STEPPING OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE |
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Being in the Industry for many years, we think we have seen everything BUT… we haven’t. We need to be agile to: Rethink, Revise and Respond. We must think on our feet, find a solution and implement it. We can’t take things for granted. In other words, we must Rise to Elevate ourselves, our game and our readiness. Let’s be ready to resolve any situation, be it cancelled flights, a Nor’easter, a strike, or a logistical challenge. Remember, failure is NOT an option (this has always been my mantra for over 20 years of planning meetings)!
As we are challenged to be our best, I would like to remind everyone of the various resources MPI New Jersey offers:
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Continuing Education Opportunities: through our Chapter Education Programs including the Award-winning MEETS Conference and Membership Mondays
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Networking Opportunities: including our Golf Outing and Meet Ups
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Personal Growth Opportunities: members can volunteer on our many committees, chair committees or be on our Board of Directors
Last November, I was approached to co-chair our Golf Outing. For someone who had never stepped on a golf course prior or run a Golf Outing, I was a bit apprehensive. I decided to embrace the situation and step out of my comfort zone. From personal experience, the support and guidance I received from the committee and leadership were unbelievable, and what a great experience it was! I was then asked if I would consider being on our Chapter Board as Director, Special Events, I once again stepped out of my comfort zone and agreed. Our Chapter has so much to offer our members and remember to personally Rise to Elevate yourself. By doing so, you will do the same for others.
GaryTitunick, CMP
MPI New Jersey Chapter Special Events Director
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CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
There were many winners at our 25th Annual MPI New Jersey Golf Event held on June 20, 2023 both on the course and during the reception as we awarded our always popular raffle prizes donated by our always generous event sponsors. One of the big winners this year was First Tee Raritan Valley who benefited from the contributions of our event attendees.
First Tee is an organization that promotes youth development through a life skills curriculum centered around the game of golf. The group supports children ages 5 to 18 and provides active learning experiences proven to help build inner strength, self-confidence and resilience. In 2022 First Tee Raritan Valley reached over 70,000 students across six counties in New Jersey.
During our golf event we are pleased to report that First Tee received donations including:
· 12 sets of golf clubs
· 8 golf bags
· 5 pairs of golf shoes
· 15 dozen golf balls
· Monetary donations
· Miscellaneous golf items
These items will be put to great use for our next generation of golfers. Thank you to our attendees for your generosity. For more information on First Tee visit https://firstteerv.org/
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The Mexican Caribbean & the MPI New Jersey Chapter invite you to a unique cocktail reception. This event promises a delightful opportunity to forge valuable connections with local suppliers offering exclusive services.
We will also celebrate the wonderful volunteers that make the MPI New Jersey Chapter successful!
DATE: Wednesday, September 6, 2023
TIME: 5:00 PM - 7:30 PM
LOCATION: Bridgewater Marriott
700 Commons Way
Bridgewater, NJ 08807
Planners:
You will have a chance to win a three-day, two-night gift certificate at one of the best properties in the unique Mexican Caribbean destination.
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MEMBERSHIP MONDAY
MPI New Jersey Chapter Membership Monday Events are for MPI MEMBERS ONLY!
This interactive session will provide you with an opportunity to connect with your colleagues for some industry "REAL-TALK". We will ask you to have cameras on and be ready to participate so you may get the most out of your Membership Monday!
DATE: September 11, 2023
TIME: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
LOCATION: Virtual
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Save the date for this celebratory event and plan to sign up when registration opens in the coming week.
Thank you to our Sponsors:
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VIRTUAL HOLIDAY SILENT AUCTION
Get excited because, MPI New Jersey is having a Silent Auction fundraiser for the chapter that will launch on Monday, November 13th, and you do not want to miss out on the fantastic items that we have in store for you! It's a great opportunity to cross a few holiday gifts off your list early.
Bidding will be open for 2 full weeks but you'll want to check back often to ensure you have the winning bid on your favorite items. It's easy to participate - just create an account and start bidding.
A list of auction items will be shared as the opening date of the auction nears.
The chapter is currently accepting donations of auction items from our supplier partners, so if your company would like to be featured in the upcoming Silent Auction click the link below.
Gain additional exposure and advertise with us: Banner ads are available on the silent auction site for just $50. Contact [email protected] for more details.
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MPI NEW JERSEY TOWN HALL
The MPI New Jersey Chapter Board of Directors took the opportunity on August 3 to connect with our membership virtually during our semi-annual Town Hall. Updates on the coming year were shared and we answered questions relating to our chapter’s plans. We have an exciting term ahead.
