Simpleview Announces Christine "Shimo" Shimasaki's Retirement and Names Vail Ross as Her Successor

Shimasaki to become a strategic advisor and board member at Simpleview after her upcoming retirement

TUCSON, Ariz., Aug. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Simpleview has big news — Christine "Shimo'' Shimasaki has announced her upcoming retirement from the role of managing director of 2Synergize, LLC, a Simpleview consulting company. Shimasaki will be passing the torch to Simpleview's newest strategic hire, Vail Ross.

Shimasaki, an industry veteran, will retire at the end of 2023 and transition into the role of a strategic advisor and board member at Simpleview. In this role, she will continue to counsel Simpleview to advocate and support destinations in meetings and group sales markets.

Since 1983, Shimasaki has provided unparalleled leadership and guidance to hoteliers, destination marketing organizations (DMOs), and convention and visitor bureaus (CVBs), contributing to the creation, evolution, and advancement of the destination organization industry. In July 2022, her efforts were recognized with induction into the Destinations International Hall of Fame as an industry contributor. Shimasaki was instrumental in the creation of FuturePace, ICCA Business Intelligence, the Event Scoring Profile, MINT+,  and the recent launch of Simpleview Data Engine. 

"From Marriott to the San Diego Tourism Authority, to my consulting at Destinations International, and then joining Simpleview, this journey has been amazing — I couldn't have scripted it any better," said Shimasaki. "This year marks my 40th anniversary in the industry; I have a lot to be grateful for, including having people around me who believed in me."

Simpleview, the leading provider of CRM, CMS, and marketing solutions for destinations worldwide, is excited to announce the hiring of Vail Ross — former senior vice president of global business development & marketing at STR. Ross is a travel industry leader and sits on a number of association and non-profit boards; she was named one of the 100 Most Powerful People in Global Hospitality in 2022 by the International Hospitality Institute and one of Hotel Management's Influential Women In Hospitality in 2019. Ross will begin her role as co-director of 2Synergize in September 2023 before transitioning to managing director in the new year.

"I am excited to continue the transformative work that Shimo and her team at 2Synergize have brought to the destination marketing community," said Ross. "Our goal is to expand on that extensive advisory work, from marketing to destination development, to help in accomplishing the goals of our customers."

Ross's industry expertise will further empower 2Synergize to provide customer research, sales strategy consulting, sales intel, and data services for Simpleview customers, as well as fuel Simpleview Data Engine — a data aggregation and analysis platform built for the future of DMOs.

About Simpleview

Simpleview is a worldwide leading provider of CRM, CMS, website design, digital marketing services, and data insights for convention bureaus, venues, tourism boards, destination marketing organizations (DMOs), and attractions. The company employs staff across the globe, serving clients of all sizes, including small towns, world capitals, top meeting destinations, and countries across multiple continents.

About 2Synergize

2Synergize, LLC is a Simpleview consulting company specializing in the convention and visitors (CVB) industry, with a laser focus on helping destinations and partner organizations gain a competitive edge in the meetings and events market. 2Synergize understands the complexities of the organization's roles and responsibilities and the importance of optimizing stakeholder relationships.

SOURCE SIMPLEVIEW