TBA GLOBAL’S DESTINATION MANAGEMENT GROUP ANNOUNCES NEW HIRES ACROSS NORTH AMERICA

LOS ANGELES, CA (October 22, 2007) – Connective communications and marketing leader TBA Global has expanded its leading Destination Management (DMC) teams across North America with the addition of several new executives. In Miami, Tracy Tretola joins TBA Global as Operations Manager, and Mandana “Mondi” Valiyee has joined as an Account Executive. Other TBA Global locations have added new Account Executives, including Cynthia Dirksen in Chicago, Priscilla Mantilla in New Orleans and Rhonda Mueller in Orlando. As members of the Destination Management team, they will utilize TBA Global’s extensive resources to create effective brand building programs for clients.

“TBA Global’s Destination Management group continues to grow, and we are excited to add these seasoned professionals to our team,“ said Kathy “KP” Papadimitriou, Executive Vice President, “With their collective experience in the meeting, events and travel industries, our new team members have the experience to create innovative programs that will achieve our clients’ goals.“

About the DMC new hires:

Tracy Tretola (Miami, Operations Manager): Tracy is a South Florida native with extensive knowledge of Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Palm Beach, and Southwest Florida including tours, activities, restaurants, and off property venues. Throughout her career, Tracy has helped create branding programs for various companies such as Blue Cross Blue Shield, Fidelity Investments, Wachovia Security, Mercedes Benz, General Motors, AIG SunAmerica, Maybelline, and Tyco Healthcare.

Mandana “Mondi” Valiyee (Miami, Account Executive): Mondi joins TBA Global from the leading industry trade magazine BizBash Florida, and was voted their top employee for the past year. Through her work at BizBash, she has cultivated an extensive knowledge of the Miami event planning market. Mondi is originally from San Francisco, CA, where she worked for NBC and Infinity Broadcasting. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from UCLA.

Cynthia Dirkson (Chicago, Account Executive): Cynthia brings more than 14 years of sales and marketing experience to TBA Global. Her most recent position was Corporate Sales Manager for Spirit Cruises, the largest harbor cruise company in North America. Cynthia is an active member of Chicago’s civic and business communities, holding leadership positions with Greater North Michigan Avenue Association (GNMAA), the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI). She is an active member of the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau.

Priscilla Mantilla (New Orleans, Account Executive): Priscilla has held various meeting planning and sales management positions for private foundations and hotels in the New Orleans area. This diverse set of experiences has left Priscilla with impeccable planning skills, attention to detail and a creative eye. Priscilla holds an MBA from the University of New Orleans. She is an active member of the Association of Destination Management Executives (ADME), Meeting Professionals Intl. (MPI) and is a designated Destination Management Certified Professional.

Rhonda Mueller (Orlando, Account Executive): Prior to joining TBA Global, Rhonda was a successful Account Executive with destination management company Hello Florida. She has worked extensively in special events and has worked on-site in three major hotels, including the Hilton in the Walt Disney World Resort, Buena Vista Palace and the Renaissance at SeaWorld. Some of her clients included Nestle Purina, Siemens, Mentor Corporation, FMI, Lockheed Martin and Honda College Bowl.

About TBA GLOBAL

Founded in 1994, TBA Global (www.tbaglobal.com) is a privately-held company that creates nontraditional marketing and communications programs for high-profile corporations, non-profit organizations, and associations worldwide. TBA’s award-winning teams create, produce and execute unique and compelling programs that grow clients’ business by creating, connecting, and optimizing their marketing and communications investments to key internal and external audiences. TBA is ranked #21 in the top 100 U.S. marketing organizations and earned a #6 ranking among the Top 50 Sales Promotion Agencies by Advertising Age magazine (April 30, 2007). TBA is headquartered in Los Angeles, California with multiple offices in the United States and Canada.

TBA Global’s Destination Management Services

TBA Global’s award-winning Destination Management connects audiences and brands throughout North America & Europe including Arizona, Banff, Chicago, Detroit, Las Vegas, London, Los Angeles, Miami/South FL, Nashville, New Orleans, New York, Orlando/Central FL, Palm Springs, San Diego, San Francisco, Vancouver, Washington DC and Whistler. TBA Global is the recipient of multiple SITE Awards, including the 2006 SITE Award for Most Outstanding Incentive Travel Program, and is designated a "Top 25 DMC" according to Special Events Magazine.