Shannon Frank, 50
Vice President, Global Accounts, HPN Global, Indianapolis
How I got here:
I began my career with The Walt Disney Co. I spent 17 years with Hyatt Hotels & Resorts in global sales, and I worked at independent hotels and an IACC-certified conference center.
A specific improvement I’ve made:
Over the past several months, I have found great reward in extending my services on a pro bono basis to nonclient meeting planners who have found themselves lost and panicked not knowing how to best protect their organization. This has resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars being saved by multiple organizations, rescuing many from possible shutter.
What I am excited to be working on right now:
I have become a certified pandemic compliance advisor to continue my education about the virus; how to best mitigate client risk; and focus on impactful, safe meeting design. Gathering in person again will go well beyond the basics of social distancing, mask-wearing and hand-sanitizing.
Impressive stats I’m responsible for:
My #1 responsibility is to make my clients look like superheroes. My main objectives are to confirm a meeting foundation that comes in under budget, most often with lower room rates and more robust concessions packages than my client has seen in years, and confirm much stronger contractual coverage for their organization than they are able to achieve on their own.
What I do outside of work:
Over the past year the spotlight of family time together has provided the opportunity to focus on those special people that are the greatest blessings in life. As an added bonus, my family added two pandemic puppies to our family, both Yorkshire terriers, Bella and London. They have brought such great joy to the family as well as have kept us active. I’ve also began dabbling in hydroponic gardening this past year, and have enjoyed our bountiful vegetable and herb crops.
Favorite vacation destination:
Exploring the planet is my aspiration—Asia, South Pacific, Europe, the Americas and every place in between. With initial exploration, my favorite adventure route is a cruise. With the itinerary generally consisting of multiple stops, it provides a stimulating sampler platter of destinations to experience. Perfect to get a taste of multiple locations in a relatively short amount of time.
Facebook: elevatingtheeventexperience
Instagram: @elevatingtheeventexperience
