11:00 AM
 
Fri Jul-10, 11:00 AM MDT- 5:00 PM MDT
Personal/Professional Development
Attention enlistees! It's time to get down to brass tacks. This call goes out to those taking the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) exam on Saturday, July 11, as well as those sitting for the exam in the near future. (For introductory information on the CMP process and exam, please attend the information session on Saturday, July 11 from 2:30 - 4:30 PM)This open-floor, interactive session will focus on a review of areas of concern posed by Boot Camp attendees. The study materials are the recommended referenced reading: 8th Edition Convention Industry Council (CIC) Manual, 1st edition CIC International Manual, 5th edition Professional Meeting Management and the CIC's APEX Glossary. This session will also offer test taking tips, relaxation techniques and last-minute hints for test-taking success.
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3:15 PM
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Fri Jul-10, 3:15 PM MDT- 4:45 PM MDT
Insider's Exchange
During these challenging economic times, it is critical to achieve highest return on investment for your meetings. Marion Joy, National Sales Manager at the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau, along with a customer, will discuss innovative best practices to improve revenue streams and enhance your meeting program.
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1:00 PM
Sat Jul-11, 1:00 PM MDT- 4:30 PM MDT
Technology
Excel is the most used desktop software, yet many people only know how to harness a fraction of its' potential. Not only a tool for budgeting, Excel is the perfect tool for many meeting management and sales functions within an organization. This session provides attendees the opportunity to explore all of the functionality that Excel has to offer. This is a highly attended session that is typically sold out at every MPI Conference.
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Sat Jul-11, 1:00 PM MDT- 4:30 PM MDT
CSR & Green
The current economy has businesses wondering how and even if corporate social responsibility (CSR) should play a role in strategic planning. This session will focus on how to strengthen your organization and meetings through the implementation and management of strategic CSR by improving the environment in which you conduct your business.
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2:30 PM
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Sat Jul-11, 2:30 PM MDT- 2:30 PM MDT
Personal/Professional Development
Everything you ever wanted to know about the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation is covered in this session - its history, its structure and organization, and how the test is drafted. Included will be tips on the application process, studying and how to survive test day.
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3:30 PM
Sat Jul-11, 3:30 PM MDT- 4:30 PM MDT
Personal/Professional Development
MPI's Certification in Meeting Management (CMM) is the strategic advantage in meeting and event management. It is an elite, intensive learning opportunity designed for tenured and highly accomplished members of the global meeting industry community who seek career acceleration and advancement and professional recognition. The program offers strategic business education, resulting in the most prestigious designation in the meetings and events industry. Through the CMM program, applicants benefit from career-focused courses taught by top-level instructors, experienced industry practitioners and industry leaders. If you are interested in obtaining an international designation in meetings management, don't miss this session. We will discuss the application process, the program requirements, future dates and program benefits.
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8:00 AM
Sun Jul-12, 8:00 AM MDT- 9:30 AM MDT
Personal/Professional Development
Connect with other new members and first-time WEC attendees. Take this opportunity to learn how to get the most out of your MPI membership. The growing, global community of MPI allows you to create your experience and map to professional success. Also, MPI staff members answer your questions about WEC. Be sure to bring your business cards to this session for an easy but effective networking exercise that will increase your connection to ideas, relationships and marketplace resources in mere minutes.
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8:30 AM
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Sun Jul-12, 8:30 AM MDT- 9:30 AM MDT
CSR & Green
What does it mean to be green? The Accepted Practices Exchange (APEX), an initiative of the Convention Industry Council (CIC), has been actively developing green meetings standards for the industry. Join this influential, working group and help shape the direction for establishing greening best practices for the following industry segments: Transportation, Accommodations, Meeting Venue, Exhibits, Food and Beverage, Communications, On-site Office, Destination and A/V production.
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3:15 PM
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Sun Jul-12, 3:15 PM MDT- 4:45 PM MDT
Small Business Owners
Whether your business is a leading or lagging indicator of a recession, it doesn't matter when you're in the middle of one. For many of us, coping with the recession has been a lot like going through the four phases of loss: denial, anger, self pity and acceptance. In this era, many of us are moving into acceptance of our new reality and are ready to take steps to make the best of it. As we reflect on the last few decades, we realize how much better and smarter we could have been when times were easier. We know that getting ever better and smarter is the difference between success and failure. As we consider our circumstances, what can we do to grow and save our businesses during these times?
Sun Jul-12, 3:15 PM MDT- 4:45 PM MDT
CSR & Green
Green meetings are revolutionizing the meetings industry. The key to any successful meeting is a good contract, and green meetings are no different. Planners must be able to identify suppliers committed to conservation, as opposed to those who just "talk green" as a marketing gimmick. They also need to place environmentally friendly standards into contracts to ensure that conservation practices are implemented and savings goals are met. Meeting facilities and other suppliers failing to meet these obligations should also be subject to sanctions that do not just involve money, but also help save the environment. This session is an interactive discussion of the essential legal tools needed to successfully bring green meetings to fruition, from identifying committed suppliers to special contract clauses. Other important legal issues impacting socially conscious practices such as leftover food donation and volunteering will also be discussed.
Sun Jul-12, 3:15 PM MDT- 4:45 PM MDT
International
This session will educate participants on the logistical planning and coordination of meetings in the Latin American region. This session helps shed light on the myths behind planning meetings in the region and shows the amazing possibilities available for planners. Participants will be introduced to things they never knew before about Latin America and the benefits that can help planners provide their companies or clients opportunities which are unforgettable and cost efficient as well.
Sun Jul-12, 3:15 PM MDT- 4:45 PM MDT
Technology
This presentation is about tools, techniques and best practices for managing projects. The concept of project triple constraint (scope, schedule and cost) will be introduced. You will learn how to develop a work breakdown structure to describe project scope of work and a Gantt chart to show project schedule. Other tools you will learn include critical path, milestone chart and tracking Gantt chart. Using these tools you will be able to develop a project plan and track, control, and manage your project effectively.
Sun Jul-12, 3:15 PM MDT- 4:45 PM MDT
Core Meeting & Event Skills - Basic
Most Meeting Professionals agree: we must improve the way we measure the success of meetings and events. And, yes, that should include measuring ROI, at least for the major events. Unfortunately, the use of ROI appears to be too complex, time consuming and expensive. In reality, ROI may be easier than you think. This session presents the ROI Methodology in simple terms. Only the basics are presented in this session--enough to understand it, explain it to clients, and use simple, feasible tools to make your meetings and events more successful.
Sun Jul-12, 3:15 PM MDT- 4:45 PM MDT
Core Meeting & Event Skills - Basic
Selecting the right site for your meeting is challenging yet imperative to the success of your meeting. In this interactive session, you will learn the 6 crucial factors that are essential in your site selection process, how to conduct research on prospective sites, the strategy in conducting site inspections, and tips that will strengthen your negotiating position in a changing marketplace.
Sun Jul-12, 3:15 PM MDT- 4:45 PM MDT
Meeting Design Formats & Techniques
How you manage your thoughts and feelings will have a huge impact on your WEC experience in Salt Lake. In this energetic, humorous and interactive workshop, your thinking will be challenged to help you achieve that open minded, positive and "can do" mindset that will help maximize your attendance at WEC. Learn how to spot and prevent negative thoughts, feelings and behavioral patterns and reboot them into positive, potent, powerful alternatives. By exploring the human senses and the role they play in our experience of life, you will be challenged to change your view of the world leading to enhanced rapport building skills with staff and clients alike. Reboot your Brain and make WEC 2009 your most dynamic and productive yet!
Sun Jul-12, 3:15 PM MDT- 4:45 PM MDT
Meeting Design Formats & Techniques
With a multi-tasked population unable to focus for extended periods and work places demanding attendee attention during your sessions, it's critical to create events that attendees get high remarks and results. We suffer through cookie-cutter venues with little individual style and substance. The common result is a boring, sterile, been-there-done-that event. In this session, discover how to reinvent your events through the staging techniques of show business. Learn how to use music, props, aromas, color and environmental elements to thrust your attendees into an immersive demonstration of your event theme. Discover how to transform your events into memorable experiences they'll rave about for years. Learn how to stage your event as you raise your own curtain on show biz staging.
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Sun Jul-12, 3:15 PM MDT- 4:45 PM MDT
Technology
The social media age has spawned fantastic advancements in technology and communications. It has also spawned one of the greatest battles for talent that our society has ever known. In this highly interactive session, you will see the role of social media and the internet in creating this talent war and how to turn it into a secret weapon. Participants will learn key insights into how our behaviors led to the creation of social media, the disposable worker mentality, and the need for a different kind of management. We will walk through case studies and real life examples of how to use social media and the internet to find, cultivate and keep multi-generational talent. Worksheets will be provided to help participants plan and tailor these techniques for their organizations and create an action plan.
