Blitz June-July 2016

Carolina Blitz June - July 2016

New Member Spotlight Karyl Hanisch Page 8

The Carolina Inn July 14-15, 2016 | Chapel Hill, NC

in this issue...

features Annual Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-19 Silent Auction Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Scholarship Winners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

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 News You Can Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-13, 16-17 Look Who We Spotted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-15

Volokhatiuk/iStock/Thinkstock

Board Meeting Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-22

Carolina Blitz | June - July 2016 |

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

Diamond Sponsor:

Gold Sponsors:

Silver Sponsors:

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| Carolina Blitz | June - July 2016

our members

Welcome New Members!

Jennifer Bolling DoubleTree by Hilton Columbia, S.C. jennifer.bolling@doubletreesc.com

Kylie Ferguson Starwood kylie.ferguson@westin.com

Pam Martin Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center pdmartin@wakehealth.edu

Amy Bruns American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) abruns@triad.rr.com

Shafran Fields North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce/CVB shafran@ northmyrtlebeachchamber.com

Linda Prosser Hilton Head Hotel Partners One and Two lprosser@hospitalityma.com

Stephanie Deaton Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania, Regent Seven Seas sdeaton@nclcorp.com Kelly Fair kellytfair@gmail.com

Eden Lewis Kanuga Conference & Retreat Center eden.lewis@kanuga.org Anesa Martin Hyatt Hotel Corporation anesa.martin@hyatt.com

MPI-CC Anniversaries 15 years

Michael Schaumann, HMCC michaelschaumann@plannernet.com Bobbie Stanley Brittain Resorts & Hotels bobbie.stanley@brittainresorts.com

First Timers and New Members at the May Mixer

Scott Crotty Renaissance Asheville Hotel 10 years Maureen Donovan Holiday Inn Resort Wrightsville Beach 5 years Katherine Siler Duke University Department of Anesthesiology Angela Skeen, CMP Ingersoll Rand Company Congratulations to each of you for reaching a milestone in MPI!

(Left to right) Kevin Mullane – Silver Oak Transportation; Paige McGeorge – Diplomat Resort & Spa; Mamie Bush - Hilton Garden Inn Charleston Waterfront/Downtown; Pam Martin - Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center; Eden Lewis - Kanuga Conference & Retreat Center; Jennifer Bolling - DoubleTree by Hilton Columbia, S.C.; Karyl Hanisch - Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel & Spa; Peggy Anderson – Anderson & Company; Kylie Ferguson – Starwood; Kris Vail - Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI); UnChu Crosby - Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI); Lauren Smith - Hyatt Place & Hyatt House Charleston/Historic District Carolina Blitz | June - July 2016 |

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monthly meeting planner

November 3-4, 2016

July 14-15, 2016

Chapel Hill, NC

Concord, NC

The Carolina Inn

Great Wolf Lodge – Charlotte/Concord

September 15-16, 2016 Education & Business Exchange Raleigh, NC Raleigh Marriott Crabtree Valley

Reminder: Deadline for submissions for the next Carolina Blitz is July 22, 2016. Please submit any articles or photographs to be considered for publication to Editor-In-Chief Ginny Fountain, CMP, CMM, at Ginny.Fountain@ncemcs.com.

FYV-510b-Meetings-ad-3.5x4.75-v1[3-23-16]-gl.pdf

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| Carolina Blitz | June - July 2016

GREENVILLE-PITT COUNTY CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU

president’s message

It’s a New Year for Volunteering!

by Barbara Dragan

Congratulations to the new 2016-2017 MPI Carolinas Chapter Board! I’m excited to have the opportunity to serve with you and I know that you felt as honored as I did taking the oath to serve our members.

I would like to thank you all for giving me the opportunity to serve and lead MPI-CC. I truly appreciate it and I’m looking forward to a year of great meetings, wonderful networking moments and exceeding our goals. I know we can succeed by continuing to grow membership, providing excellent education and strengthening our chapter Barbara Dragan The Westin Charlotte 2016-2017 MPI-CC President

financially.

My big request for this year is that you all consider the many volunteer opportunities that are available at the chapter and international levels. Volunteering develops leadership skills, strengthens relationships and brings recognition. It increases your business referrals and you’ll be sought out for your knowledge and expertise. And, as an active member in the organization you can reach out and mentor those entering the hospitality and events industry.

If an international post is too much of a commitment, here are some ideas on the local level that make a big impact: make a welcome phone call to a new member; make a follow-up phone call to a member regarding their renewal; write an article for “The Blitz;” work the registration desk at an event. (If these sound good, our committees can think of more!)

All I ask is that you consider volunteering. Our organization will mean so much more to you once you work for it! What is your passion? Find a way to express it within MPI-CC. Contact any one of your MPI-CC Board for information. We would love to hear from you!

