More than 300 meeting and event professionals joined us recently in Budapest, Hungary for the European Meetings & Events Conference, and the experience left me enchanted with the city and inspired by the delegates.

A powerful opening general session with couches and yoga balls amidst chairs for delegates to watch dance, live music, dynamic speakers and experience facilitated networking - all coupled with keynote speaker Sahar Hashemi who explained the importance of being clueless and taking leaps - was riveting.  A lady sitting next to me shared that we'd just "blown away 17 years of General Sessions" in her estimation.  And as I know that my feeble attempts here to explain what we experienced can never replace sitting in the room and feeling your hair tingle in excitement you can experience via video the general session online at http://bit.ly/WatchEMEC12 .

As well as the opening session set the tone for EMEC 2012, each element along the way seemed to just get better.  The sustainability measures put into place through the Novotel Congress Center and the planning team were noted on many occasion from recycling efforts (battery drop offs at the elevators, back of house sorting of all bins) to the locally sourced foods the delegates enjoyed during their meals and breaks. Not to mention the great work delegates were able to do with Budapest Underguide to help feed the homeless within the city.

Oh and the breaks!  Talk about putting innovation into practice.  Advised by Danish celebrity nutritional expert and chef Christian Bitz on catering choices, the event team in collaboration with the Novotel built out three really unique "coffee breaks".  Themed around Vitality, Brainfood and Artisanal each break transformed the MPI Cafe while the delegates were attending concurrent sessions.  When the delegates adjourned they were greeted with unique displays of unique food and beverages in a variety of choices around each theme. In the case of the Artisanal break - delegates opened session doors and entered into a vintage Hungarian marketplace to explore.

As these unique elements blended together through the conference I feel confident saying that the delegates were truly able to experience innovative ideas being re-imagined as they learned.  And it is that experiential learning that can catapult them into activating many of these concepts, ideas or practices.  That was certainly the goal with the closing session known as "The Solution Room".  Facilitated by Ruud W. Janssen  and Mike van der Vijver (who made an early appearance at the OGS- see above), the Solution Room was a hit with more than 175 participants. Designed as an attendee-led session where each individual walks away with an actionable plan to implement towards their goals after experiencing EMEC, the Solution Room is an exceptional example of why face-to-face meetings can never completely be replaced.  Ruud has done an exceptional job of crafting a video that depicts what we experienced in Budapest.

There comes a moment before a major event when you just get the tingles.  Everything starts clicking and it's as if your actually bringing something to life.  Let me tell you readers, members and MPI fans, this is what is in the air in Budapest right now.

I just came from the opening general session rehearsals and a little coaching with some speakers.  I'm so excited.  Also, in a hour from now we will be greeting our keynote speaker Sahar Hashemi for a luncheon with the EMEC 2012 press corp. Thrilled.  There is much to blog about and much to learn here, but I fear I'll never capture it all for the blog.  I suppose that's why it's always best to be live and living the event.  But for those that could not make it and are connecting to us digitally here are my recommendations.

1. Follow @MPI & #EMEC12 on twitter

2. Be sure to watch our flickr stream http://flic.kr/s/aHsjx3j6Na

These will give you insights into the users experience and some "behind the scenes peeks" from the staff coordinating the event.

And last but certainly not least, you can find the outstanding programs for a limited time at http://bit.ly/WatchEMEC12.  Our members will be able to access all of the content free in our Professional Development on Demand Portal in the future.

For now I must sign off and host an amazingly talented leader and some very inquisitive press.

Búcsú !

 

Upon arriving in Budapest, Hungary for European Meetings & Events Conference this year I was greeted with FREE Wi-Fi.  Then I arrive at the Novotel Hotel and was greeted with FREE Wi-Fi, then stopped into the Congress Centre and was greeted by FREE Wi-Fi.  This digital gal is excited!

Once I looked up from checking in on foursquare and updating my twitter status I was also greeted by the beauty of this great city.  The buildings rise high and and the streets are bustling.  The gorgeous bridge over the Danube River at night was lit up like a beautiful chandelier in the city.

Of course it's also lovely to see our European team mates again and I enjoyed the walk through of the Budapest Congress Centre. There's something about the space that has a great feeling of anticipation. As I ran into two of our speakers and they both commented on the great "vibe" of the centre.  I think it will be great to see the delegate's responses to the location as well as the Meeting Design experiment lounge and ohhhh the Opening General Session.  For those reading this who cannot attend, watch the twitter hashtag #EMEC12 and our Flickr stream for EMEC12.

