home »
A collection of new changes in the meetings world, updated daily. SUBMIT YOUR PRESS/NEWS RELEASE
The Indianapolis CVA has announced the opening of a new satellite sales office in Chicago. The CVA has hired Dustin Arnheim as national sales manager. In this role, Arnheim will work to attract business to Indianapolis from national associations and other organizations based in and around Chicago. Prior to joining the Indianapolis CVA, Arnheim worked at the Hyatt Regency Indianapolis as associate director of sales.
Hyatt Regency O'Hare has announced efforts to go green. Initiatives include extensive recycling and water and energy conservation programs. Hyatt Regency O'Hare recently received WasteWise certification from the Environmental Protection Agency.
In an effort to conserve water and energy, the hotel has installed new aerators in bathroom sink faucets throughout the property. The hotel will have the potential to conserve 3,334,000 gallons of fresh water annually, as well as over 7,827 therms that are used to heat the water. Compact fluorescent bulbs, which use 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs, are now in all guestrooms and the Conference Meeting Center.
The new bulbs save over 2,601,754 kilowatts of energy per year. The hotel has also developed an eco-friendly linen program, encouraging guests to use towels more than once in order to save natural resources. The hotel’s kitchen facilities have recently set new standards to reduce their use of natural gas as well.
Susan Sarfati, CAE, founding president and CEO of The Center for Association Leadership and executive vice president of ASAE, has announced her intention to leave the organizations. Her decision will be effective August 31, 2008. She has been a leader in the association management profession for more than 25 years.
In 2004, Sarfati played a leadership role in the historic merger between ASAE, GWSAE, the ASAE Foundation and The Center for Association Leadership that resulted in the linking of ASAE & The Center.
The Dearborn Inn, A Marriott Hotel, has completed a comprehensive $5.5 million renovation. The project included 229 guestrooms and all first-floor meeting spaces, including the Dearborn Ballroom. The final phase of the renovation includes upgrades to the Concierge wing, which will be complete in June. Guestroom upgrades include flat-screen TVs, new furniture throughout, and new carpet and window treatments.
The Avenue Hotel Chicago opened today on the Magnificent Mile. The property contains 150 one-bedroom and junior suites and 200 expansive guestrooms. All rooms feature high-definition LCD TVs, complimentary wireless internet access and in-room dining, among other amenities. More than 18,000 sq. ft. of function space is available to groups.
Meeting space provides wireless internet access, a professional convention services staff, the latest in audiovisual technology and complete onsite technology services.
The PCMA Education Foundation has announced the recipients of research grants and scholarships. Approved research grants have been awarded to Tyra Hilliard, J.D., CMP and Amanda Cecil, Ph.D., CMP. Hilliard received a grant for a study on "Crisis Prepared Meetings: Factors Influencing the Full Adoption of a Comprehensive Crises Preparedness Program."
Cecil received a grant to conduct extensive research on "Meeting Management Programs in US Higher Education." In addition, the PCMA Education Foundation awarded scholarships to nine PCMA student members. Five students are receiving the Roy B. Evans Scholarship. They include Ashley Akright, Daniel Burnett, Peter DiOrio, Tara Miller and Sara Quinteros-Fernandez.
Three students are receiving the Multicultural Scholarship. They include Jessica Albino, Dovie Foster and Jodie Ann Robinson. The Student Planner of the Year Scholarship recipient is Lars Friedriszik.
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®), the producer of the Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC 2008®), has employed new measures to prevent pirate exhibitors. Measures include the following: • Vigorous promotion of the official HITEC exhibitor list, hotel room blocks and allied organizations • Increased security at HITEC 2008 • Attendee and exhibitor awareness of the issue
• Aggressive defense of HITEC and HFTP service marks • Attendee volunteers who provide show organizers with copies of product demonstration invitations • Increased cooperation from the official HITEC hotels to notify HFTP of attempts by non-exhibiting companies to gain meeting space
HITEC 2008 will be held June 16-19, 2008.
Turning its focus on small groups, Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers completed an overhaul of its Executive Conference Center. The project's emphasis was on intimate meetings and C-level gatherings. The revamped, 3,800 sq. ft. facility, divisible into seven meeting rooms, provides an upscale option for groups.
New technology has been added to three of the breakout rooms. Parlors C, F and G provides superior audiovisual features including enhanced sound with an in-ceiling speaker system, dimmable lighting and convenient wiring for power, data and voice technologies. Parlors F and G features mounted 50” NEC plasma monitors offering cable feed capabilities, video/DVD functionality and laptop compatibility.
In addition to the technology upgrades, high-speed internet access system components for all the parlors feature best-in-class Cisco network infrastructure.
The Trade Show Exhibitors Association (TSEA) has announced it is embarking on a new strategic program to better serve its members. As the first action, the board appointed Margit B. Weisgal, CME as the organization’s new executive director.
Weisgal has been with Sextant Communications, a tradeshow exhibitor education and consulting firm, for almost 20 years. She is the author of Show and Sell, 133 Business Building Ways to Promote Your Trade Show Exhibit, and she has been an active member of TSEA for many years.
