"I've found it to be extremely helpful and worthwhile--both from a time and financial standpoint. I'm going to take the other 2 classes in the fall for the certificate even if my company won't pay for it. I think it will be of benefit to me in my career as an assistant, and, who knows, maybe an event planner some day," said participant Claudia Riggs CPS/CAP, executive assistant to the president of Southwestern Business Resources, who attended three of the five sessions.

Pictured, are the participants in the Spring 2008 session. 
 
Front Row L to R:
Don England (incoming MPI President, not a graduate), Margaret Lokey, Rebecca Levins, Laci Warden, Julia Ann Peck, Birdie Nixon, Brittany Dye

Back Row L to R:
Qiana Smith, Russ Evers

Additionally, please join us in thanking the "professors" of the college for the countless hours and enthusiasm they so graciously give to our industry: 

Melanie Fly, CMP
Carol Norfleet, CMP, DMCP
Vicky Ballard, CMP
Cathy Summers
Gary Musick
 

If you know of someone who may benefit from this program, please encourage them to visit www.tnmpi.org and click on "Education" and then "Belmont Certification Program" for complete details.


CMP Study Group Information
The dates are set for the Spring/Summer CMP study groups as noted below:

Thanks to the MPI Foundation and other generous sponsors, the Tennessee Chapter of Meeting Professionals International is proud to offer The Competitive Edge: Mastering the New Job Search on May 29, 2008, from 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Willis Conference Center.

The afternoon will begin with Resume Writing and Interviewing Techniques with Dawn Penfold of the Meeting Candidate Network:

You need a resume in order to apply to almost every job on the planet.  If your resume is strong, you get your foot in the door, if it is weak, it will slam the door on your foot. 
 
Once you get the interview, you have a few fleeting moments to convince the hiring official that you were made for the job.
 
This session covers the do's and taboos, and twenty top tips that will assist you with your resume and the interview in this new world and economy. 

At the conclusion of this session of the seminar, you will be able to:

• Identify what makes a resume and cover letter successful
• Understand the variety of styles of resumes and ascertain which will work for you
• Learn key industry words and phrases to attract results
• Utilize current technology in the development of your resume, cover letter and in preparation for your interview
  

After a brief reception, attendees will enjoy Mastering the New Job Search Process: High Touch Meets High Tech with James Spellos of MeetingU and Dawn Penfold of the Meeting Candidate Network:

Do you have what it takes to land the right job in today’s new employment market? The job market has gone high-tech…have your skills to find a job advanced with the times? While the traditional functions of a job search: networking, solid resumes and personal interviewing are still important, technology has created a new dimension in all aspects of career management and job search.

This session will give you the skills to win in today’s competitive job market. From a better understanding of new person to person interviewing sills (including web-based), to maximizing your contacts using traditional and online social networking websites, this is a can’t miss session for you to remain marketable in today’s ever-changing job market.

At the conclusion of this session of the seminar, you will be able to:

• Identify and use social networking skills to help foster career management
• Understand how to use and master blogs, podcasts and rss feeds to identify job opportunities
• Utilize current technology to research corporate objectives, social responsibility and analyze how the organization fits into your personal and professional lifestyle
• Identify and utilize critical online search engines and portals
• Understand the tools necessary to develop online resumes and video resumes
• Bring your job search to current technological times
  

Sponsors:
The MPI Foundation
Willis Conference Center
Nashville Airport Marriott

Schedule:
4:30 – 5:30 p.m. Resume Writing and Interviewing Techniques
5:30 – 6:00 p.m. Reception for all attendees
6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Mastering the New Job Search Process: High Touch Meets High Tech

Location:
Willis Conference Center

Cost:
$10 – Members
$35 – Non-Members

Register Today – Space is Limited!


Meeting to Change the World – My Experience at PEC-NA 2008
By Robyn M. McCamy

I have to start out by saying... I get so much out of these educational conferences. As a relatively new member of MPI (4 years), I walk away with information that not only pertains to the industry but my daily job responsibilities as well. At this year's Professional Educational Conference in Houston, they called it MeetDifferent to capture the flavor of adventure and exploration. We learned new ideas to create a sense of bravery in meetings and events. Below is a short abbreviation of what we did, how the conference impacted me personally and what we did as an organization to start the evolution of change.

