MPI NORTHEASTERN NEW YORK
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CHAPTER NEWSLETTER - SPRING 2018
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Welcome to the glories of Spring,
good Members of MPI Northeastern New York!
We are pleased to share
our first quarter 2018 newsletter with all of you and we look forward to
welcoming you at one of our upcoming programs. |
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President's Message
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It is hard to believe that eight months of my annual term have already passed...but the busiest 3 months are
upon us!
MPI Global launched the
Member & Chapter Satisfaction Survey in February. Thanks to each of
you for participating. The survey closed on March 6th; I’ll share the
results with you in our next
quarterly newsletter. |
I’m really
excited about the 2018 MPI Gala, our newest event, which will take place
on Thursday, April 12 at the Albany Capital Center. Special Events
Director Jessica Joralemon and her dynamic committee have been working
since October to make this event special and memorable. In celebration
of Global Meetings Industry Day we will honor local Industry Leaders.
The President’s Award, Volunteer of the Year Award, Most Valued Partner
and Most Enthusiastic New Member awards will also be named. If you have
not registered yet, I hope you will go to the website now so that you
don’t miss the most fantastic MPI event of the year!
The Gala, which replaces the annual Golf Tournament, includes an Online Auction that will be open until May 31st.
Click here for more information and to donate an item.
There are also fabulous Partnership Opportunities in support of the Gala. Click here to view our Partnership Brochure which lists all of the sponsorships and packages that are available.
We have a
number of other exciting events coming up this spring. At the end of
April, our New Officers Board Retreat will be held at the Courtyard by
Marriott in Saratoga Springs. We also have a great Educational Session
planned for May 17th at the Hampton Inn on Western Avenue in Albany -
keep an eye on your email, details are coming soon! In June we’ll head
into summer with an Annual Meeting / Cocktails & Connections event
that is currently in the works, slated to be held
in Clifton Park.
Finally, I want to take a
moment to thank some of our local partners; we are so grateful to all
of our venue sponsors whose support really helps to promote attendance
at our events and allows our members to see all of the amazing venues
that are available to them in our community. Thank you for your
support!
We have a very busy four months ahead of us and we look forward to enjoying all of these events with
each of you!
Thank you,
Steven Preston, CMP
MPI NENY President
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MPI Weighs in on the
Sexual Harassment Conversation
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Sexual
harassment in the meeting planning industry is the topic of “The Perfect
Storm: As Sexual Harassment Dominates the Headlines in Hollywood and
Beyond, It’s Time for the Meeting Industry to Tackle this Issue” an
article that appeared in the February issue of The Meeting Planner.
Read "The Perfect Storm"here.
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Meet You at the GALA
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Registration is
now open for MPI NENY’s Inaugural Gala. Don’t miss your chance to dress
up a bit and kick off this spectacular new event that combines Global
Meetings Industry Day, our Chapter Awards, and our “Bidding for Good”
Auction into one activity-packed, fun-filled evening! |
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The
Inaugural MPI NENY Gala is an opportunity for the meetings industry and
everyone supported by it to come together and celebrate the individuals
who have made a significant contribution to our community. Register soon to secure choice seats with your friends and colleagues.
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Event Recap:
Fear is my Homeboy
Troy Hilton Garden Inn
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Fear is My Homeboy: How to Get Brave and Start Taking Action; Featuring Judi Holler
The Troy Hilton Garden
Inn treated MPI NENY Annual Membership Event attendees to an amazing
experience from start to finish. Featured speaker Judi Holler taught us
how to make fear our homeboy.
You hear
this all the time: “Everything you want is on the other side of fear.”
Judi’s F.E.A.R. is my Homeboy model taught us how to we get to the
other side of fear. Here is an overview of the four steps:
F = Faith
Faith is all about
believing in yourself and getting comfortable with your fears. “The more
I dd the scary thing on stage in improv at Second City, the more I was
able to do the scary thing in my business life.”
E = Essentialism
Essentialism is all
about focusing on your goals and doing the things you need to do to
achieve your goals. It’s about setting goals and making a plan on
purpose.
A = Action
Action is all about executing the plan.
