Blitz December 2015 - January 2016

Carolina Blitz December 2015 - January 2016

Hilton Garden Inn Raleigh-Cary Cary, NC | January 14-15, 2016

Marlene Barbera New Member Spotlight Page 8

in this issue...

features Trim Your F&B Budget without Skimping on Experience. . . . . . . . 16-18 Fresh Thinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

in every issue Our Annual Sponsors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Our Members. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Monthly Meeting Planner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 President’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 MPI-CC Board & Committee Chairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7 New Member Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Helping Hand Winner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Look Who We Spotted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-13 Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-15

Comstock/Stockbyte/Thinkstock

Board Meeting Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Carolina Blitz | December 2015 - January 2016 |

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MPI-CC THANKS OUR ANNUAL SPONSORS! We Appreciate Your Support!

Diamond Sponsor:

Gold Sponsors:

Silver Sponsors:

2

| Carolina Blitz | August - September 2015

our members Welcome New Members!

Stacey Byrd UNC Law Library byrds03@students.ecu.edu

Teresa Gitomer hey RED teresa@heyred.biz

Tenessa Moore Moore Creative Ink, Inc. tmoore@moorecreativeink.com

Bethany Cargle Sunbelt Rentals bethay.cargle@sunbeltrentals.com

Natoshia Goines DESA, Inc. ngoines@desainc.com

Carol Owen Retreats Resources carol@retreatsresources.com

Lynn Craven UNC Anesthesiology lcraven@aims.unc.edu

Negeen Hamedani Student - Duke University nghamedani@gmail.com

Pam Reis Springmaid Beach Resort pam.reis@hilton.com

Ruby Dease University of North Carolina rubydease@yahoo.com

Dawn Kelley Student - UNC Charlotte rdhlkelley@gmail.com

Ashley Richburg Visit Charlotte Ashley.Richburg@visitcharlotte.com

Sonya Dukes Greensboro Marriott Downtown sonya.dukes@marriottsales.com

Karen Kunz Student - Duke University karenkunz@nc.rr.com

Donna Thompson Family Resource Center dthompson@ thefamilyresourcecenter.org

Rachel Evans Student - University of South Carolina evansrw@email.sc.edu

Cristin Lee, CPCE Party Reflections clee@partyreflections.com

MPI-CC Anniversaries 15 years Kathy Flowe, CMP Alabama Theatre

Kris Vail Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) krisbarrettvail@hotmail.com

First Timers and New Members at the November Mixer

Erin Moye Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club

10 years Alison Harding, CMP, GTP Global Knowledge Malinda Harrell, CMP, CASE Greater Raleigh CVB Kim Parsons, CMP Duke Energy Amanda Wright Clemson University, Conference Center & Inn

Congratulations to each of you for reaching a milestone in MPI!

(Left to right) Madison Norris, Blockade Runner Beach Resort LaTosha Smith Teresa Gitomer, hey RED Lauran Peoples, Durham CVB Marc Dooner, Durham CVB Carolina Blitz | December 2015 - January 2016 | 3

monthly meeting planner

January 14-15, 2016

July 14-15, 2016

Cary, NC

Chapel Hill, NC

Hilton Garden Inn Raleigh-Cary

The Carolina Inn

March 17-18, 2016

September 15-16, 2016

Spartanburg, SC

Education & Business Exchange

Spartanburg Marriott

Raleigh, NC

Raleigh Marriott Crabtree Valley

April 14, 2016

Global Meetings Industry Day

Locations Coming Soon!

November 3-4, 2016

Concord, NC

Great Wolf Lodge – Charlotte/Concord

May 9-10, 2016

Annual Meeting

Hilton Head Island, SC

The Westin Hilton Head Island

Resort & Spa June 11-14, 2016

Reminder: Deadline for submissions for the next Carolina Blitz is January 22, 2016. Please submit any articles or photographs to be considered for

MPI World Education Congress

publication to Editor-In-Chief Ginny Fountain, CMP,

Atlantic City, New Jersey

at Ginny.Fountain@ncemcs.com.

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| Carolina Blitz | December 2015 - January 2016

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president’s message More Time & Opportunity in 2016

by Christian Schroeder

Happy 2016! Hopefully, you have enjoyed the holidays and been able to find time to rest and recharge. Time is such a valuable commodity, and many of us could use more of it. What if we had more time?

Leap year occurs every four years and provides us with an additional day on the calendar. Some may argue that leap day does not actually provide extra time, but it does provide another day.

Time can truly be what you make of it. Successful people prioritize projects and make the most of their time and opportunities.

Christian Schroeder Visit Winston-Salem 2015-2016 MPI-CC President

Perhaps this is the year that you make more time for the Carolinas Chapter while creating opportunities for your personal and professional growth. Did you know that contributing one hour of service over the course of the year will qualify you as an active volunteer in our chapter? This breaks down to 15 minutes every quarter. After volunteering, many members find themselves giving more time to the chapter because they enjoy it and gain so much from the experiences.

