Conference Local Arrangements

Minutes/Report: DATE: October 18, 2007 - Local Arrangements Committee Minutes 10 LOCATION: University of Dayton ATTENDEES: Members present: Dara Abraham, Amy Barnhart, James Buchanan, Michael Byrne, Leigh Cameron, Stefanie Channell, Diana Day, Deonna Decker, Martha Geiger, Charoltte Hardy, Kim Jeffers, Michael Jones, Val Kepner, Kris Lowe, Tasha McDaniel, Kathy Mills, Matthew Moore, Jason Reinoehl, Christine Rethlake, Fances Robbins, Michiale Scheider, Jiv Subramanium, LeeAnn Timmerman, Jackie Tracy. Members absent: Sue Allmon, Julia Benz, Mary Cannon, Andrea Caputo, Mike Clouse, Suzanne Fahrer, Jennifer Gates, Michael Gibboney, Angelene Harris, Jennifer Hayes, Liz Hunley, Angela Johnson, Betsy Johnson, Chuck Knepfle, Tiffanie Lee, Dan Mann, Sandra Manning, James McDougal, Amanda Mcpherson, Steve Queisser, Janice Riutta, Joann Ross, Carmen Sears-Edwards, Craig Sneider, Anne Watson, Claudia Wenzel, Cheryl Willard. GUEST(S): MINUTES STATUS: Introductions/Updates: - We went around the room and introduced ourselves and stated what our role was on the Local Arrangements Committee. - Two of the upcoming meetings have been changed to conference call to save on budget funds. o The first arrangements committee costs totaled $4700 (without any lenders turning in travel reimbursement forms) Committee Reports: - Guest Relations: Stephanie is gathering support for her committee ¡V her committee is a big job because of the various airports around the area (Dayton Airport/Cincinnati Airport). She is open to ideas on how to handle the traffic coming into Cincinnati. - Registration: Val & James have recruited about 10 members to be on their committee. - Food/Beverage: Are waiting on the budget. Meals budget will include gratuity and sales tax. - Logistics Committee: Waiting on budget. - Vendor Relations: Leigh has a few drayage companies to contact for dry storage at the event location. - VIP Services: Shadowed 2007 MASFAA committee person in charge of VIP Services. Jiv believes there will be a lot of airport runs to pick up keynote speakers in addition to special arrangements at their hotels. o Some lenders will volunteer their company car for use to travel between airport and hotel¡K. Saving on $$$ MASFAA Conference in Review: Over all the Conference went very well and was well attended. One thing we are planning to do is get copies of the conference evaluation forms from 2007 MASFAA to use when planning our 2008 event. One concern is that the distance from the hotel to the Duke Energy center might be a possible problem. 1. Programs a. We will need to have 2009¡¦s logo before printing our program. (It will be printed on the back page) 2. Lanyards ¡V repeat in 2007 & use remainder. a. Might be able to use 100 lanyards that are leftover from 2007 MASFAA. It will not have a conference year printed on the lanyards so we will be able to use them for future years. b. Some people have returned them from the 2007 conference. At end of 08 MASFAA conference, might ask for them back¡K if they don¡¦t¡¦ want them. c. People can bring them to their state organization conferences so we can reuse previously used lanyards. Tasha will email state presidents to have them sent to Val and Oberlin. 3. Bags a. Michiale passed around 2007 MASFAA Bag b. We will try and have red bags for the 2008 conference. 4. Vest a. Red vest ¡Vdifferent t-shirts under vest each day? General Conference Discussion: - Jason reviewed the timeline of our upcoming meetings and spoke a little bit about the timeline for budget amounts. He is hoping that they will have those completed in the next few weeks. We will need to be cautious in the budget because of budget cuts. Meals will be one area where we will try and reduce costs. - June 1 is a key date in completing a lot of the committee¡¦s tasks. - The Timeline dates should be thought of an End Date¡K. not a date to begin the task. It was stressed that everything you do has a domino effect. - Program committee will be very connected with our timeline because of how close our relationship with them must be. - Vendor area ¡V not sure of area in the Duke that is going to be used for vendor area. - Freedom Center event ¡V will be setting up a tour of the center (probably on a Monday) - One idea is to have an evening of ¡§games¡¨. If the weather is nice, we can organize outside games, or even board games. The games can be played at the ¡§game night¡¨ then donated to Ronald McDonald House after event. This has been done at other conferences (OASFAA). - Thinking ahead ¡V drink tickets! We want to be sure that people can purchase drinks and charge them to their drinks or to a credit card. - Note: Monday night is dinner on your own. One thought is to do a ¡§Meet N Eat¡¨ so those who don¡¦t know anyone can join in on the fun. We could even do a signup sheet for different restaurants. We would need to limit the restaurants to 10/15 people and notify the restaurants ahead of time that we will be coming and that we will