December 19th, 2019 – Ottawa – Nina Kressler, President and CEO, recently announced the appointment of Carly Grace as the Shaw Centre’s new Director of Sales as of December 2019.
Carly was born in Ottawa but spent the better part of her childhood growing up overseas. She completed her undergrad at Queen’s University and promptly moved to Whistler, BC where her passion for the hospitality industry began. While working for The Westin Resort & Spa, Whistler, she concurrently completed her Master of Business Administrative through Guelph University. Following the completion of her MBA, Carly was fortunate to be offered a position with the Vancouver Organizing Committee during the 2010 Olympic Games, overseeing venue communications and emergency response planning for the athletes’ villages. Following the Olympics, Carly was drawn back to Ottawa to be closer to her family and friends then quickly re-established her place in the hospitality sector with The Westin Ottawa. Throughout her career with Starwood Hotels and Resorts (now Marriott International), Carly held the positions of Sales Manager, Event Manager, Director of Group Sales and Director of Events. Prior to joining the Shaw Centre in December 2019, Carly had the opportunity to revitalize her destination sell as the Director of Sales with JPdL , a destination management company.
With Carly’s impressive hospitality experience, passion and dedication for the industry she is a seamless fit for this position.
“We are delighted to welcome Carly Grace to join our dynamic team here at the Shaw Centre. Carly’s experience in event management, hospitality sales and destination management make Carly an ideal candidate to lead our growth and team in expanding our convention and business reach well into the future” – Nina Kressler, President and CEO, Shaw Centre
About Shaw Centre
The Shaw Centre is an architectural icon in the heart of downtown Ottawa. With 192,000 square feet of state-of-the-art meeting space, it is ideal for conventions, meetings, trade and consumer shows, galas, receptions, banquets and entertainment. Step outside and you’re within walking distance of national sights and historic landmarks—including the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Rideau Canal—and 6,000 hotel rooms. Shaw Centre is highly accessible, an easy 20-minute commute from the award-winning Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport. Shaw Centre’s modern, minimalist design combines form, function and flexibility, from the expansive, pillar-free Canada Hall to smaller meeting spaces. The centre is fully accessible with leading-edge technology infrastructure, environmentally sustainable features and practices recognized industry-wide. In 2018/2019, the Shaw Centre hosted more than 450 events, including 44 conferences, boosting Ottawa’s economy by $141 million in direct spending from out of town visitors.
