The Visit Newport Beach Inc. Conference Sales team has hired Michelle Devine as National Account Director.
Devine has more than 20 years of group sales experience, including ten years of leadership at two Newport Beach luxury properties.
“We were diligent with the recruitment process, to ensure we found the perfect fit,” said Michelle Donahue, Senior Vice President of Sales. “We had three main objectives for the position: we were looking for a dynamic professional who could deliver aggressive group business results to our hotel partners, have an active Northeast network, and someone who fits into our internal culture. We are ecstatic that Michelle fits all three criteria.“
Having last held the position of Director of Sales at Newport Beach’s Balboa Bay Resort, Devine earned the accolade of “Director of Sales of the Year” for Pacific Hospitality Group in 2012. Devine oversaw leisure, group and corporate sales for the resort.
Prior to that, Devine held key senior sales roles with MGM Mirage Resorts, St. Regis Hotels and Resorts, golf clubs, and the Irvine Company.
“I wanted to get back to my true passion: sales,” said Devine. “My supervising roles as director removed me from the exciting challenge of selling group business, and at this stage in my career, I am looking forward to working with clients again, booking business and immersing myself in the community that I love.”
Devine is charged with strategically positioning Newport Beach as the leading destination for meetings, conferences and events. Her new expanded role will allow her to represent all seven of Visit Newport Beach Inc.’s hotel partner properties in her territories of the Northeast and Los Angeles, California.
Devine has a proven track record managing multi-million dollar budgets, developing and managing effective business plans, as well as short and long term strategic group sales plans to consistently generate new group business.
Devine is a nominee for 2014 Orange County Business Journal’s Women in Business Award and earned 2013 Hotel Sales Team with the highest market share performance improvement year-over-year by Pacific Hospitality Group.
Visit Newport Beach Inc. is a not-for-profit destination marketing organization that positions Newport Beach as a premier visitor and conference destination. For more information, go to VisitNewportBeach.com