So don’t let limited time keep you from getting involved. Make the most of your time and it may feel like you are making more time. Earl Nightingale stated: “Don’t let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it. The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use.”

Eivaisla/iStock/Thinkstock

In 2016, please put your time to the best possible use and give a little extra to the Carolinas Chapter. These experiences will help you to excel so that we might better serve current and future members! n

Carolina Blitz | December 2015 - January 2016 | 5

MPI-CC 2015-2016 Board of Administration President Christian Schroeder Visit Winston-Salem 336-728-4218 Christian@ visitwinstonsalem.com

President-Elect Barbara Dragan The Westin Charlotte 704-335-2114 Barbara.Dragan@westin.com

Immediate Past President Malinda Harrell, CMP, CASE Greater Raleigh CVB 919-645-2668 mharrell@visitraleigh.com

Director of Marketing Brittany O’Shaughnessy Francis Marion Hotel 843-937-8690 Brittany.OShaughnessy@ thefrancismarion.com

Marketing Committee Farrah Staub, CMP Raleigh Marriott Crabtree Valley 919-571-5319 farrah.staub@marriott.com

Director of Meeting Planning Amelia Hodges, CMP, CMM North Carolina Association of CPAs 919-469-1040, ext. 8 ahodges@NCACPA.org

Education Committee Mallory Middleton Raleigh Convention Center 919-996-8514 mallory.middleton@ raleighconvention.com

Director of Strategic Partnership Maureen Donovan Holiday Inn Resort Wrightsville Beach 910-256-2231 mdonovan@ wrightsville.holidayinnresorts.com

Strategic Partnerships Committee Chair Needed

Director of Fundraising Karolyn Stone, CHSP, CMP Marriott Columbia 803-744-6922 Karolyn.stone@ marriottcolumbia.com

Business Exchange Committee John Cruz, CMM Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC 919-765-1334 John.Cruz@bcbsnc.com

Director of Leadership & Volunteer Development Nicole Robinson Greater Raleigh CVB 919-645-2682 nrobinson@visitraleigh.com

Awards Committee Co-Chair Wendy Bassett, CMP HelmsBriscoe 843-243-0554 wbassett@helmsbriscoe.com

Director of Membership Selah Havard Cabarrus County CVB 704-456-7970 Selah@visitcabarrus.com

Hospitality Committee Karen Knox, CMP, CMM Visit Winston-Salem 336-728-4213 KKnox@visitwinstonsalem.com

Communications VP of Communications Alyce Kelly, CHSP Hilton Garden Inn Jacksonville 242-241-8402 Alyce.kelly@hilton.com

Education VP of Education Lori Hedrick, CMM, CMP, MHA, CSEP Burroughs Wellcome Fund 919-991-5105 lhedrick@bwfund.org

Finance VP of Finance Amy Johnson Courtyard by Marriott at Carolina Beach 910-458-2617 amy.johnson@ crestlinehotels.com

Membership VP of Membership Alison Harding, CMP GTP Global Knowledge 919-461-8698 Alison.Harding@ globalknowledge.com

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| Carolina Blitz | December 2015 - January 2016

f Directors and Committees

Advocacy Committee Co-Chair Linda Ilsley, CMP LPI Events 919-322-4996 lpievents@aol.com

Advocacy Committee Co-Chair Molly Johnson, CMP Wilmington & Beaches CVB 910-332-8747 mjohnson@ wilmingtonandbeaches.com

Publications Committee Ginny Fountain, CMP NC Association of Electric Cooperatives 919-875-3050 ginny.fountain@ncemcs.com

Social Media Committee Mica Parekh IWP Photography 919-270-2510 mica@iwpphotography.com

Meeting Planning Committee Molly Nelson Spartanburg Marriott 864-591-3113 Molly.Nelson@marriott.com

Professional Certifications Committee Co-Chair Farrah Staub, CMP Raleigh Marriott Crabtree Valley 919-571-5319 farrah.staub@marriott.com

Fun-Raising Committee Chair Needed

Silent Auction Committee Kathleen Van Geluwe Myrtle Beach Marriott Resort & Spa at Grande Dunes 843-692-3712 kathleen.vangeluwe@ marriottsales.com

Awards Committee Co-Chair Lindsay Myers Caesars Entertainment 919-628-8836 lmyers1@caesars.com

Leadership & Volunteer Development Committee Christy Marcinkowski, CMP NC Sustainable Energy Assoc.

919-832-7601 ext 11 christy@energync.org

The Management Office Christine Irwin, CMP The Management Office 704-377-5648 Christine@ themanagementoffice.com

Professional Certifications Committee Co-Chair Jennifer Kist, CMP VROOMZ 704-607-1454 jkist@vroomz.com

Scholarship Committee Liz Guertin Visit Winston-Salem 336-728-4231 liz@visitwinstonsalem.com

Member Care Committee Alex Oates PSAV 919-439-6214 aoates@PSAV.COM

Carolina Blitz | December 2015 - January 2016 |

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new member spotlight New Member Spotlight: Marlene Barbera

by Lindsay Myers

Marlene Barbera

I recently had the opportunity to learn more about Marlene Barbera, Director of Sales at the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau, and our New Member Spotlight for this issue of the Blitz. Marlene is a wonderful addition to MPI-CC and I’m excited for our chapter to get to know her.

