Valley Forge - Simmer Creative

THE NEWSLETTER OF THE GREATER PHILADELPHIA CHAPTER OF PCMA
WINTER 2013/14
Valley Forge
Montgomery County
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Pam Ballinger, CMP
2013 GPPCMA President
Vice President of Meetings and Exhibits
Association Headquarters, Inc.
Pam Ballinger
2
President’s Message
3
President Elect’s Message
5
Valley Forge & Montgomery County
7
Winning Strategy
8
Journeys
9
Event Summaries
13
Social Media
15
Member Spotlights
16
Chapter Events
17
New Members
This Issue Sponsored By:
I can’t believe I am sitting down to write my last column. This year has literally
flown by and there has been no time to stop and smell the roses – not that I really
like the smell of roses! I am not sure that I did all I set out to do (book club is still on
the agenda for next year when I have time to drive it), but we are ending the year
in the black, we had some amazing programs and I have had the great pleasure to
work with a truly committed group of people.
This is the time to reach out and thank everyone for supporting me and making this
year a success. The GPPCMA Board is absolutely remarkable in their commitment
to the chapter and their willingness to step in and do anything. I want to personally
thank Sue Wagner for being there through the year and taking over the September
Education event and
board meeting when I
had to travel.
“There is a wealth of talent
and passion in our chapter
and I feel lucky that I have
been able to be a part of this.”
I also want to thank all
the committee chairs for
their undying support
to the chapter: Robin
Geary and Kathy Smith
– Membership, Donna
Young – Sponsorship,
Danielle Pinto and Leslie Bellini – Community Service, Diane Rehiel – Program, and
Brendan Morrissey - Nominating. In addition, I want to thank Belinda Keota and Astrid Schrier for their work with the new professionals. Although not a formal standing committee, they have been successful in bringing together many interested
potential new members at the New Professional Happy Hours. If you haven’t had a
chance to get to one, make sure you make time in 2014 for these great networking
opportunities.
Also, a big thank you to all our sponsors. We really couldn’t do what we have done
or plan to do without your support and help. Every contribution, no matter how
big or small, gives us the ability to provide education for this chapter.
As you can see, it takes a village to make our chapter a success and I urge you to
volunteer and get involved with one of these committees. We can’t do this alone
and we want everyone to jump in and share your ideas and time. You will get so
much more out of this chapter if you take the time. There is a wealth of talent and
passion in our chapter and I feel lucky that I have been able to be a part of this.
You will notice I left one committee chair off the list above. Erica is the chair of
our communications committee and our chapter administrator. She has been a
special part of my tenure. Erica gives tirelessly to the chapter in so many ways. She
reminds me what needs to be done and when. Please think about writing a column
for this newsletter. A full newsletter will make her life much easier.
Although sad to step down, I leave the chapter in great hands!
PRESIDENT ELECT’S MESSAGE
Susan Wagner
2013 GPPCMA President Elect
Congratulations to Pam Ballinger,
our Chapter President; we have had a
great year under her leadership.
It was abundant with meaningful educational and networking
programs, successful fundraising and community service events,
and downright good fun! I am personally indebted to Pam, as
she – with her characteristic aplomb and good humor – agreed
last December to switch years with me when I found out I
couldn’t serve as this past year’s President. She “hit the ground
running,” as they say, and never looked back as she enthusiastically led our chapter to new accomplishments.
Pam Ballinger and Sue Wagner
From the first meeting I attended in 2003, I have benefited both
professionally and personally from my involvement in GPPCMA.
Our chapter has grown stronger every year because of our active and engaged members. Next year, I hope we continue that
growth and further strengthen our chapter by better conveying
the benefits of volunteering and involvement to chapter members and engaging more of you. Shortly after the first of next
year, we will be reaching out to you to determine what you would like to see
the chapter doing, what additional
benefits we can offer, and how we
can better meet your needs.
In addition, over the next couple of
months, the board and committee
chairs may be asking for a little of
your time. We are working to make
volunteering on a committee or for
an activity easier and more flexible
so that you won’t feel it is a big time
commitment. If you are contacted, I
hope that you will say “yes.” Without volunteers like you, we could
not successfully deliver benefits to
the industry that employs us and to
which we have devoted our careers.
From the first
meeting I attended in
2003, I have benefited
both professionally
and personally from
my involvement in
GPPCMA.
I am honored to have been chosen as next year’s chapter president and truly
welcome your ideas and feedback as we work together to continuously improve
an already successful chapter.
