GRCVB director of sales Malinda Harrell, CMP Fellow, CASE, and national sales manager Loretta Yingling, CMP Fellow, traveled to Las Vegas, Oct. 7-9, 2025, to represent Raleigh, N.C., at IMEX America 2025. Joining them were destination partners from the Raleigh Convention Center, Raleigh Marriott City Center, Raleigh Marriott Crabtree Valley, Sheraton Raleigh Hotel, Attended Events and Slice Pie Company.

This year’s IMEX America broke records, welcoming more than 17,000 meeting professionals and hosting over 90,000 scheduled business appointments at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. The GRCVB team met with over 100 planners to share what makes Raleigh, N.C., a standout destination for meetings and conventions.

“IMEX America was a fantastic event for GRCVB,” said Yingling. “This year, we recorded over 200 booth scans; a new milestone for us. We were thrilled to share updates about Raleigh, N.C., as a meetings destination and, for the first time, bring a taste of home with local maker Slice Pie Company. Homemade pies paired with fresh destination news proved to be a winning combination. We look forward to turning these connections into new business opportunities for the Raleigh area.”

IMEX America also marked the second appearance of GRCVB’s new tradeshow booth, designed to spark curiosity and conversation. Planners were excited to explore the “Nobody Out-Nerds Raleigh” campaign, which invites planners to identify their own Raleigh nerdom and discover experiences that match their group’s passion. Ours is a smart destination where many interests are celebrated, and we can fully embrace and celebrate our inner nerd here.

As Yingling mentioned, a standout moment from the event was the in-booth activation featuring Slice Pie Company. Born from a father’s love of baking and a Blue Ribbon-winning apple pie at the N.C. State Fair, Slice Pie has grown into a beloved Raleigh business. Today, they serve pies to individuals and at restaurants across the Raleigh area and events nationwide, including large corporate gatherings and weddings, while also giving back to local charities and organizations. At IMEX, Slice Pie Company brought an impressive selection of pies in multiple flavors, delighting attendees, adding a sweet touch to the experience and exemplifying the Food nerdom.

Where is the GRCVB convention sales team off to next? Planners can catch the team in person at Holiday Showcase 2025, Dec. 3-4, at McCormick Place in Chicago, Ill.