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Watch this month's message from
Devin Lewis, CMP, CEM
MPI Potomac Chapter President
Devin gives an update on important chapter events in the months ahead
and an important survey coming to your inbox.
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ReConEx 2021:
The Hybrid Event of the Season
Registration Now OPEN: Sign Up Today!
Don't miss this year's hybrid conference, packed full of education and providing plenty of opportunities to reconnect in an innovative environment.
ReConEx 2021 will provide meeting professionals from the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond an unrivaled opportunity to learn from industry leaders, advance careers and impact organizations. Aside from a wealth of education sessions ranging from keynote presentations to 12 concurrent sessions of eight certified clock hours, ReConEx 2021 will also focus on building strategic business relationships in a unique format providing a hybrid delivery to address your level of comfort in today’s event environment.
Pick the experience most convenient for you: live at The Hotel at the University of Maryland or in the comfort of your home.
Click the logo below to learn more and to register!
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February e2: Potomac Ponderings
Thursday, February 18, 2021
2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. ET
As we continue to receive good news about the vaccine that will allow our industry to reopen for face-to-face meetings, and as our industry takes stock of what is next, we must not forfeit the opportunity the COVID crisis has given us to reassess our practices as it relates to creating an equitable industry.
How do we ensure that last year’s racial reckoning will finally lead to real progress for equity and social justice?
Join us on Feb. 18 for a conversation about evaluating our practices to ensure that when we reopen, rehire and consider our future, we do it with diversity, equity and inclusion in mind.
Our speakers include Rhonda Payne, CAE, founder and CEO of Flock Theory, and Sylvia Long-Tolbert, Ph.D., MBA, MABA, assistant professor at Johns Hopkins Carey School of Business and founder and principal of Know More Marketing LLC.
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Rhonda Payne
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Sylvia Long-Tolbert
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Save the Date: Evening of the Stars Gala 2021
It’s written in the stars so mark your calendars and show off your formal fashions and industry pride at the most coveted red carpet event of the year: Evening of the Stars MPI Potomac Annual Meeting & Awards Reception!
Join MPI Potomac on Thursday, June 24 at the iconic Warner Theater in Washington, D.C., to honor our MPI Potomac industry star professionals who have shined the brightest this year, witness the installing of our officers for the new program year, and recognize our outgoing leaders, members and anniversaries. Start thinking about who you will nominate!
AWARDS
*Marketplace Excellence Award
*Rising Star Member
*President's Award
*Planner of the Year
*Supplier of the Year
*MPI Potomac Committee of the Year
*Chapter Leader
*Student Member of the Year
*MPI Potomac Distinguished Leader
If all the stars align, it is our hope that we are all going to be able to attend this event in person; however, the planning committee will adapt the necessary strategy and event safety measures if needed.
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Moving Forward
By Cheryl Jamall, chief experience officer, ACJ Meetings & Events
and MPI Potomac Chapter DE&I Committee member
As with most people, 2020 has been a trying year on so many levels. For me, it began on Jan. 10, 2020, even before the pandemic hit. On that day, despite being an award-winning executive with a national trade association of 20 years, I lost my job. Oh yeah, it happened, and you just hope it never happens to you.
All kinds of people have lost their jobs without notice, and I can say I didn’t see it coming. You are never prepared for the unexpected, but you should be. Honestly, my first reaction was anger, tears, the fear of how I would survive, how I would take care of my family, who would hire me at over 50 years old, then more anger. Let’s just keep it real.
After a week, I said to myself, "Hold on, you are a child of God. You are a meeting, event and hospitality professional with more than 35 years of experience. You can do this, and besides, you have to show your daughter, who is also in the hospitality industry, how to survive."
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January e2 Recap: Potomac Ponderings
MPI Potomac kicked off 2021 strong! Multiple groups presented their ideas in the virtual hack-a-thon facilitated by Jamie Murdock with Maritz Global Events Company. The winning team had the chance to choose a charity to make a donation.
Below is the winning hive idea and the charity the team chose.
Join the Hive: Meet Your Bee
Event gamification in a hybrid world — partnering in-person and virtual attendees for a session, a track or a day. To earn points, in-person and virtual attendees must work together; each only has half of the answer.
