Getting to Know Your Chapter - Meeting Professionals International ...

2007 Commi tee of the Year 

Getting to 

Know Your 

Chapter 

news & views 

july-august 2007 . volume 28 . issue 4 

Joyce Paschall 

Takes the Helm as Chapter President 

Golf Outing 

Another Swinging Success 

The golf committee does it 

again... Page 7 

Annual Awards 

Celebration 

Causes a Sensation! 

Why everyone had a good 

time….Page 12 

Meet the new 

2007-2008 

Board of Directors 

Put the faces with the 

names…..Pages 16 & 17 

www.mpicac.org

CONTENTS 

4 

A message from 

Joyce Paschall, 

12 

CMP,CAE 

MPI-CAC Board 

President 

Awards 

Recognition Event 

The Annual 

Awards Celebration 

Sparkles as 

MPI-CAC 

Celebrates 30 Years 

20 

An A-Z Look 

at MPI-CAC 

Headquarters 

5 

Meet 

Meet the new 

News & Views 

co-chairs 

Kara Gifford and 

Beth Ciampi 

16 

Getting to Know 

Your Chapter: 

Meet the New 

Board 

22 

Hot or Not? Check out 

what’s hot and what’s 

not in the meeting 

industry 

7 

8 

Clicks 

Golf Outing 

Another successful 

outing for the 

award-winning golf 

committee 

Clicks of the Trade 

Alisa Peters highlights 

features on the 

new MPI website 

Photos courtesy of Edward Fox Photography 

10 

Chicago Chatter. 

Sally Magallanes 

keeps you up to date 

on what’s happening 

with your colleagues 

18 

A Look Inside: 

Sharing the 

Results of the 

2007 Member 

Care Survey 

24 

A Look Into The 

MPI-CAC and Greater 

Midwest Chapter 

PCMA Joint 

Educational Program 

33 

Industry Calendar of 

important upcoming 

events 

34 

Sponsorship Heroes 

highlights the people 

and organizations 

that support the MPI 

Chicago Area Chapter 

Photo courtesy of Elan Photography 

www.mpicac.org news & views | july-august 2007 

3

I 

Joyce Paschall CAE CMP 

Joyce Paschall CAE CMP 

The Center for 

Association Growth 

From the President 

You are Someone; You are MPI-CAC 

“I wondered why somebody didn’t do something, then I realized that I am someone.” 

– Anonymous 

This is one of my favorite sayings, and I have realized it speaks to much of what happens 

in my life. For example, I really dislike seeing trash on the ground and often pick it 

up (and if I see a person toss it intentionally, it takes all my restraint and common sense 

not to cause them great bodily harm). If asked why I bother, I say without even thinking, 

“someone had to.” I don’t recall that she ever specifically said the phrase to me, but I 

know for sure that this comes directly from my mother, the all-time champion of doing 

what needed to be done, because it needed doing and she knew she could do it. 

It also explains how I got to be on the cover of this publication and the author of this column; 

and president of our most excellent Chicago Area Chapter of MPI. 

I joined MPI (and CAMPI, as our chapter was then known) in 1988. I passively received 

the publications in the mail for a couple of years, then realized that there must be more 

to it than that. They kept asking members to join committees, to participate in this way 

and that. Someone would fill each slot, and I was someone, so why not me? I remember 

that I first joined the Career and Industry Awareness Committee, something that, like 

setting one-fourth of your meeting room with ashtrays for smokers (yes, we really used 

to do that), no longer exists. Several other committees followed, including Awards and 

Educational Conference, and when someone was needed to serve as chair, well, I was 

someone. From there I moved on to positions on the chapter board of directors a couple 

of different times. Someone would be slated, why not me? 

When I rejoined the board in 2004, I really didn’t aspire to be president. That was for 

someone else. Someone with more time - more experience, more ambition, more employer 

support, more something. Just someone else. Sound familiar? But then I realized 

we had not had a president from the planner category for quite some time, and that 

overall planner presidents were few and far between. Surely it’s possible for a planner 

to take this on and make it work. Someone should do something about this, someone 

should step up and go for it! Someone, where are you? Hey, maybe…I’m… someone… 

Then, in what can only be described as a classic example of the idea that simply putting a 

thought out into the universe can make it happen, (A.K.A. “be careful what you wish for, 

you shall surely receive it”), the position of president-elect unexpectedly became open 

mid-year. Someone had to take that place, someone from within the board to ensure a 

stable transition, someone with chapter experience who wouldn’t be too surprised by the 

many tasks that come with the job. Someone like…me…I am someone! 

And far more important, so are you. This is your association. It belongs to every single 

member, each of the over twelve hundred individuals that make up MPI-CAC. Without 

you, there is no need for the chapter to exist. No need for this newsletter, no need for our 

events and activities, no need for our governance structure. Don’t take this role lightly. 

You are MPI-CAC and MPI-CAC is a direct reflection of what you continually create it to 

be. We’re waiting for you to step forward to help co-create this chapter’s future. After 

all, someone has to. 

P.S. I’m sure you noticed my two beagles, Katie and Emily, on the cover. They came 

to us through a rescue organization about five years ago. Their description could 

have said, “All we ask is for someone to give us food and shelter, and in return we will 

worship you every minute of the day, forever. Please adopt us.” Someone had to! 

4 news & views | july-august 2007 www.mpicac.org

IFrom the Committee Co-Chairs 

Getting to Know Us 

It is my pleasure to introduce myself as one of your new co-chairs for News & Views 

2007-2008. As a former meeting planner for seven years, I have been a supplier 

since beginning my position at The Field Museum in October, 2005. It’s a bit different 

being on this side of the industry fence, but I am happy with my choice since I 

have the opportunity to work in an organization where I assist exceptional planners 

in creating stunning, unique events. 

For our “Getting to Know Your Chapter” issue, we have provided you with wonderful 

recaps of events you may not have been able to make. Please take a moment to 

read about the awards celebration, golf outing and joint MPI/PCMA meeting that 

had over 240 attendees! 

Kara Gifford 

The Field Museum 

I hope that my experience as a planner and supplier will assist me in bringing you 

information in News & Views that can resonate with the entire membership. We all 

can have very stressful days, weeks, months (I’m hoping not years!) so we’ve added 

an industry cartoon to the issue to remind us that keeping a sense of humor can 

help us get through those tough days! We’d love to have you assist us with this endeavor. 

If you have the gift for humor and illustration or know someone who does, 

please submit your cartoon to me at kgifford@fieldmuseum.org. Remember, it’s 

those challenging moments that we learn the most from and that make the best 

stories (after a tad bit of time goes by, usually)! 

Happy Reading! 

H 

Happy New Year! MPI New Year, that is! July is the new January - a time for new 

and exciting changes and goals for the year to come. Speaking of new, let me introduce 

myself. My name is Beth Ciampi, the new co-chair for this award-winning 

newsletter. I have been a member of MPI just over a year now and have valued 

every minute of it. This issue is about getting to know YOUR chapter and what’s 

new! 

Let’s start with our new President Joyce Paschall, CAE, CMP. Joyce has some wonderful 

things planned for the New Year starting off with her career as a cover model. 

Doesn’t she look fabulous? We also have a fabulous new Board of Directors for 

the upcoming year. Be sure to read about these interesting people. Get to know 

them. They are YOUR board and are here for YOU. 

Another new and exciting addition to our chapter is the Student Affairs Committee 

(formerly the Student Initiative Committee – a sub-committee of the Membership 

Committee), which consists of planner, supplier and student members. These committee 

members are striving toward a great objective; to encourage students to 

become involved with MPI as well as help them achieve their career goals. I’m sure 

the new committee chairs will agree when I say I am very excited about the year to 

come and what is in store as we all take our positions and strive toward a commonality 

- to continue the greatness our past chapter leaders have achieved. 

Beth Ciampi 

Society of Permanent 

Cosmetic Professionals 


5

Connecting the Dots 

Networking Event Sells Out! 

The Importance of Early Registration and the Value of MPI Events 

After months of planning, MPI-CAC’s April 11th 

event, “Connecting the Dots…Demystifying Foods, 

Cultures and Traditions,” sold out two weeks in 

advance to a very satisfied crowd, highlighting the 

increasing popularity of MPI events and the importance 

of early registration. 

By Victoria 

Johnson, CMP, CMM 

Underwriters 

Laboratories, Inc. 

A joint effort of the Networking and Diversity Committees, 

the event was geared towards networking 

and education. Attendees sampled various food stations 

and received a take-home booklet that focused 

on different religious, dietary and cultural cuisines. 

The PDF version of the take home is available at 

www.mpicac.org/news. 

MPI-CAC events are increasingly popular! Chapter 

members who would like to be a part of a 2007- 

2008 networking event (i.e., hosting a venue) are 

encouraged to contact the Networking Committee 

now. All members are encouraged to register for 

upcoming events early to secure their place. 

