1. business and industrial
2. business operations
3. human resources

INTERCOM
Designed and Edited by Alvalyn Lundgren | Alvalyn Creative
Passion in the
Workplace
Take the Lead…
Synergy
Make the Investment In Your Own
Development and Satisfaction
Do What You Love
PAGE 6
PAGE 16
1
VOLUME 116 | July/August 2015
Notes From the Board Retreat
PAGE 10
Meeting Professionals International | Southern California Chapter
DESIGN & EDITORIAL
Managing Editor/Designer
Alvalyn Lundgren | Alvalyn Creative
[email protected]
805-857-7981
Contributing Editor
Amy Zelinsky, CMP
Contributors
Laura Bergersen, CMP; Christine
Hartman, Rosa Navas; Nicole
Newman; Thomas Smith, CMP.
Patricia Stuhff, CMP, proofreader.
Photo Credits
pp. 9, 18-19: Alvalyn Lundgren
pp. 10-11: various
INTERCOM116
IN THIS ISSUE
President’s Message
3
Leadership Organization Chart
4
Professional Development
Passion in the Workplace
6
Volunteers
Shining Stars
8
Program Highlights
EdCon
9
Leadership
10
Synergy: Notes from the Board Retreat
www.mpiscc.org
275 East Hillcrest Drive, Suite 215
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
Phone: 805-449-9111
Fax: 805-557-1133
Places
5 Unique Historic Venues for Events
12
Community
Needed: Enthusiastic Members
14
Leadership
Take the Lead…Your Way
16
Coming Attraction
Summer Networking Event
17
Program Highlights
MPISCC Connect
18
Save the Date
May Monthly Program: Peer to Peer
19
Strategic Sponsors
21
MPISCC MISSION STATEMENT
MPISCC will be recognized as the leading local
membership community that is committed
to shaping and defining the meetings and
event industry in Southern California.
INTERCOM is published six times
a year by Meeting Professionals
International–Southern California
Chapter, a nonprofit professional
association of meeting planners
and suppliers. ©2015.
Article contributions are welcome.
Article submissions and editorial
guidelines requests should be sent
to Alvalyn Lundgren, Managing
Editor, at [email protected].
Advertising Information
www.mpiscc.org/marketplace/
advertising-kit/
2
MPISCC
Officers & Directors 2015-2016
President
Mariles Krok, CMP
Los Angeles Tourism
& Convention Board
424-731-7781
President-Elect
Nicole Newman
SearchWide
951-640-3745
Immediate Past President
David Anderson, CMP
Eventive Group
562-438-4834
Vice President of Communications
Amy Zelinsky, CMP
A to Z Meetings & Events
818-646-3445
Vice President of Education
Shelley Grey, CMP
TCW
213-244-0579
Vice President of Finance
MPI Foundation Liaison
Joe Marcy, CMP
Westin Long Beach
562-499-2005
Vice President of
Leadership Development
Christine Hartman
Ice Hat Creative
310-601-0695
Vice President of Membership
Laura Bergersen, CMP
Laura B Events
562-234-8819
DIRECTORS
Member Care
Michelle Conant
LuxBus America
949-400-4583
Member Recruitment
Carlos Murillo
Caesars Entertainment
National Meetings & Events
760-899-2708
Monthly Programs
Anna Kim
Los Angeles Tourism
& Convention Board
562-865-0179
Professional Development
Joe Martin. CMP
BDI Events
323-692-0802
Public Relations and Media
Amani Roberts
The Amani Experience
424-244-1443
Special Events
Mai Johnson, CGMP
MGM Resorts International
702.262.4824
Strategic Sponsorship
Bryan Quinan, CMP
Milken Institute
310-570-4638
INTERCOM | Volume 116 | July/August 2015
PRESIDENT’S PAGE
Lasting
Legacy
creating a
Hello MPISCC!
I am humbled, honored and privileged to
be your President this year, and am excited for
meetings industry advocacy. Some examples already in the
planning stages are:
this opportunity to share the Board of Directors’ plans, to
benefit you, our members, and our chapter in the year ahead.
