Keep your eye on Larry Gawronski.

For the third consecutive year, ConventionSouth Magazine has included Gawronski on its list of Meeting Professionals to Watch in the coming year. Gawronski is vice president and executive director of VenuWorks, which manages the city-owned Vicksburg Convention Center and Auditorium. He was nominated by clients who have used the convention center or auditorium, and is one of 43 in the southeast region to be included on the list for 2010.

“I am honored and humbled,” said Gawronski. “I believe we have two of the best venues to meet our clients’ needs, but without the customer service, you don’t have it all. I believe I am in a position to lead our team to deliver the best possible service to our clients.”

Meanwhile, the convention center and auditorium were recognized for the sixth consecutive year with a ConventionSouth Readers’ Choice Award for Excellence, Creativity and Professionalism. Only the top vote-getters of approximately 2,000 meeting venues across the nation receive the recognition, which is based on a venue’s physical attributes and its staff’s commitment to hospitality and service.

“We take pride in our attention to detail, and absolutely will not stand for anything less than over-the-top experiences for our guests,” Gawronski said.

Gawronski came to Vicksburg in 2001 when Compass Facility Management, an Iowa-based firm, was hired to run the convention center and auditorium. Compass changed its name to VenuWorks in 2007, and continued handling administrative duties, sales, marketing, operations, special events, promotions and image-building of the convention center and auditorium.

The auditorium is roughly 55 years old. The Vicksburg Convention Center opened on Mulberry Street in 1997.

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Contact Steve Sanoski at ssanoski@vicksburgpost.com