For more info on volunteering with MPI-CC and MPI: https://mpicc.starchapter.com/Forms (Volunteer Interest Form) http://www.mpiweb.org/About/Leadership/VolunteerOpportunities n

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MPI-CC 2016-2017 Board of Administration President Barbara Dragan The Westin Charlotte 704-335-2114 Barbara.Dragan@westin.com

President-Elect Alyce Kelly, CHSP Clam Digger Inn 252-241-8402 alycek1@gmail.com

Immediate Past President Christian Schroeder Visit Winston-Salem 336-728-4218 Christian@ visitwinstonsalem.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 Deanna Griffith House, CMP, GWPgM, CME, PMP, PCM, CMM Spectrum Reach 704-941-3482 deanna.k.griffith@gmail.com

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

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

Strategic Partnerships Committee Chair Needed

Director of Fundraising Molly Nelson Spartanburg Marriott 864-591-3113 Molly.Nelson@marriott.com

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

Director of Leadership & Volunteer Development Ricardo Hicks American AV 919-361-1151 rhicks@aavevents.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 Lori Hedrick, MHA, CMP, CMM, CSEP Burroughs Wellcome Fund 919-991-5105 lhedrick@bwfund.org

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

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

Membership VP of Membership Nicole Robinson Greater Raleigh CVB 919-645-2682 nrobinson@visitraleigh.com

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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, CMM 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 Chair Needed

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

Business Exchange Committee Co-Chair

Silent Auction Committee Chair Needed

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

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

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 | June - July 2016 |

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new member spotlight New Member Spotlight: Karyl B. Hanisch

by Selah Havard, TMP

How long have you been in the industry?

I started my hospitality career at the Mobile Convention Center as part of the opening team in 1993. I was an Event Coordinator & then moved on to the Sales side. I shifted to Hotels in 2000.

Karyl Hanisch

What is your current position and how long have you worked there?

I am the Senior Sales Manager for the Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel & Spa and the Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel. I’ve been with the company since August 2000 and I’m shooting for 25 years with Marriott in 2025!!

Tell me about your job and the company you work for?

I love the ever-changing pace. I am part of a portfolio of eight Marriott/Renaissance brand Resorts & Hotels owned by the Retirement Systems of Alabama (RSA). They developed the Robert Trent Jones (RTJ) Golf Trail and all eight properties have on-property or are affiliated with a nearby RTJ Golf Course. Our desire is to make Alabama a better place to live, work and play.

That’s a hard one, but I’ve always loved and admired Audrey Hepburn. She was an icon of the golden age of movies with her grace and style. If you have read her life story, she was born into a privileged life, but WWII changed that quickly as it did for so many of that era.

Learning to overcome adversity and not allowing it to be an excuse is an example we should all try to exemplify and teach to our children.

What advice would you give to someone interested in pursuing a career in our industry?

Go for it!! There is something for every personality type from detailed to extrovert. Find someone to mentor you and never stop learning!! n

Selah Havard, TMP Cabarrus County CVB MPI-CC Director of Membership

What are your hobbies and interests?

I love working in my flower gardens and we have a large family garden at my father’s…that keeps us busy in the summer. My work family also loves the garden as they get to share in its bounty! If I have time, I enjoy reading and also watching those great shows on HGTV on house flipping.

I think that would be my other career if I didn’t love hospitality so much!

YOU

Tell me about your family life.

I have a fabulous husband who moved from Scottsdale, AZ when we married in September 2000. We live in Daphne, AL, just across Mobile Bay from downtown Mobile where I work. I have two fabulous sons – that aren’t married yet and my husband has two fabulous daughters and their families.

They’ve given us two wonderful sons-in-law and two grandsons.

Why did you join MPI-CC?

Visit the MPI Website to read their stories and to share yours.

I’m a member of several MPI Chapters across the US and have found it’s the best way to get to know some of the best people.

If you were able to meet any famous person, alive or dead, who would it be and why?

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www.mpiweb.org/stories

Your next great meeting is just steps away.

VisitNewBern.com

Winner of the ConventionSouth Readers’ Choice Award Voted as one of the 10 most beautiful towns in NC

WILLIAM TR ADITIONALIST & TR AILBLAZER

LEWIS

William Lewis dances to the beat of his own banjo. In his role as the executive director of PineCone in Raleigh, N.C., William preserves and protects blues, bluegrass and other forms of traditional music. And that’s not all.

He helps nonprofits like the International Bluegrass Music Association make the most out of meetings and events.

Raleigh’s passionate locals maximize resources to create events that hit all the right notes, helping draw more than 140,000 fans to World of Bluegrass.

Think Raleigh.

“There is great collaboration

and partnership that is the nature of this city. Ever ybody is talking and thinking out loud. That always leads to great things.”

Learn more at visitRaleigh.com/meet

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news you can use Congratulations to new CMP recipient!

Congratulations to Tenessa Moore, Moore Creative Ink, Inc., for passing the CMP exam in May. The CMP credential is recognized globally as the badge of excellence in the meeting, convention, exhibition, and event industry. The qualifications for certification are based on professional experience, education, and a rigorous exam. Kudos to you, Tenessa!

Congratulations to Elite Award Winner!