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Valley Forge
Montgomery County
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
WHAT’S NEW IN 2013
Once a meeting adjourns, planners want
their attendees to have the freedom
to take in some of the local history and
culture of a destination, dine in style,
unwind over a relaxing
meal, de-stress with some
rigorous outdoor activity,
and return to the office
refreshed and rejuvenated.
It’s a big bill to fill.
Fortunately, the Valley
Forge and Montgomery
County, Pa. area has the
richness and the variety to
ensure the success of any
gathering.
Sheraton Valley Forge 2013 was a year of vast infrastructure
renovations among some of our standout accommodations and attractions,
positioning Montgomery County, Pa. for
an even greater ability to meet the needs
of meeting planners and event organizers.
ON THE RENOVATION
FRONT
The Valley Forge Casino Resort completed a $2.8 million upgrade to 243
guest rooms at the 485-room Radisson
Hotel. This upscale complex offers more
than 100,000 square feet of flexible
exhibit space, and the casino has 600
slot machines, 50 table games and seven
dining options.
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The ACE Conference Center opened
21 “collaboration studios,” redesigned
for the freer thinking and imagining
that is part of today’s business models.
The space joins the facility’s 38 meeting rooms and three amphitheaters.
ACE is IACC certified. It’s situated on 300
acres of rolling hills and woodlands that
provides more than 50,000 square feet of
meeting and event space.
King of Prussia Mall plans a new retail
corridor that will add 40-plus additional
stores and a new food court. It is expected to open for holiday season 2015.
Valley Forge National Historical Park
enters a busy phase of renovation for late
2013 and early 2014, including:
• New “Mini-Parade” (a smaller counterpart to the Grand Parade) behind the
Visitor Center, to also include a student
pavilion
• New pedestrian bridge (“Sullivan’s
Bridge” for General John Sullivan who
constructed a Schuylkill River bridge in
1777 to ease supply lines)
• Renovated walkway and landscaping
at the Visitor Center
Brittingham’s, a Lafayette Hill, Pa., institution since 1743, has gotten both a new
owner and a new direction, redefining
itself from top to bottom. A rooftop deck
offers revelers an inviting view, and three
bars will spout forth with 24 taps apiece,
each providing an interesting brew.
“The pace of today’s business environment doesn’t leave much room for
regeneration and brainstorming, both
of which occur best in an environment
that offers an escape, a setting of quiet
thoughtfulness and inspiration. People
for generations have drawn upon our
area for innovation, motivation, dedication. And we’re sure today’s business
meeting attendees will do the same.” –
Bill Fitzgerald, President, Valley Forge
Convention and Visitors Bureau
square feet of meeting space with open
atrium with natural light
PLACES TO MEET
The Canopy Gardens Hall at Elmwood
Park Zoo in Norristown, Pa. offers a 30’
x 80’ meeting space with room for up
to 175 people with table seating, 250
without tables.
Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at
Oaks – With 240,000 square feet of uninterrupted exhibition space on a single
floor, this facility is one of the largest on
the East Coast.
Normandy Farm Hotel and Conference
Center – A historic property featuring
141 luxurious hotel rooms and suites, 17
meeting rooms, two ballrooms, and a
casual restaurant. The exposed beams
and wooden ladders are completely
original and were reclaimed from the
famous original barn structure during
renovation. Part of the bar was carved
out of the property’s original rectangular
silo, widely believed to be the first of its
kind in the U.S. Normandy Farm is IACCcertified.
From corporate meetings to social
events, the Sheraton Valley Forge
Hotel’s nearly 25,000 square feet of
total space has the versatility to host a
range of functions. Its expansive Grand
Ballroom can accommodate up to 1,400
people.
The Woodside Lodge in Schwenksville,
Pa. was resurrected with a $1 million-plus
renovation in 2012. It now comprises a
stylish restaurant, cozy B&B, friendly bar
and 100-seat banquet room for meetings
and special events.
Joseph Ambler Inn – This authentically
restored country inn, built on 12-acres
of rolling countryside offers 52 guest
rooms, and an elegant Colonial restaurant in a restored barn.
Doubletree Valley Forge – 24,000
square feet of meeting space and two
F&B outlets
Doubletree Plymouth Meeting – 9,000
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Marriott Philadelphia West – 10,000
square feet of meeting space
Crowne Plaza and the Liberty Conference Center – Located adjacent to the
King of Prussia Mall with 120 capacity
amphitheater. The Liberty Conference
Center is IACC-certified.
THINGS TO DO
Name brands are available at deep
discounts at the Philadelphia Premium
Outlets. And the shoppers’ nirvana, the
King of Prussia Mall, stands as the largest retail shopping complex on the East
Coast.