Tomorrow I will update from the media tour hosted by Hungarian National Tourism, and then more each day from EMEC 2012.  While you're here, be sure to bookmark this site: http://bit.ly/WatchEMEC12 for recorded sessions from the conference.

All by best from Budapest!

 

When you promise to deliver on ‘innovation’ in a dynamic city like Budapest to seasoned meeting and event professionals, it’s imperative that you deliver. And that is exactly what EMEC will do a few short weeks from now.

 

Delegates will spend quality time among their peers and learn from some of the most unique and visionary speakers from across Europe. They will also encounter a Meeting Design Area with demonstrations of meeting-room innovations and opportunities to participate in a meeting-design experiment focused on the impact of physical positions on groups of participants. Other meeting design elements of the conference include sessions such as “Designing Interaction for High Attendance Events.”

 

Elevating the mobile experience, MPI offers EMEC 2012 applications, now available on iPhone, iPod Touch and BlackBerry smartphones that allow delegates to evaluate speakers and sessions immediately, access social networking sites, direct message other delegates and maintain a customized diary for the conference.

 

All of these elements and experiences are designed so European event professionals can experience live what they are learning about in dynamic sessions such as “The Revolution Starts Where?” and “Make Virtual Presentations Inspiring & Engaging.”

 

While dining at EMEC, delegates will taste cuisine that honours Hungarian classics, which have evolved with modern cooking techniques and pairings. Attendees will experience firsthand the expertise of FlashPoint speaker and Master Class expert Chef Christian Bitz, who consulted on the entire event’s menus. Bitz is a Danish top-model-turned-guru-chef, author, speaker and television personality who has a master’s of science in nutrition and is passionate about making meetings better by choosing food that stimulates the brain. With Bitz’s guidance, the host venue will create four unique coffee breaks where delegates can experience healthy and local food. The themes: Vitality, Brain Food, Back to Nature and Artisanal.

 

During the opening reception at the Budapest Museum of Fine Arts, delegates will experience Molecular Mixology, the latest innovation in the catering world. The practice manipulates states of matter to create new flavours, textures and visuals that enhance the drink and make the experience stimulating.

 

Registration is open, and inspiration is just around the corner for those who want to invest time in their careers and join hundreds of other leading professionals in Budapest, 29-31 January at EMEC. More information is available at www.mpiweb.org/EMEC.

Congratulations to the latest graduates of the Certified Meeting Management program, hosted in 2011 in Cancun thanks to the sponsorship of Mexico Tourism Board and Riviera Maya. For your outstanding accomplishment, hard work and dedication to advancing the profession, we all commend you on your CMM.

Each year, MPI sends greetings for the holiday season to our members, colleagues and partners.  Those e-cards are always designed by one of our award-winning designers.  This year, however, one designer had an even greater impact on our holiday card.  Jason Judy not only designed our card, but also influenced the selection of our charity this year. After Jason told me the story about one of his mission trips, and an organization that he had encountered I was moved, and so was everyone here at headquarters who has learned about Meds and Foods for Kids.  So I thought it would be great for all of our readers and members to better understand why we made this selection, and to hear from Jason about his experience with the group.

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Last spring I witnessed the remarkable impact of Meds and Foods for Kids (MFK Haiti) in a small village 6 hours south of their facility in Cape Haitian, Haiti. Their revolutionary product, Medika Mamba (“peanut butter medicine”), is farmed and manufactured locally, requires no refrigeration or water, and has an 85% recovery rate in malnourished children under the age of 5. So not only is their work addressing one of the most tragic issues that we face as human beings, it is doing so with a sustainable, economic model within the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.

Photos and charts in the open-air clinics carry all of the proof. In just 6 weeks, many of the children hardly resemble the former versions of themselves, having gained the necessary weight to repair their muscles and organs and return home fully healed from the deadly condition they had when they arrived. The transformations are truly hard to believe.

More Medika Mamba desperately needs to exist. The current expansion project at MFK Haiti includes a new factory that will increase their reach from 8,000 to 80,000 children annually, while also becoming completely self-sustaining by 2015.

I’ll never forget seeing the Medika Mamba program in Montrouis, Haiti, and I’m proud to be part of an association that is willing to participate in the great work happening through MFK Haiti. In big and small ways, it’s the decisions and efforts of all of our members, volunteers and staff that tell the complete story of our shared impact on our industry and the world.

And so maybe it really is true, that when we meet we change the world.