R = Resilience
Resilience is all about
“no mistakes, only gifts.” As Judi said: “Stop worrying about what other
people think. People are already judging you, not liking you, making
fun of you. Who are you living your life for? You...or them?”
Judi also shared a
reading list to help us on our journey. Here is the a list, in case you
want to check them out:
Brené Brown
・ Braving the Wilderness
・ Rising Strong
・ Daring Greatly
・ The Gifts of Imperfection
Simon Sinek
・ Start with Why
・ Leaders Eat Last
War of Art by Steven Pressfield
Essentialism and The One Thing (Productivity Books)
Special thanks to Troy’s
Hilton Garden Inn, who treated attendees to a creative array of light
meal stations, including a delicious slider bar and complimentary beer,
wine, and soda.
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Event Recap:
Cocktails & Connections
Morton's Lobby Bar at Saratoga Casino & Hotel
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Attendees
placed their bets on the February Cocktails & Connections event at
Morton’s Lobby Bar at Saratoga Casino & Hotel in February and hit
the networking jackpot. MPI NENY members and non-members participated in
a demonstration of ALIN a new IOS digital event product by Lapis Sphere
Technologies, MPI NENY’s newest supplier partner. The after-hours, free
event was designed by the MPI NENY Special Events team so attendees
could connect with each other, learn more about the opportunities our
chapter has to offer. Board members were on hand to share ideas about
volunteer opportunities, membership and how to begin the Certified
Meeting Professional process.
Special thanks to
Saratoga Casino & Hotel, the venue sponsor, located in Saratoga
Springs, NY for providing complimentary appetizers and drink specials.
Attendees also received a free play casino card. Members and non-members
alike met up with colleagues, shared challenges and successes, and made
new connections. Great job by Jessica Joralemon, CMP, our Director of
Special Events for organizing such a fun event.
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Small Meetings Mean Big Business
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Small
meetings showed an upsurge in growth in 2017 and it seems it will
continue in 2018 and beyond.
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Advisory board meetings, trainings and
company retreats are moving not only to a smaller number of participants
but to smaller venues as well. These small group sizes have big benefits for the planner and the company they represent. A less complex planning strategy gives more time for building a more robust agenda. More opportunities for a greater number of attendees to be actively involved in the meeting makes them more productive. Attendees have more opportunities to get to know each other, creating better communication after the sessions are over for continued professional growth.
What can transform a simple meeting into an experience to be remembered? Location. Unique venues in resort communities offer an exciting mix of business and pleasure. Spaces beyond the traditional meeting room are available for creative thinking and team building. Nearby attractions and activities provide excitement and anticipation during group outings or down time. “Buy local” meal functions become part of the entertainment package without straining the budget.
The host community in turn is hoping to tap into those attendees who are looking to extend their stay with family and friends. Meetings held in destinations that attendees would personally like to visit offer great opportunities for these communities. Extended stay expenditures account for increased revenue for the resort and nearby attractions and restaurants.
Meeting planners and attendees who visit New York State are always surprised by its diverse resort options. Areas beyond metropolitan New York City offer rural scenery and small town hospitality unmatched in other destinations. The combination of outstanding meeting spaces, comfortable accommodations and amenities and delicious food and drink will make your next function in New York stand out. Whether it’s a team-building event in Long Island or a luxury escape in the 1000 Islands you are seeking, there are some impressive options in every corner of New York.
Article submitted by Tillie Youngs, Sales Manager for the 1000 Islands International Tourism Council. The Tourism Council is the Destination Marketing Organization for the 1000 Islands region in Upstate New York and southeastern Ontario. Comments can be directed to Tillie via email at tillie@visit1000islands.com. More information for hosting your next meeting, conference or retreat can be found at www.meet1000.com. |
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UPCOMING EVENTS
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GMID Inaugural Gala 2018
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World Education Congress 2018
- MPI HQ's Signature Event
- June 2-5, 2018
- Indianapolis, IN
- Register Now
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Nominate for Awards
There is still time to put forth your personal recommendations for those
in our local region most deserving of recognition. Click here to
submit your nominations now!