We thanked our outgoing Board members Rebecca Wakefield, our Immediate Past President, and Karen Decker, our Vice President of Finance for their dedicated service.
We took the time to again share our excitement over winning a RISE Award for our 2022 MEETS Conference. The Award was presented during WEC23 in Mexico and Corrine Statia Thomas, Rebecca Wakefield, and Trish Rafferty were on hand to represent our chapter and accept it. The award would not have been possible without the over-the-top commitment of our 2022 Education Committee, sponsors, and enthusiastic attendees.
Chapter President, Kellie Cahill, shared her theme for the year – “We Rise to Elevate.” Kellie plans to build on the success of our recent years during her term. In keeping with the theme, the board met in May for our retreat and planning session on the top floor of the Conrad New York Midtown. The team also enjoyed an outing to Summit One Vanderbilt where we literally mingled among the clouds.
The upcoming year will include our three signature events including the CMP/CMM Recognition Event, the MEETS Conference, and the 26th Annual MPI New Jersey Golf Event, along with other educational and networking offerings. Keep an eye on our website and social media for dates and locations and mark your calendars to join us.
The Board also extended an invitation to all members to join us for any of our board meetings. They are virtual and members are welcome to learn firsthand how the business of the chapter is conducted.
Updates from MPI Global were also shared. It is recommended that all members bookmark www.mpi.org for access to great industry resources, career advice and opportunities, educational offerings, and upcoming events. We would also love to have all our members follow and engage with us on social media to stay informed about all things MPI.
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If you were not able to join, visit our website to view the Town Hall recording to get all the updates. |
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Article by: Trish Rafferty, CMP, HMCC
MPI New Jersey Chapter President-Elect
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AUGUST EDUCATION PROGRAM REVIEW
MPI New Jersey has never been shy about taking on difficult topics. Our goal is to raise awareness and educate our members about what issues are affecting our industry. We recently hosted Josh Grimes, Esq. for a discussion on: “Socially Committed & Legally Compliant Meetings: Aligning Your DE&I Strategy with The Law.” Josh shared relevant and important information, but also generated lots of lively “chat room” discussion sharing best practices and resources among attendees. Josh clearly states, “These issues are continuing to grow and become more prevalent in our meetings and events. We weren’t even talking about this stuff 5 years ago.”. If you as a planner or supplier aren’t keeping abreast of the issues affecting your attendees, how are you able to ensure their safety or comfort? Regardless of your industry your attendees are as diverse as the world around us and you need to ensure that your organization’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion policies are being carried out in your meetings. From the site decision on where meetings are held to the logistics of attendees’ physical and dietary needs being met to the comfort your attendees feel in the facility in relation to the other groups around them – all of these components play a critical role in ensuring the success of your event.
Josh tackled many of these issues through the legal lens. Here are some key takeaways:
- DE&I is important to meetings and events through having a wide range of participants with diverse perspectives, with everyone being able to fully participate equally whether a guest, an employee, or a supplier
- It is essential to recognize and adhere to the local, state, and federal laws that impact DE&I and the full participation of all attendees to ensure accommodations and to prevent discrimination.
- Planners and suppliers should understand their own organization’s DE&I policy, encouraging the creation and adherence to one and ensuring that your organization’s policy aligns with your vendors’ policies.
- It is helpful to include DE&I questions and requirements as part of your RFP process for selecting sites and vendors
- It is critical to ensure DE&I is addressed in your contracts including addressing the following
- Other groups in the space that may interfere with your DE&I policies
- Removal of barriers to DE&I fulfillment
- Continued monitoring of new issues that may affect DE&I policies
- Right of termination for non-compliance with DE&I requirements
Josh presented some real-life examples and scenarios so attendees could gain perspective on safety and comfort including:
- Post-contract signing you find out the hotel is hosting a “hate” group that is in direct conflict with your DE&I policy or threatens the safety of your group;
- A planner learns after conducting site visits that the state has just passed very restrictive laws for women’s healthcare and/or gender laws that affect their attendees after conducting site visits.
These are just some examples that were discussed and the conversation touched on the issue of when and how to notify leadership. Josh recommends conversations with all parties involved including leadership and your vendors. He recommended protecting your organization and attendees through your contracts, which is the best way to prevent issues from arising and affecting attendee safety and comfort.
