MPI Toronto Chapter Blog

Season's Greetings to MPI Toronto Chapter members and their families. See you in 2010!

MPI Toronto E-Newsletter

The second edition of the MPI Toronto Chapter's new e-newsletter was sent to your inbox on Weduesday, December 9th...have you had a chance to check it out yet? Designed to be a supplement to our chapter magazine MEETING, the e-newsletter provides more timely information about what is going on inside our chapter. This month's features include the following:

Upcoming Events

Save the Date: January 7th Monthly Meeting

Social Networks are helping individuals and companies develop personal and professional relationships more than ever!

Take the Lead in 2010 at the All Team Meeting -- January 21

Take the lead in 2010 through volunteering on one of MPI Toronto Chapter's nine Committees.

MPI Global Training Course Schedule

Course schedule and scholarships now available.

Where Bold Meets Business

MeetDifferent
February 20 - 23, 2010
Cancun, Mexico

European Meetings & Events Conference

February 28 - March 2, 2010
Malaga, Spain

Member Connection

Call for Nominations

Interested in becoming more involved in MPI Toronto Chapter, either on the Board of Directors or as a Committee Chair?

MPI Toronto Mentorship Program

The Mentorship Program application forms are now online.

Sponsorship from the Trenches -- Professional Development Session Recap

Read more about MPI Toronto's October 20th professional development session at the Toronto Congress Centre.

November 5th, Emergency Preparedness and Crisis Management -- November Monthly Meeting Recap

On Thursday, November 5th, over 100 industry professionals attended an informative session focusing on Emergency Preparedness and Crisis Management.

Winter Chic 20th Annual MPI Holiday Gala Celebration: Sold Out and Fabulous!

The 20th Annual MPI Holiday Gala was an outstanding success, with over 400 guests in attendance!

Join MPI Toronto Chapter Groups on Facebook and LinkedIn

MPI Toronto Chapter has Groups on both Facebook and LinkedIn. Connect today!

       

Committee Corner

MPI Toronto Student Club

Thank you to those who attended the November 27th MPI Toronto Student Club meeting; it was a great success.

Focus on...

Awards and Recognition and Communication Committees.

My MPI

Renew Your MPI Membership Online and Save 5%

ERF Scholarships

An opportunity that is too good to miss.

MPI Canada Chapters Support Community with ECOS Project

MPI Toronto Chapter is pleased to announce our participation in the ECOS Project, an important new Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program being piloted in Canada, in partnership with all MPI Canada Chapters and sponsored by AVW-TELAV Audio Visual Solutions.

Canadian Economic Impact Study Update Released

MPI Foundation Research strengthens the business case for meetings and events.

MPI Member Referral Rewards Program

Share your passion for MPI by recruiting a new full-paying member, and receive a $25 credit towards your membership renewal.

Industry News

Industry Updates

IMEX launches new US show: IMEX America.
AVW-TELAV Vancouver wins 2009 BC Event Award.
The Ontario Hostelry Institute is now accepting nominations for the 2010 OHI Top 30 Under 30 Recognition Program.
Muskoka's Landmark Resort, Windermere House, is latest addition to EMA Marketing Portfolio.
Jennifer Wood of Convene Inc. launches FAMTripTV.com.
Web site provides Corporations and Meeting Planners with an innovative and secure Travel Document Management Service.
AVW-TELAV Official In-House A/V Provider at the London Convention Centre.

We welcome your feedback! Please email office@mpitoronto.org with any comments or suggestions.

Holiday Gala tickets now on sale and going fast!

20th Annual Holiday Gala
Thursday December 3rd
Conference Centre at the International Centre
6900 Airport Road, Mississauga

Cool is hot! And this year’s Holiday Gala promises to be one of the coolest (if not the hottest) event on the calendar.   This annual gala is one of our chapter’s most popular events.  It sells out, so buy your tickets or table today!  Register NOW.
  
With Winter Chic as the theme for this year’s event, be prepared to immerse yourself in a sleek and modern environment featuring tones of white, silver, ice blue and even a cool mist.

