Contacts:
Dave Johnson: (216) 920-1437; djohnson@clevelandconventions.com
Donisha Greene, (216) 443-7075; dgreene@cuyahogacounty.us

Civic, Business and Tourism Expertise Added to Board of Directors

CLEVELAND – Earlier today, Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish and Council President Dan Brady appointed four new board members to the Cuyahoga County Convention Facilities Development Corporation (“CCCFDC”), the non-profit oversight organization for the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland and Global Center for Health Innovation.

“We wanted to add additional expertise and experience to this board in order to further maximize the current success and momentum of the Convention Center and Global Center,” said Budish. “These leaders will add significant value to ongoing operations and strategic long-term planning for these valuable, state-of-the-art facilities.”

At its meeting on April 18, 2016, the CCCFDC board will add four new members:

 

• Diane Downing, Chief Operating Officer, RNC 2016 Host Committee and Senior Vice-President, Huntington National Bank
• Brad Sellers, Mayor, City of Warrensville Heights
• Michael D. Siegal, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Olympic Steel
• Terry Stewart, Former Chief Executive Officer and President, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 

“I am pleased that these skilled community and business leaders are willing to dedicate their time and lend their ideas to these important county assets.  This is an opportune moment for the Convention Center and Global Center to make the most of the momentum we are experiencing in Greater Cleveland,” said Council President Brady.  

The mission of the CCCFDC is to promote economic development and job creation in Cuyahoga County by utilizing the Convention Center and Global Center to attract local, regional, and national conventions and meetings to Northeast Ohio. The CCCFDC oversees the operations of the facility manager, SMG, to ensure that the facility is operated, managed and maintained as a state-of-the-art convention center and medical innovation facility. The CCCFDC also coordinates with local stakeholders to promote tourism in Northeast Ohio.

In addition to the new members, the Board’s current members include Matt Carroll of the County Executive’s office, Trevor McAleer of the Council President’s office, and Joe Roman, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Cleveland Partnership.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Operated under the direction of the CCCFDC, the Global Center for Health Innovation and the adjacent Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland opened in 2013 and were awarded LEED for Building Design and Construction (LEED-BD+C) Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program in 2014. The Global Center serves as a catalyst for fundamental improvements in health and in healthcare quality, access, and cost through technology-driven showroom spaces and industry-inspired meetings and programs. Connected to the Global Center, the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland hosts more than 200 events annually and features 225,000 square feet of exhibit space, a 32,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom, 35 meeting rooms, and a 12-acre green roof with spectacular views of Lake Erie.

In 2013, SMG, the nation’s largest and most experienced convention center and facility management firm, assumed management operations for the Global Center for Health Innovation and the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland. SMG manages more than 230 facilities throughout the world, including convention centers, arenas, theaters and performance venues, stadiums, and equestrian centers. Founded in 1977, SMG is the industry leader in exhibition venues throughout the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean and brings experience and significant connections to national conventions and trade shows within the convention industry.