My favorite month of the year is upon us! The holidays are around the corner, we are starting to wind down and welcome in 2023.

November started with two great CSR activities. First, a group of MPIGNY members joined other volunteers and the team at GMHC to hand out food packages to their members. Following GMHC, we had a team take part in God’s Love We deliver’s “Race to Deliver.” The MPIGNY Team raised a total of $2,530.

November also brought us the Annual Auction & Mixology Madness which was hosted by the Hard Rock Hotel New York. Our Special Events team delivered an incredible event which was enjoyed by everyone that attended. Congrats to the Mixology winners!

Something that I am so happy we were able to do was donate to the victims of the latest hurricane to hit Southern Florida and Puerto Rico on behalf of the MPIGNY Chapter members. This was all possible due to the generosity of our members over the years. 

As I mentioned in my last message and will continue to all year 😊, it takes a big team of volunteers to execute these outstanding events. We need YOU, our members, to jump in and assist where you can. How can you help? What are your interests or skills? It doesn’t need to take a large amount of your time. It can be as little or as much as you would like to dedicate. We will work with you and your schedule. Please reach out to me or any of our Board Members if you want to or are able to get more involved with the Chapter. We would love to have you! You should have received an email from the Chapter with a survey titled “Find Your Fit.” Please complete the survey if you are interested in volunteering.

This month we have two great events on offer. On December 7, we are partnering with the MPI Tennessee Chapter for a virtual event titled “Rockstar Leadership: Owning your Personal Brand.” You can register here.

We close out the year with the Annual Industry Holiday Celebration which is being held at the Manhattan Center on December 19. Registration is open.

We have some exciting things happening in 2023, one being a new format of this newsletter. Keep a look out for the January 2023 edition.

If I don’t see you before the end of the year, I want to wish you all a very happy holidays and looking forward to continue on this journey with you in 2023.

Hope to see you there or at some of other upcoming events!

Best,
Andrew

Andrew Barnes
President
MPI Greater New York Chapter

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TODAY'S THE DAY!

Join the Tennessee and Greater New York chapters of MPI and award-winning performer and songwriter, Jason LeVasseur, TODAY December 7, 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. EST for a fun-filled interactive virtual presentation and networking session! Jason LeVasseur is a keynote speaker, team building facilitator, touring performer, podcast host, summer camp counselor, and a self-proclaimed bad dancer. Log on and see for yourself as we celebrate everything about YOU and all of the things that make you a Rock Star Meeting Professional! 

Learning Outcomes:

• Learn the philosophy of The Selfish Mentor^TM - Become more “selfish” in order to better serve your teams, clients, and customers
• Identify personal development “areas of improvement” and implement a strategic plan to take your personal growth ideas into action
• Learn to own your personal brand, even when it changes from job to job or industry to industry
• Networking tips and tricks to help you break through the discomfort of getting to know someone new
• Have fun and celebrate what makes you a “Rock Star Meeting Professional”

EIC Approval: Approved
One Hour, Meeting & Event Design

Come join us for happy hour & games at Dave & Busters!

You won’t want to miss the first After Six Mix of 2023!

On November 9, five MPIGNY members joined forces to volunteer for GMHC's Grab & Go Food Distribution program. We started off packing bags which consisted of milk, cereal, canned goods, rice, fruit, and fresh vegetables. In total along with other volunteers, we packed around 400 bags which were then distributed to about 200 people at 2 bags per person. Following the packing we pivoted to actually giving out bags to the community members and GMHC clients. This was a rewarding experience giving food out to those in need and seeing the community we were helping.

MPIGNY's small but mighty team braved the cold weather in Central Park last month and raised $2,530 for God's Love We Deliver! This amount funded 253 meals for clients of GLWD.

Congratulations Team MPIGNY!

MPI Greater New York’s 36th Annual Auction & Mixology Madness was a huge success!

We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who kicked off the Holidays with us at the fabulous Hard Rock Hotel New York …Thank you!

Thank you to our very generous Auction Donors – with your help, and the help of our Auction Winners, we raised over $10,000 on our Silent and Live Auctions!

Congratulations to 2022 Mixology Champion: Iridium and Misunderstood Whiskey

Congratulations to 2022 Best Décor Winner: Covert Cocktail Club and Gin Lane 1751

Our event partners went above and beyond to make the evening extra special. We couldn’t have done it with our Emcee and Auctioneer Extraordinaire, Bobby D. Ehlert with Inspire Hearts Fundraising and Star Benefit Auctions, and the hottest DJ in town, Matt Bonavita with Rhythm In Motion, Inc. Plus, check out the event photos here, courtesy of Simon Pro Photo.

