The Wisconsin Society of Association Executives congratulates Megan Cuccia on becoming the first recipient of the WSAE CAE Scholarship. As a scholarship recipient Cuccia will receive complimentary study group registration and reimbursement for books and/or the exam sitting fee.

The CAE scholarship helps WSAE advance its mission of providing programs and resources for association executives. Through this scholarship we hope to positively impact professionals in 2010 and in years to come! 

In preparation for their final project planning and coordination assessment project, 17 Administrative Professional students from Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC) were treated to a "behind the scenes" tour of the Country Springs Hotel in Waukesha on April 5.  WSAE membership co-chairs Tera Sagen, Country Spring's group sales manager and Denise Rockhill, NFPA's communications and meetings manager were on hand to offer insight into the world of meeting planning - sharing their experiences from both the hotel and association client's perspective.  
 
The lively two-hour presentation by Sagen and Rockhill stressed the importance of working together to build a successful conference program by meeting the attendees' needs through creating an enjoyable meeting experience. Students were given the opportunity to view meeting rooms and ask questions regarding room set-up, day-to-day hotel operations, reservations and cut-off dates, food and beverage, audio visual and security. Students learned to be aware of "other" fees such as service fees, sales tax, parking and resort fees. Sagen stressed the importance of asking questions during the initial planning stages in order to ensure that the hotel meets the group's needs. Rockhill added that contract negotiation was a valuable skill to learn and that "everything is negotiable" when entering the contract phase of the meeting planning process. Rockhill pointed out the importance of cut-off dates, guarantees, and attrition clauses and how they help to solidify a successful event. 
 
Handouts included a sample meeting room summary from Sagen and a project list that Rockhill uses to coordinate the program details. Students will use both of these documents to complete their final assessment project.
 
Throughout the presentation the value of belonging to a professional association such as WSAE was emphasized as a way to learn - through educational sessions and networking opportunities - more about careers in the hospitality and association industries.

 

Getting students more actively involved with WSAE is one of the WSAE Membership Committee's goals for 2010. Students are our future workforce and inviting them to come to an educational meeting and/or getting them actively involved in the industry will ensure the continued success of the association. If you would like to learn about this initiative, please contact Tera Sagen at teras@countryspringshotel.com or Denise Rockhill at drockhill@nfpa.com.

 

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