Based out of: S. Glens Falls, NY
Preferred airports: ALB, JFK

With a 15+ year career in the Hospitality industry, I have experience in the hotel industry, meeting and event planning industry and on-site as both a planner and a TD. I have worked with pharmaceutical companies mainly - everything from CME meetings/dinners to incentives, citywide Congresses etc. etc. I am looking for freelance planning opportunities or on-site trip director assignments. Resume follows: Mary V. Simmons 14 Nolan Road South Glens Falls, NY 12803 518-538-2918 (cell phone) mbsimmons23@yahoo.com I am a strong, accomplished meeting and event planner. I thrive on a fast-paced environment where successes can be found daily. The best motivation always comes from within! QUALIFICATIONS • Handled worldwide incentive travel programs and meetings – creating unique program itineraries and presentations; proposing future destinations, developing program itineraries, overseeing all logistical aspects • Managed involvement in international and domestic medical congresses and continuing education meetings – dealing with citywide conventions, housing bureaus, travel arrangements, negotiate costs and terms with hotels, airlines, destination management companies and transportation companies • Advance planning of hotel accommodations, rooming list preparation, meeting and social functions, and transportation as requested. • Ensured success through active troubleshooting by liaising with vendors including hotel sales and conference services, transportation/destination management companies, audiovisual companies, in-house reservations department. • Oversee Project Managers’ and Coordinators’ deadlines, workloads, and effective completion of tasks. • Train new managers to ensure client satisfaction and event success. • Contact with attendees to ensure flights are booked, hotel accommodations have been arranged, activities are scheduled • Hire and contract on-site staffing • Travel to event/meeting and coordinate on-site staffing, liaise with the hotel, DMC and misc. vendors to ensure success • Post event/meeting reconciliation and payment to all vendors and billing to client PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE MBSimmons Meeting Planning, LLC S. Glens Falls, NY January 2011 – Present Freelance Meeting & Event Specialist Americade, Inc. Queensbury, NY October 2008 – June 2009 Event Coordinator McVeigh Associates Amityville, NY July 2003 – December 2007 Senior Project Manager Madison Performance Group New York, NY August 1997 – June 2003 Senior Planner – Incentives & Meetings McVeigh Associates Amityville, NY November 1996 – July 1997 Project Coordinator Long Island Marriott Uniondale, NY April – November 1996 Rooms Controller New York Marriott Marquis New York, NY October 1992 – April 1996 Guest Relations Specialist EDUCATION EAST STROUDSBURG UNIVERSITY East Stroudsburg, PA BS Hospitality Management, 1992 SPECIALIZED SKILLS • Microsoft Word, MS Excel, Power Point, ISIS – Meeting Management System • Intermediate knowledge of audio visual equipment