Peggy Daidakis Werner, former Baltimore Convention Center director and industry pioneer, dies

Peggy Daidakis Werner, former Baltimore Convention Center director and industry pioneer, dies

Jacques Kelly, Baltimore Sun

Tue, December 16, 2025 at 10:14 PM UTC

3 min read

Peggy Daidakis Werner, the Baltimore Convention Center’s former director and the first woman to lead a national convention center, died of lymphoma Dec. 12 at her Towson home. She was 74.

Born in Baltimore and raised on The Alameda, she was the daughter of Apostolos “Paul” Daidakis, a restaurant worker, and his wife, Donna, a seamstress. She was an Eastern High School graduate and earned a degree from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

She joined the administration of former Mayor William Donald Schaefer and worked in his office, where she mastered the art of reproducing his signature, with permission.

Her family was well-represented in City Hall. Her older sister, Zoe, also worked for Schaefer and was chief of staff for his successor, Clarence “Du” Burns. Her brother-in-law, George Piendak, was budget director.

The two sisters, Zoe and Peggy, knew the workings of city government so well that insiders often said, “If you want something done, call a Daidakis.”

She began working in venue management before Baltimore’s Pratt Street Convention Center opened. Mayor Schaefer tapped her in 1978 to join a staff of two booking the soon-to-open facility. The center opened in 1979 with the East Building and was expanded in 1997 with the West Building, with Werner serving as director.

She became executive director of the Baltimore Convention Center in 1986.

As executive director, she worked under nine mayors.

“Nine mayors. Think about that. Nine different administrations, nine different priorities, nine different political landscapes. Peggy didn’t just survive these transitions; she thrived through them,” said her niece, Emily Vainieri.

“The first female director of a national convention center, Peggy was instrumental in the planning of the expansion of the BCC, making it the largest public assembly meetings and exhibition venue in the state of Maryland,” a Convention Center statement said.

“To have known Peggy was to know a true force of nature — someone who cared deeply and unwaveringly about her people, her city and her industry. Her impact on the staff of the Baltimore Convention Center will be remembered and cherished for years to come,” said Mac Campbell, the Convention Center’s director.

Kireem Swinton, interim president of Visit Baltimore, called her “a champion for Baltimore” and described her as “a pioneer for equality in her field and a leader in hospitality.”

“She was a dear friend and ally in elevating this community and inviting visitors to experience Baltimore in new, exciting ways,” said Charles “Chuck” G. Tilghman III, chair of the center.

Werner retired in 2022 after 49 years of municipal service.

Mayor Brandon M. Scott said at the time, “I am genuinely grateful for her leadership in marketing and serving tourists and conventioneers over the last 44 years.”

She was a patron of the arts who frequently visited New York City for its galleries, theaters and opera, and she was also a devoted Baltimore sports fan.

She received a lifetime achievement award from the Events Industry Council Hall of Leaders and the International Association of Venue Managers Convention Centers.

A funeral will be held at noon Dec. 17 at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation, 24 W. Preston St.

Survivors include a brother, Art Daidakis, of Timonium; a niece, Emily Vainieri, of Ellicott City; and a stepdaughter, Tracy Rammacca, of Towson. Her husband, Joseph Louis Werner Jr., who owned an excavating business, died in 2019.

Have a news tip? Contact Jacques Kelly at jkelly@baltsun.com.

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