Meredith Meyer Grelli Named VisitPITTSBURGH Chairperson

PITTSBURGH – Meredith Meyer Grelli, Co-Founder/Co-Owner of Wigle Whiskey and Threadbare Cider & Mead, was named Chairperson of VisitPITTSBURGH’s Board of Directors this afternoon at the organization’s annual business meeting at The Westin Pittsburgh.

Additionally, two new board members were elected, and the complete 2022 officer slate was revealed.

“We have a distinguished group of volunteer board members who provide us with sound guidance and support. They are critical to our collective success,” said VisitPITTSBURGH President & CEO Jerad Bachar. “I look forward to working with Meredith and the entire board, including our newest members, as we continue to build back the travel economy for Allegheny County.”

“The VisitPITTSBURGH Board of Directors will not skip a beat under the guidance of new Chairperson Meredith Meyer Grelli,” added outgoing VisitPITTSBURGH Chairman Timothy Q. Hudak, Esq. “Meredith is one of the region’s most respected entrepreneurs. As Co-Founder/Co-Owner of Wigle Whiskey and Threadbare Cider & Mead, she understands how critically important a healthy travel economy is for a destination’s hospitality industry. And, her past and current experience in brand management will serve VisitPITTSBURGH well as the organization moves forward with exciting plans for 2022.”

The 2022 VisitPITTSBURGH officers are:

• Meredith Meyer Grelli, Chairperson (Co-Founder/Co-Owner, Wigle Whiskey and Threadbare Cider & Mead)
• Michele Meloy Burchfield, Vice Chairperson (Co-Founder and CEO, Blume Honey Water)
  Troy Schooley, Treasurer (CEO, P3R)
• Perry Ivery, Secretary (General Manager, The Oaklander Hotel, Marriott Autograph Collection)
• Timothy Q. Hudak, Esq., Immediate Past Chairman (CEO & Member, Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC)

Meredith Meyer Grelli is Co-Founder and Co-Owner of Threadbare Cider & Mead and landmark Distillery Wigle Whiskey, which re-ignited Pittsburgh's whiskey tradition, and a two-time James Beard semifinalist. Wigle is the most awarded craft whiskey distillery in the United States for the last six years. Prior to starting Wigle Whiskey and Threadbare Cider & Mead, Meyer Grelli worked in brand management at Kraft Heinz. Meredith is the author of The Whiskey Rebellion & The Rebirth of Rye. She received her MBA from Carnegie Mellon University, her B.S. at the University of Chicago and a culinary diploma from Le Cordon Bleu Paris. Meyer Grelli is a Professor of Entrepreneurship at Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business and serves on the Board of the Carnegie Science Center.

The new VisitPITTSBURGH board members are:

• Laila Brock, Vice President, Sponsorship Sales & Operations of JMI Sports
• Perry Ivery, General Manager, The Oaklander Hotel, Marriott Autograph Collection

Laila Brock is the Vice President, Sponsorship Sales & Operations of JMI Sports, the official multimedia rights partner of the University of Pittsburgh. Leading the on-site sponsorship team, Brock works closely with Pitt Athletic Department staff to create partnerships that will enhance the Pitt Athletics brand. Prior to joining JMI Sports, Laila was a member of the College Football Playoff’s (CFP) senior staff, serving as the Senior Director of Operations and Logistics. With 15 years of experience in intercollegiate athletics, she is one of the original members of the CFP staff who created the events, programs and strategic vision of the CFP. During her tenure at the CFP, Brock was responsible for creating innovative brand activations for the CFP’s official sponsors through live events. She spent the early part of her career in various leadership roles at the Orange Bowl Committee, the host organization for the Discover Orange Bowl. Brock received a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Pennsylvania State University.

Perry Ivery is the General Manager of The Oaklander Hotel, Marriott Autograph Collection Luxury Hotel, home of Spirits & Tales restaurant. Under his leadership, The Oaklander Hotel has been featured on the ACC Network, ESPN and Yahoo Sports, as well as in Caviar Affair and Invest Pittsburgh magazines. The Oaklander Hotel is managed by Concord Hospitality Enterprises, and Ivery serves on the General Managers Advisory Council and the Diversity and Inclusion Council. Over the course of his career, Ivery has dedicated himself to gaining vast experience in every aspect of hospitality industry, including Asset Management, Operations, Revenue Management, Sales and Marketing, Food and Beverage, and Task Force Management, while also working for the top hospitality brands and management companies in the country. He was recognized as the 2019 General Manager of the Year by the Greater Pittsburgh Hotel Association. Ivery is the Treasurer and on the Board of Directors for the Greater Pittsburgh Hotel Association and also supports: Family House, Clean the World, Pittsburgh Cares, Education Partnership, Western PA Conservatory, Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation and Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank.