MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 30, 2025--
In a pivotal move to support its foundation for long-term success, Prestige Global Meeting Source has announced the appointment of James St. Peter as the company’s first President. This key leadership addition reflects the company’s commitment to organizational foresight and operational excellence.
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James joined Prestige in 2011 as a Regional Director of Sales and steadily advanced through leadership roles, eventually becoming EVP of Sales in 2019. Throughout his tenure, he has demonstrated exceptional leadership, mentored rising talent, and played a key role in driving the company’s sales and client success. As President, he will collaborate closely with the owners (Chad Houwman, Doug Peterson, and Jeff Canham) and executive leadership team to shape the company’s strategic direction, oversee key operational functions, and drive sustained growth and innovation.
“Our plan for Prestige is to be a legacy business,” said Jeff Canham, Partner at Prestige. “The addition of a President ensures we have the right leadership structure in place to support long-term success. James has been instrumental to our progress, and we’re confident in his ability to lead our team into the future.”
“It’s an honor to step into the role of President,” said James. “This company has an incredible foundation, a strong leadership team, and an exciting vision for the future. I look forward to working alongside our owners, our employees, and our clients to scale new heights together. The opportunities ahead of us are exciting—and we are well-positioned to seize them.”
To complement this evolution, Prestige welcomes Salar Alemi, a seasoned industry leader, as EVP of Sales. With nearly two decades of global experience spanning luxury hospitality, sales strategy, and team leadership, Salar brings a proven track record of driving revenue growth, building client relationships, and leading teams.
He most recently served in senior leadership roles at top-tier hospitality brands and brings a depth of insight into client and hotel-side operations.
“I am excited to join Prestige at such a pivotal time,” said Salar. “This is a company with an outstanding reputation, deep client partnerships, and a culture rooted in excellence. I look forward to helping expand our strategy, empower our sales team, and deepen the impact we deliver to our clients.”
With the introduction of this enhanced leadership structure, Prestige is building a strong foundation for the future and is well-positioned to scale effectively, continue delivering exceptional service, and achieve its long-term strategic goals.
About Prestige Global Meeting Source
Founded in 1986, Prestige Global Meeting Source provides end-to-end meeting and event solutions. Known for our industry expertise, supplier relationships, and client-first approach, we help planners save time, reduce risk, and deliver exceptional events. Prestige is a top producer for major hotel brands and a trusted partner to clients worldwide. For more information, visit www.meetprestige.com.
Prestige Global Meeting Source announces the addition of key roles that support the company's growth, innovation and continued excellence in services. James St. Peter (right) steps into the role of President, continuing his decade-long impact, while Salar Alemi (left) joins as Executive Vice President of Sales, bringing global perspective and fresh insight to Prestige's commercial strategy. These leadership updates reflect a broader vision to build a legacy business that delivers exceptional value to Prestige's clients, strong partnerships with suppliers, and meaningful opportunities to the Prestige team.
NEW YORK (AP) — Kamala Harris “wrote off rural America" during the 2024 presidential campaign and failed to attack Donald Trump with sufficient “negative firepower," according to a long-awaited post-election autopsy released on Thursday by the Democratic National Committee.
The committee's chair, Ken Martin, shared the 192-page report only after facing intense internal pressure from frustrated Democratic operatives concerned with his leadership. Martin had originally promised to release the autopsy, only to keep it under wraps for months because he was concerned it would be a distraction ahead of the midterms as Democrats mobilize to take back control of Congress.
On Tuesday, Martin apologized for his handling of the situation and conceded that the report was withheld because it “was not ready for primetime."
Although the autopsy criticizes Democrats' focus on “identity politics,” it sidesteps some of the most controversial elements of the 2024 campaign. The report does not address former President Joe Biden’s decision to seek reelection, the rushed selection of Harris to replace him on the ticket or the party's acrimonious divide over the war in Gaza.
“I am not proud of this product; it does not meet my standards, and it won’t meet your standards,” Martin wrote in an essay on Substack on Thursday. “I don’t endorse what’s in this report, or what’s left out of it. I could not in good faith put the DNC’s stamp of approval on it. But transparency is paramount.”
A spokesperson for Harris did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The initial reaction from Democratic operatives was a mix of bafflement and anger over Martin's handling of the situation.
“Why not say this in 2024, or bring in more people to finish it, instead of turning this into the dumbest media cycle for 7-8 months?” Democratic strategist Steve Schale wrote on social media.
The postelection report, which was authored by Democratic consultant Paul Rivera, calls for “a renewed focus on the voters of Middle America and the South, who have come to believe they are not included in the Democratic vision of a stronger and more dynamic America for everyone.”
“Millions of Americans are suffering from poor access to healthcare, manufacturing and job losses, and a failing infrastructure, yet continue to be persuaded to vote against their best interests because they do not see themselves reflected in the America of the Democratic Party,” the report says.
The autopsy points to a reduction in support and training for Democratic state parties, voter registration shifts and “a persistent inability or unwillingness to listen to all voters.”
Thursday's release comes as Martin confronts a crisis of confidence among party officials who are increasingly concerned about the health of their political machine barely a year into his term. Some Democratic operatives have had informal discussions about recruiting a new chair, even though most believe that Martin’s job wasn't in serious jeopardy ahead of the midterm elections.
The report found that Harris and her allies failed to focus enough on Trump's negatives, especially his felony convictions. This was part of a broader criticism that Democrats' messaging is too focused on reason and winning arguments, “even in cycles when the electorate is defined by rage.”
“There was a decision in the 2024 Democratic leadership not to engage in negative advertising at the scale required,” the report states. “The Trump campaign and supportive Super PACs went full throttle against Vice President Harris, but there was not sufficient or similar negative firepower directed at Trump by Democrats.”
The report continues: “It was essential to prosecute a more effective case as to why Trump should have been disqualified from ever again taking office. The grounds were there, but the messaging did not make the case.”
Trump's attack on Harris' transgender policies were cited as a key contrast.
Specifically, the report suggested the Democratic nominee was “boxed” in by the Trump campaign's “very effective” ad that highlighted Harris' previous statement of support for taxpayer-funded gender-affirming surgeries for prison inmates.
Democratic pollsters believed that “if the Vice President would not change her position – and she did not – then there was nothing which would have worked as a response," the report said.
The report criticized Harris' outreach to key segments of America while condemning the party's focus on “identity politics.”
“Harris wrote off rural America, assuming urban/suburban margins would compensate. The math doesn’t work,” the report says. “You can’t lose rural areas by overwhelming margins and make it up elsewhere when rural voters are a significant share of the electorate. If Democrats are to reclaim leadership in the Heartland or the South, candidates must perform well in rural turf. Show up, listen, and then do it again.”
The report also references Democrats' underperformance with male voters of color.
“Male voters require direct engagement. The gender gap can be narrowed. Deploy male messengers, address economic concerns, and don’t assume identity politics will hold male voters of color,” it says.
President Donald Trump speaks during an event about loosening a federal refrigerant rule, in the Oval Office at the White House, Thursday, May 21, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Former Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a fireside chat on Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)
FILE - Democratic National Committee chair Ken Martin speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at DNC headquarters, Jan. 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert, File)
