Print this Article | Send to Colleague
The New Face of MACE
By Jessica Shea, CMP
What a year it has been! While each of us continue to live our new day-to-day life, we at MPI Potomac believe that we can be thankful, hopeful and heartful and that we truly are all in this together.
To thrive as a chapter, we must rely on each other and be there to support one another. We are designing the 2021 Mid-Atlantic Conference and Expo (MACE 2021) with this very sentiment in mind.
After a successful MACE 2020 at the Hyatt Regency Bethesda, MPI Potomac leadership floated the idea of redesigning our flagship program in order to take it to the next level. When COVID-19 hit, the idea of an event redesign was as timely as it was necessary, and we were ready to “pivot” before that word was even cool (or perhaps, really uncool now). Which is why it is even more exciting now to share that this redesign is going to be energizing, exciting and what we are calling the “New Face of MACE.”
Going into our 15th year, we wanted to provide a fresh and thoughtful experience for our members. We knew that, to do so, we must collect information from leaders in the industry before diving headfirst into the full redesign process. We identified key stakeholder categories within our anticipated audience and spent quality time speaking with over 25 focus group representatives about their expectations, pain points and what their new desired outcomes would be, especially in this current climate.
While this is all still in the works, one thing has been clear: A bold approach is necessary. As MPI’s largest chapter, we believe it is our duty to bring forth the most cutting-edge experience and education possible via a hybrid event. MACE 2021 will offer options for attendees to experience the conference the way they feel most comfortable, all while demonstrating exactly what can be done to execute both an in-person and virtual model safely and seamlessly.
We welcome ideas, suggestions and/or best practices from all our members to design an impactful program that best fits your needs. Reach out to Brian Chung, MACE director, at bchung@baltimore.org so we can make sure your voice is heard. For partners who would like to contribute to this unique opportunity, please contact Melissa Benowitz at info@mpipotomac.org.
Jessica Shea is the CEO and head strategist at J Shea Event Design and Production.
