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| Megan Buchbinder was hired in March 2025 to fill the position of Executive Vice President of Marketing and Strategy, a role previously held for more than 15 years by Shawn Braden who retired earlier this year. Buchbinder’s duties will include strategic direction and development of marketing programs, overseeing media planning, creative development, website content and functions, collateral development, and research initiatives. Buchbinder is currently enrolled in the Destinations International Certified Destination Management Executive [CDME] program which is the tourism industry’s highest individual educational achievement. With
more than 15 years of experience in strategic marketing and communications,
Buchbinder most recently served as Director of Marketing with the Springfield
Convention & Visitors Bureau where she led the marketing and communications
teams, a position she held for five years. A North Carolina native and
Appalachian State University graduate, Buchbinder began her career in marketing
with App State’s arts and culture programs. Megan married and moved to
Springfield, Missouri where she worked for a full-service advertising agency
before joining the Springfield Little Theatre as its marketing director.
Her next career move was in 2020 when she joined the Springfield CVB to
lead the marketing team through a global crisis, executive management change
and a rebrand as Visit Springfield, Missouri.
During her tenure with the Springfield CVB, Buchbinder held leadership positions on boards and committees of the Springfield Chamber of Commerce, the Springfield Regional Arts Council and the City of Springfield. She was also a member of Leadership Springfield, Class 44. Awards and recognitions include Missouri Division of Tourism’s Marketing Campaign Award (2021) and being named an “Urban Legend in the Making” by the Downtown Springfield Association. Buchbinder was also among the Springfield Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” professionals impacting Springfield and she made Biz 417’s list of “10 for the Next 10” who will build and reshape Springfield, Missouri’s future. In her spare time, Megan enjoys spending time with her husband, two young sons and their mini-Australian Shephard, all of whom love the beach and being outside. Megan is excited to be back in North Carolina and to be living a lifelong dream of calling Wilmington and our island beaches “home”. “The Wilmington and Beaches CVB is pleased to welcome Megan Buchbinder to its team of destination marketing professionals,” states Kim Hufham, president/CEO of the New Hanover County Tourism Development Authority d/b/a Wilmington and Beaches CVB. “Megan’s destination marketing experience, community building skills, and understanding of all aspects of CVB operations are sure to be assets as the organization moves forward with the destination’s first-ever 10-year Tourism Master Plan.” Hufham also announced the recent promotion of two members of the CVB’s Sales department. “The CVB is fortunate to have a strong team of sales professionals, and it gives me great pleasure to promote two talented employees within our organization,” states Hufham. “We invite the community to join us in congratulating Molly Johnson on becoming the CVB’s Vice-President of Sales & Services. Congratulations also go to Ashley Ackary as she assumes the position of Sales Manager.” The CVB’s longtime Director of Convention Sales, Molly Johnson, CMP-Fellow, has accepted the position of Vice-President of Sales & Services. Johnson joined the Wilmington and Beaches CVB in 2015 and now claims more than three decades of experience in the hospitality industry with experience in sales and operations. She is among the most highly respected meeting professionals in the industry, currently serving on the Meeting Professionals International Chapter [MPI] and Member Advisory Council, as well as the Sustainability Advisory Council. Molly is a Past President of the Southeast Chapter of Professional Conference Management Association [PCMA] and a Past President of the Carolinas Chapter of Meeting Professionals International. Recent awards include PCMA Southeast Chapter 2023 President’s Award, PCMA Global Chair’s 2022 Award, AENC 2022 Outstanding Affiliate Member Award, MPI-CC 2019 Corey D. Bizell Award of Excellence, MPI-CC 2018 Hall of Fame Award, and MPI-CC 2017 President’s Award. Molly spends her free time serving on the Board of Directors for A Safe Place, a local non-profit, and the Event Industry Council Governance Commission, the governing body that oversees the Certified Meeting Professional [CMP] credential. Ashley Ackary joined the Wilmington and Beaches CVB in 2021 after graduating from Appalachian State University with a BS/BA in Hospitality and Tourism Management. In her previous role as the CVB’s Visitor Services / Sales Coordinator, Ashley greeted visitors at the front desk, answered phone and email inquiries, and assisted the sales team with pre-event planning in the SMERF [Social, Military, Educational, Religious, Fraternal] group market. In her new position as Sales Manager, Ashley’s duties will include handling the North Carolina State Associations, Government, Education & Religious markets. During her free time, Ashley enjoys hiking, yoga, pottery, crafting, listening to live music and playing with her two kittens, Pluto and Venus. About
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