Jen Noble, General Manager of the Durham Convention Center, received the Elite Award from Facilities and Destinations Magazine. Noble is one of the 12 distinguished convention center executives from around the country that were recognized with this award.

The award was created by Facilities and Destinations Magazine to recognize top professionals making a difference in the meetings and events industry. The award was given to 12 convention center executives from around the country, and was a featured section in the March issue of Facilities and Destinations Magazine.

net subsidy of the Durham Convention Center from 1.3 million to just a little more than $14,000. The Food and Beverage Department went from a 7% loss, and soared to a 42.2% profit within the first year of managing the center.

With over 30 years of industry experience, Jen Noble arrived in Durham after serving seven years as the Assistant General Manager and Director of Sales & Marketing with the Spectra-managed Niagara Falls Conference & Events Center. Noble is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and former chef in Vail, Colorado, where she resided for 14 years. During her time in Colorado, Noble continued her career at the Four Star, Four Diamond, Lodge and Spa at Cordillera serving as Director of Sales. Noble also served as Sales Manager at Buffalo Hyatt Regency.

Says Noble, “I am honored to be recognized and owe my success to my great team in Durham, the City & County leaders, DCC Authority Board and my mentors in the industry.” n If you have news we can use, please send to ginny.fountain@ncemcs.com.

Within five years as General Manager, Noble and the Durham Convention Center team were able to reduce the

2016-2017 New Board of Directors (Front row, left to right) Lori Hedrick, MHA, CMP, CMM, CSEP; Alyce Kelly, CHSP; Barbara Dragan; Selah Havard, TMP; Nicole Robinson; Amelia Hodges, CMP, CMM (Back row, left to right) Deanna Griffith House, CMP, GWPgM, CME, PMP, PCM, CMM; Ricardo Hicks; Christian Schroeder; Brittany O’Shaughnessy; Alison Harding, CMP, GTP, CMM; Maureen Donovan; Molly Nelson

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Carolina Blitz | June - July 2016

Then there was that Sunday in December... ...when our story broke in The New York Times.

Yeah, THAT New York Times. There we were on newsstands, kitchen tables and in offices across America and around the world; a story celebrating a destination’s transformation that “few could have imagined.” Transform your next event into a story people will talk about long after they finally remember to take off their lanyard.

Get the scoop on Greenville, South Carolina.

Yeah, THAT Greenville.

Plan your next meeting in the place that has everyone talking. #yeahTHATgreenville

800.351.7180 Carolina Blitz | June - July 2016 |

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education May Education Recap

by Mallory Middleton

Are You Safe (No, You’re Not!): Cybersecurity and the Hospitality Professional Jim Spellos With all of today’s technology gadgets, websites, and apps, it’s easy to become wrapped up in the fun and daily use without putting a lot of thought into our cyber security (protecting our information online). However, because we are so enveloped in these things, there has never been more of a threat to our personal information because it is given out so frequently through multiple sources. One wrong click can compromise our entire electronic security through social engineering.

It’s important to understand the difference between privacy and security online. Your privacy can be compromised through government snooping, retargeting, and things like “customized pricing” advertising banners on web pages you visit, which can seem spooky. Security is protection against unwanted use of an individual or company’s electronics, information, or any online activity that can do damage. One way to help increase your security and privacy is to clear out the “cookies” on your computer through your browser (Internet Explorer, Safari, Chrome, Firefox) settings regularly.

“Man in the middle” attacks are a common way to have information stolen. The hacker will set up a “dummy” Wi-Fi network with the same name as the venue you are accessing the wireless internet connection in and can then collect your information. Spellos even showed attendees a video of a seven-year-old girl doing this very act. You can watch for yourself at www.youtube.com/ watch?v=653hhIljfPw. These “Evil Twin Networks,” are not a very difficult task for someone to steal information this way. If there were two networks with the same Wi-Fi name, how would you choose? Most venue WiFi connections will require a password or direct users to a web browser page where they accept the “terms & conditions” of use. Always remain vigilant of the network you choose to connect to.

“Phishing” is another way that hackers can steal your information. Do not click on links in emails unless you know the source. Think before you click!

Notice when you enter a web address into your browsers if an “s” appears after the “http” that auto-populates in the address bar when entering onto a web page. The “s” stands

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Carolina Blitz | June - July 2016

for “secure” and is a very good sign that the website is encrypting and protecting any information you enter on their website. Financial websites should definitely have this as well as your email address websites. If a website is asking for any kind of personal information, then make sure there is an “s” in the browser address bar after “http.”

If a computer screen is locked and says it has been taken over and cannot be accessed without paying a certain amount of money, then it has been hit by ransomware.

With this type of attack, there is no way for a victim to retrieve their electronic documents or any stolen information. This is why it is so very important to back up your information often. You can do this through an online system like “Dropbox” where you can backup all your files “in the cloud” (store files online and access from anywhere that has internet connection). You can also backup all your files and information through an external hard drive.

