Katie Wages

About Katie Wages

Specialties: Incentive Travel and Meetings

Experience

1. Meeting and Event Project Manager

   CITGO

   Aug 2008 — Present

   Responsible for the design, development and execution of all corporate sales and marketing meetings, board meetings, incentive trips, customer events, employee events, golf tournaments, virtual events, hybrid events and other special events as needed nationally and internationally • Research, plan, manage and execute all program elements including: budgets, request for proposals, site recommendations and inspections, contract negotiations, logistics, website development and registration, hotel/housing, pre-conference meetings, air, venues, entertainment, speakers, décor, security, emergency action plans, communication plans, corporate tax reporting, destination management companies, creative elements, signage, food and beverage, ground transportation, VIP requirements, audio/visual production, hospitality desks, tickets, invitations, activities, room gift selection, evaluations/surveys and final billings • Manage internal committees as well third-party travel management companies to ensure timely, cost-effective results • Responsible for the implementation and relationship management of a website/registration and meetings management software (Cvent), resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings, program consistencies and planner efficiencies throughout the company • Created event SOPs, standard contract templates/clauses and a hotel contract concession template resulting in reduced risk and financial liability to the company • Plan and manage budgets in excess of seven million dollars over multiple business units and refineries