Bob Balsam to head staff with consolidated sales push.

HOUSTON, Texas – The City of Houston Convention and Entertainment Facilities Department today announced Bob Balsam as Director of Sales for the nearly two million square foot George R. Brown Convention Center (GRBCC). It was also announced that Nazila Sabripour will move from her coordinator position to account executive in the sales department under Balsam.

Born in Galveston, Texas and raised in Houston, Balsam’s career began as an event coordinator in 1978 at the beloved Astrodome and Astrohall and later at the Albert Thomas Convention Center in 1983. And, in 1986 was named Assistant Manager for the George R. Brown Convention Center.

He later served as Show Producer/Director of Exhibitor Services for The Interface Group/Sands Expo and Convention Center in both Boston and Las Vegas. From 1993-2002 Balsam served as Trade Show Manager for Sullivan Transfer Company, and later for two years as Senior Event Manager and Manager of Guest Services for the San Diego Convention Center.

Balsam returned to Houston in 2003 to serve as Event Services Manager at the GRBCC. His vast experience in convention services and vendor management will serve as an asset in the GRBCC sales effort.

“My plan is to be aggressive in selling the GRB and Houston. We have so much more to offer than ever before – more than most meeting planners are aware of,” Balsam said. “We have the space and the staff to accommodate anything, and a downtown package that will impress everyone.”

Sabripour began her career as a promotions coordinator for SFX Entertainment and later joined the GRBCC in 2000 as an event coordinator.

Demonstrating professional client relations and being continually commended by clients including the National Football League and Major League Baseball for her impressive attention to detail and client coordination, Sabripour will now implement her skills into a sales approach that will include her unique understanding of the GRB and the needs of the client. Voted by her co-workers, Sabripour was named the 2004 Employee of the Year for the City’s Convention and Entertainment Facilities Department.

“With Bob Balsam heading the sales team, the addition of Naz to the sales staff, and working closely with the Greater Houston CVB, I am confident that the sales efforts in Houston will impress many meeting planners and we will garner more than just interest from those shows that may have overlooked Houston and the GRB in the past,” Luther Villagomez, General Manager of the GRBCC said.

At 1.85 million gross square feet, the downtown GRBCC now ranks among the 10 largest convention centers in America. The building features 1.2 million square feet of exhibition, meeting and registration space and grew from four exhibit halls to seven and 43 meetings rooms to 117. For more information, please call 1-800-427-4697 or visit www.houstonconventionctr.com.

Contact:

Anna Hawley
713-853-8287
anna.hawley@cityofhouston.net