Plan on staying - Join us at the After Party Lounge with DJ music and plenty more opportunity to network!
         
Auctions
Join us as we showcase a wide array of tantalizing Silent and Live Auction items. Your thoughtful purchases will benefit two outstanding causes:  Breakfast with Santa Foundation and the Educational Reserve Fund (learn more about these great causes below).  It is not too late to donate to the Auctions.  Deadline extension:  November 30th, 2009 (note: your auction item will be included in our catalogue addendum if received by the new deadline).  Donation Form

Toy Drive
To further help Breakfast with Santa spread the season’s cheer, please bring a new unwrapped gift for a child. Any gift will be welcomed, but there’s a particular need for toys suitable for:
          •    10-15 year olds
          •    Newborn to 18 months
If you’re stuck for an idea, board games and gift cards (cinemas or book stores) are appropriate for a broad range of ages.
 
Accommodation
No need to rush home afterwards, as the Sheraton Toronto Airport Hotel and Conference Centre is delighted to offer a limited number of rooms at a special $109.00 holiday rate! To access this offer call 1-800-325-3535 and ask for the MPI Holiday Gala special rate.

Breakfast with Santa Foundation
A non-profit charitable organization of volunteers who donate their time to organize and execute an event of fun and excitement for deserving children. Families referred by local women’s shelters, breakfast clubs, and Food Path are hosted to a hot breakfast. Games, songs, and entertainment follow the meal until Santa makes his grand entrance to the joyful cheers of the children. Santa mingles with the children where hugs are the order of the day! Each child is called upon by Santa himself to receive a special gift. BREAKFAST WITH SANTA has helped bring Christmas to approximately 5,000 children over 18 years and thousands of nutritious meals. Thanks to MPI Toronto Chapter’s continuing support, the Breakfast with Santa Foundation initiated a Summer School Holiday Breakfast Program in 2003. This project feeds children a nutritious breakfast throughout the week. Our ongoing efforts will help keep both valuable programs running.
 
Educational Reserve Fund
The MPI Toronto Chapter Educational Reserve Fund (ERF) is used to enhance the quality of chapter educational programming at monthly meetings, professional development sessions and the Toronto Education Conference. The ERF also provides a number of scholarships to the regional and international MPI conferences for Toronto Chapter members.We are still accepting  silent auction donations  - visit www.mpitoronto.org for the donation form or call  905-567-9591 for more information.

MEETING goes digital!

We are delighted to announce the November/December 2009 issue of MEETING is now available online!

Designed to supplement the print publication, the digital edition comes complete with the same great editorial content and visual appeal; plus new, interactive tools only available online.

Feature articles from this issue include:

• Face-to-Face Meetings are Still the Best for Building Relationships
• The Importance of Communication in Mentoring
• The Body Language of Listening

Please remember to add noreply@naylorcampaign10.com to your safe-sender list to ensure you receive future e-mail notifications.

We hope you enjoy this exclusive benefit!

Free MPI Webinar Series on H1N1

Responding to the needs of our member community, MPI has launched a 3-part webinar series on H1N1 pandemic. This is free for all members; non-members can attend for $40 USD.

This comprehensive program provides vital information on the H1N1 pandemic specifically in the context of the meeting and events industry. It begins this Friday, November 6, 2009. Please see the schedule below. We encourage you to attend as many of the webinars as you can.

11/6/2009 11:00 a.m. CST	The H1N1 Flu Pandemic: What Meeting Professionals Need to Know	Dr. Jonathan Spero
11/10/2009 11:00 a.m. CST	Be Prepared, Not Panicked (Or Complacent):  A Swine Flu Update	Dennis Petroskey
11/17/2009 11:00 a.m. CST	Getting your H1N1 Preparedness Plan to the C-level	Julia Silvers

To register for the webinars, please click here.

For more information on the H1N1 virus and the meetings and events industry, please click here.

Are You on (Google) Alert?

As many of us experience, we are often overwhelmed by news and information, and it is increasingly difficult to filter information for what we really need to know. That's why I use Google Alerts - so a daily email can provide me with headlines from around the internet on my 'keywords' of interest. A quick scan, a few clicks on the salient articles and I'm informed without being overwhelmed.

