Plan for Man's Best Friend Too!
by Terry Matthews-Lombardo
Most meeting planners are constantly increasing their industry vocabulary to include new terminology such as bandwidth, hybrid meetings, social tables and more. But imagine if your job required you to learn about trigger locks, rifle stock, Wachtelhund and Munsterlander – say what?
by Terry Matthews-Lombardo
Most meeting planners are constantly increasing their industry vocabulary to include new terminology such as bandwidth, hybrid meetings, social tables and more. But imagine if your job required you to learn about trigger locks, rifle stock, Wachtelhund and Munsterlander – say what?
Welcome to the meeting planning world of Lacey Anderson, whose career has gone from international travel covering corporate events for three Olympic Games to her current position as the Marketing and Events Coordinator for Pheasants Forever, Inc. and Quail Forever, nonprofit organizations based in Minnesota dedicated to the protection and enhancement of pheasant and other wildlife populations through habitat improvement, public awareness and education. With a membership that currently surpasses 130,000 people spread over 700 chapters, you can imagine that Lacey’s job requires “just a few” events throughout the year. Some are normal fundraisers such as golf tournaments, but others, like wild game dinners, would definitely be classified as a little out-of-the-ordinary. And then there’s the annual National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic, a consumer show that draws more than 25,000 outdoor enthusiasts throughout a full weekend of events, all centered on wildlife conservation, management and restoration.
And, oh yeah, game bird hunting and dog training. Oh my!
And, oh yeah, game bird hunting and dog training. Oh my!
So, you think your job is challenging trying to find hotel space that includes enough suites for your VIPs? Well what if those VIPs were classified as ‘man’s best friend,’ meaning the hotel rooms had to be dog friendly with convenient ‘relief areas’ close by? And what if, in addition to finding pet friendly locations, you also had to research state gun restrictions and laws specific to both your convention center and all surrounding hotels before you could even consider booking said facilities? Such is the challenge that Lacey accepted when starting her journey with this fascinating organization. “When I started I was greeted by four-legged fury friends [in the office] along with taxidermy mounts of pheasant, sage grouse, prairie chickens, fish, deer, and plenty of other wildlife species. This is definitely a fun work atmosphere, and a real family environment. Although I wasn’t a hunter prior to this job, I have definitely joined the ranks and am looking forward to getting deeper into the field as time allows.”
Okay planners, getting back to that earlier reference about the ‘Wachtelhund and Munsterlander’… any guesses as to what these are? If you answered “breeds of hunting dogs,” you were correct, and when asked just how important they are to the success of her big annual event Lacey’s response was immediate. “They are a HUGE component of our show. We parade them with their owners through the pre-function area of the exhibit hall where an announcer introduces each owner and dog on a stage. This gives the [general public] audience an opportunity to learn about that specific breed and what they are best known for in the hunting world. We also have a Bird Dog Alley section on our show floor that consists solely of Bird Dog Breeders and Clubs, but the highlight of our National Classic is that Bird Dog Parade which kicks it off each year.”
Okay planners, getting back to that earlier reference about the ‘Wachtelhund and Munsterlander’… any guesses as to what these are? If you answered “breeds of hunting dogs,” you were correct, and when asked just how important they are to the success of her big annual event Lacey’s response was immediate. “They are a HUGE component of our show. We parade them with their owners through the pre-function area of the exhibit hall where an announcer introduces each owner and dog on a stage. This gives the [general public] audience an opportunity to learn about that specific breed and what they are best known for in the hunting world. We also have a Bird Dog Alley section on our show floor that consists solely of Bird Dog Breeders and Clubs, but the highlight of our National Classic is that Bird Dog Parade which kicks it off each year.”
At the most recent Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic, which was held in Milwaukee, WI, Megan Husband, CSM with Visit Milwaukee had this to say about their city being chosen to host this exciting event: “The Classic proved to be a huge success and one of the best attended public shows we’ve had the privilege of hosting in our city. Lacey and her team were extremely well organized and professional, outlining all their unique requirements for us well in advance. This made it easy for our hospitality community to make sure their conference needs were met.”
Now, circling back to those wild game dinners mentioned earlier, Lacey’s gut reaction when she planned her first one was, “Oh my goodness – people eat this stuff?” She quickly learned that the answer was yes indeed, so much so that they rarely even bother to include desserts in their catering orders due to the size and quantity of the main courses. Typical entrees include such delicacies as elk and bear meatballs, barbecued raccoon, Rocky Mountain Oysters with Wasabi Aioli, Moroccan style rabbit and an interesting and eclectic array of additional wild game items. She also is proud to report that her taste buds have definitely expanded since taking on this job, in fact on the day of this interview Lacey says her lunch consisted of blue cheese stuffed duck wrapped in bacon that someone from the office brought in to grill and share. Oh yes, and one thing she doesn’t have to deal too much with at her catered events would be special order meals. At her first event of 1,100+ attendees there was only need for one vegetarian dinner!
By the way, if you’re still wondering what ‘trigger locks and rifle stocks’ are so you can increase your vocabulary knowledge, both terms refer to guns. Feel free to contact meeting planner Lacey Anderson for a more detailed explanation!
Now, circling back to those wild game dinners mentioned earlier, Lacey’s gut reaction when she planned her first one was, “Oh my goodness – people eat this stuff?” She quickly learned that the answer was yes indeed, so much so that they rarely even bother to include desserts in their catering orders due to the size and quantity of the main courses. Typical entrees include such delicacies as elk and bear meatballs, barbecued raccoon, Rocky Mountain Oysters with Wasabi Aioli, Moroccan style rabbit and an interesting and eclectic array of additional wild game items. She also is proud to report that her taste buds have definitely expanded since taking on this job, in fact on the day of this interview Lacey says her lunch consisted of blue cheese stuffed duck wrapped in bacon that someone from the office brought in to grill and share. Oh yes, and one thing she doesn’t have to deal too much with at her catered events would be special order meals. At her first event of 1,100+ attendees there was only need for one vegetarian dinner!
By the way, if you’re still wondering what ‘trigger locks and rifle stocks’ are so you can increase your vocabulary knowledge, both terms refer to guns. Feel free to contact meeting planner Lacey Anderson for a more detailed explanation!
Terry is both a veteran meeting planner and a freelance writer, focusing on issues related to the travel, meetings, and leisure markets. A CMP since 1987 with a resume that covers both international planning and incentive work as well as positions on the supplier side, she advises industry newcomers that want to learn fast how to succeed in this business “make sure and sweat the small stuff!”
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