A new educational program slated for February which will
be a hybrid of our Weekend Educational Summit and EdCon;
For the past 18 months, our facilitator, Tara Liashenko,
would kick off our board retreats with the question, “What
is our legacy as chapter leaders?” Her answer was always,
“To leave the chapter stronger and better than when we
started.” This resonated in me and was a question that I
would often ask myself as I prepared for this role.
Hosting our annual State of the Industry in conjunction
with North American Meetings Industry Day (NAMID)
in April;
An educational program in October specifically for our
Senior Planner members;
Tara’s motivating mantra, tied
in with the thoughts of my cumulative experience with MPI,
all of the lessons learned from
Past Presidents with whom I
had the pleasure to serve, and
the foundation that those leaders built, became the basis
of our leadership theme­­
—
simply put­­­— our Legacy.
In honor of our Past President, Beverly Laing, CMP, we
are establishing the Beverly Laing Student Scholarship
Fund where the qualified recipient will receive a one-year
membership in MPISCC, and complimentary registration
to monthly programs and events for the entire year;
Collaboration with our industry partners on the Meetings
Mean Business and Meetings Move Us Forward
campaigns and initiatives is imperative for our industry,
and we want to make sure we continue to actively strive
to do our part.
In building the Legacy of the
2015/2016 Board of Directors, our first goal is to create and
better communicate our value in order to recruit, retain and
engage members:
And our final goal is to add to our Chapter’s current financial reserve, further strengthening our ability to weather the
storms that may come in the future. The Board has budgeted to put money back into our reserve account this year
to ensure that the legacy of MPISCC endures.
Our focus will be on personalizing the member experience
by creating additional value and benefits.
We’re hoping that these initiatives leave the chapter stronger
and better than when we started and hope that you will join
us as we create a lasting legacy for MPISCC.
Thanks to member feedback requests, we are planning
more networking opportunities for the coming year.
A Community Outreach program is to be developed that
will address the needs of our diverse membership.
Thank you,
Our communications, sponsorships, and advertising
opportunities will be enhanced to include social media
packages.
We have revamped our board structure and nominations
process to include more opportunities in which volunteers
can serve.
Mariles Krok, CMP
Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board
2015/2016 MPISCC President
Our second goal in securing our Legacy is to provide relevant,
quality education and professional development opportunities to advance the meetings industry, as well as to promote
3
Meeting Professionals International | Southern California Chapter
LEADERSHIP
MPISCC
Leadership Organization Chart
2015­–2016
CHAPTER
MEMBERSHIP
PRESIDENT
MARILES KROK
EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR
PARAGON
IMMEDIATE PAST
PRESIDENT
DAVID ANDERSON
VICE PRESIDENT
MEMBERSHIP
LAURA BERGERSEN
PRESIDENT
ELECT
NICOLE NEWMAN
DIRECTOR
MEMBER
RECRUITMENT
CARLOS MURILLO
VICE PRESIDENT
VICE PRESIDENT
VICE PRESIDENT
VICE PRESIDENT
EDUCATION
SHELLEY GREY
FINANCE
JOE MARCY
LEADERSHIP
CHRISTINE
HARTMAN
COMMUNICATIONS
AMY ZELINSKY
DIRECTOR
DIRECTOR
STRATEGIC
SPONSORSHIP
BRYAN QUINAN
PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
JOE MARTIN
DIRECTOR
SOCIAL MEDIA
AMANI ROBERTS
DIRECTOR
MEMBER CARE
MICHELLE CONANT
DIRECTOR
DIRECTOR
SPECIAL
EVENTS
MAI JOHNSON
MONTHLY
PROGRAMS
ANNA KIM
4
INTERCOM | Volume 116 | July/August 2015
DODGER STADIUM
YEA R ROUN D P R E M IE RE E V E NT V E NU E
M A K E YO UR N EXT E VE N T A HO ME RUN!
