Updated March 20, 2020

Hello Arizona Sunbelt Chapter,

These are unprecedented times, and during these times it's best not to act out of fear. As we all know, a good leader gathers all the facts before making an informed decision. MPI AZ remains diligent in ensuring that the safety and security of our members and attendees remains the top priority. As stated in last week’s email, MPI AZ has continually been monitoring the latest COVID-19 developments locally. When we made our decision, it was based on Governor Ducey’s approach that Arizonan's should not panic and that our approach would be calm and steady since we had not had a spike in cases, after he declared a state of emergency.

On Sunday afternoon, the state of Arizona received an order from Governor Ducey that Arizona would now be following the updated COVID-19 guidelines from the CDC. What does this mean for us? It means that mass gatherings and events over 50 be canceled for the next eight weeks. This includes: conferences, festivals, parades, concerts, sporting events, and other types of large assemblies. All MPI AZ events that follow under these guidelines & timeframe will postponed until further notice. Effective immediately, we will be postponing our networking mixer that would have taken place Thursday, March 19th at Dave & Buster’s, and our Global Meetings Industry Day event on Tuesday, April 14th at the Arizona State Capitol. Please stay tuned for further updates as we work to figure out alternative plans for our chapter.

Again, I will reiterate that during times like these, it is vital that we remain focused on facts and share information from credible resources, such as the CDC or WHO. MPI AZ is still committed to providing you up to date resources to keep yourself informed at a global and local level as you navigate this uncharted situation that we are currently facing. Please continue to refer to MPI Global’s devoted page that provides resources for our meeting and event professionals community. In addition to that page and the resources listed below, our social media and chapter newsletter will continue to provide updated, relevant and credible content to ensure our community is well-informed.

Let’s not lose hope! We have weathered tough times in the past, and we will overcome this setback. If anyone has any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me at any time. All lines of communication to me are open and waiting to hear from you.

Please stay healthy and safe!

Tiffany Higgins
MPI AZ President
thiggins@mpi-az.org