Sunday, February 3, 2008
Opening General Session and Chapter of the Year Awards
I loved the Opening General Session. Starting the energy of the General Session was a performance by Texas Southern University’s Ocean of Soul marching band. Following the opening, Bruce McMillan, C.A., MPI’s President & CEO, talked about corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the conference theme. MPI Chairwoman, Angie Pfeifer, CMM, later spoke regarding MPI’s global development and the role we all play.

Opening keynote, author and speaker Tim Sanders, was excellent! Tim talked about Corporate Social Responsibility asking attendees, “If not you, then who?”. He continued to say, “The only reason to have a meeting is to change the world.” According to Tim, businesses will be forced to embrace CSR by their younger employees who have been raised to understand that their survival relies on the kindness of strangers. Tim is the former Broadcast.com business development officer and Yahoo! Chief Solutions Officer and based his theories on his soon-to-be-released book How to Save the World at Work due out summer of 2008. I love that he views our profession as a key way to "change the world." Things are definitely going green and if every one of us did a LITTLE, it would make a BIG difference.

After the MPI Chapter Awards, the event concluded with a performance by the Kilgore Rangerettes. The look and audio visual presentation was stellar. It was produced and sponsored by VT2 Studios and PSAV.

Session - Leading with Heart
I attended an amazing session lead by Steve Gilliland, CSP, Professional Speaker and Author. His session offered insight and wisdom on choosing values, aiming for excellence, maintaining integrity, finding the courage to change and helping others reach their full potential. Steve talked about key attitudes and actions that impact the lives of others around you. I learned that influence is an art and it begins in the heart of a leader.

Networking Event - Rendezvous Houston
This event benefits the MPI Foundation and was held at a cool place in Houston called the Warehouse. It offered an evening of networking, live music and fun. This was a great opportunity connect with other industry professionals we only see at conferences such as these.

Monday, February 4, 2008
Unconference
On Monday morning, MPI held its first Learning Village. The educational experiences and learning space were transformed into the "MPI Learning Village." There were two streets, Technology Way and Unconference Boulevard. Each street lead you to a different type of learning and discussion experience. Conference attendees were free to wander the streets of the MPI Learning Village – joining conversations in the Café Conversations and playing with different technologies in the Technology Playgrounds. We actively demoed and experienced technologies learning about future trends and how these tools can enhance the event experience.

Check out some of the video interviews about Unconference:
http://www.travelmole.tv/watch_vdo.php?sid=&id=1170
http://www.travelmole.tv/watch_vdo.php?sid=&id=1171
http://www.travelmole.tv/watch_vdo.php?sid=&id=1181

Trade Show
The trade show was set up in a completely diverse way. MPI threw out all those we’ve-always-done-it-that-way preconceptions and took a fresh approach with the 2008 PEC Expo. Instead of row after row of booth after booth, they designed an open environment that produced a different sort of interface. I really enjoyed the straightforwardness of walking the space to see the vendors of interest to me.

Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Session 1 – Boomers to Nexters in the Workforce
The majority of the knowledge session rooms were set in rounds to encourage interaction facilitating an extremely interactive session. We split up in groups according to our generation. Then we answered a list of questions from the perspective of the alternative generation. This session explored alternative communication and rewards in the workplace. The session also touched on how to be more solution oriented to change your thinking and behaviors when it comes to our own personal generational values and preferences at work.

Session 2 – The “How-to’s” of NetWeaving and Pay it Forward
Okay... this session may have changed my life. I truly believe in this principal and the value of “NetWeaving”. It was an interactive session concentrated on the importance of inspiring meaningful dialogue to transform the process of relationship building. The facilitators helped us all understand the importance of being unique and remarkable so in turn we can be truly referable. What I took away from this was the knowledge that we are all in this together. And the more I find out about a person and their business the more I can understand who in my network has the needs for their personality type or service. I like “paying it forward” and I love when the universe brings it back full circle.

Closing Night Reception
The Grand Ballroom of the Hilton Americas looked like a trendy, high class lounge with multiple stages and rotating entertainment. They had so many delicious cuisine stations and the four corners housed bars and specialty drink stations. The evening was a great way to end a conference and a wonderful representation of Houston’s bands, entertainers and hospitality.

