ATLANTA – The Best Friends National Conference called Cobb Galleria Centre and the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel home this July for four days of education and networking. Held at the convention center for the first time from July 16-19, 2015, the attendance of 1,500 exceeded organizer expectations and generated over 1,200 room nights.

“Hosting the Best Friends National Conference had a significant economic impact on Cobb County and was another example of the 179 multi-day conventions held at the Cobb Galleria Centre each year,” said Michele Swann, General Manager and CEO of the Cobb Galleria Centre.  “Our convenient location, flexible meeting space options and ability to provide dietary-specific meal options made our venue a great fit for the event organizers and their attendees.”

Animal welfare leaders and nonprofit experts from all across the country came together to gain the knowledge, tools, and inspiration to help Save Them All.  Most of the attendees were vegan, giving the Centre’s culinary team the opportunity to showcase their creativity in developing the menus for nearly 20 hosted food functions.

“As an animal welfare organization, Best Friends always strives to serve food at our events that has the least impact possible on animals,” said Cathie Myers, Senior National Events Specialist for the Best Friends Animal Society. “On-menu, plant-based food options from convention centers can be tough to find. It takes some creative thinking in order to serve food that not only meets our ethical standards, but is also pleasing to our palates. Chef (Nick) Walker and his team created a wonderful series of buffet-style menus that not only met our stated goals, but also had our attendees raving.”

Best Friends Animal Society is the only national animal welfare organization dedicated exclusively to ending the killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters. A leader in the no-kill movement, Best Friends runs the nation’s largest no-kill sanctuary for companion animals, as well as lifesaving programs in partnership with rescue groups and shelters across the country. To learn more about Best Friends, please visit bestfriends.org.

The Cobb Galleria Centre is located in the beautifully landscaped 88-acre Galleria complex in prestigious northwest Atlanta. Cobb Galleria Centre is Atlanta’s premier convention facility with 320,000 square feet of event space, four exhibition halls, 20 meeting rooms, four executive boardrooms and a grand ballroom. The Cobb-Marietta Coliseum and Exhibit Hall Authority governs Cobb Galleria Centre, Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre and Galleria Specialty Shops. For more information on Cobb Galleria Centre, visit cobbgalleria.com.

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