 
Sun Jul-12, 3:15 PM MDT- 4:45 PM MDT
Thriving in a Complex World
With a weakening economy and an uncertain future, successful partnerships have never been more important. This session will take a look at the perceptions and realities planners and suppliers have of each others goals and needs. Discussions will include how to negotiate in today's market, hotel profit centers, negotiating skills, and an in-depth look at bargaining from both perspectives and how to maximize power. Planner-specific discussions will include how to sell an event to a supplier and how to use flexibility in negotiations.
 
Sun Jul-12, 3:15 PM MDT- 4:45 PM MDT
Have you had to produce "the best meeting ever" while facing significant organizational change and over-the-top expectations? Just one of the three can throw anyone for a loop. Join in to hear how a corporate planner and an event planning supplier came together to give attendees the kind of experience they never expected to have in the typical hotel ballroom. Learn how they overcame requirement changes, new players, and competing launches to deliver on goals and exceed their own high expectations. This interactive session exposes participants to a multi-dimensional, dynamic case study of a product launch that used innovation and technology to communicate a powerful message in a unique way.
Sun Jul-12, 3:15 PM MDT- 4:45 PM MDT
Core Meeting & Event Skills - Basic
VT2 Studios, MPI's Production Partner, is responsible for the design and production of the 2009 WEC Opening General Session. This hands-on learning lab is a special behind-the-scenes look at the creative approach and state-of-the-art technology utilized during MPI'l Opening General Session designed specifically to achieve MPI's communication goals and objectives for this event. This session will provide meeting professionals with an arsenal of unique creative approaches and state-of-the-art production solutions to help them achieve maximum impact with their audiences along with maximum return on their investments. This session includes cost-effective state-of-the-art production solutions, techniques for designing within a specific space, ways to achieve communication goals and objectives through creativity and technology, how to elevate an ordinary event to an extraordinary one, and ideas on how to build on a meeting's theme to extend the life of the meeting long after the event is over.
Sun Jul-12, 3:15 PM MDT- 4:45 PM MDT
Strategic Meetings Management
In 2005, MPI's Global Corporate Circle of Excellence created a white paper entitled "Strategic Meetings Management," which identified eight basic steps to develop a strategic meetings management program. These steps have received high praise from the industry and are essential if you're an experienced planner who wants to increase your professionalism, advance your career, demonstrate your value and build collaboration within your organization. While the platform used to define this program comes from a corporate meeting/event department perspective, the program is beneficial to many audiences such as intermediaries (independent meeting planners, third-party planners, multi-management companies, destination management companies and association management companies) who want to better partner with their clients in delivering strategic meetings management; and suppliers (convention/conference centers, convention and visitors bureaus, hotels, resorts, meeting facilities, production companies, and onsite meeting support) who want to better understand their clients needs and, in doing so, develop stronger relationships with their buying partners.
Sun Jul-12, 3:15 PM MDT- 4:45 PM MDT
Personal/Professional Development
Suppliers! Create the perfect training session! Never again sit in a workshop session that isn't giving you the information you need. Vote for the topics you need most ahead of time and onsite. Suppliers were asked in advance to select which topic below seemed most meaningful. How to Write Emails that Beat Out the Competition (Learn what sells and what doesn't. From subject lines to closing lines, you'll hear how you can reach new buyers and build loyalty with existing customers) and The Sales Pitch -- 2009 and beyond (Build a business case to help your customers sell your services for you. Make your every conversation -- from elevator speeches to cold calls to full-blown presentations -- stand out. Accelerate your ability to be persuasive and sell profitably in today's rough sales climate.) Now onsite, attend the session and provide feedback throughout the discussion to lead it in the direction that helps you out the most!
Sun Jul-12, 3:15 PM MDT- 4:45 PM MDT
Technology
Do you have what it takes to land the right job in today's new employment market? The job market has gone high-tech.Have your job-search skills evolved to include contemporary techniques and tools? While the traditional functions of a job search: networking, solid resumes and personal interviewing, are still important, technology has created a new dimension in all aspects of career management and job search. This session gives you the skills to win in today's competitive job market. From a better understanding of new person-to-person interviewing skills (including web-based), to maximizing your contacts using traditional and online social networking websites, this session is a don't-miss session for you to remain marketable in today's ever-changing job market.
Sun Jul-12, 3:15 PM MDT- 4:45 PM MDT
Insider's Exchange
During these challenging economic times, it is critical to achieve highest return on investment for your meetings. Marion Joy, National Sales Manager at the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau, along with a customer, will discuss innovative best practices to improve revenue streams and enhance your meeting program. Learn how to utilize market research and other resources to grow attendance and increase exhibitor presence at corporate and association meetings. Also, understand why partnering with local destination experts can lead to the success of your meeting or event. |
8:30 AM
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Mon Jul-13, 8:30 AM MDT- 10:00 AM MDT
International
The dramatic growth of international meetings is creating new and challenging legal issues for both planners and venues. Twenty-first century concerns have turned the hand-shake deal common in many countries into a detailed written legal agreement addressing competitive pricing, extra charges, terrorism and health scares, money transfers, privacy and intellectual property concerns, and corporate accountability laws. The rise of meetings in the Middle East, Asia, and elsewhere brings different legal traditions to the bargaining table, and they can change contract negotiations dramatically. This session will focus on the most important legal issues in global meeting contracts. Whether you are a venue executive or a planner, come examine the most talked-about contract provisions and learn ways to limit your costs, reduce your liability exposure, and successfully navigate the maze of laws affecting international events.
 
Mon Jul-13, 8:30 AM MDT- 10:00 AM MDT
Technology
"Ladies and Gentlemen, please turn off your mobile phones and web-based communication devices." Sounds like a familiar start to any meeting, right? How often have we been in those meetings where everyone around us are looking down at their Blackberry's - disengaged from the presentation being delivered? If they are going to be texting during your sessions, don't you want them texting about your meeting content? It's time to stop asking for an action that's not going to happen and design a meeting to integrate what the attendees are going to do anyway. This session is about using Web 2.0 tools to involve attendees with the critical messages that need to be delivered and integrating your messaging in a way that attendees will understand, remember, and act upon. Next time, you'll be announcing, "Ladies and Gentlemen, please turn ON your mobile phones and web-based communication devices."
Mon Jul-13, 8:30 AM MDT- 10:00 AM MDT
Meeting Design Formats & Techniques
"We had a comedian last year, but he wasn't funny." "The celebrity we hired read his speech from a legal pad." "Our keynoter recited 237 PowerPoint slides and everyone fell asleep. Including me." Sound familiar? After the temperature of the room (freezing) and quality of the food (lousy), attendees are not afraid to tell you if a speaker was boring or inappropriate. So how do we find the right speaker in the first place? And how do we work with the speaker to ensure a smooth and successful event? This session shares tips and techniques for successfully finding, hiring and working with professional speakers. We'll discuss bureaus versus direct booking, negotiating fees, and arranging space to get the best value from our hired partners. This professional speaker has interviewed dozens of meeting professionals, melding their knowledge with his own platform experience to create spot-on examples that teach through laughter.
Mon Jul-13, 8:30 AM MDT- 10:00 AM MDT
Personal/Professional Development
Once employers had the capability to post positions online, it immediately increased the volume of resumes they could receive from prospective candidates and changed the way that candidates have to present their information. As a result, your resume needs a contemporary "facelift" to make certain that it grabs an employer's attention. Your resume has to sell prospective employers on the fact that you have the necessary skills and abilities they require. This session will provide you with the tools you need to create a resume that grabs an employer's attention and gets them excited about having you on their team. We'll also address how to design a resume so it passes the applicant-screening test that employers use. You'll leave this session ready to fine-tune your resume so it gets you in the door for that next great job.
Mon Jul-13, 8:30 AM MDT- 10:00 AM MDT
CSR & Green
Green, Eco, Sustainable -- there are numerous words that companies are using to describe their environmental practice but how do you know what is genuine and what is greenwash? British Standard 8901 (BS8901) sustainable event management system is a standard that was launched in 2007 and is on its way to becoming an international standard. Learn about standards for sustainability within the event industry. Particular focus will be on the process BS8901provides, evidence of international events which have implemented BS8901 and the results achieved by these events.
Mon Jul-13, 8:30 AM MDT- 10:00 AM MDT
Thriving in a Complex World
Every hotel contract has an element of risk for under-performance due to declining budgets and shrinking attendance at meetings. The devil is in the details when preparing or revising contract terms. Learn the current contract tips and guidelines for planners to control the economic risks posed by an uncertain economy. Tips will include advice for contractually minimizing the risk of attrition and cancellation while still giving the hotel the protection it requires and advice for renegotiating the contract for future meetings already booked.
