executive
team
John Christison
Vice President
Industry Veteran John Christison, former President and CEO of the Washington State Convention & Trade Center (WSCTC), has joined Columbia Hospitality as Vice President. John will focus on consulting projects, as well as the expansion of Columbia's conference center management and operations.
A well-known leader in the industry, John has served as president of the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM), is past chairman of the Asia Pacific Exhibition and Convention Council (APECC), and is the past and founding chairman of the World Council for Venue Management (WCVM), an umbrella organization representing nine worldwide professional associations in the public assembly facility management industry. He has also served as an adjunct lecturer for Washington State University's Hotel and Restaurant Program and the Rosen School of Hospitality Management at Central Florida University. John served as the chairman of the Board of Governors for the Cornell University Public Assembly Management Symposium, and is a frequent lecturer and trainer in the field of facility management, marketing and service delivery.
John announced his retirement from the WSCTC in October 2011, following a 21-year tenure with the state-owned facility. But that didn't last long until John was back in the thick of things at Columbia. Additionally John acted as principal and managing member of a successful consulting company, Buckley-Christison International. He will bring the company's clients with him to Columbia Hospitality.
"I was attracted to Columbia Hospitality because of the strong core values of the organization, the dedication to doing things the right way, and the enthusiasm of the leadership and staff. These attributes make for a working environment that is fun, challenging and client focused. I am a believer in providing services to clients that exceed expectations and that approach fit perfectly with the culture of Columbia Hospitality."