 As an all female Hive, Kathryn Gardette, Roberta Sumner, Michelle Allgauer and Wendy Ashburn, we selected from the Bombas list of giving partners, Women Giving Back, located in Sterling, Virginia. They receive a donation of 1,000 pairs of Bombas socks. More information can be found at womengivingback.org.
Women Giving Back (WGB)
This organization helps women and children in crisis by distributing clothing at no cost. The WGB Store, located in Sterling, Virginia, is filled with donated clothing, accessories, shoes and more for both women and children. Our clients are qualified by their case managers and are typically living in shelters or part of a transitional program in and around the Greater Washington, D.C., area.
Thank you again to our strategic partners: Cvent, Kalahari Resorts and Conventions, HALO Branded Solutions, Visit Raleigh, Extraordinary Entertainment, BAV and CVBReps.com.
Last but not least, thank you to our event sponsor, Site Solutions Worldwide!
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CMP Recipient Shout-Out!
Congratulations to the two members that earned their Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) credential in December:
Debra Rainford
Cassandra Ramirez
The CMP credential is recognized globally as the badge of excellence in the meeting, convention, exhibition and event industry. The qualifications for certification are based on professional experience, education and a rigorous exam. They demonstrate their comprehensive knowledge of meeting management as well as a commitment to the meeting profession.
MPI Potomac is so proud of your achievements, Debra and Cassandra.
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Volunteers Needed for Publications and Marketing
We'd love to welcome a few additional member volunteers to assist with editing articles for the monthly FYI newsletter, posting links and graphics to our social media, and our chapter podcast, which started last year. The total time commitment isn't much, and you'll feel way more plugged into what your colleagues are doing and how your industry is evolving. Let's hear from you! Contact Lura today, and she'll provide the details.
Thank you!
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Certifications Corner
Each month, the Certifications & Career Development Committee will explore a different meeting industry certification, and we will talk to an MPI Potomac member who holds it.
Certified Association Executive
The Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential is the marker of a committed association professional who has demonstrated the wide range of knowledge essential to manage an association in today’s challenging environment. As a CAE, you commit yourself to lifelong learning and an ongoing pursuit of knowledge in the profession. Among association leaders, the CAE designation has become known and appreciated as a mark of distinction.
MPI Member Q&A
Annette Ott-Barnett, CMP, CMM, CAE
Sustainable Business Events
What year did you receive your CAE?
2013 was a big year for me. I earned my CMP, CMM and CAE!
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Conversation & Cocktails: Recap of January 27 Event
The MPI Potomac Recruitment Committee was pleased to host another installment of the popular "Conversation & Cocktails" event to open its arms (virtually!) to meeting professionals looking to engage in a safe, fun, interactive way. The pandemic has demonstrated that staying connected with a professional community is more important than ever! With that in mind, current MPI Potomac members served as roundtable facilitators and led lively conversations with prospective (and newly joined!) members to showcase some of the many great benefits of an MPI Potomac membership.
MPI Potomac President Devin Lewis shared what MPI has meant to her personally and professionally throughout over 20 years of membership, and VP of Membership and past MPI Potomac President Carlos Pelham served as the event’s emcee.
To set the tone for the next hour and release the stress of the day, event professional and yoga instructor Carley Vitek led the group of over 25 guests in a guided breathing and chair stretch series. Trivia for prizes, polls and an active chat room kept attendees engaged start to finish and rounded the event out with closing remarks by Director of Membership Recruitment Lindsay Schattenstein.
Two rounds of 20-minute conversations created an intimate atmosphere for attendees to engage in an open forum with MPI members. Discussion topics included "Navigating A Virtual Event World," "Goal Setting in 2021," "Best Practices for Hosting an In-Person Event" and "Providing Value to Yourself and Your Employer." A big thank you goes out to all of the member facilitators: Shawna Haggerty, Derek Suminski, Malene Ward, Evan Nielson, Heather Young, Krystal Heard, Christina Charron, Lynne Polinski and Katie Bohrer.
MPI offers innovative education, world-class resources and endless opportunities to collaborate with industry peers and professionals. Whether participating in a member event, expanding a professional network, joining a committee or connecting with event professionals in such a trying time, we hope that the attendees felt like MPI Potomac welcomes them into our community with open arms and look forward to hosting the event again in March. Stay tuned!
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