To summarize Josh and the attendees agreed that early planning and discussion during the RFP and site selection and contracting process is critical. The pre-planning phase is the best time to identify any issues and ensure those issues get addressed in the contracts to mitigate the risk prior to attendees being on site.
Josh encouraged the chapter to continue to have conversations and to constantly monitor for changes in laws that affect the DE&I of our meetings. We are grateful and very thankful to Josh for sharing his knowledge and to the chapter for always challenging the status quo and addressing the hard and controversial issues. We know these are sensitive topics but by addressing them in a legal manner and through the lens of the safety and comfort of our attendees we can avoid them being politicized.
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Article by: Pam Wynne, CMM, HMCC
Pam has been in the Travel, Meetings & Events industry for over 20+ years. She is a past president of MPINJ and is a frequent speaker on multiple meeting industry topics and frequent contributor to several industry publications. She is currently the Director of Talent Acquisition for Inizio Engage XD.
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How to Create the Perfect Atmosphere with Live Music at Corporate Events
Written by: Bradley Madsen
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How to Slim Down Your Meetings and Events Food & Beverage Spend
Written by: Tyler Davidson
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Hospitality Industry Rushes to Support Wildfire Victims in Hawai'i
Written by: Eming Piansay
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MEMBER MILESTONES:
Congratulations to our chapter members celebrating anniversaries with MPI this month:
29 Years
Patricia Jones - Jm Creative Enterprises
Michael Shannon, CMP, HMCC - The Watergate Hotel
22 Years
Pamela Wynne, CMP, CMM, HMCC - Inizio Engage XD
19 Years
Pamela Kenworthy, CMP - National Exchange Carrier Association
11 Years
Alyssa Lippincott - The Venetian Resort
8 Years
Melissa Clayton - Helsinn
5 Years
Lauren Kutch - LMK Meetings
Heather Eick, CMP - AbbVie Inc
1 Year
Kathleen Diggins - HelmsBriscoe
Kevin Stankewicz - Gem Limousine World Wide
Jay Cloutier - Discover Albany
Anthony Gerardi - Pro Sho Event Services
Crystal Singleton
Guivelande Wright - The Mansion on Main Street
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WELCOME NEW MEMBERS:
Let's celebrate our newest member!
VOLUNTEERS POWER MPI:
As a Member of MPI-New Jersey you have a vested interest in the future of this chapter. We want you to bring your talents to our team by volunteering and serving on a committee. When you GIVE of your time, you GET so much more in return and GROW in ways you never expected.
Complete the Volunteer Interest Form to be contacted by our membership team to discuss the right opportunity for you today!
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MPI is all about creating community and these days, we have more opportunities to connect online than in person. So, let us hear from you and engage with MPI New Jersey's social media channels, including Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter, to stay up to date on Chapter happenings! We look forward to hearing from you. |
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GIVE.GET.GROW WITH MPI NEW JERSEY |
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MARKET YOUR BUSINESS WITH MPI NEW JERSEY
Do you want an opportunity to let YOUR company shine? Discover MPI-New Jersey's sponsorship opportunities designed just for you!
Now is the time to partner with your MPI-New Jersey Chapter to promote your organization to meeting professionals in the tri-state area.
We have created new and unique sponsorship opportunities that will serve as the perfect complement to your marketing strategies.
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INDUSTRY EVENTS TO CHECK OUT |
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SKIFT MEETINGS FORUM 2023
The first-ever Skift Meetings Forum will be held on Sep. 27 at Javits North in New York City. It's an invitation-only event, co-located with Skift's flagship Skift Global Forum (Sep. 26-28).
The Skift Meetings Forum will be an interactive afternoon with diverse speakers and panelists covering hot industry topics like AI, DEI, sustainability, technology, engagement, event design, workforce changes, and more. It will be thought-provoking, engaging, and experiential.
If you are unfamiliar with Skift Global Forum, it is a fast-paced event focused on short and impactful editorial interviews with top travel industry CEOs. Confirmed speakers for this edition include Dara Khosrowshahi (CEO, Uber), Christopher Nassetta (President & CEO, Hilton), Patricia Yates (CEO, VisitBritain), Jason Calacanis (Technology Entrepreneur and Angel Investor), Glenn Fogel (CEO & President, Booking).
Planner members of MPI New Jersey are invited to apply for VIP guest status. VIP guests are able to attend both events at no cost. Registration is currently valued at $2,695. Please note that travel or accommodations are not hosted as part of this invitation.
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THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS |
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Official technology partner of MPI New Jersey
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