summer 2013 - Simmer Creative

THE NEWSLETTER OF THE GREATER PHILADELPHIA CHAPTER OF PCMA

SUMMER 2013

President’s Message

Pam Ballinger, CMP 2013 GPPCMA President Vice President of Meetings and Exhibits Association Headquarters, Inc. Pam Ballinger

2

Message from the President

4

Here I sit on a plane waiting to take off for my annual meeting and of course we are delayed an hour and half. The joys of air travel! I wonder if this is an omen for the week ahead. What could possibly go wrong next? It always seems we plan and plan and then something out

Always Thinking

6

Indy Gets Even More Connected

7

Journeys

9

Committee Updates

10

“It always seems we plan and plan and then something out of our control goes awry.”

Let’s Talk Food and Beverage

16

Staying On Top of Technology

18

Member Sporlights

20

Chapter Events

21

New Members

With the onset of this meeting, I realize the year is almost half over and it will be time to start planning the next event. For our chapter we have successfully completed two programs and by

Event Summaries

15

of our control goes awry.

the time you read this, the Phillies event will be done. What a great time we had in March breaking boards and in April shared a tear and laugh as we celebrated our good friend, Betty. I am really excited about our upcoming retreat and know you will want to set time aside to join us again in Atlantic City. Last year we focused the retreat on our chapter, revisiting our goals and objectives. This year it will be all about service and you. We will have a full afternoon on Wednesday, August 14 to donate time to a worthy cause in AC and then on Thursday, we will start with an early workout (yoga or zumba anyone). The program will focus on how to stay healthy when eating out and stop abusing our bodies on site! What a treat to think about ourselves for a little while. Then of course we can drink and eat at the receptions and reverse all the good intentions! Mark you calendars, as this event is not to be missed!

DENVER HAS MORE THAN 40 MUSEUMS.

Cutting-edge work can be found at Denver’s many museums and galleries. But did you know that they also offer creative meeting options? Stimulate your attendees’ minds with fresh spaces, stunning rooftop views and innovative catering. There’s more to Denver than you imagined. A lot more. We dare you to see the city in a whole new way at TruthOrDareDenver.com The Colorado Convention Center’s 40' Blue Bear, I See What You Mean, by Denver artist Lawrence Argent, has become a Mile High City icon.

HOST A MEETING WHERE THE ART OUTSIDE IS AS INSPIRING AS THE CONVERSATION IN SIDE.

3

C O N N E C T I O N S |

S U M M E R

2 013

Always Thinking Christopher H. Brown Managing Member, CEM, CMP Collaborative Project and Meeting Management, LLC Connections Contributing Writer

O

nce upon a time, there was a lovely meeting manager named Dorothy with only a cubical for her office. With barely enough room to turn around, she was told to make the best of her limited surroundings by her boss and colleagues. There wasn’t much of a chance to have her own “private” office…their agency space and building simply would not accommodate a real personal office. Dorothy drove an old beat-up Honda Civic – light green – she thought that color was so cool when she leased the car, but now, she cannot afford a new paint job let alone a new car. These four wheels though were reliable and Dorothy always arrived at work early. Oh, except for the time she accidently ran over her cat’s tail in front of her apartment. Fortunately, the bent tail healed. Her cat Moffat always looked like she was asking a question with her tail in the air. Maybe the question was, “Why?” Each morning upon entering her cubicle and before sitting down, Dorothy turned to one graphic on her wall – a photograph of a lighthouse with the wind-blown sea. The two

4


seagulls passing by seemed to be overshadowed by the sheer motion of the water – something Dorothy could easily relate to – constant activity in her brain. Her mind would drift to that location among all her acquired trinkets, memorabilia, animated souvenirs, FAM trip mementos, colorful logoed gifts, past meeting onsite signs and paperback reference books.

problems. She was always asking herself, “Why does the process have to be that way when we want this other result?” Regarding Dorothy’s communication skills, I could write a book on those skills – sometimes good, but when she was misunderstood, she was always “called out” for it. Her colleagues insisted she approach things differently, relentlessly.

The panoramic photograph’s light, seemingly cool air and cold water reminded Dorothy to remain calm, thoughtful toward others and true to herself – always projecting a positive image to others -- much like her favorite photograph. You see, Dorothy was an autistic meeting manager. She really did not like to deal with people, but really enjoyed the planning part of her job. She liked directing the hotel room block, merging data, creating her iPad® staging guide, creating her web site content and setting voice commands to access her BEOs by day. “Hiding behind the shadow of e-mail,” as she put it was much safer. This may sound strange: Dorothy saw herself in terms of solutions to situations rather than ironing out people

While this story may sound a bit contrived, it’s not. I am writing about Dorothy because she resides in our office. It is likely Dorothy is in every meeting planning office around the country. There are a lot of “Dorothys” out there in the meeting and event industry who surprisingly dislike people, have trouble processing information, and trouble expressing themselves. As a result, they see things differently. In fact, there are a lot of people who view the world in another way. All too often we’re set to criticize someone for their failures when all it would take is a bit of time, attention, and patience to explore background information, thereby relaxing the tension and discovering a new point of view.

