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MPI-OC AssociationManager’s Half Year ReportBy Stephanie KennedySPRING 2012PO Box 4346Portland, OR 97208-4346503-626-8197www.mpioc.orgAssociation ManagerStephanie Kennedyinfo@mpioc.orgOn the Cover:Sheraton—Portland AirportOur Event Planning, Banquet,and Culinary team utilizeover 300 years of professionalexperience to give each eventspecial care and truly expertattention. We offer a full-rangeof services, fabulous food, andcreative and innovative ideas.We have had so many activities andamazing educational programsthis year! It is hard to believe itis already May and we only have one moremonthly meeting left! All the teams are working hardtogether to make this a successful year and help improve yourmembership experience.Our Chapter has many goals this year:Membership GrowthJoin the member recruitment competition! Bring a member to ameeting, give a non-member’s name to the recruitment committee,get a non-member to join… and earn points! The top 10 winnerswill enjoy a VIP reception prior to the Annual Awards Gala. Only onemonth is left to increase your points. The competition will be overat the end of May! If you know of someone that should join, just letme know. The more members we have, the more networking andknowledge we can share with each other.Increase Planner Attendance Monthly MeetingsAt the May monthly meeting you can bring a non-member plannerto the meeting for only $1! Our goal to meet this year is an averageof 32 planners at our monthly meetings. As of the end of February,we are averaging 30 planners per meeting. Encourage membersand non-member planners to attend the May monthly meeting—itis the last one of this fiscal year and it is all about what is new andcool in the meeting planning technology world. Bring your laptop,iPad, phone and other technology and learn from James Spellos whatcritical tech tools are impacting your job!Website HitsOur new website is a big hit! This year’s goal is 5,000 unique websitehits for the year. As of the end of March, we are at 4,750—an averageof 528 hits per month. We will easily exceed our 5,000 goal! Thankyou for using our website and helping the Chapter meet their goals.The ORacle is publishedfourtimes four times a year a by year the by Oregon theChapter, Oregon Chapter—MeetingProfessionalsInternational Professionals Internationaland is distributedas and a is member distributed benefit. as a The memberORacle benefit. is The designed ORacle to is inform designed Increase Satisfaction of Educational Programsmembers to inform about members MPI-OC aboutWe want members to be satisfied with our educational programs. Thisactivities MPI-OC activities and current and events. current year our survey goal is a 4.2 out of 5.0. We are very close to meetingReproduction events. Reproduction of any material of any this goal. Our education team has worked very hard to give youthat material appears that in appears this publication in this education that you can take back to you job and use. •without publication permission without is permissionprohibited.is prohibited.Do you have an idea? Do you have questions? Do you want to be part of a committee? Don’tFor advertising rates or tohesitate to contact me at 503-626-8197 or info@mpioc.org.reserve to reserve space, space, contact contact BettinaChuck Paul Vollmer at bettina@llm.com at paul@llm.com or or800-647-1511 x2233. x2222.©2011,2012,LLMLLMPublications,Publications,Inc.Inc.2 | The ORacle MPI Oregon Chapter

MPI-OC BOARD2012MPI-OC OfficersEXECUTIVE COMMITTEEPresidentMidge Dobbs, CMP360-635-2629midge.dobbs@cohores.comPresident-ElectAnne Hallinan, CMP541-896-3088anne@marronehallinan.comImmediate Past PresidentCindy Wallace, CMP971-223-1144cwallace@opus-solutions.comVP CommunicationsAlex Doyle, CMP503-359-5811alex.doyle@21stcenturygroup.comVP EducationMelodie King, CMP503-726-5227mking@ohca.orgVP FinanceJennifer Coxjenniferc@mtrwestern.comVP MembershipJennifer Walsdorf, CMM, CMP, CTE503-528-7495jennifer@tzellnu.comBOARD OF DIRECTORSDirector, Strategic AlliancesDarcie LaMotte-Waage503-241-2102dwaage@bensonhotel.comDirector, FundraisingCyndi Holloway, CMP503-978-4553cyndi.holloway@redlionontheriver.comDirector, Special EducationTim Neill503-546-6415tim@avrentalservices.comDirector, Monthly ProgramsMichele Starry503-338-8856shelstar71@hotmail.comDirector, MarketingMerrissa Burleigh503-589-1700mburleigh@salemconference.orgDirector, Member RecruitmentvacantDirector, Member RetentionKim Herrmann, CMP503-335-2852khermann@pollinhotels.com4 | The ORacleWhy Become a CertifiedMeeting Professional (CMP)?By Cyndi Holloway, CMPFirst, let’s ask the real question. What does “CertifiedMeeting Professional” (CMP) really mean? The CMPdesignation recognizes professionals who have achieved themeetings, conventions and exhibitions industries’ highest standardof professionalism. Those who are currently employed full time by anassociation or organization in a meeting or event planning positionshould consider this certification. Bottom line the CMP designationaligns you with a select group of peers’ worldwide who have chosento attain this high level of excellence and achievement.The second real question you should ask “How can becominga CMP really help me?” Attaining this designation increases yourability to become a more effective meeting professional. You willlearn to stay on a schedule and develop an examination skill set thatnot all meeting professionals can master. You will create relationshipsand interact with other meeting professionals across the nation.However, the overall experience of combining what you already knowwith what you thought you knew is priceless and will provide eventplanning practices you will need throughout your career.“Making the decision to get my CMP was the easy part of theequation, but it took five years to actually accomplish thecertification. It wasn’t until I was sitting in a breakout session atCascadia 2011 that discussed getting your CMP or CMM that Ifelt that I seriously could do this. I made the decision that yearthat no matter what might come up; nothing was going to stopme from achieving this goal. I joined a local study group, sentin my application and started on the path. Was it easy? No. Butwas it the most worthwhile professional experience I have evergone through? Yes! Getting my CMP made me a part of a veryspecial community. We were certified meeting professionals. Wetook our industry seriously and became not just someone on theoutside, but a partner in shaping our industry.”–Laura Heavrin, CMP; HR Programs Specialist; ADPIn summary obtaining a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) isboth a professional and personal decision—a decision that canhelp achieve goals, carve a new path and open up opportunities.Beginning in the third quarter of 2012, CIC will be transitioningto computer based testing. The CMP examination will beadministered at a secure testing center. Prometric, CIC’s testingagency, offers more than 430 testing centers around the world.More information on computer-based testing can be found on theCIC website under CMP and Computer Based Testing. •For more information visit: www.conventionindustry.orgConvention Industry Council certifies individuals through an internationally recognized certification program.MPI Oregon Chapter

SALES NEGOTIATIONSMastering the Art of Sales NegotiationsBy Ron BlackSales power by controlMany sales professionals believethat the secret to success is theability to wield negotiationpower, influence the buyer’sthinking, and ultimately controlthe buyer’s decisions. Indeed,powerful sales negotiationtechniques are a point of pridefor many sales professionals.Power and control as a salesstrategy is often encouraged bywell-meaning sales managersand business owners. But inthe inevitable rush to make thesale, book the order, or meetthis week’s quota, the benefitsof short-term results are oftengained at the expense of longtermsuccess. When the tacticsof power and control dominatethe sales conversation, buildingand growing a genuinelysatisfied customer base is moredifficult than it needs to be.Are short-term sales tacticsputting your company’slong-term success at risk?Beware. Sales negotiationstrategies with the primaryfocus of power and controlcan damage your business.Consider the last time youwere faced with a purchasedecision. Reflect back on theconversations you had with thesales person. Was the overallexperience positive or negative?If your experience was apositive one, did you refera friend or colleague to thebusiness? If it was a negativeexperience (even if you madea purchase), did you warn anyfriends or colleagues? Studiesshow that most customers whohave had a negative experiencenever return. The customeris lost for life! Moreover,a customer who has had anegative experience tells anaverage of four other potentialcustomers. Of these, 64%will never deal with thatbusiness again.A study from the LondonSchool of Economicsunderscores the importance ofmaintaining a positive customersales experience. Companieswith positive overallword-of-mouth rankingsgrow four times as fastas companies with belowaverageword-of-mouthrankings.Clearly, the cost of salesconversations gone awry canbe extreme. While negotiatingpower tactics can closemany sales, to build longterm,sustainable business,be sure that the approachyour sales team uses creates apositive customer experience.Fortunately, this is easier thanmost sales managers mightguess.True power—trustand respectThe most frequently citedreason consumers judge theirpurchasing experience aspositive is, “My sales personlistened to my needs and helpedme understand the options.”Conversely, the most frequentlycited reason that customers6 | The ORacleMPI Oregon Chapter

anked their sales experience asnegative was, “The sales persondidn’t listen to me.”The correlation betweenrapport—that is, genuine trustand respect—and the abilityto serve the customer in apositive (and profitable) wayis obvious. The better a salesperson listens, the more ablethey are to demonstrate thatthey understand the customer’spoint of view and the betterthe experience is rated. Themore controlling a sales persontends to be and the less theylisten, the worse the buyer ratesthe experience.What is not so obvious is thatwhen sales representativesfocus first on creatingenvironments of genuine trustand respect, buyers naturallyrespond with less resistanceand greater receptivity. Poweris willingly shifted fromthe buyer to the seller. Thisnaturally occurring affect isnot a sales technique or underhandedtactic. When peopleshow genuine interest inus, when they respect ouropinions, demonstrate thatthey understand our viewsand accept them as valid,mutual trust and respectare the inevitable outcome.As rapport grows, so doescommunication effectiveness.When we trust each other, weare better able to understandeach other’s points of view,discuss alternatives, and makebetter, and often, even faster,decisions. When sellers workto build authentic rapport,they are naturally earning theright to influence others.Counterintuitive as this mayseem to some power-centricsellers, to buyers it is obvious.Who do you trust? Is it thesales person who listensintently, demonstrates thatthey understand your pointof view and accepts it as valid,then respectfully offers optionsfor your consideration; or is itthe sales person who doesn’task, doesn’t listen, doesn’tunderstand or accept yourpoint of view, and continues onwith sales techniques that areobviously designed to separateyou from your cash, ratherserve your needs?When you focus on makingfriends first and sales second,buyers respond… and they telltheir friends!Persuasive influenceis earnedThe most effective power aseller wields is the power givento them by their customers.Your persuasive influencedoes not come from clevernegotiating tactics, but ratherfrom a genuine concern foryour customer’s well-being. Thepower of rapport—derived fromrespectful, honest relationships,built with clarity of intentand purposefulness by bothparties—drives real sales power.Negotiation strategiesand tactics are importantcompetencies for business andsales professionals. Learn allyou can—become a masterfulnegotiator. But remember thatthe power of most negotiatingstrategies and tactics is basedprimarily on control—thecontrol of information, thecontrol of time, the control ofexpectations. And when controlis not freely given, trust is notfreely given. Sellers who relysolely on these negotiatingtactics of control limit theirown success and that of theirorganizations. Communicationfalters. Buyers naturally takeon defensive postures as thelevel of rapport deteriorates.As buyer satisfaction declines,inevitably, so does theorganization’s ability to grow.Best in class sellers master theart of negotiating with genuinerespect, while creating highlevels of mutual trust, throughabsolute