Fredericton, NB – Fredericton-native, Cathy Pugh has been appointed as the first General Manager of the new Fredericton Convention Centre. She comes to the position with over 20 years of experience in the Canadian hospitality industry. Pugh has been Director of Sales at the facility since May 2009 and has already assumed her new role.

“Cathy has a strong record of success with hotels, tourism marketing organizations and convention centres,” said Chris MacPherson, chair of the Fredericton Convention Centre board of directors. “The board believes her experience will be invaluable to the future success of the facility and is excited about her new role at the centre.”

“City Council is very pleased with the progress being made on the convention centre,” said Fredericton Mayor Brad Woodside. “Cathy has done a great job booking business for the facility and we are pleased that she will now be taking on a greater role in its operation. This moves us one step closer to the official opening of the building.”

Pugh’s experience includes an extensive background in meetings and conventions sales as well as team management. She has a proven track record of success and is well known to both the industry and meeting professionals across the region, Canada and the U.S.

Upon graduating from the University of New Brunswick, with a Business Administration degree, Pugh began her meetings and conventions career with the opening team at the Sheraton Fredericton Hotel (now the Delta Fredericton Hotel) as Sales Manager.

In 1995, she moved to Halifax, NS, where for a decade she worked for Destination Halifax as the Sales and Program Manager - Corporate and Incentive Sales U.S. and Canada. The organization was a destination marketing partnership between the Hotel Association of Nova Scotia, the World Trade and Convention Centre, the Halifax Regional Municipality, and the Province of Nova Scotia Tourism Department.

In 2006, Pugh returned to the Delta Fredericton Hotel and took on the role of Director of Sales and Marketing, successfully leading a team of sales and catering professionals. In May 2009, Cathy took a position as Director of Sales for the new Fredericton Convention Centre to help with key pre-opening activities like marketing, sales, and operations.

During this time, Pugh worked closely with Tourism Fredericton, Rendezvous Fredericton, and the hotel community to put business on the books when the doors for the facility open in December 2010 and beyond. She is an active member of Meeting Professionals International and the Canadian Society of Association Executives.

The Fredericton Convention Centre will feature a 12,500-square-foot ballroom that will accommodate up to 1,500 people. It will also have 7,400 square feet of flexible meeting space designed to accommodate breakout sessions, executive board meetings, and special events. The facility features state-of-the-art technology and complimentary wireless internet.

The convention centre will connect with the 700-seat Playhouse and is part of a major downtown development that includes a 150,000-square-foot office tower for Provincial Government offices and a parking garage. Planning is currently under way to construct a hotel next door. For information about booking an event at the Fredericton Convention Centre, contact Cathy Pugh, 506-999-0150 or visit www.frederictonconventions.ca

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Media Contact: Chris MacPherson, Chair, Fredericton Convention Centre Board of Directors, 506-460-2071