The event co-chairs, Karen Guenther, CMP of Meetings 

& Incentives, and Mary Friel, of Four Points by 

Sheraton, O’Hare noted, “We reached record-high 

attendance and had to turn people away at the door 

because they were not registered.” This was due in 

part to early planning and the mutual marketing 

efforts of MPI-CAC and HSMAI (Hospitality, Sales 

and Marketing Association International), which 

brought in attendees from its “Affordable Meetings” 

event at Navy Pier. 

Kudos to event sponsors who include; Kelly Neilson of 

The American College of Surgeons, who offered the 

unique Murphy Auditorium as the venue; HSMAI, 

who helped promote the event to their attendees; 

and to Michelle Wierzbicki, with Jewell Events 

Catering, who created a fabulous menu to complement 

a “multi-cultural” theme. 

All photos courtesy of All Events Photography 


Annual Golf Outing Sells Out! 

The Event of the Summer 

By Shannon 

Crowther 

SeaDream Yacht Club 

The 12th annual MPI-CAC golf outing at Marriott’s Lincolnshire 

Resort held on June 25 was a wonderful success! 

The committee, with its 10 subcommittees, went 

above and beyond the call of duty this year. Special 

thanks to the many sponsors and donors, who made 

this year’s golf outing and reception possible, as well as 

the volunteers who worked as dealers in the casino. 

Reflecting upon the day, there were a few things 

heard again and again worth repeating. Attendees 

reinforced that it is not always about 

planner to supplier ratio when it comes 

to networking at the once a year golf 

event and reception. If you look at the 

photos of long-time and newly met colleagues 

who shared in this event you 

will see that everyone is looking to create 

awareness for their company and 

celebrate the MPI-CAC chapter. 

The golf committee had a few common 

goals worth sharing -- have fun, golf, 

get new business, and most importantly 

raise money for the chapter. All of 

these goals allow us to continue to better 

ourselves. The committee accomplished 

each of the goals it set. 

We hope you had as much fun as we 

did. It is our hope in the coming year 

that you will support the sponsors and 

donors from the MPI-CAC golf outing 

and we will see you next year! 

Mexico Tourism Board, MGM Grand Hotel - Las Vegas, 

Pheasant Run Resort & Spa, Record-A-Hit, Red 

Rock Casino Resort Spa, Sheraton Towers Chicago, 

SmithBucklin Corporation, St. Louis Convention and 

Visitors Commission, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, The 

Islands of the Bahamas, The Meetinghouse Companies, 

THE PENINSULA CHICAGO, Tourism Quebec, 

Wynn Las Vegas, Zip Specialties and Record-A-Hit. 

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continued on page 26 

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We would like to thank the following 

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Bureau, Chicago Party Rental, Discover 

DuPage, Disney Resort Destinations, 

Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa, Elan Photography, 

Fed/Ex Kinko’s, Fairmont Hotels 

& Resorts, Grand Hyatt Hotels, Grand 

Hyatt, Greater Houston Convention 

and Visitors Bureau, hinton+grusich, 

Hyatt Regency Chicago, Hilton Bloomingdale 

Indian Lakes Resort, Kalahari 

Waterpark Resort Convention Center, 

Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority, 

Lettuce Planet - A Division of 

Lettuce Entertain You, Loews Hotels, 

THE GALENA TERRITORY - GALENA, ILLINOIS 

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7

The New MPIweb.org... It’s All About Community 

Get to Know YOUR Association 

By Alisa 

Peters, CMP 

Chicago Indoor Racing 

I am absolutely in love with the new MPIweb.org site… if you haven’t seen it, log on now and start having fun! Plan on 

visiting daily. Here are a few of my favorite parts of the new MPIweb.org tool. Remember, this is an association for 

YOU. This is a tool for YOU. Enhance your career, solve your problems, talk to your colleagues, make new friends, 

think globally…. think community. Here are a few Clicks designed just for you at www.mpiweb.org 

Your Personal Page 

Add a Picture, your own blog, an “About Me” entry with your contact information. Friends can post to your page, and 

you can respond… a wonderful new way for your clients to get to know you. Add a link to your “MPI Profile Page” 

in the signature of your e-mails to tell your fellow association members a little about you. You can also update your 

contact details, member profile, and even renew online through your personal page and every page of the website as 

well! This website is all about you, and it begins with you. Log in, create your page, and begin contributing, and asking 

questions, and making a difference. 

View Your CEU Transcript, Find out how to be a CMP or CMM 

Almost every single event that you attend that has an educational component gains you CEU (continuing education 

units) credits. Attending the Montreal WEC? You will get credits for every education session you attend! Check 

your online transcript by logging in, clicking on the “Knowledge/Education” header, and following the “View Online 

Transcript” hyperlink. You can also explore a variety of accreditations available through your involvement in the 

industry and find out what it takes to get some letters behind your name and a few more zeros in your salary. 

Wiki Encyclopedia for the Meetings Industry 

The new wiki encyclopedia for the meetings industry allows members to add, remove and edit/change content,and 

define what certain terms mean to the industry. Log on and add your two cents. Current topics include ethics, green 

meetings, professionalism, recruiting and retaining talent, Kosher and Halal meals, ameneties and room drops. Log 

in and add your Topic of Interest. 

Blogs for You... 

Blogs are an opportunity for members to take advantage of the expertise of all of the other members that make 

up our powerful association. Our members are our biggest resource and asset, and as a member, it is a resource 

available to you. Having an issue with the paying job or the volunteer experience? Throw the challenge out there 

and watch as your fellow members contribute to helping you solve it. Chat with our new President & CEO, Bruce 

MacMillan, C.A. Send a message to friends gained at a national or international MPI Conference. 

“My Groups” 

This part of the website is for members only. You can join MPI Groups and add them to your “My Groups” under your 

Community Connections. Join online Chapter Community Groups or International Community Groups… Part of 

volunteer leadership for the Chicago Chapter? There is a Chicago Area Chapter Leadership Group, a Chicago Area 

Chapter Group, and a Supplier and Planner Meeting Professional Group (International). Consider this area almost the 

equivalent of industry roundtables… just online and available at the touch of a button. 


The New MPIweb.org... It’s All About Community 

Get to Know YOUR Association 

By Alisa 

Peters, CMP 


I am absolutely in love with the new MPIweb.org site… if you haven’t seen it, log on now and start having fun! Plan on 

visiting daily. Here are a few of my favorite parts of the new MPIweb.org tool. Remember, this is an association for 

YOU. This is a tool for YOU. Enhance your career, solve your problems, talk to your colleagues, make new friends, 

think globally…. think community. Here are a few Clicks designed just for you at www.mpiweb.org 

Your Personal Page 

Add a Picture, your own blog, an “About Me” entry with your contact information. Friends can post to your page, and 

you can respond… a wonderful new way for your clients to get to know you. Add a link to your “MPI Profile Page” 

in the signature of your e-mails to tell your fellow association members a little about you. You can also update your 

contact details, member profile, and even renew online through your personal page and every page of the website as 

well! This website is all about you, and it begins with you. Log in, create your page, and begin contributing, and asking 

questions, and making a difference. 

View Your CEU Transcript, Find out how to be a CMP or CMM 

Almost every single event that you attend that has an educational component gains you CEU (continuing education 

units) credits. Attending the Montreal WEC? You will get credits for every education session you attend! Check 

your online transcript by logging in, clicking on the “Knowledge/Education” header, and following the “View Online 

Transcript” hyperlink. You can also explore a variety of accreditations available through your involvement in the 

industry and find out what it takes to get some letters behind your name and a few more zeros in your salary. 

Wiki Encyclopedia for the Meetings Industry 

The new wiki encyclopedia for the meetings industry allows members to add, remove and edit/change content,and 

define what certain terms mean to the industry. Log on and add your two cents. Current topics include ethics, green 

meetings, professionalism, recruiting and retaining talent, Kosher and Halal meals, ameneties and room drops. Log 

in and add your Topic of Interest. 

Blogs for You... 

Blogs are an opportunity for members to take advantage of the expertise of all of the other members that make 

up our powerful association. Our members are our biggest resource and asset, and as a member, it is a resource 

available to you. Having an issue with the paying job or the volunteer experience? Throw the challenge out there 

and watch as your fellow members contribute to helping you solve it. Chat with our new President & CEO, Bruce 

MacMillan, C.A. Send a message to friends gained at a national or international MPI Conference. 

“My Groups” 

This part of the website is for members only. You can join MPI Groups and add them to your “My Groups” under your 

Community Connections. Join online Chapter Community Groups or International Community Groups… Part of 

volunteer leadership for the Chicago Chapter? There is a Chicago Area Chapter Leadership Group, a Chicago Area 

Chapter Group, and a Supplier and Planner Meeting Professional Group (International). Consider this area almost the 

equivalent of industry roundtables… just online and available at the touch of a button. 


Here’s the latest changes and updates on people 

we know, or should get to know, in the meetings industry! 

By Sally 

Magallanes, CMP 

It’s the start of MPI-CAC’s new 

year, with exciting changes on the 

board and in its committees. There 

are also great, new beginnings for 

a number of other members and 

companies! Read on for the latest 

news about your colleagues. 