Marlene – thank you for joining MPI-CC!

How long have you been working for the Chapel Hill Orange County & Visitors Bureau and what do you do there?

I have been there just over one year and am the Director of Sales.

Give a brief explanation of your professional experience.

I have over 25 years of sales experience in the tourism, hospitality, employment, education and wellness industries.

I also have 19 years of experience as a Hotel Director of Sales and Marketing, extensive experience in hotel revenue management, staff development and training, customer service, meeting planning and hotel operations.

How were you introduced to MPI-CC and how do you feel it will enrich your life and career?

As a former hotelier I was introduced to MPI years ago. Now as a Sales Director for a Visitors Bureau, my membership with MPI-CC will be very valuable moving forward. It will be a great way to network with planners and other industry professionals. There is also a lot of peer-to-peer learning and best practices that can be shared.

Give some detail about your personal life and how you balance that with your professional life. How do you achieve a work/life balance?

As a single mom of two teenage boys I am constantly on the go! Time management is crucial. But more importantly, I don’t bring my work home with me. I protect my personal life and quality time to be with my family and friends.

What is your ultimate professional goal?

To continue to learn and grow in my position with the Visitors Bureau. To be known as a great salesperson who passionately promoted the destination and helped to drive economic growth in the area. The more I can bring business to the county, the more it helps my local community and supports the citizens that live and work here.

What advice would you give to someone considering the hospitality or meetings & events profession?

You must be customer service driven to work in the hospitality industry. You must be a people-person who really wants to help others, proactively resolve situations and find solutions. You need to want to put a smile on someone’s face every day. n

Lindsay Myers Caesars Entertainment MPI-CC Membership Committee Member

What event or experience has made the biggest impact on your life and why?

I worked in sales for 19 years in the hotel industry at one hotel, and then took a new position as Director of Sales at the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau. This job is a perfect fit for my experience and background. I am excited to not just sell one hotel anymore, now I get to promote an entire destination and sell all the hotels, venues and experiences in Orange County, NC including Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Hillsborough.

If you were able to meet anyone (living or deceased), who would it be and why?

I would want to meet up with my dad who passed away four and a half years ago. I would want to find out how things are on the “other side,” share stories about his grandkids, and tell him about my fiancé that he never got a chance to meet.

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| Carolina Blitz | December 2015 - January 2016

Do you dream of being a published author? If so, the Blitz is looking for you! While we’re not the Wall Street Times, getting published in the Blitz is a great way to share your ideas with fellow MPI-CC members and earn points toward your CMP certification. The Blitz is always accepting original articles and great topic ideas. To submit your articles or ideas, please contact Ginny Fountain at Ginny.Fountain@ncemcs.com or submit via our website at www.mpi-cc.org.

It’s All in the Numbers 170,000-Square Feet of Meeting Space

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EMLYN KOSTER, Ph.D. SCIENTIS T A ND V ISIONA RY

Director of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences Emlyn Koster, Ph.D., is an insightful local mind, sharing his knowledge and network with meeting organizers from the Association of Science-Technology Centers to the world’s first conference on animal tracking.

Consider how a smart city’s pipeline of experts can help simplify planning, identify corporate partners and customize programming, impressing your most savvy attendees. Think Raleigh. Where science, innovation and education grow from the ground up.

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the means by which we can better understand the challenges we face and the opportunities that are there.”

Learn more at visitRaleigh.com/smart Photo Credit: News & Observer

Carolina Blitz | December 2015 - January 2016 |

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MPI-CC Scholarships

by Liz Guertin

It just feels good! To reinvest in your MPI-CC membership, that is. One of the best ways to do that is through the MPI-CC Scholarships program, and any one-year member of the chapter in good standing may apply.

The scholarship program was developed many years ago to assist and recognize members who have a passion for MPI-CC, who have gotten involved in chapter activities, and who have a desire to further their hospitality education.

Scholarship awards may be used to attend the bi-monthly chapter meetings, international MPI conferences, or sitting for accreditations.

Watch for the Scholarship applications coming soon, and APPLY! It will feel good to know you have a chance to continue your education with MPI-CC assisting you!

Liz Guertin Visit Winston-Salem MPI-CC Scholarship Committee Chair

MPI-CC is proud to present the Helping Hand Award to John Cruz, CMM

by Lindsay Myers

John was nominated by Jean Travers, Director of Global Accounts with Helms Briscoe. Jean felt that John Cruz was a true asset to the planning of the recent tradeshow held by MPI-CC. Many details and a lot of time were put into the tradeshow and it is one of the most John Cruz, CMM important events that MPI-CC holds throughout the year. John is a long-time member of MPI-CC and constantly volunteers his time in several committees.

