“Should I stay or should I go now?
Should I stay or should I go now?
If I go, there will be trouble
And if I stay it will be double…”
The Clash
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Hello everyone! I thought that I would date myself this month with a classic from The Clash. Maybe it was the 80s movie marathon this weekend on AMC, but I thought this was a true testament about how so many of us are feeling. “Should I go to this event in person or should I stay home?” Just know that you aren’t alone in thinking that way, and it looks like it might be our reality for the next couple of months at least.
I want to give a huge shout-out to Gary Musick, his entire team at Gary Musick Productions, Bob Anderson, Songdivision, Dwayne Bass Photography, Brad Lehman and our Education team for the fantastic presentation and networking event Wednesday, August 19. I’ve heard nothing but compliments so thank you!
Congratulations to Jessica Pettit for being selected as our Speaker of the Year, and Holiday Inn Express Nashville Downtown for getting top votes for Venue of the Year! This month we will be awarding our Pillar and Volunteer Awards so be sure to attend our MIX event on September 15 to see who won.
Fall is in the air. This past week my son left for his junior year at University of Tennessee Knoxville, and I realized that instead of gaining the “Freshman 15”, I’ve managed to pack on the “COVID 19”. Not a good look for me, but some days Ben & Jerry really understand and support what I’m going through. Love those guys.
I know 2020 continues to challenge all of us, but we are lucky to have each other to lean on when times get even tougher. Your MPI Board and I are always available, so don’t be afraid to reach out; you are the reason our chapter is amazing!
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Until we meet again,
Jill
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We hope everyone in our MPI family is staying safe and healthy as we continue to battle COVID-19 and the affect it is having on our industry and our membership. Our board is here for you if you need anything. We hope the information below is helpful to you as we all navigate the near future. Please reach out to any of us directly if you are struggling, have questions, or just need to chat. |
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MPI Tennessee Financial Assistance – If you have lost your job,suffering financial hardship during this time and are unable to attend our events, please take a moment to fill out the Financial Hardship Form. We value you and would love to continue seeing you at our membership events! Click below to fill out a form!
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MPI Member Resume Support – Did you know that MPI members have access to complimentary resume critique through our career centre? Members will need their MPI username/password to access this service. Click on the following link and follow the path listed to have your resume critiqued: www.mpi.org > Resources > Career Center > Sign In > go to My Account (top left corner) > go to Resume > check mark “Send me my free professional resume critique from TopResume” > click on Upload Resume to, you guessed, upload your resume.
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MPI Global Member Assistance Program: We do not want to lose any of you as members. For those whose jobs have been affected by COVID-19, MPI Global has several options to help if you are up for renewal, and they will be reaching out to you. You can also contact MPI Global directly at help@mpi.org, call 972-702-3053, or fill out and follow the instructions in this form.
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Update Membership Profile: If you or someone you know has new contact information, be sure to reach out to us at info@mpitn.org or 615-373-8002 so we can update that information with our chapter and MPI Global. Remember, your membership belongs to you and follows you even when your employer changes.
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MPI Tennessee Private Facebook: Join our private Facebook page to learn more about these events and to connect with the fun and informative things going on with our MPI Family.
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Do you want to become an MPI Tennessee Chapter
sponsor and partner with the state's largest,
most vibrant community of meeting and event professionals?
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For more information, contact MPI Tennessee's Director of Strategic Alliances, Ashleigh Cote! |
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Virtual Escape Game MIX - September 15, 4:00-5:30pm
Join us for a virtual escape room game! We will divide everyone into small teams to solve puzzles together and race to escape. The experience is curated from an events perspective, so it is completely seamless from start to finish. We are very excited to partner with Roobicks for this specially priced event, available only to MPI Tennessee. There will be some time at the end to ask questions and learn more about Roobicks’ other offerings. Our Pillar and Volunteer of the Year awards will also be presented!
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Membership 101 - October 20 Location TBD
Come join MPI Tennessee for Membership 101 (previously New Member Orientation). This event will act as an orientation for new members as well as a networking and benefits refresher for current members. We will cover scholarships, award nominations, using the membership directory as a resource, how to showcase yourself and your company to the global MPI community, and more!
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- An Exceptional Education Event - October 21
- MPI Tennessee's 40th Birthday Celebration - November 12, One Fourteen at Wildhorse
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Leadership Academy - October 23 at Aloft Nashville West End |
Are you an industry leader looking for an opportunity to showcase your skills and contribute to the success of the MPI Tennessee Chapter? If so, consider attending our annual Leadership Academy.
Leadership Academy is a leadership training program designed for active MPI Tennessee Chapter Members who are interested in future leadership roles within the chapter.
This one-day session will help you learn about the chapter structure and organization, as well as sharpen your skills as an emerging leader and volunteer.
