Carolina Blitz June-July 2021

Carolina Blitz June - July 2021

Chapter Meeting Asheville Crowne Plaza | Asheville, NC July 8-9, 2021

CAROLINAS CHAPTER

Look Forward,

Meet Back in Winston-Salem

Centrally located in North Carolina, Winston-Salem is a welcoming meeting destination with a history committed to reinvention and

Proud to Partner:

innovation. Named a Forbes’ Top 10 Best Downtown, Winston-Salem boasts a vibrant, walkable city center, ideal outdoor meeting spaces, and

more

Meet with

than

5,000

comfort

hotel

and

ease

rooms—including in

downtown’s

1,200

downtown.

105,000-square-foot

Benton Convention Center, which—along with our hotel partners—have implemented

stringent

cleaning

protocols

and

hybrid

meeting

configurations to ensure your future meetings are safe, healthy, and successful.

Karen Wall

Senior Sales Manager Karen@VisitWinstonSalem.com 336.728.4210

Christian Schroeder

Director of Sales & Services Christian@VisitWinstonSalem.com 336.728.4218

Learn more about our Travel Back Rewards Program

in this issue...

features Look Who We Spotted at the Annual Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9

in every issue Our Annual Sponsors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Our Members. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Monthly Meeting Planner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 President’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 MPI-CC Board & Committee Chairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Photo by Photo by Simon Berger from Pexels

Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13

Carolina Blitz | June - July 2021 |

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

Platinum Sponsor:

Diamond Sponsors:

Gold Sponsors:

Silver Sponsors:

Convention Center & Visitors Bureau

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| Carolina Blitz | June - July 2021

our members Welcome New Members!

Membership Engagement would like to welcome all of our new members who have joined us recently. Please plug in to the chapter, volunteer and engage! We welcome your questions and will connect you with an ambassador once you have registered for your first meeting. However, if you would like an ambassador before you attend your first meeting, just let us know. We are here to help and make sure you are right where you would like to be with your membership!

Please reach out to Mica Parekh, Director of Membership Engagement at mica@ iwpphotography.com or Alicia Miller, Chair of Membership Engagement at amiller@raleighchamber.org. We look forward to hearing from you and meeting you soon!

Please welcome the following new members from the May 1 – 31, 2021 period. n

D. Michelle Beatty-Schofield Frosch Travel mbeattyschofield@hotmail.com Sara Dittman, CMP, VEMM Participate Learning saradittman@live.com Jake O’Dare dos@aloftgreenvilledowntown.com Emma Shillman emma.shillman@hyatt.com

Mica Parekh, CMP IWP Photography Director of Member Engagement

MPI-CC Anniversaries 15 Years Maureen Donovan 5 Years Elizabeth Green, CMP | SAS Institute

Kelley Ann Gregory | UNC General Administration Suzanne LaBroad | Hendrick Automotive Group Marianne S. Wheeler Congratulations to each of you for reaching a milestone in MPI!

CALLING ALL WRITERS Do you dream of being a published author?

If so, the Blitz is looking for you! While we’re not the Wall Street Journal, 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 Cathy Mauldin, CMP, at CathyMauldin@gmail.com or submit via our website at www.mpi.org/carolinas.

Carolina Blitz | June - July 2021 |

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monthly meeting planner July 8-9, 2021

Asheville Crowne Plaza | Asheville, NC

September 9-10, 2021

Chapter Meeting and Business Exchange Raleigh Marriott Crabtree Valley

November 4-5, 2021

SpringHill Suites Greenville Downtown | Greenville, SC

January 2022 – Coming soon!

March 2022 – Coming soon!

BrianAJackson/iStock/Thinkstock

May 2022

Official dates coming soon!

Harrah’s Cherokee | Cherokee, NC

July 14-15, 2022

Rizzo Conference Center | Chapel Hill, NC

We’ve missed hosting meetings—and we can’t wait to welcome back groups of all sizes when possible. In the meantime, venues in Raleigh like the Raleigh Convention Center, which received GBAC STAR™ accreditation for facility preparedness, are doing everything in their power to protect the health and safety of visitors. As for those meetings yet-to-come, we’re ready to start planning whenever you are.

visitRaleigh.com/wishmeetings

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| Carolina Blitz | June - July 2021

Jonathan Corbett

Reminder: Deadline for submissions for the next Carolina Blitz is Friday, July 16, 2021.

