President John F. Kennedy once said, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” When I took over as president of MPI Greater New York almost two years ago, I made a commitment to do everything I could to leave this chapter in a better place than I found it. It was not lost on me how important it was to back up words, thoughts and ideas with action that, when the dust settled, left each one of you with a positive experience in being affiliated with this chapter. We have a rich history that dates back to 1977 and to take on a volunteer role of this magnitude was something that I did not take lightly. That said, a successful leader is only as good as the people he (or she) is surrounded by, and, fortunately for me, I had the privilege to work with some pretty incredible meeting professionals. The opportunity to serve our chapter over these last few years has been one of the major highlights of my professional career. You learn so much about yourself when taking on a role like this, and I am eternally grateful to everyone involved for this opportunity.  

We accomplished quite a bit over the last few years, and I hope many of you have been able to share in the experience. A few highlights I am especially proud of include creating the MPIGNY Diversity & Inclusion Committee and The Power of Two Mentorship Program, significantly enhancing our educational programming and stepping up our marketing and communications across all facets of the organization. Through it all, our board of directors has remained focused on improving our overall brand. We also made significant strides in our CSR footprint, created the MPIGNY Community Support Fund to financially assist our members through COVID-19, and we increased our collaboration with other associations and fellow MPI chapters to work more cohesively on positively impacting our industry as a whole. There is much more to highlight, but what really sums up the success of this chapter over the last few years is the recognition we received from MPI Global earlier this year as a RISE Award recipient for our efforts on the MPIGNY EdX & The Genies program we produced live from Broadway last October. In many ways, that event is a microcosm of our recent success as it touched so many facets of our organization in just one afternoon. It was a true team effort across the entire board and something that many of us will never forget.

Everything that we have accomplished these last two years would not have been possible without the unwavering commitment by so many of our fellow members. It truly takes a village when you are trying to move the needle in a volunteer nonprofit association. With that said, we have four members of this year's board of directors whose time has come to an end. Carly Roncaglio-Marotta is leaving the board as our immediate past president. She has dedicated literally hundreds of hours of her personal time to enhance each of our experiences within MPIGNY. She started out on the Genies Committee several years ago and her ascension to office of the president transpired rapidly. Carly is a thoughtful and compassionate person who accomplished so much in her time on this board. She is a highly effective leader with a talent for keeping us motivated to go the extra mile in enhancing the product we put out to all of you. Her legacy in this chapter is secure, and we all owe her a significant amount of gratitude for all that she has done in helping our chapter succeed. Next, we have the living legend, Judi McLaughlin, finishing her time on the board this month as well. I do not think I have ever met someone who is more universally loved than Judi. She started on our board as director of CSR, where she led numerous efforts in getting our chapter engaged in the community time and time again. In her current role as director of leadership development, Judi created our mentorship program and the popular MPIGNY Grub Club afternoon events while also assisting in her main duties of building a pipeline for future MPIGNY leaders. Judi is a trusted confidante to so many, and we are all better off for having her in our lives. It is impossible for me to overstate how impactful her time has been on this board. She helped our chapter in countless ways over the years, and I am just fortunate to be able to call her a dear friend.

Michelle Marie Adams and I started out in this chapter at the exact same time. We have grown up together — though I have to admit she has aged much better than this guy. Michelle Marie (or "MMA" as she is affectionately known on the board) has held multiple positions over several years including her most recent role as our vice president of finance. She has been an instrumental figure in planning our Annual Auction event for many years, and as many of you know, that is one of our largest events each year, and our success is directly tied to that program. Michelle Marie is another great human who always brought a positive attitude and a head full of great ideas for new ways to succeed in positively impacting the member experience. Finally, Geri Richlin's time on our board has come to an end as well. Geri brought that Brooklyn swagger to the board and was always creative in trying to find new ways to do things. As one of the younger members of our board, she quickly earned everyone's respect and ascended to the role of vice president of membership. She always had a positive attitude and implemented some really effective strategies to help us grow and retain members even during a global pandemic. She is one of those people who you feel fortunate to work with because you know she is someone you can always depend on. As you can see, all four of these ladies committed an unbelievable amount of time to their volunteer roles under the guise of enhancing our chapter and your experience. Each and every one of us are indebted to them for their service and commitment to MPIGNY. We thank them for their dedication and appreciate everything they have done for our chapter.

Turning to our last few events of the year, you could say that we saved the best for last. We are FINALLY returning to live and in-person events!  As we have seen over the last several weeks, we seem to be turning a corner with COVID-19, and I think we are all very bullish about what the future holds for New York City. And what better way to kick off summer in The Big Apple than to head to where it all began for so many — historic Ellis Island. Originally scheduled for this Thursday, June 3, unfortunately we have had to postpone due to expected inclement weather and have rescheduled for next Thursday, June 10. We will head down to Battery Park and hop the ferry over to Ellis Island to kick off the summer in grand NYC fashion. This is purely a networking event in which lunch will be served. The event is scheduled from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. so block your calendar and tell your boss that you need to support our industry by participating in the first live event MPIGNY is producing since the start of the pandemic. All details and registration are outlined below.

If you are not able to join us on Thursday, please be sure to mark your calendar for the last event of the year. The MPIGNY Annual Genie Awards are taking place on Tuesday, June 22 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the iconic Tribeca Rooftop. This event is incredibly important to our chapter in so many ways. We have all gone through an unbelievably difficult 15 months, and we are finally in a position to celebrate the return of live events. If you are comfortable participating, I would look upon it as a personal favor to me if you attended. We are offering all MPIGNY members registration for only $25. If anyone has any challenges paying the registration fee, please reach out to me directly, and we will find a solution. Tribeca Rooftop will have all health and safety protocols in place, so we ensure that this event is compliant and successful. The MPIGNY Genies Committee is putting in a heck of a lot of time and effort to ensure that this program encompasses everything that you would want to see in one of your first live events since COVID-19 began. Did someone say three-hour open bar? In all seriousness, please do your best to make it that night. This event honors you, our members, and all of your hard work in all that we have accomplished over this challenging year. If you have not yet nominated anyone for a Genie Award, PLEASE do so. We all know at least one person who has made a significant contribution to our chapter this year. So please take five minutes and nominate them here.