People on the Move… 

Congratulations to Joe Hirsch on his 

recent career 

move. Joe is 

now in National 

Sales Business 

Development 

for AVW-TELAV 

Audio Visual Solutions, 

A Freeman 

Company. 

Joe Hirsch 

His new contact 

information is (630) 420-1299 (phone); 

(630) 420-1279 (fax) and email 

address joe.hirsch@avwtelav.com. 

Website is www.avwtelav.com. 

Prior to employment with AVW- 

TELAV, Joe was in national sales 

for LXR Luxury Resorts. Although 

he’ll be busy with his new responsibilities, 

he plans to remain active 

with the Chicago Area Chapter of 

MPI. Best wishes to you! 

Greg Leeper recently accepted a 

new position as 

Regional Director 

of Sales for 

two outstanding 

Benchmark Hospitality 

properties, 

Turtle Bay 

Resort, Oahu, 

Greg Leeper 

Hawaii 

and 

French Lick Resort Casino in 

French Lick, Indiana. Greg has 

been a leading sales professional 

in the meetings industry 

for over 20 years, most recently 

serving as Director of Sales for 

hinton+grusich. His career also 

includes sales positions with 

Hyatt, Starwood, the Greenbrier 

and Loews Hotels. Greg can 

be reached at (312) 451-6707 

or send an email to gleeper@ 

benchmarkmanagement.com. 

Take a moment to check out the 

websites: www.frenchlick.com, 

www.turtlebayresort.com, and 

www.benchmarkhospitality.com. 

Congratulations and best wishes 

to you, Greg! 

There’s a new face in the Swissôtel 

Chicago’s sales’ team. Alana Zeiger 

has just come on board as a Sales 

Manager for the upscale property. 

She is excited about this new opportunity 

and can be reached at 

(312) 268-8209, by fax at (312) 268-8202 

or email alana.zeiger@swissotel.com. 

Website is www.swissotelchicago.com. 

Prior to her move, Alana was a 

Sales Associate at Chicago-based 

hinton+grusich. We wish her much 

success! 

Organizations in Change... 

ProActive, Inc. is pleased to announce 

an exciting new chapter in 

its 14-year history! The event management/production 

company has recently 

been acquired by the Freeman 

Companies. Tony Lorenz, CMM, will 

continue as President of ProActive, 

Inc. and also join Freeman’s senior 

management team. He reports that 

ProActive’s team of professionals will 

remain intact and continue to run operations 

in the manner its clients are 

accustomed to. The new business arrangement 

affords ProActive, Inc. to 

have the name recognition and resources 

afforded by Freeman, which 

was founded in 1927. Drop Tony a line 

at lorenz@proactiveinc.com or call 

him at (312) 654-4300. For more information, 

go to www.proactiveinc.com 

and www.freemanco.com. 

Special Honors... 

Deborah A. Hall, Founder and 

President of Hall & Associates, 

Ltd.—executive recruiter for the 

hospitality industry—has recently 

been appointed Chairwoman of 

the National Association of Executive 

Recruiters. Hall & Associates, 

Ltd. is the only hospitality executive 

search firm in this association and 

must meet the highest level in best 

practices and ethics in its recruiting 

process. For more details, go 

to www.hallandassociatesltd.com. 

Kudos to you, Deborah! 

A round of applause to industrymember 

Ted Miller, CHME, CHSP, 

for receiving the first annual Partnership 

Award at the Society of 


Government Meeting Professionals’ 

(SGMP) National Conference. Ted 

was previously awarded Supplier 

of the Year by SGMP’s Chicago and 

Washington, 

D.C. chapters. 

He has also 

been published 

in the association’s 

national 

magazine and 

Ted Miller two chapter 

newsletters. 

Ted has been active in many meeting 

industry organizations and 

continues to serve as a member of 

the News & Views committee. Send 

a note of congratulations to him at 

ted.miller@starwoodhotels.com or 

call (312) 970-2912. 

Hearty congratulations go out to 

Windy City Fieldhouse for being 

named best “Team–Building Facility/Organizer” 

by Illinois Meetings & 

Events magazine. This is the second 

year in a row that WCF has won the 

acclamation. Send a note to Murrel 

Karsh, CMP, President of WFC, at 

murrel@windycityfieldhouse.com. 

This is a double “hurrah!” for Murrel 

and his team! 

A Walk Down the Aisle.. 

Inge Spindola, Global Director 

Group & Incentive Sales – USA Millennium 

Hotels and Resorts, was 

joined in marriage to Paul Campbell 

on May 26. The couple celebrated 

their wedding with close family 

and friends in 

Monteagle, TN. 

Time to make 

changes in your 

address book, 

as she is now 

Inge & Paul Campbell 

Inge Campbell. 

We wish them much happiness! 

Keep the chatter coming! Send your 

news to semagallanes@hotmail.com 

or sallymagallanes@sbcglobal.net. 

Photos are always welcome in jpg 

or bmp format. 

Choose to 

cruise 

Perfect for groups of all sizes: 

Chicago’s First Lady . . . 30-200 people 

Chicago’s Little Lady . . . 10-80 people 

Chicago’s Fair Lady . . . 25-125 people 

Lady Grebe . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6 people 

847-358-1330 

WWW.CRUISECHICAGO.COM 

LOCATED AT RIVERSIDE GARDENS ON THE MAGNIFICENT MILE 


11

MPI-CAC Awards: 

Our 30th Anniversary Celebration 

Three hundred and twenty-five people attended the 

30th Anniversary Celebration of the Chicago Area 

Chapter of MPI, June 6, 2007 between 4:30 and 10:00 

PM which took place at Chicago’s premiere theatre 

Park West (also celebrating its 30th year). The theatre 

was filled with all the elements that insure a successful 

venture…and this was substantiated by the 

incredible salutations which flowed in for days after 

this “flawless themed awards showcase.” 

So what makes a great event – that garners so many 

superb accolades? It begins with the 

outstanding committee, which was Lake Geneva’s Newest Lakefront Resort! 

composed of MPI-CAC members who 

shared their talents, skills and experiences 

to compliment the dynamic 

visions of 2007 Co-Chairs, Barbara Lee 

Cohen of PRODUCTIONS USA, Inc. and 

Wendy Berg of The BusBank. Thanks to 

the quality melding of the multitude of 

tasks, June 6 was a magical evening, and 

turned this 30th year celebration into 

the perfect presentation, properly honoring 

award recipients while entertaining 

with “panache.” A list of the incredible 

committee in addition to Vice Chair 

Kim Davenport and Board liaison Jamie 

Shamhart of Four Seasons, are presented 

at the close of this story. It was an 

amazing team. 

First to greet guests were the professional 

car servers from V.I.P. Valet and 

clever 70’s characters created by Jim 

Bina, Gary DeVar, Gregg Steigmeyer, 

Debborah Hopkins and the American 

Dance Center. Getting further into the 

spirit was easy as guests sipped “Melon 

Moods”, “Fevertinis” and “BlueBarry 

Hustles” beverages and moved through 

the unique environment at this NIGHT 

FEVER party which embraced fun and 

fanciful retro ‘70’s razzle dazzle. 

Great disco songs captured the sensory 

perceptions while guests’ visions were 

entranced by the brilliant, colorful and 

dramatic Cabaret décor elements and 

lighted effects provided by The Meetinghouse 

Companies, Chicago Party 

By 

Barbara Lee 

Cohen, CAE,CMP 

PRODUCTIONS USA, Inc 

Rentals and BBJ Linen. Glowing martini glasses and 

other giveaways provided by Hilton Lisle Naperville, 

Spokane CVB and Pama & Hpnotiq, the eye-catching 

hot neon programs printed by Source4 and the 

stylish posters and table signage from Regency Expo 

caused guests to exclaim – “the rooms look awesome” 

– “never saw Park West as breathtaking” – “the décor 

is fascinating – just perfect!” 

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07WALEX021-Chicago_MPIv2.indd 1 7/9/07 2:15:16 PM

A Retreat of Reflection 

and Dedication 

Are you a visionary, an architect, a diplomat, or 

possibly a warrior? This is one of many questions 

the MPI-CAC Board of Directors asked of themselves 

at the retreat for incoming board members 

last month. Held at the Abbey in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, 

on June 10 and 11, the retreat was facilitated 

by John Potterton, CMP, Past President of MPI- 

CAC and the current Chief Santalogist at Summit 

Executive Centre, along with the 2007 – 2008 MPI 

CAC President, Joyce Paschall, CAE. CMP. 

John and Joyce led the team of directors through 

two days of exercises in reflecting, recreating, retooling, 

and readiness while Maureen Hodgson, 

MPI’s Chapter Business Manager for MPI-CAC, 

delivered the vision and mission for the future 

from MPI Headquarters: 

By Jane 

Matteson Mundell, CMP 

Joyce Paschall doing Appreciation exercise 

MPI Vision: Build a Rich Global Meeting Industry Community 

MPI Mission: Make Our Members Successful by Building Human Connections to: 

Knowledge/Ideas 

Relationships 

Marketplace 

Enjoying a tour of Lake Geneva 

Jamie Shamhart on left, Sonal Sullivan on right 

So, as the board of directors reflected on the past year of 

chapter business, the visionaries in the group recreated 

ways to bring forth the new message of thinking globally. 