S U M M E R

2 013

So the next time you want to say to someone, “you’re thinking too much,” “you’re making things too complicated,” or “over-emphasizing all the wrong things,” think again before opening your mouth. Our creator provided us with a voice box – not to abuse others but to instruct, constructively ask questions, and be productive human beings. Dreamers like Dorothy are treasures to nurture, support, and develop – each of us has a role to play in the journey of life. Dreamers create, embrace, and enhance great concepts, so why would you want to discourage them from carrying out their mission? And to further exacerbate these situations, we think we’re helping the Dorothys. Consider this: do you want to be remembered as someone who moved mountains forcefully, or with finesse through others, or seen as a compassionate person and one with a great attitude and humility? Start today acting as the remarkable person you had hoped for in your New Year resolution. Dorothy would thank you for it, somehow. I promise.

6:25 pm - Indianapolis Museum of Art

Indianapolis is a city known for legendary hospitality. Nowhere is that more apparent than the Indianapolis Museum of Art, where Robert Indiana’s original LOVE sculpture rests on 152 acres of beautifully manicured grounds. Throughout our compact downtown you’ll be greeted with warm smiles and friendly faces as you stroll around one of the most walkable cities in the country. You’ll love how easy it is to make the most out of an evening in Indy.

Learn more about everything Indianapolis has to offer at VisitIndy.com/After5.

749,000 SQ. FT. OF EXHIBIT SPACE | 4,700 CONNECTED HOTEL ROOMS (7,100 DOWNTOWN)

Gets Even More Connected Lisa Wallace Communications Manager, Conventions & Meetings Visit Indy

A

lready considered one of the most walkable cities in the country, Indianapolis has spent the past six years making its downtown even friendlier to bicycles and pedestrians. Since 2007, construction has been underway for the groundbreaking Indianapolis Cultural Trail, which called for the removal of a lane of vehicular traffic on main thoroughfares throughout the central business district to make way for an eight-mile bike and walking path. City planners from Portland to Paris took notice, and New York City-based Project for Public Spaces called it the boldest step of any American city, putting Indy among the ranks of Zurich, Bogota, Melbourne and Hong Kong. The Cultural Trail takes urban design, public space and green infrastructure to an entirely new level. It connects visitors with dining, shopping, nightlife, museums and attractions in five unique downtown cultural districts. The decorative brick path with neon-colored crosswalks is adorned with acres of new landscaping including 500 trees, lighting for 24-7 use, and $2 million in public art installments. A city-wide celebration held on May 11 marked the $63 million project’s official debut. Residents and visitors alike explored the trail on foot, bicycle, rollerblades, stroller, or wheelchair and chose from over 80 special activities and entertainment options throughout downtown. Any time of year, the trail leads visitors and meeting attendees to plenty of local-

ly-owned places to eat and entertainment options for all ages and interests.

STOPS ALONG THE TRAIL BY CULTURAL DISTRICT

Wholesale District

Soldiers & Sailors Monument: Anchoring the iconic heart of downtown, Monument Circle, is the 284-foot tall monument that provides spectacular eagle-eye views of the city. In the winter, strings of lights turn it into the world’s tallest ‘Christmas tree.’ Lucas Oil Stadium: Tour the home of the Indianapolis Colts and Super Bowl 2012 that connects to the Indiana Convention Center to offer 749,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space under one roof.

Mass Ave

Indy Reads Books: This non-profit, volunteer run bookstore keeps the spirit of old-fashioned independent bookstores alive. All proceeds support literacy in Indy. Theatre on the Square: This awardwinning community theater performs everything from off-Broadway plays and musicals to lesser known works on two intimate stages.

Fountain Square

B’s Po Boy: Play bocce ball at this popular neighborhood hangout while enjoying authentic po boy sandwiches and local craft beer.

Duckpin Bowling: Find the only authentic duckpin bowling lanes in the Midwest at the historic 1928 Fountain Square Theatre Building.

Indiana Avenue

Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library: Visit a museum dedicated to celebrating the literary, artistic, and cultural contributions of this influential Indianapolis native. Indiana History Center: Discover Indiana’s fascinating past through engaging, interactive exhibits.