Cory Chambers has been appointed as director of sales and marketing for the $425 million JW Marriott Indianapolis complex scheduled to open downtown in 2011. Previously, Chambers worked nearly two years as director of sales and marketing for the New Orleans Marriott. During his more than ten years with Marriott International, Chambers has been honored multiple times as the President’s and Chairman’s Circle award winner for outstanding sales achievement.
The officers of the Meet Minneapolis Board of Directors announced Melvin Tennant is the new president and CEO, effective immediately. Since November 1, 2007, Tennant has held the position of interim president and CEO of Meet Minneapolis, while continuing to serve as chief executive for Meet Minneapolis’s software affiliate iDSS. Tennant will manage a staff of more than 60 and a budget of nearly $10 million.
The Abbey Resort & Spa in Fontana has announced the addition of Lisa Delton as director of the resort’s all-new AVANI Spa. Delton comes to the Abbey from Solimar Spa in Eagan, MN, a luxury, full-service wellness spa that she successfully owned and operated.
As the new spa director, Delton will manage and oversee all operations of the newly renamed AVANI Spa. The spa has just begun a $1.5 million renovation and will include 35,000 sq. ft. of space, offering a full menu of spa services.
Chateau on the Lake Resort, Spa and Convention Center in Branson has welcomed back Doug Knopp as executive chef. Knopp’s career spans 20 years leading the culinary teams of AAA Four and Five Diamond properties, including 11 years at various Four Seasons Hotels. Knopp began his duties at Chateau on April 21 and will oversee a culinary team of 30 for banquets and at the Chateau’s five restaurants and lounges.
Jumer's Casino Rock Island is preparing for the opening of its new casino and hotel in the Quad Cities area. The new property will open in December 2008 and will include a luxurious hotel, meeting space, four full-service restaurants, a lounge with live music and more. The five-story hotel will contain 205 guestrooms, eight junior suites and three master suites. In addition, the new property will include a 700-seat event center for concerts, tradeshows, meetings and banquet functions.
The new casino will offer 42,500 sq. ft. of gaming space that will include more than 1,100 slot machines, 24 table games, poker and a high-stakes slot area.
Shura Lindgren, general manager of the Saint Charles Convention Center, received the First Annual Zonta Yellow Rose Award for her efforts in community service as a “Woman of Influence” in St. Charles County. Since the center opened in 2005, Lindgren has encouraged the Global Spectrum staff to participate in at least one philanthropic activity each year. In 2007, those efforts led the Global Spectrum staff led to 100% full-time staff participation in this initiative.
More than 200 members of Iowa's tourism industry honored Sue Armor, director of the Mason City CVB, today with the Iowa Tourism Leadership Award. Armour has been an active participant in the Iowa tourism industry for more than a decade. As a current Travel Federation of Iowa District Leader, she speaks frequently with her legislators on the importance of travel to Iowa’s economy. She has also served as vice president and president of the Central Iowa Tourism Region.
A former board member for the Iowa Group Travel Association, she now functions as management staff for that organization, keeping records and the website current and assisting members with questions
Turning Technologies, LLC has announced the availability of ResponseCard® AnyWhere. This is the company's newest and most versatile audience response system. ResponseCard AnyWhere is an LCD screen-equipped handheld receiver for presenters. It is a highly portable, preparation-free polling solution that does not require a projector or computer. Presenters need only ask a question of the audience and press a single button to open polling. Attendees respond via ResponseCard RF keypads.
Plans are in the works for a new banquet center and Hampton Inn and Suites in Aberdeen. The plans have been submitted to the city's planning and zoning office. The proposed banquet center would be located south of the Holiday Inn Express, with the Hampton Inn and Suites located to the east of the banquet center. The hotels would be attached by walkway to the center, but not to each other.
Delta and Northwest airlines last night announced a $17.7 billion merger. The merger will create the world's largest carrier. To be called Delta, the airline will employ 75,000 people. Officials stated there will be no layoffs and no closings at this time.
Shoreline Sightseeing begins its 69th season with an expanded schedule of daily Architecture Cruises and Skyline Boat Tours, plus new Sunset and Fireworks Cruises. Water Taxis will also offer both morning and afternoon commuter service and daily visitor service.
Shoreline’s Chicago River Architecture Cruises and Lake Michigan Skyline Boat Tours will now offer daily service April through November. Shoreline has also added a new daily Sunset Cruise beginning April 26th and a combination Architecture/Fireworks Cruise beginning May 24th.
Shoreline will also continue to offer its regular Fireworks Cruises on Wednesday and Saturday evenings as well as for all Chicago holiday and festival fireworks displays.
The Eagan CVB recently unveiled a new logo and a state-of-the-art, interactive website. The new logo features the city name with an accentuated E incorporated into a compass icon. The emphasis on the E represents many adjectives, such as exhilarating, exciting and entertaining, and the compass symbolizes the ease and convenience of finding and staying in Eagan.
The new website includes rotating images and streaming video, and the home page features a virtual coupon section.
The Convention Industry Council (CIC) has announced the addition of two new member organizations. They are the Green Meetings Industry Council and the International Association of Professional Congress Organizers. CIC now represents 33 member organizations within the meetings, conventions and exhibitions industry.