Thank you, John, for continually donating your time, hard work, and creativity to our chapter. Congratulations! *Email Lindsay Myers at lmyers1@caesars.com to nominate someone for the Helping Hand Award! n

Lindsay Myers Caesars Entertainment MPI-CC Awards Committee Co-Chair

Planning for Your future Meeting & Event Planning Certificate Program

Now Enrolling b Spring Program Begins February 5, 2016 Complete the Meeting & Event Planning Certificate Program in 4 weekends!

February 5 & 6 b February 19 & 20 February 26 & 27 b March 11 & 12

Free Info Session:

January 6 b 6-7 p.m.

UNC Charlotte Center City 320 E. 9th St. b Charlotte, NC 28202 UNC Charlotte is a CMP Preferred Provider.

The Meeting & Event Planning Program meets the requirements to receive continuing education (CE) credit for the CMP credential.

704-687-8900 ContinuingEd.uncc.edu/mep 10

| Carolina Blitz | December 2015 - January 2016

news you can use

Grandover Resort and Conference Center announces new General Manager Joel Meyer

New CMP’s!

Grandover Resort and Conference Center, a full service Conference Resort with Golf and Spa located in Greensboro, NC, announces Joel Meyer as the new General Manager of the Resort.

October Exam: Caitlyn Cook, The American Board of Anesthesiology, Inc.

Joel Meyer, a veteran hotelier with over 25 years of resort management experience at Four- and Five-Star properties throughout the country, began his hospitality career at The Arizona Inn in Tucson, Arizona, then moved on to open new hotels for the Sheraton Corporation. Most recently he has held senior management positions at PGA National Resort & Spa and Innisbrook Golf Resort in Florida as well as The King and Prince Resort, the Lodge on Little St. Simons Island and The Inn at Sea Island in Georgia.

Congratulations to our chapter’s most recent members who passed the CMP exam. They are helping advance the industry and their own professional careers. Be sure to congratulate them!

November Exam: Kelsey Zwick, American Institute of CPA’s Keri Cross, American Institute of CPA’s Jess Brooks, BCD M&I/Cisco Systems Limited Diane Gregory, BCD M&I/Cisco Systems Limited Jessica Mills, American Council of Engineering Companies of North Carolina Morgan Wallace, Wells Fargo Enterprise Marketing n If you have news we can use, please send to ginny.fountain@ncemcs.com.

Meyer also is a past recipient of the “Georgia Hospitality Leader of the Year” award from the Georgia Hospitality & Travel Association and the “National General Manager of the Year” award from the American Hotel & Lodging Association.

“Being at Grandover Resort is such a fantastic opportunity in that it offers spectacular golf, tremendous hotel and conference facilities, wonderful spa services and great dining. The best part about joining the Resort is getting to be around genuinely nice staff that truly strives to exceed the needs of our guests. Also, I get to stay in The South – which is the region I love”, says Meyer about his new position.

Syed Katawazi, the General Manager of Grandover since 2002, retired at the end of October and joins his family in San Diego, CA. Grandover Resort and Conference Center features 247 luxurious guest accommodations, 45,000 square feet of meeting space, 36 holes of world-class golf, The Spa at Grandover, DiValletta Restaurant, two lounges, indoor/ outdoor pool, and tennis set among 1,500 acres of rolling hills in central North Carolina. The Resort is conveniently located on I-85 and I-40, and only 20 minutes from Piedmont Triad International Airport.

Grandover Resort is owned and operated by Koury Corporation, Greensboro, NC.

A Southeastern Meeting Destination That’s Easy to Get to But Difficult to Leave From the mountains to the beach our southern hospitality and well crafted style are sure to impress! Convenience and affordability aren’t the only things we have going for us!

Contact us today to find out why you should be meeting in Hickory, NC where meetings are well crafted!

hickorymetro.com | 828.322.1355 Carolina Blitz | December 2015 - January 2016 |

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Look Who We Spotted at the...

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Carolina Blitz | December 2015 - January 2016

... November Meeting in Carolina Beach!

Photography by Mica Parekh – IWP Photography

education

MPI-CC November Education Recap Move Their Bodies, Move Their Minds An “Exercise” in Delivering a Creative Brainstorming Session

by Mallory Middleton

Tara Liaschenko delivered a stimulating presentation to MPI-CC members at Carolina Beach on Friday, November 6, about how moving our bodies could move our minds towards creative horizons that we otherwise may not reach. Furthermore, how the trends of innovative workspaces can be conveyed in meeting design and incorporating bits of movement can have a huge impact on creativity and productivity in a meeting.

Liaschenko began her presentation by relaying current workplace trends and the new office design elements of the business world. To have a more collective and collaborative work environment, organizations are rethinking the typical office and creating an open space where employees are encouraged to collaborate on specific projects or day-to-day tasks. Since we live in such a highly advanced digital world, people are craving face-to-face more than ever before.

