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MPI Pittsburgh FEBRUARY 2022 Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Wednesday, February 16th

9:00 - 10:00am

It is an understatement to say that the last two years have been hard. Everyone has been impacted in some form by the pandemic and as a result, many have found themselves stuck and in a state of burnout. While the pandemic has exposed much of this collective experience, it was not the cause. Research shows that burnout and lack of balance existed long before COVID and what is needed is a collective change and a plan to design a better life. Join us for this presentation by Carlos Hidalgo, award-winning author, TEDx, and international keynote speaker as he gives guidance on practical things we can do to establish boundaries, get unstuck and begin living our best lives!

Wednesday, March 9th

4:00-6:00pm

It's almost time to celebrate YOU, our members! Keep your eyes peeled for an invite to attend our Member Appreciation Happy Hour on Wednesday, March 9th.

Registration coming soon.

Thursday, April 7th

2:00-6:00pm

Every April, Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID) brings the industry together to showcase the undeniable value that business meetings, trade shows, incentive travel, exhibitions, conferences and conventions bring to people, businesses and communities.

Save the date for Thursday, April 7th for an afternoon full of engaging conversation surrounding the Pittsburgh meeting, events and travel industry.

Registration coming soon.

Thursday, May 12th

5:00-8:00pm

May Celebration, our BIGGEST event of the year, is just around the corner. Mark your calendars for Thursday, May 12th. We have lots of fun raffle prizes in store, including a grand prize trip to Puerto Rico... 👀!

Registration coming soon.

Member News

Member Shaunden Bardell, Director of Venue Special Events, is excited to personally invite you to an exclusive Client Preview at Roxian Theatre! Join her on February 10th, 2022, from 6:00pm - 9:00pm for an evening of complimentary sips, bites, and live entertainment from The Bachelor Boys Band.

Shari Zatman, DMCP, who founded the Perfectly Planned by Shari event planning and management service, has filled a significant gap and need in the Hospitality & Event Industries. She has created a unique training certification course and instructional handbook that is designed and customized for employees with temporary or permanent event responsibilities. The 16-module curriculum is based on her close to 25 years of experience as a Professional Event Planner and business owner in the event industry, where she has in-depth knowledge of hospitality and event requirements.

Shari also provides personalized multi-level consulting support programs to help evaluate the events performed by individual companies and personnel. She performs a deep dive into their own event roles and responsibilities and how they can be planned, executed and elevated while providing instruction for implementation.

An ongoing reality is that there are tremendous staffing shortages and employee turnover in the Hospitality & Event Industries, partially as a result of the pandemic. The industry is seeing a greater need to properly educate and skill the personnel filling event planning and execution roles. Because of this, management may not have either the time or the available event knowledge and set of capabilities for those assigned with event production to hit the ground running.

Making certain that employees with event responsibilities can plan and communicate at a professional level, ensuring a satisfactory result, is the bottom line. To meet this goal, employee performance and commitment are crucial. Shari's instruction, focusing on best practices and immediately applicable skills, will better equip employees and enable them to be more comfortable in their roles. Further, it is also less costly to properly train staff in event development and management than to replace them.

For more information, you can connect with Shari by email at info@perfectlyplannedbyshari.com or by phone at 412-901-0082.

Board of Director's Mid-Year Retreat

Each January, our Board of Director's meets for a mid-year retreat. In this full-day session, a facilitator works with the team to assess what they have accomplished and what their intentions and goals are for the remainder of the term. This truly was a "meeting of the minds" and our board is excited to start rolling out some new initiatives and programs in 2022. Stay tuned for all the juicy details!

Trend Alert!

Pittsburgh parties are POPPIN'! 🎈

Poppin’ Up Balloons, LLC is bringing smiles & joy during an unprecedented time in our world. And don’t forget about amazing backdrops for the Instagram photos too! 😉

It all started when Meaghann Bendis, the owner & founder, was buying balloon garland kits online to help decorate mini showers & birthdays at her corporate job. After working with the kits for some time, she knew she could make them bigger & better using different materials and techniques. And well, the rest is history! Coworkers were asking her to decorate for their parties and events outside of the corporate job. She created an Instagram account (poppin_up_balloons) and LLC and voila, business popped off!

Meaghann truly enjoys creating different and unique decorations for birthdays, bridal & baby showers, and even weddings. It feels like an art project for her & she is so lucky Poppin’ Up is a part of these special memories. She is conducting all business through social media currently but excited to build her team and expand marketing efforts in 2022.

Your Brand & MPI: A Perfect Partnership

MPI Pittsburgh is a strong and vibrant chapter, with a membership consisting of over 160 planners and suppliers. As we dive into 2022, we are looking for the right brands to partner with -- that's where you come in. Click below to view our partnership packages and learn more about supporting MPI Pittsburgh.

Because when we meet, we change the world.

MPI 50th Anniversary

MPI turns 50 this year! More than anything, we want to celebrate YOU—the people who are the heart and soul of our industry.

That means we’ve got some exclusive offers, plans and fun up our sleeve. Each month we'll unveil a unique offer; special savings on events, giveaways and more!

For fifty years we’ve stood together, connecting people around the world through event experiences and education to change the world. And we’re excited to do the same for the next fifty.

Stay tuned to #MPI channels for the offer designed to make YOU golden in 2022—and beyond!

CMP Academy

The Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation is a must-have for event organizers, designers, and strategists who want to demonstrate their professionalism to employers, peers and clients. But the test is challenging, and meeting professionals who want to pass it must prepare in various ways—including self-study, skills gap, needs analysis, and prep courses.

Join industry icon and thought leader Joanne Dennison, CMP, MSEd, for this open-floor and interactive CMP Academy class that will help you feel confident going into the exam room with best practices as outlined in the CMP-International Standards (CMP-IS).

Learn proven study methods, test-taking tips, relaxation techniques and stories that make the concepts “sticky.” No matter where you are in the process (including recertification), this course will help prepare you for the exam and apply standard practices it on the job.

Your Reach is Greater than your Resume

Your Reach > Your Resume.

MPI is an organization for advice, networking and problem solving. Through chapters and communities, our members have a global network they can access for just about anything.

Expand your reach. Join MPI today.

Membership Survey

Save the date! MPI’s annual Membership and Chapter Satisfaction Survey is one of the most important tools we have for capturing the thoughts of members. Don’t miss the chance to help shape the future of our association. Upon completion of the survey you can enter for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card. And if you participate and opt-in for our future Meetings Outlook research questions, you’ll be entered for the chance to win a registration to WEC San Francisco in June 2022. Look for an email from #MPI on February 22 and take the survey!

Thanks for reading through our February newsletter! Have something you'd like to include in our March issue? Reach out to our Vice President of Marketing & Communications, Becky King, at becky.king@concordhotels.com.

Stay connected! Follow MPI Pittsburgh on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.