July 2020 Education Program

Pivot Party: Celebrating Last Minute Modifications

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Featuring the Following Panelists:

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Mark Felix- Director, Drury Entertainment Group

As Director of Drury’s Entertainment Group, Mark Felix is responsible for recommending and procuring unique, creative and exciting entertainment and speaker ideas for a wide range of corporate communications programs. He serves as a resource to clients nationwide, and is especially regarded for his ability to fit entertainment and speaker recommendations within a specific communications challenge and budget.

Mark has worked with a wide range of talent including Jennifer Hudson, Aerosmith, John Mellencamp, Tom Cruise, Maroon 5, James Taylor, Oprah Winfrey, Kelly Clarkson, George Clooney, Glenn Frey & Joe Walsh, Train, Hugh Jackman, Elton John, Will Smith, President Clinton, President Bush, Carrie Underwood, Peyton Manning, Kevin James, Magic Johnson, General Colin Powell, Steve Wozniak, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Michael Eisner, Jay Leno, Penn & Teller, Jerry Seinfeld, Imagine Dragons, OneRepublic, Fall Out Boy, and countless others who have literally “stolen the show.”

Prior to joining Drury, Mark initiated and ran a communication company’s Entertainment & Speaker Network. He also ran the Talent Office for a major production company and prior to that, was an agent at both William Morris Agency and International Creative Management.  No one knows both sides of the entertainment fence better than Mark!

During his career as a talent agent, Mark represented such well-known performers as Miles Davis, Tommy Tune, Victor Borge, Marvin Hamlisch, Maureen McGovern, Robert Klein, Suzanne Somers, Buddy Rich and many others. 

Mark holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Ithaca College in New York.  He serves as management trustee for the American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA), and is an executive board member of the Association of Entertainment Professionals (AEP). Happily married with 2 kids & a dog, Mark is also a frustrated drummer, ready to chuck it all for a life on the road with any rock band.

Lorri McQueary- Destination South Meetings + Events, a DMC Company

Meet Lorri McQueary is a hospitality industry and marketing professional who brings over twenty years’ brand strategy and event design experience to her role as Vice President of Destination South Meetings + Events, where she recently celebrated her sixteen-year anniversary. Lorri has produced award-winning events ranging from intimate VIP gatherings to larger- than-life celebrations for global brands. She has led marketing campaign strategies for universities and enjoys teaching for one- as an Event Planning instructor for the Continuing Education department for Emory University. She has been honored with kudos that include being named ADMEI Rising Star in 2005 and one of Occasions Magazine's 10 Most Influential Planners in Atlanta in 2010. She is a member of the DMC Network Diversity & Inclusion Committee and is currently studying for her Digital Event Strategist certification.

Lorri is a proud citizen of Roswell and the mother of two children, whom she affectionately refers to as, "Thing One & Thing Two." She is passionate about the arts, books, movies and everything design related.

Tim Barrett, CMP - Destination South Meetings + Events, a DMC Company

Tim Barrett, CMP, is director of meetings at Destination South Meetings + Events, an award-winning event design, meeting planning, and destination management firm. He brings nearly 20 years of hospitality experience working creatively with a variety of corporate, association, and social clients in developing and executing meetings, conferences, and special events. Tim was recently certified in Virtual Events and Meeting Management and is a Certified Meeting Professional.

Since 2009, Tim has been an instructor as part of the University of Georgia's certificate program in Event Planning and Meeting Management. In a volunteer capacity, he previously served as president of Meeting Professionals International (MPI) Georgia Chapter in addition to leadership and board positions with a number of other industry organizations including the Allie Awards, the International Live Events Association (ILEA) Greater Atlanta Chapter, and the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau (ACVB.)

Phillip Gamon- Atlanta Convention and Vistors Bureau (ACVB)

Phil Gamon is a National Sales Manager for Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau (ACVB) he along with his team is responsible for the sales, selling, and marketing of Atlanta and helps drive $16 billion dollars of spending to the city of Atlanta.

Phil is one of the newest members to ACVB but has over 15 years of experience in the Hospitality Industry. Phil came to Atlanta in 2015 and fell in love with the city’s vibe. Phil enjoys meeting new planners and groups to figure out their needs.  His passion for the city is what helps him translate into how their group will thrive when they come to Atlanta.

During his off-time Phil enjoys walking the city and finding new restaurants and spots to enjoy. He is an avid sports fan and enjoys cheering on Atlanta United at Mercedes Benz Stadium.

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Agenda:
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM:	Welcome/Networking/ State of Chapter
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM:	Panelist Conversation/ Breakouts

 

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This event is FREE to Members and Non-Members

Substitutions: If you have registered but are unable to attend the meeting, you may substitute another employee from your company by emailing info@mpigeorgia.org.

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Thank you to Our Event Sponsors:
Virtual Platform

 

Thank You to Our Annual Sponsors:
	Platinum
Gold		Bronze
In-Kind Audio Visual		In-Kind Photography