Melanie Clifford

 Tennessee is the place to be! Everywhere you look, people are talking about Tennessee.  The CMA's, the opening of the Omni Hotel in Nashville, fall in the Smokies, the opening the LeConte Center in Pigeon Forge are just a few reasons.

And now it is time for the transition from Fall to Winter.  In the Smokies the fall decorations are coming down and Christmas-Winter decor are going up.  Next week is the official start of Winterfest with millions upon millions of lights being turned on.

Are you making that transition?  What are you doing?  Next week, our chapter is honored to have Kix Brooks of Brooks and Dunn as our guest speaker.  There is still time to register.  Join us on the 13th at the Musicians Hall of Fame in Nashville.

Are you planning a Holiday Party or event?  Shop your fellow MPI members. The MPI: Tennessee Directory is now on line.  If are one those people who loved having the printed directory, you can now print it out monthly so that you have the most current list of members.  You now have the capability to have your own unique username and password.  Be sure to go to tnmpi.org to register so that you can have access to it.

Remember, to get the most out of your membership you need to come, you need to be involved and you need to be visible.

It is a pleasure to be your President for the 2013-2014 year.

Melanie Clifford 

Road Trip Thank You Note

 

Scarlett, 

I just had to share with you how much I enjoyed attending the MPI Roadshow luncheon last month!!!  After being out of work for several weeks, it was so nice to participate in this event, to feel part of a professional group.  This was my first event, but everyone was so welcoming; I felt comfortable right away!  Being on the job hunt can be a stressful venture and those I met personally were very encouraging, lifted my spirits.  I especially enjoyed John Chen and his presentation on Digital Team Building and Gameification and most exciting is I was able to use my newly learned term "gameifcation" during an interview the following week when discussing upcoming event planning for the firm and to feel confident during this line of questioning.  I could tell they were very impressed as they are looking for new ways to improve their events!!  Thank you again for the invite and the opportunity to learn and keep up to date with the latest trends in event planning.....By the Way I landed the job!!

Thanks again!!

Lee Ann Hansen

 

  

  

  

"I am Gary Musick and I am MPI. I love what we do." And I have the greatest job in the world.

When did you realize that you wanted to be in the meeting and event industry? 

I remember performing in my first live industrial show in 1982 for a major cosmetic company convention at Opryland Hotel.  I knew I wanted to produce events as a career when I walked into the ballroom for dress rehearsal and realized I was about to be on stage with the Nashville Symphony and Henry Mancini backed by a Dancing Waters display and huge concert sound, lighting, and video systems.  Corporate show business-what a concept!

What is your most memorable moment at a meeting or event?   

What is the most bizarre moment you've experienced at a meeting or event?

 Our company produced the opening ceremonies for the 1994 World Cup Games in Dallas, which at that time was the largest sporting event in the world. Our entire team had worked tirelessly on the show for over a year, and just as the show was about to begin, every major television network preempted the live broadcast with coverage of OJ Simpson driving down the interstate in his white Bronco. The show went on flawlessly, but the US television audience never saw it. I understand it got great ratings in Spain, though!

 How did you get connected to MPI, and how has it affected your life?

 I have been a member for 30 years. I joined shortly after becoming involved in the meetings industry. Many of the members back then were the charter members of the chapter. It was an exciting time in Nashville. Opryland Hotel had just been built, the new (now the old) convention center had recently opened, and the city was about to take off. MPI was unquestionably the most prestigious organization for professionals in our industry then, as it still is today. Many of my strongest professional and personal relationships came from my association with MPI, and I was proud to serve two terms as the President of the Tennessee Chapter. During those years we began the transition from Nashville Area Chapter Meeting Professionals International to TNMPI. Wow, it has come such a long way since then!