President's Message  
 
Hey MPI TN Peeps,

I hope everyone had a safe and happy Halloween! October flew by and Thanksgiving is just around the corner! I want to show my appreciation and gratitude for your continued loyalty and support to our chapter. As of today, there are 335 members (a record high), and as I say all the time you, our members make our chapter the best chapter in MPI! 
 
November is full of great events for MPI Tennessee Chapter. The Central Educational luncheon is at the Factory in Franklin on Wednesday, November 16. The West region will have our very own MPI Member-of-the-Year, Carol Norfleet, CMP, CMM, DCMP presenting Food: A User's Guide on Thursday, November 17. We'd love to see all your smiling faces at these events. 

I want to personally invite each of you to come out to our annual Holiday Party on Thursday, December 8 at the beautiful and historic Hermitage Hotel. This is a great chapter event where we get to celebrate the holiday season and the end of a great year with our MPI Family. 

We are still seeking donations for our silent auction that will close the night of the holiday party.  Please donate whatever you can and also ask your friends and colleagues to donate as the money raised helps us to provide education and scholarships for you, our amazing members.

To our new members: thank you for taking the plunge and joining our crazy family. If you haven't already please volunteer and join a committee. It is the only way you are going to really get the most out of your membership and build relationships. 
 
I hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving and once again thanks for all you do!

See y'all soon,
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 Jill Kopecky, 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 and events....
Central Region
Infusing a Sense of Place to
Create Greater Meeting Value
Wednesday, November 16, 2016 
11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
The Factory at Franklin
230 Franklin Rd, Franklin, TN 37064

Are you tired of another meeting in another city in another ballroom? Industry research shows that today's meeting attendees want not only great learning and networking but also to experience a sense of place. Attendees expect events to incorporate the locale, and they want to depart feeling that they not only connected with business partners but that they truly experienced the destination. "Out" are windowless conference rooms and standard F&B; "In" are innovative spaces that cultivate expression while providing a sense of place, and partnerships with local food and beverage outlets. This session is presented by Bree Brostko.
West Region
Food: A User's Guide 
Thursday, November 17, 2016
11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
White Door Events
4116 B F Goodrich Blvd, Memphis, TN 38118

Vegetarian...Vegan...Lactose Intolerant...Gluten Free... Raw...Sustainable... Allergic...Diet...what does it all mean?

Food has moved out of just the kitchen and into the dictionary requiring meeting professionals to have a whole new arsenal of words and food tools. Join food junkie Carol Norfleet, CMP, DMCP to explore what it all means as she breaks down the terms and inserts them into the industry vocabulary.
2016 Holiday Party - Register NOW!
Central Region
Thursday, December 8, 2016
5:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
The Hermitage Hotel
231 6th Ave N, Nashville, TN 37219

Join MPI Tennessee Chapter for a "Mix and Jingle" with industry professionals at this year's annual Holiday Celebration! The historic Hermitage Hotel will host to this year's festivities on Thursday, December 8, 2016.

Network with colleagues and friends while celebrating the end of a great year and a merry holiday season! Enjoy fabulous food and cocktails courtesy of our host, the Hermitage Hotel.

This year, we are making it so easy to find the perfect gift for that special someone. You can shop our Silent Auction which will be loaded with fantastic items including hotel stays, restaurant certificates, and unique gifts. Shop enthusiastically because it is going right back to our chapter.
Online Silent Auction Live!
Stop everything and follow this link to our Silent Auction Bidding for Good online site which is LIVE and full of amazing items that coincidentally match your holiday shopping list. Shop the site while supporting our chapter. 
We are still looking for donations! If you have an item that you'd like to donate, please reach out to our Director of Special Projects, Lauren Stout.

To learn more about this great marketing opportunity, visit http://mpitn.org/Silent_Auction.
.
ICYMI (In Case You Missed It) 
October Central Education Luncheon - Demystify Human Resources

During the October Educational Luncheon, speaker Lori Kleiman, SPHR, SHRM-SCP shared insights into new laws, recruiting practices, performance management and many other HR topics. 

In case you missed it, Lori summarized the changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act. Below are the key takeaways:
  • Employees who do not meet the new salary requirements will no longer qualify for exemptions, which means they will have to be paid overtime compensation when they work more than 40 hours in a workweek.
  • The new overtime exemption regulation has increased the salary threshold from $23,660 to $47,476.
  • Hospitality and retail workers are among those who will be most dramatically impacted.
  • Employers must comply with the new regulations by December 1, 2016.
Session Survey Score: 9.59 out of 10

"This was my first time attending an MPI event and it was lovely. People went out of their way to welcome me. I would definitely consider joining and coming again."