White River State Park & Central Canal NCAA Hall of Champions: Explore 23 collegiate sports and discover the heart and dedication it takes to be a studentathlete. Attempt a downhill skiing simulator or shoot hoops in a 1930s-style gymnasium. Congressional Medal of Honor Memorial: Overlooking the scenic canal, 27 curved glass panels pay tribute to 3,456 Medal of Honor recipients from 15 different conflicts.

WHERE TO FIND BIKES • • • •

Indy Bike Hub @ City Market ActiveIndy Tours Wheel Fun Rentals Conrad Indianapolis and The Alexander Hotels • Bike Share Program coming in 2014

How Did I Get Here? Astrid Schrier, CMP Meeting Manager Association Headquarters, Inc. GPPCMA Board Member

I

f you had met me ten years ago, you would probably recognize the same sociable, overachieving girl that you know now. However, that girl, who was preparing to finish her junior year in high school, would have had no idea what an association management company was or be interested whatsoever in planning events. That girl was known for having a camera attached to her hand and was preparing for her senior year where she would become the photographer editor for the school newspaper, yearbook, and website. That girl would go on to apply early decision and be accepted for the photography program at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in Manhattan, would move to Manhattan in August of 2004, and plan the rest of her life being a fashion photographer. And it only took three months for the entire dream to fall apart. I was miserable. I was eighteen years old living alone in Manhattan and could not live up to the expectation I set for myself with my photographs. The competition within the program, the stress of having to shoot rolls upon rolls of film just to get a decent photo, and the amount of money I was spending just to live became overwhelming. Something that I had loved so much for so long became such a daunting task that I started to hate it. The weekend before Thanksgiving 2004, I made the hardest decision I ever had to make and dropped out of SVA. 7


S U M M E R

2 013

I decided to take the rest of the school year off to figure out what I wanted to do next. I went back to my high school job full-time to get me through the year. In 2005, I enrolled at Temple University as a journalism major, given my previous interest in photojournalism. After a year as a journalism major I took an internship in the marketing department at Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) and it was there that I was first exposed to event management. While ASI had a separate tradeshow division, within the marketing department was an event manager who produced the galas, award dinners, and road shows, and then traveled to all the events. This was very intriguing, so I did some research and learned that Temple offered a major for this industry, a B.S. in Tourism and Hospitality Management. After a couple of e-mails to the Associate Dean of the school, I made an appointment with the Academic Advisor and started my sophomore year in the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management (STHM). About a month into my first semester in STHM I saw a flyer to attend a meeting of the Temple Chapter of PCMA. At that meeting I was introduced to Dr. Joe Goldblatt and he introduced me to PCMA, the Philadelphia PCMA chapter, and took me to my first Convening Leaders in 2007. After that, I was hooked. I attended as many GPPCMA events as I could and every Convening Leaders from then until now. I became the Chapter President for the Temple Chapter and won the PCMA Education Foundation’s Student Planner of the Year award for Convening Leaders 2008 in Seattle.

During this time I explored the industry through different types of jobs. I had my first exposure to association management working as a Marketing Assistant at the Society for Hospital Medicine and my first exposure to events through assisting the Director of Catering Sales at Top of the Tower, as a banquet server and bartender. Through the GPPCMA network that I was building, I was introduced to Eva Matyskiela, CMP, Meeting Manager at Soroptomist International of the Americas. I spent two summers working with Eva on the 2007 and 2008 conventions. My work with Soroptimist was my first experience working in association meetings and would help me a lot a couple years later. After my Soroptimist internship, I dabbled in different facets of hospitality industry through jobs and internships. I spent three summers at Cavanaugh’s River Deck, where I was in charge of executing all the banquets that were booked and for soliciting new business. For my senior internship, I worked as the Senior Events Intern in the Office of Special Events at Temple University. Through this job I was involved in the planning and implementation of two major University convocations and my own commencement ceremony. And then there was graduation in May 2009. The first time that STHM told their students that they could no longer guarantee jobs for them. Luckily for me, because of my GPPCMA network, I was hired at Association Headquarters two months after graduation. And now, almost four years, two promotions and fourteen annual meetings later, I’m happy to say that I just passed my CMP exam.

STARWOOD CONVENTION COLLECTION

BOOK MULTIPLE MEETINGS WITH EASE. ENJOY EXTRA BENEFITS.

The Starwood Convention Collection makes it easy and financially beneficial to contract multiple meetings at once—across years, properties and destinations. Our largest group hotels in top Canadian and US markets provide seamless meeting planning, exceptional service and unparalleled facilities.

STARWOODCONVENTIONCOLLECTION.COM

©2013 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Aloft, Element, Four Points, Le Méridien, Sheraton, St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, W, Westin and their logos are the trademarks of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., or its affiliates.

