Press Releases

IAAPA Names New Membership, Marketing VP

ALEXANDRIA, VA. USA (Aug. 19, 2003) – The International Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions, today announced the appointment of Ana Elisa Benavent, CAE, ASAE to the position of Vice President of Membership and Marketing Services.

Benavent, formerly the Manager of Membership and Marketing will now have overall responsibility for all activities for which the membership and marketing services team is accountable including membership marketing, products and services marketing, and member services.

"Ana Elisa is a tremendous asset to IAAPA and its members," said IAAPA President J. Clark Robinson.
"This promotion not only represents our esteem for Ana Elisa's talent and determined dedication to professional excellence, but will also provide a valuable addition to our senior management team."

Robinson said Benavent will focus on IAAPA's membership recruitment and retention efforts and continued development of IAAPA marketing programs. Additionally, Benavent will develop and implement marketing strategies to promote IAAPA products and services including the Annual Convention and Trade Show, Annual Summer Meeting, Publications, IAAPA Europe, and all training service products including videotapes, manuals, and seminars.

"I'm looking forward to this exciting challenge as we build an even stronger membership-oriented organization that will continue to serve the needs of the entire amusement park industry," said Benavent.

"My focus will be to continuously identify areas in which we can increase the quality of our association's products and services and subsequently, the value of the IAAPA membership."

Before joining IAAPA in 1999, Benavent was the General Manager of the Latin American Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (ALAP), an international federation of national trade associations based in Mexico City, Mexico. In this role, her duties included servicing more than 500 members in 14 countries, both directly and through their national associations in the fields of educational and training resources, development of local industries and associations, strategic planning and direction of the industry.

Currently, Benavent lives in the Washington D.C. area with her husband and two children, ages 15 and 12. Before moving to the U.S., Benavent was a resident of Mexico City, Mexico.

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IAAPA is the largest international trade association for permanently situated amusement facilities worldwide. The organization represents over 4,500 facility, supplier, and individual members from more than 90 countries. IAAPA strives to help members improve their efficiency, marketing, safety, and profitability while maintaining the highest possible professional standards in the industry. www.iaapa.org