Three Moves in One Roundup
PCMA's roundup of September 16, 2026 carries three leadership changes. A destination marketing organisation that sells a Southeast meetings product changes chiefs at the end of the year. Two suppliers that build and staff group programmes filled senior seats in September.
Raleigh's Succession
Dennis Edwards retires as president and chief executive of the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau on December 31, 2026. He has led the organisation, also known as Visit Raleigh, since April 2007. ConventionSouth puts his tenure in the hospitality industry at 44 years, with earlier roles at CVBs in Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Palm Springs, Culver City and Sioux City.
The bureau's board holds a succession plan and expects to announce his replacement soon. Melissa Chunn, general manager of the Renaissance Raleigh North Hills Hotel and chair of the board, said Edwards began in Raleigh nearly 20 years ago and that Wake County "has truly become a destination of choice."
The Measures Behind the Raleigh Product
ConventionSouth credits the bureau with the following figures. Hotel occupancy tax collections rose from $14 million in 2007 to more than $41 million, and prepared food and beverage tax revenue rose from $16 million to nearly $49 million. Annual visitation grew from 10.4 million in 2007 to 19.1 million in 2025, and visitor spending rose from $1.7 billion to more than $3.4 billion.
Wake County builds against those numbers. The 10-year Destination Strategic Plan 2028 fed the approvals behind the Red Hat Amphitheater, the Atlantic Union Bank Convention Center expansion, a 600-room Omni Hotel and work at the Lenovo Center. The bureau puts tourism infrastructure development in the county above $2 billion.
A 600-room Omni beside an expanded convention centre changes the block a city can quote. The successor inherits that capacity and the planner relationships attached to it.
Six Agency Brands Under One President
The Freeman Company appointed Alex Leikikh as President, TFC Agency Brands, effective September 14, 2026, and he reports to chief executive Janet Dell. The role is new, and it places 3D Exhibits, Alford Media, BaAM Productions, Freeman AV Production, Sparks and Studio Blue under one leader.
Leikikh joins from Interpublic Group, where he was most recently Global Chairman and Chief Executive of MullenLowe Group and an executive vice president of IPG. He held earlier creative leadership roles at Fallon and began his career at Leo Burnett. Dell tied the consolidation to client behaviour: "Clients don't come to us asking for one brand anymore, they come with needs that span several of them."
An organiser who buys exhibit build, audio-visual and brand experience for one event now meets all six brands under one president. The account lead who owns the whole programme is the question at contract stage.
Two Seats at Sparks
Sparks named Adam Charles Chief Client Officer and head of its Events & Experiences business, and Grant Ogburn joined as Chief Growth Officer. Both report to Melissa Levy, president of Sparks, and both roles are new. Sparks dated its release September 11, 2026 from Philadelphia.
Charles spent more than a decade with The Freeman Company, including a spell as executive vice president of its agency business, and joined Sparks in 2024. His career in marketing and live events runs 30 years. Ogburn joins from dentsu, where he was chief growth officer for Media North America, and he earlier held a global growth role at UM under IPG Mediabrands.
PCMA's roundup carried the Charles appointment and omitted the Ogburn appointment. Levy's line in the release puts client success as "our only goal."