Lisa Wallace, 34, works in Indianapolis as senior communications manager, conventions and meetings, at Visit Indy. As a 2018 40 Under 40 honoree, Wallace discusses her passion for the events industry.
*Connect with Wallace on Twitter and Instagram.
What I do: Through strategic marketing and communications, I work every day to increase awareness of
Indianapolis as a premier convention and events destination. My role, which didn’t exist until 2011 after $3 billion of new product came online, was created to share Indy’s story with event organizers, meeting decision makers and industry media daily. I work alongside our sales team to help book and retain business and alongside our convention services team to assist our customers in driving attendance to their events.
How I got here: I previously worked in sports marketing and communications while pursuing a Masters in Public Affairs – Nonprofit Management, and I am thankful I was able to transfer my skillset and passions to a position with Visit Indy.
Greatest career accomplishment: Visit Indy has achieved record convention bookings and record tourism numbers over the course of my tenure, and I’m proud to be a part of the team that made that happen. Indy being named USA Today’s “No. 1 Convention City in the U.S.” is also a point of pride, and an honor that has turned the heads of meeting professionals across the country who previously wouldn’t have considered Indy.
Impressive stats: Visit Indy has booked more than 870,000 future group room-nights each year since 2014, up from an 815,000 benchmark prior to 2014. Indy also experienced record consumed room-nights in 2017 with 836,600.
What I’m working on now: Indy is gearing up to host MPI’s World Education Congress June 2-5, and I’m excited to lead Indy’s marketing efforts to capitalize on this unique opportunity.
