President's Message
 
MPI Tennessee, how is it August already!? I can't believe summer is almost over. 

We held a great meeting in July at the Nashville Palace, and it was such a different venue that really showcased the Nashville flair. Thank you to all of our sponsors who made the meeting successful. Be sure to check out the ICYMI section below for additional details. Thank you to all who volunteered with us at Second Harvest Food Bank. With over 20 volunteers they sorted almost 8,000 pounds of food which provides over 6,500 meals for families across Middle Tennessee. 
 
We also kicked off a new fiscal year in July. That means our leaders have begun building their committees with volunteers like YOU! Our chapter runs off a host of volunteers who give their time and energy to MPI Tennessee, and we still have opportunities available for you to get involved. I know many of you will soon have more added to your to-do lists with extracurricular activities, school drop-off and pick-up, lunches to make and many more things, but surely you can squeeze in another 30 minutes or 1-hour of your time to support the chapter. Our VP of Membership, Shannon Yeater, would love to speak with you about your interests and time you have available to find the best fit for you. The benefits and outcomes will be bountiful.

We have two great educational opportunities coming up in August, one in the West Region and another in the Central. More details and registration links can be found below. I look forward to seeing all of you there!



In This Issue
Our Sponsors
Platinum Partners
 







Gold Partners 



 
Do you want to become an MPI Tennessee Chapter sponsor and partner with the state's largest and most vibrant community of meeting and event professionals?

For more information, contact  Katherine 
Director of Strategic Alliances for MPI:TN!



Looking to make a job change or know someone is?  Check out the positions available at mpitn.org.
Upcoming Meetings & Events
August Educational Luncheon - West
Plan C: What Happens When You Have to Cancel Your Event?
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
11:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m .

Meeting planners know that their event must have a Plan B. But what happens when you don't have a Plan C? All planners have had to cancel an event for one reason or another, and the consequences sometimes include non-refundable cancellation charges. Robert Holmes, President of Spectrum Weather & Specialty Insurance, will discuss strategic options for event cancellations. You'll walk away from this meeting with a new confidence that will give you (and your stakeholders) peace of mind.
August Educational Luncheon - Central 
Communication DNA: 
You, Me and My World
Wednesday, August 16, 2017
11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
The Engine Fueled by C3

How many times do you feel as though you simply can't get through to a stakeholder, co-worker, your customer or team? Communication is one of the most important skills that drive successful results. In this fun, interactive session participants will gain a better understanding of individual communication styles. Self-awareness and adaptive skills produce more effective and efficient interactions with your stakeholders, customers, shareholders, peers, and leaders.
SAVE THE DATE
New Member Orientation
Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Have you joined MPI in the last three months? Join us for our New Member Orientation to learn more about all MPI Tennessee has to offer. More details coming soon!.
SAVE THE DATE
Leadership Academy
Friday, September 15, 2017

Are you interested in getting more involved with MPI Tennessee? Do you see yourself serving on our Board of Directors? If so, please save the date for our Leadership Academy. More details and registration coming soon!
A Note from Your Education Team
Your Education Team has a lot going on this year and we are excited with all the possibilities. We have sent out some RFPs for speakers and venues, but we are not fully booked for the year... Now is the time to speak up! If you have a suggestion of a speaker, program subject or venue that you would like to showcase to the membership please email Cory or Kayce TODAY!

Additionally, we would love your input, time and talents to make it all happen. If you have just one hour a month or several hours we have a place for you. Join us and learn how you can have an impact on our membership meetings and get to know some of our fantastic team members even more!
Contact Cory Brooks, CMP at cbrooks@specplans.com or Kayce Kiningham, CMP at kkiningham@tsba.net.
ICYMI (In Case You Missed It)

During the July Educational Luncheon, speaker Betsy Bondurant shared the benefits of having a strategic meetings management (SMM) program. Some of the benefits of implementing an SMM program include:
  • Analysis - Examine your event and understand who is planning the meeting.
  • Business Plan Development - Your company can review data and cost savings opportunities.
  • Technology Assessment - Implement automatic approvals, online registration, and more technology advances to make your planning process easier.
  • Preferred Supplier Program - Identify preferred suppliers for your meetings. Send e-RFP's and manager supplier training.
Let's Get Social - How to Connect with MPI Tennessee on Social Media

 

Want to stay up-to-date with all things MPI Tennessee? Connect with us on social media! There are several ways to keep up with our events, view industry-related content and learn more about our chapter.

Facebook: You can find us by searching @MPITN. Like our page, and you'll be able to see upcoming events on our calendar, access announcements and member info, and tag and share photos from our events.

Twitter: Our handle is @TNMPI. Tweet, retweet and follow industry influencers.

LinkedIn:  Connect with your industry colleagues on our group page, Meeting Professionals International Tennessee Chapter. We will be launching a new-and-improved LinkedIn page later this month, so be sure to keep your eye out for updates! You can join our group HERE!

YouTube: @MPI TN Chapter. Here you'll be able to find all of our video campaigns including information about volunteer opportunities, video messages from our Chapter President, videos from last year's RISE Awards, and more!

