SALT LAKE CITY (March 24, 2009) - The Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau (SLCVB) awarded Anniken Rose, a graduate student at the University of Utah, the third annual Dianne Nelson Binger Scholarship at the SLCVB's 25th Anniversary Annual Meeting held March 10. The scholarship honors the SLCVB's former President and CEO and her legacy to the travel community. Rose studies in the Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department with an emphasis on Therapeutic Recreation, and is slated for graduation in May of 2010.

The SLCVB's Dianne Nelson Binger Scholarship is bestowed annually to a female student at the University of Utah in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism of the College of Health. The scholarship honors Binger's example of a strong female professional in the hospitality industry, her mentoring of other women and the SLCVB's desire to remember her in a meaningful way. Binger served the Bureau and Salt Lake for 18 years, becoming President and CEO in 2001. A great leader and mentor, Binger sadly lost her long battle with cancer in March 2005.

"The passing of Dianne shook the Bureau and the entire Salt Lake community to its core," said Scott Beck, SLCVB President and CEO. "She paved the way for travel professionals and women in the industry, and I'm sure Dianne would applaud the selection of Anniken for the scholarship in her name."

Funding for this scholarship is a part of the SLCVB's Annual Meeting each year, with a goal of a $50,000 endowment that will fund the scholarship in perpetuity. Individuals or corporations interested in contributing to this fund can call the University of Utah Development Office at (801) 585-3205.

The Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau is a private, non-profit corporation responsible for the promotion of Salt Lake as a convention and travel destination. Over its 25 years, the SLCVB has increased convention revenue from $11 million to $326 million, fulfilling its mission of improving the area economy by attracting and providing support to conventions, leisure travelers and visitors. Salt Lake is a unique fusion of metropolitan city and quaint mountain town; the towering Wasatch Mountains that embrace Salt Lake offer a dramatic backdrop to the vibrancy and activities of downtown. Having completed a $58 million expansion in 2006, the Salt Palace Convention Center now boasts 675,000 square feet of exhibit and meeting space, ideal for groups of all sizes and needs. For more information on all that Salt Lake has to offer, go to www.VisitSaltLake.com.

Photo caption: Anniken Rose, recipient of Salt Lake CVB's Dianne Nelson Binger Scholarship (left), and Salt Lake CVB President & CEO Scott Beck (right) during the SLCVB's recent 25th Anniversary Annual Meeting.