Cleveland 2016 Host Committee
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(page revised April 12, 2016)  


The Cleveland 2016 Host Committee, Inc. is an Ohio nonprofit corporation with no political affiliation that is responsible for organizing, hosting and funding the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland.

Their mission is to promote Northeast Ohio and ensure Cleveland is best represented in addition to lessening the burden of local governments in hosting the RNC Convention.

The Host Committee is comprised of prominent business executives, civic leaders and other influential leaders from across Cleveland, the state of Ohio, and the nation who are dedicated to ensuring the RNC Convention’s success


Cleveland 2016 Host Committee

Chairs
Christopher M. Connor, Chairman and CEO of The Sherwin-Williams Company
Beth E. Mooney, Chairman and CEO of KeyCorp
Alexander M. Cutler, Chairman and CEO of Eaton Corporation
Chris Kelly, Partner-In-Charge of Jones Day Cleveland


Officers

President and CEO  David Gilbert

(April 2015, succeeded Terry Egger)  President and CEO of Destination Cleveland (CVB) since 2011; also president and CEO of the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission since Jan. 2000.  Director of community affairs at the Convention & Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland, 1996-99.  Executive director of North Coast Harbor, Inc., 1991-96.  M.B.A. in marketing from Cleveland State University, 1994; B.A. in marketing from The Ohio State University, 1989.

Vice President  Joe Roman

President and CEO of the Greater Cleveland Partnership since 2004.  Previously served as executive director of Cleveland Tomorrow.  Worked on Capitol Hill as both a congressional staff person and as a lobbyist for manufacturing trade associations.  Master's degree in public administration from Harvard University; bachelor's degree from the State University of New York.  Born in Cleveland.

Counsel, Secretary and Treasure  Jon Pinney

Managing partner of Kohrman, Jackson and Krantz.  J.D. from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, 2000; B.S. from John Carroll University, 1997.


Staff

President and CEO  David Gilbert


COO  Diane Downing

On leave from position as senior vice president at Huntington Bank.  Vice president of government affairs and earlier director of stadium operations for the Cleveland Browns.  Point person for Mayor White's administration in construction of the Cleveland Browns stadium.  Deputy director of the Ohio Lottery Commission.  Staff to Mayor George Voinovich, 1980-89, then staff to Mayor Mike White.  Worked for County Commissioner Seth Taft.  Moved to Cleveland in 1977.  Degree in political science from Vassar College.

Senior Project Manager  Brittany Williams

Former executive director of the Cuyahoga County Republican Party.

Destination Development Coordinator  Gelise Littlejohn

Volunteer Manager  Sharon Richman


Volunteer Coordinator  Kelsey Satter


Director of Fundraising Operations  Caroline Wren

President of Bluebonnet Fundraising LLC from Jan. 2015.  Finance for Security Is Strength PAC, the pro-Lindsey Graham super PAC.  Finance director on Graham's 2014 re-election campaign, Feb. 2013-Nov. 2014.  National finance consultant at Holloway Consulting, Oct. 2011-Jan. 2013.  Southeast finance director on Jon Huntsman for President, June-Oct. 2011.  Associate director of major donors at GOPAC, Inc. May 2010-June 2011.  Deputy director of accounts receivable on McCain-Palin 2008, May-Nov. 2008.  B.A. in economics, political science from Auburn University, 2010; president of Auburn University College Republicans, March-Dec. 2009.  twitter


Former:
Terry Egger served as chairman of the Cleveland 2016 Host Committee through the bid process to April 2015, when he resigned and then vice president David Gilbert succeeded him:

Terrance C.Z. (Terry) Egger
Publisher, president and CEO of The Plain Dealer from May 2006 to early 2013.  Publisher of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 1999-2006; general manager of the Post-Dispatch, 1996-99.  While at the Post-Dispatch was also vice president of publishing for Lee Enterprises Inc. and previously senior vice president of Pulitzer Inc.  Vice president of advertising for Tucson Newspapers, from 1992.  Marketing services manager and later advertising director for Copley Los Angeles Newspaper.  Sales rep. for a newspaper in La Jolla, Calif. and college teacher.  Master's degree in speech communication from San Diego State University; B.A. from Augustana College.  From Rock Island, IL.




Also,
Mayor's Office, City of Cleveland
Chief of Government and International Affairs  Valarie McCall
Previously Clerk of the Cleveland City Council from May 2002.  Director of the City of Cleveland's Empowerment Zone.  M.P.A. and Bachelor's degree in social work from Cleveland State University.  Native Clevelander (>).