Salt Lake City — During Visit Salt Lake’s annual meeting, held virtually on March 18, Eddie Canaday, director of convention sales D.C. market & diversity market development director was presented the 14th annual Dianne Nelson Binger Sales Leadership Award, the second time the honor has been bestowed upon him during his 12-year tenure with the organization.

The annual Dianne Nelson Binger Sales Leadership Award is presented to Visit Salt Lake’s top sales person in honor of Dianne Binger, a tireless advocate for Salt Lake and the state. Binger exemplified the traits of a successful sales person and served Visit Salt Lake-then the Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau-and the community for 18 years, becoming President & CEO in 2001. A great leader and mentor, Binger sadly lost her long battle with cancer in March 2005.

Canaday worked in concert with his Salt Lake-based counterparts to close some of the year’s largest bookings, conventions being held 2021 through 2028 and ranging in size from 3,500 attendees to more than 14,000 attendees.

“Eddie not only met his lofty lead generation goal of 600,000 room nights last year, he made presentations to 41 new potential city wide convention clients, most of those before COVID hit,” said Mark White, VSL’s VP of Sales & Services. “He represents Salt Lake well by serving on the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association’s Foundation Board’s executive committee.”

White continued with, “Eddie’s teamwork, impeccable professionalism and positive attitude all contribute to makes this 12-year VSL team member the Sales Leader of the Year.”

Visit Salt Lake is a private, non-profit corporation responsible for the promotion of Salt Lake as a convention and travel destination. In partnership with Salt Lake County, Visit Salt Lake improves the area economy by attracting and providing support to conventions, leisure travelers and visitors with a strong commitment to sustainability and stewardship of the area’s natural environment. Through its sales and marketing programs, Visit Salt Lake’s impact on Salt Lake’s annual $4.5 billion visitor economy equates to $1,166 in tax relief for each household within Salt Lake County. For more information on all that Salt Lake has to offer, go to www.VisitSaltLake.com<http://www.visitsaltlake.com/visit/>.