honesty and integrity.Negotiating tactics that donot adhere to these principlesmay be powerful, but thereis a genuine business tradeoff.Short term wins almostalways come at the expense ofsustainable, long-term success.Genuine sales power isearned through genuinetrust and respect.To build your sales organization’seffectiveness, set a clear salesand negotiations protocol thatfocuses on mutual trust andrespect. Build genuine customerrapport, and watch your salessoar! •Ron Black is the founder of nine businesses, afour-time turnaround executive, and Fortune500 sales and marketing VP who knowswhat it takes to lead organizations throughgrowth, turbulence and change.He’s consulted to over 250 start-up businesses,authored two books including the popularThe Complete Idiot’s Guide to ProjectManagement using MSProject 2003, andspoken to over1500 groupsin 47 of theUnited States,throughoutCanada andAustralia, and inColumbia and Russia.Defining the Power of Meetings ® SPRING 2012 | 7

YOUR BUSINESSNo One Can MAKE You Do AnythingBy Brad Worthy, Brad Worthley International, Copyright 2004Being great at customer service and learning to exceed the customers’ expectations is somethingthat so many employees are told to do, but very few ever achieve it. First, you have to wantthat as your chosen goal and not have it thrust upon you by someone else. One of yourempowering set of beliefs could be that no one can “make you” do anything. If you truly believethat outside forces control your life, then you are a victim and this article will never help you. Asa matter of fact, I will venture to say that there isn’t any article or book that can help you, so saveyourself the reading time.I drive myself nuts when I hear anyone use words like:“They make me sad.”“They make me angry.”“They make me crazy.”“They make me jealous.”“They make me happy.”“They drive me nuts.”“They made me do it.”“They confused me.”Now, if you look at the way I started the lastparagraph, you can see that I said, “I drive myselfnuts…” (Instead of saying “they drive me nuts”or “it drives me nuts”). Do you see how I tookfull responsibility for my feelings? I accepted thefact that the emotion and action is generated byme and no one else.Nobody can “make you” anything, becauseno one should be given that much power. Ifsomebody “makes you angry,” it is becauseyou allowed them to take over your emotions(actually, you voluntarily gave it up). They cannotcontrol your emotions unless you grant themthat power, and I highly recommend that younever grant anyone that much power.Whether it is personal relationships or in thebusiness world, I want you to always be awarethat you are the only one in control of youremotions. If you get angry, sad, jealous, crazy,happy, or nuts, it is because you make theconscious decision to choose that emotion. If8 | The ORacleyou did choose that emotion, was it a goodchoice for you and did it serve you well? If not,then I challenge you to review your choice andmake another choice that empowers you andkeeps you in control.In the world of customer service, you willencounter those who will try to take awayyour power. They will do so by trying tochallenge, intimidate, or antagonize you,which if successful can feed their power evenmore. If you let these people impact your life,then everyone comes out a loser (you, them,co-workers, and other customers). However,if you can impact their lives, keep yourselfand them calm, and handle the situation in aprofessional manner, everyone wins. •Brad Worthley is an internationally renowned author and expert incustomer service and leadership, who consults, trains and coacheswith all industries, small or large. He can be reached in Bellevue, WA at425-957-9696 or e-mail at BradWorthley@msn.comMPI Oregon Chapter

EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCECascadia Educational ConferenceBy Barbara MulliganThe 2012 MPI Cascadia Education Conference brokeregistration records once again with 326 registrants!We had 56 exhibitors this year, includingTradeshow and Hosted Buyer exhibitors, and 85planner attendees.This was the second year for the Hosted Buyerprogram and it was held in a separate areafrom the tradeshow exhibits. We had a totalof 29 Hosted Buyer Planners and 34 HostedBuyer Exhibitors. Everyone seemed to enjoy theopportunity to spend quality time one-on-onewith pre-scheduled appointments.The Tuesday night gala, “A Night at The Museum”was a progressive dinner with the idea of movingthrough different halls of a museum, each onewith a theme and food to go along with thattheme, ending in Egypt with a “Night on theNile,” Adams DJ and dancing. PJ Hummel &Company provided the amazing décor, PSAV thelighting and audio, Tacoma School of the Artssupplied the entertainment and Hotel Muranothe venue and catering. The photo boothprovided by Team Casino was a big hit as well!For 2012, we did away with the 50/50 raffleand honored, a non-profit organization locatedin Tacoma. Hilltop Artists is an after schoolglass arts program that provides classes andindividualized instruction for young people whoare searching for ways to connect and belong.These youth have an opportunity to learn theart of glass blowing, mosaics, fused glass andbeadwork which helps them to work throughtheir personal life situations, and attend school.Each table displayed a beautiful glass art piece,made by one of the students and was part ofthe silent auction. We presented Hilltop Artistsa check in the amount of $1,828 from the sale ofthese objects including 50% of the profit.Some of the feedback from evaluations included:“great location, great hotel, great generalsessions and breakouts”, “the education sessionsseemed to be the best yet, great content andspeakers.” 91% attendees agreed that this was asuccessful Cascadia Conference, and 95% agreedthat they learned something at Cascadia thatthey will use at work or to produce a result. Weappreciate all feedback as it helps us make eachyear that much better than the last.As always, we cannot have a successful conferencewithout all the hard working volunteers,exhibitors and sponsors. Thank you! Our sponsorswere: Platinum: AV Factory, CORT Event Furniture,Crowd Compass, Greater Tacoma Convention &Trade Center, Hilton Worldwide, Hotel Murano,Pathable Inc., PJ Hummel & Company, TacomaRegional Convention & Visitors Bureau. Gold:Alabastro Photography, Banquet & EventResources Inc, D3 Designs (website), DestinationHotels & Resorts, Doubletree by Hilton PortlandLloyd Center, DWA Tradeshows, Geoteaming,Pathable, PSAV. Silver: Travel Alberta/Edmonton,Pineapple Hospitality. Bronze: Coast Hotels &Resorts, Hyatt Hotels, Tulalip Resort Casino & Spa.Other: Adam’s DJ Service, Alishia Joubert Harpist,DesignOne, Team Casino & Music, SeventhMountain Resort, Starline Luxury Coaches, VisitSpokane & Northern Quest Resort & Casino,WineWorld. •Save the date for 2013 CEC,March 3–5, 2013 at the Doubletreeby Hilton Portland Lloyd Center andget ready to “Celebrate!”Defining the Power of Meetings ® SPRING 2012 | 11

40TH ANNIVERSARY OF MPIMeeting Professionals International iscelebrating its 40th Anniversary this year!The main goal of MPI over the past 40 years has been clear: toprovide members of the meetings industry with the education,tools and business connections necessary to help elevate andexceed their professional goals. Whether you’ve been in thisprofession for one year or thirty, MPI provides continuededucation to its members in order to stay at the forefront of thisevolving and dynamic industry.How well do you know MPI’s history?1. What was the original name of MPI?Answer: Meeting Planners International, changed in 1994 toMeeting Professionals International.2. Which chapter was first to be chartered in Europe?Answer: The Italia chapter was chartered in 1991 with93 members.3. When did MPIWeb debut?Answer: The MPI website went live in 1996 with more than15,000 hits in the first month.Defining the Power of Meetings ® SPRING 2012 | 13

