Alpharetta Convention and Vistiors Bureau Names a New Chairman

Fred Cerrone will be the (CVB) board of directors chairman starting July 1.

Cerrone is president and CEO of Hotel Equities of Atlanta, a full-service hotel management company providing management, development and consulting for more than 40 hotels throughout the United States.

The Alpharetta CVB hosted its 2011 annual meeting at the this week, with general managers from Alpharetta’s 23 hotels, the Alpharetta CVB Board of Directors, Alpharetta City Council and staff participating, according to the CVB's report.

Alpharetta CVB President and CEO Janet Rodgers, Beth Brown, director of sales, and Debbie Voboril, director of advertising and promotions, presented strategies for marketing Alpharetta in fiscal year 2011-2012.

Bobby Bowers, senior vice-president of Smith Travel Research reviewed national and southeastern U.S. hotel trends with a focus on the Atlanta and Alpharetta markets. He said reports that with supply holding steady in Alpharetta, demand is up, pushing occupancy numbers up as well. He predicts a rebound for the market in 2012 after the downtown which began in 2009.  STR obtains data from tens of thousands of properties worldwide and accounting for more than 5 million rooms in determining industry trends.

Alpharetta Mayor Letchas, outgoing chairman of the Board of Directors, took his time to tell attendees what a special place Alpharetta is to live, work and play. He will pass the gavel to incoming chairman Fred Cerrone prior to the start of the new term, set to begin July 1.