Peggy began her career in the convention industry in 1978 and was part of the original team when the Baltimore Convention Center opened in 1979. Prior to her career with the Baltimore Convention Center, she served in the office of Mayor William Donald Schaefer for over 4 years.
In July of 1986 Peggy was appointed by Mayor Clarence “Du” Burns as the first female director of a national convention center. She was instrumental in the expansion of the Center which tripled its size to be the largest public assembly meetings and exhibition venue in the State of Maryland. She oversees a full time staff of more than 150 who welcome over 500,000 visitors to the facility each year.
Peggy has been greatly involved in the hospitality industry, and is nationally respected for her experience in venue management. She has been a member of the Board of Directors of the International Association of Assembly Managers (IAAM) and served as Chair of the IAAM Foundation. Peggy is the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) representative on the Board of Directors for the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR), serves on IAVM’s Industry Affairs Committee and Convention Center Committee. She is a member of the Baltimore Area Convention and Tourism Board, and has been a member of the National Academy Foundation Advisory Committee for Hospitality and Tourism. Peggy was the Co-Chair of the IAAM/DMAI Task Force for Best Practices of Convention Centers and Destination Marketing Organizations, which produced a white paper. This document has become a major resource for sales and marketing and operating practices for the industry. In 2013, Peggy was honored by the Convention Industry Council (CIC) as an inductee to the CIC Hall of Leaders, one of the highest honors that one receives in the hospitality industry.
Peggy continues to stay involved in shaping facility management practices. The Baltimore Convention Center serves as a model to facilities around the country and has been honored to receive numerous industry awards for excellence