STADIUM CLUB MEETINGS & EVENTS
ON-FIELD WEDDINGS & EVENTS
OUTDOOR EVENT SPACES
FOR INFORMATION ON BOOKING YOUR NEXT EVENT
5
PLEASE CONTACT: [email protected]
Meeting Professionals International | Southern California Chapter
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
PASSION
in the
WORKPLACE
by Thomas Smith, CMP
I
think it’s safe to say that we
all have one constant thing in
common. We are collectively a
“work in progress.” We have
the opportunity to make everything
better in our own private worlds –
each and every day. Some might ask,
“What can we improve or enhance?”
Well, a few possibilities include our
health, our knowledge, our life perspectives, patience with our family
and friends… and our enthusiasm for
life.
Keeping all of this in mind, I ask each
of you to reflect on the following
word: PASSION. It’s a wonderful word.
And, depending on the type of day
we are having we are quite simply
passionate or we are not. It’s rarely an
in-between state of mind.
As I prepared for this writing, something interesting happened. I teach
a course on Events Management
at a local university. Several of my
guest speakers used PASSION as the
framework and foundation for their
presentations. The timing for these
words I share with each of you today
could not have been more timely.
“What does PASSION mean to you?”
I received the following responses:
Do what you love.
Do the job that
your heart and soul
speak to you about.
This industry is all
about people and
service. We help
others. We make
MAGIC happen.
PASSION means the intrinsic motivation to pursue your goal, which transcends the superficial (e.g., monetary)
realm. If someone is PASSIONATE
about what they are doing, it is clearly
evident in both the care with which
they communicate on the topic and
the quality of their resultant work
product.
PASSION is being constantly engaged
in the activity – a sort of “mothering”
of the task. If you are PASSIONATE,
you are clearly excited about it and
if you are not; how can you expect
others to share in your PASSION.
Always look for the opportunity of
change in your passion. After all, we
change as humans each and every
day; so it’s only right that our PASSIONS can change as well. And
finally, always be willing to share your
PASSIONS with others. Remember,
this is your life love and pride, be
proud to put it on “display”.
PASSION is something that you love
to do and you have a strong desire
and drive to do it. We are PASSIONATE when we are totally focused on
what we are doing. We spend time
talking about it and doing it. If we are
PASSIONATE, we figure out a way to
make it happen.
PASSION…
Passion is defined as a strong or powerful emotion. A powerful emotion
such as anger or joy. I reached out to
some of my respected colleagues and
posed the question to each of them.
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INTERCOM | Volume 116 | July/August 2015
Keeping all of this in mind, allow me
to share some tips and thoughts on
PASSION in the workplace. We’re so
fortunate to work in the meetings and
hospitality industry. Bring your PASSION for this world that we work in to
your office and team.
Share your knowledge. Mentor the
new and young workers on your team.
Give advice and tips throughout your
day. Leave the baggage of life at
home. Give of yourself to your coworkers and clients. They and you will
be better for all of this.
With heart-felt PASSION in mind,
I share these top-six thoughts for
PASSION in the workplace:
Attend team and planning meetings.
Actively participate. Choose your
words carefully, and contribute to the
conversation. Praise others. Celebrate
others’ ideas and successes. Be that
team-member who others love to
work with because of the PASSION
that you bring to the office.
Be recognized as a talented speaker.
Speak at meetings. Volunteer to
serve on panels. Serve as a moderator. Publicly be visible and refine your
speaking and moderating skills. Your
PASSION and respect for this industry
will shine and you will be respected
and admired for your abilities.
Share your PASSION and thoughts on
the industry within your social media brand. Share your thoughts and
knowledge. Post articles, pictures and
thoughts that celebrate your PASSION
and respect for others and the industry
that you represent. Your brand is everything. Be strategic and smart with
your comments, posts and tweets!!
Volunteer within the industry. Serve
on committees and task forces. Be
a beacon for good and spread the
PASSIONATE industry values that we
all share. We are surrounded by the
young and newly employed within our
industry. Like our children, they watch
and listen to our every move. Volunteer, coach, mentor and lead with the
PASSIONATE values of integrity that
the meetings industry represents.
