WEST MICHIGAN SPORTS COMMISSION EXPANDS AND PROMOTES STAFF, ELECTS 2022 BOARD OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS, AND RECEIVES NATIONAL INDUSTRY AWARD
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Nov. 23, 2021 – The West Michigan Sports Commission (WMSC) is bolstering its team to prepare for a strong rebound year in 2022 through sports tourism, hiring Conner Hicks, former sales manager with Aimbridge Hospitality, as its new national sales manager. It also promoted Melissa Brink from marketing specialist of its signature Meijer State Games of Michigan event to marketing manager of the West Michigan Sports Commission, overseeing all brands and promotional efforts. The sports commission also elected its 2022 board officers and directors and secured a national sports industry award this month.
“Conner brings a strong local sales background from his time at Aimbridge Hospitality and Crowne Plaza Hotel,” said Mike Guswiler, president of the West Michigan Sports Commission. “He has intimate knowledge of our work and proven ability to impact our local economy through sports tourism. We look forward to Conner joining and growing our impact. We’re also thrilled to promote Melissa Brink, who has contributed her marketing and graphic design talents to our organization over the past six-plus years.”
Conner Hicks Hired as New National Sales Manager
The WMSC hired Conner Hicks as national sales manager, starting Nov. 15. He replaces Alyssa Updegrave who left in May 2020. Hicks spent the last three years as sales manager with Aimbridge Hospitality at the Holiday Inn Grand Rapids Airport, where he oversaw all group sales initiatives. He generated group guest room and catering revenue from organizations in the sports, military, education, religion and fraternal market segments, which is how Hicks was introduced to the WMSC. As a sales manager, he worked with the WSMC to provide hotel rates for bid proposals and repeat groups, forming a close relationship with the organization over the years as he talked with WMSC staff about needs of a group or what was needed to become a preferred hotel for a sports team. Prior to that, Hicks was events sales manager at the former Crowne Plaza Grand Rapids Airport & Conference Center, event supervisor at Applause Catering + Events, and event coordinator at CityFlatsHotel. A native of Canton, Mich., Hicks moved to West Michigan to attend Grand Valley State University, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management. A volunteer with Special Olympics Michigan for almost 10 years, Hicks is an avid sports fan and follows all the Detroit professional teams. In his free time, he loves to cook and spend time playing with his son.
“I am thrilled to join an organization that has already made such a huge impact on the tourism industry in Grand Rapids,” said Hicks. “Working with the WMSC on the hotel side has given me a firsthand look at the passion and hard work this staff puts into expanding the sport tourism market. I am excited to contribute to that growth and the potential to improve an already fantastic team.”
Melissa Brink Promoted to Marketing Manager
A native of Hudsonville, Melissa Brink first joined the WMSC in summer 2015 as a marketing and event operations intern with the Meijer State Games of Michigan while attending Grand Valley State University. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in advertising and public relations (in addition to her bachelor of business administration degree from GVSU in 2013 in business economics and marketing), she returned to the WMSC in September 2015 as an advertising and graphic design coordinator for the Meijer State Games of Michigan. A year later, she was promoted to marketing specialist of the State Games – a position she held for five years. In her new role, Brink reports to the WMSC president and provides day-to-day marketing support for the WMSC and its operating entities (State Games of Michigan, Meijer Sports Complex) such as developing email marketing campaigns, overseeing marketing initiatives, designing graphics, and creating and managing online content.
“We have a great team at the West Michigan Sports Commission, and it is a wonderful feeling to be recognized for the contributions I’ve made and be supported by my colleagues,” said Brink. “I look forward to further promoting Grand Rapids as a sports destination through our many hosted events, the Meijer State Games of Michigan and the Meijer Sports Complex.”
WMSC Wins Champion of Economic Impact Award
In other news, Sports Destination Management magazine awarded the WMSC a Champion of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism award for the USA Hockey 2021 Chipotle Youth National Championship (Youth Tier II 16U) held April 29 - May 3, 2021 at Southside Arena in Byron Center and Griff's Georgetown in Hudsonville. Sports Destination Management, a leading national sports trade publication with the largest circulation of sports event planners and tournament directors in the sports tourism market, presented this prestigious award to 20 organizations for events in 2020 and 26 organizations for events in 2021, with the WMSC as one of 13 winners in the mid-market category for 2021 for successfully hosting this USA Hockey tournament. Together, the 2020 and 2021 winners generated a collective economic impact of more than $400 million to the national economy over the past two years. The WMSC and fellow award winners are recognized in a special feature published in the November/December 2021 issue of Sports Destination Management.
Only the second USA Hockey national championship in Grand Rapids, this was one of the region’s first large tourism events since COVID and one of its largest national sports events in 2021 – attracting 640 athletes on 32 teams from 30 states and filling 2,586 room nights at 19 partner hotels. While spectator travel was restricted due to COVID versus a typical year, the event still attracted 800 spectators and generated $1.9 million in visitor spending. Despite COVID-19 challenges, it was a safe and successful event for USA Hockey, the national governing body for ice hockey.
“We are honored to be recognized by Sports Destination Management for the WMSC’s hard work in putting together this national hockey championship in 2021 – especially during a pandemic and at a time when the West Michigan hospitality industry needed overnight travel bookings,” said Guswiler. “We continue to make USA Hockey proud, through our work with local partners, by hosting yet another successful championship for them.”
WMSC Elects 2022 Board Officers and Directors
The WMSC board of directors recently approved its slate of 2022 officers and directors at its November board meeting for terms starting Jan. 1, 2022, re-electing Tim Gortsema of the Grand Rapids Griffins as vice chair, whose term would have expired Dec. 31. Other officers who will continue to serve their terms include Jim Horman, Progressive AE, as chair; Deb Kay as past chair; Bob Partridge as treasurer; and Emily Brieve, Kent County Commissioner, as secretary. Board directors who renewed three-year terms expiring Dec. 31 include Tom McCall, Meijer, Inc.; Nick Davidson, Aquinas College; Jim Jarecki, West Michigan Whitecaps; and Chad LeRoux, AHC Hospitality. Other directors rounding out the board include Brenda Borkowski, Steelcase, Inc.; Diane Jones, Kent County Commissioner; Kurt Lacks, Lacks Enterprises; Dave Hoogendoorn, Ernst & Young, LLP; Ed Wilson, Country Inn & Suites; and Doug Small, Experience Grand Rapids.
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About the West Michigan Sports Commission (WMSC)
The non-profit West Michigan Sports Commission identifies, secures and hosts youth and amateur sporting events to positively impact the region’s economy and quality of life. Since its inception in 2007, the WMSC has booked 954 events attracting more than 1.6 million athletes and visitors, generating over $460 million in direct visitor spending. Visit westmisports.com, Facebook.com/WestMichiganSportsCommission and @westmisports on Twitter and Instagram.
