Monthly Archives: September 2019

Big Updates for the Memphis Convention Center

Work continues at the Memphis Convention Center even while the facility hosts major events. Local media was able to see progress since the last construction site visit in May.

Local news outlets in attendance were also provided details on a planned Front Street closure from Jackson to Poplar starting October 7th, running through May 1st. Phase I work is progressing as meeting rooms on the ground level near completion with carpet scheduled for installation in October.

The entire project is due to be complete in the Fall of 2020 with all funding coming through the hotel/motel tax and Tourism Development funds.

•             Kevin Kern, Vice President Public Relations

•             Dean Dennis, Senior Vice President and General Manager

MICROTEK ANNOUNCES NEW, MORE SUSTAINABLE FOOD AND BEVERAGE SOLUTIONS FOR VENUES

MicroTek, a global leader in corporate meeting and training venues and event planning services, is proud to announce that the company has instituted a new program to significantly reduce the amount of single-use plastic waste produced by its U.S. venues.

MicroTek has announced plans to remove disposable water bottles from all of its owned and operated U.S. locations. The company predicts that this new environmentally-motivated initiative will eliminate more than 200,000 bottles each year. Each MicroTek location will offer a reusable water bottle refilling station and an infused water dispenser as a more sustainable alternative to commercial plastic water bottles.

The company has also announced the introduction of new granola and trail mix dispensing stations to substantially reduce the waste produced by individually packaged snacks at MicroTek venues across the country. With this new program in place, MicroTek solidifies its commitment to providing financially and environmentally sustainable meeting and training solutions to companies around the world.

“We’re incredibly excited to be able to offer these new, more environmentally-conscious food and beverage solutions in our venues. Initial guest feedback and support for this new program has been outstanding,” says Bill Taylor, MicroTek’s VP of Facility Resources.

Located in the heart of nine major metropolitan business hubs across the country, MicroTek’s premier meeting and training venues offer flexible meeting spaces paired with a full suite of all-inclusive event services. 

To learn more about MicroTek’s premier meeting and training venues, visit mclabs.com/meet

ABOUT MICROTEK

Since 1991, MicroTek has been an industry-leading, single-source provider of corporate meeting and training venues, learning and event technology solutions, and comprehensive support services. With an expert team and network of more than 3,000 facilities worldwide, MicroTek has the resources and expertise to execute the most effective corporate meeting and training events for any client, anywhere in the world.

MEDIA CONTACT
AJ Pfatschbacher, ajp@mclabs.com | 630.719.0221

SPIN Announces 2019 40 Over 40 Winners: Industry’s First Recognition Solely for Veteran Planners

SPIN:Senior Planners Industry Network announces the 2019 recipients of the industry’s original recognition for veteran meeting planners – SPIN:40 Over 40. This initiative was created in 2017 to recognize and honor planners who are industry role models, influencers, innovators, and pioneers.

“This year we have a group of 28 honorees,” said Tracey Smith, CMP, CMM, SPIN’s Executive Director. “This is an evolving process and we changed some of our criteria, focusing more on giving back, innovation and accomplishments. While we had many candidates, the ones chosen best represented the qualifications we were looking for.”

SPIN’s Founder, Shawna Suckow, CMP, CSP, added, “This group of recipients represents planners with diverse backgrounds who excel in innovation and truly giving back. They’re helping the next generation learn from their examples.”

“It is an honor to be nominated and to have been selected as part of this group,” noted Stephanie Krzywanski, CMM of JR Global Events. “I’ve been drawn to this industry since college and have had the good fortune to have had many opportunities to create my own pathwithin it and to give back.”

Sally Mainprize, SMMC, CRP of Iron Peacock Events, who received multiple peer nominations, echoed that sentiment and added, “I love what I do and am humbled that my industry colleagues value my contributions. The truth is, without my mighty team, I could accomplish very little.” 

2019 SPIN:40 Over 40 Winners

Mary Margaret Armstrong, CMP, CAE – Meeting Advantage
Allison Beers – Events North
Erika Biddix, CMM, CMP – Biddix Meetings + Events
Kathy Bradley Sheldrake, CMP – KEMET Corporation
Sue Couling – University of Minnesota
Sherry DeLaGarza, CMP, CMM – Key Standards Event Management
Cori Dossett, CEM, CMP – Conferences Designed
Mozelle Goodwin, CMP, HMCC – Goodwin Consulting
Sue Gordon, CMP – EPIC Meetings & Events
Lin Guba, CMM, CMP – International Economic Development Council
Laura Hearvin, CMP, CTA – Treasures Travel & Events, LLC
Deborah Jayne – Society for American Baseball Research (SABR)
Stephanie Krzywanski, CMM – JR Global Events, Inc.
Peggy Lamberton, CMP – InterAct.EVENTS
Cathi Lundgren, CAE, CMP – The Lundgren Group
Jeremy Luski – JML Worldwide
Sally Mainprize, SMMC, CRP – Iron Peacock Events
Emily Milliot, CMP, HMCC – AG Communications, LLC
Lorena Moore, CMP, CGMP – ICF International
Susan Piel, CMP – Spiel Planning
Gregory Pynes, MPA – Oncology Meeting Innovations
Jeff Rasco – Attendee Management, Inc.
Larissa Schultz, CMP, MHA, ACC – Journey-Wide Travel & Events, LLC
Brent Taylor, CMP, DES, CMM – Timewise Event Management Inc.
Cindy Thorp – MeetingsNevents, Inc.
Rose Timmerman Gitzi, CMM – RTG Special Events
Denise Waldron, CMP – Viva! Events, LLC
Julie Walker, CMP, HMCC – Choice Meetings

The honorees will each receive two complimentary registrations for SPINCon 2019 (one for the honoree, and one for their nominator or a fellow qualified planner), and they will be recognized at the conference in a ceremony amongst their peers. SPINCon 2019 will be held November 3-5, 2019 at the Hyatt Regency Monterey.

