RIA Expo Bets on Vegas' Draw The Rental Industry Association's 38th Annual Western Rental Equipment Expo is scheduled for Oct. 16-19 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Show director Joe Novak, assistant executive director of the RIA, said the association expects to host 250 exhibitors and approximately 400 booths, of which 20 percent will relate to party rental.
Novak said the agenda will focus on issues facing members in the Western states. Programs will address how to be OSHA-ready and how to avoid hiring unauthorized workers. "We have a program on identifying legal driver's licenses," he said.
A mock trial will address legal concerns, such as re-renting. "Everybody is going to get sued at some time," Novak said. "When you're dealing with re-renting, you have concerns with not only contracts but also issues dealing with taxes.
"We're in a fun city, so we will have fun, but we need to deal with concerns that we're hearing from our members," he said.
Contact: RIA, 216 N. East St., Woodland, CA 95776-5904; 800/272-7400, 530/666-4337; Web site: http://riassn.org.
MPI Institutes to Convene in Cancun Meeting Professionals International will host Institutes I & II 2000 from Oct. 22-26 at the Melia Cancun Convention Center Beach & Spa Resort in Cancun, Mexico. Both institutes are limited to 100 attendees.
MPI recommends Institute I for those who have planned meetings for one to two years. Topics include the fundamentals of meeting and event project management, meeting objectives and design, and an introduction to return on investment.
Institute II is recommended for planners with three to five years of experience. The curriculum features advanced negotiations, implementing ROI, risk and crisis management, and transitioning from manager to team leader.
Attendees will earn 2.75 continuing education units toward qualifying for the Certified Meeting Professional exam.
Register by Sept. 15 and fees are $900 for MPI members and $1,000 for nonmember planners. After Sept. 15, fees are $1,200 and $1,300.
Contact: MPI, 4455 LBJ Freeway, Suite 1200, Dallas, TX 75244; 972/702-3000; Web site: www.mpiweb.org.