"Topic was great.  Almost think we need a Part II with this presenter since there was so much she didn't cover and questions I still have about this topic."

2017-2018 Board Nominations  
The MPI Tennessee Chapter Board of Directors is responsible for chapter operations including programming, financial oversight, and governance.  By volunteering your time, you will help shape the future of our industry across the state! 

Please note the following dates:
Now through December 16, 2016
Call for Nominations (required of all candidates)

Wednesday, January 4, 2017
Board of Directors application due to Tammy Gilbert Cardona, CMP, Immediate Past President -Tammy@VisitMusicCity.com 

Nominations will be conducted in accordance with the Meeting Professionals International Tennessee Chapter By-Laws. Any planner or supplier in good standing is eligible. Your consideration should include the types of skills and talents you can contribute, your past involvement with the chapter, recognition of the time commitment involved in a leadership role and the necessity of your employer's support.  

Please contact Tammy Gilbert Cardona at Tammy@VisitMusicCIty.com with any questions.

MPI Tennessee Chapter 2017 - 2018 Board of Directors Job Descriptions, Board Interest Form and Board Application may be found HERE.
Monthly Renewal Drawing for November 2016
Thanksgiving Incentive: Are you up for renewal this month? Renew your MPI membership before the end of November and you will be entered into a drawing for one of three great prizes. The winner will pick one! Renew today!
  • ½ off registration to WEC 2017 or EMEC 2017
  • MPI Store shopping Spree: Pick any five items in the MPI Store at no cost. CMP Study Guide excluded from offer.
  • Complimentary CMP Study Kit (valued at $312)
MPI Tennessee Chapter Needs Assessment Survey -
Be on the Lookout
Be on the lookout for the MPI Tennessee Chapter Needs Assessment Survey coming out mid-November. Knowing how to best meet and exceed your needs and expectations is important to MPI Tennessee chapter leaders and MPI staff, and your feedback enables us to improve programs and services to better meet our membership's needs. Thank you in advance for your time and for completing the survey.

Incentive: We will draw one lucky winner from members who complete the survey to receive a $100.00 Visa Gift Card.
Regional Meeting Sponsorship Opportunity
How can your business get more exposure through MPI Tennessee? It's time to think about a Regional Meeting Sponsorship. For just $1000 for non-members or $750 for members, a regional sponsorship is a one-time benefit with the following perks:
  • Chapter Educational Luncheon Exposure: Good at either a WEST or CENTRAL luncheon - two (2) complimentary lunch registrations, one (1) tabletop display opportunity at one (1) educational luncheon with two (2) minutes of mic time and visual recognition at the luncheon.
  • Social Media Exposure: Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter - mentioned in that month's educational lunch post.
Anyone interested in this great marketing opportunity for your company, please contact Jill Kopecky via e-mail at jill@nem-ent.com.

New Members in September

Sarah Brown
State Collaborative on Reforming Education

Rebecca Kennamer

American Farm Bureau Federation

Tia Lee

RH Boyd Publishing Corp.

Steve Nider, CMP
SenovvA, Inc

Kimberly Alexander
Courtyard Vanderbilt West End

Jonathan Ealy
Opera Memphis

Member Anniversaries
Congratulations to our members who celebrated an MPI anniversary in November!

Rhonda Marko, 27 years
Jo Dermid, 20 years
Randy Miller, 18 years
Karen Burnett, 14 years
Kim Terrell, 13 years
Robyn Bass, 12 years
Dena Tidwell, 9 years
Natalie Norris, 11 years
Kay Witt, 9 years
Angela Campbell, 3 years

Pearl Dorsey, 3 years
Candace Mash, 3 years
Mary Webb, 3 years
John Borba, 1 year
Carol Engroff, 1 year
Chelsey Mortenson, 1 year
Hannah Myers, 1 year
Don Osborn, 1 year
Megan Thieme, 1 year
Jill Yochim, 1 year

New Member Spotlight
Name:  Daniel Camp 

Current Employer and Position:  Marriott International, Area Sales Executive

Email:  Daniel.Camp@marriott.com

How long have you been in this position?   I have served as an Area Sales Executive to Marriott International in Nashville, TN for 2 & 1/2 years. 

Why did you join MPI? 
I joined MPI to grow in my networking, industry experience and knowledge.

What do you hope to get from your MPI membership?
Great contacts, great educational resources, great experiences spurring my commitment to this industry, etc... 

What would you like the chapter to know about you?
I hail from Atlanta, and have been in Nashville for almost 3 years. I come from a large family and am blessed with 12 nieces and nephews and counting. My partner and I have two rescue dogs, Duke and Tucker that consume our time and love. I coach club volleyball to 18 year-old girls. My biggest goal in life is to live at the beach and work on a computer in my lap while my toes are in the sand.