-Jason

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Serving a diverse European audience with a demanding appetite for learning and networking, EMEC 2012 will connect inventive thinkers inside and outside the industry at this annual conference held by Meeting Professionals International (MPI). Event delegates will experience, and experiment with, new meeting design formats and educational opportunities as never before. This enables them to take the time to explore new ideas and theories in a risk-free environment with colleagues before putting innovative new strategies into action.

 

Those delegates needing to channel their entrepreneurial spirit will enjoy hearing from Sahar Hashemi, a British entrepreneur and the co-founder of Coffee Republic, who developed a £30 million turnover business. She first introduced the tea-drinking British market to U.S.-like coffee consumerism, has started innovative venture Skinny Candy and advises thousands of new business start-ups each year. But it’s Hashemi’s outlook on innovation in modern business that will prove most insightful for delegates, enabling them to look for unique opportunities they can leverage in their own business and leadership practices.

 

Hashemi won’t be the only innovator on the main stage. Catch ground-breaking, Hungarian musical innovator Balázs Havasi—fresh from performing for 200 million at the Shanghai Expo. A TED global presenter and Guinness World Record holder, Havasi is known for his “most piano key hits in one minute” set at the Academy of Music Budapest and is described as an ambitiously thoughtful pianist and songwriter with a unique perspective when it comes to “re-imagined innovation.”

 

Delegates who aren’t regular members of MPI will have a unique opportunity to experience some of the programming that takes place at the chapter level.  MPI capitalises on its chapters’ exceptional programmes, and has selected two from its “Best of the Best” competition to appear at EMEC. MPI France presents Mike Clanton and “Don’t Let Your Event’s Technology Zombie Control You!” focusing on successfully planning and executing technology-dependent events. Meanwhile MPI Netherlands brings Dr. Xander Kranenburg and “Beyond Digital Creativity - Mashup all your ideas,” with insights on techniques and tools that help professionals work more efficiently and enhance creative events.

We've reached the next step in the Business Value of Meetings research initiative, known as BVOM. Just last week, during EIBTM in Barcelona, we introduced the BVOM toolbox to the industry and we’re excited about the reception so far!

The toolbox is a collection of resources findings that are intended to help professionals overcome the five barriers to measurement and reporting implementation. The five initial whitepapers serve as the foundation for the toolbox, which is an ever-growing resource for planners and suppliers. Each piece is dynamic and delivers key takeaways that guide BVOM practices.

MPI will continue adding toolbox pieces, such as instructional videos, glossaries, case studies and more, beginning this month. Members will have unlimited access to each tool as part of their investment with MPI; non-members professionals are able to purchase.

As you familiarize yourself with the new BVOM toolbox resources, reading and learning from the whitepapers, which of the takeaways given are you looking forward to implementing? 

 

Every year I look forward to our annual European conference for so many reasons.  Primarily because I don't often get the chance to work face-to-face with my European MPI colleagues and it's great to be amongst such a diverse group of pros.  And also because it's always exciting to explore a new part of Europe I haven't seen, and get to mix it up in a different culture. 

I think those are also two compelling reasons that many people attend the European Meetings & Events Conference - camaraderie & exploration.  And as we narrow in closer, and closer to 29 January 2012 I get more excited about how the team is delivering in those areas too.  All under the umbrella of Innovation. Re-Imagined.

In recent email with our MPI Chairman, Sebastien Tondeur, he mentioned, "Innovation is key to social progress, economic development and, therefore, growth and job creation." So of course, that's incorporated in the latest press release my team and I sent out this week. <insert smiley face of your choice here>

And it's true, but I also know that the word "innovation" gets bantered about so much in marketing and corporate lingo that it's often mind-numbing. So our wordsmith team here at HQ answered my challenge to come up with alternatives and countered me with 36 different words that also mean innovative. Some of my favorites that I think really apply to EMEC 2012 are:

• Exceptional
• Forward-thinking
• Pioneering
• Radical (dude...)
• Visionary
• Untried

You'll see on the EMEC website that the delegate experience is organized under the topical areas Educate, Exchange and Experience, with a full slate of content  from 22 European speakers (and a few from North America) will explore special interest areas. Then, pulling from the best our European members have to offer, the Chapter Best-of-Best sessions will be choice content and speakers submitted by chapter leadership that reflect the needs specific to the European region, a design that has proven to be popular with EMEC delegates.

Registration is available now, with early rates of €599 for members and €899 for non-members until 6 January 2012.

 

During a traditionally busy time of the year for individuals, businesses and events, anticipation is building at MPI not just for the upcoming holiday season, but also for the Latin American Meeting & Event Conference (LAMEC) in Sao Paulo this December 12.