Pace yourself. Rest. Eat healthy.
Nurture your mind so that you are
completely focused in the workplace.
When it’s “show time” we need to be
at our best. Our eyes either sparkle
or they do not. We enter a room with
PASSION or we do not. Others know
if we are true and PASSIONATE within
5 seconds of that initial encounter.
Slow down and be kind to yourself.
No one knows better than we do
what our needs are. People who are
PASSIONATE understand the reality of first and foremost taking care
of themselves. If we are not good
to ourselves, then we cannot have
PASSION and we cannot be good for
anyone else…
Finally, my top thought on PASSION.
Do what you love. Do the job that your
heart and soul speak to you about.
This industry is all about people and
service. We help others. We make
MAGIC happen. The industry is coming back. There are amazing people
and contacts out there. Opportunities
are all around us. We need to look for
them. That person with PASSION will
stand out and good things will come.
They will!!
There is a gentleman who I know in
this meetings and events industry.
He exudes PASSION. He absolutely
positively LOVES what he does. Every
day he wakes and knows that there
are opportunities and relationships to
be won-over and conquered. Each of
us has PASSION in our professional
spirit. Awaken it. Breathe life into it.
Approach your life, career and dailyschedule with a brilliant sparkler of
energy and celebration. You will be
noticed. I guarantee it!
Have a PASSION-filled day!
7
Thomas “Tom” Smith, CMP leads Global
Medical Events for the Baxter Healthcare
Corporation. Tom is an Adjunct Professor
on Event Planning and Management at
California Lutheran University in Thousand
Oaks, CA.
Meeting Professionals International | Southern California Chapter
VOLUNTEERS
S
R
A
T
S
G
N
I
N
I
H
S
MPISCC’s
Each quarter, MPISCC recognizes its
outstanding volunteers, nominated by
their peers for their contributions to
their teams, to the organization and
to the meetings industry.
Kris Lugo
Marcelle Moje
Cynthia Bryant
Amani Roberts
Communications
Committee
Membership
Committee
The Beverly Laing 5k, Golf &
Wellness Day Committee
Monthly Programs Committee
United Grocers
Site Services
Le Reve Reine
8
The Amani Experience
INTERCOM | Volume 116 | July/August 2015
EDUCATION
EdCon
On April 23-24, MPISCC joined with with the San Diego
and Orange County chapters for the SoCal EdCON &
EXPO, consisting of keynotes, breakouts and a trade show.
Speakers included Chris Heeter, founder of The Wild
Institute; Baseball Hall of Famer and World Series Champion, Matt Jones; Corbin Ball, consultant for the meetings, hospitality and travel industries; author and speaker,
Kaplan Mobray; and Richard Aaron, CMP, CSEP, President of BizBash Media. A Rush Hour Reception capped
the event.
9
Meeting Professionals International | Southern California Chapter
LEADERSHIP
SYNERGY
NOTES FROM THE 2015-2016 BOARD RETREAT
By Laura Bergersen, CMP | Laura B Events 2015-2016 Vice President of Membership
T
wice each year the MPISCC Board of Directors gets together for an
overnight retreat to review the past year, current year and the future
of the chapter. The first retreat of the year happens just prior to the
new board installation. At times, the focus may be on interacting and
getting to know one another better, and other times it’s about where
we are, what we are and where are we going. Once you get into that
room you may never know what direction you will end up.
The first stop on our retreat was the Pavilion Hotel on Catalina Island. Beautifully situated on the Boardwalk, the hotel offered the perfect opportunity to
meet and mingle in the mornings and afternoons! But the first important task
of the arrival day was our CSR adventure. Working with the Catalina Island
Conservancy, nine board members bundled up (it was a bit chilly) and headed
to the other side of the island for a beach cleanup. Along the way, we stopped
at the airport for lunch and to view a beautiful handmade tile mural depicting
the island’s history. Most of us had never been to the other side of the island,
and it’s completely different from Avalon. We learned that many interesting
things wash up on shore, and our guide asked us to look
for anything with foreign writing that could have come from
one of the many storms in the Pacific. The most common
thing we found were balloons with ribbons and styrofoam
pieces.