THE WESTIN COPLE Y PL ACE BOSTON, MASSACHUSET TS

2013 GPPCMA BOARD OF DIRECTORS & CHAIRS President Pam Ballinger, CMP Association Headquarters

Immediate Past President Brendan Morrissey Hilton Inn at Penn

President elect Susan W. Wagner, CMP

board of Directors (1 Year Remaining) Lisa Astorga, CMP Int’l Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis

Secretary Belinda Keota, CMP, CEM Produce Marketing Association Treasurer Vince Elorza Hard Rock Hotel All Inclusive Collection

Julie Coker Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau Nicole Erle, CMP Society for Industrial & Applied Mathematics

board of Directors (2 Year Term) Clorinda Holland Visit Salt Lake Shane Jackson Philadelphia Downtown Marriott Astrid Schrier, CMP Association Headquarters

GPPCMA Committee Chairs Communications Erica A. Keagy GPPCMA Community Services Leslie K. Bellini, CMP Lockheed Martin Danielle Pinto GEP Philly Membership Robin Geary, CMP Association Headquarters Kathy Smith, CMP, CCMEP Fox Chase Cancer Center

Nominating Brendan Morrissey Hilton Inn at Penn Program Diane Rehiel, CMP ASTM International Sponsorship Donna Young, CMP American College of Physicians

GPPCMA COMMITTEE UPDATES

9

Membership Committee

• GPPCMA membership pins were distributed to members at the March and April meetings. Pins will be sent to Chapter members who did not receive pins at one of these meetings. • Quarterly Membership In-Person Committee Meetings - The Committee met for the June quarterly meeting. If you are thinking about becoming involved in a committee, Membership is the way to go!! Contact: Kathy Smith at [email protected] or Robin Geary at [email protected] to get started.

Communications Committee

• Interested in writing an article for the next issue of Connections or advertising in the newsletter? Want to be the focus of a Member Spotlight or Journeys article? Reserve your spot now! • Are you a frequent user of Facebook, Linkedin, or Twitter? Consider volunteering to help keep our social media posts up-to-date. • Contact Erica Keagy at [email protected] to participate.

Sponsorship Committee

• We are looking for board meeting host locations. • Sponsor information is available for the October 10 bowling fundraiser. Also, a sponsor is needed for the third quarter newsletter. • Please contact Donna Young at [email protected] if interested.

New/Young Professionals Committee

• GPPCMA Board and Chapter Members traveled to Penn State University on April 15th to meet with students in Penn State’s Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management program. Students learned from our members about meeting planning (association, corporate, and AMC), hotels, convention and visitor bureaus, and audio visual. • New & Young Professionals networked at Happy Hour on Monday, April 29th at the Standing O Bar in the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Philadelphia Center City. These happy hours take place every other other month and we are always looking for locations. Contact Astrid Schrier at aschrier@ahint. com for more information. The next happy hour will take place in July 2013.


S U M M E R

2 013

Events Summaries

April 18, 2013 Chapter Meeting

Robin Geary, Caitlin Dougherty, Pam Ballinger, Romena Magana

Henry

Sharon Kemble, Marion Tambone

Betty Schultz, Kevin Kelly, Linda Stilll

Sharon Goodspeed and Henry

Nick Dominijanni and Henry

Thank you, thank you, thank you to…

Pam Ballinger, Donna Young, Betty Schultz

Kathy Mautz, Sharon Goodspeed

…Tourisme Montreal for sponsoring the April 18th meeting! …the Westin Philadelphia, and Le Meridien Philadelphia for hosting this event! …Association Headquarters, Inc. and Sue Pine for sponsoring the speaker! …PSAV for providing the audio visual equipment! …Sharon Goodspeed for arranging plans for the Delaware County SPCA fundraiser!

In Montréal, we’ve got all the nuts and bolts to help you plan a successful event— like our ultramodern convention center, the Palais des congrès (with more than 500,000 sq. ft. of meeting space), over 26,500 downtown hotel rooms and Team Montréal, always on hand to make sure your event runs flawlessly. We’ll bring artfully creative, customized solutions to craft that extra touch of magic your attendees will never forget. meetings.tourisme-montreal.org

when we s ay

host

city we mean it.

Palais des congrès de Montréal, Montréal, Canada

Events Summaries

June 3, 2013 Phillies Event

Kate Ho, Elizabeth Yienger, Clorinda Holland, Diane Brady Anderson

Citizens Bank Park

Leslie Bellini, Elisa Jaworski

Jim Marota, Mike Hochman

Roger Freeman, Nicole Erle, Mary Gallagher

Anne Madden, Brendan Morrissey, Judi McLaughlin

Thank you to our sponsors for supporting this sold out event!

