MPI Greater New York just completed a busy month of February programming, holding four events in the span of two weeks focusing on education, networking and CSR. We closed out the snowy month with our annual Town Hall where you heard from almost every member of our board of directors outlining all that we have accomplished as well as what we have planned for the rest of this calendar year.

As we roll closer to springtime in The Big Apple, please mark your calendars for our next education program that will take place on Tuesday, March 16.  "Leading the Next 365: Yourself, The Business, The Recovery" will be yet another collaborative event — this time with our friends from the MPI New Jersey, Westfield and Connecticut River Valley chapters. The program will include a dynamic panel of industry experts including fellow MPIGNY members Travis Pham, David Landgraf, and a former MPIGNY past president, Dawn Penfold. The focus of this education event will be to shift your mindset away from yearning for the past and focusing on creating the change you want to see moving forward. Our diverse panel will also provide clarity on the skills we need to advance our careers in hospitality or perhaps move into a new industry. Details of the program are outlined below. 

Wednesday, March 17, we will be re-introducing our New Member Orientation program. This lunch hour virtual event will focus on those members who have recently joined MPIGNY, providing information and suggestions as to how membership in MPI can make the greatest impact on advancing their professional careers. A few members of our board of directors will be on hand to discuss how their involvement with MPIGNY has advanced their own objectives within the meetings and hospitality industry. Whether you just joined the chapter or have been a member for several years, you are welcome to join the conversation, especially if you are interested in learning about ways to become more involved and make a positive impact. Registration details for the New Member Orientation are noted below. 

Finally, please be on the lookout next week as we officially roll out registration for our MPIGNY Cycle For Survival team. As you may recall, MPIGNY created our inaugural CFS team last year where we raised over $12,000 for Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. We are once again building a team for this year’s event and need your help in joining the battle to defeat rare cancers. Please watch this video, which helps to explain why MPIGNY has chosen to support this organization. If you would like to get a jump on registering for our team, please click here. The password to join is "MPIGNY21." Due to the updated restrictions imposed by the pandemic, and the race organizers requiring each team member to raise $1,000 each, we have chosen to participate in the virtual event. While this means we will be unable to ride as a team at MetLife Stadium this year, we will not pass on the increased fundraising burden to our membership. Each person can raise as much or as little as you are able over the next few months with no minimum requirement. Every dollar counts, so please strongly consider joining our team. In lieu of the ride, we will be planning a team event in Central Park on Saturday, May 1, to celebrate our fundraising efforts. 

That’s it for this month. I hope to see many of you at our next collaborative educational program on Tuesday, March 16!  

If you are not yet following us on our social media platforms, please do so here.

Best,
Patrick Colomer
MPIGNY President
patrick.colomer1@gmail.com

The future doesn’t fit into the containers of the past, but what does the future hold? Business experts say we are in a cosmic opportunity time and that we must seek growth through innovation and creativity. Gartner reports that 41% of employees are likely to work remotely at least some of the time post-coronavirus pandemic. Skift’s hospitality reporter Cameron Sperance warns, “Don’t look to the past in how to rebuild the travel industry’s post-pandemic future. Look at everything from design to diversity to structuring events.”

These viewpoints can be daunting or exciting depending on your perspective. 

Our panel of professionals will share their stories and empower you to lead yourself, lead your business and lead the recovery with these takeaways:   

• Shifting your mindset from wishing for the past to creating the change you want to see
• Clarity on the specific skills you have and need to expand your career in events and hospitality or transition into a new industry
• Seizing upon what could be the next opportunities in the future of events and hospitality

TIME: 5 p.m. - 6:45 p.m.

CMP/CEU Credits: 1 Clock Hour | Domain E: Human Resources

​Registration is complimentary and open to all members.

REGISTER HERE

MEET OUR PANEL:

Kelly Gleeson Smith, Executive Director of Sales, Caesars Entertainment

Kelly Gleeson Smith leads the northeast sales team for Caesars Entertainment. Her team represents over $100 million of annual revenue by cultivating virtual and face-to-face meetings and events for major corporations and associations held throughout the Caesars Entertainment empire. Smith was the 2019 recipient of the Caesars Corporate Excellence in Leadership Award, presented to only seven out of 65,000 Caesars employees. Prior to joining Caesars Entertainment, Smith spent over 19 years with Hyatt Hotels Corp., where she held various roles, including director of national accounts based out of Washington, D.C.

David Landgraf, Founder & Chief Experience Officer, Make It Happen Management 

Before founding Make It Happen Management in 2018, David Landgraf planned and managed worldwide events for Blackstone, the Government of Singapore, Barclays Capital, Goldman Sachs and Arthur Andersen, where he applied his unparalleled expertise, access and ability to engage people to brands within each high-profile project. Examples include a veteran hiring initiative summit and press conference with First Lady Michelle Obama to an event with tennis champion Novak Djokovic. Landgraf’s reputation for making every event exciting, educational, entertaining and empowering for both clients and guests inspired his company’s moniker. 

