News Release

Anchorage, AK – Oct. 20, 2004

ANCHORAGE WINS IEEE ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION BID

Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB) convention sales team has landed the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. (IEEE) International Conference on Robotics and Automation bid. The annual conference held May 9 – 16, 2010, will have an estimated economic impact of $923,483 with more than 1,100 participating delegates.

“The IEEE is separated into approximately 50 smaller organizations with more than 500 meetings per year. Due to space limitations, Anchorage is only able to go after a minimal amount of the conventions,” said Bruce Bustamante, ACVB president and CEO.

Janine Oros Amon, ACVB convention sales manager, has been working diligently for more than eight years to bring this prestigious group to Anchorage.

“This is a very technologically advanced, exciting group of world renowned researchers that will be meeting in Anchorage. It is a wonderful conference for our city to host, ” said Oros Amon.

Oros Amon cinched the deal in August 2004 when Dr. Wesley Snyder, 2010 ICRA Chairperson, came to Anchorage for a site inspection.

“Site inspections are one of the most effective tools that ACVB uses to book convention business,” says Oros Amon. “They offer an opportunity to see the variety of meeting facilities, lodging, restaurants, and ground transportation options available in Anchorage, as well as experience first-hand activities available for meeting or event attendees.”

Because of space limitations, the 2010 citywide convention is possible due to the cooperative efforts of ACVB member business partners and through utilizing various properties in Anchorage. The convention will utilize the William A. Egan Civic and Convention Center, the Alaska Center for Performing Arts, the Anchorage Museum of History and Art and two to three hotels.

The IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation is sponsored by the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society. IEEE is a nonprofit, technical professional association of more than 377,000 individual members in 150 countries. IEEE is a leading authority in technical areas ranging from computer engineering, biomedical technology and telecommunications, to electric power, aerospace and consumer electronics, among others. It promotes the engineering process of creating, developing, integrating, sharing, and applying knowledge about electro and information technologies, and sciences for the benefit of humanity and the profession.

The Robotics and Automation Society is an active worldwide research association working on the future of robotics. The conference will join experts in the field of robotics and automation for technical communications through presentations and discussions. The conference will create a remarkable environment to indulge all the delegates in the frontier of science and technology in robotics and automation.

The next IEEE Robotics and Automation Society conferences will be held in Taiwan, New Orleans, Barcelona and Rome.

The Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau’s mission is to attract and serve visitors to the Municipality of Anchorage. ACVB’s marketing functions are funded by half of the bed tax collected by the lodging association. The other half goes to the Municipality’s general fund. ACVB receives no state or federal funds. For more information, explore www.Anchorage.net.

Media Contacts:

Erika Siegel
Public Relations Manager
toll free: (800) 446-5352 x 331
direct: (907) 257-2331
esiegel@anchorage.net

Nance Larsen, APR
Director of Communications
toll free: (800) 446-5352 x 310
direct: (907) 257-2310
nlarsen@anchorage.net