United States National Memorial Arch
Try your luck at the new Valley Forge
Casino Resort and experience the area’s
newest nightlife hot spot at Deuces Wild
Buckin’ Bull Saloon.
Walk, hike or bike on more than nearly 60
miles of multi-purpose interconnected
trails that weave throughout Montgomery County. Zip-line at Spring Mountain
Adventures for an adrenaline rush or
kayak at Green Lane Park for a more
peaceful escape.
Woodside Lodge
Explore a menagerie of museums including The Stoogeum, the only museum
dedicated to The Three Stooges, or the
John James Audubon Center at Mill
Grove.
Travel via tram through a trove of Americana at the American Treasure Tour, an
extensive collection of automated music
machines, department store animatronics, classic cars, movie memorabilia and
circus-themed displays all housed on 1.2
million square feet.
Contact Dave Bradley, Director, Convention Sales at 610-834-7972 for more
information.
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Elmwood Park Zoo
Winning
Strategy
THE ULTIMATE, SIMPLE STRATEGY –
PLAN THE ROUTE,
FOLLOW THE PLAN
Christopher H. Brown, Managing Member, CEM, CMP
Collaborative Project and Meeting Management, LLC
Connections Contributing Writer
A
s a meeting, event, or exhibit manager (the “seller”), the goal is to accurately determine what the “buyer”
wants and then deliver more than what is
promised. Buyers and sellers both prefer
tangible results to show their leadership
and defend their decisions. This helps to
establish expectations for future involvement with your event or meeting.
If you’re taking your position seriously, and
most of us do, then developing a strategy
to keep your event “on the straight and narrow” is the only way to keep your meeting
or trade show focused and concentrated
to satisfy your audience needs. Your event
then becomes easier to manage and
expand as time goes on. The answer to the
“what do you want from us” question becomes less complicated, and the solutions
are more readily developed and implemented to solve the supporter’s “pain.”
In essence, having an event or meeting
strategy means designing a structure, developing a flexible framework integrating
appropriate promotion, adding meaningful
services with revenue streams and then
leveraging your event through multiple
social media platforms. Allow me to explain
further.
Your event or meeting strategy needs
building blocks to make it stand up straight
and tall, battling the winds of change and
the relentless force of competitive pressure.
Those blocks are made up of resources –
information (data, trends, and under-served
markets), tools (software and hardware),
people (staff, consultants and labor), energy
(motivation, purpose, and market fulfillment), money (the green stuff – real and
in-kind) and of course, time.
The building blocks have mortar in between them – that’s the glue of third party
vendors who provide distinctive services
to your audiences. Similar to the winding,
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motion-filled rivers starting in the mountains and ending at the sea, your event’s
landscape is ever-changing. Resilience to
the dynamic nature of meetings and events
means if the market is suggesting a new
course, listen carefully. It sounds funny to
say, but ears were meant to hear what your
supporters are saying. So take note.
Listening and then creating a flexible
framework translates into an event that
“rolls with the punches.” Change is translated into opportunity. Opportunity now
means a new item for promotion, an exciting way to do things differently. Refreshing
and re-invigorating your event necessitates
the redirection of energy as defined above.
Failing to take advantage of change means
a lost prospective, a forgotten trend and a
completely missed method to improve and
enhance your event. Think of this as your
opportunity to come up with a fun, exciting
concept! Some managers are comfortable
with this process; others struggle to arrive
at a single, clear direction. Group thinking
offers the best chance to push through and
bubble up new ideas.
Let’s say you do all of this and more, and
still, your strategy needs mending. Why
must you add the other two components
- considering your primary and ancillary
revenue sources and influencing how your
audience sees, hears, tastes, feels and talks
about your event through social media?
Why examine where your revenue comes
from (which part(s) of the customer’s budget is directly affected – sales, marketing,
operations), your pricing strategy, discount
program, cancelation and refund policies?
These “signals” to your customer determine
your competitive advantage, your selling proposition and no doubt – why the
customer buys from you versus someone
else. Your constituents need to know not
just “what’s in it for me,” but how fast they
can apply the adult-learner take-a-ways
post-event. Therefore, offer a blueprint for
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immediate application. Yes, a real method
to ensure your audience is successful postevent. They will thank you for it and then
want to do it all over again.
The last, most critical portion of a winning
strategy is not just getting the word out
to the audience, but empowering and
encouraging your audience to talk with
other associates, family and like-minded
friends while promoting the benefits of
your meeting or event. Develop contests,
games, engagement opportunities and
feedback mechanisms permitting your
ability to pre-determine the course, monitor and then adjust the path of your event.