need separate bills for each person. - VIP reserved seating for keynotes¡V flyers were created at 2007 MASFAA that were included in the keynote speakers packets telling them when to sit at head tables or when to sit at reserved seating. o Include nametags on tables so they know where to sit. o Michiale would like Local Arrangements committee members to sit at the front during meals so that we¡¦re readily accessible if needed. - Pair ¡§seasoned¡¨ MASFAA members with new members ¡V MASFAA Mates? Be cautious¡K. Just because someone is new to MASFAA doesn¡¦t mean that they¡¦re new to the profession. Mentor/Mentee program might not be suitable. - Martha is working planning something for Sunday night that would not cost the committee much money. The event will need to be in the hotel. o Ideas for Sunday night: „X Check national sports schedule before event so we can be sure to get a good turn out „X Another thought is to organize a dinner cruise. We could also organize a bar night where attendees can go to bars between the Duke and the hotel. „X The State Presidents could even organize events for members from their particular state. - Invite attendees to come a day early by planning/coordinating an event ¡V something that would pay for itself o Ideas: Newport Aquarium, ball game, casino, Kings Island Haunt o In 2006 WV did sponsored a White Water Rafting trip ¡V they had about 50 people, and a trip to Blannerhassit Island (historical house/island)¡V about 20 people came for that. - Executive board packets need to be at a location that easy access for¡K at 2007 MASFAA it was difficult to find registration and find the packets. Guest Services should be there to direct people¡K maybe signage? - Have welcome letters at hotel for people who check in for the MASFAA conference. o This could include a ¡§Where do I go now?¡¨. o The goal is to make people feel welcome o Stefanie volunteered to include her cell phone number so assist in introverted attendees. o Maybe include a list of local places people might need to see (CVS, mini-market, etc.) o Include a Map of the Skywalk? o Reference the Concierge for additional information¡K. o This letter will be constructed by Guest Services and with help from Logistics. - Stefanie questioned the availability of wheelchairs on site for those who didn¡¦t bring theirs with them. Michiale will be checking on this with Duke. - Signage on skywalks about directions to/from duke for 2008 MASFAA attendees. - Kathy Mills volunteered to host a morning walk. Guest Services will work with her to get this set up. - Lender Exhibit areas: Do something to encourage school personnel to enter area. It¡¦ll be difficult to have lenders pay the expense of exhibiting when they aren¡¦t getting the traffic. Have state presidents encourage their states to enter the exhibit areas. Remember that 1/3 of the budget comes from vender support. o We will have breaks in Exhibit areas o Notify lenders of what will be served in area¡K (pop, water, coffee¡K ) „X Lenders might bring something to serve¡K cookies? o Include a ¡§what you¡¦ll get if you pay exhibit fee¡¨ with the invitation to exhibit letters in June? - Someone mentioned the possibility of attendees bringing kids. Since it¡¦s October, the thought is most will not bring families¡K kids will be in school. Promotion for 2008 Conference 1. CD: Locomotion 2. DVD: Cincinnati promo a. Diane is taking the DVD around to the state conference to promote the MASFAA 2008 conference. b. Since Cincinnati promo is online, can we put a link on state organizations webpages? 3. Web: a. We will try and get the website updated ASAP with 2008 MASFAA Conference Information. b. One thought is to add the Locomotion song to the website so it will play when attendees enter the site. Site will include general Cincinnati information¡K.it¡¦s updated automatically by the Cincinnati Visitors Center. 4. Emails: a. Email ticklers will be sent out to invite attendees to register for the conference. b. Committee reports will be key for Tasha to determine what to put on web c. Stefanie suggested that we promote the value of why to attend the conference. Most staff members have to prove why they should attend a conference. d. Include state presidents so they forward it on to their state listserves. e. Closer to event, remind on what to bring. Walking shoes, umbrella, etc¡K i. Should we include the Cincinnati weather predictions? 5. Lenders: a. During your visits to schools, try and mention the event to get the thought out to schools a little earlier. 6. Postcards: LeeAnn stated she can get 1000 postcards for $168 from an online printing site. a. This is the same company that she used for the recent OASFAA postcard mailing she sent out this week. b. Postcard should include the value of the conference so school staff can make a case to management of why they want to attend. NEXT MEETING: Conference Call --November 15,2007 MEETING ADJOURNED: SUBMITTED BY: Matt Moore, Miami University POSTED BY: Michiale M Schneider