FSAE Source - September/October 2015

FLORIDA SOCIETY OF ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVES 2410 Mahan Drive, Suite 2 Tallahassee, FL 32308-5302 Change Service Requested

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Changes on the Horizon

Overtime Wages:

Membership Tips & Engagement Strategy 2015 FSAE Leadership Award Winners

SOURCE success by association WWW.FSAE.ORG

SEP/OCT 2015

SOURCE success by association

SEP/OCT 2015

2015 FSAE Leadership AWARD WINNERS

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Your Engagement Strategy:

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overtime wages: Changes on the horizon

14

12 time-tested membership tips

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Quick-Ceck for improved retention

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Tips

Special Section

For Members by Members FSAE Membership Snapshot

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New Members

18

Buyer’s Guide

36

2015 Annual Conference Review

20

Member News

26

North FL Meetings

38

Quiz: Are You Smarter?

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Foundation Investors

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Resorts & Spas

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Upcoming FSAE events September 30

Executive Series Luncheon

November 5

Central FL Power Luncheon

November 19

meeting planner roundtable

Hotel Duval, Tallahassee Sponsored by Experience Kissimmee

& Joint Board Meetings Mission Inn, Howie-in-the-Hills

Tallahassee Sponsored by Visit Tallahassee

October 8

November 10

december 9

finance/operations roundtable

101 Restaurant, Tallahassee

October 14

Education Expo

FSU Conference Center, Tallahassee Presenting Sponsor: Visit Tampa Bay

membership/communications Roundtable

Tallahassee

Power Luncheon

University Center Club, Tallahassee Sponsored by Daytona Beach Area CVB; Ocala/ Marion County VCB; and Visit Gainesville

November 18

technology roundtable

Madison Social, Tallahassee Sponsored by HostedNumbers

www.fsae.org

FSAE Staff

SOURCE

Florida Society of Association Executives 2410 Mahan Drive, Suite 2 Tallahassee, FL 32308-5302

editor Adrian Amos Honderick

Phone: (850) 222-7994 Fax: (850) 222-6350 fsae@fsae.org www.fsae.org

adrian@fsae.org; (850) 702-0946

suedamon1@aol.com; (850) 926-3318

publisher Frank Rudd, CAE, CMP

printer: Rose Printing

frank@fsae.org; (850) 702-0943

President/CEO Frank Rudd, CAE, CMP

Advertising Sales Sue Damon

(800) 227-3725

cover photo provided by copeland productions

frank@fsae.org; (850) 702-0943

Vice President, Membership & Development Hester Ndoja, CAE

hester@fsae.org; (850) 702-0944

Marketing, Communications & Technology Manager Adrian Amos Honderick

adrian@fsae.org; (850) 702-0946

Disclaimer: Articles in this publication are designed to provide accurate and authoritative information with respect to the subject matter covered. It is provided with the understanding that neither FSAE nor the authors are engaged in rendering legal or other professional services.

If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought.

Education & Events manager Kate Cruikshank, MS

kate@fsae.org; (850) 702-0942

Office Manager Sandy Merrill

sandy@fsae.org; (850) 702-0945

FSAE 2015 Education Expo October 14

FSU Conference Center, Tallahassee The Education Expo features a keynote and breakout sessions that offer education for all association management professionals to help sharpen skills and advance careers. Sessions include Opening Keynote: Help Me Understand™ with Monica Wofford, CSP; Overtime Laws: How Will Your Association be Affected? - Michael Spellman, Sniffen and Spellman, P.A.; What is Your Uber: Finding Your Future Association Disruption - Tom Morrison, Metal Treating Institute; and more!

www.fsae.org/EducationExpo 4 SEP/OCT 2015

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FROM THE chairs

Appreciate an Associate Member As you access FSAE services and attend events this year, I challenge you to look around and note the vast number of associate members in attendance. These valued members are crucial to us as association executives and to the continued existence of this organization.

rusty Payton, CAE, MBA FSAE Chair

As a relatively new Chief Executive Officer and Chief Lobbyist of an organization reinventing itself, I am in constant need of new service providers such as membership software, on-line education platforms, videography, and printing and publishing. There always seems to be a need for meeting space ranging from 10 people to 3,000. FSAE’s network of hoteliers and event properties is unparalleled. Because of FSAE, even an old-school lobbyist like me now has connections to purchase the best possible services and event spacing needs for our organization.

Imagine FSAE without our associate members. They provide great energy in planning and executing our annual meeting. They are willing to serve on committees, donating their time and energy to the betterment of this organization. They provide significant items to the FSAE Foundation’s Silent and Online Auctions and incredible accommodations for meetings such as the Board, CEO Retreat, and Think Tank. I for one get a headache trying to image FSAE without our associate members.

What is their expectation in return? Simple, do business with them. If you have a need, get in touch with an associate member whose services fill that need. You can find them in your Resource Directory or under “Find a Member” on the FSAE website. After all, this is what we as Association Executives ask of our members.

Hold on to Your Forks In my last article I talked about the importance of “giving back to those who are in need.”

Shortly after writing it, I got an email from a friend that I saved to use later…well, it is now later.

jaime caldwell, ache FSAE Foundation Chair

It was about a young woman who was diagnosed with a terminal illness and had a short time to live. She had gotten her life in order and then reached out to her pastor and asked him to visit so she could discuss her final wishes. She told him what songs she wanted sung, what scriptures she wanted read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in. The pastor wrote down all her wishes and was just about to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important that she had not mentioned.

After a minute, the young woman said, “I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand.” The Pastor didn’t quite know what to say. The young woman explained to the Pastor that her grandmother once told her a story that she tried to pass along. She said, “In all my years of attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, ‘Keep your fork.’ It was my favorite

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part because I knew that something better was coming…chocolate cake or deepdish apple pie. Something that would be wonderful and with substance.

“So, I want people to see me in the casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder, ‘What’s with the fork?’ Then I want you to tell them the story: Keep your fork… the best is yet to come.” While the message in the email talked about the woman’s grasp of heaven, I got to thinking about what our responsibility is as members of FSAE and that we should be telling fellow

members and potential members to “hang on to their forks, because the best is yet to come!”

Those of us who have been members of the Association for a few years know this is true. We have held on to our “forks” and we have seen, at every meeting, that we are enjoying the “best.” Don’t we have a responsibility to ensure that the sampling of the “something wonderful and with substance” is available for all? For those members who are just starting their journey up the promotional ladder or have been affected by circumstances beyond their control, shouldn’t we help?

Donating to the FSAE Foundation can be as easy as filling out a pledge card at one of the Association’s events, as part of your membership dues renewal or, simply, by going to the website and making a donation. When you do, aren’t you ensuring that “the best is yet to come” for someone else?

At the brand new full-service DoubleTree by Hilton St. Augustine Historic District, we understand how critical association meetings and events are to the success of your organization. Our goal is to provide you with both the most professional and engaging teams as well as convenient planning resources to make your next experience a success.

Whether reserving our boardroom or Anastasia Ballroom, you are sure to find the perfect meeting location! Brand new guest rooms and complimentary parking are just the beginning of pleasant surprises that will lead to an enjoyable and affordable meeting experience at the DoubleTree by Hilton St. Augustine Historic District!

Executive of the Year: Paul D. Ledford CAE, DPL

associate of the Year: darin henry

2015 fsae leadership award winners BY adrian amos honderick Every year at the FSAE Annual Conference we honor our executive and associate members for their exceptional leadership and service to FSAE and the association industry. This year we are pleased to present two new awards: Association of the Year and Supporting Associate Organization of the Year. It’s our pleasure to announce the 2015 FSAE Leadership Award Winners: • Executive of the Year: Paul D. Ledford CAE, DPL, President & CEO, FL Hospice & Palliative Care Association, Tallahassee • Associate of the Year: Darin Henry, Senior Sales Manager, Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa, Bonita Springs • Executive Rising Star: Christy Gandy, Director of Administration, FL Ports Council, Tallahassee • Associate Rising Star: Mary Malone, Sales Manager, Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay, Tampa • Association of the Year: FL Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Assn, Ocala • Supporting Associate Organizations of the Year: Marriott International and Site Search, Inc., St. Petersburg I had the pleasure of meeting with each winner and hearing their stories of working in the association industry and being a member of FSAE.

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Executive Rising Star: Christy Gandy

Associate Rising Star: Mary Malone

Executive of the Year: Paul Ledford, cae, dpl Paul Ledford, CAE, DPL grew up in Tallahassee and has been aware of associations all his life. As a child he saw association signs lining downtown’s buildings; as a teenager his parents’ friends and his friends’ parents worked for associations; as a teen and young adult he worked for local restaurants that catered association parties; and in college he worked on campaigns and saw the political and lobbying side of associations. It’s no surprise that the majority of Paul’s career has been leading associations as CEO and as a volunteer. We are happy to recognize Paul Ledford as FSAEs 2015 Executive of the Year for his service and dedication to the association industry!