One of the founding principles of Make It Happen Management is "Doing Good and Giving Back." Landgraf supports and serves on several industry organizations and boards, including the Travel + Leisure Business Travel Advisory Board (BTAB), Transfernation, God’s Love We Deliver, City Harvest, Alliance of Independent Meeting Professionals, Meeting Professionals International and the Live Events Coalition. Make It Happen Management is a National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce-certified LGBT Business Enterprise.


Dawn Penfold, President, Meetingjobs a Cadre Company

Dawn Penfold, a former meeting professional, started Meetingjobs in 1990 to fill a need for a professional recruitment company serving meeting professionals for associations and corporations. Recently, she merged forces with Cadre, providing a full complement of labor resources across the hiring spectrum, from full-time planners to project-based contract planners to on-site event staff. Penfold is a recipient of the MPIGNY Board of Directors Award, Chapter Manager of the Year Award, Hall of Fame Award and also served as past president of the chapter. She recently was named one of the Top 25 Influencers of 2020 by Northstar Meetings Group.



Travis Pham, CMP, Director of Sales & Strategic Partnerships, 360 Destination Group

A Los Angeles transplant living in New York, Travis Pham is no stranger to extending the olive branch from coast to coast. Over the past 13 years, he has focused his career on establishing innovative partnerships and developing inspiring meetings and events within the hospitality industry. He collaborates with 360 Destination Group’s 21 offices to deliver meaningful destination experiences for their clients; leads their WeWork Global Events + Productions team; and manages their in-home party rental solution, Party Parcel. Pham is an active member of MPI, SITE, ILEA, PCMA and HSMAI and can be found setting up a picnic at Domino Park overlooking the Williamsburg Bridge and Manhattan skyline. Follow him on IG at @travishpham. 

About 360 Destination Group: 360 Destination Group is the leading full-service destination and event management company in the country, with offices in all the destinations that matter most to corporate planners. From California, Las Vegas and Arizona to Texas, Chicago, New York and Florida, 360DG packs 41 years of know-how into the destination experience. At 360DG, “Built Around You” isn’t just a tagline. It’s their DNA. For more information, please visit 360dg.com.


Elizabeth Sage, MBA, CMP, Associate Director, Events and Tradeshows, Illumina 

Elizabeth Sage is an award-winning event strategist whose purpose is to create safe spaces and impactful experiences where humans can connect. Guided by curiosity and the idea of “what if,” she has spent almost two decades in the meeting and hospitality industry designing events and conferences for diverse audiences ranging from 20 to 7,000+ participants. She believes the future of events will be part of a multi-channel mix, where influence, content and connection are built through a strategic channel blend. In her current role as associate director of events and tradeshows at Illumina, she leads the team responsible for executing a high volume of complex and fast-paced customer events.

Sage earned an MBA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Nevada, Reno. She holds the certified meeting professional (CMP) designation, certification in meeting and event planning from San Diego State University and, in 2020, was honored as one of Smart Meeting magazine’s Planners of the Year. Sage is a founding member of the Think Tank Happy Hour, hosting a weekly room on Clubhouse discussing human connection in the experience economy. A native of Hawaii, she has made San Diego her home. Her family and friends know her as a fitness fanatic, lover of books, podcasts and deep conversation and, most importantly, a positive role model for her two daughters.

Moderator:

Stacey Staaterman, Certified Professional Coach & Business Consultant, Stacey Staaterman Coaching

Stacey Staaterman is a PCC-level certified professional coach (leadership, career). Recognized by Business Insider as one of the Most Innovative Coaches, Staaterman works with people seeking more fulfillment, happiness and reward from their career and professional pursuits. She is a regularly featured leadership and career expert appearing in Forbes, Fortune, Men's Health and The Wall Street Journal.

Staaterman has coached people at Google, Meredith Corp., Egon Zehnder, Mercer Healthcare, New York University, Amazon, Chanel, Random House, LVMH, Sesame Street Workshop, Travel + Leisure, Saks Fifth Avenue, Prudential, Consumer Reports, Fortune, Post Foods, Inc. Magazine, American Express, Departures, Marsh & McLennan, MIT, Random House, Blackstone, Deloitte, Legal Zoom, Bloomberg Media and EY. Prior to becoming a professional coach and consultant, she held leadership positions in the advertising and media industry for more than 20 years — with companies including American Express (Travel+Leisure, Food & Wine, Departures), Time Warner, Fast Company, Meredith Corp. and Scholastic. Staaterman received her B.S. in advertising from Syracuse University (S.I. Newhouse School of Communications) and is a member of the Forbes Coaches Council, an invitation-only cohort of business, career and leadership coaches.