Don't forget that you can find this information and more on our website, mpitn.org. With so many communication channels, you'll always be able to keep up with our chapter's news and events.
Gala Focus Group- "Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda!"
Do you have suggestions for our annual gala? If so, please be sure to stay after our meeting on August 16th for a small focus group. We want to hear your feedback! If you can't make the focus group but want to share your insight, please contact Shannen Stewart at shannen@questdrape.com.
Volunteers Needed

Have just a few hours a month to get engaged? Interested in volunteering with MPI Tennessee?  Contact Shannon Yeater, CMP, shannon.yeater@butlersnow.com, for more information and available positions.

Global Scholarships Available
Don't forget that MPI Global offers grants and scholarships through the MPI Foundation. You can apply for scholarships for membership, professional development (CMM, CMP, HMCC designation programs), and conference attendance to MPI's global conferences. MPI Foundation scholarships are accepted on an ongoing basis. Applications received by the end of the month will receive notification by the end of the following month.

Applications can be completed online at  http://www.mpiweb.org/foundation/scholarship-application

Join at www.mpiweb.org/join and use code MPISMAUG to save 10% before August 30th.
Meeting & Event Planning Certificate - Fall 2017
MPI Tennessee has partnered with Belmont University to bring you a Meeting & Event Planning program for CMP credit! This is a five-week program that meets at Belmont every Friday from 7:30am - 3:30pm. Each class is taught by a member of MPI Tennessee who is a subject matter expert.
The cost for the full course is $975 (non-MPI members) and $877.50 (MPI members). Each class can be taken as a stand-alone class and is $250/person/class. This course is introductory to event planning and intended for individuals new to the industry or interested in learning more about it for current or future job knowledge. However, it is open to anyone and qualifies for the classroom requirements of CMP certification.

This fall's schedule is as follows:
  • September 8th - Meeting Planning Basics
  • September 15th - Site Selection
  • September 22nd - Food & Beverage Planning
  • September 29th - Event Budgeting & Return on Investment / Contracting Audio, Video & Lighting
  • October 6th - Introduction to Special Events
You will receive 35 hours of industry education and earn 1 CEU for every 10 hours of class time. You must attend all five classes your MEP Certificate. For more information, please reach out to Laura.Hyde@belmont.edu
Member Recognition: Movers & Shakers

Congratulations to Robyn Bass, DMCP, President and Chief Executive Officer of Maple Ridge Events. She received the 2016-2017 H Factor Leadership Award from the Hosts Global Alliance at the Hosts Honors Awards.

Cory Brooks, CMP and Bruce Quinn made it official and got married last week! It was too hot in the backyard, so like any good event planners, they improvised and moved it to the living room with family around them.

Congratulations to our gold sponsor The Peabody Hotel Memphis on the recent announcement of their upcoming expansion into Texas.  Read more here!

New Members in July
Christa  Abernathy
XMI Association Management
Sharon Naretto 
Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum
Abigail  Lawrence
Hotel Indigo Nashville
Carly Spielvogel
The Hermitage Hotel
Eleanor Lentz
Nashville Marriott Vanderbilt 
Megan Thieme
Tin Roof
Member Anniversaries
Congratulations to our members celebrating an MPI anniversary in August!

Kathleen Metts - 16 years
Sandy Walker - 15 years
Jennye Williams - 13 years
Kathryn York - 12 years
Beth McDaniels - 11 years
Lisa Lawry - 8 years
Erika Biddix - 5 years
Tara Moore - 5 years
Kathleen Wallish - 5 years
Dana Barton - 4 years
Cory Brooks - 4 years
Michael Cochran - 4 years
Tiffany Joyner - 4 years
Pattie Kempka - 4 years
Heidi Baker - 4 years
Shannon Yeater - 4 years

Jill Kopecky - 3 years
Breanna Ruhlman - 3 years
Gerri Bluhm - 2 years
Staci Bockman - 2 years
Molly Carpenter - 2 years
Kristie Rosenblum - 2 years
Michael White - 2 years
Mikayla Burchnell - 1 year
Beth Cummings - 1 year
Alyssa Curtis - 1 year
Michelle Davis - 1 year
Steve Diggs - 1 year
Kiara Jones - 1 year
Donette Moore - 1 year
Erin Mueller - 1 year
Julie Phelps - 1 year
Jean Sanford - 1 year
New Member Spotlight
Name:
Carly Spielvogel   

Current Employer and Position:
The Hermitage Hotel, Director of Catering

Email:
Cspielvogel@thehermitagehotel.com 

How long have you been in this position?
Since December 2016

Why did you join MPI?
I decided to join MPI to become more involved in the Nashville market as I just relocated back to the area in December. I look forward to meeting and connecting with other industry professionals! 

What do you hope to get from your MPI membership?
I aim to become much more involved with events throughout the community and develop relationships with other vendors and planners

What is your favorite meeting or event you have been involved with? Why?
I was a part of the opening team at the Harrah's Waterfront Conference Center in New Jersey. The expansion was a 125-million-dollar project and upon completion made the property the largest hotel-conference center complex from Baltimore to Boston. Shortly after opening we had the honor of hosting the 2016 World Education Congress. After hours of planning, seeing the conference through to the end is something I will always be grateful I was able to help produce. 

What would you like the chapter to know about you?
I spent the beginning of my career in the restaurant world before transitioning over to events. I have worked in the New York, Las Vegas, and New Jersey markets before finding my home here in Nashville. In my free time, I love listening to live music (all kinds) and I play in two recreational kickball leagues.