second floor reception areathat can be the site for vendorexhibits, organizational displaysor even an hors d’oeuvresreception. Five meeting roomsare equipped with up-to-datetelecommunications andpresentation technology andare designed to accommodatesmall strategy sessions, theaterstylepresentations or lavishbanquets.The meeting rooms can alsoserve as break-out rooms forlarger conventions held in TheMill Casino’s Salmon Room.The ballroom/convention spacecan seat up to 450 guests forbanquets and up to 800 guestsin a theater setting. With avariety of lighting options andcarefully designed acoustics,the Salmon Room has beenthe site of countless corporatemeetings and banquets,governmental public meetings,culinary competitions and eventhe state and regional finals ofthe Texaco Country Showdownnational music contest. All told,The Mill boasts over 14,000square feet of meeting andconvention space.The Mill Casino—Hotel & RVPark is owned by the CoquilleIndian Tribe, whose membersare pleased to share elementsof their culture and traditionswith their guests. Exhibitsdepicting the traditional lifeand culture of the Coquillepeople can be foundthroughout the hotel andcasino. Tribal members oftenjoin with visiting groups byhelping with special events suchas a salmon bake done in thetraditional Coquille style at TheMill’s bayside salmon pit.In fact, creating special eventsis a specialty of The Mill, whoseteam members are alwaysready to find a way to create amemorable visit. Whether it isbonfires on the beach, naturewalks, dune buggy adventuresor golf outings, team memberswill help groups take advantageof all that Oregon’s South Coasthas to offer.Of course, living amidstnature’s wonders carries theresponsibility to protect thenatural environment. TheMill Casino—Hotel & RV Parkmaintains a commitment tosustainability that can be seenin its programs to conserveresources and energy, in itsprojects that turn kitchenwastes into biodiesel and foodfor its landscape plants and inits purchases of power fromgreen power sources. The Mill’slocation directly alongside afragile estuary is an everydayreminder that we all livedownstream. •There is so much to talk about, but the bestway to appreciate all that The Mill Casino—Hotel & RV Park has to offer is to see it foryourself. Meeting planners can arrange theirown tour by calling The Mill’s sales team at800-953-4800 ext. 8.Defining the Power of Meetings ® SPRING 2012 | 15

CEC SCHOLARSHIPCascadia 2012—The HeART of Your MeetingBy Kelly Hagerman, Widmer Brothers BrewingIwas honored to obtain ascholarship through MPIOregon, so I could attend the2012 CEC conference in Tacoma,WA on March 4–6. The creativeHeART of Your Meeting themewas included in every detail ofthis conference, including thehotel selection, trade show,conference speakers, and thewonderful glass centerpiecescreated by Hill Top Artists.The Hotel Murano was awonderful lodging choice, andwe arrived just in time for theFirst Timer’s Reception in theGallery Room. The appetizersand wine tastings allowed foran exciting opportunity tomeet new attendees beforethe opening address. Theexcitement continued as wewalked the short distance overto the Tacoma ConventionCenter for the OpeningNight Keynote Speaker, AmyLee Segami, who showed ushow to paint on water as welearned how to recharge ourcreativity. After the keynote,attendees enjoyed a receptionand checked out the VendorTradeshow. We were whiskedaway to the LeMay Car Museumfor theGlassrootsAfter Partywhere weenjoyed looking atvintage cars, playing arcadegames, posing for our photoflipbooks, listening to music,and consuming additionallibations. What a way to end afantastic opening night of theconference!Monday was filled with manyopportunities for continuingeducation and networking.King Dahl, Executive Directorof Event Design for MGMResorts Events, was ouropening speaker and was oneof my favorites as his eventdesign takes his clients’ partiesto an entirely different level.It was amazing to see howhe incorporates signaturecomponents when designing hisinnovative event environments.I also enjoyed the breakoutsessions during the conference.One of my favorites waswith Dr. Sean Harry abouthow to create trustworthyrelationships in our businesses.He shared some practical toolsfor building trustworthinessand increasing personalcredibility, which I began usingimmediately at work. My otherfavorite breakout was with JonPetz, who talked about howBoring Meetings Suck! Welearned ways to make everydayoffice meetings and clientmeetings run more efficientlyand effectively. I enjoyed thereminder about creating and16 | The ORacleMPI Oregon Chapter