The diplomats provided an abundance of “what ifs” keeping 

the needs of each and every chapter member at the 

forefront of the goals. During this time, the architects in 

the group were hard at work retooling the plans – crossing 

the t’s and dotting the i’s. And what were the warriors 

doing? The warriors were readying themselves (and the 

rest of the group) to execute the plans! 

The year ahead will be a great one! With Joyce (who, by 

the way, is a visionary) leading her team through a year of 

budgets, business plans and groundbreaking ideas, your 

2007-2008 MPI-CAC Board of Directors is dedicated to 

building a global community of which you will be proud to 

be a member. 


You are 

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Getting to Know Your Chapter 

President 

Joyce 

Paschall, CAE, CMP 

The Center for 

Association Growth 

“For this year in my role as chapter president, 

I will do everything possible to extend 

the incredible success we’ve experienced 

lately in all areas. I must be the luckiest 

person ever to come into this position, riding 

on the coattails of those who’ve done 

outstanding work and having so many 

dedicated leaders at the board and committee 

level. Also, I intend to prove that a 

planner member CAN do this job and live 

to tell about it!” 

Vice President 

Finance 

Chrissy 

Ward, CAE 

Society of 

Gynecologic Oncologists 

“I am looking forward to the role of VP 

of Finance with MPI-CAC. My focus will 

be on keeping the chapter financially 

healthy while strategically positioning 

the chapter’s funds so we can continue 

to reinvest in our members and programming.” 

President-Elect 

Laurel Rhoads 

McCarthy, CMP 

Krisam Group 

“There is no “I” in the word TEAM, together 

we will go a lot further. As a 

board member of our Chapter, I look 

forward to serving all of you as your next 

President Elect in the new year, and am 

so fortunate to be among some of the 

greatest leaders in our industry.” 


Communications 

Jane 

Mundell, CMP 

“I have always urged my children to follow 

their hearts and see where it leads 

them. Now, I am doing just that by helping 

the city of New Orleans in their ongoing 

efforts to rebuild.” 


Leadership 

Development 

Peggy 

Pissarreck, CMP 

American Bar Association 

“Your MPI membership is what you 

make it. Get involved with the organization 

by attending events or volunteering 

and you will be rewarded with 

personal and professional relationships 

that can enhance your career.” 


Membership 

Alisa 

Peters, CMP 


“There are only two ways to live your life. 

One is as though nothing is a miracle. 

The other is as if everything is.” 

– Albert Einstein 


Education 

Immediate Past 

President 

Executive Director 

Char 

Shada, CMP 

Experient, Inc. 

“I believe that every event should be a 

memorable experience for the attendees 

and should reflect positively on the 

event’s host.” 

Kevin 

Hinton 

hinton+grusich 

“Grant me the serenity to accept the 

things I cannot change, the courage to 

change the things I can, and the wisdom 

to know the difference.” 

Mollie 

Mercado, CMP CAC 

MPI 

Chicago Area Chapter 

“I’m thrilled to begin my sixth year as 

Executive Director of MPI-CAC and 

look forward to working with the new 

board of directors and committee volunteers. 

Lucky me to have a job that’s 

never boring with the many new people 

I work with each year.” 


2007-2008 Board of Directors 

Director 

Mentoring, 

Student Affairs 

Kevin 

Boland 

The Westin Michigan Avenue 

“You never know the unexpected benefit 

of doing something until you do it.” 


Communications 

Jeff 

Gassaway 

Tampa Bay/St. Petersburg 

Clearwater CVB 

“The first time I heard Bill O’Donnell 

mention Return on Involvement, I 

thought about that for a long time and 

decided I wanted to do more. Well, by 

becoming more involved News & Views 

won Committee of the Year and I was 

elected to the board. I’m a firm believer 

that you certainly get back what you put 

in!” 


Membership 

Jon 

Hixon, CMP 

Tourism Toronto 

“If you’ve got a question, pick up the 

phone and ask ... otherwise you may 

never know!” 


Awards Selection, 

Awards Event 

Cherai 

Lewis 

Projection Presentation 

Technology 

“I look forward to working with all our 

members to keep MPI-CAC as the premier 

chapter in Meeting Professionals 

International.” 


Partnership 

Development 

Frances 

Maxwell 

The Business 

Improvement Company 

“I am excited to be an incoming board 

member for the 07-08 year. Being an MPI 

member has brought me not only great 

networking opportunities but some lasting 

friendships. As for my role on the Board, I 

am really looking forward to being an integral 

part of something big, in working 

towards setting the Chicago Chapter for 

success by leading the way in Cash sponsorship 

sales.” 


Educational 

Conference, Diversity 

Barb 

Quigley, CMP 

The CVB Source, Inc. 

“Membership to MPI-CAC has been a 

positive experience and truly has served 

as a great resource in my career both 

in education and networking. I truly 

feel that the more we involve ourselves 

with this association, the more we can 

benefit both personally and professionally.” 


Leadership 

Development 

Jamie 

Shamhart 

Four Seasons Hotel 

and Resorts 

“I have worked for Four Seasons Hotels 

and Resorts for 17 years, and have loved 

every minute. Four Seasons has been very 

supportive of my MPI involvement. Serving 

on the MPI Board has really taught me a 

lot about juggling (still getting there), and 

I have learned a tremendous amount as it 

relates to running a small business, which 

is the mind set required to run this chapter. 

A quote I live by is, “make sure you are 

not only doing things right, but doing the 

right things.” 


Educational 

Programs, 

CMP Study Group 

Sonal 

Sullivan, CMP 

“Committment to something is optional 

but once you make it, stick to it.” 


Special Events 

Tanya 

Tarnoff, CMP 

Minding Your Business, Inc 

“I have been a member of MPI for almost 

ten years and have grown personally and 

professionally from my many great experiences 

with the organization. I have met 

many wonderful friends because of my 

involvement as a committee and board 

member. I am excited and thankful to be a 

part of this leadership team for the chapter 

and help in developing and executing 

new ideas and initiatives to better our industry 

and profession. I look forward to a 

great 2007 – 2008 with MPI-CAC!” 


17


Results of the Chapter 

Member Care Survey 2007 

In the first quarter of 2007, MPI-CAC hired Sigma 

Group, LLC to perform a member care survey to assist 

in moving the chapter forward in the next 3-5 years 

with 11 research objectives for the survey. In order to 

receive a high response rate, 400 members were randomly 

selected to participate in the survey via phone, 

whereas approximately 600 members (200 members 

outside the Illinois area were excluded) were invited to 

participate in the survey online. A total of 200 phone 

surveys and 131 online surveys were completed (with 

this result, the percentage of error for the survey 

results is +/- 4.6 ). A few of the 11 survey objectives 

were: to be able to describe the membership via demographic, 

career and geographic variables; to document 

the frequency and perceived value of current products 

and services, including time, location, cost and format 

of annual meetings; and determine what suggestions 

members have for improvement and types of additional 

services they would like to see the chapter offer. 

Getting to Know the Membership 

According to the survey results, MPI-CAC is 78% female 

and 22% male with 94% of the chapter being between 

the ages of 31-60 years old. Almost half live downtown 

(44%) and a bit more than half work downtown (52%) 

with the North suburbs coming in second with 13% and 

14% respectively. Almost half of the respondents were 

suppliers (47%) with the remaining being corporate 

planners (27%), association planners (14%) and independent 

planners (12%). Two out of three (64%) surveyed 

said they had been in the industry over 10 years, 

but over half (56%) have been members of MPI for less 

than 5 years. 

Frequently Used Products & Services 

The News & Views committee is happy to report that 

47% of the membership said that the News & Views 

publication is the product used most frequently with 

The Meeting Professional a close second (44%) and the 

Skyline e-newsletter (38%) and networking programs 

(35%) following close behind. 

Very Valuable 

On a scale of 1.0-3.0, with 3.0 being “very valuable,” the 

CMP exam prep came in highest at 2.69 (note: only 

11% of respondents said they used this product), with 

business development (2.57) and networking (2.56) being 

the two most utilized and most valued services. 

Annual Meetings: What do we want? When and where 

do we want it? How long? 

Participants were given seven format options to 

By Kara 

Gifford 


choose from and a lecture by an expert and roundtable 

discussion were equally preferred (34% and 32%) with 

a “panel discussion” or “don’t know” coming in next 

(16% and 11%). 

Since 52% of respondents work downtown, it is no surprise 

that about this same percentage (54%) prefer 

meetings held at downtown locations. The next highest 

request was the West Suburbs, but at a far lesser 

rate of 12%. 

When asked the best month to host a meeting, the 

majority chose the “don’t know/don’t care” response 

(34%) and when considering the day of the week that 

is most convenient, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday all 

received about 1/3 of the responses (36%, 37%,34% respectively). 

