Conference Services has a new sales group

The Conference Services sales team includes (from left) Stacey Harvey-Reid, Karen Smith, MaryLee Frederick, Alexis Albanese and Sherri Griffin-Wright (seated).

4:57 p.m., Oct. 11, 2005--The Shaner Hotel Group, managing the operations of the University’s Conference Services since July 1, has completed its sales team with the hiring of Stacey Harvey-Reid.

Conference Services oversees the facilities at the Goodstay Center and Arsht Hall in Wilmington, the Virden Conference Center in Lewes, the Bob Carpenter Sports/Convocation Center and the Courtyard Newark-University of Delaware hotel.

Harvey-Reid is the last of five sales professionals--including Sherri Y. Griffin-Wright, director of sales and marketing; Alexis D. Albanese, sales manager; Karen Smith, group sales manager; and MaryLee Frederick, event coordinator--to join the conference center’s sales and marketing efforts. The team is responsible for overseeing, cultivating, negotiating and administering the conference center’s marketing and sales strategies.

“This sales team is composed of five members who offer a wealth of knowledge and experience creating a remarkable sales team that will expand the profitability of current and new business opportunities,”
Griffin-Wright said.

Harvey-Reid’s expertise is in customer service, event planning, relationship building, management and marketing. She brings more than 15 years of administration and management experience to the Shaner Hotel Group. She has a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in management from the University of Baltimore.

Griffin-Wright, a certified hospitality sales professional, brings more than 24 years of extensive hotel and hospitality industry experience to the Shaner Hotel Group, which also manages the Courtyard Newark- the University of Delaware hotel. She has sold mid-market and large properties in Washington, D.C., and the Baltimore Inner Harbor and is active in networking and coalition organizations.

Albanese is new to the hotel industry after receiving a bachelor’s degree in political science and international relations from UD in 2002. She began her career with the Shaner Group as a sales coordinator and was quickly promoted to her current position as sales manager.

Smith has been with the Shaner sales team since April but has worked in the hospitality industry for more than 15 years and has been instrumental in introducing the Clayton Hall Conference Center to a host of prospective users.

MaryLee Frederick, event coordinator, brings 17 years of experience with UD to the Shaner Hotel Group. She has eight years experience in conference services and has worked in administration, budget, billing, human resources, planning and sales. She is completing her education at UD in leadership and consumer economics.

Article by Barbara Garrison

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