12


S U M M E R

2 013

Events Summaries

June 3, 2013 Phillies Event

Kathy Smith, Robin Geary

Belinda Keota, Chris Keane, Kristin Brammell

Kelley Mishler, Allen Anderson

Kevin Kelly, Betty Schultz

Chuck Hilpl

Susanna Flores, Mary Bones

13


S U M M E R

Brad Magarity, Cheryl Smith, Bonnie White

2 013

Heidi Jetter, Kyla Knudson

TIMELESS ELEGANCE MINDFUL MEETINGS A symbol of elegance in San Francisco for more than a century, The Westin St. Francis places groups on Union Square, in the heart of the city’s shopping and financial districts. Corporate events take on a sense of epic importance. More than 56,000 square feet of function space, including 34 distinctive rooms wired for the latest technology, make meeting planners’ dreams come true. The 1,195 guest rooms, including 58 suites, marry old and new with a fresh sophistication that perfectly showcases the classically beautiful 1906 architecture. For MorE INForMATIoN or To MAkE A rESErvATIoN, CoNTACT MIChELLE ThoMAS vIA EMAIL AT [email protected] or by phoNE AT 415-733-1215.

Standard terms and conditions apply. To view more information and full terms and conditions, visit www.westinstfrancis.com © 2013 Starwood hotels & resorts Worldwide, Inc. All rights reserved. Westin and heavenly are trademarks of Starwood hotels & resorts Worldwide, Inc., or its affiliates.

Let’s Talk AND

Beverage Getting the Most from Your Budget

Sally Bedwell, CMP Meeting Manager, Meeting & Tradeshows Produce Marketing Association

E

very meeting needs some type of food and beverage to sustain its guests. There are so many choices to consider. Do I serve a simple order of just drinks? Or, should we have a meeting with a reception to follow? How about a meeting before or after a breakfast, lunch or dinner? With so many choices, which one would serve the best?

Deciding what type of service to provide usually begins with the budget. In this economy, the food and beverage budgets are scrutinized closely to save money. With that in mind, it is important to begin by asking questions. The more you know about the event, the easier it will be to plan the food and beverage. The more you know, the more 15


you can do to save money without sacrificing your attendees’ experience. Does this event have history? History can give insight into the meeting. Determine what has been ordered before (was it plated or buffet, or did you have full bars or just beer and wine?) Find out if the budget has been reduced from prior years, and what venues have hosted the event previously. Were those expenses within the budgeted amounts? If not, where did it go over? Answers to these questions can provide you with valuable information to move forward in planning. And don’t forget to ask, “Do I really need F&B service at this meeting?” If the duration of the meeting is for 45 minutes to an hour beginning right after lunch, you probably don’t need any. Who is attending? Take a good look at who is attending. Knowing the demographic of the group can help

S U M M E R

2 013

forecast the expenses. Does this group tend to eat more than drink, or drink more than they eat? What is their gender? Men tend to drink more than women as a general rule of thumb. Is this a VIP meeting? Ordering food and beverage for VIPs usually will cost more. VIPs have a higher expectation of events. This group will need more quality food and beverage service than an average meeting. What is the time of the event? The time of the event will affect what is being served and how much. Early morning meetings will need some type of breakfast, unless your attendees are used to getting up early to start their day. Coffee is usually a must; soda is not (unless you have a few that you know are soda drinkers in the morning.) If your meeting is right after a nice lunch, consider beverages only with a little something around break time. Or, consider serving the lunch

dessert at the afternoon break for the meeting. This will help your budget and keep your attendees afternoon glucose levels intact. Will the meeting have a break with food and beverage? If your answer to this question is yes, consider serving less food early on in the day. It will cost less to serve a little heavier break in the afternoon than it will to serve a heavier lunch. Or, consult with the venue to see what can be created that will be easier on the budget. Food and beverage is a big part of meetings and one of the biggest line items in the budget. By asking the right questions and reviewing the overall event, it is possible to have a successful meeting experience for attendees while staying within budget.

Kristin Brammell, CMP • Association Headquarters, Inc. • Meeting Manager

I

f your eyes start to glaze over when you hear a coworker talk about their latest iPad app, or if your brain starts to melt when you listen to a tech lecture, or if you change the subject to the latest Biggest Loser episode when someone brings up cloud computing, fear not, because you are not alone. While on the one hand we feel compelled to get on the technology train lest we get left behind, on the other hand we tend to resist change under the guise of preserving the quaintness and simplicity of “how things used to be.” The undeniable truth is that we can’t let that other hand take over, because that other hand is only going to hold us back. Technology is a living, breathing, everchanging, unstoppable force that has essentially moved into our guest bedrooms and has no plans to leave anytime soon. So what to do about this fascinating yet intimidating house guest? The more we learn, and the better we understand something, the more comfortable we feel. And there are ways to make learning about new technology manageable. You don’t need to be ready to take on a top tech position at Google, you just need to know enough to stay relevant, maybe even a little ahead of your peers...