Spellos recommends backing up your most important information daily. You can even set up automatic file backups on your computer through various programs.

One way websites that require a login are becoming more secure is through a two-step verification process. This would mean not only entering a password, but also being sent a text message with a verification code or PIN number or answering additional security questions. There is also a two-factor verification process that involves entering a password and also using a physical item like a USB drive device or using your fingerprint scan and taking biometric security measures. Spellos urges attendees to make sure they have the proper measures in place to stay cyber secure. He poses the question, “Is the extra effort of protection worth it?” and he answers with a resounding, “YES!” Password managers are also a nice way to keep all of your passwords in one place and secure. Users come up with one master password that is extremely difficult to replicate using letters, numbers, and symbols then that password gives access to managing the rest of the websites where a password is required. The password manager can change passwords for individuals that would be extremely difficult to replicate by hackers. It can even set up a schedule to regularly change the passwords to the different websites. Spellos recommends Dashlane and LastPass as his favorite password managers.

Overall, Spellos recommends these key cyber security essentials: having a good anti-virus on your computer

education (roughly $20/year), anti-malware such as “malwarebytes” ($10/year), using firewalls, using VPN when connecting on a public network (encrypting all information through a dedicated bandwidth tunnel – TunnelBear is around $50/year), password managers, and common sense (remember, think before you click!). All of these items collectively cost under $100, require minimal setup and regulation time and can save you your entire life’s worth of documents and not to mention your information – including financial! Take the time to evaluate your level of cyber security and implement new measures where you may be vulnerable. n

Become a Conference Wellness Superstar Dr. Kim Bercovitz – X Bytes At the Annual MPI-Carolinas Chapter meeting at the Westin Hilton Head, Dr. Kim posed the question to attendees, “What are the ways in which planners keep attendees alert and engaged at conferences?” The majority of the answers were coffee, soft drinks, sugary snacks, and more coffee. Dr. Kim offers the suggestion of incorporating fitness breaks that both energize attendees and also attract sponsorship revenue. No matter how jam-packed the event is with sessions and events, she explained to attendees that it is easier than you think to incorporate these stimulating breaks.

Dr. Kim actually founded her company, X bytes, by accident. She was speaking at a conference and asked attendees to participate in an exercise that she was talking about – the squat, specifically. In a room where the energy was stagnant and lifeless, all of a sudden, the mood was lifted, attendees had smiles on their faces and the energy completely changed. She was so inspired that she started a company dedicated to these short “bytes” of exercise to keep meeting attendees engaged and alert.

She also started the newsletter blog “Sitting is the New Smoking” where she shares current health news and tips for staying active both in the workplace and at meetings and events. It’s true that individuals that sit for six or more hours at a time are 18% more likely to prematurely die regardless of age or physical activity.

Of course both meeting planners and attendees can be quite skeptical about adding exercise breaks to meetings and conferences because their schedules are already jam-packed and attendees do not want to sweat in their business clothing. However, tightly scheduled learning

events can actually be counterproductive to learning.

Attendees are at risk for experiencing “information overload” which impacts their concentration and information retention.

Attendees of this session then took part in one of Dr. Kim’s exercise bytes videos. There were squats, bicep curls, hamstring kick-backs, and more static movements that allowed blood to flow and the heart rate to come up without attendees even having to break a sweat.

The initial awkwardness of attendees following along to an exercise video turned into upbeat, exciting, and fun energy. The attendees were all smiles as the video concluded. Then, Dr. Kim also led the attendees through a series of stretches with towels from the Westin Hotel.

There were a few that were particularly pleasant for opening up the shoulders. At conferences, hunched over and taking notes, it’s easy for the shoulders to round and become stiff. Taking this idea a step further, Dr. Kim suggested that this type of stretch break integrated into a conference could be a great sponsorship opportunity.

A sponsoring company could provide stretch exercise bands with their name and logo to all attendees at their chair or in a goody bag.

Some planners may already have stretching or exercise breaks built into their conference schedule during the AM or PM break. Dr. Kim suggests that this is actually the worst time for attendees to be offered an exercise break. This is because attendees also hope to network, use the restroom, or grab a snack to refuel during that time. Exercise bytes that are incorporated straight into a halfway or break point during a session prove to be more effective.

These exercise bytes offered by Dr. Kim are available to planners to utilize through her on-demand videos that are self-guided that are a great mid-morning or midafternoon energy booster, time filler, or social icebreaker.

You can learn more information about Dr. Kim’s videos and “Wellness Lounge” at www.x-bytes.com.

Whether it’s incorporating short exercise videos, a wellness lounge, or choosing healthy menu items at your next conference or meeting, attendee health and wellness is a trend among event planning that is here to stay. The next event you plan, give thought to keeping attendees alert and engaged with a short exercise byte or wellness lounge. No additional caffeine or crash nap afterward necessary! n

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Continued on page 13 Carolina Blitz | June - July 2016 |

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Look Who We Spotted at the...

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... May Meeting in Hilton Head Island!

