OUR STORY

Most everyone in this industry has traveled a circuitous path to arrive at his or her current career. Our route was somewhat unusual.

Often one hears “this business ain’t rocket science”. We respond, “we know, we were rocket scientists!” Upon discovering our background, almost everyone asks. . . “How did you ever get into the convention business?” Here is our story.

Harry was working as an electrical engineer and I (Diane) was employed as a computer scientist in the aerospace industry designing systems for missiles (rockets). We were both active in organizing tournaments for our respective company golf clubs. Building on this experience, in 1982 we decided to form a company called VIP Golf to produce small golf outings at various California resorts. While we never intended to quit our day jobs, that all changed after a colleague, who was a member of an IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) site selection committee approached us. Confident with our organizational abilities, he asked for assistance with site selection and logistics support. We realized that this could be a real business and VIP Meetings & Conventions was born. Incidentally, we retained that very first client for over twenty years.

In the early years, most of our clients were scientific and technical associations. As VIP Meetings & Conventions’ reputation grew, we expanded into other industries. In 1988, we met the executive director of MAGIC (Men’s Apparel Guild in California), who was moving her show to Las Vegas and needed a private company to make that transition. Although we had no experience in housing, she was convinced that with our technical expertise we could do it. And we did! We booked 10,000 rooms on peak night and utilized thirty (30) hotels. After the convention, a veteran Las Vegas hotelier told us that VIP Meetings & Conventions was the best housing company he had ever worked with!

The rest, as they say, is history. We became a pioneer in third party housing and during the past twenty-eight (28) years, VIP Meetings & Conventions has built a remarkably strong company with a sterling reputation for service. VIP has served some amazing clients and had many wonderful experiences. Certainly one of the highlights was handling the housing for the 2000 Democratic National Convention utilizing seventy-six (76) hotels in Los Angeles.

Stay tuned……we are still making history.

The Founders

Diane Conti; BA Mathematics, California State University, Northridge
Harry Kuemmerle,III; BS Electrical Engineering (summa cum laude), M.S.E.E., University of Pennsylvania