Paul joined Florida Hospice & Palliative Care Association (FHPCA) in 2004 as CEO. In the past 11 years he’s grown the organization from a staff of two, to a full-service member association with six employees, and nearly doubled revenues. Founded as an educational charity in 1982, FHPCA is the leading voice in the hospice and palliative care sector of health care with members serving 98% of the hospice patients in Florida. The 41 hospice program members served over 118,000 patients in 2014 and touched about 1 million family members and loved ones.

“Hospice offers people a choice in care at the end of life,” Paul explained. “With traditional acute care treatment, end-of-life patients often reach a crisis point resulting in a 911 call, which starts a chain of events – an ambulance ride to the ER, aggressive treatment, admission to the ICU, stabilization, discharge, only to repeat the process at each crisis until the patient dies. This style of treatment is invasive, often chaotic, traumatic, and expensive, and not what most people desire at the end of life. To clarify, palliative medicine is the treatment of symptoms to relieve suffering, and it can be at the end of life, or in conjunction with curative therapies. A patient is eligible to elect hospice care if under the normal course of the disease they would be expected to die in six months or less. Hospice is there when a patient no longer has viable curative treatment options and wants to pursue comfort care. Hospice includes palliative medicine and therapies, incorporated into a care team that addresses the needs of the whole person (and their family), addressing physical, spiritual, emotional, and psychosocial needs. It was created to be a unique service. One of our missions is to provide educational opportunities for the care providers at all levels of the care team, for the business and back office side of things, and to provide information so that patients and their families understand the resources available to them at this difficult time. ”

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Association of the Year: FLorida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Assn Hospice started as a social change movement and grew dramatically in the 1980s with the passage of the Medicare Hospice Benefit. Now it’s common for a hospice to own ancillary service companies (like pharmacy, medical equipment and supply companies), and some have formed their own post-acute care health systems. Hospice is a $1.5 billion sector of health care in Florida, and Florida providers are among the top in the nation for the quality and scope of services provided. The high level of performance is made possible by a unique combination of factors, including Florida’s demographics, and a regulatory law that assures hospices entering the marketplace are focused on community needs and provide frequent “surveys” by state regulators. Because of these factors, Florida hospice programs are about ten times the size of the national average, providing remarkable economy of scale, resulting in broader services for the community. FHCPA programs connect patients and families to resources and education, and serve the professional caregivers in keeping their skills sharp, and being apprised of industry trends and best practices.

Paul doesn’t just believe in educating his members, he’s also a huge supporter of professional development for his staff. All staff are provided memberships to FSAE (and previously TSAE) and other professional associations they choose, and encouraged to actively pursue education. “I’ve experienced the multi-fold return on investing in staff’s professional development,” Paul said. “With opportunities to grow personally or professionally, we’ve experienced increased performance and higher morale. Employees can sharpen their skills and feel supported by the organization.

In fact, a personal continuing education plan is part of each employee’s annual evaluation.”

Paul joined FSAE and TSAE in 1998 and has remained a member and attended events in both organizations for the majority of that time (minus a brief stint with the Florida Chamber outside of the association realm, but he came back to us…). As a previous Coordinator and CoCoordinator for TSAE’s CEO Roundtable, Paul remembers conversations over 10 years ago regarding the merits of merging the two organizations. Serving on the TSAE Board in 2014, the perfect scenario arose to renew that

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Supporting Organizations of the Year: Marriott International and Site Search, Inc. conversation, and as the two boards sorted through it, there was agreement. He got involved on the Task Force for merging the two organizations to reach a win-win for everyone. “TSAE brought value, resources, and traditions to the table and the respective Boards recognized the opportunity to unify the incredible legacies of two outstanding organizations,” Paul said. “TSAE’s strength in peer to peer roundtable meetings and monthly luncheons were important for members and leadership to maintain.

Now, we not only have those important opportunities to network with our peers, we’re taking that model to other areas of the state and have one unified voice for Florida’s associations. Which was a great asset in the 2015 Legislative Session.”

This past Session, legislators introduced bills that had unintended consequences for many associations in Florida.

The bills were intended to stop specific associations that receive state funds from suing the state, and included onerous reporting requirements, but the wording was so broad that any association receiving public monies would be effected – including associations that receive funds from the sale of specialized license plates, or state employees with member dues or conference registrations paid by the state. As Chair of the FSAE Government Affairs Committee, Paul assembled a coalition of effected members and they collectively were able to change the language to narrow the scope of the bills within the first month of Session.

“The Government Affairs Committee members worked different strategies to educate legislators and bill sponsors on the consequences of this bills,” Paul explained. “The reporting requirements alone would have cost associations thousands of dollars each to produce so members worked together to create a solution that carved the unintended targets out of the bills.” Ultimately the bill that was moving died in committee, but Paul and the 2015-16 Government Affairs Committee will be watching for this and any other legislation that potentially effects our members next Session.

Congratulations Paul and thank you for your continued service to FSAE and the association community!

AWARD WINNERS CONTINUED PAGE 28

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Feature Story

Your Engagement Strategy: A Quick-Check For Improved Retention

An effective engagement strategy has both variety and depth. You could host a webinar a week or hold daily contests on your community’s home page, but it will not be effective By andy steggles if the content falls short.

Worried your engagement tactics aren’t as effective as they should be? Here’s how you can do a quick-check on engagement and refresh your retention strategy.

1. Let your members do the talking. Whether it’s direct feedback, getting to know them better or learning how they interact with each other on the community, you want to hear from your members. So collect and collate online activity in one place, by providing a trustworthy community or forum for members to speak their minds and crowdsource useful content. Opinions, discussions, blogs and more will be the most useful and popular communications.

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2. Jumpstart your volunteer programs. Your community members already want to give back, so help capture those volunteer opportunities for them to participate in. Whether it’s event sign-ups and fundraiser activities or helping to bolster discussions and blogs, allocate volunteer jobs that can be listed and up for grabs within your community or organization website.

3. Be creative with non-dues revenue streams Not only the go-to hubs for members to interact and share knowledge, communities and websites are also great platforms for generating new revenue streams. It’s a valuable resource for improving both member satisfaction and returns on investment. Any community can use advertising, vendors, events and other unique revenue streams to help its organization to flourish.

If your association includes special interest groups (SIGs), offer devoted communities for an additional fee to increase and retain membership. Consider tying together your community and events’ registration and details, educating attendees and prospects, learning more about recent efforts and upcoming issues or talking about what needs improvement.

4. Use gamification to improve retention and satisfaction Gamification is another strong tactic to employ for increasing your engagement success. Reward your members for contributing to content with digital recognition such as points, ribbons or profile badges. You’ll have the opportunity to acknowledge and thank members while also nurturing them to continue interacting.

5. Encourage leadership participation Association leaders and their online communities should mix together.

Executive participation affects the success of an online community, and leaders should be both champions of the platform and creators or cross pollinators of useful industry content.

According to 2014 findings from The Community Roundtable, 58% of best-in-class communities had active CEO participation. We can use the analogy of an annual meeting—in what scenario would it be acceptable for an organization’s CEO not to attend the annual meeting and other important face-to-face events?

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Better engagement means more content Address these engagement tactics, and the very activity of engagement will produce great content, an added benefit that both engages and retains members. One of Higher Logic’s clients has produced almost 150,000 pieces of content in their community over the last six years. This is all produced by and for the members. It’s both an impressive amount and an integral resource—a true knowledge base for all members.

In this case, it’s also open to the public and available for anyone to read, browse and download. This isn’t always an option for organizations, but use this open concept as a benchmark for how easy and accessible content is for your members in the first place. It will in turn produce

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new members, more registrations at events and interest in new programs. It’s encompassing enough to educate the industry and the world on what you do, and open enough to encourage organic conversations among people who simply want to connect.

Andy Steggles, President & Chief Customer Officer, Higher Logic Andy is a frequent thought leader and keynote speaker at conferences and events, traveling the globe to educate professionals about the importance of collaborative software, the cloud and the impact technology makes on the community it serves. At Higher Logic, his guidance helps clients experience these profound impacts.

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Feature Story

Overtime wages:

changes on the horizon

The Obama Administration has initiated several sweeping changes and on the horizon are additional changes calculated to revamp the laws concerning overtime wages. In the Spring of 2014, President Obama by kenyetta mullins directed the Secretary of the Department of Labor (DOL), Thomas Perez, to update and simplify the laws concerning overtime wages. On July 6, 2015, the DOL issued a notice of a proposed rule (Proposed Rule) that could broaden the entitlement to overtime wages for millions of employees.