Attendees were shown photographs of an example organization that recreated their workspace environment to foster highly engaged employees. A company called Regenerative Medicine Solutions designed work desks that were purposefully open and unassigned to any employee – even executives. There were a few breakout rooms for needed sessions, projects, and meetings but the doors and walls were all glass. They wanted to encourage a high level of collaboration and mitigate conflicts that can otherwise occur in the workplace with closed floor plans.

Liaschenko explained that disengaged employees lacking collaboration cost the organization money in the long run, which directly affects the financial bottom-line. The same can be said about meeting attendees if the goal of a meeting is to produce quality, creative work. Movement increases oxygen to the brain that improves memory, concentration, and positive outlook.

Liaschenko relayed from her research a quote from Dr. John J. Ratey, “Exercise is really for the brain, not the body.

It affects mood, vitality, alertness and feelings of wellbeing.” With a carefully designed meeting, walking can easily be incorporated into a program’s agenda or through the course of a conference.

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| Carolina Blitz | December 2015 - January 2016

Liaschenko proposed that the ultimate “win-win” is when meeting environment and design intersect with physical activity. She demonstrated this in the very meeting room and program to the MPI-CC attendees at the November education session. There was a mixture of cocktail tables with high stools, crescent rounds, and a small platform with risers and a few couches on top towards the back of the room. This element of meeting space design allowed attendees to have a choice in which preferred seating style they were most comfortable.

In the last part of the education session, attendees split into multiple groups and were given the opportunity to take a fifteen-minute walk together and discuss three topics related to meeting design. They could choose where to walk and how far, as long as they were back in the meeting room by a set time to discuss the ideas they came up with during the walk. The responses from each group were plentiful and inspired. The consensus at the end of the meeting was that movement was a terrific stimulant for creative thinking during the walking meeting/ brainstorming session.

While we all may be well aware of the benefits incorporating extra movement into our personal lives have on our health, we might not have stopped to think about how this could affect our next meeting, conference, or retreat. Similarly, we might have heard about the new open-layout office design trending among organizations, but haven’t thought about bringing that same structure to our event sets. Liaschenko showed attendees how to put these things together in a very practical way. In today’s high-tech world, we must continually strive to keep high touch with our meeting attendees, friends, and family.

Crafting a creative space and adding movement to our events may just skyrocket our desired outcomes to new heights. n

Mallory Middleton Raleigh Convention Center MPI-CC Education Committee Chair

Meet one of the speakers at our upcoming January MPI-CC Meeting!

Chef Mitch Samples has over 25 years’ experience in the culinary field. After rising in the ranks from dishwasher to kitchen manager at The Mill, a local Iowa City landmark pub, his professional career took off in the Ivy Award-Winning restaurant, The State Chef Mitch Room, at the University of Iowa where Samples he served as sous chef. He also served the University of Iowa’s Food Service catering operation for several years, first as sous chef and then head chef.

After this, he spent time as an artisan baker for both The New Pioneer Co-op Bakehouse and the Bread Garden Café.

Returning to restaurant work, he served as sous chef for Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano in Cedar Rapids, Iowa for two years. Taking the role of chef partner in 2003, he opened Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano in Cary, North Carolina, where he managed an active kitchen until 2011. Moving on from there, Chef Mitch became an instructor at The Chef’s Academy where he is also the purchasing manager.

Chef Mitch’s awards include the 2004 Best in Show Award, the 2004 People’s Choice Award in the appetizer category, and the 2005 People’s Choice Award for his entries in the

March of Dimes’ Great Chefs of the Triangle competitions.

He holds a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in English, with a minor in Classics, from the University of Iowa.

Some of the main takeaways from his presentation will be: • Learn how chefs tap into local food to highlight fresh, local, healthy ingredients.

• Discuss the trend of special dietary needs and how to best address them with the chef in advance for events.

• Develop a basic understanding of the most common dietary needs in the diverse marketplace and apply this knowledge to plan appropriate menus.

• Examine how to work with F&B staff to accommodate special dietary needs, including the role of service staff.

• How to make F&B options look more appetizing to an attendee.

• Learn how chefs incorporate local flavor and customs into their food. n

engage in good company

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visitgreenvillenc.com 800-537-5564

GREENVILLE-PITT COUNTY CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU

Carolina Blitz | December 2015 - January 2016 |

15

Trim Your F&B Budget without Skimping on Experience

by Peter Gorman

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| Carolina Blitz | December 2015 - January 2016

Having a menu strategy can help you deal with budgetary challenges. Dealing directly with the chef also helps. The cost of food, as well as many other staples, has skyrocketed in the last few years. Combined with an economy that has not yet fully rebooted, this creates a significant challenge: Clients who want the “wow” treatment at less than “wow” prices.