Mon Jul-13, 8:30 AM MDT- 10:00 AM MDT
Core Meeting & Event Skills - Basic
Mention budget preparation to most meeting planners and their eyes glaze over with boredom and trepidation. Creating budgets is challenging work but crucial to the success of your meeting. If you budget with confidence, it actually can be fun. In this interactive session, you'll review the budget process in an easy-to-understand manner. You'll learn three key factors that are essential in preparing your budget and discover how to avoid seven common mistakes, such as neglecting to include taxes and services charges, which can lead to budget overruns. You'll leave this session with a light-hearted perspective, plus 60 money saving tips that are guaranteed to impress your management and an assurance that you will never fear budgeting again.
 
Mon Jul-13, 8:30 AM MDT- 10:00 AM MDT
Core Meeting & Event Skills - Basic
Are you being challenged to create a memorable event experience with decreased budgets? When it comes to the production of your event or general session, are you feeling uncertain about how to make wise budget decisions? This session will provide a detailed overview of production budgeting, enabling you to manage production costs, make smart event choices to keep production costs manageable, and avoid production budget surprises. Topics include: the importance of the earliest stage of the planning process, the biggest cost drivers in event production, elements that can make production costs increase and where savings can occur, and protecting yourself from budget surprises.
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Mon Jul-13, 8:30 AM MDT- 10:00 AM MDT
Small Business Owners
A business plan is a document communicating ideas and needs to a boss, a potential investor, or a banker. A business plan assists in accumulating thoughts and ideas, and provides a structure for organizing the required information to move an idea forward. Participants will learn about the common elements in a business plan and begin to determine the categories of information relevant to the reader(s). When writing and presenting a business plan, your confidence will come from knowing that you completed your homework with discipline and order.
Mon Jul-13, 8:30 AM MDT- 10:00 AM MDT
Thriving in a Complex World
Lasting impressions, good or bad, are often formed within seconds of meeting someone. Whether you are a planner or supplier, it has never been more important in our industry to set yourself apart from the competition and feel confident that you are personifying your authentic self to others in your personal and professional life. This session will explore topics such as professional presence, non-verbal messaging, image, etiquette, presentation skills and contemporary business protocol. Attendees will also explore how work/life balance, perceived role within an organization and succession planning also impact one's personal brand. Participants will leave this session understanding the relevance of these topics to one's personal brand strategy and with a worksheet to set and measure personal branding goals.
Mon Jul-13, 8:30 AM MDT- 10:00 AM MDT
Insider's Exchange
This session will guide you through the steps to mastering crucial conversations and harnessing the power of turning every employee interaction into an experience that achieves synergy, alignment and agreement. Walk away with a new set of high-leverage tools to effectively achieve breakthrough results. Experience significant improvement in productivity, quality, teamwork, relationships, safety, employee satisfaction and efficiency.
Mon Jul-13, 8:30 AM MDT- 10:00 AM MDT
Technology
This session deviates from the standard Excel sessions given at conferences. In this session, the ideas and usage examples are from the attendees' experience. The instructor will review examples submitted before class, identify best practices (and the underlying core Excel functionality that supports it) and support the in-class presentations of the attendees to ensure the entire room is comfortable with re-creating the examples. This session is highly interactive, as the attendees drive the majority of the learning. The instructor will highlight and elucidate key concepts throughout the session.
Mon Jul-13, 8:30 AM MDT- 10:00 AM MDT
Thriving in a Complex World
Part of the Keppler Power Keynote Series
Mon Jul-13, 8:30 AM MDT- 10:00 AM MDT
Meeting Design Formats & Techniques
This session will explain the concept of Meeting Architecture Process or MAP%u2122. MAP%u2122 is a four step process by which 'Identifying objectives' is the first step and 'Designing the meeting' the second. These two steps are crucial to increasing meeting effectiveness. By providing meeting planners the tools and language to get more involved, you can eventually be seen as the go-to person for the design of meetings. MAP%u2122 contains templates, checklists and flowcharts that can be used in project meetings to improve the value of meetings in learning, networking and motivation for participants.
Mon Jul-13, 8:30 AM MDT- 10:00 AM MDT
Personal/Professional Development
This session will review and demonstrate best practices in recognition programs driven by peer nomination. Participants will gain insight into the value that these programs can bring to their organization by rewarding and motivating employee and volunteer teams.
Mon Jul-13, 8:30 AM MDT- 10:00 AM MDT
Strategic Meetings Management
A workable strategic plan is a proven vehicle for organizational progress. By fully understanding your company's strategies and goals, you can become the driver instead of the traditional passenger. The capability level of each individual in a department determines a department's core competency; the capability level of each department determines an organization's core competencies.
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1:45 PM
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Mon Jul-13, 1:45 PM MDT- 2:45 PM MDT
Core Meeting & Event Skills - Basic
Increasing the impact and success of meetings and events involves more than just calculating the ROI. Several powerful and specific actions are required to ensure that a meeting or event delivers the desired results. The key issue is fundamental--these actions can be taken to show the business value of a meeting or event up to and including an ROI calculation. This interactive session will use case study examples to describe how these ten actions have helped meeting professionals increase or improve success. Participants will use an interactive exercise to gage their readiness for additional accountability. It will also help them outline specific actions that can be taken personally to make a difference in their contribution.
Mon Jul-13, 1:45 PM MDT- 2:45 PM MDT
Core Meeting & Event Skills - Basic
Ever thought about how to save money in planning an event? These tips will assure that you think about all the aspects of your meeting that impact cost. Can you afford to miss any cost saving tips in these difficult economic times?
Mon Jul-13, 1:45 PM MDT- 2:45 PM MDT
Meeting Design Formats & Techniques
For optimal learning to take place, the brain has to be focused and excited. Creating events that will tap into the different components of the brain takes knowledge and strategy of information processing. This session will teach you not only how the brain processes information but also why the color of the tablecloth does really matter.
Mon Jul-13, 1:45 PM MDT- 2:45 PM MDT
CSR & Green
Focused on community outreach and philanthropic activities, this session will highlight creative and practical ways to integrate corporate social responsibility(CSR) into your events. Brainstorm and interact with fellow attendees on topics including the importance of giving back to your local community, effectively building interest for philanthropic outreach activities, selecting an appropriate charitable organization, promoting CSR within your department and ways for your team to create impact.
Mon Jul-13, 1:45 PM MDT- 2:45 PM MDT
Technology
Most meeting professionals are constantly on the go, even when at home communicating and managing information. The way we communicate and do business is changing in a world that has gone global, mobile and wireless. This multimedia interactive session will explore various types of mobile devices and wireless technologies that are presently on the market and that are being integrated into our meetings and events. The session will continue with a look at emerging technologies in mobile devices and wireless communications that will change how we communicate, manage information and interact with each while on the go and while we are at meetings and events.
Mon Jul-13, 1:45 PM MDT- 2:45 PM MDT
Small Business Owners
With the global economy changing rapidly, more companies are looking to outsource various business functions. Working in a downsizing and outsourcing global economy is not what it used to be and you need to be prepared. Find out how becoming an independent business owner might be the right next step for you at this informational session.
Mon Jul-13, 1:45 PM MDT- 2:45 PM MDT
Thriving in a Complex World
Everyone is talking about globalization as a hot trend and how we are a part of a global economy. But what is the global economy? What does globalization mean to my organization? How do we become a part of it? Where are our best opportunities to succeed? How do we tap into new markets to survive and thrive? In this session, learn how the meetings industry fits into the global economy, what globalization means to the meetings industry, and how to uncover opportunities to grow your business in overseas markets.
Mon Jul-13, 1:45 PM MDT- 2:45 PM MDT
Thriving in a Complex World
The travel industry is affected by a complicated landscape of technological and economic trends. In this highly interactive session, Dr. Amy Vanderbilt will walk participants through technology trends affecting the travel industry from booking to communications and economic trends affecting the travel industry including the recent downturn. We will look deeply at how these trends affect personal and business travel and in turn affect the meetings industry. Some of these trends bolster attendance at your meetings, and some seem to deter it. Dr. Vanderbilt will offer a holistic view of how these trends interact to produce a total effect on your meeting and how to use them to your advantage. Participants will gain insight into how these trends will evolve over the coming years; how that evolution will affect how business travel is booked, and when it is NOT booked; why these technologies will not decrease business travel, but are actually likely to increase it; and how businesses can take advantage of these trends to survive the current economic conditions and prosper! Participants will tailor techniques to their own events and specialties using handouts and worksheets.
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Mon Jul-13, 1:45 PM MDT- 2:45 PM MDT
Technology
This discussion will unveil current technologies that are being rapidly adopted across the meetings and event industry today to measure event effectiveness. Throughout this session, you will discover key trends in event measurement and how to increase your ROI. Learn the latest industry tools that are being utilized by organizations and an overview of how to implement them.
