One of the brightest lights and biggest thinkers in the meetings and events industry, Event Manager Blog editor and author Julius Solaris, joins Meetings Today for this podcast exploring the latest trends and technology developments impacting the meetings industry, the unceasing viability of face-to-face meetings and his IMEX America Smart Monday keynote that is sure to turn heads.

Meetings industry veterans Tyra Hilliard and Joan Eisenstodt share advice for meeting planners impacted by hurricanes, including legal advice and contract and safety concerns.

The Elizabeth Hotel, Autograph Collection announced the addition of Amy Kerchof, CMP, to its sales team. As senior sales manager, she will manage the group and meetings segments, where she will actively sell the hotel as a meetings destination and help coordinate events from start to finish.

The Miami Beach Convention Center, which is at the tail-end of a $620 million renovation and expansion, named Freddie Peterson as its new general manager. Peterson, who recently concluded a two-decade tenure leading the highly successful Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA), will take the helm in Miami Beach to oversee day-to-day operations at the center.

Johanna Philipps has been named director of sales and marketing at Rosewood Sand Hill. In this role, she will develop and implement innovative sales and marketing strategies for the 121-room property.

Kimpton Hotel Palomar Los Angeles – Beverly Hills announced the appointment of Marco Scherer as general manager of the 264-room boutique hotel and director of operations Los Angeles and Janice Tugaoen as area director of sales & marketing.

The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort is planning an expansion, including new features and amenities catering to meetings and groups. The project is slated to break ground early fall 2018 and is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2020. The new structure, which is described as a tower, will be located next to the Swan Resort on the current site of the tennis courts.

Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resort celebrated the grand opening of its new convention center expansion and guest room renovation. The convention center expansion of 28,000 square feet will offer nearly 100,000 square feet of meeting and event space at this Walt Disney World Resort location.

UNITE HERE union workers in San Francisco, Boston, Seattle, San Jose, Honolulu and Maui are holding strike authorization votes on Marriott properties across the U.S. The votes will determine whether union workers can move forward with a strike in each city. This article will be updated with voting results as they are announced so be sure to check back in for updates!