This was a small snap shot of the PEC-NA conference from my perspective. These conferences are invaluable experiences that I would love to share with you. I hope to see you for the World Educational Conference in Las Vegas, August 9-12, 2008. I want to leave you with some important information on having your own green meeting and starting to “change the world”. Leading by example, this is what MPI did with true conference CRS in action!

1. Registration Bags, Lanyards and Airport Greeter T-shirts – All of these products were made from organic cotton, which supports sustainable agriculture. The bags can easily be used again as grocery bags, book bags, travel bags, etc.
2. Hybrid Technology – Hybrid vehicles were used for some airport transfers.
   Donating Registration Bags – Any extra or donated registration bags were donated to a Houston charity after the conference.
3. Shuttle Buses – The shuttle buses used during the PEC-NA featured ultra-low sulphur diesel fuel (which enables the use of cleaner technology diesel engines and vehicles, resulting in significantly improved air quality), paperless tracking of riders and recycle bins.
4. Renewable Energy Credits – The City of Houston Energy Management purchased Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) in the name of MPI for the energy consumed during PEC-NA at the George R. Brown Convention Center. RECs are the property rights to the environmental benefits from generating electricity from renewable energy sources. These certificates can be sold and traded, and the owner of the REC can legally claim to have purchased renewable energy. In states that have an REC program, a green energy provider (such as a wind farm) is credited with one REC for every 1,000 kilowatt-hour of electricity it produces. The green energy is then fed into the electrical grid (by mandate), and the accompanying REC can then be sold on the open market.
5. Water Bottles and Water Coolers – Attendees received a re-useable water bottle which they filled with water at one of the water coolers available throughout the Convention Center.
   Community Service Project - Get “Hands On” and Support SEARCH! – Founded in 1989, SEARCH has become the leading homeless service provider in the Houston community, serving more than 10,000 men, women and children each year. Participants visited the SEARCH facility in downtown Houston and participated in various "hands-on" projects such as: painting the SEARCH building, power-washing their sidewalks, sorting and organizing donated items, making sack lunches for distribution to Houston's homeless, etc.
6. The Foundation for Hospital Art PaintFest® – The Foundation for Hospital Art is a non-profit organization whose mission is to involve patients and volunteers around the world in an effort to use art to transform hospitals and nursing homes into soft, comforting places for healing. Over 30,000 paintings have been completed by volunteers and donated to hospitals since 1975. At the PaintFest® located in the Global Village, participants painted pre-drawn, color-coded designs on canvas. All the artwork was donated at no cost to hospitals in need.
7. Gamelet – Students developed a gamelet on “How to Go Green at Meetings”
   
8. Recycled Paper – All conference marketing materials and the On-Site Guides were printed on recycled paper.
9. Vegetable-Based Ink – All conference marketing materials were printed using vegetable based ink.
   Digital Signage – Digital Signage was used when possible to reduce the use of paper and cardboard
   Print Kiosks – These eliminated unnecessary handouts. Attendees only printed what they needed
   Recycling – Recycling receptacles for paper, plastic and aluminum were located throughout the convention center
10. Reduced Lighting – Lighting was used when necessary. They installed motion sensors in the convention center to reduce lighting when not required.
    Reduced Water Usage – Motion sensor sinks and flush valves in the convention center helped to save water.
11. Food Products and Service Ware – Aramark used organic and locally grown food products and compostable service ware when possible at the convention center.
    Donating to Local Shelters – Aramark worked with local shelters after the conference to pass along extra prepared food and supplies.

The Hills are Alive with the Sound of MPI!
By Angela Layton
Photos by Lisa Hood Skinner

Build it and they will come... it sounds so simple. After years of planning and months of working out the details, we hosted our first ever Meeting Professionals International meeting in East Tennessee on April 8, 2008!

Dancing Bear Lodge in Townsend, Tennessee, was the perfect setting for nearly 60 members and guests to enjoy learning about MPI, meeting new friends and experiencing everything that the Smoky Mountain getaway has to offer.

Situated in the foothills of the Smokey Mountains, the drive was a wonderful escape from my office in Nashville. The trees were beginning to bloom and the crisp Spring air was sure to put a little pep in anyone's step.

