MeetingS ELITE
The Planner’s Ultimate Source For Meeting and Incentive Travel 2012 Gold Collection
From the Editor
Make every moment count. It’s a mantra that resonates on many levels, especially in an era that requires all of us to do more with less. For meeting professionals, it’s doubly true. After all, it’s your job to maximize every moment for the individuals who attend the meetings, events, trade shows, and incentive opportunities you move heaven and earth to orchestrate. You’ll find ideas and inspiration to help you excel at making moments count
throughout this issue. In Peer Genius (p. 14), we asked some of your peers to share tips that save them precious time in their workdays. A few pages later, Laura Schwartz, former director of events at the White House, lays out some ideas for making the most of social occasions in Secrets of a Master Networker (p. 18). These days, team building and incentive programs require a little less
conversation, a whole lot more action, please. You’ll find out what some of these groups are up to in A Piece of the Action (p. 20). Then, to make your professional moments count with your higher-ups, consider proposing a new strategy to save money for your organization. You’ll find out how to begin in Strategic Meetings Management 101 (p. 16). After all, what ensures the future of memorable moments better than a healthy bottom line? Finally, as you scan the profiles of hotels and resorts inside this issue, you’ll
find a collection of potential partners dedicated to your mission. At Travaasa Austin (p. 111), you can take part in a wide choice of experiential offerings centered on five major themes, including adventure and wellness. Or let’s say you want to hasten the moments between baggage claim and boardroom—The Westin Atlanta Airport (p. 78) may be just the ticket. If your group prizes downtime above all, they can soak up the sun in mid-century style at Hotel Valley Ho (p. 44); or, at The Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers (p. 92), they can live like U.S. presidents and visiting dignitaries—if only for a moment.
Sincerely, EDITORIAL Editorial Director SUSAN CAMPBELL
Contributing Editor ANNETTE BURDEN Contributors
JAY MACDONALD VIJU MATHEW
DESIGN & PRODUCTION Creative Director MURRAY ADAMS
Production Director/ PETE MURRAY Graphic Designer
Graphic Designer JESSIE PUCCINI Contributing Designer TOM LEJA
PLANNER COMMUNICATIONS
Director, Planner Communications CAROL LYNCH Regional Director SKYE HOLYFIELD
EVENTS Events Manager MARGARET HOLSINGER
INTERNS
CHELSEA BOYD MICHAEL LANGE ANNIE JOHNSON MELANIE LINDALL NATALIE SPANGENBERG
Elite Meetings International Inc. 500 E. Montecito Street Santa Barbara, CA 93103 Phone: 805.730.1000 Fax: 805.730.1088
www.elitemeetings.com info@elitemeetings.com
Susan Campbell Editorial Director
Elite Meetings–The Gold Collection is published annually by Elite Meetings International Inc. Subscription rates are $6.95 per issue. Shipping and handling is not included. For more information, visit
www.elitemeetings.com/store.
All rights reserved. Any reproduction of this periodical, in part or in whole, must be approved and awarded written consent from Elite Meetings International Inc. Although all information is believed to be true at press time, Elite Meetings International Inc. assumes no responsibility for inaccuracies or omissions.
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Photograph: Andrew Shafer
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