Outstanding Meeting Memories: Two CMPs Reflect & Share

Two CMPs were asked to reflect on meeting experiences and identify the most vivid meeting memories in their careers.  What follows are Lora and Heidi’s reflections. If you would like to be included in future CMP articles, contact editor@midwestmeetings.com.

Left: Lora J. Di Padova-Tannehill, CMP
Director of Scientific Meetings
American Society of Neuroradiology (ASNR)

Right: Heidi Edinger, CMP Director of Sales and Marketing
MileNorth, A Chicago Hotel

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Lora J. Di Padova-Tannehill, CMP
Director of Scientific Meetings
American Society of Neuroradiology (ASNR)

I’ve been in the industry for approximately 25 years, starting in 1987 in a corporate marketing department for a real estate and property management firm. There I handled special events at various properties and moved into association meeting planning in 1990, the year I earned my CMP. I have focused on medical meeting planning for the last 17 years. 

My most memorable career highlights were receiving the 2010 Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) Meeting Professional of the Year Award and the 2011 Greater Midwest Chapter (GMC) PCMA Robert J. Donovan Award.  It was such an honor to be recognized by my industry peers and to share this with my family, professional mentors and industry colleagues. 

My most memorable event is actually ASNR’s successful 50th Annual Meeting held in April 2012 at the Hilton New York. Our team of ASNR key leaders and staff had some concerns from the initial contracting phase many years ago and throughout the early planning stages for this event. We were apprehensive about meeting our room block and food and beverage commitments and absorbing higher than average room rental fees. Our team efforts and weekly, sometimes daily, discussions were on developing strategies to ensure the attendance would meet the budget forecasts and keep costs within anticipated ranges. 

I was thrilled that, from all of the collaborative efforts, ASNR had a successful meeting, ranging from record numbers of cutting-edge research, attendance, trade show booths and representatives, and most importantly from our participants and key leaders.

The efforts by ASNR staff and key volunteers, combined with our close communications and partnering with great team members at the Hilton New York and NYC Company, resulted in a memorable and successful 50th Annual Meeting for the ASNR. 

Heidi Edinger, CMP 
Director of Sales and Marketing
MileNorth, A Chicago Hotel 

I have been in the industry 21 years, starting in 1991. I received my CMP in 1996 or 1997. It is so long ago, I hardly recall.

My most vivid meeting planning memory was when I had my own meeting and event planning business called the Dragonfly Meetings Network. I was fortunate to have a really strong network of former clients and contacts from years of working in the business. Right out of the gate, I started off with several large projects, but one of my favorites was working with Cosmetologists in Chicago and the America’s Beauty Show. I worked on their Latino division for a conference in Los Angeles, CA and, when they were short a hair model; I was at the registration desk and was asked to fill in. I ended up on stage, in a see through dress with fuchsia pink hair that day. You can say that I “took one for the team”! It was a great group to work with and loads of fun!