Special thanks to ALL of our sponsors, partners, supporters and mixologists:

Kalahari Resorts & Conventions (Marquee Sponsor & Mixologist)
Hard Rock Hotel New York (Venue Partner)
Simon Pro Photo (Photos Partner)
Mohonk Mountain House (Mixologist)
The Watergate Hotel (Mixologist)
Iridium & Misunderstood Whiskey (Mixologist)
Covert Cocktail Club & Gin Lane 1751 (Mixologist)

Last but not least, we appreciate the tireless efforts of our Auction Committee, led by Carri Farrand Clemens, Director of Fundraising. Thank you committee members Jeanette Andrews, Trevor Brune, Dorothea Cernera, Devin Fassberg, Keely Fickau, Lemi Hurt, Benjamin Maddy, and Rita Malek.

Volunteering with a committee is a great way to meet new clients and industry partners. Are you interested in getting more involved with MPI Greater New York but don’t know where to start?
 
Take our quick “Find Your Fit” survey so that we can help match you with the perfect volunteer opportunities with MPIGNY.
 
Click the link below to access the survey, which will help guide our conversation with you as you take the first step toward engaging with our MPIGNY community. Thank you in advance for your contributions. We look forward to welcoming you to the team!

Find Your Fit!

Are you a new venue looking for an opportunity to showcase your space for event planners and industry leaders? Do you have a restaurant with the capability of hosting groups? Has your space undergone a renovation that you want the industry to see? Are you looking to boost your bookings in 2022? If you answered yes to any of these questions, become an MPIGNY Venue Partner!

MPIGNY hosts a number of events each year, ranging from education and networking events to our larger cross-industry Holiday Party to our annual signature fundraising Auction & Mixology event in the fall. Partnering with us means increased visibility and new business leads. We have a total reach to more than 3,000 meeting and event professionals within the New York tri-state area and would provide you with a tailor-made list of sponsor benefits that would touch each of these professionals not only at our partnered event, but through our MPIGNY network of social media, web presence, event marketing and beyond.

For more information, please see this snapshot of opportunities here. You can also reach out directly to our board members John Sklencar or Annie Kojundzija.

The MPI Greater New York Chapter is pleased to announce the formation of the MPI Northeast Affiliate Membership program. This program is available to Preferred or Premier Members of MPI in good standing.

What’s it all about? 

You’re a member of MPI Greater New York. However, you also have clients, customers, or programs that bring you to the Northeast region throughout the year.

Why not become an Affiliate Member of these chapters while you’re at it?

Affiliate Memberships allow MPI members to have close connections with another chapter and have numerous benefits, including:

• Invitation to their education programs and networking events throughout the year, at a member rate.
• Access to their member lists.
• Building relationships and connections in another chapter by attending events or volunteering on a
  committee – these are great ways to expand your network!
• Every benefit you receive at your primary MPI chapter is offered at your Affiliate chapter.

All the while, you maintain your primary membership at MPI Greater New York!

The fee for an Affiliate Membership at any of these chapters is $80 per year. Not only is this nominal
compared to a primary membership, the return-on-investment is invaluable. 

Does this sound like a good idea? Click on their links below to complete your application at the $80 rate: 

Connecticut River Valley
New England
New Jersey
Philadelphia
Potomac
Westfield

Please join us in welcoming the following new members to our chapter!

Carolyn Castellano, The RHMM Group

Danielle Clarke-Newell, The Conference Forum

Chad Giger, Fiesta Americana Hotels & Resorts/Posadas

Ira Ozer, CPIM, CRP, CEP, Innovations Meetings, Vendor Neutral, Engagement Partners

Returning Members:

Allison Bugay, CMP, UBS

 Thank you for your membership! We are glad you're here!

We are pleased to share the following Membership Milestone Anniversaries. Thank you all for your dedication and commitment to our Chapter. We are grateful for your membership.

To close out the year and celebrate the season of giving, MPI wants meeting and event professionals to treat themselves with the "gift that keeps on giving." Through access to a network of 13,000+ members, resources and tools in community driven education, and signature events at the local chapter and global levels, an MPI membership provides a lifetime of benefits!

To celebrate this, MPI is offering 25% off new MPI preferred and premier memberships, as well as MPI membership renewals at any level, by using promo code 22GIFT. 

Renew your membership before December 16 to take advantage of this amazing deal!

Know someone who would benefit from an MPI membership?
Share the code and encourage them to join today!