SmithBucklin has announced the reorganization of its meeting and event planning operation, consolidating units in Chicago and Washington, D.C., under Brad Weaber, who has been appointed to the new position of executive vice president, event services.

Weaber retains his title as president of Courtesy Associates in Washington, which is owned by SmithBucklin. The company promoted Leslie Thornton to managing director at Courtesy, where she will run day-do-day operations.

Previously, event services at SmithBucklin were handled in three silos: Lise Puckorius headed the team in Chicago; Cele Fogarty led the team in Washington; and Weaber led the group at Courtesy Associates. Puckorius, Fogarty, and Thornton will continue to head up their respective units, but now all three units will report to Weaber and he will work out of the Washington office.

The move is designed to create greater operational efficiencies internally, Weaber said. With a central event services department, the company will be able to better leverage its buying power, enhance client services, share best practices, consolidate leadership, and track data. The changes are internal, so from the customer standpoint, nothing will look different.

There are no job cuts associated with the reorganization. Rather, the move is designed to improve service and efficiencies and, it is hoped, create some opportunities for growth, said Weaber, who is cautiously optimistic about the prospects for the meetings industry in 2010.

“Our goal is to continually improve productivity and deliver an even higher standard of performance to our client organizations, as well as a unified voice to the hospitality and related industries,” said Henry Givray, chairman and chief executive officer at SmithBucklin, in a press release.