About SPIN

SPIN:Senior Planners Industry Network is the world’s largest association for senior-level planners. SPIN has recently invited all hospitality professionals who have at least 10 years of experience to join their ranks. SPINCon is the annual conference for the association.

ASAE Foundation Announces Four Universities Receive Scholarly Research Grants

The ASAE Foundation names four academic institutions to receive research grants as part of the Scholarly Research in Association Management Grants Program (SRGP). The SRGP provides investigators with funds to conduct research on a cross-section of topics relevant to association and member-based organization management. Each recipient will receive up to a $7,500 grant and for this latest awards cycle, will begin on September 1 and lasts for one year.

The four awardees are:

George Mason University

Association Advocacy for Broad, Sector-Wide Interests: Promoting the Charitable and Business Sectors in Federal Policymaking

Alan Abramson, Professor; Schar School of Policy and Government

North Carolina State University

Planning for Advocacy Efforts: Best Practices from Tourism Industry Associations

Whitney Knollenberg, PhD, Assistant Professor, Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management

(Co-Investigator) Ashley Schroeder, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Management, Pennsylvania State University          

(Co-Investigator) Amanda Stewart, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Public Administration, North Carolina State University

The George Washington University

Building Bayanihan: Decolonizing Association Management from Whiteness

Nathan Victoria, M.Ed., CAE, Senior Director, Recruitment, Engagement, and Volunteerism; NASPA-Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education 

And, Doctoral Candidate; Executive Leadership Program, Human & Organizational Learning, The George Washington University

(Co-Investigator) Julia Storberg-Walker, PhD, Associate Professor, Executive Leadership Program, Department of Human & Organizational Learning

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Representation and Inclusion in Associations: An Examination of Board Diversity and Volunteer Management

Jaclyn Piatak, PhD, Assistant Professor; Political Science and Public Administration

“Congratulations to the four awardees. Their research will provide valuable insights on issues that affect the growth, scope, and sustainability of membership organizations and the association community. These studies reflect knowledge opportunities in association management that can be uniquely explored through collaboration with higher education. We look forward to sharing the results,” said interim ASAE President and CEO, and ASAE Foundation President Susan Robertson, CAE

The next application cycle for SRGP is open Fall 2019 and deadline to apply is January 2020. To learn more, visit https://foundation.asaecenter.org.

MEDIA CONTACT: Lauren Precker, CAE, lprecker@asaecenter.org, 202-626-2735

About ASAE and the ASAE Foundation
ASAE is a membership organization of more than 46,000 association executives and industry partners representing 7,400 organizations. Its members lead, manage, and work in or partner with organizations in more than a dozen association management disciplines, from executive management to finance to technology. Together, they create a vibrant community that makes the world smarter, safer, and better every day. With support of the ASAE Foundation, a separate nonprofit entity, ASAE is the premier source of learning, knowledge, and future-oriented research for the association and nonprofit profession and provides resources, education, ideas, and advocacy to enhance the power and performance of the association and nonprofit community.

The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre’s Director of Global Business Development & Marketing Recognised as One of the Top Women in MICE 2019

The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre’s (the Centre) Director of Global Business Development & Marketing, Angeline van den Broecke, has been acknowledged as one of the most dynamic women in the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions (MICE) industry, being named one of the Top Women in MICE 2019 by Meetings Magazine and 3s Media.

Launched in 2014, the Top Women in MICE is based on nominations from peers and comprises of the finest event organisers and suppliers in the business events industry, who were judged on their leadership, passion, creativity, integrity, mentorship and relationships. It celebrates female excellence and recognises their achievements in the MICE space and honours them during an annual ceremony.

Congratulating Angeline on her incredible accomplishment, the Centre’s General Manager, Alan Pryor, shared “Angeline’s enthusiasm, professionalism and commitment to the business events industry has been rewarded with this wonderful achievement. She has a wealth of knowledge and experience from close to 25 years in the industry, with over 11 of those in Malaysia at the Centre.”

He continued, “Angeline is motivated by a pioneering mind-set which fuels her market leadership approach and desire to constantly go beyond the norm. She is a key member of our senior management team who has been the driving force for a more inclusive approach within the organisation. Angeline’s passion, positivity and strong affinity for cultural diversity, as well as her dedication to mentoring and building the capabilities of our team, are also a great source of inspiration and motivation for everyone.”

Speaking on Angeline’s win was Shanna Jacobsen, Editor of Meetings magazine and producer of the event, said, “Seeing South Africans shine abroad makes me incredibly proud, and we are thrilled that Angeline is making a name for herself internationally as this is a testament to what exceptional talent can achieve, anywhere in the world.”

Angeline commented, “I am very honoured to be named amongst such esteemed colleagues and commend the organisers for providing such an important platform to recognise the contribution of women in the business events industry.”

“At the heart of change is the commitment to embrace cultural diversity and inclusivity no matter where you are placed in the world. I am committed to building a talent pool of future female leaders, and to the make a meaningful contribution to the sustainability of the business events industry as a whole,” she concluded.

For more information the Top Women in MICE 2019, visit www.theplanner.guru/women-in-mice-2019/.

For all the latest news and information on the Centre, visit www.klccconventioncentre.com.