One of the interesting aspects of the Board Retreat is our
Retreat Facilitator who, for two years, has been Tara
Liaschenko, owner, The Link Event Professionals, Inc. in
Tampa, Florida. Tara is a Past President of her local chapter,
and became involved in MPI International. As a facilitator
to chapters around the country, her role is to go through
the objectives, keep the board on track, mediate discussions and “parking lot”
issues that may need more time to sit until we can get to them.
At last year’s retreat we discussed decreasing the amount of director positions
and increasing volunteer opportunities through additional chair positions. We
are happy to announce that we added 27 chair positions. This years’ board
is comprised of mostly past board members but we did add two newbies:
Anna Kim and Amani Roberts, Director of Social Media. When asked what
he thought of his first retreat, Amani said, “(It) was very informative. The process
was interesting to observe, and it was enlightening to see the different parts of
MPISCC that each board member is passionate about. I decided to be a part of
the board because I wanted to continue to share my knowledge with the organization as well as learn from each board member, while getting an inside look at the
impact MPISCC has on the meetings industry in Southern California.”
The retreat consists of two full days, with an agenda for both. After Tara laid out
the two days, the Vice Presidents present 3–4 accomplishments and challenges
from the current year, discuss what worked and what didn’t, and set goals for the
10
INTERCOM | Volume 116 | July/August 2015
next year. MPI International requires
a matrix, and for each goal we set for
the year, awards financial “points”.
The second big agenda item is the
budget. We reviewed how to read
the budget, what we need in the
budget to run as a non-profit, and
how we can increase funding through
advertising and sponsorships.
Education and Membership are
always two of the main topics of the
retreats. This year, two significant decisions were made: to redevelop the
fall WES (Weekend Education Summit) and the spring EdCon in which
we have partnered for the past 2 with
the other two Southern California
chapters. It was a tough decision to
make, but discussions with various
members of the MPISCC community
led us to the decision to do what’s
best for our members, and to give
them quality programs, both educationally and socially.
sociation work and remain a member
of MPISCC. Debbie has been with
us for over 15 years as E.D., friend,
confidente, and teacher to many of
our members. When asked how she
felt about this new adventure in her
life: “I’m grateful for all of the years
of involvement with
MPISCC both as a
board member and Executive Director. It will
be exciting to see what
the future holds for this
dynamic chapter!”
you will join us as we create a lasting
legacy for MPISCC.”
Thank you to Judy Webster, our MPI
Chapter Business Manager; Tara, for
keeping us on track, Alisse Brown
from Paragon, who worked with
Debbie to learn everything about our
Our incoming president, Mariles Krok, is
to be commended for
all she has done since
starting her term early
Our members are the key to MPISCC
success. One of the major concerns
has been the supplier-to planner ratio
and how we can encourage more
planners to join. We have seen an
increase as the economy improved.
Salaried as well as independents are
coming back after a drop the last
few years. We plan to make enhancements to make it easier for our
members to navigate the website,
ensure that our calendar of activities
is marketed as early as possible for
planning, and to engage members in
social media including Facebook
and LinkedIn.
We do have some fun at the retreat.
At El Galleon we saw that our board
is not afraid to get up and sing. No
names will be mentioned but it was
fun for all. It was also a time to say
good-bye to part of our MPI family
who have guided us for many years,
and really seen the chapter’s growth:
Beverly Laing, our 2014-2015 President who passed unexpectedly in
November, and our Executive Director, Debbie Hawkins, who is retiring
with her husband, Don, to Las Vegas.
She will still be involved in small as-
due to Beverly’s passing. She has
united this board in that many have
never experienced, and has provided
an open and comfortable environment for communication. I won’t
steal Mariles’ thunder by sharing her
theme of Legacy, but this is what
she had to say, “I’m really excited
about the synergy of the incoming
board and the plans we have for our
membership in the coming year.