As a general matter, under the Fair Labor Standards Act, (FLSA), employers are required to pay their employees a minimum wage and overtime at a rate of “time and half” (150%) of their regular rate of pay for each hour worked in excess of 40 hours per week. However, due to various “exemptions,” many employees are not protected by overtime wage laws; therefore, employers are not required to pay overtime to those employees. The most commonly

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known exemptions are the Executive, Administrative and Professional Exemptions, also referred to as white collar or EAP exemptions.

To establish that an employee is not protected by overtime wage laws, the employee must pass a salary test. To qualify for the EAP exemption, the employee must be paid on a salary basis, and earn at least $455/week, or $23,660 annually. Then, the employer must establish that the employee primarily performs the duties associated with the exemption in question. Among other things, executive employees perform management duties and routinely supervise at least two employees; administrative employees must exercise discretion in performing tasks of a nonmanual nature. Whether an employee performs the duties required for a specific exemption is often the center of costly litigation under the FLSA. However, the proposed rule addresses a different concern: the threshold salary.

The $455/week salary level was established over a decade ago; therefore, the DOL takes the position that it is too low, and no longer reflects the wages of the individuals originally intended to be covered by the exemption. If CONTINUED PAGE 35

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12 Time-Tested Membership Tips

for Recruitment, Engagement, and Retention

By Scott Oser and Lauren Hefner, CAE Recruitment

1. Prospect in your own backyard. Organizations often focus their prospecting efforts on external activities such as tradeshows and list rental. But the easiest way to recruit is through your own events, publications, and member referrals; people who already engage with you are already buying into your organization even if they haven’t yet converted.

2. Frequently review the path to join. Regardless of how great your recruitment messages are, if prospects can’t figure out how to navigate your website or understand your dues calculator, they’re likely to give up out of frustration.

3. They want to know, “why join now?” Answer them.

Tests show that one of the best offers continues to be a time-limited introductory dues discount. Ideally, this discount will bring the dues down to a psychological price point ending in a “7” or “9” (for example, a discount from $150 to $139). Also focus on benefits such as events and resources they’ll miss out on if they don’t join now. Make it worthwhile for them to join today, and keep discounts in your back pocket.

4. Create an association in a box. Send your ambassadors, staff, member volunteers, and those attending tradeshows a packet of applications, FAQs about the organization, and generic “info” business cards. This makes everyone a membership expert and helps them get members instead of just sending names and numbers to headquarters.

Engagement

5. Create volunteer opportunities for members at all stages. Create and publicize volunteer opportunities for members at all stages of their careers. Most organizations have the same opportunities year-over-year, which draws in the same members. Create publicized volunteer opportunities for ad-hoc and virtual task forces and consider audiences such as young professionals, senior executives, and specialty-specific opportunities.

6. Understand why members join and welcome them properly. This might seem like a recruitment tactic, but retention begins the day the member joins. The best way to keep members after the initial year is to make certain that they feel that, in addition to the programs of the organization, there is a place for them to participate and provide input. Send a welcome letter to each member, or better yet have your membership committee do outreach to tell them you’re happy they joined or came back to the organization. Ask them what they’re looking to gain from their membership, and tell them how they can get started right away.

7. Be consistent with your activities. Member engagement is a year round activity. You do not need to literally communicate with your members all year long, but communicating with them consistently—so they get the perception that you are communicating with them all year long—goes a long way toward making them feel part of the association.

8. Determine resources needed. Before you implement an engagement plan, make sure that you have the staff, the money, and the technology to implement your plan.

Great ideas are great but if you can’t implement them they will remain ideas and nothing more.

Retention

9. Reconsider early renewal discounts. We know, we know. Discounting membership is a no-no. And we don’t disagree that it can reduce the value perception.

But targeted early renewal discounts can help you for your budgeting and planning and keep renewal top-ofmind for busy members.

10. Consider conversion. Almost always, first-year members are the least likely to renew. That’s why the first year of membership is called the conversion year. Focus time, effort, and budget on these first-year members.

This has a budget implication too: As long as you’re not spending more to renew members than to acquire a new member, you’re doing fine.

CONTINUED PAGE 35

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fsae members

Welcome New Members!

Executive Members:

Becky Robinson Executive Assistant/Assistant Secretary FL Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Assn Ocala, FL

Joy Andis Executive Assistant BICSI: A Telecommunications Assn Tampa, FL

Brock Sheridan Editor-in-Chief (Florida Equine Communications, Inc.) FL Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Assn Ocala, FL

Rachel Brooke, MBA, CAE, CMP President Maxim Management Delray Beach, FL

Savannah Sullivan Education and Events Manager Tallahassee Board of REALTORS Tallahassee, FL

Michael Carlson, Esq. Executive Director Personal Insurance Federation of Florida Tallahassee, FL

Ronda Thomas, SPHR Acting Director of Credentialing BICSI: A Telecommunications Assn Tampa, FL

Caroline Davis Chief Financial Officer/Assistant Treasurer FL Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Assn Ocala, FL

Tina Turner, CAE, IOM President Organization Management, Inc Roanoke, AL

Laura Gambino, MPA, IOM Regional Director/Owner NPI Margate, FL

Matthew Ubben President Floridians for Better Transportation Tallahassee, FL

Andrew Hafer CEO Dynamic Communities Tampa, FL Megan Hendricks Executive Director MBA Career Services & Employer Alliance Tampa, FL Melissa Lewis Accountant FL Cable Telecommunications Assn Tallahassee, FL

Rasheeda WalkesWallerson, MBA Association Executive AMC Source North Palm Beach, FL

Associate Members: Michael Broder President Super Conventions Inc. Fort Lauderdale, FL Clay Buchanan Director of National Accounts Hawks Cay Resort Duck Key, FL Betsy Bush National Sales Manager Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel Fort Myers, FL Eric Chastain, CPA Senior Accountant Carroll and Company CPA’s Tallahassee, FL Mary Ann Copeland Sales Manager Renaissance Boca Raton Hotel Boca Raton, FL Lindsey Darin Account Executive St. Petersburg Marriott Clearwater Saint Petersburg, FL Tina Darnell, CTP Assistant Vice President Tallahassee State Bank Tallahassee, FL Rachel Duewer Sales Manager Palm Beach Gardens Marriott Palm Beach Gardens, FL Jennifer Dumouchel Director of Nantional Accounts Trump National Doral Miami, FL Tony Farina National Sales Manager LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort Naples, FL

Pilar Garcia Sr. Group Sales Manager Fort Lauderdale Marriott North Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Dawn Pollock, MA President Association Solutions Tallahassee, FL

Trimmel Gomes Owner Gomes Media Strategies Tallahassee, FL

Deanna Sylvestri Director of Group Sales Westin Hotel Ft. Lauderdale Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Daniella Hoar VISIT FLORIDA Tallahassee, FL

Rochelle Trygar Sales Manager Hilton University of FL Conference Center Gainesville, FL

Tara Liaschenko, CMM CEO The Link Event Professionals, Inc St. Petersburg, FL John Lyons Sales Manager Doubletree by Hilton Miami Airport Convention Center Miami, FL Ian MacKenzie System Consultant Rumble’s Office Equipment Solutions Tallahassee, FL

Beth Vanderberg Director of Sales & Catering Hilton Historic Bayfront-St. Augustine St. Augustine, FL Kevin Vinchattle Client Relationship Manager Victory Enterprises Jacksonville, FL Jan Weldon The Link Event Professionals, Inc St. Peterspurg, FL

Dawn Merritt Sales Manager Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo Tampa, FL

Carol Whitaker Account Executive MyOfficeProducts Tallahassee, FL

Robert Minnigan Managing Director Lifestyle Travel Benefits Windermere, FL

Blair White Event Manager Visit St. Petersburg/Clearwater Largo, FL

Bill Moore EVP Tallahassee State Bank Tallahassee, FL

Jennifer Wilson Sales Manager, Group Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resort Lake Buena Vista, FL

Jim Personius Owner Personius & Company, Inc. Weston, FL

Monica Wofford, CSP Professional Speaker and CEO Contagious Companies, Inc. Orlando, FL

Welcome to Your Professional Association 18 SEP/OCT 2015

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FSAE 2015 Annual Conference Photos provided by Copeland Productions

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Conference Highlights • Total Registrants: 413 149 Executives; 264 Associates • First Timers: 104 • Young Professionals: 19 • Sponsorship: $107,742 (Cash) & approximately $180,000 (In-Kind) • Meeting App Users: 274 Key Takeaways Submitted: 112 • Gamification Players: 110 Missions: 58; Photos Submitted: 1,000

“In my lifetime, I have gone to numerous conferences all over the United States, but I must say that FSAE was absolutely the “BEST!” I learned so much more than I thought was possible. I was a little apprehensive and even thought about cancelling - what a mistake that would have been. I could not wait to get back to share the wonderful lessons learned with others!”

