Visit Plano has promoted two staff members to the positions of SMERF & Government Sales Manager and Convention Services Coordinator.

Visit Plano’s former Convention Services Coordinator Blaire Zahn has been named SMERF (social, military, educational, religious, and fraternal) & Government Sales Manager, and intern Liz Navarette has been promoted to the position of Convention Services Coordinator.

In her new role, Zahn will be responsible for booking SMERF and government conventions, meetings, events and securing hotel room nights in Plano.

Prior to joining Visit Plano in December 2016, Zahn was Tourism Director at the Mineral Wells Convention & Visitors Bureau. She brings a diverse background and numerous talents to Plano. Her extensive experience in the tourism industry also includes positions with The Fairmont Dallas, Banana Azul Hotel, the Carolina Renaissance Festival, Visit Southlake and Sustainable Travel International. Zahn holds a Master of Science in International Sustainable Tourism and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Hospitality Management, both from the University of North Texas.

Navarette will manage all logistics, arrangements, and services for Visit Plano clients once they have been booked in Plano by the Visit Plano sales team. She will also assist meeting planners in coordinating events in each of Visit Plano’s targeted market segments including corporate, association, government, sports, and SMERF (social, military, educational, religious, and fraternal).

Navarette received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing and minored in Kinesiology at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas. She played on their women’s soccer team for four years and graduated from the Redwine Honors Program. Before interning with Visit Plano, she also completed an administrative and marketing internship with Midwestern’s Athletic Department.