There are more morning meeting people 

in the group with 31% choosing the morning as most 

convenient, with 15% not knowing or saying anytime 

would work. The membership was closely split on 

whether we want 90 minute sessions (39%) or half-day 

sessions (35%) with corporate and non-profit/association 

planners preferring the longer programs (halfday 

to full-day). 

Seven out of ten members say they are very or mostly 

satisfied with their membership in MPI-CAC with association/non-profit 

planners the most satisfied (91%). 

Almost half believe that the chapter is either making 

progress towards or achieving the chapter’s mission 

and vision. 

As part of the survey, both telephone and web respondents 

had the opportunity to remark on what he/she 

wanted the chapter to do or provide in the future. A 

few of these comments are below: 

• “Find a way to make new members feel more welcome 

so they will participate more, kind of cliqueish, 

hard to break-in.” 

• “Reach out to more experienced members and develop 

programs to entice them to participate.” 

• “More programs in the suburbs.” 

• “More high-level educational opportunities.” 

• “Online roundtables during lunch hour. Easier to 

attend than in person.” 

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Member 

Care Survey. If you have questions regarding the 

survey or would like to submit comments on the results, 

please email me at kgifford@fieldmuseum.org. 



IA New Approach to the Student 

Membership Campaign 

College Career Fairs 

In the past two months, MPI-CAC has attended 

three area career fairs and recruited over 30 potential 

new student members. Hypothetically speaking, 

if all the students that we reached out to were to join 

our chapter, it would literally double our current 

student membership! 

The Student Initiative subcommittee piloted 

this program, and this is the first 

time as an organized committee that 

MPI-CAC has been represented at a 

career fair. At first the students were 

a little confused by our presence. “Why 

are you here…you’re not hiring?” That 

was the primary purpose of the fair, after 

all. However, once our volunteers explained 

the benefits of joining MPI they were all on board. 

MPI can provide students with valuable experiences 

they cannot get in a classroom. Although MPI-CAC 

doesn’t have a job to offer, we have something better 

- a network. A network of potential employers, 

mentors, colleagues and friends, all of whom can 

help to shape these young professionals into leaders 

of our industry. 

By Karen 

Jarboe 

Landmark 

Incentive Marketing 

Following each fair, we raffled off one free one-year 

student membership, compliments of the MPI-CAC 

Membership Committee. I am pleased to introduce 

you to our winners and our newest student members: 

Mara Lumley, Meeting & Convention Management. 

Kendall College 

Emila Santos, Hospitality Management, 

Roosevelt University 

Samra Wondemagane, Hospitality 

Management, Robert Morris College 

Moving into the 2007-08 committee year, the 

Student Initiative subcommittee will become 

the Student Affairs Committee. This is very exciting 

news for our chapter as the committee has 

the full support of the board to dedicate our time and 

efforts on recruiting and educating the future of the 

industry, and the future leaders of our chapter. 

If anyone is interested in working with the Student 

Affairs Committee, please contact committee 

chair, Karen Jarboe at kjarboe@lmkinc.com or 

(312) 630-3251. 

Volunteers Make a Difference! 

MPI-CAC’s Board of Directors would like to acknowledge and thank the following volunteers for their outstanding work: 

This Program 

Sponsored by: 

LETTUCE PLANET 

Out-of-this-World Events 

April 

Mary Friel 

Four Points Sheraton O’Hare 

Networking Committee 

April 

Bobbie Soeder 

Catalyst Ranch 

Membership Committee 

May 

Barbara Lee Cohen, CMP, CAE 

PRODUCTIONS USA, Inc. 

Awards Committee 

May 

Cathy Ryan, CMP 

Healthcare Information and 

Management Systems Society 

Diversity Committee 


19


Your MPI-CAC Headquarter 

Meeting Professionals International is a large organization 

with a chapter structure as its framework. 

Chapters vary in size and just as unique as the chapters 

are the various management support they require. 

Some of the smaller chapters are completely 

volunteer run, while larger chapters have a paid 

association management team working for them. 

MPI-CAC falls into that later category. 

For those of you that are curious as to what your 

headquarters team does – here is a listing from A-Z 

covering some of the things that your staff works on 

in a day. Your MPI-CAC staff: 

Serves as an Ambassador of the Chapter to educate 

those: 

• New to the industry regarding career paths and 

options. 

• Prospective members about what MPI-CAC is all 

about. 

• Providing information for those coming to the 

Chicagoland area to do business, should they be 

seeking local planners or suppliers. 

Provides assistance to the MPI-CAC Board of Direc- 

tors, from administrative support for monthly board 

meetings to strategic chapter suggestions. 

Works with MPI-CAC’s 19 Committees to ensure 

continuity and consistency of the message and presentation 

of chapter programs and activities. 

Aids in the Development of new chapter programs, 

as well as operational or industry relationships. 

Executes educational program and networking 

event on-line registration components. Staff creates 

the Cvent invitations and corresponding e- 

communication pieces that you receive. 

Provides Financial Management – staff keeps the 

books. Staff manages all the financial reporting required 

for a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. In 

addition, they coordinate and participate in the annual 

financial audit conducted by a CPA firm. 

Produces or coordinates all your General chapter 

communication, such as the biweekly e-newsletter, 

Skyline and any mailings that you receive through 

traditional mail. 

Handles the tracking and recognition of in-kind 

sponsorships. 

Invoices and collects money for the chapter’s wide 

array of products (such as, mailing list rentals) and 

services (for example, monthly program registration 

fees). And on the flipside, with Treasurer approval, 

staff pays the organization’s bills. 

Manages relationships and logistics for Joint industry 

programs with allied organizations such 

as Professional Convention Management Association 

(PCMA), Hall-Erickson for their Fall Motivation 

Show, Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association 

International (HSMAI) for their Affordable Meetings 

Expo and Conference, etc. 

Communicates with chapter leaders and committees 

to Keep operations on-track - strategically, as 

well as on-time and on-budget. 

Liaisons with MPI. In addition, staff participates in 

an MPI large chapter administrators council that 

exchanges ideas and best practices to enhance the 

operations and success of these larger MPI groups. 

Is here because of the Members. This includes providing 

answers to current members, recruiting affiliate 

members, coaching new members on how to 

get involved and introducing prospective members 

to the world of MPI. 

Sells advertising and manages ad production for 

News & Views, as well as being a part of the editorial 

board that contributes and edits your bimonthly 

publication. 

Runs the day-to-day Office Operations, such as 

handling mail, responding to inquiry emails, assisting 

members to ensure that they get the most out of 

their membership – you get the idea. 



Operations – A to Z 

Works with MPI-CAC’s service Partners to ensure uniformity 

of message and process management. As the 

chapter has grown, so have the resources required to 

run its robust activities. Such partners include: 

• Business Systems Online (BSO) which hosts the 

chapter’s website and provides site programming 

and text/design services. 

• Naylor Publications that handles the advertising 

sales and production for the Annual Membership 

Directory, as well as cash sponsorship sales. 

• Michele Snyder, of Raceworks Ltd, who is responsible 

for the marketing and public relations activities 

for the chapter. Additionally, she is the editor 

of News & Views. 

Ensures consistant Quality of chapter materials. Staff 

reviews and serves as a clearinghouse for all chapter 

printed and electronic pieces. 

Handles educational program and networking event 

Registration. Volunteer committees plan and execute 

these activities, while staff handles all registration 

communication and financial transactions. 

Orders and maintains the chapter’s operational Sup- 

plies such as letterhead and envelopes, badges/badge 

stock, MPI collateral material and the list could go on. 

Tracks chapter data and provides comparison and 

analysis to previous years’ figures on vital areas such 

as membership counts by category, registration numbers 

and sponsorship dollars. 

Provides Unity for the organization with behind-thescenes 

consistency as the volunteer board of directors 

and committee chair/vice chairs change on an 

annual basis. 

committee updates to the 

static sections of the site. 

• Managing the banner ad 

postings, as well as the job/ 

resume postings. 

By Mollie 

Mercado, CMP 

MPI-CAC Executive Director 

Vickie 

Zombolo 

MPI-CAC Account Manager 

That leaves X, Y and Z open for anything that pops up 

that needs to be handled or routed to a board member 

or committee chair. 

You have heard that MPI-CAC is the largest chapter 

in MPI, that it is financially stable and continuing 

to grow in terms of its numbers and offerings. And 

just like a for-profit business, success takes a quality 

framework. Your staff provides just that. 

Remember that your MPI-CAC headquarters staff is 

your resource, so please contact us when you need 

us. Phone: (847) 457-2040 or email: info@mpicac.org. 

The Chicago Area Chapter of MPI invites you to attend 

an informative and exciting meeting industry luncheon 

at The Motivation Show. Each year the lunch features 

a well known speaker that shares their experience, 

knowledge and foresight into the business world, now 

and in the future. It's a perfect place to network with 

colleagues, share ideas, and enjoy a vibrant business 

atmosphere. Mark your calendars for September 26. 

