eVision  Newsletter
The Official Publication of the MPI Utah Chapter
March 2006

The 9th annual MPI Utah Chinese Auction

One of the Most Talked About Events of the Year will be held on April 11, 2006!

The 9th annual MPI Utah Chinese Auction will be held April 11 at the 23rd Floor of the Wells Fargo Building in downtown Salt Lake.

The 2006 Chinese Auction charity partners will be the Children’s Justice Center and the MPI Utah Scholarship Fund. Last year, the MPI Chapter donated $5,000 from this event to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Utah and sponsored little Emily’s wish to take her family to Walt Disney World.

We are currently soliciting and compiling donations for both the silent and live auctions. Please contact Kim Duffett, VP Special Events Utah Chapter MPI – E-mail: kduffett@harthotels.com if you can help out with a donation – no gift is too small and it all goes to help both MPI and Children’s Justice Center.

Emily did not fall asleep on the flight home from her wish trip to Walt Disney World as expected. Instead, she sang Disney songs for more than four hours, danced in the aisle and entertained all the passengers.

Emily is a very social three-year-old with sparkling blue eyes who loves being around people. Emily was born with the rare genetic defect commonly known as the "bubble boy disease" or Severe Combined Immuno-deficiency, or SCID. She was born without an immune system and had to live in isolation for the first few years of her life.

However, after Emily had a bone marrow transplant, she was finally able to visit with others. It is hard to believe that her wish trip was one of her first experiences after being in isolation so long! During her wish trip to Walt Disney World Resort her family stayed at Give Kids the World Village. Her mom said that the most impressive moment of their entire trip was when they got off the plane and were met by the Give Kids The World greeters, who showered them with kindness. All her fears melted away as she realized that the wonderful careful treatment she had received prior to leaving would continue all the way through their wish.

Emily is doing very well now and is still discovering the world around her. Her naturally friendly personality at last has the opportunity to bloom and charm all of us fortunate enough to witness her magical adventure that is just beginning.

Reprinted with permission from Make-A-Wish Foundation of Utah

Charitable Giving!

Valentine’s Day Kick-off for 2006 Charitable Giving Campaign

Fifty-plus Utah Chapter members spent their Valentine's Day lunch hours at Fleming's. The lively group enjoyed learning about the Chapter's new alliance with the Children's Justice Center and brushing up on "Dining Skills for Today" with Advantage Protocol's Breanne Dixon. The conversations were flying, as was a little food, as attendees practiced the Continental Dining method (fork in left hand, knife in right) with the delicious meal presented by Fleming's. No one will soon forget the valuable reminders "Stroke, don't saw, your meat" and "As the ship sails out to sea, I spoon my soup away from me".

In support of the Children’s Justice Center (CJC), members opened their Valentine hearts by donating new stuffed animals that will be given to children interviewed at the CJC.

At the CJC, families receive free services in a peaceful home setting in a residential area; crisis intervention by skilled staff, referral to counseling and medical services, free language translation services, and advocacy for the best interest of the child. The CJC is a Salt Lake County government program administered by the Division of Youth Services within the Department of Human Services.

• The Children’s Justice Center helps 1,800 children annually and 4,200 families annually with Sexual Abuse, Physical Abuse, Domestic Violence and Drug Endangerment issues.
• The average age of victim served is 10 years old.
• 72% of families served are low income to very low-income families.

To find out more about the CJC, go to their website: www.cjcslc.org or come to the February 14 meeting where a special presentation will be made. For questions regarding MPI and its relationship with the Children’s Justice Center, call MPI Utah Philanthropy Committee Chair, Vicki Berntsen, CMP, at 801-424-9176 or E-mail vberntsen@exposoft.com.

Live Out Loud

Utah Chapter Members Are Urged to "Live Out Loud" at the January Meeting

The Sheraton City Center Hotel played host to the January video presentation by professional speaker, Amanda Gore. This high energy meeting may prove to be one of the most talked about of the year.

Thanks to meeting sponsor Webb Audio Visual, the video presentation went off without a hitch. MPI members were laughing, crying, standing – just short of rolling in the aisle - as they viewed Amanda and her comical, yet educational, method of presenting.

Here’s what some other MPI Utah members had to say:

“The day MPI Utah played the Amanda Gore Presentation I was feeling overwhelmed, tired and basically negative. That attitude reflected in a conversation I had with another MPI Member regarding a committee we were organizing. Unbeknownst to me, Amanda's presentation was exactly for a person like me that day.

She motivated me to want to create a positive spirit in myself and others – and to communicate and lead through inspiration. I have always wanted to be around people who make me laugh, as humor is the best medicine. Amanda Gore has the wonderful ability to inspire through humor.

