Carol Wallace, president and CEO of the San Diego Convention Center Corporation, was honored by KPBS with a 2009 Black History Month Local Hero Award. The award recognizes individuals who demonstrate a high level of commitment, community participation and endeavor to positively affect the African-American community. One of five recipients, Ms. Wallace was selected in the business category. “San Diego is fortunate to have Carol Wallace at the helm of its world-class facility. She’s an outstanding leader who is a credit to her industry and our great city,” said Chris Cramer, board chair of the San Diego Convention Center Corporation. “When it comes to the convention center industry, I’m a firm believer that the most important people are not at the top – they are at the front lines interacting directly with guests and clients who enter our building everyday,” said Ms. Wallace. “I’m fortunate to lead a talented team of individuals who have made the San Diego Convention Center one of the nation’s top meeting facilities and one of the region’s strongest economic engines.” As the driving force behind the highly successful bayside Convention Center, Ms. Wallace oversees a staff of 559 and is responsible for a budget that exceeds $34 million. Under her leadership last year, the Convention Center shattered all previous performance records generating an all-time high $1.8 billion in regional economic impact and a record $31.9 million in tax revenues for the city of San Diego. Nearly one million people attended events, including a record 648,159 out-of-town visitors, whose direct spending infused $751.8 million into the local economy during their stay in San Diego. A dedicated community leader, Ms. Wallace serves on the board of United States International University (USIU) Nairobi, Africa, and is the past board chair of ACCION San Diego. She is on the boards of the San Diego Hotel-Motel Association and the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau. She is a past board member of the San Diego Urban League; United Way CHAD; the American Lung Association of San Diego and Imperial Counties; YMCA; Alliant University; and Home Savings’ Partnership Council. She is a member of the San Diego Rotary Club and the NAACP. Now celebrating 20 years of success, the Convention Center has generated $18.3 billion in regional economic impact, $364 million in tax revenues for the City of San Diego and supports 12,500 jobs countywide. The San Diego Convention Center Corporation is a public benefit corporation created by the city to exclusively market, manage and operate the 2.6 million square foot waterfront facility. # # #
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