Beginner

Talk to your coworkers and colleagues. It might sound like a no-brainer, but a lot of us never think to open our eyes and ears to our peers - you may be surprised at the amount of tips and tricks these regular Joes have up their sleeves. Maybe there are keyboard shortcuts you didn’t know about (Ctrl z is an almost universal “undo” button), maybe there’s an email feature you’re not using (Gmail has a “canned response” feature so you don’t have to copy and paste the same email over and over), or maybe there’s a neat trick you can do in good old-fashioned Microsoft Word that you never knew about (automatically formatted/updated Table of Contents, anyone?) Never feel silly asking “wait, what did you say you do?” if a col16


S U M M E R

2 013

league throws out some seemingly technical jargon. Chances are, if your colleague can do it, so can you!

Intermediate

If you want to do more than just get by, you should take some initiative to browse around the Internet to see what’s out there. Granted there are plenty of smartphone and tablet apps, web sites, and computer applications that you’re never going to need. Technology keeps getting faster and smarter, but that doesn’t mean that everyone uses it wisely. Learning to separate the wheat from the chaff is probably the hardest part about exploring new tech tools. These three websites are a good place to start:

Your Nerdy Best Friend

Creator: Beth Ziesenis URL: www.askbethz.com Summary: “The best free and bargain technology tools to improve productivity and simplify your life...without breaking the bank.” Sample Content: Great free tools for creating eye-catching graphics and charts, productivity tools as well

Meeting U

Creator: Jim Spellos URL: www.meeting-u.com Summary: Lots of resources to “help you to keep learning about the way cool tech that’s out there.” Sample Content: Scoop.it feed of “way cool tools”, online newsletter with LOTS of new tools

Corbin Ball Associates

Creator: Corbin Ball URL: www.corbinball.com Summary: ”The Web’s most comprehensive site about meeting planning, tradeshow and events technology.” Sample Content: Free planning tools and templates, a mind-boggling list of 1,500 meeting technology links

If you prefer information to be pulled in to a nice little package for you, try the Internet websites (and mobile apps) getpocket.com, trap.it, or scoop.it. They all basically do the same thing, aggregate new articles from across the Internet based on search terms you provide, like “meeting technology”.

Advanced

If you really want to dive head first into the technology pool’s deep end, then you’ve got to reach beyond the here and now, and even beyond the near future. The next time you’re at the airport, instead of US Weekly or Sports Illustrated, pick up Popular Science or Science Illustrated. While these magazines go far beyond anything relevant to the conference you’re planning next month, they’ll give you a head’s up for what’s coming. It may sound silly or too much of a stretch for meeting professionals, but the futuristic ideas being discussed today are laying the groundwork for how we’re all going to live down the road. The latest Popular Science features a story on a DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) contest to create a bipedal humanoid robot capable of performing search-and-rescue operations. Helper robots entering the general corporate environment won’t be far behind. Just picture a day when your new robotic “assistant” automatically performs room counts, helps out at the registration desk, and escorts SRO attendees to open seats in the front! Added bonus: you’ll look like a smarty pants reading your Science Illustrated on the plane! The important thing to keep in mind is that you’re never going to know everything, so you shouldn’t try. Just make it a point to try something new every now and then, keep an ear and an eye out for stuff that sounds cool and useful to you, and don’t give up if you face a set back. There’s always someone willing to help, because we’re all in this virtual boat together! Email [email protected] with questions.

A New Resource for Meeting Professionals:

the Meetings à la Montréal Blog! Meeting professionals are always on the lookout for inspiration, tips and tools to help them work smarter, faster, and more productively. That’s why Tourisme Montréal just launched its Meetings à la Montréal blog. You’ll find digests of industry news, helpful tips, and meet dynamic Montréal businesses and people who are constantly innovating and re-inventing themselves to stay ahead of the curve. In short, they’ll be doing what Montréal does best: serving up smart and creative ideas with a dash of inspiration and humor.

and opportunities.

Insights from Industry Leaders Take a break from your busy day and read what thought leaders in the industry are saying about upcoming trends, challenges

Productivity tips and tools Did you know that multitasking may actually be slowing you down? Or that brainstorming is not always the best way to

17


S U M M E R

2 013

• James Spellos talks about meetings,

technology and social media trends for the coming year. • Corbin Ball offers his take on building engagement and on the increasing role of mobile platforms in event design. • Jessica Levin looks at “gamification” and how to decide if adding a gaming component to your event app is right for you.

come up with new creative ideas? You’ll also find tips from the Tourisme Montréal team for working more efficiently with less stress:

• Dionne Maniotes Hulsey offers

ideas for productive telecommuting and making it work from home. • Norma J. Taylor helps you tame that to-do list with strategies for getting things done. And, of course, you’ll find the latest news from Montréal and meet Tourisme Montréal partners offering creative solutions for your next Montréal event. Who says you can’t mix business with pleasure? Visit the Meetings à la Montréal blog.

SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT

PLANNER SPOTLIGHT Heidi Jetter Director of Meetings & Exhibits NASPGHAN

Dionne Maniotes Hulsey Regional Manager, Convention and Meeting Sales USA Tourisme Montréal Dionne, her husband, and their two sons (21 and 16) live outside Chicago on the Indiana-Illinois border. Dionne married her prom date and they raised their children in the town she grew up in. While Dionne playfully calls it “sick and weird,” most would agree it’s completely charming! Don’t refer to the Indiana native as a “Hoosier” - she and her family are “Boilermakers” (Purdue graduates). They take their in-state college rivalries seriously! At three years old Dionne took her first hard hat tour; seeing Disney World with her parents as it was being built. The lessthan-magical trip was spent in a dusty Jeep on a sweltering day with her very pregnant mother. When Dionne reached college, she desired to be Julie McCoy, cruise director of The Loveboat. She was ready to drop out of school mid-sophomore year until she switched from poli-sci to a recreation and tourism major. A junior year internship at Union Station Festival Marketplace in Indianapolis solidified her interest in the tourism and hospitality field. An early graduation and a full-time position with Union Station launched her career some 27 years ago and she’s never looked back! In 2001, she broke into the convention bureau arena with a work-from-home position with Travel Alberta. Five years later, she took an opportunity to represent Tourisme Montréal, and loves her job because there’s nothing repetitive about it; no “Laverne and Shirley on the brewery line.” She joined PCMA in 2001 and is a member of both the Greater Midwest and the Greater Philadelphia Chapters. Dionne loves GPPCMA for its friendliness and the networking and education opportunities it brings. In her free time, busy Dionne likes to relax. She just started playing golf, and insists you’ll feel better about your game if you play a round with her! She loves college football, and like any true Hoosier (or Boilermaker!) she enjoys college and high school basketball. One of Dionne’s favorite movies is Tootsie, her and her husband’s first date movie. Dionne loves to cook Greek food - with a Greek upbringing, she has cooking and hospitality in her blood and typically has two legs of lamb in her freezer to prove it! By Kristin Brammell, CMP Meeting and Education Manager Association Headquarters, Inc.

18


S U M M E R

I had a really pleasant conversation getting to know Heidi Jetter, Director of Meetings and Exhibits for NASPGHAN (North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition). Heidi started her job this past June and is thrilled with her new role. She grew up in Pitman, NJ and is the youngest of three children. Heidi has two brothers, one lives in southern New Jersey and the other in Florida. Her family is extremely important to her and she loves to visit her nieces and nephews as much as she can. NASPGHAN holds one large meeting per year (their annual) and three other “fellows” conferences as well as other small courses and VIP meetings throughout the year. The annual typically hosts 1000 attendees. There is also a World Congress of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition that takes place every four years. The 2016 World Congress will be planned by Heidi and the North American Society and will be hosted in Montreal. Heidi has a BA in public relations and advertising from Rowan University. She was hired out of college with the PR firm where she completed her internship. While working for them, she was asked to plan a luncheon and really enjoyed completing this task. Thus began her search in the meeting and events industry. Soon after she found a job in the newspaper for a meeting planner and was hired at a small association management company. Since then, she has held positions managing and directing meetings for the pharmaceutical industry and for both trade and medical associations. Her life as a meeting planner has given her many opportunities to travel. Hawaii was her favorite work travel destination. Her favorite personal trip was for her brother’s wedding in Ireland. She was able to spend over two weeks exploring and enjoying the sites. She attributes her travel “bug” to her parents who always took the family on wonderful vacations when they were growing up. During her down time, she enjoys the outdoors, concerts, and staying active! This summer she is excited to see Maroon Five with her friends. She is an avid runner and is preparing for her first half marathon in June in Philadelphia. She also enjoys zip lining, white water rafting, hiking and exploring wonderful restaurants... yes she is a foodie, but aren’t we all in this industry? Thanks so much Heidi, I look forward to seeing you at an event soon and good luck in your half marathon! By Sharon Goodspeed Regional Sales Manager Caesar’s Entertainment

2 013

VANCOUVER

SPECTACULAR BY NATURE ™

With you from idea to execution. Contact Jackie Benear at 512.608.9229

Visit our website at tourismvancouver.com

Thank you to our 2013 sponsors and hosts!