Did you recently join MPI but are not sure where to go from here? Grab some lunch or a cup of coffee and join us for our New Member Orientation on Wednesday, March 17, noon - 1 p.m.

Meet some of our leadership, learn more about the many resources available to you, and connect with a few friendly faces.

Event Agenda:

• Current MPIGNY president and fellow board members share MPI experience
• Introduction of new members
• Discussion of available MPI resources
• Q&A

ALL members are welcome, no matter how long you have been with us! We look forward to welcoming you!

REGISTER HERE

MPIGNY continues our commitment to the great work at God's Love We Deliver with our monthly volunteer session providing help in the kitchen. The March date may already be full, but please check the website for additional dates as they are announced.

Thursday, March 18, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. 

*Please note:* Due to scheduling changes at GLWD, the session is extended by one hour, and volunteer shifts are now limited to six people. Gloves and masks will be provided to all volunteers.

Please note, many times volunteers have to cancel at the last minute. If you are interested in volunteering, please continue to check the registration link below for updated information should any slots open up.

REGISTER HERE

If this session time is not convenient for you, check out the God's Love volunteer calendar for more volunteer opportunities. With numerous sessions scheduled each day, you are bound to find one or two that fit your schedule!

If you are not able to volunteer, there are still several ways you can help!

The Cards of Caring campaign offers an opportunity to share a message of caring to brighten someone’s day. Many of GLWD’s clients are homebound senior citizens who, in this climate, are unable to have visitors of any kind. A cheerful note to let them know they are not forgotten can be a welcome reprieve from their solitude. The website provides guidelines on creating the cards, but feel free to be as creative as you would like. And if you have children at home, this is a perfect activity to help pass the time in quarantine!

In addition, God’s Love has two additional giving opportunities to donate much-needed funds.

• COVID-19 Emergency Fund for clients of God’s Love: $54 funds a shelf-stable meal bag, and $100 funds a week of meals for a client living with serious illness. Please give what you can. Any amount helps!
• Birthday Bake Sale: God’s Love bakes and personalizes birthday cakes for their clients living with serious illness. Your donation contributes toward the purchase of ingredients, baking, decorating and packaging of these special cakes.

Global Meetings Industry Day returns in April! Our industry certainly looks a lot different than it did a year ago, but there is still much to celebrate and recognize as we begin the long road to recovery. 

MPI Greater New York, in collaboration with NYPCMA, SITE Northeast and EventFluence, presents a day of insightful, innovative and illuminating virtual discussions that are sure to inspire!

We are still in the planning stages and will have more details coming soon. Please stay tuned!

This year's Auction and Mixology Madness is presented #WithATwist
Save the date for our first hybrid auction

Join us Thursday, April 22
This year, MPIGNY's Annual Auction and Mixology Madness will offer two unique experiences — virtual and in-person. You can expect all of the networking, fun and cocktails as before, but this year #WithATwist. Be on the lookout soon for more information and a registration link.

Want some attention?
Donate a little piece of your company and get noticed at the event.
Show off your company and donate a service, item or experience to the auction. Hotel accommodations, dining/shopping/spa certificates, show tickets, gift bags, really anything that you feel would be the perfect representation of your company’s product and/or service.

Click the link below to donate. It only takes two minutes!

DONATE HERE

Thanks to everyone who joined us for our Mardi Gras Virtual Networking Party on Feb. 11.

Thanks as well to our industry partners at HSMAI NYC, PCMA New York Area Chapter and SITE Northeast USA for collaborating to bring together our chapters’ members for an evening of networking fun.

Very special thanks to the team at SongDivision for once again knocking it out of the park with an exceptional interactive experience of music, trivia and games — and hurricanes!

Last but definitely not least, congratulations to our own Annie Kojundzija for putting together another memorable and enjoyable networking event. You’re a rock star in your own right!

For those of you who missed the festivities, you can check out our highlight video here!

Thank you as well to everyone who joined us for our February education event and to Jackie Glenn for sharing some engaging and entertaining experiences on her “immigrant girl’s journey through corporate America!” We share Glenn’s determination that commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is for the long haul and not just an exercise in “checking the box.”

The event was the result of an extraordinary collaborative effort between several MPI Greater New York committees. Shout out to Marisa Wilkes, CMP (CSR Committee); Derrick Sabater, Ruth Katz and Lauren Gilbert (Education Committee); Ally Mead and Josh Novick (D&I Committee); Colleen Jasinski (Communications Committee); and to the exceptional Hallia Baker, CMP (both Education AND D&I committees). Thank you all for your efforts to bring quality programming to our membership!

MPI Greater New York held our Third Annual Town Hall just last week, Thursday, Feb. 25, where we discussed the state of the chapter and moving forward into 2021. The virtual Town Hall also included breakout sessions with each of the board committees, where we welcomed member feedback and suggestions for future programming. 