Mon Jul-13, 1:45 PM MDT- 5:30 PM MDT
Thriving in a Complex World
Description: The purpose of the session is to help planners and vendors present a clear and compelling case for the strategic value of meetings to key decision makers. The session will be highly interactive with people working in a well-designed learning environment to come up with a presentation that they can actually use with their own executives and decision makers immediately following the event. As a pre-requisite for attending, participants will be asked to read "The Case for Meetings" (http://www.mpiweb.org/Education/Online/NoTurningBack.aspx). We will be covering a lot of material, so this pre-work is essential to getting the most out of the session.
Mon Jul-13, 1:45 PM MDT- 2:45 PM MDT
Personal/Professional Development
Description:
We can debate whether or not we are in a recession, but there is no doubt that organizations are focused on cutting labor costs. Why? Labor costs comprise 80 percent or more of an organization's operating costs. Job security is the top concern within today's workforce. How do we bring attention to the value of what we do? Rather than focusing on procedural and maintenance issues, we will review strategies for aligning our work with the organizational strategy. Participants will learn to make a strategic difference in better positioning their positions to meet the current and future strategic challenges of their organizations. Learner Objectives:
Mon Jul-13, 1:45 PM MDT- 2:45 PM MDT
Personal/Professional Development
Attendees of this visionary and practical session will examine what leadership really means in today's world, identify who their role models are and why and examine key issues and trends affecting today's leaders. We will also discuss the critical skills of extraordinary leaders and the ideal traits of highly successful meeting professionals. The session will also include success strategies necessary to exceed expectations.
Mon Jul-13, 1:45 PM MDT- 2:45 PM MDT
Insider's Exchange
Hear from a panel of industry experts and learn best practices across various customer segments to save money on your next event without sacrificing quality or results. You'll discover new strategies and timely ideas that will allow you to do more with less. You will also take away practical tips that you can start to use immediately.
Mon Jul-13, 1:45 PM MDT- 2:45 PM MDT
Strategic Meetings Management
You're now on the road to becoming a Strategic Meeting/Event Manager by understanding your company's strategies and goals and identifying your department's core competencies. Your next step is to draft a preliminary proposal based on your department, business and/or association's strategic plan that supports the overall organizational strategy. This plan will comprise the primary components of your strategic meetings management program. We will outline the components of an executive summary that support your transformation to strategic meetings management and talk with a senior planner who will discuss, "Meeting Managers and Procurement: Strategies for a Successful Partnership."
Mon Jul-13, 1:45 PM MDT- 2:45 PM MDT
International
Asia has become a focal point in the world's economic development, and major cities across Asia are transforming themselves to become the next meetings industry destination. If you are keen to know about the developments in Beijing, Seoul, Hong Kong and Tokyo, come and listen to our panel of industry leaders from these four cities. You will learn what they can offer and the strategies they pursue to help meeting professionals bring their meetings and events to their destinations. Discover the state and structure of meetings industry in these regions and how to take advantage of their cultural heritage and exotic destinations. Learn the different programs and assistance schemes available to make your event most compelling.
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3:15 PM
Mon Jul-13, 3:15 PM MDT- 5:00 PM MDT
Thriving in a Complex World
Do you strive to be more persuasive? Make more money? Did you know that within the first seven seconds of meeting someone, they have already formulated their first impressions of you? First impressions are key and if you have not made a positive one, you will need to do a lot of work to correct it. The success of a site visit, negotiation, sale and conference often depends on how well you have developed a rapport with the other person. Explore the meaning of body language and learn one of the most important parts of person-to-person communication: the ability to maintain rapport and control through your actions and words. This session is designed to familiarize you with current innovative principles and practical applications of rapport building.
Mon Jul-13, 3:15 PM MDT- 5:00 PM MDT
CSR & Green
How should the industry look, sustainably speaking, in ten years time? It starts off when a small group of motivated individuals come together with a shared concern to envision a more sustainable future. What does it look like? How do we get there? Using basic principles from a model developed in the United Kingdom for planning sustainable communities, this session will discuss global issues affecting the meetings industry and discuss how to implement local solutions.
Mon Jul-13, 3:15 PM MDT- 5:00 PM MDT
Personal/Professional Development
For years you've been managing programs and working with clients producing highly successful meetings and events. Now, you've been given the opportunity to lead the planning team. Moving into management means greater career opportunities and the reward of helping others become better at what they do. How do you successfully make this transition? As leaders of planning teams, we must create environments that make our organizations great places to work so that we foster the maximum results from team members. This process is threefold; determine your management style, recruit and retain outstanding talent, and create a constant coaching culture. Whether you are a new team leader, department head or operations manager, this session will give you new ways to think about your role as a leader and creative director of the programs your team produces. You'll walk away with an action plan to assist you with implementation as soon as you get back to your office.
 
Mon Jul-13, 3:15 PM MDT- 5:00 PM MDT
Core Meeting & Event Skills - Basic
You recently attended a four-day event with thirty-five other planners. Vendors, hoteliers, destination management companies and others hosted an arrival event with music, multiple entertainers, an open bar and dancing. Fifteen other planners and sales people decided to continue having fun in a local pub for another five to six hours following the arrival event. You observed improper behavior and decided to ignore it and simply have fun. Then, you received a summons from the plaintiff's attorney to appear in court as a witness for a wrongful termination lawsuit. Come hear the testimony. Sit in the jury box. Make an educated decision on whether the Gen Y planner was dismissed by the Baby Boomer boss - with just cause - or was it a wrongful termination. You will hear opening statements, listen as witnesses are questioned on the stand, hear the judge rule on the evidence and attorney objections, listen to the closing statements and then deliberate at your table for a verdict.
Mon Jul-13, 3:15 PM MDT- 5:00 PM MDT
Core Meeting & Event Skills - Basic
Planning an event also requires planning for the unexpected. This session covers the basics of emergency event management, backup plans and how to make it look like it was all part of Plan A. We will cover space issues, health issues, missing materials, technology challenges, natural disasters and staffing challenges. Clients go into an event knowing that hiccups may occur, but the art of successful event management is keeping the challenges and chaos away from the client. Being able to smoothly execute a "Plan B" without missing a beat is crucial in a fast-paced environment.
Mon Jul-13, 3:15 PM MDT- 5:00 PM MDT
Personal/Professional Development
We're all concerned about our personal safety %uFFFD especially as we travel to various events. This hands-on session will let you practice various techniques against a personal attack. It will also reveal comments made by convicted offenders about who they target for an attack and learn why to never let an attacker take you away from the "primary" scene of an attack.
Mon Jul-13, 3:15 PM MDT- 5:00 PM MDT
Strategic Meetings Management
Designing a strategic meetings management (SMM) program is certainly a step in the right direction, but if it is to succeed, the elements must be measurable. Learn what metrics are appropriate and necessary for a department, as well as measuring ROI on individual programs.
Mon Jul-13, 3:15 PM MDT- 5:00 PM MDT
Meeting Design Formats & Techniques
Young professionals grew up in a world very different from that of older generations. Their level of comfort with instant, ubiquitous information, empowered attitude towards work and life, and priorities regarding human business relationships, timelines and workflow are profoundly different. This presentation summarizes the research findings from interviewing company employees of all ages and industries across North America. Through case studies and numerous industry examples, the speaker will demonstrate the essential techniques for ensuring you get the most from younger professionals in any meeting scenario, from one-on-one, to a boardroom, to the AGM.
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Mon Jul-13, 3:15 PM MDT- 5:00 PM MDT
Thriving in a Complex World
The global economic crisis is shaking the meetings industry. Conferences, incentive trips and travel are suddenly under attack as examples of corporate excess, and the federal government is legislating spending controls that affect every part of the industry. The resulting confusion and fear is leading to meeting cancellations, reduced spending, and confusion over how to move forward given today's economic uncertainty. These effects are most acutely felt by corporations accepting federal stimulus funds, but all companies and associations need to adjust due to increased scrutiny of spending and meeting activities. This interactive discussion of the federal stimulus law and its affect on the meetings industry will include effective approaches to addressing the stimulus legislation.
Mon Jul-13, 3:15 PM MDT- 5:00 PM MDT
Small Business Owners
Let's face it, anyone can set up shop and proclaim, "I'm a meeting professional and business owner." Running your own business is an equal-opportunity pathway to great respect and achievement or to embarrassment, regret and failure. Your conviction, drive, passion and potential are vital to the success of your company but they are not enough to sustain your business beyond its early successes. To grow your company in a more consistent and efficient manner, you need to apply a systematic process to acquire customers and enhance retention. By using a series of scoring tools that strictly adhere to your target prospect profile, you can create three sales funnels--Acquisition, Retention and Development--that will organize and implement your plan for finding, keeping and growing customers.
