Patty Preston Olejnik, CMP Meetings Manager Association of Legal Administrators When I entered this industry in 1986, I wish I had known what attrition was. The first meeting for which I had sole planning responsibilities was held in Dallas in 1990. The as- sociation I was with at the time had 100 rooms booked at an overflow hotel and just days before the conference the sales manager called me to tell me only five rooms were picked up, and we’d be responsible for attrition penalties. I almost had a coronary. I took it to the next level – never did the sales man- ager send me a pick up report, give me warning about the low pick up, nor did she (or reservations) release the group block at the cut off to sell to the public. As it was 1990 (wouldn’t happen today) all penalties were dropped and we didn’t have to pay a dime. That was a lesson on attrition, pick up reports and cut off dates learned the (almost) hard way! I became a CMP in 1998. Today, the single most enjoyable part of my job is still seeing a program all the way through from setting objectives to the post-program evaluation, including all of the strategic and tactical planning necessary for a suc- cessful meeting that exceeds expectations. I do still enjoy all of the aspects of my job, including the crazy week just prior to an event. Susan Bormann, CMP Meeting & Event Planner International Dairy Queen, Inc. When I entered this industry in 1982, I wish I had known how hard it would be to explain the legitimacy of my job to other people, including my employer. Back in the day we were seen as party planners and this profession was not taken seri- ously. Today there is a lot more respect and acknowledgment of what constitutes a meeting planners position, but we still struggle to be seen as valuable members of the management team and continue to educate the world with Meeting Profes- sionals International (MPI), which champions this profession. I became a CMP the first time in 1989, and the second time in 2009 after taking time off to raise my family. Today, the single most enjoyable part of my job is the feeling of great pride and satisfaction I have after successfully planning and execut- ing a meeting or event. Nothing compares!
What do you wish you’d have known before entering the profession and what is the single most enjoyable part of your job? Email your responses to
editor@midwestmeetings.com, along with a photo, and we may publish them.
WWW.MIDWESTMEETINGS.COM 11
PLAY
END WITH MOTIVATION. Motivate your team with several
million gallons of water. With the best meeting facilities and the largest concentration of waterparks in the world, Wisconsin Dells lets you get your work done and still have fun.
And with so many added amenities, you’ll get the most value for your dollar. Contact Tifani Jones for customized planning assistance at the
Wisconsin Dells Visitor & Convention Bureau (888) 339-3822, ext. 345
sales@wisdells.com
MeetInTheDells.com
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