Create programs that are “circular” – the
starting point becomes repeatable, time
after time, and there really is no end to the
circle. Example: one registered attendee
recommends five associates to attend your
meeting. The primary attendee receives a
12% session fee discount; the five associates
receive a 6% session fee discount after their
registration is completed. Their names and
titles (example, “R. Davis, CEO’) become
part of your attendance web site. They feel
so special! The five associates could earn an
additional 6% discount by recommending
five other associates. And the recommending / discounting / promoting continues.
Does this sound like a tracking nightmare?
Not really when a relational software program manages this and much more.
While developing an attractive, formal
strategy may seem complicated, mapping
the route and then charting the course,
painstakingly covering all the details creates
the opportunity for a successful adventure.
There is a lot more involved in making sure
it’s a well thought out strategy with the
right components.
For more information, contact me anytime,
[email protected]. I am happy to
share additional case studies of this simple
approach.
How did I get here?
Kevin M. Kelly, CMP, CASE
Director, Meetings Department
ASTM International
GPPCMA Past President & Treasurer
W
hen I was first asked to write
this article for Connections, this
song from the Talking Heads
“Once in a Lifetime” popped into my brain.
I’d like to think most people often wonder
after working in one industry for most of
their lives “how did I get here?” but then
again I may be
wrong!
At the ripe old age
of 15, I started working after school,
weekends and
summers at a small
Holiday Inn where I
grew up in Newton,
MA. The only reason I worked there was
because all my friends worked there, plus it
was within walking and biking distance to
my house. Working in a small hotel is quite
an education, especially when you work in
all the areas I did. My first two years were
spent as a houseman, housekeeper, public
areas attendant and laundry attendant, as
we washed all our own laundry. Following
my stint in Housekeeping, I worked at the
Front Desk as a Bellman, PBX Operator and
Front Desk Clerk. In addition to those jobs,
we took reservations over the phone and
acted as hotel maintenance fixing clogged
toilets, broken HVAC units, and TVs. You
had to be a jack of all trades but it made
you learn many areas of the hotel.
While going to College in the mid-seventies, I spent time working at a Best Western
Hotel as a Front Desk Manager as a friend
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was the GM there. The work environment
made me seek a more upscale property so
another friend suggested I join him at the
Newton Marriott. It was the only Marriott
in New England at the time and it was big,
opulent and all the staff was professional.
The exact opposite of what I had been
working at previously!
I started at the Front Desk and eventually
was promoted to Supervisor and then a
Front Desk Manager. It was at the Marriott that I became interested in hotels
as a long term career, especially with a
growing company with great benefits
and opportunities. With the growth of
Marriott the opportunities were abundant and I was promoted to Front Office
Manager at the Marriott KCI in Kansas
City MO. The hotel and the area were
so different from what I was used to
that I decided a change was in order.
There was a new 800 Room Hyatt Regency
opening in Downtown Kansas City. I applied and was hired as a housekeeping
manager. After a few months on the job,
there was a terrible accident where the sky
bridges that spanned the lobby collapsed
killing over 100 people who were there
for the weekly “tea dance.” The hotel was
shut down immediately after the accident
and although managers were still working in the hotel, I decided to move back to
Boston. I was able to secure a job as Night
Manager of two hotels, one of which was
the TLC Best Western where I had previously worked.
Just about that time the Boston Marriott
Long Wharf was opening and I wanted
to get back into a more stable, profes-
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sional environment. I took a job as a Night
Auditor then was promoted to Night Audit
Manager about six months into opening. It
was a crazy time working graveyard shifts
across from Faneuil Hall and the docks
where all the “booze cruises” embarked
from. Needless to say, security and I spent
many a night together breaking up fights,
parties, and dealing with irate guests.
I was having so much fun I opened the
Copley Marriott as Manager on Duty. My
hours were from 5 PM till 2 AM, Wednesday through Sunday. My nights were
spent dealing with employee situations,
walking guests, fire alarms in a high rise
hotel, thefts, deaths, guest complaints,
snowstorms, etc... To this day it is one of
my favorite jobs as every day there was
something new and different.
Even though I loved my MOD position, I
wanted a more normal life. Landing a sales
job was my new mission and I started in
Catering Operations. I managed a staff of
Houseman, Cleaners and Supervisors who
were responsible for the meeting space of
this busy convention hotel. After a couple
of years I was promoted to Convention
Manager handling Association and Corporate Groups, working closely with Meeting
Planners and the entire Hotel. While at Copley I was ASAE’s Diamond Award Winner
as Convention Service Manager of the Year.