expediting an effective meeting agenda aswell as learning some fun ways to keep mystaff focused on the meeting, poke fun atlatecomers, and ways to stand out from yourcompetitors.The final Night at the Museum Gala tied theentire conference together. I was ready toenjoy the night dressed in an Native Americancostume. The current audio visual trends thatour Breakout panel described, as well as KingDahl’s influence were brought to life in each ofthe themed rooms at the Gala, especially thehuman element. The Rome Gallery featuredhuman statues as part of the unique décor,and I still don’t know how the actors stayedso still while we enjoyed the first entree ofour progressive dinner. We then wandered todiscover a Lewis & Clark gallery. Posing with‘Sacagawea’ in her canoe as we enjoyed salmonand wine was a highlight. We then jumpedinto the Team Casino Photo Booth before wetravelled into the Old West. Enjoying foodfrom a covered wagon buffet was impressive!A group of jungle women were waiting for usin the Jungle Gallery as well as some touristsriding on animals. We snacked on chickenskewers and chocolate covered bananasbefore we entered the Egyptian space for thegrand finale. As we entered the room, wewere surprised to find a group of Egyptiansimpersonating the Saturday Night Live SteveMartin ‘King Tut’ song. It was an amazing wayto end the evening!I feel so fortunate to be a part of anorganization that is able to take a vision tothe next level. The Cascadia Conference is anamazing opportunity for our members to gainknowledge, network, and have fun. Thank youMPI-OC for granting me the opportunity toattend this conference. •Defining the Power of Meetings ® SPRING 2012 | 17

2012 MEETING MADNESSWEC 2012 Meeting MadnessThe Meeting Madness contest in 2011 in Orlando was a hit and MPI is bringing it back for the WorldEducation Congress 2012! You can help design the education for MPI’s international convention—WEC! MPI Meeting Madness and the results of the bracket-style voting system will make up adedicated education track this summer in St. Louis. Twenty MPI chapters have submitted the best ofthe best to participate in Meeting Madness for WEC 2012.The MPI-OC November monthly meeting was selected—Venue Contracts: The CurrentTrend, Interesting Case Studies and Looking Ahead. The link for Meeting Madness voting is:www.mpiweb.org/Events/WEC2012/Education/MeetingMadness. •18 | The ORacleMPI Oregon Chapter

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MEMBER SPOTLIGHTHello MPI Members, we’d like to share with you a few thingshappening here at Royce’s Prop Shop.We are happy to announce our continued partnership withLife Works of Longview operating as “Linen Works”. Linen Works’mission is “providing meaningful employment for people withdisabilities.” We currently employ 1.75 full time people withdisabilities and have a goal of increasing that amount to twofull-time people for 2012. Our main superstar is John Meyer who“loves to work hard” and his part-time helper, Marie Caine.In our pursuit to be green and leave a smaller footprint we haveinvested in the latest LED technology light fixtures. With our newinventory we continue to expand our capabilities while doing ourpart for the environment.Royce was asked to speak at the Lake Oswego InternationalRotary about “Why, Where and When to use Décor” and wassurprised and honored to be named a “Paul Harris Fellow” inrecognition of over 15 years of support on their Candlelighters“Meet Santa” event for children with cancer. This event is close toour heart and will have our continue support.Recently, our creative director, Nick Apap had the opportunity tomeet his man crush UFC fighter, Gray Maynard, while producingthe Comcast Spotlight annual event. He was also mingling withother stars, like Reality House Wives, Bill Rancic (first Apprenticewinner), Seth Aaron, and even did push-ups with the OregonDucks mascot!John Meyer, Linen WorksWe are looking forward to sponsoring the MPI-OC AnnualAwards Gala as well.Please don’t miss our upcoming seminar, “Ballroom Makeover” atBravo Live on October 24 at the Oregon Convention Center. At theevent, our crew will demonstrate three ballroom makeovers in 45minutes during this interactive presentation.Finally, we’d like to thank MPI-OC for its continued support.–RoyceWe encourage you to think of your fellowmembers when planning your next meeting!Nick Apap withUFC fighter, Gray MaynardThe POWER of MembershipDefining the Power of Meetings ® SPRING 2012 | 21