Simply eliminating all food and beverage service might be a wonderful fantasy but isn’t realistic. So how can meeting professionals come up with creative ways to cut corners without sacrificing either style or substance?

THE CUSTOM MENU Reducing F&B costs without lessening the meeting or event experience should begin with asking for a custom menu. This approach leads to a variety of ways in which to minimize spend.

“We work with a lot of associations that simply don’t have the budget to order off the set menus,” says Janeé Pelletier, CMP, chief operating officer with Conference and Logistics Consultants, Inc. (reference: http:// gomeeting.com/clc-coo-featured-on-stevensonuniversity-panel/) “It’s been my experience that the chef is almost always willing to put something great together that meets your price point.”

Pelletier suggests that the plan works because it appeals to the chef’s creativity.

“No one wants to do the same boring thing day after day, and chefs are no exception,” Pelletier says. “The point is to put the expertise of your catering team to work for your meeting. They want you to have a great event and most of them are willing to work with whatever your budget is to give your attendees a one-of-a-kind experience.”

Nikolodion/iStock/Thinkstock

Brian Hatchitt, CMP, food and beverage director of Albuquerque’s Hotel Andaluz and president of the MPI New Mexico Chapter, says planners simply can’t go wrong by requesting a meeting with the venue’s F&B management, including the chef.

“Chefs like to show off their skills, so a challenge to come up with something off-menu and seasonal is typically met with enthusiasm,” he says. “And you’ll end up with lower prices per person.”

Pelletier, as well, has had several meetings for which the chef offered really creative alternatives, including

combining her group’s F&B needs with that of another group in the house, resulting in a bulk discount.

Plan for these savings by being proactive and checking out, in advance, what other groups will be serving at the venue during, or immediately before or after your meeting.

Linda Nelson, CMP (MPI Carolinas Chapter), president and CEO of To PLAN Ahead (http://www.toplanahead.com/), suggests going for a custom menu because “it could be hard to trim the cost off an existing hotel menu.”

“You would be surprised by what you can save if you have similar menus and the hotel can purchase in bigger bulk for more than one group,” Nelson says.

On one occasion, she was able to trim US$2-$3 off a plated lunch price of $28 using this strategy. However, the stars do have to align just right for this to happen, she admits.

Toni Hudson (MPI Manitoba Chapter), catering and banquet manager for the Inn at the Forks in Winnipeg, says tight budgets usually equate to sacrifice, but there’s no reason the guests should notice it.

“Customizing menus for seasonal items that might be lower cost at certain times of the year when they are abundant is one way to do it,” she says.

This strategy works well for repeat clients too, because the meeting professional is suggesting the best seasonal food available—push that point, rather than getting mired in discussion about not being able to afford certain things.

“Changing F&B selections for repeat clients gives you the ability to satisfy the client’s budget without sacrificing quality or service,” Hudson says.

LET THE BIDDING BEGIN Stuart Patton, communications manager for The Performance Group in Emeryville, Calif., has discovered that having hotels bid on her meetings is the best way for her to keep F&B costs under control.

“We tell the hotels that a client’s job is out for bid and that they have a golden window to set their F&B minimums right then,” she says. “For us, that’s the first step—the hotel wants the business and most will bid to get it.”

The second step in Patton’s process is to make a deal with the hotel that if the client goes over the F&B minimum, the client will get a share of that overage.

“We like to get maybe three percent going back to the client for performing better than anticipated by the hotel,” Patton says. “That sort of eases the budget at the end of the event for them. Clients love seeing a credit to the master Carolina Blitz | December 2015 - January 2016 |

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Kesu01/iStock/Thinkstock

bill—and, of course, the hotel that bids low loves to see the client’s guests spending more than they imagined.”

Another one of Patton’s tricks is to look at the history of a group’s meetings and events, and plan accordingly.

“If you’ve got a client with a history of only having 60 out of 100 guests arriving for breakfast, order for that rather than ordering for all 100 and watching that money disappear,” Patton says. “Of course, you’ve got to zero in on who will really arrive and then be tight with your predictions—but loose enough to accommodate if a few more than expected show up.”

Patton says that a two-year history of a specific group gives a good idea as to how many attendees will eat. As a precaution, she always includes language in the contract stating that the venue will overset the function by five percent.

“That gives you that little bit of wiggle room you need to feel relaxed,” she says.

Once the venue has won the contract, the staff always wants to shine.

“They might get creative and serve slightly smaller plates or come up with dessert ideas that are great but cost a little less, but they will work hard to make the event a great one,” Patton says.

TASTY SAMPLES • Skip the continental breakfast. Instead, offer coffee in the meeting room(s) and have smaller networking breakfasts that require RSVPs. • During morning and/or afternoon breaks, serve nonperishable items, such as individually wrapped granola bars, so you’re charged only for what is consumed.

• Serve an entrée salad for lunch rather than a threecourse meal. For instance, include grilled steak and blue cheese over field greens so guests are still getting steak—one portion can feed two or three people when it’s part of a salad.