By all accounts, the evening was a great success, with many members sharing their appreciation for the candid conversation and offering great suggestions for the future of our chapter. 

Huge thanks to everyone who participated. The board of directors is grateful for your contributions and greatly appreciates your feedback.

MPI Greater New York is a Proud Marketing Partner for this upcoming event!

Don’t miss out on Joanne Dennison's Virtual Meeting/Event Intensive CMP Class.

March 12 & 19, Friday 5:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. EST

March 13 & 20, Saturday 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. EST

Dive into the world of meetings and events, earn 16 CE hours, get useful tips for the CMP exam and a real-life knowledge that you can start applying to your work right away.

• Four hours/day, 16 hours in total – these hours qualify as CE hours toward CMP application/ recertification!
• Take-Again option: Enroll once and come back to Dennison’s class as many times as you need!
• Three Answers Afterwards sessions: Three weeks after the class, once a week, join Dennison and your classmates for a follow-up discussion with your questions!

Check out www.themeetguide.com for more information!

A key focus for the board moving forward is the engagement of the meeting planner professional. We consider sustained planner participation to be a vital part of this chapter’s success. So, with that in mind, we’re rolling out the red carpet this year with the objective of increasing our planner engagement at all of our events.

Many thanks to the London Convention Bureau for graciously sponsoring several one-year planner scholarship opportunities that will increase our planner base and enhance overall engagement. Interested planners can apply here.

At MPIGNY, our members are family, and in challenging times, we believe in taking care of our own. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the financial hardships many are experiencing as a result, MPIGNY has set up a community support fund to provide monetary grants to our colleagues who need it most. If you are in need of assistance during this or any of life's more difficult moments, we may be able to help. 

There is no issue too large or too small. If you need help, please know we are standing by to assist you. Simply submit a confidential Request for Support for review of support in any personal crisis situation. We can offer assistance toward:

• Housing while in quarantine 
• Essential items like groceries, rent, utilities or essential worker child care
• Rebuilding after natural disasters 
• Escaping from domestic violence
• Recovering from a serious accident
• Other support following loss when not otherwise provided by insurance

Submit a confidential request with all supporting documentation to Kathie Stapleton. As this is confidential, please share as much information as you are comfortable sharing. All requests will be reviewed and considered to determine what, if anything, we can do to assist you in your situation.

Additionally, if you are in a position to donate to the fund, MPIGNY is gladly accepting donations at this time. Please contact Kathie Stapleton for more information.

Are you interested in getting more involved with MPIGNY? Volunteering with a committee is a great way to meet new clients and industry partners! Visit our website or click the link for more information on how to get involved: MPIGNY - Join a Committee

We added a new campaign this year called "People of MPIGNY" and want to learn more about our incredible members! If you are interested in being featured, click the links below to read about some of our members and to complete the handful of questions to be considered for our next issue!

People of MPIGNY
People of MPIGNY Application

The Membership and Chapter Satisfaction Survey is one of the most important tools we have for capturing the thoughts of members. Don’t miss the chance to help shape the future of our association. Upon completion of the survey you can enter for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card. And if you participate and opt-in for our future Meetings Outlook industry research questions, you’ll be entered for the chance to win a registration to WEC Vegas in June 2021! Survey emails were sent out last Tuesday, Feb. 23. If you did not receive an email with your unique submission code, please contact MPI Global at feedback@mpi.org.

Our chapter has a bright future ahead, and we want you to be a part of it. If you are interested in growing your own career and maximizing your return on investment within MPI, please consider joining our mentorship program, either as a mentor or mentee. In this initiative, we will pair up a select few of our newer members of the industry (10 years or less) with some of our veteran chapter members for mutual growth and career development. 

The Power of Two: MPIGNY Mentorship Program is a yearlong endeavor that, in its inaugural year, was highly rewarding to those who participated, and we are happy to announce that the application process for our second mentorship cohort is now open! This is a minimal time commitment and something you’ll truly feel proud of! 

"Overall I thought the mentorship program was a great experience and a good use of my time. I knew my mentee prior to starting the program so we already had somewhat of a rapport. We usually planned to speak once a week or every other week, and I enjoyed getting to know her and her business a bit more. We even ended up partnering on a project that she needed some help with, which was nice. We ... are still in touch and chat occasionally when we can." - Colleen Jasinski (Mentor, 2019-2020)

Please apply for the Power of Two: MPIGNY Mentorship Program here:

Mentee Application | Mentor Application

Free live webinars are available to all members on the MPI Academy web page. New webinars are being added on a regular basis, so please keep checking this link for more information and to register: MPI Academy Live Webinars

The MPI Foundation is focused on helping as many current members as possible retain their professional affiliation and the opportunity to continue to have access to all our resources. For more information, please contact help@mpi.org.