Dec 07, 2018
The Association for Financial Professionals (AFP) hosts the largest annual networking conference worldwide for corporate finance professionals. With more than 7,000 attendees and over 250 exhibitors, the 2018 AFP Conference was the biggest AFP event in history.
The AFP Conference is held in a different city in the U.S. each year. This year’s event was held Nov. 5-7 at Chicago’s McCormick Place — the largest convention center in the United States.
“The last time we were in McCormick Place was 2001, so we were excited to be in the new West building for 2018,” said Melissa Rawak, Association… more
Dec 03, 2018
We all know that the preferred place to gather is in the kitchen. We eat, talk, learn and connect in this favorite spot.
The Omni Montelucia in Scottsdale captures the true essence of this connection in their Chef’s Kitchen Dinner Series — a monthly intimate gathering of up to 20 participants.
“Here at Omni Montelucia, we wanted to bring the concept of an intimate gathering to our resort, where there is an opportunity to learn, eat well, and introduce new foods and cocktails to fellow participants,” said Patrick Brophy, General Manager at Omni Montelucia.
He added, “Our Chef’s Kitchen was… more
Nov 27, 2018
Events are mirrors of the organizations and industries they serve, reflecting their values and priorities. Therefore, it’s no surprise that green initiatives have flooded the event industry as more and more companies include sustainability goals and practices in their missions. And just as sustainable practices can be good for business, reducing costs and potentially raising customer loyalty, for example; they can be great for events for many of the same reasons.
Britt Zarling, vice president, corporate communications at Fiserv, notes that the company’s corporate values apply to all areas of… more
Nov 16, 2018
Less than a month after Vancouver became the first city in the world to adopt a comprehensive zero waste strategic plan and the first city in Canada to ban plastic straws and polystyrene containers, the city played host to Sustainable Brands, the annual global flagship conference of one of the leading corporate sustainability communities of brand innovators and sustainability professionals working to shape the future of commerce worldwide.
Held June 4-7 at the Vancouver Convention Centre and for the first time in Canada, Sustainable Brands drew more than 2,300 participants from across the… more
Nov 15, 2018
More than a decade after the launch of the Green Meetings Industry Council (GMIC), now the Events Industry Council Sustainability Initiative, we’re still trying to make our events more environmentally friendly. One area where it’s easy to make a difference is food waste, or the reduction thereof.
“It’s really just having a plan going in about what waste you’re going to generate and trying to minimize that as much as possible,” said sustainable event consultant Julia Spangler.
She continued, “Maybe you’re serving on all disposable dishes and using plastic cups or handing out a lot of bottled… more
Nov 07, 2018
The United Nations defines sustainability as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. But there has been some murkiness as to what exactly that means with regard to meetings, and what the definition of sustainability is for the events world.
U.K.-based meetings and events company BCD Meetings & Events (BCD M&E) has put together a whitepaper which attempts to help put an industry wrapper around the concept. Fueled by survey data, the paper discusses the differences between “green meetings,” corporate social… more
Nov 05, 2018
Have you ever photographed your food? Since Instagram, the phenomenon of documenting and sharing what we’re eating has exploded. While presentation has always been important — we eat with our eyes first — people now choose restaurants specifically for their “Instagrammability.”
In an Instagram world, restaurant chefs aren’t the only ones adapting their menus to maximize visual appeal — corporate event planners are also getting in on the action. One of the biggest trends in event food and beverage right now is visual impact.
Amy Conrad, operations manager at Enclave in Las Vegas, says… more
Nov 02, 2018
We all want to have experiences that we feel are worthy of sharing with others and that we look back on with positive feelings. While a good place to get business done, the standard model of trade show (which also applies to any conference with a sizeable exhibit hall) – aisles of pipe and drape and dozens of lecture rooms – is not as strong when it comes to creating a lasting impression. Today, however, the model is changing at events of all sizes and types.
Krista LeZotte, senior manager of conferences at ASAE, says that making an event memorable is the best way to capture attendees’… more
Oct 08, 2018
Last October, I wrote about Haute Dokimazo, the unconference for event marketing industry professionals. Since writing about the Haute Dokimazo events, I’ve wanted to experience one for myself. I got my chance at the ILEA Live conference in Aug. 2018, with a “Haute Dokimazo Solutions Marketplace” workshop.
The concept of the “unconference” isn’t new. What is different is the way that the team behind Haute Dokimazo delivers it. They describe it as a vibe, a feeling, a culture — but I chalk a lot of it up to the founders’ high energy and infectious spirit of fun.
Within the past year, two of… more
Oct 01, 2018
Let’s face it. We’re all busy and perhaps no more time-strapped than in December, holiday party season.
Whether planning an employee party or a client event, corporate event planners are tasked with creating holiday events that draw people in during this busy time and show the company’s appreciation.
Kristina Valente, head of events and sponsorships at BNY Mellon Wealth Management points out that not only is everyone pressed for time around the holidays, but their attention spans are getting shorter.
“Making those that attend events know that you value their time and are going to fill it… more
Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture, not just among employees and guests but also within its supply chain. The company prioritizes procuring goods and services from businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals and those facing economic disadvantages. This commitment is integral to MGM Resorts' global procurement strategy.
Through its voluntary supplier diversity program, MGM Resorts actively identifies and connects certified diverse-owned suppliers to opportunities within its supply chain. The company is more