Mon Jul-13, 3:15 PM MDT- 5:00 PM MDT
Technology
LinkedIn is much more than a big database of resumes, but LinkedIn certainly doesn't make it obvious to most people. In this session, you will learn how LinkedIn can be used in a variety of ways. Learn how to harness the power of LinkedIn in ways that aren't obvious. Set up a simple and effective profile and learn many undocumented tips (hint: did you put your maiden name in there?) You will also learn how to use LinkedIn to hire someone, make contacts in prospective companies or organizations, develop your own career or that of others, reconnect with old friends and colleagues and maintain contact with people even after they change jobs. Each attendee should have already created an account, should have at least 10 connections, and should be familiar with the basic screens in LinkedIn.
Mon Jul-13, 3:15 PM MDT- 5:00 PM MDT
CSR & Green
Meeting technology not only improves efficiency, but also helps make meetings more environmentally responsible. This session will cover many ideas to reduce paper, waste and unnecessary travel, as well as improve the meetings process before, during and after events.
Mon Jul-13, 3:15 PM MDT- 5:00 PM MDT
International
Asia Pacific is a diverse region. Each country and city offers unparalleled opportunities to hold unique meetings and events. Learn from our panel of experts with rich experience holding events in the region about the different culture, rules, regulations, bureaucracy, taxes, skills and language competency when planning meetings in Asia. Discover how local venue providers, DMCs, government bodies and local associations can play a role in helping you navigate through the local requirements. Understand the different level of sophistication and efficiency in this region compared to international standards. Learn how the meetings industry is structured in each country, its political sensitivities and how to find the right partners to make your event a success.
Mon Jul-13, 3:15 PM MDT- 5:00 PM MDT
Technology
Do you have what it takes to land the right job in today's new employment market? The job market has gone high-tech.Have your job-search skills evolved to include contemporary techniques and tools? While the traditional functions of a job search: networking, solid resumes and personal interviewing, are still important, technology has created a new dimension in all aspects of career management and job search. This session gives you the skills to win in today's competitive job market. From a better understanding of new person-to-person interviewing skills (including web-based), to maximizing your contacts using traditional and online social networking websites, this session is a don't-miss session for you to remain marketable in today's ever-changing job market.
Mon Jul-13, 3:15 PM MDT- 5:00 PM MDT
Meeting Design Formats & Techniques
Large meetings and conferences often provide time and space for networking. Although some meeting participants can work a room like a president, most are unable to make maximum use of the many potential contacts gathered. "The Knowledge Exchange" is a tightly facilitated process that addresses this need and helps people find those three or four people in the room they would most like to talk to. With 40 participants seated in a circle, everyone provides one professional challenge and one resource they can offer. After the round, everyone gets up to introduce themselves to the people whose resources they could use or whose challenges they can help with. In a series of seven-minute conversations, everyone changes partners. Everyone is allowed to get right to the point: How can you and I use each other? Conclude by extracting personal learning points from this process, as well as considering how each participant may use this process at their next meeting.
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8:30 AM
Tue Jul-14, 8:30 AM MDT- 9:30 AM MDT
CSR & Green
Have you ever considered your purchasing power? Where you spend your money can be just as influential as the conventions, meetings and events you produce. In this session, you'll learn how to incorporate the idea of corporate social responsibility into your planning decisions, and going beyond green to see what kind of impact you, your vendors, your attendees and your company can truly have on the communities in which you meet.
Tue Jul-14, 8:30 AM MDT- 9:30 AM MDT
Meeting Design Formats & Techniques
Individuals learn best when they are given the chance to engage with people they like and respect. In this session, we will build on this concept by discussing some of the ways to facilitate peer-to-peer learning to increase attendee engagement. Brainstorming will be used to facilitate the development of new ideas for incorporating interactive learning elements into your next event. Topics will include statistics that support the value of peer-to-peer and interactive learning, justifying the value of interactive event elements to your executive and supervisors, creating meaningful peer-to-peer interactive elements, and challenges and considerations for integrating interactive elements into events.
Tue Jul-14, 8:30 AM MDT- 9:30 AM MDT
Core Meeting & Event Skills - Basic
Recent events have shown that our industry has become even more competitive. Sales professionals must work not only harder and smarter, but be more aggressive to achieve business goals. Meeting professionals have also been forced to make more out of less when it comes to their meetings and events. Ethical issues arise every day, yet many meeting and sales professionals are unaware of how to identify and to address such issues. To complicate matters, sales and meeting professionals must now address the impacts of Sarbanes-Oxley issues within their organizations and how to develop ethical guidelines.
Tue Jul-14, 8:30 AM MDT- 9:30 AM MDT
Core Meeting & Event Skills - Basic
Menu planning for a conference can be creative, challenging and demanding. Creating a menu that appeals to multiple people's tastes, cultural expectations and budget is a tough recipe. Studies have shown that you feast with all of your senses. You feast with your eyes first, followed by your sense of smell, sense of touch and finally, your sense of taste. How do you incorporate all your senses into a winning recipe? This is not your ordinary lecture on how to use lighting to create your mood. This is a real sensory exploration of how sight, smell and sound create a full-food environment.
Tue Jul-14, 8:30 AM MDT- 9:30 AM MDT
Technology
Google is the most utilized search engine on the Internet. Millions of people use it daily to find almost anything you can imagine. However, search engines such as Google have dozens of advanced capabilities of which most people are not even aware.
Tue Jul-14, 8:30 AM MDT- 9:30 AM MDT
Meeting Design Formats & Techniques
In 2010, Gen Y will represent the entire 18-34 demographic in the United States. This generation's emergence in the workplace and elsewhere will play an increasingly important role in the meetings industry for years to come especially as they are the least expensive generation to employ during a recession. This demographic transition presents a challenge and an opportunity. Meeting planners who do not adapt to engage Gen Y will find them to be a vocal group with short attention spans and even louder cell phone rings. However, meeting planners that take the steps necessary most of which are free or inexpensive to engage Gen Y will find this generation to be event-driven, highly loyaland eager to participate. In this interactive session, Jason Ryan Dorsey, the Gen Y Guy, will share what Gen Y wants from a meeting and why. Then he will share specific, realistic actions that meeting planners can take to attract, engage and maintain Gen Y participation in meetings (and between) during a recession. This program is ideal for anyone who has witnessed members of Gen Y listening to their Ipod during a keynote or who is frustrated that their meeting is not attracting more young professionals.
Tue Jul-14, 8:30 AM MDT- 9:30 AM MDT
Personal/Professional Development
The MPI Foundation powers the vision of Meeting Professionals International (MPI) by investing in high-impact programs that shape the future of the meetings and events profession and support a rich, global meetings and events industry. This session will give tips for writing and winning an MPI Foundation Chapter Grant for your event or chapter.
Tue Jul-14, 8:30 AM MDT- 9:30 AM MDT
Personal/Professional Development
Do you ever hear yourself saying there are never enough hours in the day? Do you feel like you get to the end of the day and you haven't achieved anything? Do you wonder if your 'to do' list is ever going to be completed? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you need to hear the International Productivity expert share practical advice on how you can accelerate your business and start creating impact with Super-Productivity. It's not about time management; it's about focusing your time, attention and energy in the things that will deliver the best results for you and your planning business.
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Tue Jul-14, 8:30 AM MDT- 9:30 AM MDT
Technology
Social networking continues to evolve as a valuable resource to reach out and promote your organization at a minimal cost. This session details how organizations of all sizes can utilize social networking and other Web 2.0 tools to promote events and engage their communities. With this presentation, you will receive precise information that will help you formulate an event marketing strategy supported by the proper selection and utilization of the latest Web 2.0 tools. For example, we'll provide an overview of rapidly growing technologies such as RSS Feeds, Bookmarks, Blogs and Podcasts as well as niche websites such as Technorati, Flickr and Twitter. With these tools, you will raise the profile of your organization, continue to grow the organization, increase memberships and maximize promotional and fundraising efforts.
Tue Jul-14, 8:30 AM MDT- 9:30 AM MDT
Small Business Owners
The Internal Revenue Code affects retirement, wealth building and many aspects of businesses. This session provides insights on the latest tax law changess and how to apply them favorably. Receive an overview of the Internal Revenue System (IRS), information on the "semi-voluntary" US tax system and how to audit proof your tax return. This session is designed for business owners, entrepreneurs and professionals who want to pay less taxes and avoid problems with the IRS. Ongoing email alerts will make sure attendees are always informed on the latest tax-saving and wealth-building strategies.