Please submit any articles or photographs to be considered for publication to Editor-In-Chief Cathy Mauldin, CMP, at cathymauldin@gmail.com.

president’s message

Thank you.

Amelia Hodges, CMM, CMP North Carolina Association of CPAs, Morrisville, NC

Wow, what a year this has been. When I committed to the role of President I never imagined that we would face the challenges we all have experienced this year.

I was excited about the in-person travel, networking, dancing all night during event receptions, but my year tuned out a little different. I have learned so much over the past year, and my biggest lesson was “change”, and how can I lead this chapter by turning challenges into opportunities. I also deepened my understanding of the word sacrifice, and quickly learned that I needed to push through and create a healthy mental and work life balance to lead this chapter during a challenging time.

I would like to personally thank you all for your dedication and support during a very tough year, and even more specifically for our meeting industry. This chapter would not remain in business without our members, partners, and sponsors, who continue to dedicate their time to keep our chapter in business. No task was too small this year, and we all were forced to come together as planners and suppliers to share best practices and support each other. If you took the time to like a social media post, attend a virtual meeting, write an article, serve on a committee, check-in on a member, share a word of encouragement, sponsor an event, or teach a session…THANK YOU. Also, I must give a HUGE thank you to the most amazing and dedicated board of directors that took time away from their families and day jobs to serve our chapter.

I appreciate you all so much and look forward to our continued work together as a team. Christine, Sarah, and Vince you all are top notch, and we could not ask for a more dedicated Management Office. We appreciate all your continued hard work and service to our chapter. I would also like to extend my congratulations again to Ricardo, as he steps into the President’s role and leads our chapter through a successful year together. The work is not done, as our 2021-22 board is ready to hit the ground running and lead this chapter to great leaps. Thank you for trusting me this year, and I am happy to serve as Immediate Past President with our incoming board to continue to work hard for our members. I look forward to networking with you all this year at an upcoming in-person event, and please know you can call me at any time, as I find so much joy in connecting with my industry peers.

Be well friends. n

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MPI-CC 2021-2022 Board of Directors and Committees Leadership President Ricardo Hicks Tech Factory Productions rhicks@techfactoryproductions.com

President-Elect Brandon Crumpton Key Signature Entertainment brandon@keysignatureonline.com

Immediate Past President Amelia Hodges, CMP, CMM North Carolina Association of CPAs ahodges@NCACPA.org

Director of Professional Development Seth Macchi Live Events Media Group (LEMG) seth.m@lemg.live

Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Najauna White, CMP The Diversity Movement Najauna.white@gmail.com

Chapter Administrator Christine Irwin, CMP The Management Office Christine@ themanagementoffice.com

Publications Committee Chair Cathy Mauldin, CMP DESA, Inc. Onsite at CDM Smith cathymauldin@gmail.com

Social Media Committee Chair Chair Needed

Education Committee Cathy Carpenter Visit Mooresville cathy@visitmooresville.com

Professional Certifications Committee Co-Chair Jessica Garrett, CMP Cisco jegarret@cisco.com

Communications VP of Marketing and Communications Sarah Casella McGill & Hill Group sarah.casella@mcgillhillgroup.com

Education VP of Program Development Nicole Filippo, CMP Elon University nfilippo@elon.edu

Professional Certifications Committee Co-Chair Tessa Barrier, CMP MHI TBarrier@mhi.org

Finance VP of Finance Jamie Frydlo JDS Consulting jfrydlo@gmail.com

Tradeshow Committee Chair Alison Harding, CMP, GTP, CMM NC Trucking Association aharding@nctrucking.com

Auction Committee Chair Needed

Member Engagement VP of Member Engagement Yolanda Diaz DoubleTree by Hilton Raleigh Brownstone University Hotel Yolanda.diaz@hilton.com

Director of Member Engagement Alicia Miller, CMP Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce amiller@raleighchamber.org

Member Engagement Committee Chair Chair Needed

Awards Committee Chair Beth Tanner Duke Cancer Network beth.tanner@duke.edu

Leadership & Volunteer Development Chair Rachel Whitten Greenville-Pitt County CVB RWhitten@greenvillenc.gov

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| Carolina Blitz | June - July 2021

safely

Wonderfully eclectic meeting spaces served with a side of fun

Visit Mooresville

When you meet in Mooresville, rest assured that your safety is our top priority. Ample spacing, meticulous cleaning, and certification through the Count On Me NC health initiative are just a few ways we are striving to do our part to keep everyone safe.