MEMBER NEWSWelcome New Members!Kathryn AllenRed Lion Hotel Eugene205 Coburg RdEugene, OR 97401541 984-4403kathryn.allen@redlion.comCatherine MaletisEvent Associate2222 NW Hoyt #101Portland, OR 97210503 2017773catherinemaletis@gmail.comLeslie OrtonChemeketa Community College835 Piedmont Ave NW Apt. 8Salem, OR 97304leslieorton@yahoo.comJennifer ReddingBrasada RanchCatering Sales & Event Manager16986 SW Brasada Ranch RdPowell Butte, OR 97753jenniferr@brasada.comPINCHINGPENNIES? Duringthe month of May,MPI Oregon Chapter isoffering our monthlyeducation programsfor just one dollar tonon-member Planners.MPI members, bring yourfriends and colleaguesand let them experienceall we have to offer.Questions?Concerns? Need toborrow a dollar?Contact StephanieKennedy, MPI-OCAssociation Manager,info@mpioc.org.Sandra SemlingDynamic EventsSenior Sales Specialist & Event Manager6707 NE 117th Ave F-100Vancouver, WA 98662360-253-2972sandra@dynamicevents.comSkye WardenLinkEventsEvent Manager3855 SW 153 RdBeaverton, OR 97006503 619-0505swarden@linkeventsco.comTamara WarrenCaesars EntertainmentRegional In Market Sales Manager2958 Dogwood Ct SouthSalem, OR 97302twarren@caesars.comJulie WilsonStarline Luxury CoachesVP of Sales9801 Martin Luther King Jr SouthSeattle, WA 98118julie@discoverstarline.com22 | The ORacleMPI Oregon Chapter

MEMBER NEWSMember AnniversariesSPRING 201225 YEARSJanet Bolzell, Northwest Public Power Association15 YEARSKimera Coady, Oregon Refuse & Recycling Association ORRACarole Garner, Garner & Associates, Inc.10 YEARSJennifer Cox, MTR WesternJanet Kearney, CMP, Red Lion Hotel Portland Convention CenterBrian Lehmann, CMP, Audient Events5 YEARSKim Herrmann, CMP, Sheraton Portland Airport HotelSusan Renner, CMP, Hilton Portland & Executive TowerLisa Schelle, Nike World HeadquartersJulie Vissers, MBA, Well Assembled Meetings1 YEARKatja Asaro, CMP, Henry V Events / Explore PortlandNatasha Baker, Hilton Eugene & Conference CenterDavid Campbell, Eagle Crest ResortRick Chastain, CMP, BIOTRONIKNichole Cooper, Embassy Suites Portland DowntownLeslie Douglass, CMP, Kaiser PermanenteLisa Galloway, Running Y Ranch ResortChristine Gatlin, Portland Business AllianceKaryn Hamilton, CMM, M Financial GroupElaine Hsieh, Knowledge UniverseWendy Hunt, Mentor Graphics CorporationTammy LindsleyMichelle Martin, Schwabe, Williamson & WyattJoe Munk, Mt. Hood MeadowsRandall Parker, The Riverhouse Hotel and Convention CenterJoey Pless, PTV America, Inc.Stacy Pickavance, Pronghorn Golf Club & ResortBirgitte Simmons, Washington County Visitors AssociationJamison Smith, Three Rivers Casino & HotelDefining the Power of Meetings ® SPRING 2012 | 23

TMSOCIAL MEDIATwitter ContestMPI Oregon has been on the cutting edge of networking,trends, topics, technology and social media for many years. Intoday’s world, social media is an important part of not onlyour personal lives, but also our professional lives allowing endlessnetworking resources. With that, the MPI Oregon Technology Teamrealized a need to extend our presence with Twitter. Are you aTweeter? Do you Tweet it on out? If you were not following MPIOregon on Twitter this past March you missed out! In an effortto expand our followers and build our network—which our MPI Oregon membersbenefit from we were “Tweeting it on Out”! The point system allowed new and oldTweeters to run away with a wonderful prize! Each new follower received 10 points,mentions gained 7 points and retweets yielded 5 points. The overall results during thecampaign were wonderful:9953 New Followers! 9942 ReTweets! 9978 Mentions!And the winners are….99Runner up with a free MPIEducational Meeting credit: DawnRasmussen with 183 points!99Grand Prize of the 8 Gig iTouch withscreen protector and iTunes card:Jenn Cox with 202 points!Thank you to all who participated and who continue to “Tweet it on Out.” Alsothank you to our chapter president, Midge Dobbs, for her help with tweets andteaming up on this! As of today, we now have 319 followers and growing. That’s 319opportunities to network with one message!You can find us on Twitter through #mpioregon. •Annual Awards GalaThe Year of the DragonJune 22, 2012 | 5:30–10:00 pmJoin your fellow MPI Members foran evening of celebration!Awards and recognition of ouroutstanding members!Oregon Convention Center777 NE MLK Jr. Blvd, Portland, ORWatch for more information!Savethedate!24 | The ORacleMPI Oregon Chapter