“I loved the presentation! It was awesome and I felt very inspired when I left. I have even started implementing some of the strategies, both in my personal and professional life. Its funny, usually you attend “seminars” like that and feel inspired for a day or so, then you forget all about it. But this has had a lasting affect. It was GREAT!”
Jessica Johnson
Make A Wish Foundation of Utah

Since the MPI Meeting on January 10th, I've been so motivated by Amanda to choose my attitude and make a difference in my life, the lives of those I work with and the lives of those I love, that I've played Amanda's "Lead Out Loud" presentation a couple of times… of course while using the Heart Glasses & the Sparkly Bits!! Although I've had the privilege to see Amanda Gore in person, it had been years. And, and let's face it friends, in this life we all need a boost now and then. Amanda's "Christmas on a Stick" laugh out loud inner look at myself has really helped me to 'reframe' my situation and to make each day as positive as I can for myself, my family and those around me.”
Robbi Hogan
Sheraton City Center Hotel

“In the fast paced, high pressure world we live in, it was a pleasure to take the time to sit with our peers and enjoy the energy and purpose of Amanda's presentation. Her story behind the "sparkly bits" and the heart shaped glasses given out to all in attendance added to the fun and supported the purpose of her presentation.”
Beth Belt, CMP
SLCVB

“I’ve seen Amanda in person so I kind of knew what to expect. Several of us from Snowbird participated. It was a good experience. We teased about some of the different anecdotes after the meeting, keeping the fun going in the office for a while. Thank you for such a great meeting. Amanda was almost as good on video as she is in person.”
Laura Cappel, CMP
Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort

Live a Balanced Life

Life Balance: Myth or Possibility – Article By Amanda Gore

Following the high-energy presentation by Amanda Gore in January, some of our members may need another Amanda “endorphin injection.” This is for you.

Click here to read the full article

Congratulations Laura Cappel, CMP – MPI Utah Scholarship Recipient

As a past leader of MPI Utah and having been a part of awarding the International conference scholarships to others, it was such a privilege for me to be chosen as the recipient this year. Since I went through a transition with Snowbird in April, 2005 (from Director of Conferences and Events to Group Sales) attending an MPI Conference was not something that had been put in Snowbird’s Group Sales travel budget. I had attended the PEC for the past several years and it has become an important part of my professional life. I wanted so badly to be able to go to Charlotte, that I decided my chance could be through applying for the scholarship. My thanks to the committee for allowing me the opportunity.

The conference was very educational and as always, the networking events fantastic. One of the main topics this year was MPI’s new Member Solutions benefit. This allows members to perform their own skills assessment & development plan and find career resources. This opportunity was available to us at the MPI Global Village and members can now participate by going to the MPI website.

The opening night reception, held at the Bank of America building included a variety of local talents and food, as well as a real live Nascar Pit Crew competition, in which our own Diane Utley (SLCVB) and Janet Glick (Grand America) participated. This was a great opportunity to catch up with our own chapter members and other long-time MPI friends.

As always, the final night reception brought great talent in the form of Chris Isaak this year and once again, Utah was in the spotlight with Kara Swenson getting a pass to the pre-concert sound check and press party, (you can see her photo with Chris on the MPI website) as well as being a “back-up singer” on stage with him!

From the President

MPI Member Solutions has arrived!

By Pauline Gunn, Unishippers Association, Inc.
President

This unprecedented initiative will define our profession, build personalized career paths for you, and completely personalize your MPI membership experience. It is now ready for you to log-on and dive in:

1. Visit www.mpiweb.org and log in to My MPI using your member number.
2. Planners, take the MPI Professional Pathways skills assessment.
3. Planners and suppliers, complete your online member profile.

However, MPI Member Solutions is much more than a new website. It is a new way of doing business for MPI but most importantly it’s about defining our profession and helping you become more successful through education and career resources customized for you. Best of all, its free to MPI members:

• MPI Professional Pathways: your online skills self-assessment based on the industry's first core competencies, skills and job descriptions for meeting professionals. After completing the skills assessment, you’ll immediately receive an online report of jobs, articles, books, courses and events best suited for your career goals
• My MPI: your personalized website delivering education, content and information specific to your member profile, preferences and results of your skills assessment
• MPI Resource Center: your one-on-one center for membership services, jobs, career resources, conference registration, the MPI Bookstore, peer-to-peer assistance and more

Our entire chapter can benefit. If every one of our planners take the skills assessment, our Chapter VP of Education can use that aggregate data to customize chapter programs based on our needs. (Don’t worry, your individual results will be strictly confidential, chapter reports are based on aggregate data). And, MPI Headquarters is offering free conference registrations, Platinum programs or US$2,500 in cash to the chapter with highest percentage of completed planner skills assessments by June 2006, so planners, log on today!