We’re hoping that these initiatives
leave the chapter stronger and better
than when we started, and hope that
11
chapter. And most importantly, our
hosts and sponsors: Carla Dispalatro, CMP from the Island Company, Catalina Express, Catalina Island Conservancy, Catalina Island
Chamber of Commerce, Catalina
Convention and Visitor’s Bureau,
Bluewater Avalon, DC Gifts and
Grills, and El Galeon.
Meeting Professionals International | Southern California Chapter
PLACES
5
REALLY
UNIQUE
historic
event sites
in Southern California
Historic venues lend an air of intrigue and legend to
your events. Southern California is prime territory for
vintage locations that help make meetings unique and
memorable. Five of the most popular are highlighted here.
Max Sennett Studios
www.macksennettstudios.net
1215 Bates Avenue, Los Angeles, California
323-660-8466
Built as a silent movie studio in 1916 by
legendary film producer Mack Sennett,
this historic space consists of two stages of
5,000 and 2,000 square feet, and a 12,000
square foot basement. It’s great for shoots,
concerts, seminars and events.
1
The Muckenthaler
Cultural Center 2
www.themuck.org
1201 West Malvern Avenue, Fullerton, California
[email protected]
Built in 1924 as a private residence, The Historic
Muckenthaler Mansion is located on 9 acres of
park-like grounds. It serves up to 120 attendees
indoors and over 400 in the gardens. It is a
picturesque location for smaller events. 12
12
INTERCOM | Volume 116 | July/August 2015
The Langham Huntington
www.langhamhotels.com/en/the-langham/
pasadena/
1401 South Oak Knoll Avenue, Pasadena, California
626-568-3900 3
Completed in 1907, the Langham Huntington
enjoyed a renovation in the late 1980s, which
incorporated the original theatre and grand ballroom. The hotel features more than 50,000 square
feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space,
including gardens. board rooms and ballrooms,
all supported by state-of-the-art audio-visual
equipment and wireless.
Camarillo Ranch
www.camarilloranch.org
201 Camarillo Ranch Road, Camarillo, California
805-389-8182 The Maxwell House
The Camarillo Ranch is a unique location for indoor
and outdoor events. It hosts over 150 private and
public events throughout the year. It features 4.5
acres of event space, including the Front Lawn with
its historic trees; the iconic and spacious Red Barn
that is ideal for corporate meetings; the East Garden,
with a picturesque gazebo; and the West Garden
with a large Mission-style fountain.
4
5
www.maxwellhousepasadena.com
626-584-7494
55 South Grand Ave, Pasadena, California
Designed by architects, Marston and Maybury,
The Maxwell House is a 13,000 square foot Mediterranean Italianate “bungalow” with tile roofs,
stucco walls, a Palladian entrance, and elaborate
detailing. Originally built as a resort to attract visitors
from the east coast, the Maxwell House is the current
home of the Western Justice Center (WJC), as well
as a popular meeting and event venue. The Living
Room, Dining Room, Patio and Library are intimate
settings for smaller meetings and corporate events.
13
13
Meeting Professionals International | Southern California Chapter
COMMUNITY
Needed:
Enthusiastic
CARES
and helpful
members
Join our community outreach team: MPISCC Cares!
who want to
We are seeking volunteers who are looking to provide their skills
(or find new ones!) as we work together on services projects and
outreach events that benefit the community. Volunteer options are:
committee member or volunteer team. have fun
while helping
MPISCC
the community!
