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November 18, 2021 Virtual Meeting - Building Stronger Partnerships
If the pandemic has taught the event industry one thing, it has been that we CAN meet, but we want MORE. The industry is demanding MORE + BETTER educational content at arms reach as we continue the uphill battle in the current climate of an on-going pandemic.
Meeting in-person is not “what it used to be” and valued partnerships mean more now than ever. With corporate and social pressures influencing the status quo, the hospitality industry faces a new challenge of maintaining and fostering engagement in a world of Virtual Fatigue.
So, what have we learned and how can we grow from the difficulties of the last 18 months? The St. Louis Area Chapter of MPI invites you to join us for a deep dive and cross regional discussion around the importance of valued partnerships across the event industry and how our relationships continue to adapt in the current climate.
Learning Objectives:
- Discuss the change in pre-pandemic flight vs fight response and how the industry has adapted within the current climate and event dynamics.
- Discuss cross regional differences within the hospitality industry, including meetings and events, conventions, and supply and demand.
- Discuss value partnership adaptation and how the supply chain has changed across the country.
- Discuss industry best practices in our current climate, including industry response team, contingency planning, and program delivery.
- Discuss which expectations, responses, and values have been adopted or adapted in our partner relationships
Our Speakers
Sarah Pinkowski, CMP, Meetings Manager, Meetings & Travel Department, Enterprise Holdings
Immediate Past President, MPI St. Louis
Sarah Pinkowski has over 20+ years in the event industry and currently holds a position as Meetings Manager for Enterprise’s global meetings, ensuring both in-person and virtual, are designed to inspire and motivate employees with new technology and innovation coupled with long-standing operational procedures and best practices. Sarah currently serves on the MPI St. Louis board of directors as the Immediate Past President for the current 2021-2022 year.
Angela Minardi, Founder, Fit City Adventures
Angela Minardi is the Chief Experience Officer at Fit City Adventures, a corporate wellness & lifestyle concierge that keeps teams connected & healthy by providing "team building with a twist” through 100+virtual and onsite events including meditation, ergonomics, fitness & cooking challenges, team trainings, music & art experiences, game shows, a speaker series and more.
Suzy Kay, CMP, Regional Sales Representative, Visit Santa Barbara
Director of Member Recruitment, MPI Southern California
With over 25 years of experience in the hospitality and tourism industry, Suzy Kay has been seen all capacities of work from hotel sales, DMC's, incentive companies and destination marketing organizations. Suzy’s aligned with her passion for travel and profession throughout the years, currently working as Regional Sales representative at Visit Santa Barbara serving Meeting & Event Planners in Southern CA, AZ, NV and UT. Suzy currently holds a board member position at MPI Southern California as the Director of Member Recruitment.
John Kirby, National Sales Manager, Encore Global Sales Organization
President, MPI Kansas City
John Kirby is twenty-year veteran of Encore events industry with a strong passion in industry relations. John currently works on the National Account Management team in Encore’s Global Sales Organization supporting account-based needs and relationships with direct strategic customers. John is highly involved in the MPI Kansas City Chapter, serving as the current Chapter President for the 2021-22 board year.
Matthew Lehman, General Manager, Grand Bohemian Hotel Asheville
Matthew Lehman is the General Manager of the Grand Bohemian Hotel Asheville, the iconic property located in the Historic Biltmore Village of Asheville, North Carolina. A veteran in the hospitality industry, he has more than two decades of leadership experience in fine dining and luxury hotels. A passion for food and wine kept him returning to the restaurant industry, which led him to stops in Beverly Hills, Hollywood, and Bel Air. Matthew has led numerous renovation projects and introduced new F&B concepts, including FIG Restaurant and The Bungalow. Today, Matthew serves on the board of Explore Asheville and is engaged with numerous charitable organizations.
This program has been submitted to the Events Industry Council (EIC) for CMP Preferred Provider review and has been approved for 1.5 credit hours. MPI St. Louis Area Chapter has been approved by the Events Industry Council as a Preferred Provider of the above-listed continuing education course, which qualifies for CMP continuing education credit. Determination of continuing education credit eligibility or Preferred Provider status does not imply EIC's endorsement or assessment of education quality.
Audio-Visual Sponsor
With over 25 years of experience in event production and management, Heard Global serves as a source for fine audio visual production for events locally and across the country with turn key service offerings. This includes in-person, virtual and hybrid event production, audio visual support, creative development, activation and sponsorships, décor and event design, and destination services. Heard Global is committed to working closely with each client to create truly transformative events that consistently exceed expectations and overall objectives.
Interested in Being a Monthly Program Sponsor?
Would you like additional exposure within the MPI St. Louis Area Chapter? Have your logo proudly displayed (in our registrations materials, via social media and at our meeting), and share a few words about your company to our membership at the podium. Contact Robert Brice for information about Monthly Program sponsorship opportunities at rbrice@meetprestige.com or (314) 719-9620.
Supplier Members have the option of being a Virtual Program Sponsor for $30. This is a great opportunity to capture the attention of the online audience and be recognizes as a MPI St. Louis monthly sponsor.
When:
Thursday, November 18, 2021
1:00 pm Welcome
1:10 pm Mindful Matters - No Stress with Fit City Adventure
1:30 pm Building Stronger Partnerships, Cross-Regional Panel Discussion
2:15 pm Q&A
2:30 pm Closing
Fee:
$25 Members
$35 Non-Members/Guests**
Students - Call MPI St. Louis at (314) 416-2234 for rate and to register.
**Meeting Attendance Policy: Per MPI Global all Essential Level Members or Non-Members will be limited to attending no more than two events in one fiscal year (July 1-June 30), and must pay the Essential Member/Non-Member Rate. MPI Preferred and Premier Level Members are welcome to attend all chapter events at the Member Rate. This policy is required for all MPI Chapters. Please click here to familiarize yourself with MPI's membership levels.