Ticket information will be listed as it becomes available 

on www.mpicac.org. We'll see you there! 

Assists, supports and provides suggestions to MPI- 

CAC’s Volunteer leadership. 

Responsible for the day-to-day administration of the 

Website. Functions include: 

• Uploading members-only database monthly. 

• Maintaining home page news, the event calendar 

and relationship with the website host company for 


21

what’s hot what’s not 

How to Get Involved with a Committee... 

Any Time of the Year! 

By Alisa 

Peters, CMP 


Okay, okay… No threatening e-mails after these delightful little tidbits (think along the lines of NOT shooting 

the messenger). We are just following along with the hottest ideas and trends. These bite sized commentaries 

are designed to keep your finger on the pulse of what the most cutting edge event designers are doing, and do 

not reflect the opinions of this magazine (why must everything in life come with a disclaimer anymore?). 

Pick a Committee that has a 

Focus that Interests You 

The best part of volunteering for MPI is that you get a 

chance to learn new skills, and then practice them… without 

a fear of failure. Suppliers, have you ever wanted to 

see what planning was like? Join the Educational Conference 

or Networking Committees! Planners, do you remember 

what it was like to be new and want to give back 

and help shape the future of the profession? Join the new 

Student Affairs or Mentoring Committee… Did you know 

that the Networking Committee’s primary function is 

planning events? Did you know that the Membership and 

Educational Committees touch far more planners than 

any other group? Explore and see where you fit! 

Share Your Skill Set - Influence the Profession 

Do you have a personal strength that makes you unique? 

Can you write? Are you great at graphic design? Do you 

have a hobby or skill that could add a new facet to the array 

of member services the chapter offers? Tell someone 

about it! Submit your ideas to anyone on the board who 

you think would be interested, or send it directly to the 

President. Great events have begun with small ideas that 

turn into action plans! 

Thank People that Put in the Time… 

Even if You Can’t 

All chapter members are equally important, but those that 

dedicate years of service to the chapter always appreciate, 

and take much away from, the “thank you” that another 

member gives them. If someone has contributed to your 

skill set and haven’t been thanked… thank them, profusely. 

Send them a note, send them an e-mail or pick up the phone. 

The best part of volunteering is the knowledge you actually 

made a difference to someone else. 

Don’t Pick a Committee Based 

on Business Acquisition 

Selecting a committee based on immediate business that 

you hope to book will leave you, and your employer, feeling 

let down. Choose a committee based on your interests, as 

you will feel more passionate about its objectives because 

it means something to you. The relationships that form 

because you are doing something you truly love, will lead to 

business relationships that could net financial gains. That, 

however, should not be your primary purpose for joining. 

Your fellow committee members will feel it from the outset 

and you won’t find yourself very involved. Anything that you 

do to truly contribute can help the chapter, and you can 

learn and expand your own personal career growth path 

while you are doing it. 

Join a Committee Because Your 

Boss Told You To 

Putting your name on a list of committee members because 

your employer told you to get involved is a waste of not only 

your time, but the committee’s time… as they will be looking 

for you and counting on you… only to find you never 

there! Travel a ton? Can’t make downtown meetings? Join 

a committee that offers committee meeting conference call 

options. Dial in from anywhere in the world and contribute! 

Back Seat Driving 

If you haven’t been a part of making something happen, 

reserve non-constructive comments for your car ride home 

to a non member. Feedback is always an essential part of 

chapter growth, but constructive is the key word. Didn’t like 

an event this year? Felt that it could have been better… Join 

the committee that worked so hard to make it happen, and 

make a change… Or submit a well worded e-mail with tangible 

and realistic ideas so that they can incorporate it into 

the next year’s planning process. 


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MPI-CAC & GMC PCMA 

Joint Educational Program 

Four Faces of Meeting Valuation 

By Jon 

Hixon, CMP 


Kara 

Gifford 


The second annual joint educational program 

between MPI-CAC and the Greater Midwest 

Chapter of PCMA on May 15 was another success, 

with over 240 attendees gathering at the 

Holiday Inn Mart Plaza Hotel. Attendees were 

treated to spectacular views of the city plus a 

fabulous themed breakfast and décor, a beautiful 

new video promoting Canadian tourism and 

a fun-filled game of “Eh/Nay” courtesy of the 

meeting sponsors: The Canadian Tourism Commission, 

Tourism Montreal, Tourism Quebec, 

Tourism Toronto and Tourism Vancouver. 

Once the program started attendees were able 

to hear various industry viewpoints on how 

meetings are assigned value. Moderated by 

Dave Lutz, CMP, Velvet Chainsaw Consulting, 

the panel consisted of four industry leaders who 

presented different perspectives on the value of 

meetings. 

Tony Chen, Director of New Business Development 

for Evanston Northwestern Healthcare, 

formerly with the Healthcare Financial Management 

Association, discussed how associations 

A full room enjoys the session 

All photos courtesy of Larry Demody 

Team Canada Sponsors a Game of Ey/Nay 

can analyze their own historical data to determine 

the true value of their meetings and effectively 

communicate this information “up the 

ladder” to stakeholders like C-level executives 

and board members. This type of analysis will 

become increasingly important as we all strive 

to elevate the place of “meeting professional” 

from logistic executor to strategic partner within 

our organizations. 

Mark Theis, Executive Vice President of Sales for 

the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau, 

presented the destination perspective and discussed 

both how important it is for destinations 

to accurately assess the value of their clients’ 

business, and to continue to provide exceptional 

services to those clients. In today’s business 

climate the expectations of internal stakeholders 

and clients continue to rise. For Destination 

Marketing Organizations it is essential to accurately 

value potential business, just as planners 

must be aware of the true value that their business 

represents both to a destination and to the 

venues within that destination. 



Joint Educational .. continued from page 24 

Karen Conway, Revenue Manager at the Westin 

Michigan Avenue, discussed how the lodging 

industry has changed since the concept of 

RevPAR (Revenue Per Available Room) became 

so prevalent. We’ve moved far beyond the days 

of “dates, rates and space!” She also discussed 

how several other factors have changed the way 

hotels evaluate potential business: the readily 

available market information provided by 

Smith Travel Research (the dreaded “STAR” 

Report), current market compression and the 

move from hotels as real estate companies that 

owned hotels to management companies that 

are expected to drive profit for their investors. 

Finally Victoria Johnson, CMP, CMM, Meetings 

and Special Events Manager at Underwriters 

Laboratories, talked from a corporate perspective 

regarding implementing a meeting consolidation 

program and just how challenging this 

can be for a large corporation. Educating nonmeeting 

professionals about the importance of 

sharing data on corporate spend and working 

past the fear that the word “consolidation” engenders 

can be quite a challenge! 

Special thanks to “Team Canada” for sponsoring 

the event. Without the generous support of 

organizations like Tourism Vancouver, Tourism 

Toronto, Tourism Quebec, Tourism Montreal 

and the Canadian Tourism Commission MPI- 

CAC and GMC-PCMA would not be able to present 

these cutting-edge industry discussions. 

If you missed the presentation and would like 

further information, as well as hand-outs from 

the panel, please contact Mollie Mercado at 

(847) 457-2040 or mollie@mpicac.org. 

Special thanks to Team Canada 

for supporting the 

MPI-CAC & Greater Midwest Chapter PCMA 

Joint Educational Program in May 


25

Golf.. continued from page 7 

Thank you to our many hole sponsors 

Co-Chairs Shannon Crowther and Jill Brown Smith 

Just another day at the office 

Dance Heads from Record-A-Hit is a hit with reception attendees 

Enjoying a spin at the roulette wheel 

The best way to ensure a great event is with great people 

All photos courtesy of Elan Photography 


Diversity Diversions Corner 

By Cathy 

Ryan, CMP 

HIMSS 

• 

i 

d 

d 

v e 

i 

r 

v e 

s 

i 

s 

r 

t y 

o n 

i 

• 

s 

Welcome to Diversity Diversions, a new corner in News & Views dedicated to 

information that celebrates diversity in our world and in our work place. Each 

issue will highlight a website, book, event, tool or resource to help members 

broaden their understanding and appreciation of the differences in each of us. 

The Diversity Committee is committed to leading the MPI-CAC membership in 

three areas of diversity including Multicultural, Women’s Leadership and GLBT 

(gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, transgender). Diversity Diversions is just one way we’ll 

keep you connected. Check back with us in each issue to learn more. 

This month’s spotlight: 

MPI CultureActive © Tool 

www.mpiweb.org/CMS/MPIweb/RLS/MpiCultureActiveLanding.aspx 

A component of MPI Member Solutions that offers the opportunity to understand and communicate 

with other cultures, improving cultural competence and acquisition of skills. 

2007 MPI-CAC Woman’s Leadership Conference; November 13, 2007 

The Diversity Committee is lining up some terrific speakers and facilitators to provide another extraordinary 

interactive educational event for our members. Keep watching for more information. 

Center on Halsted 

www.centeronhalsted.org 

Programs, links, resources and upcoming events in Chicago’s GLBT community. 

