Conference Centres of Excellence, the UK's only marketing consortium to represent specialist, quality conference and training centres in the UK has appointed two new Centre Directors to its board.
Joining the ten-strong board are Stewart Elsmore, Director of Residential Services at Cranfield University, and Steve Crawford, Centre Director for College Court Conference Centre, Leicester.
Conference Centre of Excellence now has 32 members nationwide, including many of the country’s best known specialist conference and training venues, covering a geographical area extending from the South Coast of England to Scotland. Before joining, venues have to meet our stringent criteria in terms of quality, facilities, accommodation and customer care.
Stewart Elsmore
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| Stewart Elsmore |
Stewart Elsmore, Centre Director of Residential Services at Cranfield University, a world leading and distinctive, wholly postgraduate University, spent ten years in hotel general management, before he moved into the conference centre sector in 1989 and joined Cranfield Management Development Centre, one of the first purpose built centres in the UK.
Stewart’s role has included Director of IT & Data Services and Interim Director of Careers in Cranfield School of Management.
In 2010 Stewart became Director of Residential Services at Cranfield University a role which includes all student and delegate accommodation, a range of lecture rooms and food outlets.
Stewart has long been a supporter of the Conference Centres of Excellence marketing consortium and has widely participated in various roles as Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Chair of Communications and the Membership Committee.
Commenting on his appointment, Stewart said “I am delighted to be re-joining the Conference Centres of Excellence board, which is so completely focussed within its venues on high quality and customer service.”
Steve Crawford
Steve Crawford, Centre Director for College Court Conference Centre, has focussed on working in commercial areas within University environments, the majority of which has been in professional conference centres.
Steve’s previous roles have included posts at the University of Warwick (Warwick Conferences) and Centre Director at Missenden Abbey, prior to setting up the new 123 bedroom College Court Conference Centre in Leicester which opened on 1st October 2013.
As the first Director for this new conference venue, Steve has sympathetically reinstated a Grade II listed building, creating 55 jobs, bringing new business to the city of Leicester, supporting local suppliers and indeed the University’s strategic aims as all profits generated by College Court are gift aided back to the University.
Steve is also no stranger to the Conference Centres of Excellence board, having previously served for 8 years, two of which were as Chairman.
Commenting on his appointment, Steve said “It’s great to be back and involved with Conference Centres of Excellence again; I hope to play a major part in the future direction of the consortium and offer support to members where it’s needed”.
The majority of CCE’s members are independent operators, all of whom benefit from the Consortium’s marketing support and central sales function.
“We are delighted to have both Steve and Stewart join us again on the board, and welcome their experience and breadth of knowledge at a time when renewed business confidence is becoming evident. As a group our aim is to continue to grow our membership footprint and we have complete confidence that our service remains invaluable in promoting the benefits of independent, specialist venues.” commented Anthony Lishman, Executive Director of Conference Centres of Excellence.
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