The MPI Brazil Chapter and partners are pulling together an exceptional event targeted at building long-term business relationships with buyers and suppliers who value the meeting, event and business opportunities that Brazil has to offer.  The recently released schedule of events and education demonstrates the ongoing MPI & LAMEC commitment to provide compelling professional development and business opportunities to support the global meetings and events industry.

The dynamic educational component of this event offers opportunities for discussion around some of the most important topics facing our industry globally and in Brazil.  An in-depth session on how Saphire Now (SAP) managed the most successful hybrid event to date, covering two continents and seven cities with thousands of delegates.  Session from the MPI Global Training program that address the rapidly evolving needs of meeting and business event professionals and how to understand the new globally accepted and recently released Meeting and Business Events Competency Standards (MBECS).

The programming throughout the event continues to build on critical skills around technology, economic indicators and impact and brand building platforms.  The Primary general sessions are even uniquely designed to address issues not only relevant to Brazil but events around the globe.  Mid-day delegates should be prepared for a robust debate between various event designers on how to attract larger audiences and build communities.  Then to wrap the day delegates will benefit from the lessons learn and best practices developed over three continents from experts who have managed the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup.  Panelists for the closing session will be attending in-person and virtually.

Delegates will benefit from this diverse offering of professional development, and the camaraderie found amongst hundreds of their peers seeking to enhance the industry in Brazil and grow their businesses.  Truly an event to look forward to, register for and be sure to attend.

 

 

I come from a family with a long history of serving in the military and I'm quite proud of them. As an American there's a sense of pride in knowing the men and women in my genealogy have always had a spirit of service and sacrifice, from the Revolutionary War through modern conflicts and wars. They've served state-side, throughout Europe, Asia and the Pacific Rim defending what they felt were just causes.

I find it inspirational to know that countries around the world today, including Canada, Belgium, France, Poland and others are taking time to recognize veterans and the struggle for independence. I'm proud of my colleagues and friends here at Meeting Professionals International who have also served their countries. A team member in our Member Services is an active reservist and others have served various branches in their past.

As a small token of appreciation to our international family of veterans, our team here at MPI are leaving notes of thanks in our break room today.  What are you doing to mark this day?  Is there someone you'd like to recognize?  Feel free to leave a note below.

Photo of Trade Show Floor from MPI's Swank Two-Story Booth

“…One of the best experiences I’ve had in my 10 years in the industry.” – Tiffany Boyer, VP Meeting Planning Department, Information Management Network

That’s a pretty powerful praise of an event that is in its first year but the sentiment is what most IMEX America attendees are saying of their time at the three-day exhibition. As the strategic partner and premier education provider, MPI interacted with thousands of global professionals through Smart Monday education, daily keynote speakers, show floor presence (did we mention we had quite the view from our two-story booth?) and MPI Foundation PURE Rendezvous fundraising party.

The MeetDifferent Day of Education on Monday delivered professional development to more than a thousand attendees, with a strong mix of both suppliers and planners in the most popular sessions:

• “The Essentials of Negotiation”
• “Meeting Design Workshop” with expert speakers
• “The Buy/Sell Relationship”

The daily keynotes kept the collaborative energy from Monday pumping every morning of the show, with hundreds of professionals learning from Robin Sieger, Dr. Brené Brown and Peter Sheahan.

On the show floor, we were able to share the MPI love and connect with both members and those who were interacting with MPI for the first time, recruiting several of them to become MPI members! And on Wednesday night, we partied for a good cause at the “hottest nightclub in the country,” PURE.  As with every Rendezvous, the money raised goes to support both research and scholarship for the industry.

For those who attended, do you agree with Tiffany’s quote? And for those who weren’t able to make it to Las Vegas, have you started making your plans for 2012? We surely hope so, because we’ve started ours!

In the spirit of friendly competition MPI President and CEO Bruce MacMillan and his team at MPI’s HQ in Texas issued a challenge today to Kathleen (Kitty) Ratcliffe and her team at the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission.

MPI’s annual World Education Congress arrives in St. Louis, MO July 28-31, 2012 where thousands of meeting and event professionals from around the world will gather for professional development and to enhance business relationships.

“When the Texas Rangers win the 2011 World Series,” said MacMillan, “I want to see Kitty in her home town of St. Louis don a Texas Rangers jersey at our conference’s opening night reception amidst thousands of our colleagues."