MPISCC Community Projects for SUMMER 2015
Special Olympics: World Games July 25-August 2, 2015
The world is coming and it needs fans! We are recruiting for our
fans-in-the-stands MPISCC days. Joins us as we come together to
cheer on amazing athletes from all over the world who are coming together in the name of friendly competition! Sponsors are also needed
to donate water and snacks to keep our MPISCC cheer squad hydrated
and full of energy! Interested? Contact Rosa: [email protected]
Dress For Success Clothing Drive August meeting
We are partnering with Dress for Success, an organization that promotes economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing
professional attire for job interviews, and the workplace. You are encouraged to bring gently-used women’s business apparel to the August
meeting. Other clothing is also be welcome and will be donated to the
L.A. Mission. Are you interested in assisting to sort the goods at the
meeting? Contact Winnie: [email protected]
MPISCC Community Projects for FALL 2015
Canned Food Drive November fundraising event
Food items will be given to the Los Angeles Mission
Thanksgiving at LA Mission November 2015
Help serve tasty, nutritious meals to Los Angeles’ homeless.
Stay tuned for details.
Our recent accomplishments:
On Earth Day in April we partnered with LA Works for a Day of Service
at Rubio Canyon in Altadena, California. We removed invasive plant species
as part of a restoration project.
Join us good work and great fun! Get in touch with either:
Rosa Navas: [email protected]
Winnie Tayzon: [email protected]
14
INTERCOM | Volume 116 | July/August 2015
MPISCC MEMBERS ARE A
TARGETED AUDIENCE
REACH THEM ON
FOUR PLATFORMS
DEDICATED EMAIL BLASTS
with an average 20% open rate
$750/BLAST
PRINT + DIGITAL ADS
in Intercom 6x/year
Starting at $395
MAILING LABELS
for your direct mail campaigns
Only $125/set
BANNER ADS
in monthly STATS eblasts
Starting at $630
Get started now!
Visit MPISCC.ORG to download
your MPISCC advertising kit!
For more information,
contact Director of Strategic Sponsorships,
Bryan Quinan: [email protected]
15
Meeting Professionals International | Southern California Chapter
LEADERSHIP
Take the Lead…Your Way
by Christine Hartman | Ice Hat Creative
Vice President of Leadership Development
Make the investment in your personal satisfaction and professional development.
E
media outlets. Please make sure you are following us on
Twitter and Facebook so that you can be part of the conversation! We also plan on integrating leadership-focused
speakers throughout the year.
very day we have opportunities to be a leader in our family units, our social circles and
our professional lives. But what does being
a leader look like? I believe it looks different to everyone. This is what the ideal looks
like to me: using existing skills and nurturing
new ones to help create meaningful change;
being ready to talk and willing to listen (and
having the sense to know when to do which); and inspiring
others to become leaders in their own unique way.
Whether you decide to sit on a committee, contribute as
a committee chair, or serve on the Board of Directors, you
will find countless ways to teach and to learn. Tammy
Dickerson with The Baker Group and Danny Farrell with
NYC DJs will be chairing the volunteer recruitment and
volunteer care efforts, respectively. We stand ready to
work with you to find the volunteer opportunity that fits
your time constraints, work schedule and, most importantly, your own leadership goals.
I stressed the word ideal because I do not profess to
have achieved this, although it’s certainly what I strive
for. My membership in MPI Southern California Chapter
has helped me move closer to my ideal. Whatever YOUR
vision of leadership may be, MPISCC is here to help you
realize that vision by offering leadership development resources and a broad choice of volunteer opportunities.
You have wisely chosen to invest in yourself by being a
member of MPI. I encourage you to go deeper with that
investment and take the lead for your own personal satisfaction and professional development. You won’t regret it!
The Leadership Development Curriculum Team, chaired
by Jillian Corbets with Hilton Worldwide, will be sharing
timely articles and resources primarily through our social
Every person has
a longing to be
significant; to make
a contribution; to be
a part of something
noble and purposeful.
Connect with Christine: [email protected]
}
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JOHN MAXWELL
INTERCOM | Volume 116 | July/August 2015
COMING ATTRACTION
MPISCC
July Networking Reception
July 22, 2015 4:00–7:00 pm
Malibu Family Wines
watch your email for details
Effective Branding
and Visual Design
for Festivals, Trade
Shows, Conferences,
Seminars…and those
who create them.