Carolyn D. Hinson, CGMP Leon County Schools

auction Highlights • Money Raised: $43,672 • Donations Received: 201 139 in Silent Auction 62 in Online Auction • Big Tickets Sold: 394 • Big Ticket Winners: Marriott Luxury: Katherine Sisson; IHG: Pamela Gadol; Ritz Carlton: Tim Spolar; Marriott Beaches: Colleen Briley • Wine and Liquor Toss raised over $1,600 • Onsite Auction Volunteers: 38

“Conference was so impressive - I was blown away! I got so much out of it, from ideas for my own conference to many tips and ideas for my personal & professional growth. It was such a fun and energetic event and has inspired me to come back to the office and strive to be a better association professional.”

Marilyn Matherne Director of Marketing & Associate Membership Florida Bankers Association

Thank You Conference Sponsors Platinum

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for members

By Members

QUIZ: Are You Smarter Than A ______ The Associate Advisory Committee sponsored this fun, interactive gameshow session at the 2015 Annual Conference. Test your knowledge and see how you do.

1) When is the best time to develop overall goals for an event?

A. When the association Board tells you it’s time B. Before collecting any information from participants C. Once you identify the needs and interests of potential participants D. During the event 2) Companies that position themselves as an event’s housing bureau, convincing attendees to unknowingly book outside the official room block are known as: A. Room Poachers B. Frauds C. Room Block Pirates D. All of the above 3) You receive a signed contract from a client who unprotected a protected document you emailed, and then made changes without telling you. You countersign the contract without reviewing. The changes aren’t discovered until the conference concludes, and the client wants commission he added by deleting the word “non” from non-commissionable rates, with the check payable to his name. Your client is in a paid staff position with the association. What would be your next course of action?

A. Give the client commission B. Report the client to the Better Business Bureau C. Contact the Board of Directors D. Confer with your Management 4) For event planning to become a true profession, your most important action is: A. Taking a critical look at the ways organizations coordinate events B. Understanding how to conduct evaluations C. Figuring out how many attendees will be at events D. Creating the same budget for each event E. Following standards of ethical behavior

24 SEP/OCT 2015

5) Which of these communications methods is best for reaching young professionals?

A. Direct Marketing with postcards B. Social Media C. Radio stations D. Print Advertising 6) What is the Visit Florida Cover Your Event Program?

A. Insurance in case you don’t get enough people to attend your event B. Insurance in case of an airline or hotel strike C. Insurance to help you reschedule if your meeting is cancelled due to a hurricane D. Insurance to help you book major entertainment for your event 7) What organization provides information that can help develop a code of ethics?

A. Ethical Society of America B. Convention Industry Council C. Meeting Planners International D. International Special Events Society 8) What is one of the best ways to engage attendees at a 100 +/- person conference?

A. Webcasting the event B. Mobile App C. Hiring a stage manager D. Conference Video calls 9) The successful plan of a program will have specific, measurable, and prioritized ____________.

A. finances B. employees C. objectives D. questions

10) What should a venue’s sales rep do if any of your Board members or staff are making unreasonable requests?

A. Try to find out exactly what they are asking you to do for them B. Contact you immediately to discuss the request C. Tell them to ask the organization instead of the hotel D. Refer them to your General Manager

12) What is the first step in developing a volunteer program?

A. Distributing volunteer sign-up forms B. Defining roles and responsibilities of volunteers for a specific initiative C. Contacting possible volunteers D. Recruiting people to volunteer

11) What is a reasonable amount of time for your group to make a decision on the venue for an event scheduled one year from now before the location releases the space to another customer?

A. Ten business days B. One month C. As much time as your organization needs D. Until another customer is ready to contract the space

13) A meeting professional is scouting locations for a convention of 500 teachers. Which action would be considered unethical during the prospecting time?

A. Accepting a fruit basket during the site visit B. Shopping bids C. Overestimating room blocks to extract additional concessions D. Attending a familiarization trip with other meeting professionals

Quiz Answers Page 42

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fsae members

FSAE Member News

FSAE Welcomes New Trustees to the Foundation FSAE Foundation Chair Jaime Caldwell, ACHE recently appointed three new Trustee members to the Foundation Board to serve two-year terms. Welcome Cheval Breggins, Executive Director, FL Psychological Assn; Sue Fern, CEO and Founder, Fern Management Services; and Dan Sullivan, National Sales Manager, Villas of Grand Cypress.

Thank you for your dedication to FSAE and the Foundation!

Tara Liaschenko Named MPI 2015 RISE Member of the Year Award Winner Tara Liaschenko, CMM, CEO of The Link Professional Events, was recently awarded the Meeting Professionals International (MPI) RISE Member of the Year Award for her volunteer leadership with the MPI Tampa Bay Area Chapter as well as other MPI chapters. Congratulations Tara!

Chris Capozzi Awarded Supplier of the Year for SGMP FL Capital Chapter Cheval Breggins

Sue Fern

Dan Sullivan

Jaime Caldwell Selected to Lead Broward County Health Care Coalition Jaime Caldwell, ACHE, Vice President of the South Florida Hospital & Healthcare Association, began his term as the Chairman of the Broward County Healthcare Coalition (BCHC) this July. The Coalition includes members from all hospitals in Broward County as well as other healthcare aligned organizations. The mission is to promote the development of emergency management collaboration within the healthcare industry and for the residents and visitors in Broward County.

Frank Rudd Elected Secretary of ASA FSAE is pleased to announce that our CEO Frank Rudd, CAE, CMP will serve as Secretary for the Association Societies Alliance (ASA) Board of Directors in 2015-16.

ASA strives to be a knowledge leader in the profession of association management by preparing the chief staff executives of state societies of association executives for success.

26 SEP/OCT 2015

Chris Capozzi, Group Sales Manager at the Plaza Resort and Spa in Daytona Beach, was recently awarded Supplier of the Year for the Society of Government Meeting Professionals (SGMP) Florida Capital Chapter.

An active member and currently serving her second term as Treasurer, Chris’ timely reports to National SGMP helped the Chapter win the Operations Award for 2015.

Congratulations Chris!

Congratulations to FSAEs Newest CMPs: Pauline Navarro, CMP, Manager, Sales & Event Services for Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Blair White, CMP, Event Manager for Visit St. Petersburg/ Clearwater

The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club Captures Successful Meetings Magazine’s Prestigious “Pinnacle Award” The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club in Southwest Florida has received the prestigious “Pinnacle Award” for 2015 from Successful Meetings magazine. This marks the 12th consecutive year the resort has received the honor, which recognizes the best meeting hotels, destinations, and conference centers, as determined by votes by the magazine’s readers.

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associate of the Year:

darin Henry Darin Henry is a longtime member of FSAE and has been actively involved for several years. When given the opportunity to increase his involvement, Darin has stepped up every time. We are happy to announce Darin as the 2015 Associate of the Year!

Joining the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point sales team shortly after opening in 2002, Darin’s first goal was to put the property on the map in Florida’s association market. He reached out to FSAE leadership and booked the Annual Conference for 2006 – four years out. Because of the exposure of hosting a future conference, Darin was able to book several meetings at the property and saw ROI on the event before the conference even took place. He and the Hyatt team are excited to have FSAE back for the 2016 Annual Conference next July.

“I first joined FSAE in 1996 while working for South Seas Plantation,” said Darin. “When I moved to Coconut Point, I maintained my membership and kept attending as much as I could. Through staying involved with FSAE, I’ve built and maintained contacts with association professionals which has turned into business for us. Being involved with the Associate Advisory Committee has also been instrumental in developing relationships with other associate members.

I can collaborate on best practices and set the best course for me to successfully do my job.”

Darin has worked for Coconut Point for 13 years, which can be unheard of in the hospitality industry. “When I came here, it was a great new property that I was able to help build,” Darin said. “I feel this is one of the best properties in Florida. I love the hotel and I love the staff here. It’s my job to keep the hotel full and open so all 400+ employees remain employed. I’m committed to that.” In 2014 Darin reached 104% of his sales goals and looks forward to a successful 2015.

28 SEP/OCT 2015

“This is one of the best properties in Florida.

I love the hotel and I love the staff here.

It’s my job to keep the hotel full and open so all 400+ employees remain employed. I’m committed to that.”

Darin is also active in Hyatt’s THRIVE events, designed to help the local community and give back. For the past several years they have participated in builds with Habitat for Humanity. This year alone Coconut Point’s associates have built two local homes, donated 2500+ hours of volunteer labor and contributed nearly $150,000.

