Two well-known meeting industry professionals have landed prestigious new jobs. Donald P. Welsh, 54, has been named president and CEO of the Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau. Katie Callahan-Giobbi has joined Chicago-based Minding Your Business as vice president of sales and strategic account management.

Previously CEO of the Indianapolis Convention and Visitors Association, Welsh helped raise the profile of the destination, including securing private funding for the CVA. During his tenure he helped open more than $3 billion in new tourism-related developments—including a new airport, new stadium, doubling the size of the Indiana Convention Center, and opening the world’s largest JW Marriott. He has also served as CEO of the Seattle Convention and Visitors Bureau.

He replaces Tim Roby at the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau, who left to join Starwood Hotels & Resorts as senior vice president of sales for North America in December.

The search for a new CEO at the Indy bureau will begin in the coming weeks. Since 1978, the organization has had only four CEOs, including Welsh.

In her new role with Minding Your Business, an agency specializing in customized solutions for meeting management, marketing, and event design and production, Callahan-Giobbi will identify new opportunities in the corporate and association worlds that will help the organization grow, by leveraging face-to-face and virtual tools to engage audiences.

Callahan-Giobbi’s 25 years in the meetings industry includes serving as chief business architect, Meeting Professionals International, and executive vice president of the MPI Foundation. She has also served as senior vice president of sales at the Los Angeles Convention & Visitors Bureau (LA INC.), and as director of sales and marketing at W Hotels of New York.

“We’re delighted to welcome Katie and her tremendous industry experience to the team,” says John Folks, president of MYB. “Her comprehensive understanding of our business and proven success will help drive us forward in 2011.”