As I embarked upon the property, I was welcomed by a crackling fire, quaint cabins and a stately lodge. Melanie Clifford, our host, was quick to greet me and share a tale or two from the dinner the night before. The lodge patio was the stage for dinner by the firelight for many of our MPI members and guests who seized the opportunity to enjoy overnight accommodations at the Lodge.

As our guests began to arrive, the lodge was buzzing with hand and chair massages, a fly-fishing demonstration and tasty treats including freshly-made cheese from Dancing Bear's sister property Blackberry Farm. If you ever get the chance to go, be sure to enjoy their Violet Cheese. It's creamy, delicious, and it's named after the cheese maker's daughter.

The conversations in the lodge were vibrant as we all had the opportunity to meet our counterparts from the Eastern Region of the state. We soon departed the lodge and headed over to the site of the luncheon, where we were greeted by a welcoming staff and enjoyed a wonderful meal on regionally crafted pottery.

The program was pretty exciting too – we were first welcomed by Melanie Clifford, our host from Dancing Bear Lodge and Teresa Moore from Blackberry Farms who shared a few words about the properties. Then we were on to an informational session about the Tennessee Chapter of MPI given by a line-up of our chapter leaders with information about all of our events and programs. It was very exciting to hear all of the amazing things that our chapter is doing! After learning about the many facets of our association, we wrapped up the meeting with a couple of great door prizes and an invitation to our guests to join us in co-creating the East Tennessee Regional Outreach of the Tennessee chapter. I am happy to report that our first experience in the region was a very positive one. Several attendees were excited about what our chapter has to offer – and many are considering membership!

Oh yes, before our departure, we were offered a personal tour of Blackberry Farms. That property is indescribable! If you ever get a chance to enjoy it – you won't be disappointed!

If you weren't able to join us for the first meeting in East Tennessee, we hope that you will in the future. Based on our success, plans are already underway for our next East Tennessee meeting to be held either this summer or in the early fall.

In the meantime, we encourage all of our members to help bridge the gap with our counterparts in East Tennessee. If you know someone who would be a great potential member, please share the good news about MPI with them... or if you would feel more comfortable, pass their contact information on to our Membership Committee. Our chapter needs your help in being the best chapter that we can be... let's co-create our future together!


How to Ask for a Raise—and Get It!
Deborah Walker, CCMC

When was the last time you asked for a raise?  If you are like most people, you waited until you were frustrated, angry, and resentful.  Not the best frame of mind for trying to make a positive change.  You probably made some critical mistakes.  You may have:

• Made your appeal based on emotion
• Given your boss an ultimatum
  
• Failed to plan ahead what to say figuring you could just “wing it”
  

And how did that strategy work for you?  Did you get everything you hoped for?  Probably not. 
 
There is a better way to ask for a raise that doesn’t involve emotions, ultimatums, or even slamming doors.  The answer is planning.   Be prepared with objective documentation that proves beyond doubt that you deserve a raise, and have a strategy that puts that information forward in the best possible light.  

1. Research salary surveys. 
If you suspect your current earnings are below average for your industry in your state, verify your suspicion by checking out salary surveys.  Your state employment service agencies probably provide a salary survey for your industry.  Average earnings can vary greatly from state to state, so be sure to get information that is appropriate for your area or region.  Make copies of any salary surveys you find. 
 
Additionally, if you suspect your earnings are low within your own company, ask your human resources representative if he/she can provide the normal salary scale for your position.  Ask for a copy if possible. 
 
These two documented sources will help support the fairness of your request for a raise.  By providing a rational argument and proof of competitive salary in your request for a raise, you’ll increase the likelihood that your boss will say yes.

2. Prove your worth.
Fairness alone won’t convince your boss you deserve a raise.  You’ll need documented proof that illustrates your contributions to your organization.  If you are waiting for your boss or supervisor to notice what a great job you are doing, forget it.  No one is paying that much attention to you.  It’s up to you to prove how much you are worth—literally.
 