In addition, the Sales Team supports the local Ronald McDonald House by cooking a meal for the families in residence at least once a year, and the hotel will host several fundraising days to raise money for various charities like jeans days and school supply and holiday drives.

Last year an Associate At-Large seat opened up on the FSAE Board of Directors mid-term. Darin volunteered for the seat to get more involved and be part of the FSAE leadership process. He has since been elected to a full term to serve through July 2017. One of the undertakings of his service includes participating in the Strategic Plan initiative in the spring of 2015. Leadership was divided into teams with specific charges to investigate which were then brought into one, cohesive plan for the organization.

“It was a great experience for me to participate in the strategic planning,” said Darin. “We evaluated member needs and developed strategies to meet those needs in the next five years – bringing FSAE to a very successful 2020.

It was rewarding to not only help FSAE but also learn more about how associations operate, plan and grow. I want to be an asset to my clients, not just their sales person. FSAE helps me accomplish that.”

executive rising star:

christy gandy

Christy Gandy is a new-comer to FSAE but brings a wealth of experience and dedication through her involvement with the Tallahassee Society of Association Executives (TSAE). As the organizations merged, Christy has been in the fore-front keeping former-TSAE members involved and informed as FSAEs Meeting Planner Roundtable coordinator and Co-Chair of the upcoming Education Expo in October. Her commitment to the profession and enthusiasm for FSAE was recognized as she was named the 2015 FSAE Executive Rising Star.

“I’ve learned so much attending meetings and networking with my peers. It’s given me a lot of credibility and a huge support system knowing I have other members I can call to ask questions or brainstorm new challenges.”

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associate RISING STAR:

MARY MALONE

Mary Malone truly is a Rising Star for FSAE and her company, Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay. She’s the type of person who jumps in with both feet and gives everything she has to reach her goals – whether it’s meeting her sales goals for her property or helping FSAE successfully market and host Annual Conferences. And it shows. She was awarded FSAE’s Associate Rising Star for her exceptional contribution to our organization and the association industry.

continued. “The ROI on my membership is huge. One of my goals has been to earn my CMP certification and FSAE has provided me with the 25+ hours of education I need as well as awarded me a grant to offset the application expense. I wouldn’t have been able to apply this early in my career if not for FSAE.” Mary joined Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay in 2002 and joined the sales team in 2005. “Hyatt is a great company to work for,” she said. “It feels like a small, family-owned business where everyone’s opinions’ matter and you feel like you’re part of something better. We are lucky to have great leadership here through our General Manager and our Director of Sales and it shows in our job performance.” Mary’s team was recently awarded Sales Team of the Year for all Hyatt Hotels & Resorts in 2014, as well as named the “#1 place to work” by Tampa Bay Times.

“The more involved I’ve gotten with FSAE, the more I’ve been able to learn personally and professionally. The ROI on my membership is huge. I’m still relatively new to the association market and I want to learn as much as I can !”

“People I met at my first Annual Conference encouraged me to get involved and I’m so glad I listened,” said Mary. “I had just joined FSAE before attending the 2011 Conference and didn’t know very many people when I arrived. I left excited about the organization and signed up immediately to serve on the Marketing Committee. From there I joined the Associate Advisory Committee and served on the Annual Conference Committee as an At-Large member for the past two years.

I’ve really enjoyed seeing the process unfold from idea to execution, and experiencing the results.”

As Mary got more involved in FSAE, she noticed an area where services were lacking – young professionals.

Working with the AAC, Mary identified goals to get a Young Professional program started and worked with FSAE leadership on an appointed Task Force to survey the membership and identify key areas of service. This Task Force is in place and getting volunteers for the 201516 committee term to create professional development opportunities for our young and new association industry members.

“The more involved I’ve gotten with FSAE, the more I’ve been able to learn personally and professionally,” Mary

30 SEP/OCT 2015

Grand Hyatt’s General Manager encourages volunteering within the hotel and for the community at large and Mary participates in everything she can to build a better work environment and community. “My success depends on each part of the hotel running optimally and giving our guests the best experience possible. Hyatt encourages building internal relationships and I take advantage of it. If I have time and the front desk needs help with check-ins or the restaurant is slammed and needs bussing, I’ll be there. In a hotel, everything is connected.” In addition, Mary will frequently lead a fun-Friday yoga or zumba class for the housekeeping staff as a way to get to know the employees she may not normally have much contact with.

“I’ve only been a member of FSAE for three years, but it’s amazing how much more beneficial my membership has become since getting involved on committees. I’m still relatively new to the association market and I want to learn as much as I can while I can. I encourage all FSAE members at any stage in their careers to do the same.”

Christy Gandy continued

that professional associations bring.

Because of her job duties and the Tallahassee meetings offered, Christy joined TSAE in 2011 and quickly got involved with roundtable meetings and the annual silent auction for October’s Education Day/Expo.

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“I love silent auctions and securing donations for all kinds of fundraising,” said Christy. “When I joined TSAE, I served on the Silent Auction committee from 2012 - 2013 and chaired in 2014.

I’ve also been part of the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life for the past 12 years with a small group from my church. Our team has raised $100,000-$150,000 total, thanks in part to a large annual church-wide yard sale we organize in addition to the money we raise individually for walking. In the past year, I’ve worked with Meow or Never, a local catch and release program to spay/neuter feral cats, to organize a dart tournament and poker tournament that has raised over $3,000.”

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After joining TSAE, Christy attended numerous roundtable meetings and Power Luncheons to learn everything she could about the association industry C O N TAC T C AT H Y E N N I S I N O U R to do her job better. Shortly after S A L E S D E PA R T M E N T AT joining, she was asked to co-coordinate (84 4) 282.786 5 TO L E A R N M O R E the Meeting Planner Roundtable and A B O U T S P E C I A L DAT E S A N D R AT E S ! she’s been doing it ever since - including this year as the event transitioned 475 S E AG AT E D R I V E | N A P L E S , F L O R I DA to FSAE. For her dedication to the Roundtable and TSAE’s Silent Auction, Christy was awarded TSAEs Future Leader of the Year Award and President’s Service Award in 2014.

Christy’s title is Director of Administration and her job duties include accounting, HR, technology and planning meetings and events. She takes care of the five-person staff team and the Port Council’s members. She’s managed several different types of businesses in the past, including a real estate office and engineering firm and learned QuickBooks and accounting along the way. Currently she administers a $1 million budget for the association that, among other things, oversees funding programs for Florida’s fifteen public seaports. Unlike other states, Florida has no central Port Authority – the ports are governed by the local municipalities and the Council brings the entities

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together to work collectively for the industry in the areas of research, advocacy, marketing and communications.

“I loved TSAE and I’m excited to be part of FSAE and to have exposure to new educational opportunities. I just attended my first Annual Conference and I came home with a new sense of purpose professionally and personally. I’ve learned so much by attending meetings and networking with my peers at events. It’s given me a lot of credibility and a huge support system knowing I have other members I can call to ask questions or brainstorm new challenges. I’m looking forward to staying involved in the association and making the most of my profession.”

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association of the year:

fl thoroughbred owners & breeders Assn The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association has always been a strong organization, but in the last three years they’ve become a more engaging, rewarding and inspiring organization that is community, employee and member-focused. This rejuvenation is due to the blending of the old and new leadership within the organization to create a more robust and forward thinking association. Because of their growth and culture-shift, FSAE is happy to announce FTBOA as the 2015 Association of the Year.

Formed in 1945, FTBOA has over 1,400 members and a staff of 16 charged with the mission to promote the Florida thoroughbred horse worldwide. “The horse industry is a very large and important part of our state and local economies,” said FTBOA CEO Lonny Powell.

“Going well beyond the horses themselves, the industry Janegale Boyd, Lonny Powell, Caroline Davis, Becky Robinson, Brock Sheridan, Tammy Gantt and Patrick Vinzant includes agriculture, business, sport, gaming, entertainment and recreation. FTBOA assists in building coalitions within the state to create growth for the almost FTBOA is very involved in giving back to the local and $1 billion industry annually in Florida. Ocala/Marion horse communities, contributing over $4 million since County is recognized as a top breeding and training center 1990. One example is through funding Second Chances, a internationally with roughly 15,000 thoroughbreds trained Thoroughbred Retirement Farm which has given inmates in the area annually, an opportunity including recent Triple to earn an equine Crown winner American certification Pharoah. FTBOA is located degree while in the ‘Horse Capital of the caring for retired World’ and we couldn’t thoroughbreds in be happier to help our their lifelong home. members and the local Over 120 women community continue to have graduated develop and benefit from from the life an economic and public changing program relations perspective.” in the past 15 years.

