Mark Tester
Executive Director

Mark Tester is the Orange County Convention Center’s (OCCC) Executive Director. He is responsible for the overall operations, planning, marketing and all activities at the OCCC, while ensuring its positive economic impact for the community. Tester previously held the position of Austin Convention Center Director, an enterprise department of the City of Austin, Texas. Tester held his prior role since January 2008 and led all aspects of the Austin Convention Center and Palmer Events Center. In addition to managing the Austin Convention Center Department, Tester was on the Executive Committee of Visit Austin and was the President of Austin Convention Enterprises – the board that oversees the City financed 800-room Hilton Austin. Prior to Austin, Tester spent 13 years working in the Chicago convention community holding senior positions at both the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau (now Choose Chicago) and the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, the owner and manager at that time of McCormick Place – the western hemisphere’s largest convention facility. Tester grew up in the convention industry. His father operated destination marketing organizations and later, convention and trade shows. Tester earned a B.A. in Communication from Purdue University.

Eric Blanc, Sr., CMP
Deputy Director | Sales, Marketing, Event Management and Exhibitor Services

Eric Blanc, Sr., CMP is the Orange County Convention Center’s (OCCC) Deputy Director of Sales, Marketing, Event Management and Exhibitor Services. With more than 25 years of experience in event management and convention center sales, Blanc oversees the strategic planning and selling of the OCCC. Blanc was the Director of Sales, Marketing, and Convention Services at the Tampa Convention Center, where he spent 15 years of his career. He held various positions during his time there including Event Services Supervisor and Senior Events Coordinator. Blanc’s background spans across various top organizations in the industry including The Freeman Companies and GES Expositions, where he was a National Sales Manager for both companies. Blanc graduated from Florida State University with a bachelor’s of science degree in Business - Marketing and holds a certificate from the IAAM Public Assembly Facility Management School at Oglebay.

Terry Devitt
Deputy Director | Facility Operations

Terry began his career with the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in 1997 in the Event Utilities section, where he did installation of temporary electrical event power and leading a crew of 10. Recently appointed as a Deputy Director, Terry manages the facility operations and development of the OCCC. In 1998, Terry was promoted to an assistant event coordinator, working with clients to secure details for their upcoming events. In 1999, he became an event coordinator where he was responsible for the coordination of the most complex, technically demanding events held at the OCCC. In 2006, he was promoted to Supervisor of Event Set up, where he managed more than 70 full time and on call staff to facilitate client needs prior to, and during events to ensure that client inventory expectations and service levels were met. Terry was then named director of event management and exhibitor services in 2007 and provided leadership to the event managers and exhibit service teams. He was appointed as the Manager of Facility Operation for the entire OCCC complex in 2012. Terry is a graduate of Florida State University and has also received a certificate from IAAM Venue Management School and he also holds a Certified meeting Professional (CMP) Designation.

Ray Walls
Deputy Director | Fiscal and Operational Support/Strategic Planning

Ray has been recently appointed as the Deputy Director overseeing Fiscal and Operational Support/Strategic Planning for the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC). Previously, he served as the Center’s Chief Financial Officer. He joined the Convention Center after spending 14 years in Orange County’s Office of Management and Budget where he served as the Assistant Manager, helping to coordinate the development of the county’s annual budget of more than $4 billion and leading various special projects. Prior to that, he worked in Orange County Fire Rescue’s Fiscal & Operational Support division where he got his start with the county as an intern while completing his bachelor’s degree in Finance from UCF. Ray is a proud Knight who also earned his MBA at UCF.

Michelle Neely
Director of Client Services and Event Operations

In an effort to focus and improve on the customer service we provide our clients, Michelle Neely, will be the OCCC’s Director of Client Solutions and Event Services, effective April 17. In her new role, Michelle will focus on managing and elevating our customer and partner relationships.

The OCCC will need to evolve to maintain our competitive edge. This includes managing our business relationships with clients to promote customer satisfaction excellence and client growth opportunities. Michelle will look for areas to innovate and improve on our delivery of services including all interactions with event planners, attendees and exhibitors.

