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Taking Stock and Preparing for What's Ahead
Can you believe we're already over halfway through 2024? Time sure flies when you're part of an amazing community like ours! As your Immediate Past President, I'm thrilled to reflect on the incredible journey we've been on this year.
Our theme, "We Rise to Elevate," has truly come to life in everything we do. Just last month, our 26th Annual MPI New Jersey Golf Event was nothing short of spectacular. Every aspect of the day was a hole-in-one! The enthusiasm and energy you all brought to Crystal Springs Resort was truly inspiring. It's moments like these that remind me why MPI New Jersey is such a special organization.
As we find ourselves at this mid-year point, it's the perfect time to pause, reflect, and recalibrate. Taking stock of our achievements, celebrating our successes, and planning for the future can help us approach the second half of the year with renewed purpose and energy. Whether it's through team meetings, company events, or personal reflection, this mid-year checkpoint is an opportunity to set ourselves up for even greater success in the months to come.
So, my fellow MPI New Jersey members, let's keep this momentum going. Your ideas, your energy, and your commitment are what make our chapter truly exceptional. Together, we'll continue to rise, elevate, and set new standards of excellence. Here's to making the most of this mid-year moment and to the amazing journey ahead
Corrine Statia-Thomas, CMP - Immediate Past President
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AUGUST EDUCATION PROGRAM & MEET UP
Prepare for Takeoff:
State of Travel & International Meeting Planning
Fasten your seatbelts and get ready for an exhilarating journey through the world of travel and international meeting planning at the August Education Program. This must-attend event is tailored specifically for meeting planners and suppliers seeking to navigate the complexities of global event execution with confidence and expertise.
Directly following the educational program, join MPI New Jersey and our Mexico MICE Supplier friends for a fantastic evening of networking. MEETING PLANNERS: Visit all 10 Mexico suppliers for five minutes each and learn about their products, hotels, resorts, and DMCs. You'll be eligible to win a three-day, two-night certificate for an all-inclusive, high-end property, including transportation and a tour for two people. Be sure to get your passport stamped to be eligible for this amazing prize.
Date: Wednesday, August, 28, 2024
Time:
- 2:30 pm - 3:00 pm Registration
- 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm Education Program
- 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Meet-Up
Location: The MC Hotel
690 Bloomfield Ave
Montclair, NJ
*Pricing varies based on attendance selection.
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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: Monday, September 9, 2024
Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Location: Virtual
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VIRTUAL AUCTION
MPI New Jersey's Virtual Auction Fundraiser is back! Bidders can walk away with extraordinary items such as hotel stays, golf packages, gift certificates, and more just in time for holiday gift-giving!
As a non-profit, MPI-New Jersey counts on your support in our fundraising efforts so we may continue providing innovative education programs and networking opportunities to our community.
Want to get involved?
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Donate an auction item: Complete the form here to confirm your donation of an auction item. (All donations must be received by November 1st.)
- Share the opportunity to donate with your favorite suppliers and ask them to support your favorite industry association.
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Bid on items once the auction is live: the auction will be live from November 18th to December 2nd with a preview of items starting on November 11th. The auction link will be available during the auction preview dates.
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ANNUAL CMP/CMM RECOGNITION EVENT
Keep your eye out for more information soon on the Chapter's Signature CMP/CMM Recognition Event.
Suppliers, secure your sponsorship spot now because this event is set to be a who's who in the New Jersey hospitality industry!
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MEMBER MILESTONES:
Congratulations to our chapter members celebrating anniversaries with MPI this month:
29 Years
Maureen Murphy, CMP, CSEP - New Jersey Association of Realtors
28 Years
Patty Stern - Patty Stern Creative Marketing & Event Concepts
25 Years
Kimberley Tenderenda, CMP, CMM, HMCC - Merck & Co.
Angela Langham, CMP - Loews Coronado Bay Resort & Spa
22 Years
MaryAnne Kanacki, CMP - Dragonfly Agency Corporation
19 Years
Trish Rafferty, CMP - Maritz
Holly Polo - Bracco Diagnostic Inc
18 Years
Michelle Phillips, CMP - SignatureXperiences
11 Years
Pia Carpenter - El Conquistador
10 Years
Angelina Palmieri - D Lawrence Planner
6 Years
Nicole Kanacki, HMCC - The Lockwood Group
4 Years
Amy Pirrello, CMP - Verizon Communications
2 Years
Ilyssa Swenor, HMCC - Health & Wellness Partners, LLC
1 Year
Rochelle Moneta - LeRoe Promotional Marketing
Tadri Edmonds
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WELCOME NEW MEMBERS:
Let's celebrate our newest members!
- Joy Madden-Geiger - MedLearning Inc.