Tue Jul-14, 8:30 AM MDT- 9:30 AM MDT
Thriving in a Complex World
Description:
This session will present a combined analysis of research findings and trends from several of MPI's industry-leading surveys. Findings will be presented from surveys including FutureWatch 2009, Business Barometer, Membership Survey, Chapter Survey, Renewal Survey, and more. Come learn what the future of the industry will look like and how you can be prepared to be a part of it. Learner Objectives:
Tue Jul-14, 8:30 AM MDT- 9:30 AM MDT
Personal/Professional Development
Attendees of this visionary and practical session will examine what leadership really means in today's world, identify who their role models are and why and examine key issues and trends affecting today's leaders. We will also discuss the critical skills of extraordinary leaders and the ideal traits of highly successful meeting professionals. The session will also include success strategies necessary to exceed expectations.
Tue Jul-14, 8:30 AM MDT- 9:30 AM MDT
Strategic Meetings Management
To launch a strategic meetings management (SMM) program in your organization, you need to clearly communicate its value to those in a position to approve it. This session will review the basics of writing a business plan that will be compelling and help determine the presentation format that will make the most effective argument for its launch.
Tue Jul-14, 8:30 AM MDT- 9:30 AM MDT
Thriving in a Complex World
A supplier and meeting planner will explore how planners really perceive suppliers and determine who they want to conduct business with. How do you capture a planner's attention? How should you communicate with planners? Do you know who tells planners the most information about your facility or service? What annoys them the most? Find out what makes a great site visit. How can you balance planner and supplier expectations? How can suppliers overcome the challenges of inexperienced, demanding and unethical clients? Learn how to beat your competitors and increase your profits with an inside view of what planners and administrative professionals really want. Learn when to refer unprofitable business to your competitors.
Tue Jul-14, 8:30 AM MDT- 9:30 AM MDT
Insider's Exchange
Come learn ways that CVBs and CVAs can help ease the overall planning process. By offering assistance with steps along the way, including the RFP and site selection, there are many opportunies to save time and money.
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9:50 AM
Tue Jul-14, 9:50 AM MDT- 11:30 AM MDT
Thriving in a Complex World
There's never been a more critical time to do more with less. Regardless if you are a supplier, buyer, large company or small company, getting more productivity with fewer resources is critical for success today. This session will assist attendees in developing a plan to optimize the talents and experiences of their team members. The first phase will involve identifying those talents, dispositions and areas of strength. The second phase will involve identifying critical business needs and opportunities. The third phase involves mapping and reconciling the two to optimize the team for effectiveness.
Tue Jul-14, 9:50 AM MDT- 11:30 AM MDT
CSR & Green
Since its launch in 2007, British Standard 8901 (BS8901) has been implemented internationally within a range of events. A second draft of BS8901 has been prepared and delegates attending this session will have the chance to learn how the standard has advanced and provide feedback which will be recorded for use within the standard development process.
Tue Jul-14, 9:50 AM MDT- 11:30 AM MDT
International
The environment is more diverse than ever and your cultural competence can mean the difference between failure and success. In this dynamic session, you will learn about the range of attitudes, beliefs, behaviors and values individuals bring based on their culture. More importantly, you will learn how to flex and adapt so you can engage effectively across cultural differences.
Tue Jul-14, 9:50 AM MDT- 11:30 AM MDT
Technology
Meeting professionals are often on the road or working from remote locations. Do you want to learn tips that will make it all work more effectively and at a lower cost? Do you just want the stuff to work? Then this updated, interactive session is for you. The presenter is a leading meetings technology consultant who has learned from experience for more than a decade managing a small office and traveling about 130 days each year.
Tue Jul-14, 9:50 AM MDT- 11:30 AM MDT
Technology
This multimedia interactive session will focus on technologies of the new millennium. We have moved from the information age to the biotechnology age and it will impact everything in our industry. We are already integrating new technologies such as virtual environments, augmented reality and mixed reality into meetings and events but how will biotechnology and nanotechnology revolutionize and shape our industry all through the new millennium? How about bio-electronics that repair themselves or a laptop with a 20 hour charge time that recharges in less than five minutes. Table clothes, linens and fabrics that won't stain or get wet? Computers and video displays that are bendable and paper thin and various 3D video displays. What about facilities that power themselves with totally green solar, wind and water nanotechnology or generators so small that they can be woven into fabrics and clothing? These and other technologies will be revealed that will blow you away!
Tue Jul-14, 9:50 AM MDT- 11:30 AM MDT
Thriving in a Complex World
This is a comprehensive and very practical discussion on how to get new business: How to work with gay and lesbian organizations to earn their business, and ensure an excellent experience for LGBT attendees in your property or destination. Attendees will learn about Community Marketing's consumer research, highlighting LGBT meeting trends and projections; and how to plan a "gay-friendly" event from a variety of perspectives, including hotel, CVB, meeting professional, and the like.
Tue Jul-14, 9:50 AM MDT- 11:30 AM MDT
Meeting Design Formats & Techniques
Generations X and Y are the most elusive, skeptical, smart and savvy generations in history. Within a few years, these generations will be the majority of purchasers, decision-makers, executives and members of boards of directors. You need them to participate in your meetings and events. Discover how Xers and Ys make purchasing decisions and how to design events that exceed their expectations, bridge the generational divide and draw them in. Learn about the latest trends in meeting planning and innovative techniques that have been successful at engaging younger audiences.
Tue Jul-14, 9:50 AM MDT- 11:30 AM MDT
Core Meeting & Event Skills - Basic
This session is for novices and for pros that want a refresher of the basics. You will start with an overview of the contracting process and the importance of paying attention to strategic details. Following will be a "pop quiz" to test your current knowledge of contracts and then detailed discussion of the top 20 legal tips every planner must know to call themselves a professional and survive in today's business climate. Explanations will be given in easy-to-understand layman terms with plenty of time for questions and answers. Topics covered include contract formation and revision issues, how to sign contracts correctly, the elements of attrition and cancellation clauses, the significance of option deadlines and the mailbox rule, the concept of penalties versus damages and what's enforceable, audit clauses and much more.
Tue Jul-14, 9:50 AM MDT- 11:30 AM MDT
International
This Open Space session brings together industry experts covering the various regions of the global meetings industry to discuss the way meetings differ throughout the world. The session begins with a general introduction of the major regions , including Latin America, Europe, Middle East/Africa, Asia/Pacific, given by planners with high levels of expertise in each respective area. The experts then divide up and attendees have the opportunity to go from section to section learning about the cultural and business differences found through the world. Through the Open Space format, attendees have the opportunity to learn as much or as little from each section as they move from expert to expert.
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Tue Jul-14, 9:50 AM MDT- 11:30 AM MDT
Personal/Professional Development
In the age of social media, managers and leaders must come to terms with one very important fact: control is fallacy, but leadership is real and required. In this highly interactive session, the speaker will detail how the communications age, and subsequently the social media age, has changed the ways managers must lead. Using case studies and best practices from the military, industry and everyday life, the presenter will review each step of the leadership cycle. The presentation will include handouts and worksheets that cover real life examples and techniques that participants can implement immediately. Special cases and real-life scenarios from participants will feed a portion of the presentation on handling difficult and unique situations with new methods and an enlightened point of view.
Tue Jul-14, 9:50 AM MDT- 11:30 AM MDT
For the first time in modern history, four distinctly different generations (Matures, Boomers, Gen Xers, and Gen Yers) are working side by side through a recession. The combination of a multigenerational workforce and a deep global recession has never happened before. This explains why even the most experienced executives are looking for practical insights and specific strategies to maximize the performance of their workforce in a time when all organizations are challenged to compete with fewer resources. Executives who successfully lead their multigenerational workforce through this recession can turn a global challenge into a competitive advantage and potential career breakthrough. Jason Ryan Dorsey entertainingly reveals each generation's workplace mindset and a step-by-step approach for maximizing their performance in these trying economic times. Best of all, every participant will leave with ten virtually free actions they can use the very next week.
Tue Jul-14, 9:50 AM MDT- 11:30 AM MDT
Technology
This will be the open lab time for attendees of the Excel and Google-licious sessions. Learn by doing as you put what you have learned to the test and receive indivicual instruction as well. Computers will be available as well as one-on-one time with the presenter, James Spellos.
Tue Jul-14, 9:50 AM MDT- 11:30 AM MDT
Meeting Design Formats & Techniques
For the ultimate meeting experience, it is important to focus on health for the mind and body. Companies and organizations realize the importance of healthy employees because the soaring cost of health care negatively affects their bottom line. In this session, you will learn how to be a planner on the cutting edge by helping companies reach their goals of creating and delivering healthy meetings and employees.
Tue Jul-14, 9:50 AM MDT- 11:30 AM MDT
Small Business Owners
It's not about recession proofing your business, that needed doing prior to October 2007. It is about making sure that no matter what the economy is doing, your
company will be successful. The secret is out! We have thrown out the business plan process that becomes a dust collector. Instead, you'll learn about a simple strategic business and marketing plan format that business owners and their staff can use daily to guide business success. More than 250,000 CEOs, presidents, executive directors, executives, and the best managers across the globe use it.