Two years later, I wanted more responsibility and was promoted to Assistant Director
of Convention Services at Marco Island
Resort. Having never worked at a resort,
I felt it would be a great opportunity to
learn and grow especially with the different types of meetings a resort may host. I
started there the first week of January and
Continued on page 9
didn’t get a day off until mid-March! We
didn’t have “seasons” in Boston like they
do in Florida! Overall it was a great place to
work and my golf game improved tremendously.
Life was changing and my wife was expecting twins so I need a job that would get me
closer to Boston where both our families
lived. Thankfully I secured a job on the
pre-opening team of the Philadelphia Marriott as Assistant Director of Convention
Services. I drove up to Philly in May of ’94
and worked in the pre-opening offices until we moved into the hotel in January 1995.
I had the first large group, the American
Library Association, which went pretty well
for a brand new hotel and staff. Two years
later, I moved into Sales as I was in need
of a change. I really enjoyed Sales but the
GM asked me to come back as my old boss
was leaving. In 1998, I was promoted to the
Director of Convention Services at Philadelphia Downtown.
The Republican National Convention had
just finished up in 2000 when I was asked
to join National Sales. At the time, I figured
there is not much more I can do in terms
of Conventions as I wanted to stay in the
area so I took the job as it afforded me
much more time to see my kids grow up.
I truly enjoyed National Sales but most of
all adored all the great customers I was so
fortunate enough to have worked with
over those thirteen years.
After 33 years with Marriott I retired to
work as Director of Meetings at ASTM.
It’s something I always wanted to do ever
since I started working meetings and
conventions back in Boston in the early
80’s. ASTM International is a great organization with wonderful people and I’m
blessed with an amazing staff with years of
experience. I have to thank the President of
ASTM and my predecessor Betty Schultz.
I truly love my job and am grateful for the
opportunity. All those people and working
experiences helped me get here!
EVENTS SUMMARIES
Chapter Meeting and Holiday Celebration
DECEMBER 12, 2013
Congratulations to...
Diane Rehiel on winning the 2013 GPPCMA Emerging Leader Award.
Lori Marvel on winning the 2013 Tower of Strength Award.
PSAV on winning the 2013 GPPCMA Partner Award.
Lisa Astorga, Michael Brennan
Russell Kice, Julie Coker
Diane Rehiel
Thank you to our event sponsors and hosts,
the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau,
the Pennsylvania Convention Center, and ARAMARK.
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Michael Mantia, Rocco Labbato
Events
Summaries
BOWLING FOR HUNGER
OCTOBER 10, 2013
GPPCMA held its annual bowling fundraiser on October 10.
Over 130 people attended, and attendees bid on over 100
auction and raffle items. Special thanks to Visit Nashville for
sponsoring the event! Thank you to all of the lane sponsors, t-shirt sponsors, and for all of the auction donations!
A portion of the proceeds from the event was donated to
Philabundance, the PCMA Education Foundation, and Sister
Jean’s Soup Kitchen.
10.10.13
10.27.11
Mike Hochman, Sharon Goodspeed
Julia Migner
Carol Damiani
Steve Aird, Melissa Thomas
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Jean O’Donnell, Flo Schrank
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Russell Kice
Events
Summaries
Belinda Keota
BOWLING FOR HUNGER
Romina Magana, Stephanie Cavanaugh, Larry Treu
Kim and Chris Keane
Christine Frye
Robin Geary
Betty Schultz
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Pam Ballinger
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Elisa Jaworski, Lindsey Groff
VANCOUVER
SPECTACULAR BY NATURE ™
With you from idea to execution.
Contact Jackie Benear at
512.608.9229
Visit our website at
tourismvancouver.com
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Events
Summaries
SERVICE IN SYNC® 2013
NOVEMBER 8, 2013
Service In Sync® (SIS) is a program sponsored by PCMA Headquarters encouraging chapters to come together and give back
to their local communities on behalf of the meetings industry
during the first week of November. On November 8, members
of the Greater Philadelphia Chapter of PCMA helped sort and
pack donated food, getting it ready for distribution to local
agencies, pantries, and shelters. Volunteers sorted and packed
over 7,000 lbs of canned goods, and 2,000 lbs of meat.