- Christie Watson, CMP
- Danielle Wink - New Jersey Business & Industry Association
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Photos Courtesy of Corsair Productions, LLC | |
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MPI New Jersey hosted the 26th Annual Golf Event at Crystal Springs Resort on June 25th with over 165 attendees. We want to thank all our sponsors and foursome hosts who supported this event. Their support ensures that MPI New Jersey can continue to be innovative.
Below is a recap of the event from the unique attendee perspectives of a long-time planner attendee, and first-time event supplier attendee.
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A Planner's Perspective
By Pamela Esbrandt Wynne, CMM, HMCC, CMP
Director, Talent-Acquisition, Inizio Engage XD
Another successful MPI New Jersey Golf Event was held on June 25th at Crystal Springs Resort and Spa in Hamburg, New Jersey. We have been hosting this outing for over 25 years and it is THE signature event for our chapter. The day truly has it all – Networking, Education (OK, wine tasting but hey, it is still educational and in the hospitality field), great food, and of course golf. Even though I haven’t taken out the sticks for a year I actually won the closest to the pin and hit a few long putts, so I guess it is like riding a bike!! I am just so proud of this chapter. I have been a member for over 20 years and every year the committee puts on a fabulous event.
We could not pull off this event without our loyal sponsors. They show up with great attitudes, promote their properties and services, provide great hospitality, fun giveaways and contests on the course and throughout the day. Their ongoing support of our event shows their commitment to relationship building. It is so critical in this day of digital communication and fast-paced work to continue to meet face to face. Through the years, the relationships with suppliers have led to lifelong friendships, sharing our successes, accomplishments, joys and sorrows. And boy can we laugh more than any other industry!! The golf outing for me is not only a great way to back away from the desk for a bit but also a chance to feed my extrovert needs.
A true testament to how important and meaningful the event is was having one of our long term members, Nancy Miller, come up from Florida to attend!! The suppliers attend from all over but to have a planner who has since retired come and support her former MPI NJ colleagues was amazing!
I love that there is a little something for everyone at this event. It is great seeing our newer members and suppliers in attendance. The outing is one of the reasons this chapter attracts all ages. We have added a fun Sip and Dine with a putt putt competition for the non-golfers – a chance to network and learn about wine from a world-class sommelier. This addition has been unique and puts us a step ahead of a typical golf outing! Thank you MPI New Jersey for another memorable event.
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A Supplier’s Perspective
By Meredith Dickinson, Business Development Manager, Renault Winery
I was very excited to attend the MPI NJ Golf Event for the first time this year. I already knew that it would be a great event, but I didn’t realize until experiencing it that it would be one of my favorite events in the industry. I had so much fun while also making new friends in our industry. The MPI NJ Board and Members that make up this wonderful organization have been so welcoming and supportive.
The MPI NJ Putt, Sip and Dine was truly an extraordinary event. You can tell that the chapter works very hard on this event to make it a success. To begin, we were all split into groups to play a full 18 holes of Putt Putt. My team included Monique Philbert of Prudential, Corinne Thomas of Absolute Events and Jackie Morris from Royal Caribbean. To say we had fun would be an understatement. The putt putt is not your traditional putt putt course at the shore, so it was challenging at times but also really fun. There were also beverage carts that came around and we were told to try a Transfusion as it is the popular golfer’s cocktail (that was also President Eisenhower’s favorite).
Once we finished our round, we joined the rest of the group in the Napa Room in the Crystal Springs Wine Cellar. Here we learned how to taste wine and also gained knowledge about how to determine the sweetness level on sparkling wines by terms used on labels like Brut, Extra Brut, Sec, and more. We were guided by two wonderful Sommeliers through a flight of four wines that ranged in varietals and region. We also got to enjoy a selection of charcuterie items while sipping our wine.
After the wine tasting, we had the pleasure of receiving a guided tour of Crystal Springs Wine Cellar. Each room in the wine cellar represents a region and showcases the best wines from that region. It was an extraordinary selection of wine.
We joined the rest of the golfers in the Pavilion for the dinner reception. They announced all the winners of the Golf Outing and Putt Putt here. We enjoyed a delicious meal and scenic background in the large Pavilion tent. This was a great time to network with all the wonderful planners and suppliers there. It’s events like these that make a great place for planners and suppliers to come together to share ideas and meet new people. The MPI NJ Golf Outing is so successful because it is truly experiential and beneficial to its members, which is what brings everyone back each year. I look forward to coming back every year in the future!
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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 serving on a committee. When you GIVE your time, you GET so much more in return and GROW in ways you never expected.
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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 X (formerly Twitter), to stay up to date on Chapter happenings! We look forward to hearing from you. | |
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS | |
Official technology partner of MPI New Jersey
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