Holland America Line's Denella Ri'chard, senior director of Trade Communications and Engagement, has been named one of The Network Journal's 25 Influential Black Women in Business.  Ri'chard was honored by the magazine at a luncheon in New York City earlier this year. 

Black Meetings and Tourism had the pleasure of attending the newest Carnival ship naming ceremony, the Carnival Horizon. It was a night of fun, celebrities, and fireworks led by Queen Latifah, who officially named the Carnival Horizon ship, and also received a name for herself, Godmother of the ship.

As we come to the end of 2018 and I begin my business plan for 2019, I am forced to reflect on the places Forums Meetings & Events excelled and our opportunities for improvement in the coming year.  When I consider the list, the single most powerful move we have made this year, is to require each and every one of our Experience Managers (Program Mangers, Event Planners, Project Leads or whatever name your company uses), to obtain at least one event industry certification.