And because meetings can’t be all business, delight your attendees with unique, fun breakout experiences and after hours entertainment. Exotic animal encounters, water sports on Lake Norman, craft breweries, and so much more.

@VisitMooresville

#MeetMooresville

Cathy Carpenter, Director of Sales | 980-447-0666 | cathy@visitmooresville.com Carolina Blitz | June - July 2021 |

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Look Who We Spotted…

“

Thanks to Everyone involved with the planning & implementation of this event. It was truly wonderful to finally safely reconnect with friends & colleagues ... and the venue was simply fantastic. Kudos to you all & thank you for what you do!

“ “ ”

Location was excellent and very relaxing while also being a positive working environment.

The organization and execution of this was Excellent!

The team at registration was so warm and welcoming. The events planned were fun and really enabled connection and networking. The place was beautiful and comfortable. I have been a member of MPI for years but am new to this chapter. I can truly say I was made to feel right at home and made some great friends and contacts that I can feel will be in my network for years to come. Thank you for all the hard work and love you put into this event! I can’t wait until the next one in Asheville!

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”

| Carolina Blitz | June - July 2021

”

“

Wonderful experience. The hotel staff really went above in beyond in their service and members for MPI were so warm and welcoming since this was my first meeting with the Carolina Chapters!

” “

This was an amazing and I dare say perfect event and is going to be hard to beat! (had to copy what I said above because I just had the best time and am so grateful to have met so many wonderful people!)

”

...at the Annual Meeting Photography by Tesh Parekh – IWP Photography

education March Education Recap: What do I do now: Start a new business, reskill or specialize?

by Nicole Filippo, CMP

For many meeting professionals, 2020 involved reflection and change.

Mekeda Johnson-Brooks

Steve Kinsley

Several now find themselves wondering about the next chapter in their careers. During the MPI-CC March meeting education session “What do I do now: Start a new business, reskill or specialize?”

Steve Kinsley, president of Kinsley Meetings, and Mekeda JohnsonBrooks, chief client experience architect of MJ Design and Company, shared their journeys as small business owners, and gave advice for those who are thinking of forming a business, changing jobs or looking to make themselves more marketable.

Johnson-Brooks recommended the audience look to combine skills they do well with what they love. Starting her own company provided her with the opportunity to work on “things that bring me joy” and “things that I feel make a difference in the world with people that I’m excited to work with.”

For people looking to start a business, Kinsley advised the following: • Create an LLC to have a corporate veil to protect your personal assets • Learn how to read a balance sheet and understand cash flow

Johnson-Brooks added, referring to finances, taxes and insurance.

Kinsley also shared advice he received from his father: Create a relationship with a banker. He noted how his relationship with his bank helped his company secure a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan this past year. Not being seen as just a number to a national bank was important in the loan process, he explained.

Johnson-Brooks and Kinsley, both members of the MPI Independent & Small Business Owners community, encouraged the audience to think beyond the title of “event planner,” noting planners are also project managers, creative thinkers and meeting architects.

“Think in terms of ‘this is what I do’ as opposed to ‘I’m an event planner,’ and you’ll have more options open to you,” Kinsley said. “We’re more than just meeting planners.”

“Don’t diminish your work,” Johnson-Brooks urged.

“The world in 2020 realized…the impact that our work has. People never realized how important coming together was until we couldn’t do it. We make that happen. We help people come together safely to learn, connect and grow. It’s a big job. It sounds simple, but it’s not.” n

• Hire a bookkeeper, a CPA and an insurance broker “Step out the door with the whole team or at least know where you can go for those resources,”

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| Carolina Blitz | June - July 2021

Nicole Filippo, CMP Elon University MPI-CC VP of Program Development

ENGAGING by nature WE ARE KIAWAH ISLAND

rd a w r o F Movingeconnecting &R more r been e v e n in as tings h here to help n mee e r o s a r e e to in-p are ready, w u g back g.

