PlanIt Tennessee
October 2013

 

In This Issue
Event Calendar
MPI:TN Facebook
CMP Program
Advertisers' Index
We Need Member News
President's Message
Social Media Links!
Thank You to Our Sponsors!
Membership
Professional Education and Member Support
Member News

Upcoming Events

 
Wednesday, October 16 - Central Educational Luncheon.  

Please join us for "Hotel InduSTRy Overview" by STR presented by Brittany Baldwin, GCSP of Smith Travel Research, Inc at Embassy Suites Cool Springs/Nashville South from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.  Click here for more information and to register for the event.

 


Website Banner

Stay up-to-date on what's happening!

www.tnmpi.org

Sponsorship   
PLATINUM PARTNERS

  Grand Ave logo - 2011   
 
GOLD PARTNERS

SILVER PARTNERS
Anchor Tours
Big Events Inc.
BSA/Brantley Sound Associates, Inc.
Clayton Center for the Arts/Maryville College 
Country Music Hall of Fame� and Museum
Drury Plaza Franklin
Embassy Suites Nashville South/Cool Springs
EventGenuity
Gary Musick Productions
Graceful Tables
Hard Rock Cafe/Gatlinburg
Hard Rock Cafe/Memphis
Hard Rock Cafe/Nashville
Hilton Nashville Downtown
Hutton Hotel
Liberty Party Rental 
NetConnect Group
PSAV Presentation Services 
   RiverStone Resort & Spa
 Schenk Photography
Union Station Hotel 
United Airlines    
 
  
Do you want to become a MPI:TN sponsor
and partner with the state's largest and most vibrant community of meeting and event professionals!   

For more information contact
Scott WrightDirector of Strategic Alliances for MPI:TN.


 
MPI:TN FaceBook!

If you're not keeping up with MPI:TN on Facebook, 
become a Fan today!

Find us on Facebook

CMP
Future CMPs

  

Interested in the CMP process? Visit the MPI:TN website, or contact one of the regional representatives below.

 

MEMPHISCindy Brewer, CMP

 

NASHVILLE - Carol Norfleet, CMP


KNOXVILLE -
Donna Thomas, CMP

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Advertiser's Index
 

 Check out MPI:TN's new Advertisers' Index at

MPI:TN Website -- Marketplace Page -- Advertiser's Index

 

 

Once you see it, you'll want to be seen and found there! Low-cost, high-value marketing opportunity for year-round visibility on the MPI:TN web site!

 

For more information, email:

Scott Wright at scott@visitmusiccity.com



Member News (2)

Do YOU have Member News to share?

If so, please email it to info@tnmpi.org and put "Member News" in the Subject Line. 

We can't promise to run everything, but we'll do our best! 

 
Melanie Clifford President Banner Header

Melanie Clifford

   

As I was driving home from the Road Trip I was thinking about the event and the impact it has had on our chapter over the last few years. Let me share a few facts with you.


The Let MPI Rock Your World Road Trip was initially designed as a membership recruitment event. Here are a few interesting facts.....
 

In 2011 we traveled in style compliments of Grand Avenue. Sponsored by Hard Rock, our events were held in their cafes in Gatlinburg, Knoxville and Memphis. Our keynote speaker was Jim Knight, head trainer for Hard Rock. In 3 days we had 389 tweets, over 200 Facebook postings and over 200 photographs posted regarding the event. In addition, the event was translated in 5 languages within our MPI global community. We gained 21 new members as a result of the event. And we won the prestigious MPI RISE Award for Community Achievement in Knowledge and Ideas.



In 2012 we traveled across the state once again compliments of Grand Avenue. The events were held in museums across the state celebrating the 40th Anniversary of MPI. Our keynote speaker was Jeffrey Magee. In 3 days we had over 300 tweets, over 100 Facebook postings and over 150 photos posted regarding the events. We had a record 17 sponsors and gained 23 new members. The East Region and the West Region events won meetings of the year. 

In 3 years we have given away 9 FREE MPI memberships, logged 2,640 miles, had 763 tweets, 385 Facebook postings, over 375 photos, 26 sponsors, event translated into 5 languages, and have so far gained 44 new members as a result of the road trip. In addition, we supported and gave back to local charities in each region.


It took many, many volunteers to make these events happen. They worked together across all three regions to continue to build and grow our chapter. And this is why I love our chapter. So I say thank you for being a member and thank you for being a volunteer! 

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

   

 

 

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I wanted to extend a very sincere and heart felt THANK YOU to the members of my MPI Tennessee Family.

Something that our speaker John Chen said last week was ..."you were not just joining an organization, but a family" . No truer words have been spoken. I felt this way during the flood of 2010, when Dave and Busters was closed for 18 months and I feel that way again with the generosity of donations that were brought in for the soldiers of the 251st Military Police Company!
As most were not able to attend the West meeting of the Road Show (which was AWESOME !!!) But John Chen, surprised me/us with a grant from his foundation matching our donations up to $500! Can you say WOW!!! And our friends at Fed-ex have agreed to ship complimentary...again can you say WOW !!!!

So I am very overwhelmed and appreciative ...and at a loss for words, as a simple Thank You does not seem appropriate. Please know that I and the soldiers receiving your items are MOST APPRECIATIVE! I hope to have pictures once our items arrive.

Again, thank you.   
Scarlett R. Coffman, CMP

Connect with MPI TN Today!

Your Tennessee Chapter of  MPI is loaded with Social Media Opportunities.... so if you have not  "Liked Us"... Facebook,  "Linked with Us"...Linked In, "Pinned Us"....Pinterest or "Tweated with Us" .... Twitter

Please use the links below to Follow us TODAY!

