The only African American to lead a destination marketing organization in a top U.S. market, Julie Coker Graham is the first woman to be appointed President and CEO of the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB).
Prior to hading the Bureau, she served as the agency’s executive vice president and was responsible for selling the expanded Convention Center and Philadelphia hotel package to customers around the country.
Coker Graham joined the PHLCVB after serving as General Manager for the Hyatt Regency Philadelphia at Penn’s Landing, where she oversaw all operational aspects of the 350-room hotel. She began her professional career in 1989 as a corporate management trainee at the Hyatt Regency in Columbus, Ohio, and held various positions with the hotel chain in Cincinnati and Chicago as she rose through the ranks. Among the highlights was her appointment to the team overseeing the opening of the Hyatt Regency at Chicago’s convention center, McCormick Place, in 1998.
Coker Graham served as chair of Mayor Jim Kenney’s transition team for the Democratic National Convention preparation. She co-chairs the Meetings Mean Meetings Coalition and serves on the boards of the U.S. Travel Association and Destination Marketing Association. She was awarded Cradle of Liberty Good Scout Award by the Boy Scouts of America Cradle of Liberty Council and was the recipient of the 2011 John Wanamaker Award (Individual Award) given by the YMCA of Philadelphia and Vicinity. She is member of the Philadelphia Chapter of Links, Inc. Coker Graham is a graduate of Johnson and Wales University in Providence, RI, where she received a Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality Management and graduated magna cum laude.
In an interview with this magazine, Coker Graham had this to say: Professionally and personally, the greatest moment came with the opportunity to award close to one million dollars to employees from the Hyatt New Orleans who were impacted by Hurricane Katrina. The outpouring of love and support for them was nothing I had ever experienced in my 21-year career with there.
To play a small part in helping families rebuild not just their homes but their lives is an experience I’ll always cherish.
Challenges: I was taught at a young age to focus on the things you can change and allow those that you cannot control to roll off your back. Having said that, yes there have been challenges from customers, coworkers and suppliers regarding how women are treated.
Often our opinions are not as valued or heard. As a woman of color, it comes from both those angles. However, during my career those types of situations just motivated me to be better…to study harder…to be more prepared than anyone else in the room…to know my material inside and out. People are who they are and it’s hard to change them. Being the best you can be can change the outcome of a situation.
Impact on community: The Katrina Project was the most impactful I have been a part of. The other would be the the 75 days of giving during our 75th anniversary year. It was great to have employees select their charity of choice to give back. We only required one day of giving, however, many gave more time. I loved the fact that our team was giving back to the community we live, work and play in.
Bridging the gap: I find often the gaps between Africans, Caribbean and African Americans exists because of lack of education and lack of understanding. Focusing on educating each group of cultural differences can help, but more importantly, to learn about those things that bind us together, create a better awareness and lead to better relationships.