Gettin nt. When yo econnectin r ta d r n o a p im ard g forw movin

Sarah Davis, CMP, Director of Sales & Marketing 828.322.1335 Sarah@hickorymetro.com www.visithickorymetro.com Convention Center & Visitors Bureau

Work has never looked so

Plan your next event at our newly renovated facility and you’ll find all the amenities you need for a new way of doing business.

PROUD HOST

800.576.1585 • KiawahMeetings.com

203 S Front Street New Bern, NC (252) 637-1551 www.RiverfrontConventionCenter.com Carolina Blitz | June - July 2021 |

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WE’RE READY FOR YOU. VisitGreensboroNC.com

NETWORKING UPTOWN STYLE

Another hidden gem

Welcome Beyond our modern meeting spaces and networking-friendly hotels, you’ll discover legendary Eastern NC whole hog BBQ and a vibrant Uptown District. We’re ready to host your corporate event, trade show or reunion whenever you are.

NC’s Emerald City is filled with countless hidden gems.

See you soon at VisitGreenvilleNC.com

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| Carolina Blitz | June - July 2021

The Gastonia Conference Center, located in the revitalized downtown and adjacent to the boutique Esquire Hotel, is a state-of-the-art facility providing 30,000 square feet of tech-savvy space accommodating groups of up to 450 and located only minutes from the Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

GoGastonNC.org 704-825-4044 | @GoGastonNC

education Education for July: ReThinking & ReDesigning Event F&B

by Nicole Filippo, CMP

As we begin to hold live events again, COVID-19 has highlighted the need/want of new guidelines and considerations we will have to consider, especially with food and beverage functions. It is an opportunity to rethink and redesign event food and beverage service and presentation. The need for greater transparency in food safety, food preparation and service will be at the forefront. What does that look like? What information do we need to know and share? Who is responsible for managing and overseeing the changes? How and what will attendees want to eat after 18 months at home? How should F&B be handled differently at events than it had before the pandemic?

• Understand the duty of care we hold in food safety and COVID-19

Speaker info: Tracy Stuckrath, CSEP, CMM, CHC thrive! meetings & events As the dietary needs expert, a food safety trainer, and a Certified Special Events Professional, Tracy Stuckrath works with organizations worldwide to create safe, inclusive and sustainable F&B events that deliver experiences where everyone feels valued. Through her speaking engagements, Eating at a Meeting podcast and Every Meal Matters online course, she brings expertise and real-world strategies to help event professionals establish best practices, mitigate risk, improve experiences, and increase profit with the food and beverage they serve.

For the full schedule click here. n

• Learn questions to ask about food safety for the front and back of the house • Feast on the food and beverage trends attendees will expect We’ll also discuss what it takes to order, prepare, and deliver delicious, safe, and inclusive food and beverage experiences everyone will be raving about after the event.

Nicole Filippo, CMP Elon University MPI-CC VP of Program Development

Being an MPI member doesn’t just give you the tools and resources to become a great event professional— it gives you the opportunity to become a great leader.

Discover your leadership potential by joining MPI today!

Carolina Blitz | June - July 2021 |

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WHAT’S IN YOUR FUTURE AFTER wecVEGAS?

You met! In person! Share what you learned with your fellow members.

How will you “Make Your Future” from the amazing education that MPI provided, what will you use during your next event and what will you shelve for later? What was the jaw-dropping moment on the main stage? Was there a speaker or session that challenged you to rethink the way you manage events?

Is technology going to replace face-to-face meetings after COVID-19?

Share your experiences and photos from MPI’s WEC Vegas 2021!

Brag about the food and the location. We know you want to!

Submit pics and info by Friday, July 23, 2021 to Cathy Mauldin, CMP at cathymauldin@gmail.com.

MPI-CC Chapter Members gather before the opening reception at WEC Vegas 2021.

Volunteers, Aspiring Volunteers and Past Volunteers

WE WANT YOU…

Photo by Juan Pablo Serrano Arenas from Pexels

to attend the Volunteer Round-Up at the July chapter meeting.

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| Carolina Blitz | June - July 2021

This information and networking session is for members who currently volunteer, members who want to volunteer, and members who have volunteered in the past. VPs and/or Committee Chairs will go over the responsibilities of their respective committees and where they may need assistance. This is also an opportunity for volunteers to let us know how they contribute to the chapter and how others can help.