Pinterest
http://pinterest.com/tnmpi/

LinkedIn
http://goo.gl/S8eFBx

Facebook 
 Twitter
http://twitter.com/TNMPI
    
 




  

What are your connections?!?!

I have been a member with MPI for 5 years and I cannot count the number of connections I've made with suppliers and fellow planners in this organization.  We, at Emdeon, are always looking for new vendors/ideas and MPI is a great resource for building and making those relationships.

Since keeping track of my Connections in 2012,
Emdeon has spent over $730K with vendors through MPI:TN.  Be sure to enter your "connections" online by clicking here.  This is a great resource to validate your membership.  Our YTD total dollars spent are $152,588.59.  Unfortunately, that's probably not even half of the business that is done, but not captured.  If you have any questions or need assistance please feel free to contact me at karogers@emdeon.com

Check out the Event Sponsors Page by clicking here

 

 

Money Man   

 


 

Have you changed jobs recently?  Has your contact information changed?  Have you received a promotion or recently received your CMP or CMM certifications?

Be sure to update your information with MPI Global. This is the only way your information is updated on the Global level as well as the Chapter level. Follow these steps to update your information: Login to your MPI Global account by visiting www.mpiweb.org. Click on "Member Information" in the Quick Links section on the left navigation toolbar. Then click "Account Information." There you will be able to change your password, update contact info, etc.  Please contact us by clicking here if you can't remember your username and password for the mpiweb.org site.  
 

 

 

Thinking about volunteering with MPI?  Click here for many reasons why you should be volunteering with MPI TN!    


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Are you getting the most out of your membership?

It's a fact: You realize more benefits from your MPI membership the more time and effort you put into it!  Join us for New Member Orientation at 10:30 am on Wednesday, October 16th immediately before our monthly educational meeting at the Embassy Suites Nashville - South/Cool Springs.  Learn more about educational and networking opportunities, sponsorship, and how to connect through volunteering & service!  Please RSVP to Jessica Pfranger, jpfranger@countrymusichalloffame.org.

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Mark your calendars - the Connect Education and Trade Show is moving to the spring.  Save the date for April 16, 2014.  Hosted by the Cannery Ballroom, this half-day event will provide education from industry leaders, face-to-face networking time for planners and suppliers, and time to connect with your peers.  Don't miss this opportunity to earn CEUs to go toward your CMP designation or re-certification!

 
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Updated CMP Study Sessions!

 

CMP Study Sessions for 2013 will be held at the HCA Headquarters, Building 2 at 2515 Park Plaza Nashville, 37203.

Park in visitors parking in front of the building
"Conference Center"
Enter the main front doors
Take the elevators from the lobby to the LL
Turn left into the Conference Center 


The CMP Study Group continues in September.  The Study Group dates are noted below.  Each session will be from 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm at the HCA Offices.  At each session we will review the different section of the CMP Blueprint and those sessions are noted as follows:



 
Tuesday, October 15

Domain H Site Management
Domain J Professionalism

 

Also, there will be a special CMP Boot Camp prior to each exam window. This session will be a quick review just before the exam answering any last minute questions or test concerns.  Each Boot Camp also will be from 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm at the HCA Offices.

The CMP Boot Camp dates are:

Tuesday November 5   

 

Hours spent in the Study Groups do count as classroom hours for the CMP application.  If you have not completed your application and are in need of hours to fulfill the new minimum of 25 classroom hours, the Study Groups are a great way to gain hours.

Participants for any/all of the sessions will need to register with Carol Norfleet, CMP, DMCP at the email address below.

 

 

Please contact Carol Norfleet, CMP with any questions.

  

Carol Norfleet, CMP, DMCP

Executive Vice President and COO

Destination Nashville, A Global Events Partner

(615) 851-9190               Phone

(615) 354-4254               Cell

(615) 851-0941               Fax

cnorfleet@destinationnashville.com     www.destinationnashville.com

  

 
  

  

Congratulations to Erika Biddix, CMP, your Vice President of the East Region, on earning her CMM designation!  

Check out photos of some of the recent MPI:TN events at our Facebook page by clicking here!

 

 

 

  

 

Members Celebrating September MPI Anniversaries:

 

25 years

Karen Ruttman, CMP, Bridgestone Americas, Inc.

19 years

Melody Carr, HCA 
17 years 

Michael Owen, EventGenuity, LLC 

11 years 

Bill Canter, Tunica Convention & Visitors Bureau 
8 years

Angela Layton, CMP, CMM, HealthTech
Jennifer Hewson, Aloft Nashville West End 

7 years

Caroline Platz, Loews Vanderbilt Hotel 

6 years

Chera Wilbanks, Crave Design & Catering
Dena Tidwell, Wildhorse Saloon
Carol Luttrell, FedEx Services
4 years 
Meg Caldwell, CMP, Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club & Spa
Carrie Steinbeck, Ingram Content Group
3 years  
Courtney Shelton, University of Memphis
Nancy Monohan, CMP, The Bridge Group, LLC
Matthew Redd, Vanderbilt University 
Vicki Esponge, CMP, Integrated Solutions and Services, Inc.
Leanne Gustie, Emdeon 
2 years
Charlotte Coffer, CMP, Scripps Networks Interactive
Brent Long
1 year
Pamela Proctor, FedEx Corp
Janice Woodall, Valentino's Ristorante
Maneka Johnson, DoubleTree Hotel Memphis Downtown 


New Members
 
Noah Bradford, Riverstone Resort & Spa 
Janae Cook, DoubleTree Hotel Memphis Downtown 
Baylee Price, Student 
Dannah Scott, Sheraton Memphis Downtown 
Ryan Sedlacek, Consolidated Graphics 
Kristi Sowards, SMG/Knoxville Convention Center 
Susan Zoesch, Dick's Last Resort Restaurants