For suppliers, when MPI strengthens the profession and defines career paths for planners, that means enormous potential for more business. I invite you to take advantage of the personalization available from your My MPI page and the MPI Resource Center. And, encourage your clients to get involved in MPI Member Solutions.

MPI Member Solutions won’t be a success without your participation! You will not receive the promise that this tool holds unless you complete your profile and planners take the skills assessment. Keep in mind this is just the beginning. Just as our profession evolves, so will MPI Member Solutions and the value it delivers.

Thank you for your support of MPI Member Solutions. If you have questions, please contact me at pauline.gunn@mpiutah.org or contact MPI Headquarters at 1-972-702-3000.

With best regards,
Pauline Gunn
Utah Chapter President

PEC Re-cap – From a First Timer’s View

By Debra Kosaka - Westgate Park City Resort & Spa

North Carolina was a great location for those flying into town. The Convention Center was less than 10 minutes from Charlotte-Douglas Airport and ground transportation was easy to find and reasonably priced. The weather ended up being quite beautiful after a shaky rainy windy start.

Like all convention/trade show environments, registration booths were at the entrance. The lines were short and the staff very helpful. Signage was somewhat confusing but once you figured out the basics, everything was in close proximity of one another.

Chapter sign-making -- truly an art that needs to be nurtured and developed. There were 6 of us representing UTAH and our sign-holder, thank goodness, was 6’8” – so if we weren’t the best, we certainly were the highest!

The Opening General Session was somewhat light in content and after speaking with many others, the consensus was that WEC was much better. Instead of a Keynote speaker, the opening session utilized a talk show style panel discussion with various companies. The companies represented discussed how our industry and theirs have changed in the last 5 years.

The Opening session was followed by concurrent sessions.

That evening, Vickie Berntsen, CMP put together a very nice Utah reception at The Marriott. We then ventured across the street to the Opening Reception at the Bank of America Plaza Building which was interesting, lively and fun. The set-up was such that there were many, many different food & beverage stations, which kept the lines short and the crowds moving. After the Opening Reception, one could enjoy a late-night event at The Forum.

The following day began with the trade show portion of the conference. This was fun and very well-attended. There is no doubt that deals were made that morning. It was great to see so many from Utah.

Tuesday’s educational component of the conference was excellent. The offering of courses was quite varied and no one would have a problem finding something interesting, helpful and useful. The luncheon hosted by New Orleans CVB was great and the entertainment top notch.

On Tuesday night, the Closing Reception and Dinner was held in the Convention Center. It was great to see so many people. Dinner was good, but many were upset by the long buffet lines. The entertainment, however, never stopped. From walking bananas, acrobats, musicians and country & western singer Chris Isaak, I’m sure this will be a memorable PEC-NA for all.

Holiday Event – in a Winter Wonderland

Utah MPI members braved the elements of December 6 (recorded for one of the largest storms of the season) for a holiday celebration at one of Utah’s most scenic restaurants. Decorated with evergreen boughs and crimson poinsettias, Log Haven Restaurant was a wonderland of colors and scents of Christmas for all who attended. While woven garlands hung through the balustrades and candle pomanders decorated the tables, MPI members enjoyed an evening retreat from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.

New Member Spotlight

Sarah Timms - Tybrin Corporation, Hill Air Force Base

Most people don’t just fall into the special events industry, but for new MPI member and event coordinator Sarah Timms, that’s what happened.

After graduating from Utah State University in 2004 with a degree in Public Relations, Sarah planned events for Office Depot stores nationwide, and then supported Hewlett-Packard resellers in the mid-west until an event planning position at Hill Air Force Base caught her eye.

Sarah made the switch to Tybrin Corporation in 2005. Here, among other events, she is in charge of a yearly user’s conference for 2100+ people from every branch of the military and 15 foreign countries discussing “Mission Planning.”

“Planning events with the military is a whole different ballgame,” Sarah says. “For example, I need over 6 officers, including two in the Pentagon, to sign-off for supporting my yearly conference before I can officially start planning, or space reservation.”

Since her beginnings at Tybrin, Sarah has expanded the vision of meeting planning in the corporation, increasing the number of events by over 65 percent.

“My military events discuss exciting issues like blowing things up more effectively,” says Sarah. “It’s a six-year-old’s dream!”

Sarah joined MPI this year in order to be connected to other planners and suppliers and keep up-to-date about the profession. She lives in Cottonwood Heights, and enjoys NPR and her iPod to help pass her lengthy commute.

Welcome to Our Newest Utah Chapter Members