• Reserve the plated lunch dessert and coffee for the afternoon break, so it’s a single service in terms of cost.

• Instead of a full bar, serve one signature drink—such as a specialty martini related to the meeting theme or destination—and beyond that only serve beer, wine or non-alcoholic drinks.

• If opting for an open bar, shut it down during dinner service, especially if wine is being served with the dinner. n

Indeed, F&B costs can be controlled in ways that guests will never notice. The trick is to be creative and produce more than the client expects.

Peter Gorman

“In the end, that is the most important thing,” Hudson says. “The meeting has to be successful, regardless of any budget constraints.”

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| Carolina Blitz | December 2015 - January 2016

Reprinted with permission from the August 2014 issue of The Meeting Professional, the official monthly magazine of Meeting Professionals International. All Rights Reserved.

Fresh Thinking

by Tahira Endean

Food and beverage programs are critical touch-points and must be embraced for all they can offer to connect people and build relationships.

Attending a meeting is the mental equivalent of running a marathon. The days are long and extend into evenings, and you are expected to network, learn, retain and be social for at least 50 percent more hours than a typical workday. When you provide options that offer the highest amount of available nutrition designed to take participants most effectively to the next available meal without the typical “rush and crash” syndrome most meeting food provides, you will net positive results.

For two years I have presented with Andrea Sullivan of BrainStrength Systems on how to improve meeting results through food choices made, and I will share some of what we have learned.

Much of this comes back to respecting the history of the food we eat, where it comes from, how it is served in various regions and taking advantage of what is available that is fresh, local, organic, seasonal and sustainable (FLOSS). While it is nearly impossible to achieve all five at once, working with CSMs and chefs to highlight regional specialties and local ingredients is an excellent first step.

By planning your menus through two filters, first FLOSS, and second, limiting or eliminating processed food and high-glycemic foods—focusing on removing items high in white flours and sugars, including the pastries often seen at breakfast and breaks and pasta seen at lunch—you will find your participants will have a different overall experience. These types of foods provide immediate satisfaction, but then lead to the “rush and crash,” affecting our ability to concentrate and inducing “brain fog,” a feeling many are familiar with.

The participant response to this is to seek more stimulants, and meetings will often fill this void at breaks with coffee, tea, sugar or caffeine-rich sodas or juices, as well as more high-glycemic, high-sugar, high fat-items, extending the cycle. With a focus on what good food provides in the short term and by serving lighter, fresher items, you have the opportunity to give your participants sustained energy through the long days.

We suggest including lighter breakfast options including oatmeal, hard-boiled eggs, multigrain breads and fruit; break items higher in protein such as whole nuts and cheese, with sugar coming from whole fruit, dried fruit and even ice cream, where the dairy proteins balance the sugars; and lunches where whole grains are paired with lean proteins and vegetables. You will find your guests not weighed down with food, and speakers will no

longer dread that post-lunch spot. By serving fresh food, it is easier to ensure your special meals—vegan, glutenfree, diabetic—are more easily integrated and prepared.

Overall, you will find your attendees are more energized, and you will improve the mood of your meeting.

Yes, the mood. The energy, the buzz of your meeting will improve because when our blood sugars are stable through the course of a day we are more alert and engaged learners, better able to connect with others we know or meet in a friendly and collaborative manner. Add in lots of hydration with fresh water, plain or flavored with citrus, cucumber or other fresh combinations, and you’ll find more engaged participants that lead to more productive meetings with deeper connections made and, yes, better evaluations.

However, the issue of rising budgets is a practical reality.

Two ways to control budgets are considering smaller portion sizes, particularly for high-expense items such as proteins, and inspiring chefs to cook food they are passionate about using items grown seasonally and regionally. Sustainable food produced or grown locally often has more flavor, has reduced transportation costs and benefits the local growers, a win-win for the meeting and the local economy.

There is a reason that welcome receptions are often a “taste of” event for the destination—it is because guests want to experience the local food and beverage. If you are in a truly unique location for the guests, you may balance this with items more familiar to them, but do embrace local flavors, too. It will be noticed and appreciated.

Meetings are a place of discovery for the curious, and food is a great tool for exploration. At meals, we have time and space to share ideas and ideologies and prepare ourselves for business as we create bonds of mutual trust through shared experience. Ultimately you want food and beverage programs to generate discussion through the service environment, flow and what is served.