Not to be outdone, Ratcliffe and her team in St. Louis, returned the challenge by insisting that after the St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series, and MacMillan arrives for WEC in July, he should be photographed hugging Stan “The Man” Musial’s statue outside of Busch Stadium wearing a Cardinals jersey, and the photo shared at the WEC opening general session in front of thousands of attendees and colleagues.

Early registration is open for WEC at mpiweb.org/WEC2012 and for official online results to Major League Baseball’s World Series, log on to WorldSeries.com.  If you’re heading to St. Louis for the World Series or for WEC 2012, help plan your stay by logging onto explorestlouis.com.

For some musical inspiration - Europe's "The Final Countdown"

We’re on the last leg of our pre-IMEX America planning at Headquarters, and the feeling around the office is a mix of excitement and anticipation. Between Smart Monday education, the booth experience on the show floor, MPI Foundation PURE Rendezvous and the daily keynotes (to name a few items), MPI is bringing it all just short of the kitchen sink.

So I decided to do a quick survey of some of the attending team: “What are you looking forward to the most about IMEX America?”

Randy Crabtree, Membership Marketing Manager: "I'm looking forward to connecting with our members who've come to do business and expand their networks, as well as bringing the MPI story to professionals who aren't familiar with the organization. All attendees will leave Vegas knowing the content and connections made in our community at events like IMEX America."

Theresa Davis, Director of Strategic Communications: "The partnership between MPI and IMEX America enables us to bring quality professional development and a truly elevated experience to attendees.This event is the most anticipated trade show of the year, and it's amazing to see the planning come to fruition in Las Vegas."

Diana Rogers, Director of Professional Development: "I'm looking forward to the delight that the MeetDifferent Day of Education attendees will have with the ways we've designed the education. It will be unique, different from anything they've seen, heard or experienced. They will get true value from not only the experts but from each other."

Christine Perry, Manager, Foundation Operations: "THE IMEX America Night, PURE Rendezvous is definitely high on my list. We're going to have some great energy between the excitement of attendees, the live entertainment and the views of the city. And all proceeds benefit the work of the Foundation for research, scholarships and grants and more."

Hopefully you’re inspired by the energy of the MPI team. A few last minute tips from me:

• Download the official IMEX America app (courtesy of the strategic partnership with MPI)
• RSVP to the Smart Monday education, including the “Unsession: Future Trends” and “SMM -  What’s Everyone Buzzing About?”
• Be sure to come by the Booth 1012 on the show floor to get your member ribbon, connect with the team and earn as many chances as possible for a great daily giveaway.
• Buy your ticket now for PURE Rendezvous. Networking, cocktails and amazing views of the city from the hottest nightclub in the city.
• Follow @MPI for the latest and greatest information on MPI news from Vegas
• Last but not least: Get ready for an experience!

In reviewing the proposed amendments to the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) in the ethics rules for US government employees issued on Sept. 13, MPI acknowledges that these amendments impact the meetings and events of more than 1,800 of our association planner members directly and has cascading impact to our industry at large.  Per the recent US Economic Impact Study the meeting and event industry alone contributes $106 billion in annual GDP, supports 1.7 million jobs and generates $25.6 billion in combined federal and state tax revenues to the US economy.  This is not a time to be putting this economic engine at-risk by having the government impose restrictions on participation.

The proposed amendments are clearly the OGE’s efforts to extend the current gift ban which defines free attendance to events (both professional and social) as a gift.  The proposed extension prohibits not only political appointees (as it does currently), but also all US government employees from participating at no cost. This at a time when their participation within trade association events could be the very thing that helps find solutions and implement best practices to the fiscal challenges the country is currently facing- all at no additional cost to the taxpayer.

In a time where our government faces financial shortfalls and the need to collaborate on solutions to the challenges we have domestically, economically and across all industries is critical, limiting government participation in trade association education, networking and events will create barriers to engagement at a time where collaboration is the key to working out our challenges.  

We need federal government employees at all levels to engage with business, labor and community leaders to shape solutions that are going to affect the future of our country.  We are all part of the solution. The best way to develop collaborative solutions for all stakeholders is through fiscally responsible, well-designed and professionally implemented face-to-face meetings and events.

We encourage our membership and our industry peers to review the proposed amendments quickly and consider their impact.  Comments on these proposed changes are due to the OGE before Nov. 14, 2011.  ContactOGE@oge.gov

Notes:
Economic impact statistics are gathered from the US Economic Impact Study conducted by PriceWaterhouseCoopers that MPI jointly funded with the Convention Industry Council, US Travel Association and other leading industry associations.
ASAE has provided a thorough review document which is located here.