Volunteers at Philabundance
Volunteers at Philabundance
Sue Wagner
Linda Still
Volunteers
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Brendan Morrissey
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Dave Bradley
Social
Media
SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS AND CHARACTERISTICS
Dionne Maniotes Hulsey
Regional Manager, Convention and Meeting Sales, U.S.A
Tourisme Montréal
New ideas are born every minute, in every corner of the globe.
Sharing these ideas is what the meetings industry is all about.
There is no better way to come up with creative answers to
your organization’s burning questions that to collaborate –
after all, isn’t that one of the “reasons” we hold meetings?
As a multifaceted, creative destination, Montréal is renowned
for its duality of Old World charm infused with North American
energy. As the home to the awe-inspiring Cirque du Soleil, the
Montreal hospitality community is used to “bending over backwards” to make your meeting / convention a show stopping
success. With that in mind, Tourisme Montreal (CVB) recently
shared a social media guide aimed to help meeting planners
achieve success.
FACEBOOK
Good for: People-oriented events with a high visual and social content
Not so good for: Text heavy, specialized content
Pros: Sheer numbers and ability to incorporate updates, event invitations and rich media
Cons: Long lead time to build fan base and engagement, high level of monitoring time required
TWITTER
Good for: Tech-friendly events with high level of information; making contact with media and influencers
Not so good for: Expressing long thoughts or impressions
Pros: Instantaneous dialogue and conversation, reach beyond event attendees
Cons: Requires high level of monitoring time
LINKEDIN
Good for: Establishing professional connections before the event and maintaining network afterwards
Not so good for: Sharing content during an event
Pros: Well respected and trusted in many professions
Cons: Very little potential for visual and rich media content
FOURSQUARE
Good for: Location-based destination events and sharing tips for local resources
Not so good for: Facilitating engaging conversation about the content of an event
Pros: Gain popularity by instant word-of-mouth advertising
Cons: Difficult to measure impact
INSTAGRAM
Good for: Events with visual appeal and highly social attendees
Not so good for: Events with camera-shy attendees
Pros: Easy to integrate into other platforms, especially Facebook and Twitter
Cons: Account may not have relevance after the event is over
PINTEREST
Good for: Design, tech or visually oriented events
Not so good for: Events with a strong male demographic, as more than 70% of Pinterest users are female
Pros: Visually appealing and a simple interface, more than 70 million users
Cons: Difficult to use during an event
YOUTUBE
Good for: Filming quick “on the street” video clips and interviews with presenters/attendees, as well as
livestreaming events
Not so good for: Events with little visual or interactive components
Pros: Captures a sense of being at an event
Cons: Editing and uploading video can take time and skill
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2013 GPPCMA BOARD OF DIRECTORS & CHAIRS
PRESIDENT
Pam Ballinger, CMP
Association Headquarters
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
Brendan Morrissey
Hilton Inn at Penn
PRESIDENT ELECT
Susan W. Wagner, CMP
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
(1 YEAR REMAINING)
Lisa Astorga, CMP
Int’l Society on Thrombosis and
Haemostasis
SECRETARY
Belinda Keota, CMP, CEM
Produce Marketing Association
TREASURER
Vince Elorza
Hard Rock Hotel All Inclusive
Collection
Julie Coker
Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
(2 YEAR TERM)
Clorinda Holland
Visit Salt Lake
Shane Jackson
Philadelphia Downtown Marriott
Astrid Schrier, CMP
Association Headquarters
Nicole Erle, CMP
Society for Industrial & Applied
Mathematics
GPPCMA COMMITTEE CHAIRS
COMMUNICATIONS
Erica A. Keagy
GPPCMA
COMMUNITY SERVICES
Leslie K. Bellini, CMP
Lockheed Martin
Danielle Pinto
Roberts Events Group
MEMBERSHIP
Robin Geary, CMP
Association Headquarters
Kathy Smith, CMP, CCMEP
Fox Chase Cancer Center
NOMINATING
Brendan Morrissey
Hilton Inn at Penn
PROGRAM
Diane Rehiel
ASTM International
SPONSORSHIP
Donna Young, CMP
American College of Physicians
ANNOUNCING THE 2014 GPPCMA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PRESIDENT
Susan W. Wagner, CMP
PRESIDENT ELECT
Theresa Barrett, CMP, CAE
NJ Academy of Family Physicians
SECRETARY
Shane Jackson
Philadelphia Downtown Marriott
TREASURER
Brendan Morrissey
Hilton Inn at Penn
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
Pam Ballinger, CMP
Association Headquarters
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
(1 YEAR REMAINING)
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
(2 YEAR TERM)
Leslie K. Bellini, CMP
Lockheed Martin
Robin Geary, CMP
Association Headquarters
Pat Kraft Hilpl
Philadelphia Convention and Visitors
Bureau
Clorinda Holland
Salt Lake CVB
Danielle Pinto
Roberts Events Group
Astrid Schrier, CMP
Association Headquarters
REACH OVER 300 INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS! ADVERTISE IN:
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION
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SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT
PLANNER SPOTLIGHT
Susanna Flores
Senior Manager, Convention
Sales Northeast Region
San Francisco Travel Association
Susana Flores is a resident of
Brooklyn but with a military
father, she lived in the Philippines, California, Holland,
Germany, and Arkansas – all
before the age of 10! Her father
was then stationed in Hawaii
where she remained until college. Susanna knew very early
on that she wanted to be in the hotel business; inspired at the
age of 9 by amazing customer service (and fondue!) on a visit to
Switzerland. Attending the Cornell School of Hotel Administration was a logical choice for Susanna, who wanted to be in either
the Bay Area or on the east coast.