STATE-OF-THE-ART MEETINGS AT THE 

MAGNIFICENT MILE’S HISTORIC LANDMARK HOTEL. 

A designated Historic Landmark, The Allerton Hotel artfully blends the style of the past with the modern luxuries and amenities 

of today. It’s an exquisite setting for your next business or social gathering. 

11,000 square feet of elegant meeting space in 13 distinctive rooms – all with high-speed Internet access 

The 23rd floor Renaissance Ballroom features 25 foot ceilings, 15 foot windows and 

spectacular views of the city 

443 luxurious guest accommodations (including 86 suites) – all with high-speed 

Internet access and large work desks 

701 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60611 T: 312-440-1500 F: 312-274-6437 www.theallertonhotel.com 


27

Awards... continued from page 12 

Greg Christian Catering combined delectable ”grazing” 

treats with decorative flair, passed by smiling 

staff, and featured on a variety of buffets. The use of 

organic products offered a delicious “greening” of hors 

d’oeuvres with decadent 70’s flavors. Chandon Champagne, 

Goose Island Beers and a variety of fine wines, 

complimented the cuisine 

The biggest challenge for the committee was… how 

to keep the tight time commitment of 45 minutes for 

the important Awards show. This was achieved successfully, 

thanks to the creative, informative and entertaining 

way all the facts, graphics and video were 

merged and coordinated by the superior staff at Fig 

Media, and, the incredible stage and script development 

of multi talented Bob Higa. 

Warm salutations by Co-Chairs Wendy Berg and Barbara 

Lee Cohen, the multi talented national performance 

artist, John Charles as the evening’s Emcee, and the 

super presentation by MPI-CAC President Kevin Hinton 

who welcomed the audience, summarized his aspirations 

and successes for the 2006-2007 season and recognized 

the Past-Presidents in attendance moved the 

program into high gear. 

There were a variety of surprises…the first was the 

Presidents’s Award to ALL the volunteers involved in 

the past TEN years of Golf Outings which have been superior 

fundraisers as well as networking programs for 

Chapter members. The second to Kevin’s wife, Claudia, 

for supporting his efforts on behalf of MPI-CAC. 

Then award after award presented by the previous 

year’s recipients with visuals projected on the screen 

while the Emcee supplemented data so guests could 

share the merits of each winner’s merits, while they 

walked to the podium. This increased the impact of the 

award’s significance but shortened the presentation 

process and was appreciated by everyone involved. 

Immediately after the final award was presented, John 

Charles prepared guests for the finale while Soundz 

AVL tightened the backline, sponsored in part by Navy 

Pier. Then sensational platinum recording and stage 

artists – IDES OF MARCH took charge of the exciting 

musical program which rocked the audience. 10pm 

came too fast, and guests lingered for autographs and 

last-minute camaraderie. 

But this article could not close without saluting the 

rest of the great Awards committee members: 

Celebrates 

Theresa Altgilbers, Charmgne Anderson Loveless, 

Kim Augustyn, Diane Brisk, Marcia Buchs, Greg 

Christian, James Gustin, Lanie Hartman, Bob Higa, 

Courtney Kelly, Edina Lessack, Jo Noe, Pamela 

Patsavas, Peggy Pissarreck, Jack Scafide, Darla 

Sinnard, Christy Tracy, and Kimberly Wright. 

Special recognition also belongs to the hard working 

members of the Awards Selection committee. Chair 

Tracy Stein, Vice-Chair Jim Grillo, Mary Jo Blythe, 

Stephanie Dylkiewicz, Pam Formento, Kori Gassaway, 

Lisa Hahn, Karen Hamilton, Kathy Horky, William Host, 

Maureen Larson, Kimberlie Nitz, Michele Saran, Sara 

Schnack and Jamie Shamhart. 

Foot Notes of Very Special Importance. 

The Awards committee has received more than 50 

emails and a great many phone calls within a day following 

this event. Here are just a few of the superb 

quote/comments from guests: 

“The room was gorgeous” — “This was the best show 

ever held by MPI-CAC” -”You’ve put the bar so high, no 

one will be able to reach it” — ”From the décor, to the 

awards show, to the entertainment to the entire flow for 

the evening…. it was a flawless event” – “a sensational 

close to the MPI CAC season” – “an exciting presentation 

that changed the ’landscape‘ of MPI events forever!” “It 

was sensational close to the MPI season” —”You made it 

happen and made us proud to be part of MPI!” 

And as the committee chairs stated “ It was a privilege 

to produce this program.” 

Now let’s get ready for the next 30!!! 

Park West Chicago 

June 6, 2007 


2006 - 2007 Award Winners 

Meeting Professionals International - Chicago Area Chapter 

Kathy Osterman Industry Award 

JoAnn Bedrosian Ryan, Deborah Sexton 

and Kevin Hinton 

Hall of Fame – Individual 

Kevin Hinton, Tony Lorenz and Bill Grusich 

Hall of Fame Organization 

Lettuce Entertain You 

Kevin Hinton, Mark Tormey & Lanie Hartman 

President’s Award: 

Claudia Hinton 

Golf Committee: All the volunteers 

involved in the past twelve years of Golf Outings. 

Committee of the Year: 

News & Views Committee 

Tomorrow’s Leader Award: 

Cynthia Balcer . Swank Audio Visuals 

Jeff Gassaway . Tampa Bay/St. Petersburg 

Clearwater Convention & Visitors Bureau 

Jacqueline Ingram . Total Event Resources 

Karen Jarboe . Landmark Incentive Marketing 

Erin Seal . The Talbott Hotel 

Bobbie Soeder . Catalyst Ranch 

Chapter Leader of the Year 

Alisa Peters, CMP 

Director of Meetings & Events 

Chicago Indoor Racing. 

Eleanor H. Woods Supplier Member 

of the Year Award 

Eduardo Chaillo, CMP, CMM 

Director, North America Strategic Business Unit 

Mexico Tourism Board 

Planner Member of the Year Award 

Gayle M. Bonforte, CMP 

Manager, Meetings & Conference Services 

McDermott Will & Emery 

Hall of Fame – Organization Award 

Mark Tomey, Sr. 

Partner of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises 

Hall of Fame – Individual Award 

Tony Lorenz, CMM 

President 

ProActive, Inc. 

Kathy Osterman Industry Award 

Deborah Sexton 

President/ CEO 

Professional Convention Management Association 

Planner Member of the Year 

Kevin Hinton, Gayle Bonforte and Kathy Horky 

Eleanor H. Woods Supplier Member of the Year 

Kevin Hinton, Eduardo Chaillo and Maureen Larson 

Chapter Leader of the Year 

Kevin Hinton, Alisa Peters and Sara Bailey 

All photos courtesy of Edward Fox Photography 


29

MMake a date of it! 

Summer Event at the 

Chicago Botanic Garden 

August 22nd: Embrace the wonders 

of nature with your fellow 

colleagues and friends at the MPI- 

CAC Summer networking event 

at the beautiful Chicago Botanic 

Garden located in Glencoe. This 

three hundred eighty-five acre 

garden is one of the countries 

most visited public gardens with 

twenty-three display gardens and 

three native habitats. This is one 

event you will not want to miss as 

you surround yourself with beauty 

and great company! 

By Beth 

Ciampi 

Society of Permanent 

Cosmetic Professionals 

www.lvcva.com 

www.visitbritain.com/m&i 

Taking the train from Chicago to 

the event? Catch a ride from the 

train station in the Garden Trolley 

to the gardens for free. The 

Chicago Botanic Garden will run 

the trolley until all guests have 

returned to the train station. 

The chapter will hold two other 

networking events this fiscal 

year. Details will be on the chapter 

website when available. Be 

sure to mark your calendar for 

these dates: 

October 16, 2007 

April 9, 2008 in conjunction with 

HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings 

See you on the 22nd. 

Photo courtesy of Chicago 

Botanic Garden. 

Any big plans for your 

next meeting? 

Provide exciting venues, memorable themes, 

and engaging training programs, and your meeting 

attendance will increase — not to mention your ROI. 

At The Motivation Show, you’ll find over 1,500 

hotel and resort properties, cruise lines, and 

exotic meeting locations, plus a series of 

professional seminars on effective incentive 

travel and meeting program planning. 

It’s everything you need for memorable meetings 

that engage your employees and customers, 

and align with your company’s business goals. 

Sound like a plan? 

Then Register Today! 

Be sure to take advantage of 

MotivationConnect, a personalized 

program that matches you with the most 

relevant people, services, and events at 

theshow. Because this year, it’s personal… 

www.spain.info 

www.meethawaii.com 

www.gnto.gr 

www.visitmexico.com 

Sept. 25-27, 2007 

McCormick Place 

Chicago, IL 

www.motivationshow.com 

Register online by Sept. 17th and your badge is just $20 


Lake Geneva 

Cruise Line 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Embassy Suites O’Hare 

5500 North River Road, Rosemont, IL 60018 

(847) 678-4000 

www.embassyohare.com 

 

 

To Experience Lake Geneva 

You Have To Get On The Water 

THERE’S NO 

PLACE QUITE 

LIKE IT 

Q Center 

The Premier Destination for 

Meetings, Conferences and 

Executive Learning. 