Photography by Mica Parekh – IWP Photography

education __________________________________________________________________________________________________ Continued from page 11

Social Media 101 Mica Parekh – IWP Photography and Video Almost everyone is involved with some type of social media. Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or otherwise, more folks than not are connected in some way. Also, all successful organizations are involved in some form of social media. It is pretty much a given that any organization that wishes to remain relevant should not only participate in social media, but do it well. Mica Parekh, owner of IWP Photography and Video and the MPI-CC social media chair, led session attendees through best tactics and practices while using social media – for business and personal use.

Social media assists organizations with so many things: Brand recognition, information communicated in realtime, connectivity to employees and clients, are just a few examples. How can users take advantage of the tools available to get the most out of using social media?

The first step is to be educated and fully understand the functions of each platform so that one can use the social media outlet that is most appropriate for their goals and mission.

The four most widely used social media platforms are Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Facebook and Twitter have a mixture of personal users as well as businesses or organizations. They have the capability of posting photos, sharing links to articles, or organic posts of thoughts and information from the users. Instagram is exclusively for posting and commenting on photos.

Sometimes Instagrammers will post a lengthy photo caption with information, but the main focus is posting, sharing, and commenting on images. It is more common today than in the past that organizations have an Instagram account. This way, they can post photos of the organization’s products, events, etc.

LinkedIn is strictly for professional use. Users post their employment history, education, and skills, which other users can endorse for all other users to see. The main use of LinkedIn is to “connect” to other users and build a network of connections that can either assist you in your current job role or be a liaison into another role. Users can also post articles they find interesting or create original posts with thoughts to share with their network. Again, more and more organizations are utilizing LinkedIn to connect with their employees, potential employees, clients, and potential clients to share information about their organization.

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The Meeting Professionals International Carolinas Chapter uses these core four social media platforms. The social media committee strategically set up accounts with these four so that they can target their audience appropriately.

Not all MPI-CC members use Facebook, some may use Instagram more, or Twitter, or LinkedIn. Having these four social media outlets, allows the chapter to reach the most members. Twitter is a great social media platform for targeting people that want bits of important information.

When a Twitter user posts information to share with their “followers,” there is a 140-character limit. Within that limit, there’s no room for extra fluff or details. So Twitter would be a great platform for an audience that simply desires key details and facts to keep up with.

As mentioned earlier, Instagram is exclusively images.

Followers of individual Instagram users or businesses/ organizations just want to see creative and original photos.

It’s important to note that if an organization does want to start up an Instagram account, it should have images to share that are unique and captivating on a regular basis so that it will draw more and more followers. Otherwise, there isn’t enough reason for individuals to follow or keep up with an organization through Instagram.

Through all of these social media platforms, hashtags can be used. A hashtag is a word or phrase preceded by a hash or pound sign (#) and used to identify messages on a specific topic. They are important because they group together a specific topic of interest in any of the social media platforms so that if someone were to search a certain topic (i.e. #meetings, #mpicarolinas, #hiltonhead) they could find all posts that someone has added to that specific hashtag. Hashtags are a powerful tool that can be a tremendous help to an organization’s social media account.

Here are MPI-CC’s four social media outlets: Facebook: MPI Carolinas Chapter Twitter: @MPI_Carolinas LinkedIn: MPI-Carolinas Chapter Instagram: MPI-Carolinas Official MPI-CC hashtag: #mpicarolinas Pick the social media outlet that makes the most sense for you and your organization and don’t forget to follow MPI-Carolinas Chapter in one or all the ways that best suits you! n

Mallory Middleton Raleigh Convention Center MPI-CC Education Committee Chair

education Looking Ahead at July’s Education with Susanne Gaddis, Ph.D.

by Blair Jernigan

This year’s summer Carolinas Chapter Meeting will take place July 14-15 at the Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill, NC. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from the “Communications Doctor,” Susanne Gaddis, Ph.D., CSP. Susanne recognizes that there is an epidemic of unhealthy interactions in today’s society.

Susanne Gaddis, Ph.D. She will share prescriptions with attendees that will give easy and engaging tips and techniques that will help foster a climate for positive, diplomatic, and motivational communications.

On Thursday, July 14 from 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm, Susanne will deliver her Effective Email Workshop. During this

workshop attendees will learn strategies for effectively using email for event promotion and project plan development. Then on Friday, July 15 from 9:00 am 12:00 pm, Susanne will deliver a session on Leadership Skills for Meeting Professionals. This workshop will help to expand upon attendees’ communication skills and improve the work environment with their clients, stakeholders, and colleagues. The Convention Industry Council has approved Friday’s session for CMP credit. n

Blair Jernigan Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina MPI-CC Education Committee Member

Carolina Blitz | June - July 2016 |

17

Annual Awards

by Lindsay Myers

At our recent annual meeting in Hilton Head, we had the pleasure of recognizing our annual award winners. Our chapter would like to extend a heartfelt “thank you” to all of these wonderful individuals who dedicate their time to our chapter.

