House Resolution 147

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING MS. ERIS T. SIMS UPON BEING THE NAACP CHIEF OF STAFF AND FOR HER NUMEROUS ACCOMPLISHMENTS WITH THE NAACP.

WHEREAS, Eris T. Sims is the NAACP Chief of Staff, a role that allows her to oversee the day-to-day activities of the Office of the Board of Directors and the Executive Office and provide support to the president and CEO in the areas of external positioning, executive reporting and strategy, and she works behind the scenes to solve challenges and drive execution of action items and top priorities agreed upon by the president and CEO and Leadership Council; and

WHEREAS, before she was promoted to Chief of Staff, Ms. Sims joined the NAACP team in 2015 as Senior Director of Events where she guided the planning, management and execution for a variety of NAACP meetings and events, including our national convention and the NAACP Image Awards; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Sims holds a bachelor of science degree from Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration, and she is a member of The Links, Incorporated, the Cornell Hotel Society (CHS), the American Society for Association Executives (ASAE) and the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA); and

WHEREAS, growing up, Ms. Sims' family traveled often, staying in different hotels and customer service has always fascinated her, and as an adult, she has traveled the country and internationally in her varied career; and

WHEREAS, before she was a part of the NAACP, Ms. Sims served as the Director of Meetings for The Links, Incorporated, where she planned and executed all of the organization's national meetings including meetings in South Africa, Ghana, Liberia and meetings-at-sea; and

WHEREAS, because of her unparalleled skill set and attention to detail, Ms. Sims was promoted to Executive Director of The Links, Incorporated and The Links Foundation, Incorporated, and during that role, she provided strategic direction and was responsible for all aspects of the organization's daily operations management including guiding membership services, meeting planning, marketing, programs, finance and grants and donor management; and

WHEREAS, before she joined The Links, Incorporated, Ms. Sims was employed as the Associate Director of Catering at Hyatt Regency Atlanta and as a Travel Director with Maritz Travel Company in Fenton, Missouri; and

WHEREAS, an influential leader in nonprofits and the association meetings and events industry, Ms. Sims has over 20 years of management experience, and she was named a 2016 recipient of Connect Magazine's 40 under 40, and she was also the 2013 Meeting Planner of the Year by the National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Sims is a former member of the Philadelphia Convention and Visitor's Bureau Customer Advisory Board and the National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners Board of Directors, and she has also served as member of the MGM Hotels and Resorts Diversity Advisory Council and was a founding board member of the Association of Women in Events (AWE); and

WHEREAS, when NAACP President/CEO Derrick Johnson finds some down time, definitely a rare occurrence, Ms. Sims is able to enjoy some down time too, and because she currently lives in Prince Georges County, Maryland, she enjoys visiting her parents in Meridian, Mississippi, and other warm climates with sand and sun; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to recognize and honor fine Mississippians, especially those such as Ms. Eris T. Sims, whose lifelong efforts to inundate Mississippi, especially the African-American community, with equality, growth, prosperity and positive change bring honor and glory to this great Magnolia State:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend and congratulate Ms. Eris T. Sims upon being the NAACP Chief of Staff and for her numerous accomplishments with the NAACP and extend our most sincere wishes for continued success in all her future endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Ms. Eris T. Sims and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.