Finally, I want to recognize my successor who will be taking over the reins on July 1. Laura Mulholland is the right person to take over as president of this chapter next month. She has paid her dues and then some for an exceedingly long time, holding several key roles within MPIGNY over the years, and she knows the inner workings of our chapter as well as anyone. Our time together goes way back, and she will do an excellent job leading all of us next year. The future is unquestionably bright for MPIGNY as Andrew Barnes will take the keys to the castle in 2022-2023, as well. Our chapter is in great hands with these two individuals leading us, and I hope all of you continue to stay engaged as your participation is absolutely vital to our continued success.

Thank you to everyone who has helped me in my role these last two years. There are honestly too many people to thank, but you all know who you are. I will not be going anywhere and will remain active on the board as immediate past president, so you will still have to put up with me for a little while longer. I hope to see each and every one of you at The Genies where we can celebrate live events coming back to New York City!

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

EVENT POSTPONED! SEE NEW DATE

MPIGNY Summer Kick-Off
Thursday, June 10, 2021, 1 p.m - 5 p.m.
Ellis Island

Unfortunately we have had to reschedule this event due to inclement weather expected this week. Please join us on the new date if you can. If you are unable to attend, please contact Kathie Stapleton to request a refund.

The MPI Greater New York Summer Kick-Off is back! New York City is waking up from over 14 months of quarantine, and as the city we love starts to open up again, it's time to shake off the winter blues, step out into the sunshine and enjoy some real in-person networking! Spend the afternoon with your MPIGNY colleagues and join us for lunch and a day tour at Ellis Island.

Ferries run every half-hour from Battery Park beginning at 9 a.m. and stop at the Statue of Liberty. Feel free to hop on an earlier ferry to visit Lady Liberty prior to our event.
 
PLEASE NOTE: Due to reduced capacity at the venue, this event is limited to MPIGNY members only. However, members may invite one (1) member or nonmember to attend as their guest.

If you are not yet a member of MPIGNY, this is the perfect opportunity to connect with a member colleague and experience firsthand what MPI Greater New York is all about! We hope you will join us!

REGISTER HERE

9th Annual MPIGNY Genie Awards
Tuesday, June 22, 2021
6 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Tribeca Rooftop
2 Desbrosses St., New York, NY 10013

Join us as we honor some of the industry's best and brightest at our annual Genie Awards celebration to be held at the one and only Tribeca Rooftop! High above the streets of New York City, Tribeca Rooftop is the ultimate venue for any event.

Enjoy a full buffet, three-hour open bar and uninterrupted views of the city’s most iconic skyscrapers and the Hudson River as we celebrate the members who have made the greatest impact on our chapter in the 2020-2021 calendar year!

REGISTER HERE

The Genies Committee is still accepting nominations! Who do you think deserves to be honored for their contribution to the chapter and the industry this year? Click here to submit your nominations today!

*We encourage all members to consider showcasing your professional services as an opportunity to enhance the overall event experience. Those interested, please contact Kathie Stapleton at kstapleton@mpigny.org.

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 date may already be full, but please check the website for additional dates as they are announced.

Wednesday, June 23, 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.

After a year away from the New York event calendar, the MPIGNY Kalahari Golf Outing is back!

Please join MPIGNY for the 30th Annual Golf Outing sponsored by Kalahari Resorts & Conventions. This year we will be returning to Harbor Links Golf Course in Port Washington, New York, on Thursday, July 22. No matter your golfing ability, please come along to enjoy a day of golf, networking and meeting new and old friends in an outdoor setting.

MPIGNY is looking forward to welcoming you to this year’s Golf Outing, and we will be working with Harbor Links to ensure all necessary precautions and current New York state restrictions are enforced to ensure your safety while at the course.

Harbor Links Golf Course: Located 30 minutes from New York City and nestled among the scenic fairways and picturesque greens of the world’s 29th Audubon International Signature Sanctuary, Harbor Links offers a unique golfing experience for players of all abilities. Built in 1998, the 18-hole championship course, nine-hole executive course and miniature golf facility offer a variety of activities for members and guests. For more information on the venue, please visit www.harborlinks.com.

REGISTER HERE

If your company is interested in joining us as a sponsor for this year's event, please click over to our Sponsorship Registration site HERE and check out the sponsorship opportunities currently available.

Nominations for the 9th Annual MPI Greater New York Genie Awards will be accepted through Thursday, June 10.
 
Is there a planner or supplier you would like to see recognized for their super stellar contributions this past year? Or perhaps a speaker who really knocked your socks off? Throughout the uncertainty of 2020, so many of our industry colleagues went above and beyond to continue bringing quality programs to our membership, and we are looking forward to celebrating their efforts live and in person! 
 
Based on the nominations received from our membership, finalists will be determined by the selection committee and notified. Winners will be announced on June 22 at the Genie Awards celebration to be held at the one and only Trbeca Rooftop! 

Submit your nominations HERE! 

*We encourage all members to consider showcasing your professional services as an opportunity to enhance the overall event experience. Those interested, please contact Kathie Stapleton at kstapleton@mpigny.org.

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

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! 

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

June 4 - Inclusive Experience for Your Virtual Events

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.