MCLEAN, VA (June 14, 2007) � Innovations in sales leadership, e-commerce for sales and marketers, a �voice of the customer� panel discussion, and a special report on �Social Media and Travel� will highlight the first annual Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Hotel Sales Strategy Conference in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2007.  The half-day debut event will take place one day prior to HSMAI�s Affordable Meetings® National trade show from noon to 5pm at the Washington Convention Center.

�This debut conference is timed to add even greater value for hotel sales staff attending HSMAI�s Affordable Meetings® by providing an additional component of targeted, educational programming,� states Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHA, president and CEO of HSMAI.

The HSMAI Hotel Sales Strategy Conference is organized by HSMAI and HSMAI�s Hotel Directors of Sales & Marketing Special Interest Group (HDOSM SIG) Advisory Board.  The HDOSM SIG provides information, leadership development, and resources relevant to hotel directors of sales and marketing.  Their vision is to establish a resource-rich environment in collaboration with the HSMAI membership that is indispensable for the career professional in hotel sales and marketing. 

Membership in the HDOSM SIG is open to all HSMAI members at no additional cost.  Members of the HDOSM SIG benefit from: 

• Bi-monthly eNewsletters offering valuable industry facts, articles and information relevant to budget planning, forecasting, marketing plans and other tasks associated directly to the responsibilities as a professional HDOSM. 

• Access to the upcoming HDOSM TOOLBOX and online HDOSM community, the one-stop virtual warehouse of best practices for marketing planning, training resources, advertising, public relations, brand management, resource allocation, employee management, and annual budgeting. 

• Preferred registration for HDOSM Strategy Conferences. 

• Access to exclusive industry resources through the research component of the HSMAI Foundation eConnect Web site. 

• Other benefits of HSMAI membership, including the quarterly publication of HSMAI Marketing Review magazine, chapter events and networking opportunities, Industry Update eNewsletters, cutting-edge webinars, and opportunities to attend other strategy conferences within HSMAI. 

• Advisory Board Chair: Mark David Thompson, Assistant Executive Director/Marketing, Irving, TX Convention and Visitors Bureau 
• Heather Allison-Smith, Director of Sales & Marketing, Millennium Hotel St. Louis 
• Bart Berkey, Director, Talent Acquisition � Sales & Marketing, Ritz-Carlton Hotels 
• Lisa French, Director of Sales, Hamilton Crowne Plaza 
• Linda Hwong, Director of Sales & Marketing, Marriott at Metro Center 
• Ron Loman, Director of Field Sales, Crestline Hotels & Resorts, Inc.
• Lynn Mucciano, Corporate Director of Marketing, Turnberry Associates 
• Dennis Noonan, Director of Sales, Nemacolin Woodlands Resort 
• Jean Spaulding, Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Noble Investment Group
• Cheryl Street, Director of Sales & Marketing, Hampton Inn & Suites � Surprise, AZ

Registration for the conference is $295 for HSMAI members and $455 for non-members, which includes one year of membership.  For more information on the upcoming conference this fall and to register, or to get involved in the HDOSM SIG, contact HSMAI�s project manager Monty Cox at [email protected], phone (703) 610-0255, or visit www.hsmai.org.

HSMAI is an organization of sales and marketing professionals representing all segments of the hospitality industry.  With a strong focus on education, HSMAI has become the industry champion in identifying and communicating trends in the hospitality industry, and bringing together customers and members at annual events, including HSMAI�s Affordable Meetings®.  Founded in 1927, HSMAI is an individual membership organization comprising more than 7,000 members worldwide, with 39 chapters in the Americas Region.