MPI's 2006 World Education Congress, which debuted Sunday in Dallas, is on track to be the group's largest event ever, with more than 3,600 registered attendees. The congress ended yesterday.
At ceremonies on Sunday, Sally Goldesberry, CMP, was named International Planner of the Year, and Barb Taylor Carpender received the International Supplier of the Year award. Betty E. Garrett, CMP, was honored with the Marion N. Kershner Memorial Chapter Leader award.
The Global Paragon Awards went to Mexico City-based Creatividad y Promoción and HSBC México (Category 1: Meetings with budgets up to $1,000 U.S. per attendee) and AOL (Category II: Meetings with budgets exceeding $1,000 U.S. per attendee). The awards recognize events that best meet measurable goals and objectives.
Creatividad y Promoción, together with associates Outsourcing Creativo and Audiencias Cautivas, created a traveling training program to reinforce the behaviors that constitute HSBC's philosophy. The events were held daily in six cities throughout Mexico—sometimes simultaneously—to educate the bank's 19,000 employees. Each event was an intense day of experiential training for 125 employees, who took an imaginary journey to the five geographical regions where HSBC operates around the globe. The destinations served as a link to each of the behaviors that form the bank’s philosophy and will help position it as a leader in Mexico. To execute the programs, the team created a purpose-built, spherical structure that would travel to all six cities. Inside the structure, five theme pavilions were built, in addition to a food area also used for opening and closing messages.
The AOL Media Networks team significantly increased advertising revenues the summer of 2005 with the launch of AOL.com. As part of the launch, AOL’s Corporate Events team was called on to create a sales conference that would educate, inspire and fuel the company’s sales and service professionals.
AOL’s Corporate Events team had just five weeks to execute a three-day conference for 450 attendees. The planning team met with AOL executives to develop the agenda, which included remarks from AOL and Time Warner executives and new perspectives from guest speakers and panelists.
For the “2005 AOL Media Networks Compete to Win Sales Conference,” every aspect of the agenda embraced the event’s goals and external components were added to expand the scope. In addition to solid content, AOL wanted to provide attendees with the opportunity to network, share best practices and have fun. They achieved this through planned evening functions, hospitality lounges and breakfast sessions.
Judging is based on the meeting’s measurable goals, objectives and quantifiable results. Particular attention is paid to a strategic rather than tactical approach to the event’s management and results. The award criteria were revised this year, and entries were judged on executive summary (25 percent); results, evaluation and ROI (30 percent); content, logistics/execution (15 percent); financial/administrative (10 percent); and communication/marketing/public relations (5 percent).
White Paper Offered
On Monday, MPI released its fifth white paper from its Global Corporate Circle of Excellence. Titled "360 Degrees of Teamwork: How Meeting and Travel Professionals Can Build Strategic Synergies to Drive Results," the paper explores the close relationship between what are, in many organizations, two closely intertwined departments. The paper offers a list of common synergies as well as a systematic approach to discovering and capitalizing on these synergies in any organization.
To download a PDF version of the white paper, click on the link below.