Whether the idea is a little kooky, such as grilled asparagus on breakfast buffets (which people both ate and talked about), or deliciously simple such as a microbrew or local wine tasting, consider options. Try small changes at your events and increase the power of meeting face-toface with thoughtful food and beverage programs they love. n

Tahira Endean Reprinted with permission from the July 2013 issue of The Meeting Professional, the official monthly magazine of Meeting Professionals International. All Rights Reserved Carolina Blitz | December 2015 - January 2016 |

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board meeting highlights Board of Directors Meeting Minutes November 5, 2015 | Carolina Beach, NC

by Christine Irwin, CMP

Attendees: Christian Schroeder, Barbara Dragan, Karolyn Stone, CMP, CHSP, Amy Johnson, Nicole Robinson, Lori Hedrick, CMP, CMM, MHA, CSEP, Maureen Donovan, Alyce Kelly, CHSP, Selah Havard, TMP, Alison Harding, CMP, GTP, Malinda Harrell, CMP, CASE, Christine Irwin, CMP Minutes: Malinda Harrell, CMP, CASE presented the minutes from the September 17, 2015 Board of Directors Meeting and made a motion to approve.

Motion: Malinda Harrell, CMP, CASE made a motion to approve the September 17, 2015 Board of Directors Meeting Minutes as presented.

Second: Nicole Robinson Vote: Approved Financials: Christine Irwin, CMP reviewed the September 30 Balance Sheet and Aging Report. The September P&L

Malinda Harrell, CMP, CASE – Immediate Past President and Nominating Committee Chair Barbara Dragan – President-Elect Timothy Miron Nancy Lowe, CMP Christy Marcinkowski, CMP Wendy Bassett, CMP Second: Nicole Robinson Vote: Approved Blitz Reminder: Alyce Kelly, CHSP reminded the Board that all articles are due one week from the conclusion of the chapter meeting.

Social Media: Alyce Kelly, CHSP requested that all social media and communication requests are submitted to Farrah Staub, CMP using the communications request form.

was presented in detail during the mid-year board retreat

September Meeting Survey Results: Lori Hedrick, CMP,

on November 4, 2015.

CMM, MHA, CSEP reviewed the results from the September

Motion: Alyce Kelly, CHSP made a motion to approve the September P&L, Balance Sheet and Aging Report as presented.

Second: Alison Harding, CMP, GTP Vote: Approved

Meeting survey and addressed feedback with the Board.

Next Board Meeting: The next board meeting will be held on January 14, 2016 at the Hilton Garden Inn Raleigh-Cary in Cary, NC. Meeting Adjourned. n

Chapter Office: The updated metrics report was reviewed in detail during the mid-year board retreat on November 4, 2015. Christine Irwin, CMP reviewed the rest of the November meeting agenda.

Consent Agenda: Christian Schroeder asked for a motion to

Christine Irwin, CMP The Management Office

approve the consent agenda.

Motion: Nicole Robinson made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda as presented.

Second: Malinda Harrell, CMP, CASE Vote: Approved Nominations: Malinda Harrell, CMP, CASE presented the nominating committee slate for 2015-2016.

Motion: Malinda Harrell, CMP, CASE made a motion to approve the 2015-2016 Nominating Committee Slate as follows:

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| Carolina Blitz | December 2015 - January 2016

January 14-15, 2015 Cary, NC Hilton Garden Inn Raleigh-Cary

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Carolina Blitz The Carolina Blitz is the official publication of the Carolinas Chapter of Meeting Professionals International and is published every other month. All contributions, articles, and photographs should be submitted to Publications Committee Chair/ Editor one week after the meeting. Send to Ginny Fountain, CMP Ginny.Fountain@ncemcs.com EDITORIAL AND NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE Director of Marketing Brittany O’Shaughnessy • Francis Marion Hotel

Know a Helping Hand?

Editor Ginny Fountain, CMP • North Carolina Association of Electric Cooperatives Contributing Writers Christian Schroeder, Visit Winston-Salem; Christine Irwin, CMP, The Management Company; Lindsay Myers, Caesars Entertainment; Tahira Endean; Peter Gorman; Mallory Middleton, Raleigh Convention Center; Liz Guertin, Visit Winston-Salem

Know anyone that has lent a helping hand?

Photographer Micah Parekh - IWP Photography

Committee Chairs, please nominate one of your

Proofreaders Kathy Flowe, CMP, Alabama Theatre; Christine Irwin, CMP, The Management Office; Cathy Mauldin, CMP, DESA, Inc.; Teresa Palmieri, Sheraton Imperial; Myron Jones, Fayetteville CVB; Connie Hayes, Student; Lynn Rich, CMP, American Express Meetings & Events; Elizabeth Lyons, CMP, TD Convention Center

members who has volunteered their time and efforts this month and thank them for helping to make your goal possible. Let me know who they

Publisher Vince Chelena • The Management Office 704-377-5648 • Fax 704-333-6927 • staff@themanagementoffice.com

are and how they went above and beyond for your committee. Please send nominations to

Advertising Maureen Donovan • Holiday Inn Resort Wrightsville Beach • 910-256-2231

Lindsay Myers at lmyers1@caesars.com FYV-473c-Events-Ad-3.5x4.75-FINAL-[021615]-RW.pdf

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Design Kistin Jordan • Kistin Jordan [Graphic Designer] • 704-724-9188

2:54 PM

MPI-CC Web Site: www.mpi-cc.org

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