Barbara Ann Nichols

Barbara Ann Nichols, 88 of Gaithersburg, Maryland passed away on Monday, September 2, 2024. Born in Columbia, Louisiana on July 9, 1936, she was a daughter of the late James Dallas Calk and Grace Ledbetter Calk.

Barbara attended the School of Journalism at Northwestern State University of Louisiana before marrying Roland Richard (Dick) Nichols (deceased), and moving to Columbus Ohio to work and raise their three children.

Barbara was a professional meeting manager in the medical field. Her employment experience began with her position as Meetings and Expo Director for the National Conference on Social Welfare, followed by a move to Gaithersburg, MD where she continued employing her organization skills for the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) and later as the Director of Scientific Meetings for the American College of Cardiology. She later moved to Sarasota, FL where she opened her own company managing numerous specialty medical conferences and international congresses in locations around the world.

Barbara was a past-president and Annual Meeting Chairman of the Professional Convention Management Association. She was the editor and primary contributor for the reference book “Professional Meeting Management”, now in its sixth edition, and author of numerous articles in meetings industry publications, as well as founding editor of “Convene”, the journal for convention industry professionals.

In 2002, Barbara was inducted into The Events Industry Council Hall of Leaders for her outstanding contributions to the events industry. For more details visit: https://eventscouncil.org/Leadership/Virtual-Hall-of-Leaders/Full-Article/barbara-nichols. Barbara and other inductees are honored at the Hall of Leaders Recognition Pavilion, located permanently in the Washington (DC) Convention Center.

After a long career of traveling, Barbara enjoyed retirement in her home of Siesta Key, FL where she enjoyed picnics on the beach, hosting family visits, dining out with friends and watching the birds from her deck overlooking the water. After 22 years in SK, health concerns and hurricanes convinced her to move back to Gaithersburg to be close to her sons.

Barbara is survived by her sister, Janis Wilton; her children, Jay Nichols and Lisa Heaton; and her grandchildren, Emma Heaton and Jordan Heaton. She was preceded in death by her youngest son, Kevin Nichols.

A private celebration of life will be held for family and close friends at Asbury Methodist Village. ln lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in her name to The Asbury Foundation, https://give.asbury.org/give/503725/#!/donation/checkout.