The farm houses As part of their over 40 horses with restructuring efforts, FTBOA formed a Member Services 12 to 14 students attending each session.

Department in 2013 to better engage FTBOAs membership – which increased by 5% in 2014 through the initiatives of FTBOA has been very active in Florida’s associations and the the 2 person team. Among FTBOAs initiatives are a Member State’s oversight of the industry. Staff members serve on Mentor program to enhance the knowledge and skills of various commissions and state boards, and are frequently new members, expanding the member discount program asked to speak as experts at the state and local level to from 4 to 50 incentives, and participating in a life-long advance the industry. In addition, several FTBOA staff are learning community by teaching a dedicated class on the involved with FSAE and encouraged to attend as many horse industry. events as possible to further develop their association management knowledge and skills to continue developing value and services for their members.

“FTBOA assists in building coalitions within the state to create growth for the almost $1 billion industry annually in Florida. We couldn’t be happier to help our members and the local community continue to develop and benefit from an economic and public relations perspective.

32 SEP/OCT 2015

supporting associate organization of the year:

Marriott international & site search, inc.

It’s truly overwhelming the amount of support and assistance FSAE and the association community receives from our Associate members. Through their generosity and sponsorships we are able to provide the quality educational experiences FSAE members appreciate. One of the new awards given out at the 2015 Annual Conference was to recognize an Associate organization that goes above and beyond for FSAE members. It was such a difficult choice that we selected two winners for our inaugural award: Marriott International and Site Search, Inc.

Marriott International One of Marriott International’s (MARSAT) core values is to take care of employees so they take care of customers. And this is evident in their participation with FSAE and other association/meeting planner organizations. Employees are encouraged to join organizations and actively get involved through attending events and volunteering their time. In fact there are currently 33 FSAE members from Marriott and Renaissance properties around the state.

However, MARSAT gives much more than members to FSAE and the association community. They’ve participated in the Foundation Grant program for over eight years,

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marriott international Continued contributing over $33,615 to help members pursue their professional goals; sponsored and hosted two Annual Conferences and other educational meetings in the past three years; as well as donated approximately $15,000 in hotel stays for Foundation Big Ticket fundraisers for the past six years.

Also involved in giving back to local communities, MARSAT has provided over 125,000 meals for the homeless through Meals of Hope charity programs at four Annual Conferences, and participated in numerous local and national charity drives. FSAE is pleased to recognize MARSAT and our Marriott International members Chip Minick and Mitch Rickey as a Supporting Associate Organization of the Year.

Site Search

Richard Miseyko, CMP, CMM founded Site Search, Inc. in July 1998 as a third party site selection firm to help organizations find locations for meetings and conventions. With experience in hotel sales and marketing, clients have expert assistance from the RFP process to negotiating contracts. One year after forming, Site Search began working with what was initially the FL Association of Chief Executives (FACE) and has been a partner of FSAE ever since.

What started as organizing a weekend retreat for CEOs in 1999, Site Search has arranged CEO Retreats and meeting locations for the past 16 years and secured all FSAE event locations including Annual Conferences for eight years.

“When Judy Gray took over as President and CEO of FSAE in 2007, she asked Site Search to find locations and consult on contract negotiations for the Annual Conference, Think Tank, Meet & Greets, and Board and Foundation events,” Richard explained. “Conservatively, at just 4 events per year, this represents a value of $1.6 million dollars. Many participants consider these high level events the single greatest benefit of their membership in FSAE and we are happy to be a part of providing that experience to members.”

34 SEP/OCT 2015

“Many participants consider FSAE events to be high level and the single greatest benefit of their membership. We are happy to be a part of providing that experience to members.”

Site Search employees are very involved in the association and meeting planning industries as members of FSAE, ASAE and MPI. Richard has given thousands of hours to FSAE as a Conference Co-Chair (2015), Sponsorship Committee Chair (2012), Board Member (2012-2014), Associate Advisory Committee member (2011-2015) and more. Betty Homan-Bolick of Site Search has also served on the Associate Advisory Committee as a member (201115) and Chair (2014-15), Auction Committee (2013-15), and the Nominating Committee (2014-15). FSAE is pleased to recognize Site Search as a Supporting Association Organization of the Year.

A special Thank you Michael Copeland of Copeland Productions for our Annual Conference and Award Winners’ photos!

overtime wages continued

from Page 14

passed, the Proposed Rule would set the minimum salary level at the 40th percentile of weekly earnings for full-time salaried workers. Based on wages from the year 2013, the salary test would more than double; it would rise to at least $921 per week, or $47,892 annually.

As an illustration of how this change may affect an employee, assume Mark is a manager who meets the duties test, and is a bona fide manager. Mark earns a salary of $33,000 annually. Under current laws, Mark would be exempt and would not be protected by overtime laws.

However, under the Proposed Rule, Mark would fall below the minimum salary requirement, and would therefore be entitled to overtime wages for working in excess of 40 hours a week.

The Proposed Rule closes for public comment on September 4, 2015. Employers are advised to keep a lookout for a final rule concerning overtime wages, and continue to review policies and practices to ensure future compliance with the FLSA.

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membership tips continued

from Page 16

11. Examine payment options but think them through.

There are a number of ways that members can pay you for their membership. It is good to consider all of them, as your goal is to make it as easy as possible for members to renew their membership. Different payment options will have different impacts on your association. Be sure to look at the options from all sides to guarantee that making things easier for your members does not make them too much more difficult for you.

12. Personalize the message. Members want to feel like you know them and value them. If you do not personalize your message with accurate contact information, applicable benefits, appropriate pricing based on membership category, and so on, you will give members the message that their time is not as important as yours.

Make sure to use your technology to personalize their renewals as much as makes sense for your organization.

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Scott Oser formed Scott Oser Associates in 2006 to develop customized solutions to solve unique membership, marketing and sales challenges. Learn more at www.ScottOserAssociates.com. a publication of the florida society of association executives LEE500-9614_FSAE_Source_3.625x10_Sept-Oct2015.indd 1

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Support those who support FSAE