Congratulations!

Chapter Event of the Year was awarded to the Spartanburg Marriott

Christian Schroeder and Molly Nelson

Chapter Event of the Year is a new award our chapter implemented this year. MPI-CC is extremely grateful to all of the hotels and venues that host our meetings each year. The intention of this award is to recognize and thank all of our venues, and recognize the location that was the favorite of our chapter. This award was chosen based on votes submitted by our members.

Planner of the Year was awarded to Amelia Hodges, CMP, CMM Amelia is a dedicated volunteer who leads the Education and Meeting Planning Committee. She was able to develop a long-term education plan to address Carolinas Chapter member needs based on survey responses.

She worked tirelessly to bring in a Amelia Hodges, CMP, CMM, and combination of national keynote Allison Harding, presenters and local presenters who CMP, GTP, CMM covered a wide variety of education topics, all without increasing costs to members. Her commitment to MPI-CC is a phenomenal value to all of us, and we truly appreciate her efforts.

Supplier of the Year was awarded to Myron Jones Myron has served our chapter for many years. As a Veteran of the United States Air Force, he shares his gift of service with all of those who know him. Recently he was featured in an online publication, Connect Faith, as a 2015 Industry Leader. He Myron Jones and Allison Harding, has also received several accolades CMP, GTP, CMM throughout his career, including NC SGMP Supplier of the Year, MPICC Supplier of the Year and the MPI-CC Pat-On-The-Back Award. This gentleman is an impactful member of the Meetings and Convention Industry, and a well-deserved recipient of this award.

Tomorrow’s Leader was awarded to Selah Havard, TMP Selah joined MPI-CC and immediately jumped in with both feet to become very involved in the chapter. Her enthusiasm and willingness to volunteer without hesitation is highly valued and appreciated within our organization. She was recently Selah Havard, TMP, awarded a WEC Scholarship, and and Amelia Hodges, in 2012, Southeast Tourism Society CMP, CMM named her one of the Top 40 Under 40 in the Travel Industry. After serving as Chair of the Member Care Committee for one year, she accepted a position as Director of Membership. She has done an amazing job working with her team to find new ways to increase membership and improve retention rates.

The Hall of Fame Award was awarded to Malinda Harrell, CMP, CASE

Malinda Harrell, CMP, CASE, and Kathy Flowe, CMP

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| Carolina Blitz | June - July 2016

Malinda is a true inspiration to the MPI-Carolinas chapter. She has successfully served the chapter in several different positions for many years, including committee roles, board positions, and MPI-CC Past President. She has the qualities of a true leader, the most prominent of those being that she leads by example.

Her honest nature and strong work ethic are contagious.

During her various leadership roles, she was able to place a strong emphasis on being member-centric, and being a visionary for our chapter, recognizing and supporting the need for change while still appreciating and learning from our history. Her actions within our chapter have made significant, positive difference, and will continue to make a meaningful impact in the future.

The Bizzell Award of Excellence was awarded to Malinda Harrell, CMP, CASE The Bizzell Award of Excellence was created in Memory of Corey D. Bizzell, a longtime member of the Carolinas Chapter of MPI. Corey exemplified excellence and dedication not only to the chapter, but in every aspect of his Malinda Harrell life. Bizzell was a constant advocate CMP, CASE, and of elevating our meetings industry to Christian Schroeder the next level. In honor of his legacy, the President will give this award to a chapter member who has demonstrated a superior level of excellence, passion and leadership in their service to MPI-CC. Christian Schroeder, MPI-CC President 2015-2016 felt this year’s award recipient was easy to identify. Malinda Harrell has had an enormous impact on our chapter. She has a strong passion for MPI and our industry. She is a dedicated leader who brings positive energy, professionalism, focus, and a warm smile to everything she does. Her positive energy and “can do” attitude makes her our Chapter Cheerleader. Our chapter is stronger because of her service.

our chapter. Our chapter’s success would not be possible without Christine’s dedication, passion, and commitment.

The Volunteer of the Year Award was awarded to Linda Ilsley, CMP The Volunteer of the Year Award is new to our chapter this year, put into place to recognize the individuals that are the most generous with their time when volunteering for MPI-CC. Our inaugural Volunteer of the Year Award was presented to Linda Ilsley, CMP. Linda Ilsley, CMP, and Malinda Linda has been an active, steadfast Harrell, CMP, CASE supporter and champion of MPI for many years. She symbolizes the ultimate volunteer for the Carolinas Chapter and her enthusiasm for MPI is remarkable as she is a tremendous ambassador for the organization.

Her resume includes countless hours of service to the Carolinas Chapter and the meeting and conventions industry as a whole. In every capacity she serves, Linda’s leadership elevates our chapter to a higher level. She directs, guides, and influences with a confident and passionate demeanor.

Linda is the perfect example that leadership is action, not position. As a past president of our chapter, she has created a blazing path to follow and recognizes volunteerism as the most important role to make a difference.