Tue Jul-14, 9:50 AM MDT- 11:30 AM MDT
Strategic Meetings Management
Meeting spend is the second largest controllable expense in a company, yet it remains uncontrolled. Meeting and event decision-makers at companies are under pressure to move from a transactional management approach to a strategic one without sacrificing meeting or event quality. By moving from a transactional approach for meeting, event and travel planning to a more strategic approach, companies can align meeting spend, planning and execution throughout the organization, tying them directly to business objectives and closing the gap between excess and efficiency. Through a panel format, comprised of executives from three Fortune 500 companies, we will discuss tips on how companies can address key questions, such as "How do I demonstrate the value of my company's meetings?", "How do I ensure compliance and transparency", and "How do I apply these concepts regardless of the size of my budget?"
Tue Jul-14, 9:50 AM MDT- 11:30 AM MDT
Core Meeting & Event Skills - Basic
In times when budgets are being closely scrutinezed, an all-inclusive conference resort can be an excellent option. Offering different meeting packages and programs, this can be an alternative to curb costs without sacrificing the quality or content of your meetings. Come learn how to control budget, enjoy a stress free experience, what excellent food and beverage options are available and how to possibly obtain tax deductions.
Tue Jul-14, 9:50 AM MDT- 11:30 AM MDT
Thriving in a Complex World
Part of the Keppler Keynote Series This keynote presentation highlights proven ideas, cites powerful case studies and includes humorous examples that illustrate how recognition can engage people and improve the bottom line. It's a high level event that touches on valuable tips and techniques to positively impact engagement, productivity and retention.
Tue Jul-14, 9:50 AM MDT- 11:30 AM MDT
Insider's Exchange
Especially with today's economy and the need to find new and exciting destinations with more value than ever, a cruise can offer many advantages for both meeting and incentive programs. In this informative and interactive session, you will learn why cruising has become a popular choice for many companies. Led by cruise industry leaders in the group and incentive market, this session will discuss differences in brands and product, worldwide destinations, onboard flexibility/customization as well as the overall value. We will then follow-up with an interactive Q&A session to address your specific questions.
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1:15 PM
Tue Jul-14, 1:15 PM MDT- 3:15 PM MDT
Core Meeting & Event Skills - Basic
Do you ever feel like your audio-visual (AV) vendor speaks another language? Do their questions sometimes make no sense to you? Do their solutions not meet your needs, vision or expectations at the event? Develop an understanding and common ground that is free of technical jargon. In this session, learn the basic information your vendor uses to create the best solutions for your event and to give you the most value for your AV budget. You will learn the basics of reading an AV budget and some understanding of how a vendor designs and builds your event based on the information you have provided them. You will also learn some tips for looking at a venue from an AV vendor's perspective and why things like the room ceiling height can be vital to a successful event.
Tue Jul-14, 1:15 PM MDT- 4:45 PM MDT
Small Business Owners
For the established business owner, this session provides an afternoon of hard-hitting give and take. A must attend session for both the established entrepreneur and the relative newcomer, the session will highlight the experience of top advisors to small businesses and the owners/managers of two successful businesses. Submit your questions/issues/challenges in advance to rabraham2@nc.rr.com and come prepared to share with your peers. The Panel Holly A. Carlin, owner of Holly A. Carlin, CPA, Inc. Her business includes tax, accounting, financial planning, business consulting, IRS representation and mediation. Ms. Carlin is a member of AICPA, UACPA, NAEA, and NATP. Business Owner Katherine Christensen, CMP, DCMP. Founder and owner of two businesses that position meetings and events as key parts of the marketing/communications mix. Business Owner Jeff Rasco. His growing technology driven business includes family members in decision-making roles. How is he dealing with decision making and succession issues? You, the audience. This session is designed for you, the experienced business owner/manager. No basics. All meat. Submit your issues/questions in advance and come prepared to discuss them. Moderator Rod Abraham is an industry veteran, pioneer independent planner and entrepreneur. 
Tue Jul-14, 1:15 PM MDT- 3:15 PM MDT
Technology
Meeting professionals spend endless hours determining, finding and disseminating topic content for a meeting. At the end of a meeting, attendees have had an inspiring education with enlightening conversations. Now what? Do you send everyone home and back to the routine of yesterday with the hope that they will remember what they learned and heard? Or do they take the meeting home with them? There are various ways for planners and attendees to start blogs, wikis and the like, but there are also various methods of capturing that content, presenting it online and linking it with social networks. Elevate your impact and extend the reach of your events, at precisely the moment when too many clients and decision-makers are questioning the purpose and value of face-to-face meetings. This interactive session will combine panel presentations with guided table exercises, where participants will map out various strategies to continue ongoing discussions, model the use of different content capture strategies before, during and after a meeting, and see the value of adding another element in tracking the return on investment of a meeting or conference.
Tue Jul-14, 1:15 PM MDT- 3:15 PM MDT
Personal/Professional Development
We've experienced dramatic changes in the global economy during the past few years that affect every aspect of our lives, especially with regard to jobs. Layoffs due to mergers, acquisitions, or a company downsizing continue to affect our industry. That's why it's important to create a strategic plan for your success so you can evaluate whether your next job is moving you in the right direction. Through a series of exercises and interactive dialogue, you will identify your goals and priorities, and any additional skills or training you may need to make your strategic plan a success. You'll learn about creating a personal marketing plan and selling yourself with your primary marketing piece - your resume.
Tue Jul-14, 1:15 PM MDT- 3:15 PM MDT
CSR & Green
Green is in! Whether you are a planner or supplier, learn how embracing green practices makes business and environmental sense. This session various aspects to consider including paper, food and beverage, onsite facilities, hotels, and transportation. Discover how going green can affect your bottom line.
Tue Jul-14, 1:15 PM MDT- 4:45 PM MDT
Technology
This half-day, hands-on workshop presented in a computer lab will introduce you to Microsoft Project, the project management software tool.You will learn how quickly and easily you can develop a project plan. Many project management professionals all over the world use this tool to plan, track and control projects of varying sizes. Using a small sample project, you will build a work breakdown structure and a Gantt chart, which outline the project's scope of work and schedule, respectively. You will learn how to build a network diagram that shows the chronological sequence in which you plan to perform project tasks. A short demonstration will be presented to illustrate how you can generate easily understandable, visually appealing project plans and reports.
Tue Jul-14, 1:15 PM MDT- 3:15 PM MDT
Thriving in a Complex World
Are you effective at keeping customer turnover low? Are the business losses you suffer only of the "natural and unavoidable" variety? Or do you routinely deal with other preventable losses, like those resulting from poor customer service? Customers are the lifeblood of all retail and service firms. Established customers, even the small ones, are your best accounts because they are easier to sell, cheaper to maintain and require fewer "special deals" to keep them coming back. Do you get the message across to all your customers that they are important to you? Do you go out of your way to keep them committed to your business? The good news is, customers who have problems and complain are actually GIVING you a chance to keep their patronage. The bad news is, an unhappy customer won't keep quiet!
Tue Jul-14, 1:15 PM MDT- 3:15 PM MDT
Core Meeting & Event Skills - Basic
Selecting the perfect site every time requires an extensive needs assessment process with all meeting stakeholders (internally and externally) and creating the strategic request for proposal (RFP). The other part of the equation is a targeted site search and a sure-fire process to evaluate all proposals and options "side by side" to assure all meeting criteria are met. We will also analyze components of the strategic site inspection and a "virtual site inspection" option if you can't get away.
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Tue Jul-14, 1:15 PM MDT- 3:15 PM MDT
Technology
Want to learn how to use Facebook for business? It is currently utilized as more of a social networking site than a business networking site, but it CAN be used for business. In this session, you will learn how to employ Facebook as a meeting professional and to harness the power of Facebook in less obvious ways. Among many features of Facebook, learn about creating groups and events, which are critical for meeting professionals. Each attendee should have created an account, should have at least 10 friends, and should have a basic familiarity with the basic Facebook screens.
