Being prepared is tantamount to triumph for any organi zation.
With nearly 30 years in the association management industry, Talley has amassed a plethora of anecdotes and happy mem- ories.
“Our first association was the American Headache Society (AHS),” reports Talley, “which could prove there is an organiza- tion for almost everything. AHS is com- prised of neurologists specializing in research. When they came to us in 1988, they had 300 members and a budget of $150,000. Today, membership is 1,800 and their budget exceeds $2-million.We still maintain the association’s headquarters at our office.”
Talley Management Group also lists one of the largest SMERF groups in the coun- try – Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) – as a client. “We produce international conven- tions for AA every five years. The next one will be held in Atlanta in 2015. We expect 65,000 people to gather for a celebration of sobriety. They trust us to handle all logistics from housing to registration to convention setup. I honestly can say that AA is one of themost rewarding clients in TMG history. Members are extremely grateful, prolific with their thanks and very demonstrative. I have never received so many hugs. It’s nice to do this for groups that really appreciate our efforts.”
Talley and his team are deep in prepara- tion for another exhilarating project. TMG was among several companies invited to submit proposals for the Catholic World Meeting of Families to be held in Philadelphia next year. The company was selected for the job earlier this spring. With optimism high that Pope Francis will attend, additional layers of responsibility are certain.
“Aswe speak, our staff is sending out RFPs for housing and registration, transporta- tion, decorators and myriad other vital services. Many events will take place at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, while papal activities are planned for
34 July August 2014
Benjamin Franklin Parkway. We must take into consideration that 1,000 to 1,500 indi- viduals with disabilities will be in atten- dance. Commercial vehicles are limited to two wheelchair tie-downs each. This presents unique circumstances for event accessibility and transportation. We will use freight elevators because of their width. These are only a few of the countless challenges ahead. Challenges that we are delighted to attack with pro- fessionalism and proficiency.”
Also exemplary of professionalism and proficiency is Association Headquarters (AH). AH conducts overall operations for volunteer associations ranging from accounting and IT to strategic expertise. The company is as ideally equipped to become an organization’s home office as it is to complete a la carte projects.
For more than 30 years,AH has served a number of medical societies. Anthony Celenza, senior meeting manager for Association Headquarters, is an adept partner of several medical clients. However, his talents do not end there. He not only brings hotel and association credentials to AH, it also is not unusual for him to two-step into the office!
Currently captain of The Joseph A. Ferko String Band of Philadelphia,Celenza par- lays an impeccable work ethic acquired from the 45 years he has spent as a Mummer into his meeting management career.He played clarinet for string bands beginning in the early 1970s,and has sub- sequently graduated to saxophone. Over the decades, he has been vice president and president for the band, and is Ferko’s representative to the Philadelphia Mummers String Band Association. He is amember of Ferko’s Hall of Fame, as well as the Philadelphia Mummers and String Band Association Hall of Fame.
One of Celenza’s full-timeAH clients is the Osteoarthritis Research Society Inter- national (OARSI), a premier organization
for scientists and healthcare professionals who are focused on the prevention and treatment of osteoarthritis. AH manages OARSI in all facets of doing business. “A big part of our job is the society's annual congress,which is held at sites all over the world,” says Celenza. “We usually begin planning for the next year as soon as the current congress concludes.”
Celenza’s calendar is filled withmeetings, both in person and electronic. “E-mail is great for documentation,” he observes. “However, I still rely heavily on picking up the phone and discussing issues and opportunities. Building relationships is what makes our business strong. There’s nothing like a good, old fashioned, person-to-person live conversation.”
The meeting manager’s "To Do List" over- flows. A critical task for Celenza is solicit- ing ideas from program chairs and com- mittees for compelling, education-driven topics. This involves reaching out to OARSImembers for abstracts on the latest breakthroughs in their field. Other duties include obtaining speakers, seeking ven- ues and researching each city’s rules and regulations.
Multitasking in a revolving door setting is standard procedure for Celenza, who adroitly turns any problem faced into an opportunity. “I have a sign in my office that insists: 'Everything is 7/8 full!' There is anothermotto I live by, as well. 'Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning how to dance in the rain'.”
No surprise there. Dancing in the rain is nothing new, nor daunting, for a lifelong Mummer.
Susan Shiber is a professional wordmonger and
public relations specialist,who meets in Pottstown,PA
PAPR3101@verizon.net
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