To align Sales and Services, Michelle will report directly to Deputy Director Eric Blanc and will continue to oversee Event Management and Exhibitor Services. Michelle, who joined Orange County in 2001, has dedicated 21 years of service to the OCCC and continues to make a tremendous impact through our Center of Hospitality culture.

Michelle began her career at the OCCC in January 2001 as an event manager. She was promoted to Senior Event Manager, Senior Sales Manager and in 2012 she accepted the position of Supervisor of Event Management.

Michelle attended Bishop Moore High School here in Orlando. She graduated from the University of Florida in 1994.

Isiah White, Jr.
Security Manager

Isiah White, Jr. joined the OCCC in August 2020 as the Center’s Security Manager. He has more than 20 years of experience in law enforcement with 11 years at the rank of captain. White has served as a security consultant since 2009 for the National Basketball Association which has afforded him many opportunities to evaluate physical security at venues around North America to ensure compliance with NBA standards. White holds a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Columbia College.

Hector Clemente
Facility Operations Manager

Hector Clemente is the Facility Operations Manager for the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC). As Facility Operations Manager, Mr. Clemente IS responsible for managing the daily facility maintenance and operations of one of the largest convention centers in the United States.

Mr. Clemente holds a Masters of Business Administration in Aviation from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in Latin American and Caribbean Studies with a minor in Economics from Florida State University. Mr. Clemente has over 20 years of assistant manager and supervisory practical experience in building maintenance and operations, with Orange County Government. He also brings 20 years of military experience, which included the responsibility for base operations and security as the Headquarters Commandant of the U.S. Southern Command, Quarry Heights, Republic of Panama. He graduated from numerous military schools, which includes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer Advance and Basic Engineer Officer Schools.

Since 2015, his initiative and increased leadership roles with the Convention Center Facility Operations Division have been instrumental towards the Convention Center’s facility maintenance and readiness. In the last five years, he has served as the Convention Center Assistant Manager for Facility Operations and Building Systems, implemented the Maximo Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) and has made a significant impact in improving the maintenance and appearance of the Convention Center.

Crystal Mudd
Capital Planning Manager

As Capital Planning Manager, Ms. Mudd is responsible for the development and implementation of the OCCC's Capital Improvement Projects (CIP). She has more than 15 years of career experience in the construction and project management industry, with a portfolio that includes CIP and renovation projects within active environments such as Epcot, Orlando International Airport, St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson, and the OCCC. Mudd holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering Technology with a minor in Business Administration from the University of Central Florida.

Katarina Dos Santos
Marketing and Communications Manager

Katarina Dos Santos, M.A. joined the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in July 2019 as the Marketing and Communications Assistant Manager, where she was responsible for developing the OCCC’s marketing and communications plans, implementing public relations and digital communications strategies and overseeing the social media and web content, as well as supporting client marketing requests and other related projects. She assumed the role of Acting Communications Section Manager in June 2022, during which she successfully led the Marketing and Communications team in the planning and execution of the OCCC’s Executive Client Advisory Committee Meeting, which had not been held since 2018. In September 2022, Dos Santos was promoted to the Marketing and Communications Manager/Communications Section Manager position.

Prior to joining the OCCC, Dos Santos was the Digital Communications Editor for Orange County Government’s Office of Communications. She joined the organization, as a part-time, social media contractor in February 2014. In just a few months, she was promoted to Communications Assistant, and then to Multimedia Coordinator, and then again to Digital Communications Editor. During her time there, she supported and led various crisis communications response efforts including, Hurricane Matthew, Hurricane Irma, and the Pulse Nightclub mass shooting.

Dos Santos has exemplified strong professionalism and leadership – continuously serving her community and the PR profession since she graduated from the University of Central Florida (UCF) in 2013, where she earned a B.A. in Advertising and Public Relations. In May 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, she received her master’s degree in Mass Communication, as well as a Graduate Certificate in Corporate Communication.

In addition to her role at the OCCC, Kat serves as an adjunct professor at UCF’s Nicholson School of Communication and is on the board of the Public Relations Society of America’s Orlando Chapter.