2010-2011 Chapter President's Message

Dear MPI Tampa Bay Area Chapter!

WOW! What a month we have had. I feel so incredibly proud of our chapter after returning home from the 19th annual Southeast Educational Conference (SEC) held in Bonita Springs from August 19-21, 2010. There are just so many highlights to mention that I don’t even know where to begin. Let’s give it a try!

•    This was the highest attended SEC in the history of the conference with 528 actual attendees on-site.

•    The website innovation and smooth registration process made it much easier to navigate the registration options and the “look-who’s-coming” portion made it easy for both suppliers and planners to make contact both before and during the conference.

•    The silent and live auctions made a total of $46,291 and every single item was purchased this year.

•    The tradeshow was sold out weeks before the event and the show floor was full until the end of the show.

•    Very “Anything but Ordinary” events. Whether you were shocked or inspired, we knew that the Friday KAOS event was sure to get a reaction!

•    Introduction of a new conference device called “Spot-Me”. This made it easy for attendees to exchange business cards and find each other throughout the conference.

•    The beautiful Hyatt Regency Coconut Point gave our guests unbelievable guest service and this was reflected over and over in the event surveys.

And these were just a few of the successes of the conference. There were over 50 volunteers for this event, and they were all members of the Tampa Bay Area Chapter. I ask all of you to please congratulate them on a job well done! I would also like to thank Richard Miseyko, the event Chairman, for another terrific job. We are so fortunate to have passionate volunteers like you in this chapter. I would also like to thank the 60+ sponsors who gave us more than $700,000 in support with cash, products, and services. An event of this caliber could not have been done without you.

Your chapter is having a record breaking year! Our membership numbers are up, we are implementing a variety of new initiatives, and all of this is to make sure you are having a great experience as a member of the MPITBA chapter. So, please be sure to submit your Connections story to be part of the Connections Campaign, recruit a new member and they will receive a restaurant gift card, or volunteer to be on a committee. There is so much more in store for this year and I want all of you to be involved. Also, don’t forget our next monthly meeting is on Thursday, September 16th beginning at 5:30pm at the Sheraton Tampa Riverwalk.

Sincerely,

Jason Carroll
Director of Sales & Events for The Florida Aquarium
Tampa Bay Area MPI Chapter President 2010-2011