I've discovered great pieces of information and commentary on the meetings industry. A few recent examples include:

• A great commentary by Mitchell Beer on the Shape of the Meetings Industry (http://meetingsnet.com/corporatemeetingsincentives/news/1013-meeting-industry-pressures/)
• Business Travel Outlook Survey Info (http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2009-10-12-business-travel-outlook_N.htm)
• Announcement on Virtual Event Research (http://www.virtualedge.org/articles/index/view?id=1651552:Article:6709)

If you aren't already using Google Alerts (http://www.google.com/alerts) give it a try.

MPI adds Global Training Centre at Ryerson University

Bruce MacMillan, President and CEO of MPI, was in town yesterday to announce the addition of Ryerson University as the newest location for an MPI Global Training Center. An integral part of MPI’s Global Training, the Centers will deliver elevated content on a local level for meeting and business event professionals. Over the next two years, MPI anticipates partnering with at least 14 – 15 educational institutions worldwide similar to Canada’s widely respected Ryerson University.

Read more here.

Are we doing enough?

"It's neither quick nor easy to turn a giant ship. Yet, the meeting and event industry is coming to terms with its environmental impact and moving forward with globally significant changes".

Great article in this month's issue of ONE+ about our industry's environmental impact within the context of the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15) scheduled for December in Copenhagen.

MEETING September/October 2009 issue

As incoming Director of Communications, it is my pleasure to kick off the new year with the September/October issue of MEETING.  I would like to personally thank the outgoing Committee Director, Brenda Carter and Chair, Andrew Horberry for doing such a fabulous job with the publication in 2008/2009. You truly raised the bar and we look forward to carrying on the torch in the coming year. The Communications Committee is now chaired by Geoff Mak, and we've been busy over the past few months working on the next issue. New members are always welcome! We need writers, editors and people with great ideas...not just for MEETING, but also for our new e-Newsletter (launching in October), public relations and our online presence (website, blog, Facebook & LinkedIn). The next committee meeting will be on Tuesday, September 22nd...the All Teams Meeting, where you can "shop" around all of the chapter committees in one evening (venue TBD).

A big thank you also to all of this issue's contributors: Diane Wolak, Brenda Carter, Sharon Worsley, Pamela Brohm, Alice Parnis, Sandi Smith-Barrett, Dave Burnett, and last but certainly not least, Nikki Wright. We would love to hear member feedback, either as a comment to this blog post or directly via email to office@mpitoronto.org. If you are interested in submitting an article to MEETING or have a topic that you would like to see covered in a future issue, please don't hesitate to contact us as well.

I would like to enthusiastically encourage you to join in the conversation on Facebook and/or LinkedIn, as we now have an MPI Toronto Chapter group on both of these popular social networking sites. If you're still confused by all this web 2.0 chatter, don't worry...you're not alone! Although I've been on Facebook for over two years, I only joined LinkedIn about a month ago and I'm still learning how to navigate the site. Thanks to Communication Committee member Bori Csillag for putting together our Social Media Primer, which can be found on our home page or by clicking here. It provides a good overview of both sites, including how to sign up and find/join the MPI Toronto Chapter groups.

One last thing: I mentioned in my column that a digital version of MEETING would be launching this month. It will actually go live in conjunction with the November/December issue, so please stay tuned!

Until next time...happy reading!

Behind every great member……

We all know the phrase…“Behind every great man there’s a great woman”. Taking it to the next level… who is your great supporter in your professional life? We all know what it takes to be an active and engaged member of any association or a successful business owner or employee….and we also know we can’t do it without a strong support system – who is your supporter?  Is it someone at home, work or a friend?

Whether a spouse, a partner, children, a parent, a colleague or an employer they all surround and encourage us everyday, whether we admit it or not. We’ve all got someone.  Who heads up your support system? 

Let’s see how big our circle of supporters really is.  Who are my supporters?  My two sons…Marco & Nicolas!!  

Bob Giorgini