Learning Objectives include:
· Provide you with an overview of MPI Tennessee chapter operations
· Help you understand the commitment and duties of serving on the Board of Directors
· Encourage you to remain engaged and continue your leadership journey with MPI
This complimentary event is offered in October to all MPI Tennessee Chapter members. More information to come soon!
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WEC Grapevine - November 3-6, 2020 |
COVID-19 has challenged our profession. But we have been tested many times before. Each time, we’ve proved our resiliency, bouncing back more quickly than expected and serving as the guiding light for growth and stability. Because when people get together, things get done.
Our aim at WEC Grapevine will be the same as before—we’ll show you how to create authentic experiences— with a new focus and renewed sense of purpose in light of all we’ve just been through. It will be a different WEC compared to past years, but one that’s right for you and all you work for.
Join us, where we’ll reunite to recover, reconnect to restore, and return our profession back to the center of economic growth.
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The importance of equality, diversity and inclusion cannot be understated. MPI Tennessee is developing a Diversity and Inclusion Committee to focus attention on the needs of individuals in our industry and membership who feel they are discriminated against, without regard to age, color, disability, family responsibility, gender, gender identity, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion or sexual orientation.
We invite you to please fill out the anonymous survey below.
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If you did not know, 2020 is MPI Tennessee's 40th Anniversary!! For the remainder of 2020, we will be highlighting long-term members and celebrating the history of our chapter through storytelling. Thank you to the 40th Anniversary committee for all of your hard work on this project! |
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When I think about MPI Tennessee, I have so many memories that it’s difficult to single out one “best memory” or one “best experience” along this past 16-year journey. I have met most of my industry connections, resources, and dear friends at our monthly meetings - from boardrooms and networking functions to the annual WEC conferences. (BTW - The name WEC used to be MeetDifferent.)
I owe so much of my career's success to this organization! I joined MPI in 2004. A short couple of years later I was attending an event at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Vicki Ballard was the President at the time. She said one sentence that changed my life. She said, “I see you as a future President of our chapter”. Honestly, until that moment, I had never thought of that trajectory for my path. She planted the seed (because our words have power) and in 2010 that became a reality for me thanks to Vicki speaking those words into the universe!
When I think about the chapter and reflect on memories … I always think about a few people who have impacted me the most. As with many other members, one person who was instrumental in my journey was Carol Norfleet. I had the distinct pleasure of watching Carol in action, radiating all the passion that she not only showed our chapter but our entire industry with her unwavering support, mentoring and extensive knowledge. I mean, you couldn’t help but be in awe as you watched her lead! She was a natural-born leader!
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Congratulations to our 2019-2020 Circle of Excellence Winners!
Join us on September 15 when we announce our Pillar and Volunteer of the Year Award Winners!
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Congratulations to our August Rockstar!
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Don Osborn
Don, Director of Sales at Wildhorse Saloon, has been a wonderful supporter and former VP of Membership for MPI Tennessee. From sponsoring our events, including our smash virtual MIX event in July, to hosting our upcoming 40th Birthday celebration, Don is truly an example of being of service. Thank you Don!
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Congratulations to our members, Heather Gibson and Ruthie Rudnick for earning their Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) certification! |
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We want to know more about you! Our membership is diverse, and we have grown so much over the last few years. We want to recognize each of you and help all of us feel more connected by learning more about each other.
Click on the link below to fill out our Member Spotlight form. We will include your responses in newsletters, social media posts, and other MPI Tennessee communications. Don't forget to include your picture!
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As we start to reopen business after the COVID-19 "Safe At Home" orders, we know businesses will start to re-hire their employees. However, some businesses will need new candidates to join their team. If your organization is looking for a new team member, click this link to fill out the online job submission form, and we will make sure to
include it in our next MPI Tennessee Newsletter and on social media.
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New to the family in July |
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Heather Gibson
Quest Events
Heather Beardsley
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Congratulations to our members celebrating
an MPI anniversary in September!
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Kate Shattuck, CMP - 9 years
Mindy S Powell-Hardy - 8 years
Kristi M Sowards - 7 years
Susan C Zoesch - 7 years
Brittany Anne Baugh, CMP - 6 years
Sandy Harris - 6 years
Melanie Blanche, CMP - 5 years
Virginia Hemby-Grubb, CHE, COI - 5 years
Daniel Camp - 4 years
Kermit Madison - 4 years
Vivian Rucker - 4 years
Amy Stuart - 3 years
Jamie Armistead, CMP - 3 years
Andrea Santini - 2 years
Cindy Stephens - 1 year
Elizabeth Harris - 1 year
Kahla L Williams - 1 year
Kimberly Radford, CMP - 1 year
Margaret Houts - 1 year
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*Note: If you notice that your designation or years of membership are wrong, or you don't see your name, your profile on MPI Global's website may need to be updated! Log in to your profile on www.mpi.org to make changes, or contact us at 615-373-8002 if you have any questions.
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