The best time to begin documenting your accomplishments is in your first week of employment.  Keep a weekly journal of what you’ve done that proves such things as:
 

• Creating revenue opportunities
  
• Discovering costs savings
  
• Helping a coworker meet or beat a deadline
  
• Developing a better process
  
• Completing tasks ahead of time
  
• Generating good will with clients or customers 

Use your list of accomplishments to update your resume, featuring a “Highlight of Accomplishments” section that illustrates the positive impact you’ve had on your company.  An updated resume is your most convincing evidence that you deserve a raise.  It will also put your boss on the alert that you are ready with an updated resume when a recruiter calls or when the right career opportunity presents itself.
 
If you don’t have a record of your accomplishments and contributions, you are not ready to ask for a raise.  A career coach can be a valuable asset in helping you compile your list of accomplishments.  Trained in the art of asking the right questions, a career coach can help you quickly identify the contributions you’ve made to the company.  This will build not only your case for a raise, but your confidence as well. 
 
3. Plan your strategy.
Too often, people don’t think about what they’re going to say until they’re actually in their boss’ office.  That’s too late.  You have to plan your strategy in advance, just as you would plan any business project.  It’s the only way to succeed. 
 
With copies of salary surveys and salary scales, you’ll have quantifiable evidence that your request for a raise is a reasonable one.  And you’ll be able to back that up with a strong list of accomplishments that demonstrates how valuable you are to the company.  Practicing how you want to present your case can be the final key to success in getting the raise you want and deserve. 
 
Choose a friend or family member who has been in the position of hiring others, and ask them to let you practice your request for a raise.  If you’re not comfortable with doing that, or if you don’t know someone who is a hiring manager, a career coach can help you craft your presentation. 
 
A career coach has real-world experience in hiring and decision-making, so they’ve been in your boss’ shoes.  They can provide you with strategic tips that will help you win over your boss—or provide you with a way to keep the negotiations open even if your initial request is denied.  Creating a strategy with a career coach will give you guidance on how to ask for the raise, how to present yourself, and how to close the deal.
 
 Once you have your documentation, your accomplishments, and your strategy in hand, you’ll be ready to approach your boss with confidence.  And you’ll be well on your way to getting the raise you have truly earned.

Deborah Walker is a Career Coach and Resume Writer. To find more job-search tips and resume samples please visit www.AlphaAdvantage.com or email Deb@AlphaAdvantage.com.


Green continues as top meeting trend
Report by David Wilkening
March 18, 2008

A continued emphasis on green meetings, the lightning-fast pace of technology and a move towards more diverse recreational choices were among the "Top Ten Meeting Trends" outlined by Benchmark Hospitality International.

"We're pointing out the obvious. Interest in properties with sustainable hospitality or green programs is huge," said Benchmark of the top trend. "Our new prediction ... Go Green ... or Go."

Some other trends:
Conservation across the board, including paper. "Everyone wants to save a grove or two of trees by going paperless, and the Internet is the tool to block the buzz saw. More than 80 % of RFPs, proposals and contracts are now delivered and returned online," according to Benchmark.

There's a move towards more healthy food and avoiding high-fat snacks. Teambuilding is hotter than ever. These initiatives are now often driven by the destination and the preference is for outdoor, physical activities. Caving, spelunking, rock climbing are becoming more popular. The trend is also towards group activities supporting social causes. Fewer meetings with a greater number of attendees per meeting, for enhanced cost efficiencies, is the current trend in the marketplace. Meeting package pricing, however, remains solid according to the report.

The demand for the meeting packages is as strong for 2008 as it was throughout 2007. For non-meeting activities, walking and biking through natural forests, touring historic sites, climbing mountains and mesas, descending into canyons, and even shopping -- activities once reserved for personal time only are now being encouraged as part of the group experience.

Benchmark operates 30 award-winning resorts, hotels, condominium resorts and conference centers in locations throughout the US and Asia.

http://www.travelmole.com/stories/1127306.php?mpnlog=1&m_id=_rvnbdb


Tennessee MPI Board of Directors
As we continue to grow as a state wide chapter, one of the most critical decisions for our future is the selection of our volunteer leadership serving on the Tennessee Chapter Board of Directors. Our Chapter is only as strong as its volunteer leaders and we appreciate the time and dedication that each board member gives to the chapter and industry. Below is the 2008-2009 Board of Directors. Feel free to contact any of them if you want to get more involved and congratulate them on their position.