(Saint Louis, MO) -- December 2010 --  Tom Cappucci, President of IACC of The Americas announced the appointment of David Haas of Hoffman Estates, Ill., to the role of Board Associate following a comprehensive search of IACC-member properties for appropriate candidates. 

Mr. Haas, Regional Sales and Product Manager at Northern Illinois University Conference Centers becomes the sixth Board Associate to represent Generation  X/Y on the IACC Board of Directors with a focus on indentifying and advising the Board on emerging trends. 

According to Cappucci (General Manager at University Place Hotel & Conference Center in Indianapolis, IN), “David is very well suited for the position as board associate as he brings a strong understanding of the conference center concept and a passion for customer service.  His commitment to emerging technologies and social networking trends will continue to keep IACC ahead of the curve and maintain a significant relevance in the industry.”
 
Haas, 28, is a member of Generation Y, defined as the generation following the Baby Boomers and Generation X and born between 1980 and 2000.   He holds a masters degree in Business Administration from Northern Illinois University.  Haas was recruited by the NIU Outreach Director of Education and Training to the NIU Conference Centers where he directs the sales and marketing efforts of three IACC-member conference centers.  He previously worked with Marriott International’s Central Northwest Regional Sales Office as a Business Development Manager and as Campus Representative for the Walt Disney World College Program. 

The IACC Board Associate role has evolved to become a coveted position in the conference center segment among a younger up-and-coming generation eager for a voice in the evolution of the meetings experience.   The non-voting, 15-month advisory role will allow David the opportunity to advise the Board on developing trends as well as attending and participating in Board meetings.  The Board Associate also sits on active committees and task forces such as Emerging Trends, Sustainability and Leadership Development.   He will attend IACC’s 30th annual conference at The National Conference Center in March 2011 and will report to the Board on his observations and experiences at the end of his term.

IACC was organized to provide and promote market awareness of conference centers as offering separate, distinct and special places and services; to collect and distribute information on the industry and its trends; to provide an exchange of experiences among its members; to address common problems, needs and opportunities; to provide programs and services that assist members in operating more effectively; and to respond to the needs and interests of conference center users as determined by the Board of Directors.
 
Founded in 1981, the International Association of Conference Centres is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting understanding and awareness of the conference center industry and to giving member properties the tools necessary to provide an exceptional meeting experience. Active members meet a set of stringent Universal Criteria and agree to a Code of Ethics. Currently, the association includes approximately 400 members from the United States, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, France, England, The Netherlands, Germany and Japan. For more information, visit the website at www.iacconline.org.  IACC = exceptional meeting experiences.