LOGOS & IDENTITY
PRINT DESIGN
WEB & EMAIL DESIGN
SIGNS & BANNERS
SOCIAL MEDIA GRAPHICS
Corporate and Event Branding
@alvalyn
/AlvalynCreative
17
/Alvalyn
/alvalyncreative
www.alvalyn.com
alvalyn @ alvalyn.com
805.857.7981
Meeting Professionals International | Southern California Chapter
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
MPISCC CONNECT
Kudos to the Education Team for putting together this
creative program! With three different and very diverse
groups, we were able to adjust our discussion to each
group’s needs. This program gave members an opportunity
to share their questions and offer their peers some expert
and hands-on options. We discussed event design and solutions to problems that planners (and suppliers) face on any
given day. With our industry constantly changing, hearing
others discuss integration of audio visual and technology,
as well as space limitations and attendee engagement, was
very helpful! Let’s use this format again, as everyone felt
they had something to offer and many new connections
were made. —Gail Emery, CMP
W
e changed up the itinerary as we boarded the Queen
Mary in Long Beach for our May program.
Following the opening networking during which attendees were able to schedule one-on-one appointments to
share business opportunities, lunch was served buffet
style, and the ship’s captain shared about the history and
service of the QM.
Members and guests participated in round-robin style
roundtable discussions on a variety of topics pertinent to
the meetings industry: Career and Resume Building, led
by Nicole Newman; AudioVisual for the 21st Century, led
by Christine Hartman; Meeting and Event Tech, led by
Bryan Quinan, Small Business Management, facilitated
by David Anderson; Social Media, led by Laura Bergerson; Hotel Sales, headed by Tony Di Raimondo; Staffing
& Event Management, led by Steve Copeland; Transportation Services and DMCs, Led by Natalie Hagee, Destination Sales Resources, led by Mariles Krok, and Event
Design & Rental Trends, facilitated by Gail Emery.
This program allowed for powerful resource sharing,
including discussions about small business management
software, podcasts and audio books. We also talked about
making the leap from a corporate job to being an independent planner. The discussions were helpful in verbalizing
our motivations, inspirations and challenges. It was great
connecting with other business owners, which is something
many small business owners rarely get a chance to do.
—David Anderson, CMP
The program was fully hosted by the Queen Mary, Long
Beach, California.
At our table, “Audiovisual for the 21st Century”, we talked
a lot about 3-D video mapping as a potential medium for
delivering content, and swapped ideas about new and
exciting AV features. We also had some interesting discussions about striking a balance between budget constraints
and quality content. We talked about the importance of a
team approach between planners, content providers and
audiovisual companies in order to make face-to-face meetings an effective investment for companies.
—Christine Hartman
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INTERCOM | Volume 116 | July/August 2015
19
Meeting Professionals International | Southern California Chapter
Details Planned
Budget Met
Audience Engaged
Expectations Exceeded
Southern California’s Premier Audio Visual
Event Production Experience.
For over 35 years Luners Production
Services has partnered with Event Planners
to produce truly custom Event Technology
experiences. From creative concept to
detailed service performance, you can trust
our team of Account Managers, Designers,
and Technical Specialists to bring your vision
to reality. No matter the size of your event,
we go the extra mile to pay close attention
to the details that are most important to
you. The Luners team will partner with you
every step of the way to plan, organize, and
simplify your event details. We look forward
to making a difference on your next event.
805-654-1007
www.luners.com
MPI Intercom
Monday, July 21, 2014 2:27:35 PM
20
Creative Event Planning
Our designers will create a truly custom show
experience for your event. From renderings to
reality, your event will be everything you expect
and more.
Experienced Technical Specialists
Your on-site Technical staff will consist of some of
the industries most talented, and specialized Event
Technology Professionals.
Relevant Equipment Inventory
Luners is constantly updating our equipment
inventory to keep up with the fast-paced evolution
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Budget Friendly Proposals
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listen to your financial needs while providing
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INTERCOM | Volume 116 | July/August 2015
MPISCC STRATEGIC PARTNERS
Thank You
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