Spread your wings – Meetings + Events

riceMichigan native Rachel Benedick was pursuing a master’s degree in counseling psychology, marriage and family at the University of Colorado Denver when she She began her career at Visit Denver in 1998. She rose through the ranks over the past 25 years, most of which she He most recently served as executive vice president of meetings sales and services, leaving last year to become chief revenue officer for Meeting Professionals International (MPI), headquartered in Dallas, Texas.

“I’ve been thinking about what to do next in my career,” Benedick said. Every moment of my trip to Denver, But after 25 years, I felt like I had another career. The position at MPI really interested me. Because in addition to sales,
I’ll have the opportunity to give back to the industry by being involved in education and raising money for our foundation.” While MPI is based in Texas, she noted that a key benefit of her new job is being able to stay in Denver and work remotely, which is essential for her.

For Benedick, joy in work has always been about working with people, including being part of an industry association. “You can expand your network and get different perspectives from each association,” she says. “Education is key to personal and professional growth, and industry associations are a great way to get that education. It also helps make the industry seem smaller. Hospitality is a big industry, and sometimes you can feel lost.”

While in Denver, she witnessed With the addition of numerous hotels and the development of large restaurants, the city is becoming a destination for conferences and events. scene, as well as the continued expansion of the Colorado Convention Center. “Denver has a young mentality, and that lively nature draws people to the city,” Benedick said. “When I first started at Visit Denver, we primarily competed at regional events, and now we compete at the national and international level.”

Benedick remains one of Denver’s biggest supporters. “The compact, walkable downtown is perfect for meetings of all sizes,” she said. “There’s so much to do, and we have the Rocky Mountains in our backyard.”