Buyer’s Guide

FACILITIES BELLASERA HOTEL, NAPLES

(800) 548-5284

BellaseraNaples.com/MeetingsGroups

THE BREAKERS PALM BEACH

(561) 653-6604

TheBreakers.com

CARIBE ROYALE

(407) 238-8100

CaribeRoyale.com

CUBA LIBRE

(407) 226-1600

www.cubalibrerestaurant.com

DIAMONDHEAD BEACH RESORT

(888) 865-5844

DiamondheaFL.com/MeetingsGroups

Doubletree Hotel St. Augustine Historic DistricT

(904) 825-1923

StAugustineHistoricDistrict.DoubleTree.com

DOUBLETREE HOTEL TAMPA WESTSHORE

(800) 222-TREE

TampaDoubletree.com

Embassy Suites Jacksonville Baymeadows

(904) 731-3555

EmbassySuitesJax.com

EMBASSY SUITES ORLANDO - LAKE BUENA VISTA SOUTH

(407) 597-4100

OrlandoLakeBuenaVistaSouth.EmbassySuites.com

EAU PALM BEACH resort & spa

(561) 540-4806

eaupalmbeach.com

HAMMOCK BEACH RESORT

(866) 841-0287

HammockBeach.com

HILTON COCOA BEACH OCEANFRONT

(321) 799-0003

HiltonCocoaBeach.com

HILTON DAYTONA BEACH RESORT/OCEAN WALK VILLAGE

(386) 947-8011

daytonahilton.com

HILTON KEY LARGO RESORT

(305) 852-5553

KeyLargoResort.com

HILTON SANDESTIN BEACH GOLF RESORT & SPA

(877) 705-6641

SandestinBeachHilton.com

Hilton West palm Beach

(678) 300-8908

HiltonWestPalmBeach.com

HYATT REGENCY CLEARWATER BEACH RESORT & SPA

(727) 373-1234

clearwaterbeach.hyatt.com

HUTCHINSON ISLAND MARRIOTT BEACH RESORT & MARINA

(772) 225-3700

MarcoIslandMarriott.com

INNISBROOK Golf RESORT

(888) 794-8627

InnisbrookGolfResort.com

MARRIOTT HARBOR BEACH RESORT & SPA

(954) 766-6133

MarriottHarborBeach.com

MARRIOTT HOLLYWOOD BEACH

(954) 924-2202

HollywoodBeachMarriott.com

MARRIOTT ST. PETERSBURG/CLEARWATER

(866) 508-0265

StPeteClearwaterMarriott.com

Marriott West Palm Beach

(561) 833-1234

WestPalmBeachMarriott.com

MIAMI MARRIOTT BISCAYNE BAY

(305) 374-3900

MarriottBiscayneBay.com

MISSION INN

(800) 874-9053

MissionInnResort.com

NAPLES GRANDE BEACH RESORT

(239) 594-6736

NaplesGrandeResort.com

Ocean center

(800) 858-6444

OceanCenter.com

OCEAN REEF CLUB

(305) 367-2611

OceanReef.com

opal sands

(855) 410-3593

OpalSands.com

ORLANDO MARRIOTT LAKE MARY

(407) 995-1100

marriott.com/mcoml

ORLANDO WORLD CENTER MARRIOTT

(407) 238-8782

www.marriottworldcenter.com

PELICAN GRAND BEACH RESORT

(954) 556-7598

PelicanBeach.com

PGA NATIONAL RESORT AND SPA

(800) 533-4669

PGAresort.com

PLANTATION ON CRYSTAL RIVER

(800) 524-7733

www.PlantationOnCrystalRiver.com

THE PLAZA HISTORIC BEACH RESORT & SPA

(386) 267-1639

PlazaResortandSpa.com

PONTE VEDRA BEACH RESORTS

(800) 234-7842

PVresorts.com

RENAISSANCE ORLANDO HOTEL

(407) 513-7208

RenaissanceOrlandoAP.com

RENAISSANCE VINOY RESORT

(888) 303-4430

VinoyRenaissanceResort.com

THE RESORT AT MARINAVILLAGE

(239) 541-5000

MarinaVillageResort.com

REUNION RESORT

(866) 880-8563

SalamanderHotels.com

ROSEN CENTRE

(800) 800-9840

RosenCentre.com

ROSEN PLAZA

(800) 336-9700

RosenPlaza.com

ROSEN SHINGLE CREEK

(866) 996-9939

RosenShingleCreek.com

SAFETY HARBOR RESORT

(727) 724-7708

SafetyHarborSpa.com

salamander

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SANDESTIN® GOLF AND BEACH RESORT

(850) 267-6136

sandestin.com

SANIBEL HARBOUR MARRIOTT RESORT & SPA

(239) 466-4000

SanibelMarriott.com

sawgrass Marriott golf resort & spa

(904) 285-7777

SawgrassMarriott.com

SIRATA BEACH RESORT

(727) 363-5107

sirata.com

SUNDIAL

(239) 472-4151

sundialresort.com

TAMPA MARRIOTT WATERSIDE HOTEL & MARINA

(813) 204-6338

TampaWaterside.com

The Colony Palm Beach

(561) 655-5430

TheColonyPalmBeach.com

The Henderson

(540) 687-9392

TheHenderson.com

TRADEWINDS

(727) 363-2215

TradeWindsMeetings.com

trump national doral

(786) 402-9517

TrumpNationalDoral.com

Turnberry isle Miami

(800) 661-8101

TurnberryIsleMiami.com

SERVICES AMERICAN AUDIO VISUAL

(407) 888-8300

AmericanAudioVisual.com

AWARDS4U

(850) 878-7187

Awards4u.com

CONTRIBUTIONLINK

(850) 702.0144

ContributionLink.com

copeland Productions

(407) 617-0872

CopelandProductions.com

LINE1 COMMUNICATIONS

(850) 205-1111

Line1.com

ASSOCIATION STUDIOS

(800) 820-6020

AssociationStudios.com

HIGHER LOGIC

(866) 670-1402

HigherLogic.com

PEACH NEW MEDIA

(866) 702-3278

PeachNewMedia.com

Vernon Graphics & Promotions

(850) 222-7755

MyVernon.Biz/RickYood

CVBs THE BEACHES OF FORT MYERS & SANIBEL

(800) 237-6444

FortMyersSanibelMeetings.com

VISIT CENTRAL FLORIDA

(863) 551-4709

VisitCentralFlorida.com

COLLIER/NAPLES

(239) 253-5879

ParadiseCoast.com/Meetings

VISIT JACKSONVILLE & THE BEACHES

(800) 340-4444

VisitJacksonville.com/meetings

EXPERIENCE KISSIMMEE

(407) 742-8252

MeetInKissimmee.com/meetings

DISCOVER THE PALM BEACHES

(561) 233-3000

palmbeachfl.com

SEMINOLE COUNTY

(800) 800-7832

visitseminole.com

ST. AUGUSTINE/PONTE VEDRA

(800) 418-7529

myfloridameetings.com

VISIT ST. PETE/CLEARWATER

(727) 464-7234

VisitStPeteClearwater.com

VISIT TAMPA BAY

(800) 826-8358

VisitTampaBay.com

Services

ContributionLink, LLC

ContributionLink is a political consulting, fundraising & data analytic firm. Our proprietary, state-of-the-art software is revolutionizing the way organizations access and use political finance, voter and demographic data. We turn information into a competitive advantage for many of America’s most sophisticated trade associations, companies, candidates, political committees, and other advocacy organizations.

Contact Clayton Hinson at clayton@contributionlink.com or call us at 850.702.0144 for more information. a publication of the florida society of association executives

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North Florida Meetings

DoubleTree by Hilton St. Augustine Historic District

The DoubleTree by Hilton St. Augustine Historic District is the hotel that turns travel into a human experience again. It all starts with a warm chocolate chip cookie, a small touch of our warmth and care for each guest. Our 100 guest rooms feature our Sweet Dreams sleep experience and the Oak Room Restaurant and Lounge offers breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Whether your group is large or small, we’ve got the perfect space. Our 2,100 square foot Anastasia Ballroom can accommodate a variety of configurations to satisfy your needs and our 450 square foot Laurel Room is a great breakout, board meeting or intimate reception location. Our catering team will create the perfect culinary adventure for your guests ensuring a memorable experience every time!

Call 904.825.1923 or visit www.staugustinehistoricdistrict.doubletree.com for more information.

One Ocean Resort and Spa

One Ocean Resort and Spa is a 4 Diamond Property offering 193 luxurious rooms and suites, located in Atlantic Beach, Florida in the heart of the Beaches Towncenter, which offers an array of shops, bars and well known restaurants.

One Ocean Resort provides amenities such as our docent services, seamless check-in/ out and our One Touch Department. Our guests can relax in our ocean front spa or have an exquisite dining experience for breakfast, lunch and dinner in Azurea.

Our property offers 10,500 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space which includes spectacular Atlantic Ocean views, breakout rooms, two ballrooms and six additional meeting rooms ranging in size. Our events can accommodate up to 400 guests. Email sales@oneoceanresort.com for more information!

Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa

With 61,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, luxurious accommodations, indoor and outdoor dining options, a spa and four pools, Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa provides business attendees with all the ingredients for a winning meeting. Privileged access to golf at TPC® Sawgrass and to our private beach club with dining overlooking the Atlantic are each a quick, complimentary shuttle ride. Just 30 minutes from the Jacksonville airport, our resort offers guests warm hospitality and pleasant weather year-round. 1000 PGA Tour Blvd. Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082.

To learn more, call 904-285-7777 or visit www.sawgrassmarriott.com.

St. Augustine / Ponte Vedra

Invite history and inspiration to your next meeting.

Stand out from the crowd by taking your crowd to Florida’s Historic Coast®, St. Augustine | Ponte Vedra. It’s where 42 miles of Atlantic beaches and 500 years of history surround a place that’s witnessed the discovery of America and a renaissance of commerce and culture. When it comes to meetings, St. Augustine | Ponte Vedra charts its own course, too, featuring a range of historic to contemporary properties for up to1,500 attendees and world-famous golf.

Take your next gathering to this place where history isn’t the same old story.

Visit MyFloridaMeetings.com for info and check out our interactive Group & Meeting Guide. Or call 1-800-418-7529.

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Visit Jacksonville

Jacksonville, perfectly positioned along the Atlantic Ocean in Northeast Florida, is called the “River City by the Sea.” Whether you are looking to discover the undiscovered, ignite romance, reconnect with family, or be inspired by the city’s cultural offerings, unique cuisine, or uncrowded beaches, anything is possible. Visitors will find plenty to do with diverse activities, restaurants, and nightlife.

From convention hotels to resorts to boutique properties, Jacksonville offers more than 18,000 guest rooms, fitting every budget and preference. Jacksonville welcomes groups from 10 to 10,000 to experience its unique meeting venues and event spaces.

Beyond the meeting room, the possibility for an unforgettable experience is waiting for you in Jacksonville!

Call (800) 340-4444 or go to www.visitjacksonville.com/meetings for more

Resorts & Spas Embassy Suites • Orlando • Lake Buena Vista South

Imagine an Embassy Suites® designed for great Orlando meetings. With 300 spacious two-room suites and 40,000 square feet of meeting, prefunction and outdoor patio space, we offer the most event space of any Embassy Suites in Florida. Plus we provide free full cooked-to-order breakfast, complimentary Evening Reception*, free self-parking and no resort fees.