Volunteer Round-Up! with Seth Macchi & Rachel Whitten, CMP Thursday, July 8 | 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Visit mpi.org/Carolinas or email Rachel Whitten, Leadership & Volunteer Development Chair, at RWhitten@greenvillenc.gov for more information on getting involved.

NESTLED

IN

NATURE

CaesarsMeansBusiness.com | 855-633-8238 Carolina Blitz | June - July 2021 |

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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 Cathy Mauldin, CMP CathyMauldin@gmail.com

Volunteers are the heart of our organization.

Help make a difference in our chapter and shape its future. Volunteering on a committee is a great way to elevate your membership, engage with fellow planners and suppliers, develop your leadership skills, and learn new professional skills.

Visit mpi.org/Carolinas or email Rachel Whitten, Leadership & Volunteer Development Chair, at RWhitten@greenvillenc.gov for more information on getting involved.

EDITORIAL AND NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE VP of Marketing and Communications Ashelyn Roberts • ConferenceDirect Editor Cathy Mauldin, CMP • DESA, Inc. Onsite at CDM Smith Contributing Writers Amelia Hodges, CMM, CMP, North Carolina Association of CPAs; Nicole Filippo, CMP, Elon University, Christine Irwin, CMP, The Management Company, Sarah Johnson, The Management Company Photographer Tesh Parekh • IWP Photography Proofreaders Kathy Flowe, CMP, Alabama Theatre; Christine Irwin, CMP, The Management Office; Myron Jones, Fayetteville CVB; Nancy Lowe, CMP, NC Medical Society; Ginny Fountain, CMP, CMM, NC Association of Electric Cooperatives; Peggy Anderson, CMP; Teresa Palmieri, Sheraton Imperial Hotel Raleigh-Durham Airport Publisher Christine Irwin, CMP • The Management Office 704-377-5648 • Fax 704-333-6927 • Christine@themanagementoffice.com Advertising Christine Irwin, CMP • The Management Office • 704-377-5648 Design Kistin Creative Studio • 704-724-9188 • kistincreative.com MPI-CC Web Site: www.mpi.org/carolinas

Nominate a Member Volunteer Do You Know a Volunteer of the Quarter?

We have so many active members who deserve recognition for their efforts! If you know of someone who is going above and beyond, share their name and volunteer accomplishments with us so we can give them a shout out. This person can be a committee chair or member or even a brand new MPI-CC member who has already started to shine. The Volunteer of the Quarter Award is given four times a year and nominations are accepted all the time! Please send your nomination to Beth Tanner at beth.tanner@duke.edu.

ADVERTISING RATES AND DEADLINES AD SIZE FREQUENCY MEMBER NON-MEMBER

RATE RATE Quarter Page 1X $220 $290 (3 1/2”W x 4 3/4”H) 3X $200/issue $270/issue

6X $160/issue $230/issue Half Page Horizontal 1X $420 $550 (7 1/4”W x 4 3/4”H) 3X $400/issue $530/issue

6X $360/issue $490/issue Half Page Vertical 1X $420 $550 (3 1/2”W x 9 1/2”H) 3X $400/issue $530/issue

6X $360/issue $490/issue Full Page 1X $640 $840 (8 1/2”W x 11”H) 3X $620/issue $820/issue

6X $580/issue $780/issue Full Page Insert 1X $700/issue $910/issue

3X $680/issue $890/issue

6X $640/issue $850/issue (Produced and provided by advertiser) There are six issues of the Blitz published yearly FEB/MAR, APR/MAY, JUNE/JULY, AUG/SEPT, OCT/NOV, DEC/JAN NOTE: Rates are published as of January 2011, and are subject to change without notice. All published rates are net non-commisionable. Any cost incurred by the BLITZ for art that is not fully press ready (e.g. reductions, halftones) will be billed to the advertiser, or art that is not press ready may be refused.

DUE DATE: Due by the 15th of the month prior to publication. Artwork is due to the publisher within 10 days after deadline for space reservations.

SEND MATERIALS TO: Christine Irwin, CMP, The Management Office, 1307 West Morehead St, Suite 207, Charlotte, NC 28208 Christine@TheManagementOffice.com • Fax: 704-333-6927 For more advertising information contact Christine Irwin, CMP, at Christine@TheManagementOffice.com or 704-377-5648 Visit our website at www.mpi.org/carolinas for additional advertising and sponsorship opportunities!