Tourism Sales Leader Recognized with Meetings Industry Award

Suzanne Hackman, CDME, Visit Sarasota County’s Director of Sales & Industry Relations, received the 2025 Visionary Award during the 10th Annual Smart Woman Summit, presented by Smart Meetings at the JW Marriot Tampa in September. This recognition is presented to leaders in the meetings and event industry who take bold, transformative approaches – innovative thinking, inclusive leadership, measurable impact – to pave the way forward for others in the industry. 

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With this honor, Hackman joins a network now 1,000 women strong, all of whom are previous award recipients and contribute in unique ways to make the meetings and events industry a powerful force for good in the world. 

“Receiving the Visionary Award is both gratifying, humbling, and a reflection of so many who came before me,” said Hackman. “I had great mentors who helped me out at the beginning of my career, and I believe in paying it forward and building up those coming behind me in the industry. I am grateful to be in a profession I am passionate about, and I deeply value the opportunity to work alongside so many talented individuals every day." 

Hackman joined Visit Sarasota County in March 2024 as the tourism bureau’s lead on attracting overnight business and groups for meetings, conferences, and exhibitions. A tourism industry veteran with more than two decades of sales and business development experience, Hackman combines expertise with regional familiarity to keep hotels full, which in turn helps boost the local economy. 

Prior to Visit Sarasota County, Hackman previously served as Regional Director of Sales for PRA Business Events and Vice President of Sales and Business Development for Visit St. Pete-Clearwater, an organization she was with for more than 17 years.

Smart Meetings is a leading publisher and networking organization for the meetings and hospitality industry, providing digital and print content, hosting networking events, and offering resources and connections to help event professionals elevate their professional goals. 

To view the full list of awardees, visit https://www.smartmeetings.com/magazine_article/presenting-the-2025-smart-women-in-meetings-award-winners. 

About Visit Sarasota County

Visit Sarasota County (VSC) is the official tourism marketing entity and primary provider of visitor information for Sarasota County where tourism is the top industry. Through programs and partnerships, VSC makes Sarasota County a better place by promoting our community on the world stage. These efforts bring together over 500 partners to keep visitors coming, local businesses open and residents employed all year. VSC is accredited by the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program, a program of the Destination Management Association International (DMAI). To learn more, visit www.visitsarasota.com. 

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