Learn more at orlandolakebuenavistasouth.embassysuites.com or call our sales team at (407) 597-4100.

Naples Grande Beach Resort

Get more out of your meetings at Naples Grande Beach Resort - a new, independent luxury hotel set Florida’s Paradise Coast and surrounded by 200 acres of protected mangrove estuary. The resort is comprised of 474 guestrooms including 29 Tower suites and 50 Garden Villa suites plus more than 83,000 square feet of meeting and event space. Every room features a private, angled balcony with panoramic views of the Gulf. Guests of the hotel have access to seven restaurants and bars, three heated outdoor pools with a 100-foot waterslide, a par-72 championship golf course, a fullservice luxury spa, fitness center, business center and an award-winning tennis facility.

Call 844-831-7302 or visit www.naplesgrande.com to learn more.

Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate

Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate is surrounded by 36 holes of championship golf, Leadbetter Golf Academy, and 15 acres of pools and recreation. The resort features 720 guest rooms and suites, and 49 two and three bedroom villas.

128,000 square feet of flexible meeting and banquet space is highlighted by three ballrooms: 28,800 sq. ft. Osceola; 25,000 sq. ft. National; and the 20,000 sq. ft.

International.

In addition to superb golf, guests enjoy 15 acres of pools and recreation, a lazy river, family pool, formal pool with private cabanas, and a signature Mokara Spa. Seven onsite dining options range from Trevi’s family style Italian; to Davids Club, an upscale sports bar serving steak and seafood; to the pan Asian inspired dishes of ZEN. Call 407-238-6526 or visit OmniUnderstands.com/Orlando to learn more.

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Resorts & Spas Continued Opal Sands Resort

Let every facet of your event sparkle at the ALL NEW Opal Sands Resort on Clearwater Beach, opening in February 2016! All 230 guest rooms and suites will be elegantly appointed and boast magnificent views of the Gulf of Mexico.

Opal Sands is an elegant yet relaxed destination for business events, with 25,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space, including nine breakout rooms, all with striking Gulf views.

Located directly on Clearwater Beach, ranked among the top 10 beaches in Florida by USA Today. Close to restaurants, shopping and the popular Clearwater Beach Walk.

Guests will enjoy the spectacular zero entry pool, full service spa, firepits and more.

Visit OpalSands.com or call 855.410.3593 for more information.

Rosen Hotels & Resorts Orlando

Incredible meetings. Exceptional service. Rosen offers a combined 700,000 sq ft of meeting/event space and 3,635 guestrooms and suites, all within minutes of each other, the Orlando International Airport and the Orange County Convention Center.

Guests enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi in guestrooms and public areas, RFID locking technology, and no resort fee.

AAA Four Diamond Rosen Shingle Creek offers a 230-acre escape with 1,501 rooms, 191 suites and 490,000 sq. ft. of meeting/event space. Rosen Centre offers 1,334 rooms, 80 suites and more than 150,000 sq. ft. of meeting/event space, while Rosen Plaza offers 800 rooms, 36 suites and more than 60,000 sq. ft. of meeting/event space and the only OU-Certified Kosher Kitchen in the Southeast.

Call 407.996.4890 or visit RosenHotels.com/ROI for Planner Perks details.

TradeWinds Island Grand

Meeting attendees find that miles of white sandy beach, a large portfolio of dining and entertainment venues, spa and fitness center, cutting-edge water sports and children’s programs make TradeWinds Island Grand ideal for combining business with a post-meeting getaway.

Meeting planners appreciate the value-added group rates at TradeWinds which include Wi-Fi in meeting space and guest rooms, overnight parking, use of fitness and business centers and waived resort fee.

Over 70,000 square feet of flexible meeting space includes 28 breakout rooms, three rooms exceeding 8,000 square feet plus tropical courtyards and beachfront terraces.

Remodeled guest rooms feature new, sophisticated décor, luxury pillow-top bedding, HDTVs and travertine tile.

TradeWinds is located on St. Pete Beach, ranked a top beach by TripAdvisor (2015), just 10 minutes off Interstate 275. To find out more, call 800.345.6461 or go to TradeWindsMeetings.com.

Trump National Doral®

Purchased by the Trump Organization in 2012, the Trump National Doral® has completed a $250-million resort-wide restoration to recapture its early grandeur.

Every aspect of the property has been transformed in order to bring it to the highest level of luxury, infused with the distinguished Five-Star level of service that is synonymous with the Trump brand. Miami’s premier resort is now once again positioned as one of the greatest resort destinations in the world.

Today, the prestigious 800-acre resort boasts a completely re-designed clubhouse, 643 new Deluxe accommodations, over 100,000 square feet of luxurious event spaces, new restaurant, four completely redesigned championship golf courses, an expansive tropical oasis pool complex, retail shops, Kids Camp and all new recreational amenities for guests to enjoy. Trumpnationaldoral.com

2015 Annual Conference Marketplace Thank our 2015 Sponsors by supporting those that support FSAE

PLATINUM

Ali Collins 727.894.1000 www.marriott.com/tpasr

Sara Melvin 727.464.7200 www.visitspc.org

Conference Host Property

Conference Host Destination

Gold

Lisa Chamberlain, CMP 813.226.0293 www.visitTampaBay.com

Kimball Mathews 800.237.6444 fortmyers-sanibel.com

Thursday Lunch Sponsor

Friday Lunch Sponsor & 2015 Host

Silver

850.488.5607 www.visitFlorida.org

352.333.3358 naylor.com

727.827.0046 yourMembership.com

Thursday Breakfast Sponsor

Friday Breakfast Sponsor

Thursday Break Sponsor & Breakout Room Sponsor

www.fsae.org/annualConference All Conference Sponsors listed online and on page 23 a publication of the florida society of association executives

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FSAE Foundation

Thank You Foundation Investors! july/august 2015

Tony Farina Connie Galietti, JD Letreze Gooding, CMP Carolyn D. Hinson, CGMP Laura Jersey Ashley Liveoak Cathi C. Lundgren, CAE Rachel Luoma, MS, CAE

Tondra Matthews, CMP Sandy Nicotra Angela O'Reilly Crissy Tallman, CMP, CAE Michael Townes Kevin Vinchattle Kelli Williams Debbie M. Wysocki

Make an investment in your professional association: www.fsae.org/MakeADonation

FSAE Partners with MemberClicks for Association Management Software The new AMS is expected to launch in November of this year.

If you need your event credit history, please contact the FSAE office as soon as possible. Watch your email for more information!

FSAE has selected MemberClicks as its official provider of association management software.

MemberClicks is the leading provider of membership management software for small-staff associations.

“We’re thrilled to partner with FSAE,” said Mark Sedgley, President and CEO of MemberClicks. “We’ve been working alongside FSAE for quite some time and are honored they’ve selected our software to manage their own organization.”

“We are excited about this partnership with MemberClicks,” said Frank Rudd, FSAE President/ CEO. “This transition will bring a smoother online member experience and more efficiency for staff.”

“Are Your Smarter than” QUIZ ANSWERS 1-C; 2-D; 3-D; 4-E; 5-B; 6-C; 7-B; 8-B; 9-C; 10-B; 11-A; 12-B; 13-C

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C O M I N G

S P R I N G

2 0 1 6

LET EVERY FACET OF YOUR EVENT

SPARKLE

When you hold your meeting at Opal Sands, our inspiring location, imaginative event spaces and stellar service will ensure that every detail is nothing short of extraordinary.

OPAL SANDS RESORT FEATURES 230 rooms and suites, each boasting oceanfront views / Professional meeting & event specialists 25,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor event space / 5,500 sq. ft. event lawn for elegant outdoor affairs Nine breakout rooms, all with striking oceanfront views / Catering options from award-winning chefs

Bookings for 2016 meetings and events are available now.

For additional information and planning assistance, please call 855.410.3593.

4 30 SO U T H G U L F V I E W B LV D. • C L E A RWAT E R B E AC H , F LO R I DA • OPALSANDS.COM

OMNI UNDERSTANDS

Š2015 Omni Hotels & Resorts

Close to the action. Far from the distractions.

Near perfection.

The Omni Orlando Resort is the perfect place for your next event, and a wonderful place for a charming getaway for event attendees and their families. This stunning resort features 15 acres of recreation, 36 holes of championship golf, 769 guestrooms, suites, and villas, 128,000 square feet of indoor meeting and banquet space and 70,000 square feet of outdoor event space.

407-238-6526 â&#x20AC;˘ omniunderstands.com/orlando