Call for Sponsorships
Click here
to peruse our Partnership Brochure for a multitude of sponsorships and
packages to suit your style. Don’t miss this opportunity to have
visibility in front of the entire membership of MPI Northeastern New
York on the most important night of their year.
Donate an Item
to our Upcoming Auction
We are now accepting item donations
for our “Bidding for
Good” Auction Fundraiser that is taking place in conjunction with the
Gala.
Click here for more information
and to donate.
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Chapter Grants
and Scholarships
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Chapter
grant applications opened in February. Scholarships are open all year
and members can apply as needed. Grants and scholarships for 2018 will
be available all year.
Click here and scroll down to complete the application online. |
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Welcome to our
New Members
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Alyssa Aufiero -
Courtyard by Marriott
Saratoga Springs
Jocelyn Bryant -
SUNY Delhi
(Online Program)
Lisa Carroll -
BBL Hospitality
Nicole Cline
Lisa DeSantis -
Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel
Olivia Dunn -
Hearst Media Center
Joanna Fairs -
The Saratoga Hilton
Abby Hughes -
SUNY Oswego
(Student Member)
Jenilyn Kramer -
Visit Buffalo Niagara
Tammy Mortier -
Hearst Media Center
Kaitlin Nevins -
Saratoga Casino Hotel
Susan Smith -
Hearst Media Center
Chloejean Tedford -
Saratoga Convention
& Tourism Bureau |
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NENY’s Newest CMP!
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Jennifer Kearney, CMP
Meeting & Event Coordinator
New York State
School Boards Association
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Jennifer
graduated from the Hospitality Management Program at SUNY Plattsburgh
in 2012. Through the beginning years of her career, it was important to
Jennifer to immerse herself in all different sectors of the hospitality
industry. She experienced events through banquet serving with Classé
Catering. She experienced meeting planning through an internship with
the NYS Association for the Education of Young Children. She experienced
hotels through the front desk at the Hilton Garden Inn Saratoga, group
reservations at the Hilton Albany, and catering sales at the Embassy
Suites Saratoga Springs. Her different job experiences helped mold her
into the planner that she is today. One that is focused on planning
flawless events, while being mindful of the logistics required to make
the events successful.
In 2016, Jennifer joined
the NYS School Boards Association, an organization serving over 5,000
school board members across the state. In her job capacity, she is
responsible for planning over 40 educational and networking events
across New York State. She also assists in planning NYSSBA’s Annual
Convention, which draws over 2,000 people each year.
Jennifer is in her first
term as Director of Monthly Programs, and she really enjoys her role
and the people she has met along the way. She looks forward to
continuing her professional development with MPI. CMP is a milestone for
her, and one that she is very proud of! |
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Welcome to our
MPI Northeastern New York
2018-2019 Board of Directors
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| President |
Kristina Catrambone,
CMP |
Site Solutions Worldwide
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| President Elect |
Caitlin Gaborow,
CMP
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Delaney
Meetings & Events |
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Immediate Past President
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Steven Preston, CMP
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ConferenceDirect
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| Vice President, Membership |
Colleen Whitaker,
CMP
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Courtyard by Marriott
Saratoga Springs
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| Vice President, Education |
Carla Rosenbaum, CMP
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New York
Physical Therapy
Association
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| Vice President, Communications |
Theresa W. Moore,
CMP |
New York State
Council of School Superintendents
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| Vice President,Finance |
Nancy Jess
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Saratoga Convention
& Tourism Bureau
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| Vice President, Special Events |
Jessica Joralemon, CMP
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Auto/Mate
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| Director,Membership |
Kimberly Williams,
CMP
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Schenectady County
Community College
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| Director, Monthly Programs |
Jennifer Kearney,
CMP
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New York State
School Boards Association
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| Director, Special Events |
OPEN
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| Director, Sponsorship |
Laura Vecchio, CMP
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University of Albany
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| Director, Leadership Development |
Kayla Kreis
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Saratoga Convention
& Tourism Bureau
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| Director.Communications |
Vreneli Banks
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New York State Council of School Superintendents
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| Director, At Large |
Melissa Carter
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Springhill Suites
New York, LaGuardia |
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| Chapter Administrator (paid) |
Julee Cooke
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Paragon Events
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