Names in the News: Lisa Anders

Name: Lisa Anders

Title/Position/Occupation: Executive Director, Gwinnett Convention and Visitors Bureau, Gwinnett County’s official destination marketing organization.

Sphere of Influence: The GCVB works closely with all of Gwinnett’s hotels, our downtown cities, Gwinnett Center, Gwinnett Parks & Recreation and various Gwinnett/Atlanta arts & cultural groups, attractions, restaurants and welcome centers. Our job is to “put heads in beds” and create economic impact through meetings, conventions, leisure stays, sports, reunions, or any other type of overnight event.

Education/Background: BA degree in political science from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville…Go Vols! Worked for Cendant Corp. as a worldwide guest relations manager for all of their hotel chains (dealing with the angriest hotel guests in the world!), in hotel management, and joined the GCVB in 1996 as an administrative assistant, just before the Olympics.

Accomplishments/Accolades: The GCVB has been recognized for a number of our efforts, including being named “Sports Commission of the Year” by the National Association of Sports Commissions. Our best accolades come from the emails and letters that I often receive about the various members of the GCVB and Gwinnett Sports Commission staff, commending them for going above and beyond. The GCVB/GSC staffs are completely committed and dedicated to what we do, and in today’s world, that is a huge accomplishment.

Projects/Goals: The GCVB is having a very busy year. Our major projects/goals include a new re-branding of both the CVB as well as our sports marketing division, the Gwinnett Sports Commission. We are working on getting a much-needed headquarters hotel for the Gwinnett Center complex, and we are working very closely with all of our city partners to help market and promote our downtown destinations.

Hobbies/Leisure Activities: Tennis. I am an avid ALTA player. I play on six teams throughout the year, both women’s and mixed doubles.

Civic/Church Involvement: Habitat for Humanity volunteer and very busy Blessed Trinity High School sports mom.

Family: I have a 15-year-old son Ben, who’s a sophomore at Blessed Trinity High School in Roswell. This October, I am getting married to my wonderful fiancée Jim, and we’ll be blending families with my future 14-year old step-daughter Isabella and our two dogs, Duke and Narnia. So I will become Lisa Minter.

Something hardly anyone knows about you: I used to work for Vice President Al Gore while I was in college (he was a senator then). My tennis team won the City Championship this past winter!