While at Cornell, Susanna interned at Le Parker Meridien in New
York City. She worked for several years for the catering and offsite events company Great Performances in NYC, but the business became a challenge following September 11. She returned
to Le Parker Meridien in 2002 and entered group sales. After five
years, looking for a new challenge, she began selling the Swissôtel Chicago remotely from New York. When Choose Chicago (the
Chicago CVB) was looking for someone, she embraced yet another new challenge. She found out she loved working for a CVB,
and when the opportunity arose for her to join San Francisco
Travel Association (the SF CVB) and work for one of her favorite
cities, Susanna knew she had to take it. Susanna loves being able
to raise her children in New York but also work for an area that
has always had a special place in her heart. She loves exploring
the layers of the CVB’s membership, which includes hotels, restaurants, cultural attractions, and even other local bureaus.
Susanna’s favorite thing to do with her husband and kids (Carlo-5
and Corinna-4) is visit Coney Island and eat at little Italian restaurants. Working two full time jobs (the CVB and raising two young
boys) doesn’t leave Susanna much time for relaxing hobbies, but
she does relish the opportunity to do yoga and core training.
And of course she still loves to travel.
Michelle Kann
Director of Meetings
Society of Hospital Medicine
I had the pleasure of meeting
Michelle not too long ago on
a sales call and then met her
again an industry event. She
was top on my list to interview
for this issue because of her passion for her job and the industry.
Michelle was born in Iowa and
moved to Kennebunkport
Maine when she was five years old. They family moved due to her
father’s medical career….kind of ironic isn’t it with the company
she works for…Society of Hospital Medicine….ha ha!
She is the oldest of three children, her sister still lives in Maine and
her brother lives in South Carolina. During high school Michelle
was a competitive swimmer. At Roger Williams College in Rhode
Island, she assisted with coaching for their team during her senior
year and taught swimming at the local YMCA.
She graduated college with a degree in marketing and went on
to work for Option One Mortgage. While working for Option One,
she attained her masters in Hospitality from Johnson and Wales.
Michelle had been a Disney fan all of her life and felt that if she
received her Master’s in Hospitality, she may be able to pursue a
career with Disney in Orlando.
She became an Executive Meetings Manager for the Hyatt Regency in Newport, Rhode Island. While working at the Hyatt, she met
her husband on a blind date through a mutual friend. They hung
out together for several weeks and then began to date. Matthew
was moving to New Jersey for his new job and asked Michelle to
move with him….the rest is history. Soon after their move, they got
engaged and were married.
Michelle worked for the Hyatt in Princeton as a convention services
manager for three years after their move and began a job search
for a career with more 9 to 5 hours since they wanted to have a baby.
Favorite author: Jhumpa Lahiri
Favorite food: Right now, she can’t get enough Korean BBQ!
Favorite sport: Not normally a sports fan, but thanks to season
tickets at the new stadium, she is now a huge NETS fan
Favorite season: Summer, because she likes the warmer
weather (she’s a Hawaii girl, after all!)
Favorite TV show: Scandal, which she finds very funny even
though she’s not sure it’s supposed to be
She found a coordinator position online for the Society of Hospital
Medicine (SHM) and got the job. Within a year she was promoted
to meetings manager and then promoted to director. She has
been in her role for a little over a year now and truly loves it. She
has a great working relationship with her boss and her company is
very supportive on educational development for their staff.
Michelle, Matthew and Emma have a dog named Jasmine and a
cat named Bella – Disney Character names of course. They enjoy
being outside as much as possible and taking Emma to the park.
