The New Normal - Negotiating Venue Contracts in the Current Economy

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

12:00pm - 1:15pm EST

Did you cut back on hotel room blocks and meeting space in the recession and now find yourself faced with a lack of inventory for your meetings?  What is the best way to determine room rates for meetings booked years in advance?  How can you protect your business from environmental threats such as mold and insects?  Can a standard contract template work for hoteliers and planners alike?  When should you agree on a mutual indemnification clause? 

PCMA New England members and industry partners gathered on November 30, 2010 at the Lenox Hotel for the year-end Annual meeting, which included a workshop, silent auction and educational program focused on destination choices by meeting and convention planners.

The afternoon kicked off inside of the light, bright and modern City Table restaurant, with a fantastic workshop led by Brad Lewis, Executive Director of the PCMA Foundation and Rick Wallwork, Associate Director of Boston Cares. The theme of the program was igniting your inner volunteer! More than 30 people participated in this roll-up-your-sleeves, round table discussion on how your company, your favorite organization or you as an individual can benefit from corporate social responsibility, as well as an eye-opening conversation on what it takes to make a difference in your local community.

The evening continued upstairs in the Lenox Hotel ballroom for the New England Chapter Annual Meeting, where Kati Quigley, PCMA Chairman of the Board and Director of Event Marketing at Microsoft Corporation, updated the audience on PCMA national news. During the annual meeting, the Chapter inducted the new 2011 PCMA New England Board of Directors and introduced the 2010 Don Lawrence Scholarship winner, Brayno S. Braynov.

 
After the business of the evening was completed, the educational program commenced with a lively panel discussion focused on decisions currently impacting destination selection. The program was moderated by Brad Lewis of the PCMA Foundation and included a panel of esteemed meeting and event planners who came from around the country to participate in the Annual Meeting:  

• Elizabeth Dooley Crane, Executive Director, American Association for Thoracic Surgery at PRRI
• Beth Ellis, Executive Director, National Electrical Contractors Association
• Nancy Needel, Independent Meeting Consultant & Planner, UnConventional Solutions
• Kati Quigley, PCMA Chairman of the Board and Director of Event Marketing at Microsoft Corporation
• Gene Rose, Communications Director, National Congress of State Legislatures

Finally, the evening ended with a festive networking reception, with delightful food and beverage provided by The Lenox Hotel and a successful silent auction that raised money for the PCMA New England Chapter, Boston Cares Foundation, and the Greater Boston Food Bank!

Thank you to all who participated as volunteers, provided donations of auction items and bid high and often.  A special acknowledgement goes to Mary Lynn Daur, Annual Meeting Co-Chair, for her tireless work on the event for many years!

We would like to recognize our Annual Meeting Sponsors & In-Kind Donors:

• Boston Omni Parker House Hotel
• Colonnade Hotel
• David Fox Photography
• Entertainment Specialists
• ITS Audiovisual
• Lenox Hotel
• NXTevent
• Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel

 Click here to view more photos from the 2010 Annual Meeting.

Suzanne Farias, PCMA NE 2011 Chapter President

Dear New England PCMA Chapter Members,

2011 is already shaping up to be an exciting year for the Chapter. We were fortunate to host a well attended reception at the annual meeting in Las Vegas where our members had the opportunity to connect with one another, share ideas and develop new friendships. Thank you to all who attended and to those that put it together on behalf of our Chapter.

As we continue to face challenges in our industry, most currently the weather, I am inspired by the tenacity, determination and resilience of all who live in New England. We are the eternal optimists because we know the "sun will come up tomorrow" and that is when we as planners or suppliers become creative problem solvers. For all of those meetings, conventions and flights, that were postponed or canceled, we continue to find ways to work with our partners to ensure a win/win for all involved. After all isn't that what Professional Convention Management is all about? Making it work in spite of challenges.

Taking on the role of President of the New England Chapter is a challenge for me as it is for the entire board. We are volunteers who are diligently working to grow our organization, offer quality educational content for our programs, embracing community service efforts, and taking steps to recognize upcoming talent through scholarship while keeping on pace with the paying jobs we all hold. Working with the chapter team I applaud their hard work and commitment to the chapter. What I find most rewarding in being a part of PCMA New England is the new friendships and business relationships I have been able to cultivate through this organization. While we are offering educational meetings to our members the true education for me has come from our volunteers who I learn from each time we meet.

At our annual meeting in December we asked for volunteers to come forward. Thank you to all who took that opportunity to sign up for shared tasks. We will be calling out to you in the next month in hopes you can share your time, talent or resources.

There is much on the horizon for our chapter this year that will assist you in growing your network and knowledge, make sure to take advantage of all that is offered.

Best regards,

Suzanne Farias

General Manager

Four Points by Sheraton, Leominster

& PCMA NE President

We need your help to continue to provide high-quality education programs and networking opportunities to New England's meetings community.

We are looking for:

- Chapter sponsors

- Event sponsors

- Newsletter sponsors

- In-kind sponsors

To learn more about how you can support PCMA NE while promoting your organization to our members, e-mail Laura Wenzel, chapter administrator.

Our special thanks to Erin McGrath, PCMA NE Past President, and the Waltham Westin Hotel for hosting the January PCMA NE Board Meeting!