Sales Team

Kelly Wright, CMP

Assistant Director of Sales

Industry Member: Rocky Mountain Chapter of Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA)

Kelly has over 25 years' of experience working in the events industry. Kelly is a graduate of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, with a concentration in Travel and Tourism. During her senior year, Kelly completed a five month resort management internship in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Upon return to California, Kelly began a five year career as a catering manager in the restaurant industry, where she specialized in weddings, holiday parties, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs.

Kelly joined the SMG team at the Colorado Convention Center in 2000, and was part of the opening team of the $340 million dollar expansion in 2004. Along with the Director of Sales and Marketing, Rich Carollo, Kelly oversees sales and booking of all events at the Colorado Convention Center, where the Sales Team successfully writes, negotiates and executes nearly 400 event agreements a year.

Kelly was awarded the Manager of the Year Award at the Adam’s Mark Hotel in 1998, and served as an active committee member, officer and executive board member of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) for over six years. Kelly was Chair of the Community Services Committee for Rocky Mountain PCMA during the year the committee won the National Spirit Award, and was awarded the Deb West Memorial Award for community service for two years.
 

Gregory J. Lowry

Assistant Director of Sales/Entertainment

Greg has over 25 years' of experience working in the concert, convention and event industry. Greg graduated from The University of Memphis in 1986. Before moving to Denver, Colorado, he was employed by SMG in Memphis, Tennessee at the Pyramid Arena where he was responsible for all areas of marketing, advertising and public relations for the 20,000 seat arena. While at The Pyramid, Lowry worked with the NBA Memphis Grizzlies Basketball program, NCAA Memphis Tigers Men’s Basketball program, national touring concerts and family spectaculars. In May of 2004 SMG transferred Lowry to Denver to participate in the grand opening of the $340 million dollar expansion of the Colorado Convention Center. Today, Lowry oversees the sales and booking all concerts, comedy, family shows and entertainment events at the Bellco Theatre and Colorado Convention Center.

Over the past ten years Greg has served as an Adjunct Professor at Johnson and Wales University teaching in the College of Hospitality.

Jason Strauss

Senior Sales Manager

Jason is a Denver Native and graduate of the University of Colorado at Denver where he earned a degree in Communications, with an emphasis in Public Relations and a minor in Sociology. Prior to his arrival at the Colorado Convention Center, Jason worked with the Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, Denver Broncos and Special Olympics Colorado. Jason specializes in the public/consumer show market, community outreach and supporting junior sales team members.

Kayla VanCleve, CMP

Senior Sales Manager

Industry Member: Rocky Mountain Chapter of Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA)

Kayla first began her career in the events industry in 2002 with Hanley Wood Exhibitions in Irving, TX. During her tenure at Hanley Wood, Kayla worked on several large corporate events including the Int’l Pool | Spa | Patio Expo and the Remodeling Show. In 2011, after moving back to her native Colorado, Kayla spent time working for the Club Industry Show, the National Restaurant Show (NRA Show) and the Int’l Wine, Spirits & Beer Event. She joined the CCC team in September 2013.

Morgan Kusek 

Sales and Marketing Manager

Native to Denver and graduate of Metro State University, Morgan began her career with The Walt Disney Company. She became passionate about event industry marketing working with Disney Destinations, Disney College Recruiting, and promotions for The Wildlife Experience Museum. Morgan gained valuable expertise in communications, writing content for email marketing, blog posts, social media, website, and digital advertising campaigns. In 2013, she brought her experience to the Colorado Convention Center sales team. As the marketing manager, Morgan specializes in marketing support and in-house promotion for all large scale consumer public shows at the Convention Center and Bellco Theatre. 

Hannah Newman

Sales Manager

Hannah, a native to Northeastern Colorado, received a BS in Hospitality Management from the University of Nebraska Lincoln and a MBA from the University of Colorado Denver. After completing a marketing internship in Italy, Hannah joined SAVOR, the foodservice and catering division of SMG, as the Catering Events Manager at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln. There she assisted in the 2013 grand opening of the arena. Hannah also planned and executed events included concerts, family shows, corporate banquets, Husker Basketball and the 2015 Nebraska Governor’s Inauguration. She transferred from SAVOR and joined the Colorado Convention Center sales team in 2015.

Patty Hunt 

Sales Coordinator   

Originally from Grosse Pointe, Michigan, Patty’s expertise comes from a 26 year career in meetings and conferences. Her passion for the industry began at Honeywell in Atlanta, Georgia where she held the position of Corporate Meeting Planner.

Patty moved to Chicago in 1994 and joined HelmsBriscoe as a Global Director. Here, she provided site selection and contract negotiations services for her clients.  During that time, she also served as an On-Site Conference Manager for Progress in Planning overseeing the logistics of meetings and conferences attended by 200 – 20,000 people. In 2003, Patty continued with HelmsBriscoe and Progress in Planning after relocating to Denver.

Patty joined the Sales Department in March 2018 after spending a year working with Guest Services here at the Colorado Convention Center. Her love for Denver and all that Colorado has to offer makes her a natural addition to the Sales Team.