Family vacations are typically trips to Disney or spending time with
their family.
By Kristin Brammell, CMP
Meeting and Education Manager
Association Headquarters, Inc.
By Sharon Goodspeed
Regional Sales Manager
Caesars Entertainment
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2014 EVENTS
SUNDAY, JANUARY 12, 2014
Joint Chapter Reception for GPPCMA and NYPCMA
at Convening Leaders
5:00pm– 6:30pm
Boston Park Plaza Hotel
https://www.regonline.com/CLreception
THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 2014
Chapter Meeting and Breakfast
8:00am-10:00am
Kristin Burke
Sharon Goodspeed
Donna Young
MEMBER NEWS
Congratulations to Kristin Burke (Brammell) on her marriage to
Michael Burke on October 19. Best wishes to the newlyweds!
The Delaware County SPCA held its annual Bark in the Park
fundraiser on October 19. Several GPPCMA members attended
the event including Sharon Goodspeed and Donna Young.
THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2014
THANK YOU TO OUR 2013
SPONSORS AND HOSTS!
Chapter Meeting and Reception
5:00pm-8:00pm
JUNE DATE TBD
Phillies Networking Event
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2014
Community Service
1:00pm-3:00pm
Opening Reception
6:00pm-8:00pm
THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 2014
Chapter Retreat
9:00am-4:30pm
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2014
Education Day
8:00am-2:30pm
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2014
Chapter Fundraiser
5:00pm-8:00pm
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2014
Meeting/Holiday Party/Board and Officer Induction
4:15pm-8:00pm
*Dates and times are subject to change.
http://www.pcma.org/Chapters/Greater-Philadelphia.htm
for up-to-date information.
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321 Connect Boston
Philadelphia CVB
Advantage Boston
Portland Marriott
Anaheim/Orange County VCB PSAV
ARAMARK
Rosen Hotels
Association Headquarters, Inc. San Diego CVB
Atlantic City CVA
Seattle Sheraton
AVMG
Sheraton Society Hill
Caesars Entertainment/
Simmer Creative
Harrah’s Atlantic City
CMI Communications
Doubletree Portland
Fern Expo
Fort Worth CVB
Greater Ft. Lauderdale CVB
Hard Rock Hotels & Resorts
Hotel Monaco Philadelphia
Le Meridien Philadelphia
Long Beach CVB
Los Angeles Tourism &
Convention Board
Lucky Strike Lanes
Philadelphia
Starwood Convention Collection
Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Tourisme Montreal
Tourism Vancouver
Travel Alberta
Valley Forge CVB
Visit Baltimore
Visit Denver
Visit Indy
Visit Norfolk
Visit Phoenix
Visit Portland
Oregon Convention Center
Visit Salt Lake
Nashville CVB
Visit Seattle
PA Convention Center
Westin Philadelphia
For more information, contact Donna Young, Sponsorship Committee Chair and Past President, at [email protected] or call 215-351-2539.
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!
through 12/1/2013
Scott Casey
President
Vistacom Information Systems, Inc.
Meredith Jacobs
Sales Prospecting Specialist
Hyatt Regency Philadelphia
Theresa Jones Senior
Project Manager, Education and Meetings
Society of Hospital Medicine
Kathleen Maits, CMP
Meeting Planner
American College of Physicians
Tracey Paist, CMP
Event Specialist
Iron Mountain
Executive Editor & GPPCMA Chapter Administrator
Erica A. Keagy
Senior Editor
Theresa J. Barrett, MS, CMP, CAE
Simmer Creative
Ashley Childs
Temple University
Contributing Writers
Chris Brown, CEM, CMP
Kristin Brammell, CMP
Sharon Goodspeed
Alexandra Fownes
Penn State University
Mia Guizzetti
Temple University
Connections Advertising
610-220-1232
Olivia Hartz
Temple University
[email protected]
Connections is a quarterly publication of GPPCMA.
The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors
and do not neccesarily reflect the opinions or policies of
GPPCMA.
Thank you to the volunteers who contributed articles to this
issue of Connections. The deadline for articles and ads for the
next issue is Friday, February 7.
PCMA on Linkedin
Christy Trautman, MS
Director of Conferences
International Reading Association
Welcome New Student Members
Art Direction, Design & Production
Social
Jessica Tamasi
Manager, Exhibits & Advertising
Metal Powder Industries Federation
GPPCMA on Linkedin
Madison Houseman
Temple University
Alyson Miller
Penn State University
Elizabeth VandeMerkt
Temple University
GPPCMA on Facebook
GPPCMA on Twitter