Congratulations to all of this year’s award winners! n

The President’s Award was awarded to Christine Irwin, CMP

Christine Irwin, CMP, and Christian Schroeder

Each year, the President of MPI-CC selects a very special individual that has gone “above and beyond” the entire year, and was essential to the success of the President. Christian Schroeder, MPI-CC President for the 2015-2016 year, knew exactly the person he wanted to choose.

As President, Christian consistently heard from speakers and MPI global about how lucky we are to have someone like Christine Irwin. She is professional, dedicated, detail oriented, and always willing to do anything needed to accomplish the task. The Management Office does a fantastic job for our chapter: They simply go, “above and beyond.” However, what is often forgotten is that they are members too. They work a full time job handling all that is required, and then they continue to do extra. This “extra” is an example of Christine’s dedication in volunteering for

Thank you to this year’s Committee Chairs, L-R: Alex Oates, Mallory Middleton, Mica Parekh, Molly Nelson, Farrah Staub, CMP, and Wendy Bassett, CMP

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

Carolina Blitz | June - July 2016 |

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See MPI!

by Jean Travers

2016 MPI-CC Silent Auction A Success

by Kathleen Van Geluwe

Success! I am proud to announce that our MPI-CC members have stepped-it-up and exceeded our fundraising goal for the MPI-CC Nancy B. Holder Scholarship fund. Our chapter members raised $18,542! I cannot say enough about all the hard work the Silent Auction Committee did this year. Thank you for helping us meet and exceed the budget.

It is always wonderful knowing that each and every one of you will be able to reap the benefit of the funds collected through a scholarship. Just remember, when it is time to apply, you may be one of the ones selected to receive that scholarship. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR HELP!!!!

April Ellerbe with Tesh Parekh and the actual painting.

Kathleen Van Geluwe Marriott Myrtle Beach Resort & Spa MPI-CC Silent Auction Committee Chair

MPI-CC Member, April Ellerbe with the Durham Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, hired Tesh Parekh, Owner of IWP Photography & Video, to paint LIVE at the MPI-CC July Meeting held last summer. The Durham Hotel was the Welcome Reception venue for the night. The business and education sessions were held at the Durham Convention Center. It was so interesting to watch him painting the exact landscape we were all in.

Durham CVB rep, April Ellerbe, displays the actual painting along with Tesh.

Tesh Parekh is a national award-winning artist as well as an award-winning photographer. His wife, Mica Parekh, is a member of the Carolinas Chapter and our esteemed chapter photographer and Social Committee Chair. n

Jean Travers Helms Briscoe MPI-CC Social Media Committee Member

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| Carolina Blitz | June - July 2016

Scholarship Winners Announced

by Nicole Robinson

Congratulations to this year’s scholarship winners! Mica Parekh, Jean Travers, and Jennifer Kist were all awarded scholarships at our Annual Meeting on May 11. Way to go ladies! These scholarship funds will be available in our upcoming 2016-2017 fiscal year. We look forward to seeing many more great things from these dedicated MPI-CC members.

Jean Travers and Mica Parekh

Nicole Robinson Greater Raleigh CVB nrobinson@visitraleigh.com

board meeting highlights

Board of Directors Meeting Minutes May 9, 2016 | Hilton Head Island, SC

by Christine Irwin, CMP

Attendees: Christian Schroeder, Christine Irwin, CMP, Vince Chelena, Nicole Robinson, Alison Harding, CMP, GTP, CMM, Selah Havard, TMP, Karolyn Stone, CMP, CHSP, Maureen Donovan, Molly Nelson, Amelia Hodges, CMP, CMM, Lori Hedrick, MHA, CMP, CMM, CSEP, Alyce Kelly, CHSP, Barbara Dragan, Deanna Griffith House, CMP, GWPgM, CME, PMP, PCM, CMM, Malinda Harrell, CMP, CASE Minutes: Barbara Dragan presented the minutes from the March 17, 2016 Board of Directors Meeting and made a motion to approve.

Motion: Barbara Dragan made a motion to approve the March 17, 2016 Board of Directors Meeting Minutes as presented.

Second: Karolyn Stone, CMP, CHSP Vote: Approved Financials: Vince Chelena presented the April P&L statement, Balance Sheet and Aging Report. We expect to collect all accounts receivable and are not recommending any write offs.

Motion: Nicole Robinson made a motion to approve the April P&L, Balance Sheet and Aging Report as presented.

Second: Alison Harding, CMP, GTP, CMM Vote: Approved Vince Chelena presented the 2016-2017 MPI-CC Budget.

Motion: Nicole Robinson made a motion to approve the MPICC 2016-2017 Budget as presented.

Second: Karolyn Stone, CMP, CHSP Vote: Approved Chapter Office: Christine Irwin, CMP reviewed the April Metric Report. Christine also reminded the board that it is important to keep the lines of communication open and to streamline communication with their committee chairs for more effective management.

Consent Agenda: Christian Schroeder asked for a motion to approve the consent agenda.

