August 2018
Special Features In This Issue
  • Why You Should Support the MPI Foundation by Kristy Burns, MPI/NE President-Elect

  • Graceful Exit Strategies by Robbie Samuels

  • CMP Corner: Which One Has To Happen First? by Joanne Dennison

  • August 25-26, 2018 - CMP Two Day Intensive Class in Rhode Island

  • New Members who joined MPI/NE in July

  • Meet Corie Rand in the Volunteer Member Spotlight

  • Photos from the Summer Industry Outing in our Instant Replay
President's Corner
By Kristy Burns, CMP
President-Elect

The MPI Foundation: What It Is and Why You Should Support It

The MPI Foundation is a non-profit organization that supports the advancement of MPI members by assisting them with professional development and career opportunities through grants and scholarships.

I can personally attest to the value and importance of the Foundation. Earlier in my career, prior to becoming a member of the Board, the Foundation awarded me two scholarships.

Do you want to obtain your CMP but your current employer cannot assist you with the costs? Do you have a desire to attend the MPI World Education Congress but it’s not in the budget? Do you long to attend the Royal Caribbean Experiential Event to learn how large-scale meetings are hosted on a cruise ship, but you feel that ship has sailed? The MPI Foundation can assist with all these opportunities, they offer scholarships to assist with membership costs, professional development and conference attendance.
   
The Foundation is funded in part by individual chapters hosting fun social events such as our May outing to the Red Sox game and our previous events where we hosted reverse karaoke, a 5K road race, and the bowling tournament. Your participation in these events allows you a chance to have fun, socialize, and help the professional development of our members, including you!

Next time you see me at an MPI New England event please feel free to ask me about my experiences and let me tell you how helpful the Foundation can be to your career and personal development. 

Graceful Exit Strategies
By Robbie Samuels, Professional Speaker, Podcast Host, Coach

You’ve done it! You’re in a conversation at the conference. You feel like it’s going well
and you’ve enjoyed chatting. The whole time you’ve been a little nervous because you
never know how to wrap up conversations and often feel like you get stuck in them.

Going to networking events can have its challenges: For some attendees getting into a conversation is difficult, but for many wrapping up a conversation is the real challenge.

How do you know when to move on, and how do you wrap up a conversation
gracefully?

Tips for the CMP Exam:
Which One Has to Happen First?
By Joanne Dennison, CMP, MSEd

If you are preparing to sit for the CMP exam, here is a very useful video to help you answer the questions successfully. If two answers appear to be correct, think about which one has to happen first?
Whether you are preparing for your CMP exam, going through re-certification or wanting to learn practical applications for each of the CMP domains, Joanne’s Meeting and Event Intensive Two Day Class provides valuable education.

The next regional class is taking place on Saturday/Sunday August 25 & 26, 2018 at Johnson & Wales University.  

This Month's Event
Event Technology:
Hands-on With What's Trending, a View into What's Next
While meeting professionals now have a portfolio of expected technologies -- registration platforms, event apps, audience response systems, etc. – the landscape of the event technologies has grown 70% in just the last two years. In this three part session, we will go beyond the expected and dig into the hottest and newest technologies in the meetings and events industry.

Attendees will discover the latest emerging event technologies, learn about the changing event technology provider landscape, and be inspired by examples from recent events. With hands-on demos, each attendee will explore new approaches for modernizing networking, try platforms that help educate their audiences, and unpack opportunities with new technologies (e.g., brainwear, VR/AR/MR, and more). Altogether, each attendee with leave with a notebook full of ideas, action items, and event technologies that they can bring into their event programs at all price-points. 

Get ready to play - there will be hands-on demonstrations of these latest technologies during the registration hour and the networking reception. 

This session has been approved for 1.5 CE’s, Domain G: Meeting or Event Design 

Program Itinerary
5:30pm - 6:30pm  Registration
6:30pm - 7:45pm  Education Meeting, Hands-on demos of latest technology trends
7:45pm - 8:30pm  Reception & Networking

Sincere Thanks to our Valuable Event Sponsors:

  • Cramer
  • Consider It Done Special Events
  • Consider It Poured
  • Klik
  • VDA Productions
  • Cort
               
When You Buy MPI , So Do Our Members!
With Bermuda’s largest, most varied convention and meeting venues,
Fairmont Southampton offers everything required for engaging and exciting group events. Orchestrate a meeting to remember, enjoy a seamless and stress-free
event experience and then when it’s time to relax, catch the waves at the
Fairmont Beach Club or step outside your door for a round of golf at our par-three,
18-hole championship Turtle Hill Golf Club.

Contact us for our special group rates
starting at $199 from November 2018 through March 2019.

Included in the room rates for this period will be:
Complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the Hotel and Meeting Space
Complimentary One Hour “Taste of Bermuda” Reception
25% off Golf at The Turtle Hill Golf Club
One Complimentary Treatment per 30 Paid Treatments at Willow Stream Spa
One Complimentary Room for every 35 rooms booked
VIP Suite Upgrades

Contact Christine Sullivan today at (212) 715-7031 or
christine.sullivan@fairmont.com to begin planning your next meeting or event.