Tue Jul-14, 1:15 PM MDT- 3:15 PM MDT
Strategic Meetings Management
Description:
As meetings and events are increasingly under a microscope, there is a critical need for high-quality data and reporting to drive and support the financial and operational goals of a meetings and events program. Initially, a meetings program should identify, implement and report on millions of dollars in savings and efficiency improvements. Best-in-class meetings programs include measurement of demand generation, compliance, ROI and risk management. This session provides a roadmap and tools to improve an existing Strategic Meetings Management (SMM) program or to gain executive support to develop an SMM program. Learner Objectives:
Tue Jul-14, 1:15 PM MDT- 3:15 PM MDT
Thriving in a Complex World
For the first time in history there are five generations in the workplace. With such a large span of differences in how business is conducted and fundamentally operated, miscommunication will lead to frustration, which will inevitable affect everyone's performance. It is vital that all your communications are managed properly because a poorly crafted or managed message in any form can be the deciding factor between success or failure of your purpose. How effective are you in managing your communication skills? Is the way you handle yourself affecting other's endorsements of you, both internally and externally and also your organization's already established image? This program is highly interactive with teams and with video. You will be able to ask questions about your particular situations so others can learn as well. Prior to the seminar, you will take on an online assessment of 60 questions, which lay the groundwork for the seminar. You will gain instant access to your score. Following the class, you will receive a passcode to download anebook that can be used for future references.
Tue Jul-14, 1:15 PM MDT- 3:15 PM MDT
Thriving in a Complex World
Meetings and events are coming under fire from all corners - media, tax payers, boards and the federal government. Despite the dire reports, the current climate is creating unique opportunities for planners and suppliers to place themselves in critically important positions within their organizations. As a meeting professional, we must know how to talk about the value of our specific meetings and then equip those around us to do the same. Most meeting professionals don't hold "official" public relations positions, but we need to understand how to arm our organization with necessary talking points for when the "hard" questions start. This session will teach you how to do that.
Tue Jul-14, 1:15 PM MDT- 3:15 PM MDT
Meeting Design Formats & Techniques
Increased budget restrictions have forced more companies to find alternative options to reduce travel and other live meeting costs. With recent advances in virtual meeting technology, meeting planners have been able to provide these alternatives while maintaining the high quality and consistency of information that is expected. In order to ensure that high standard, it is important for meeting planners to have the ability to evaluate hybrid meeting options by integrating face to face meetings with virtual elements.
Tue Jul-14, 1:15 PM MDT- 2:15 PM MDT
Personal/Professional Development
MPI has dealt with the recent challenges facing the industry by focusing on and mobilizing its most important resource---its members and industry partners. This session is your opportunity to participate in a conversation that discusses MPI's continuing strategy to serve its global community.
Ann Godi, CMP, Chairwoman of the 2009-2010 Board of Directors, and Bruce MacMillan, C.A., President and CEO of MPI, will be on-hand for conversation about MPI and the meetings industry. To help shape the conversation, please submit your thoughts in advance to candidconnection@mpiweb.org by July 12.
Tue Jul-14, 1:15 PM MDT- 3:15 PM MDT
Meeting Design Formats & Techniques
Large meetings and conferences often provide time and space for networking. Although some meeting participants can work a room like a president, most are unable to make maximum use of the many potential contacts gathered. "The Knowledge Exchange" is a tightly facilitated process that addresses this need and helps people find those three or four people in the room they would most like to talk to. With 40 participants seated in a circle, everyone provides one professional challenge and one resource they can offer. After the round, everyone gets up to introduce themselves to the people whose resources they could use or whose challenges they can help with. In a series of seven-minute conversations, everyone changes partners. Everyone is allowed to get right to the point: How can you and I use each other? Conclude by extracting personal learning points from this process, as well as considering how each participant may use this process at their next meeting.
Tue Jul-14, 1:15 PM MDT- 3:15 PM MDT
You are an experienced meeting professional, and you have begun to implement and measure environmental, social and economic factors at your meetings. Learn about tools you can use to integrate sustainability into your decision-making process for events, how to position your event in the marketplace, and integrate CSR into your Strategic Meetings Management Process (SMMP). This session is recommended for senior level audiences only.
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3:45 PM
Tue Jul-14, 3:45 PM MDT- 4:45 PM MDT
CSR & Green
You are familiar with discussions about sustainability, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and green meetings and now, you are ready for the next level. How do you measure your success in implementing these programs? This session will start you down the path of being able to measure specific items at your meetings and events. This session is not recommended for a novice audience.
Tue Jul-14, 3:45 PM MDT- 4:45 PM MDT
Personal/Professional Development
Did you know that 75 %uFFFD 90 percent of your health problems start with your emotions and stress? Understanding how to manage your emotions will not only increase your productivity in the work place and bring balance to your personal life, but also help keep you physcially healthy. In this session, you will learn how to make logical decisions and effectively manage your emotional and physical health.
Tue Jul-14, 3:45 PM MDT- 4:45 PM MDT
Technology
Do you want a better web presence for your business, career or meeting? Learn the basics of podcasting, blogging and new media. Explore the new media environment and strategic implications for your and your organization. We will give you the tips and tricks to get you up and running quickly. In this session, you will learn the basic information on how to establish a new media presence and the beginning steps to get you there.
Tue Jul-14, 3:45 PM MDT- 4:45 PM MDT
Technology
Individuals, companies, and organizations are looking at innovative and cost-effective ways of integrating web-based content into existing meetings and supplementing those existing meeting by conducting totally online meetings. This multimedia interactive session will explore topic areas to include Audio and Video Podcasts, Video Conferencing, Tele-presence, Webinars, Online Meeting (SaaS) Virtual Environment Platforms, and Multi-User Virtual Environments (MUVE's). This session will explore the various options available for conducting online meetings, analyze strategic ways of using web-based content and online meetings, and discuss how to determine which platform and technology is best based on the purpose, mission, goals and objectives of the individual, company and organization.
Tue Jul-14, 3:45 PM MDT- 4:45 PM MDT
Meeting Design Formats & Techniques
You made a huge mistake at your last event that everyone noticed but no one mentioned. Know what it was? How can you give attendees nothing to eat or drink at their coffee break and make them love you for it? What free things you can do to make your meetings and everyone who attends them more green? Answers to these questions and the tools to answer more are available at this session. The content spells out what matters most to you, your executives, your audience, and your company. See specific examples and tools that help you tie your success to the events you plan and produce. It's about time someone revealed the secrets and lies, shining a light on overlooked truths and methods to differentiate yourself and your company.
Tue Jul-14, 3:45 PM MDT- 4:45 PM MDT
Thriving in a Complex World
As a meeting planner, you are not considered a "revenue producer." In a weak economy, that means your job may be at risk, or you may see vital events canceled. Until you realize that the work you do not only produces revenue, helps build client relationships and increases marketshare, it will be impossible for you to get the respect you deserve or argue the worth of your work. This interactive session will give you the tools to not only measure the impact of your work, but also give you tools and strategies to communicate those results. If you're a supplier, we'll examine ways that you can prove the worth of your relationships to potential and existing clientele.
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Tue Jul-14, 3:45 PM MDT- 4:45 PM MDT
Core Meeting & Event Skills - Basic
Vegan? Gluten? Organic foods? Locally grown foods? Low carb diets? Low sodium diets? How do you plan a menu that satisfies your attendees, your budget and keeps people happily sated? How do you decipher what food trends are just trendy? Which food trends are here to stay? Which ones should you really consider trying to incorporate into your menus? Planners are discovering that their attendees are more food savvy than ten years ago, more demanding and expect more for their money and their meals. Attend this session to learn these answers to these questions and more.
Tue Jul-14, 3:45 PM MDT- 4:45 PM MDT
Core Meeting & Event Skills - Basic
Discover the secrets for ensuring a smooth, stress-free experience with the keynote speakers, workshop presenters and greeters at a meeting. Whether you book and guide them yourself, or provide advice to client organizations as they plan programs, this presentation provides information and ideas for managing all of the steps. Some of the points covered include keynote speaker priorities, the technical side, matching client needs to the speaker pool, working with a speakers' bureau, and 10 crucial details that make or break the success of the session.
Tue Jul-14, 3:45 PM MDT- 4:45 PM MDT
Thriving in a Complex World
The MPI Foundation and George P. Johnson's annual EventView report confirms meetings and events continue to drive business value in the minds of senior marketing and sales leaders regardless of industry or geographic location. Select data from the industry's longest-running research report will be used to describe macro-level trends in the North American meetings industry and point to specific investments that event professionals should be making in order to enhance their event program and their own professional careers. Recommendations will be based on key study data points by one of the leading strategic experts in the industry.
Tue Jul-14, 3:45 PM MDT- 4:45 PM MDT
Insider's Exchange
In this fun and interactive discussion, learn from the founder of HospitalityLawyer.com the real impact of meeting contract clauses. See how those clauses can be mutual wins for both the host and the planner.
Tue Jul-14, 3:45 PM MDT- 4:45 PM MDT
Strategic Meetings Management
This session invites meeting managers who have implemented meetings consolidation within their respective organizations to discuss the reasons why consolidation occurred, how they prepared themselves to lead the change, the roadblocks they faced in the process and how they overcame or are still overcoming the challenges. This is an open forum for discussion of what matters to you.
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