GROUPS OF 2 TO 2000 

STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY 

EXQUISITE CATERING 

1,042 GUEST ROOMS 

• Corporate Entertaining 

• Business Meetings 

• Employee Recognition 

• Dinner Cruises 

• Spouse Outings 

• Wedding Celebrations 

Discover Lake Geneva through the eyes of a millionaire! Our eight classic 

yachts, accommodating two-225 guests April-November, have hosted 

lavish parties for over 125 years. 

We offer the unique venue you have been looking for but without the 

worries. Our event coordinators will assist with every detail to make the 

planning a breeze! 

Lake Geneva Cruise Line 

800-558-5911 - 262-248-6206 - GageBoats.com 

QCENTER.COM 

CHICAGO 

877 774 THEQ 


31

Let’s 

Laugh!! 

Welcome the newest addition to 

the newsletter regular feature, 

“Let’s Laugh”. 

We hope it will provide you with a 

chuckle or two. We are looking 

for members with artistic talent 

and humor to submit cartoons 

commenting on our industry for 

future issues. 

Please send your submissions to 

Kara Gifford and Beth Ciampi 

at kgifford@fieldmuseum.org 

and beth.ciamp@ameritech.net 

for consideration. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Industry Calendar 

JULY 

July 18-21, 2007 

Destination Marketing 

Association Annual 

Meeting 

Location: Pittsburgh, PA 

Contact: DMAI, 

(202) 296-7888 

www.destinationmarketing.org 

July 20-24, 2007 

International Association of 

Assembly Managers 

Annual Conference 

Location: Salt Lake City, UT 

Contact: International Association 

of Assembly Managers, 

(972) 906-7441 

www.iaam.org 

July 29-31, 2007 

MPI – World Education Conference 

Location: Montreal, Canada 

Contact: Meeting 

Professionals International, 

(972) 702-3000 

www.mpiweb.org 

AUGUST 

August 8, 2007 

Francine Marketing Annual Trade 

Show 

Location: Chicago, IL 

Contact: Francine Marketing 

(312) 419-0123 

www.francinemarketing.com 

SEPTEMBER 

September 5-6, 2007 

Affordable Meetings – East 

Location: Washington, DC 

Contact: Hospitality Sales & 

Marketing Association 

International, (703) 610-9024 

www.hsmai.org 

September 12, 2007 

GMC-PCMA Quarterly Meeting 


Contact: GMC-PCMA, 

(630) 323-6989 

www.gmcpcma.org 

July 22-24, 2007 

CMP Conclave 

Location: Disney’s Yacht and 

Beach Club 

Orlando, FL 

Contact: Convention Industry 

Council, 

(202) 429-8634 

www.conventionindustry.org 

August 11-14, 2007 

ASAE – Annual Meeting 


Contact: American 

Society of Association 

Executives, 

(202) 371-0940 

www.asaenet.org 

September 25-27, 2007 

The Motivation Show (IT&ME) 

Location: McCormick Place 

Chicago, IL 

Contact: Hall-Erickson 

(630) 434-7779 

www.motivationshow.com 

July 29, 2007 

MPI-CAC Reception at MPI-WEC 

Location: Delta Centre-Ville 

Montreal, Canada 

Contact: MPI-CAC 

(847) 459-2040 

www.mpicac.org 

August 22, 2007 

MPI Networking Event 

Location: Chicago Botanic Garden 

Glencoe, IL 


(847) 459-2040 


September 26, 2007 

MPI-CAC Meeting Industry 

Luncheon at The Motivation Show 

(IT&ME) 

Location: McCormick Place 

Chicago, IL 


(847) 457-2040 



33

SPONSORSHIP HEROES 

The generosity of industry suppliers through sponsorship is a vital component of MPI -CAC being able 

to provide timely, cost-effective professional development, educational and networking programs. 

The chapter recognizes and appreciates the following companies that have supported chapter programs 

and activities in recent months. Remember – Buy MPI! Thank you to… 

Diamond Partner 

($10,000-$14,999) 

Canadian Tourism Commission 

Melanie Kuranda 

kuranda.melanie@ctc-cct.ca 

Silver Partner 

($2,500-$4,999) 

Source4 Marketing Services 

Bill O’Donnell . (773) 843-5204 

bill.odonnell@source4.com 

Friends of the Chapter 

(Under $1,000) 

All Event Photography 

Jeff Brown . (773) 777-0011 

jeff@alleventsphoto.com 


Melanie Pelouze . (312) 850-1064 

mpelouze@torcvb.com 

Tourism Vancouver 

Rachael Nocera, CMP . 847-853-1647 

rnocera@tourismvancouver.com 

Tourisme Montreal CVB 

Dionne Maniotes Hulsey 

hulsey.dionne@tourisem-montreal.org 

Tourisme Quebec 

Annemarie Heidbuechel . (312) 573-1849 

qcah@aol.com 

Gold Partner 

($5,000-$9,999) 

Jewell Events Catering 

Michelle Wierzbicki . (312) 829-3663 x209 

michelle@jewelleventcaterting.com 

Murphy Auditorium 

American College of Surgeons 

Kelly Neilson . (312) 280-8447 

kneilson@facs.org 

Bronze Partner 

($1,000-$2,499) 

Carousel Linens 

Michelle Wierzbicki . (312) 829-3663 x209 

michelle@jewelleventcaterting.com 

Eventcom International by Marriott 

Jenny Vinge, CMP . (847) 318-1260 

jenny.vinge@marriott.com 

Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Chicago/ 

Magnificent Mile 

Will Renken, CMP . (312) 527-2405 

will_renken@hilton.com 

Lake Geneva Cruise Line 

Claire Mulcahy Rudd . (800) 558-5911 

cm@genevalakecruiseline.com 

Mexico Tourism Board 

Teresa Matalmoros . (312) 228-0517 

tmatamoros@visitmexico.com 

The Abbey Resort 

Sherri Budz . (630) 791-9251 

budz@theabbeyresort.com 

Devon Seafood Grill 

Tiffany Junta . (312) 440-8660 

Greater Midwest Chapter, PCMA 

Teri Elliott Jarvie 

Chapter President . (630) 323-7413 

info@gmcpcma.org 

The Hyland Group 

Tracy Stein . (312) 523-2016 

tracy@hylandgroup.com 

Westin Michigan Avenue 

Lindsay Kotas . (312) 649-6438 

lindsay.kotas@westin.com 

Want to see your name on this list? Consider the Partnership Development Opportunities that the chapter offers to 

connect with professionals from the Chicago-area meetings and hospitality industry. To learn more, visit the 

Sponsorship section at www.mpicac.org or contact the headquarters office at info@mpicac.org or (847) 457-2040. 

News & Views is the official publication of Meeting Professionals International, Chicago Area Chapter, a professional association of meeting planners and 

suppliers to the meetings industry. To reach MPI-CAC headquarters or for advertising rates, call (847) 457-2040 or e-mail info@mpicac.org. 

2007-2008 Board of Directors 

President 

Joyce Paschall, CMP, CAE . The Center for Association 

Growth 

President-Elect 

Laurel Rhoads McCarthy, CMP . Krisam Group 

Vice President-Communications 

Jane Matteson Mundell, CMP 

Vice President-Education 

Char Shada, CMP . Experient, Inc. 

Vice President-Finance 

Chrissy Ward, CAE . Society of Gynecologic Oncologists 

Vice President-Leadership Development 

Peggy Pissarreck, CMP . American Bar Association. 

Vice President-Membership 

Alisa Peters, CMP . Chicago Indoor Racing 

Immediate Past President 

Kevin Hinton . hinton+grusich 

Directors 

Kevin Boland . The Westin Michigan Avenue 

Jeff Gassaway . Tampa Bay/St. Petersburg Clearwater CVB 

Jon Hixon, CMP . Tourism Toronto 

Cherai Lewis . Projection Presentation Technology 

Frances Maxwell . BI, The Business Improvement Company 

Barb Quigley, CMP . The CVB Source, Inc 

Jamie Shamhart . Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts 

Sonal Sullivan, CMP 

Tanya Tarnoff, CMP . Minding Your Business, Inc. 

MPI-CAC Headquarters 

Mollie Mercado CMP . Executive Director 

2007-08 News & Views Committee 

Co-Chair: 

Kara Gifford . The Field Museum 

Co-Chair: 

Beth Ciampi . Society of Permanent Cosmetic Professionals 

Board Liaison: 

Jeff Gassaway . Tampa Bay/St. Petersburg Clearwater CVB 

Managing Editor: 

Michele Snyder . Raceworks 

Portrait Photography: 

Edward Fox Photography 

Layout and Design: 

Misty Lichter . Chicago Indoor Racing 


© 2007 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. All rights reserved. Westin is a registered trademark of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., or its affiliates.

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