru the end of his tenure as governor in 1994.

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• CHERYL RICOSSA, CHME: Regional Director Elite Traveler

  Cheryl Ricossa is a 25+ year hospitality industry professional with a concentration in travel marketing/advertising.  She is currently employed by Elite Traveler. Graduated from University of Tennessee, Summa Cum Laude with BS in Hotel and Tourism Management. Cheryl earned the Certified Hospitality Marketing Executive (CHME) designation through Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association Int’l.

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• RACHEL SANDERS: Senior Integrated Partner Strategist, BlueGroup Media

  Now in my 6th year with Blue Group Media proudly representing Travel + Leisure, FOOD & WINE, and many more National brands within the Meredith portfolio, I manage the lion’s share of the advertising relationships in the Caribbean, from my base in Miami.

  Travel and destination promotion are at the core of my profession and my being. I’ve visited 47 countries and counting to date. There are plenty in the Caribbean that fuel my wanderlust to discover much more in our region!

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• JOHN LAWRENCE SPEERS: Strategy and Client Service Director The Concept Farm

  John moved to New York 2 years ago after a 17-year run in Sydney developing tourism strategy for clients including Tourism Tasmania, Hayman Island, Australian Capital Tourism, Hayman Island, Norfolk Island and Flinders Island. John develops strategic marketing plans, communication strategy and digital innovation across creative, technology, eCRM, social media, content and influencer channels.

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• JUERGEN T STEINMETZ: President & Publisher, eTN Corporation, publisher of eTurboNews, eTN, TravelWireNews, Meetings, Aviation, WorldTourismWire, Wines, and Gaytourism.

  Juergen Thomas Steinmetz has continuously worked in the travel and tourism industry since he was a teenager in Germany (1979), beginning as a travel agent up through today as a publisher of eTurboNews (eTN), one of the world’s most influential and most-read travel and tourism publications. He is also Chairman of the International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP), and founder of the African Tourism Board.