2013 Chapter Events August 14-15

321 Connect Boston Advantage Boston Anaheim/Orange County VCB Association Headquarters, Inc. Atlantic City CVA Caesars Entertainment/ Harrah’s Atlantic City CMI Communications Greater Ft. Lauderdale CVB Hard Rock Hotels & Resorts Hotel Monaco Philadelphia Le Meridien Philadelphia Long Beach CVB Lucky Strike Lanes Philadelphia Nashville CVB Pennsylvania Convention Center Philadelphia CVB

Chapter Retreat Harrah’s Atlantic City

September 11 Education Day Hyatt at the Bellvue 8:30am-3:00pm

October 10 Chapter Fundraiser Lucky Strike Lanes Philadelphia 5:30pm-8:00pm

December 12 Winter Networking Event PA Convention Center 5:00pm-8:00pm *Dates and times are subject to change. http://www. pcma.org/Chapters/Greater-Philadelphia.htm for up-to-date information.

PSAV Rosen Hotels San Diego CVB Seattle Sheraton Sheraton Society Hill Simmer Creative Starwood Convention Collection Starwood Hotels & Resorts Tourisme Montreal Tourism Vancouver Travel Alberta Valley Forge CVB Visit Baltimore Visit Indy Visit Norfolk Visit Salt Lake Visit Seattle Westin Philadelphia

For more information, contact Donna Young, Sponsorship Committee Chair and Past President, at [email protected] or call 215-351-2539.

M E M BER

N E WS

Congratulations to Astrid Schrier and Belinda Keota who were selected as finalists for the 2013 Austin Emerging Leaders Scholarship. The winner was announced at the PCMA Education Foundation Dinner on May 15. Congratulations to Astrid for being selected as the award recipient!

Congratulations to Betty Schultz and Bob Bitner on their recent retirements! Betty was the Director of Meetings at ASTM International and a Past President of GPPCMA. Bob was the Director of Sales for Hilton Sales Worldwide, and has been an active member of GPPCMA since 1994. Best wishes to Betty and Bob!

Congratulations to Susan Schwedock on her recent promotion to Director of National Events at Cozen O’Connor, an international law firm with 22 offices worldwide and 575 attorneys.

Congratulations to Belinda Keota, CMP and now CEM! Belinda recently earned the CEM designation. Belinda is the Meeting Manager, Meetings and Tradeshows at the Produce Marketing Association. She is also the Secretary of GPPCMA.

20


S U M M E R

2 013

Tech You Didn’t Know You Needed

Free, fun, and useful technology tools that you didn’t know you needed...until now! This issue’s tips are brought to you by Kristin Howard, CMP, Meeting Manager at Association Headquarters, Inc. If This Then That (IFTTT) http://ifttt.com. Endless combinations of passing information between your favorite online services. If someone tags a photo of you on Facebook, then save it into your Dropbox folder. If it’s going to rain tomorrow, then email yourself a reminder to wear your rain coat. If you want to streamline your crazy life, then get IFTTT! Infogram http://infogr.am. A free tool for creating beautiful infographics to use on your website, marketing materials, or just for fun (similar to piktochart.com, another free service). Stop using ugly Excel “Chart Wizard” bar graphs and start visualizing your data!

Welcome New Members! through 5/31/2013

Executive Editor & GPPCMA Chapter Administrator Erica A. Keagy Senior Editor Theresa J. Barrett, MS, CMP, CAE

David Katz Senior Sales Executive Anaheim Marriott Jonathan Little National Account Manager IMS Technology Services, Inc.

Art Direction, Design & Production

Sara McWilliams Manager, Global Accounts HelmsBriscoe

Simmer Creative

Contributing Writers Chris Brown, CEM, CMP Kristin Brammell, CMP Sharon Goodspeed Belinda Keota, CMP

Stephanie Plassa Director of Meetings & Exhibits ECS

Connections Advertising 610-220-1232

Jessica E Romberger Intern Susan G. Komen for the Cure

Connections is a quarterly publication of GPPCMA.

Cynthia Sibley-Cassity Director - Meetings, Events & Travel Access Group, Inc.

[email protected]

The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not neccesarily reflect the opinions or policies of GPPCMA. Thank you to the volunteers who contributed articles to this issue of Connections. The deadline for articles and ads for the next issue is Friday, August 2.

Social

PCMA on Linkedin

GPPCMA on Linkedin

Brian Sturtevant Senior Sales Manager PSAV Presentation Services Amy Valentin Conference & Meeting Manager Big Brothers Big Sisters of America

GPPCMA on Facebook

GPPCMA on Twitter