Promotion available for new group bookings and is not combinable with any other
offer. Promotion subject to availability at time of request and subject to change without notice.
Rates quoted are for Fairmont category rooms.
To connect with Jenn Allard, our Advertising Sales Representative , on marketing opportunities through MPI New England, click Here .
Member Corner 
Welcome to these Members that joined in July!

Jenn Artura, Veritas Technologies LLC, Senior Director Global Strategic Events

Brandon Barker , National Grid, Event Coordinator

Samantha Berrick , Del Frisco's Restaurant Group, Sales & Event Planner

Steve Halligan , Ice 9 Productions, Director of Business Development

Sara Hedges , Santhera Pharmaceuticals (USA), Inc.          

Beth Nicholson , Hologic, Inc., Project Manager, Tradeshows and Events

Olga Ramos , Aloft Boston Seaport District, Event Manager

Anita Rossi , Classic Yacht Charters, Owner

Barbara Scofidio , Prevue, Editor                                           

Laurie Snelson , Mass Hospital Assn, Sr. Associate, Sales & Marketing Conference Center

Elana Wilner , Innovation Leader, Event Manager

Want to Strengthen a Friendship in the Industry? Refer a Friend!

When a new member joins and uses the MyFriendMPI  promo code, they will receive $50 off their membership. The referring member identified on the application will also receive a $25 credit that may be applied towards their next renewal. The Refer a Friend voucher can be found HERE.

Click Here to Get Started Today!               
Volunteer Member Spotlight
Corie and Lisa Santoro at the the May Membership event.
Corie Rand, CMP, CTSM
Event Management Professional and
MPI Member Since 1996

Corie is a seasoned meeting & event planner and a long-time member of MPI.  Taking advantage of some new found time, she is now doing contract work and volunteering, not only with MPI on the Education Committee, but with a wellness center for those affected with Parkinson Disease. She is planning their annual fund raising gala taking place in August.
 
I asked Corie what it is that keeps her connected to MPI and here’s what she said.
 
Re-joining a committee with MPI/NE has been great. I had been away from volunteering for about 3 years due to work/travel, etc and it has been fun being back, being a team member, reconnecting with old friends, meeting new and creating a great (hopefully!!) August event! It’s funny, I have been a member of MPI since 1996 and have volunteered a few times then have taken breaks because of life or whatever, but I always seem to find my way back because it is a great community.
 
Next time you see Corie, be sure to ask her about being a “Corner-Man”!
Upcoming Chapter Events  
Add these events to your calendar and stay tuned for updates on all of our Upcoming Events.

August 25-26, 2018 - Meeting & Event Two-Day Intensive:
Where : Johnson & Wales University, 8 Abbot Park Place, Providence, RI
Facilitator : Joanne Dennison, CMP, MSEd
Topic : CMP Exam Preparation

September 26, 2018 - 5:30-8:30pm:
Where: The Row Hotel, 360 Foley Street, Somerville, MA 02145
Speaker:  Peter McLaughlin, Partner, Burns & Levinson LLP
Topic: A legal discussion regarding GDPR and security with technology trends.

October 24, 2018 - Exact time to be advised, scheduled to be a Breakfast Meeting:
Where : AC Hotel Boston Downtown @ Ink Block, 223 Albany St, Boston, MA 02118
Speaker : Greg Stone, President, Stone Communications and Author of Artful Business: 50 Lessons From Creative Geniuses
Topic: Communication

November 19-20, 2018 - Fall Educational Institute:
Where: Rhode Island Convention Center, One Sabin Street, Providence, RI
Instant Replay - Summer Industry Outing 
We did not miss the boat! But just in case you did...

While the dark clouds loomed ominously over the Boston sky, our event co-chairs, sponsors and partners remained optimistic and finalized the set up for the social event of the summer. Just as our first guests stepped aboard The Majesty, the rain subsided and made way for a beautiful sun “soaked” evening. By the time the Majesty embarked for the cruise around Boston Harbor, the close to 100 guests were immersed in conversation while enjoying the delicious food & beverages provided by the crew of The Majesty and Boston Harbor Cruises.

Our Event Sponsor, Christine Sullivan, Associate Director, Group Sales of the Fairmont Southampton Bermuda added event more excitement to the evening and delighted one guest with a complimentary 3 night stay at the resort. Who would not have wanted that!?

As if the evening could not have gotten better, MPI/NE also donated $415 collected from raffle sales to the Piers Park Sailing Center , a  community sailing center dedicated to providing accessible educational, recreational, and personal growth opportunities for people of all ages and abilities through sailing and marine science on Boston Harbor. 


Sincere thanks to our Event Sponsor, The Fairmont Southampton Bermuda as well as Boston Harbor Cruises and FUN Enterprises.