GCCC ANNOUNCES PROMOTIONS OF AMY HUGGINS & LEA WESTERFIELD TO KEY NEW ROLES

(Columbus, February 19, 2019) – The SMG-managed Greater Columbus Convention Center (GCCC) is pleased to announce the promotion of Amy Huggins to director of culture & training and Lea Westerfield to guest experience manager.

In this new role for the GCCC, Huggins will be responsible for establishing, implementing and overseeing a customized, best-in-class, convention-focused, exclusive training program for all GCCC employees, merchants and facility contractor partners, including Levy, Mills James, Fern and Smart City. Her role is designed to enhance the GCCC’s culture, propel improvement and set a higher standard of excellence for the facility.

Hired in 2000 as an event coordinator, Huggins progressively then held assignments as event services manager, quality control services manager and senior customer & guest experience manager. A graduate of the University of Dayton, Huggins achieved Certified Meeting Professional and Certified Tourism Ambassador (CTA) credentials. A facilitator for CTA training classes, she was chosen to receive the 6th Annual Tourism Ambassador Institute (TAI) CTA of the Year Star Award from among 13,000 eligible CTAs and the first Greater Columbus CTA Star Award from Experience Columbus, the city’s destination marketing organization.

Westerfield will lead the customer and guest experience programs at the facility, including oversight of the multiple Guest Services Centers and mobile locations within the venue and the ambassador and art docent teams. She will cultivate their expertise to assist in ensuring complete guest satisfaction for all visitors to the facility and implementation of world-class customer services standards within the facility.

Westerfield joined the GCCC three years ago and previously served as the GCCC’s guest experience coordinator responsible for coordinating the ambassador team. Her additional assignments prior to joining the GCCC included employment with Steiner & Associates, where she was responsible for building the guest services team at Easton Town Center. She created the program that was successfully adopted as a template for other Steiner-managed mall properties, including Greene Town Center in Beavercreek, where she was guest services manager. Westerfield was also the special events liaison at the Dayton Art Institute.

“I am very pleased to announce the promotion of these two key members of our team,” said GCCC General Manager John Page. “I am very proud of Amy and Lea and look forward to working with them both more closely in their new roles.”