Motion: Karolyn Stone, CMP, CHSP made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda as presented.

Second: Alyce Kelly, CHSP Vote: Approved

Board Transitions: Christian Schroeder reviewed the final steps for the board transition. Now that the board retreat has taken place, it’s important for all directors to update their transition documents and timelines to pass on to the incoming director. The 15-16 Board is responsible for completing the July board reports as they are reports on the months of May and June.

Include the incoming director on those reports and use that as a time to complete the final transition call.

The bylaws and policies will be reviewed and sent to the Board for feedback prior to June 15th.

Communications: Alyce Kelly, CHSP reminded the Board that all Blitz articles and submissions are due on Tuesday, May 17th.

March Meeting Survey Results: Amelia Hodges, CMP, CMM reviewed the results from the March Meeting survey and addressed feedback with the Board. Since the surveys are completely anonymous, a recommendation box will be added to future surveys for attendees to add their contact information if they would like to be contacted about feedback regarding our meetings.

2016-2017 Nancy B. Holder Scholarships: Nicole Robinson presented the scholarship candidates and scores from the scholarship committee.

Motion: Alyce Kelly, CHSP made a motion to award a total of three scholarships.

Second: Maureen Donovan Vote: Approved The 2016-2017 Nancy B Holder Scholarship winners are Mica Parekh, Jean Travers, and Jennifer Kist, CMP. Meeting Planning: Amelia Hodges, CMP, CMM presented proposed dates and locations for the MPI-CC 2017 meetings. __________________________________________________________________________________________________ Continued on the next page Carolina Blitz | June - July 2016 |

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__________________________________________________________________________________________________ Continued from previous page

January Meeting January 19-20, 2017 DoubleTree by Hilton Brownstone Raleigh, NC

March Meeting March 16-17, 2017 Springmaid Beach Resort (undergoing major renovations and rebranding to a DoubleTree) Myrtle Beach, SC

Annual Meeting May 10-11, 2017 DoubleTree by Hilton New Bern Riverfront New Bern, NC

July Meeting July 27-28, 2017 (held later than our typical July meeting to not interfere with WEC attendance) Graylyn International Conference Center Winston-Salem, NC

Motion: Amelia Hodges, CMP, CMM made a motion to accept the January – July 2017 dates and locations as presented.

Second: Nicole Robinson Vote: Approved Next Board Meeting: The next board meeting will be held on July 14, 2016 at the Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill, NC. Registration Fees: There was discussion on the current meeting registration fees and how the chapter needs to create value in becoming a preferred (Carolinas Chapter) member versus an essential (non-chapter) member of MPI. Motion: Karolyn Stone, CMP, CHSP made a motion to increase all member registration rates by $10 and all non-member registration rates by $20 effective immediately.

Second: Nicole Robinson Vote: Approved Meeting Adjourned. n

Christine Irwin, CMP MPI-CC Chapter Administrator The Management Office

September and November 2017 will be voted on a later date.

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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, CMM Ginny.Fountain@ncemcs.com EDITORIAL AND NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE Director of Marketing Brittany O’Shaughnessy • Francis Marion Hotel Editor Ginny Fountain, CMP, CMM • North Carolina Association of Electric Cooperatives

Know a Helping Hand?

Contributing Writers Barbara Dragan, The Westin Charlotte; Christine Irwin, CMP, The Management Company; Selah Havard, Cabarrus County CVB; Mallory Middleton, Raleigh Convention Center; Lindsay Myers, Caesars Entertainment; Blair Jernigan, Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC; Nicole Robinson, Greater Raleigh CVB; Kathleen Van Geluwe, Myrtle Beach Marriott Resort & Spa at Grande Dunes; Jean Travers, Helms Briscoe

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; Lynn Rich, CMP, American Express Meetings & Events; Nancy Lowe, CMP, NC Medical Society

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 are and how they went above and beyond for your committee. Please send nominations to Lindsay Myers at lmyers1@caesars.com

Publisher Vince Chelena • The Management Office 704-377-5648 • Fax 704-333-6927 • staff@themanagementoffice.com Advertising Maureen Donovan • Holiday Inn Resort Wrightsville Beach • 910-256-2231 Design Kistin Creative Studio • 704-724-9188 • kistincreative.com MPI-CC Web Site: www.mpi-cc.org

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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 Ginny Fountain, CMP, CMM at Ginny.Fountain@ncemcs.com or submit via our website at www.mpi-cc.org.

ADVERTISING RATES AND DEADLINES AD SIZE FREQUENCY MEMBER NON-MEMBER

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3X $680/issue $890/issue

6X $640/issue $850/issue (Produced and provided by advertiser) There are 6 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, 1800 Camden Road, Suite 107, #213, Charlotte, NC 28203 Christine@TheManagementOffice.com • Fax: 704-333-6927 For more advertising information contact Maureen Donovan at mdonovan@wrightsville.holidayinnresorts.com or 910-256-2231.

Visit our website at www.mpi-cc.org for additional advertising and sponsorship opportunities!