REASONS FOR OPTIMISM

by Timothy Schneider, Publisher, Association News

Los Angeles, CA
– February 2011 – The good news revealed by Meeting
Professionals International’s annual FutureWatch study for 2011 includes the findings that the number of meetings, meeting attendance and overall spending on meetings will all increase in the coming year. According to the study of 459 MPI members, the overall number of meetings planned in 2011 will increase by 8 percent and the average amount spent on those meetings will increase a healthy 5 percent. The study, which surveys both meeting planners and industry suppliers, also revealed that the role of business meetings will continue to face tough scrutiny.  READ THE ARTICLE

Being There

by Susan Adams, Forbes

Companies are spending billions on sophisticated teleconferencing systems, but
it still pays to meet in the flesh.

Sitting in a top-of-the-line $600,000 Polycom teleconferencing room feels a
little like watching the movie Toy Story. The guy you're talking to looks
impressive as he walks, life-size, across the room, projected in high definition
on the giant screens that cover the wall across from your conference table. The
vase of red flowers on the table appears so lifelike it almost seems to levitate
off the screen. But then you realize this isn't real life. It's a virtual
approximation.  READ THE ARTICLE

How NCC and IACC are Incorporating CSR into the 2011 Annual Conference

“Rev It Up” at this year’s annual IACC conference. After the meetings industry experienced a hard hit with the economy, conference centers will get ready to “Rev it Up” for expected business growth in 2011. To emphasize the theme of the annual conference, The National Conference Center has purchased an Linhai Electric 500 scooter, valued at $1765. Eco-friendly on the environment and theme appropriate, this electric scooter will be raffled off on the March 25th. This year IACC has adopted the Habitat for Humanity chapter in Loudoun County as the CSR project. March 23-25th attendees at the IACC annual conference can purchase raffle tickets to enter into the scooter drawing and all the proceeds will benefit the Loudoun Habitat for Humanity.

Habitat for Humanity is based on Christian principles and provides adequate housing for its citizens in need. Every dollar the chapter receives enables them to help eliminate poverty housing within the county. The National Conference Center will ship the scooter to the lucky raffle winner. Play to win at the 2011 IACC Conference and help poverty-stricken citizens.

BrainStrength at a 2011 IACC Session You Won't Want to Miss

If you’re a meeting or event planner and have an interest in food and meetings, this is an event you won’t want to miss! In our previous post, “Food for Thought: A Conference Center’s Corporate Social Responsibility” we discussed the responsibilities of providing brain enriched foods to meeting attendees. Customized menu options have always been a high ranking priority in the meetings industry. However, more than ever as venues offer sustainable options and farm-to-table dishes, the appeal of “brain food” has become increasingly popular.

The word is out for this year’s IACC Annual Conference. All meeting planners and event professionals are invited to a “Meeting & Eating” session, where Andrea Sullivan a well-known organizational psychologist who studies the brain will discuss menu choices for enhancing mood, learning and performance in meetings. Through her company BrainStrength Systems, Andrea Sullivan works with corporations and organizations alike to assist in menus for training and learning designs.

What will the session include?

• Admittance to the Brain Food Keynote Speech with Andrea Sullivan as she explains basic brain chemistry, how food create certain emotional states, timing of food offerings, foods that improve learning, memory, performance and enhance your mood as well as a wrap-up special activity.

• You’ll have full access to the Industry Roundtable where experts in the industry will discuss the hot topics in Food for Thought.

• Tickets also include lunch with specially prepared entrees for your own brain and seats at the 2011 Copper Skillet Competition, where Executive Chefs from conference centers around the world will compete for the international title.

• "Taste of IACC" event where you can treat yourself to dishes suggested by the competing chefs of the IACC Copper Skillet Competition

• Gifts included in a special raffle and send-off goodies

• Earn (3) Continuing Education Credits by attending



The event will be Thursday, March 24, 2011 10:00 am – 3:00 pm at The National Conference Center in Leesburg, Virginia (40 minutes from Washington D.C. and 10 minutes from Dulles International Airport). Interested in tickets? Register today as tickets are limited and going fast!

Learning Delivery 2011: Classroom Is Still King

Interesting article in Chief Learning Officer magazine by Mike Prokopeak — mikep@clomedia.com

Despite the continued growth of e-learning and newer technology-driven delivery methods, classroom learning remains resilient and dominant, especially for developing soft skills. But the other methods are gaining in influence. Read about it as part of our special coverage on learning delivery this month.  To view the entire article, go to http://clomedia.com/articles/view/4078

What do you think?