If you missed a MPI/NE
Educational Meeting or Event…
you can now download it to a podcast .
Click here for a list of available podcasts.
B-Zone Holiday Networking
Monday, December 7th. 2009
Boston Back Bay Hotel
Co-Chairs:
Elizabeth Young,
Manager, VIP Services and Events, Tillinger’s,
and
Brenda Houlihan,
CMP, Senior Meeting and Event Manager, Experient Inc.
Thank you to all the planners and suppliers that
attended the December “ B-Zone” Networking Event taking
place at on December 7th at the Boston Back Bay Hotel.
Over 200 planners and suppliers took a break from the
busy holiday season to catch up with peers. Hopefully,
the event was a jumpstart to the New Year
and offered a setting to reconnect with old friends
or establishing new contacts.
The Boston Back Bay Hotel was the stage for the
“B-Zone;” an atmosphere to exchange ideas and find
out about new opportunities for 2010. The Boston Back
Bay Hotel was a fabulous host to an evening of delectable
food and cheer from the holiday carolers.
The Membership Committee started the evening welcoming
new members in the Back Bay Hotel Lounge, “350.” Guests
passed by the “Living Statue” provided by Ten-31 Productions.
The living statue was a winter tree crowned with branches
and crystal ice. A unique décor idea for a party or
an interesting addition to a conference registration
area.
We toast the end of 2009 and look optimistically
towards 2010 with friends, coworkers, and industry
partners. We thank our sponsors for their
support and hope that members will consider them for
future projects.
Sponsors:
Boston Back Bay Hotel
Ten-31 Productions
MPI New England 18th Annual Golf Outing and Educational
Event
David Sweeney CMP
MPI’s annual Golf Outing held in memory of Kathy Keegan-Cummings
was a perfect event to end the summer season and ease
everyone into the fall. The annual tournament was hosted
by Ocean’s Edge Golf Resort for the second year in a
row. The golf course and grounds were in top shape and
can only be matched by a small number of top ranked courses
in the North East. The Resort pulled out all the stops
to support the planning committee ensuring that all attendees
would have a fantastic time. Non Golfers were able to
participate in an educational seminar conducted by Steve
Krone from Wine Entertainment Resources. Steve
led attendees through the tasting process by identifying
the characteristic of wines. Attendees were then divided
into teams and had to identify wines by the characteristics
learned in the seminar. Attendees walked away after a
spirited tasting competition more knowledgeable of wine’s
traits.
The weather could not have been more perfect for the
event. The sun was strong the air crisp and clear.
The course benefited from rains earlier in the season
and the recent dry weather. Golfers were able to enjoy
themselves in a competitive and friendly competition
of skill on all 18 holes. In the end the winning team
with the lowest score was:
Greg Clark
Keith Norton
Derek Manners
Gary Cowans
Longest Drive for Men was won by Michael Lynch
Longest Drive for women was won by Kristen Packet
Closest to the Pin for men was won by Greg Clark
Closest to the Pin for women was won by Kathleen Tormey
The event would not have been the success it was without
the support of our loyal and generous sponsors. Special
thanks needs to be given to
- Ocean Edge Resort
- David Fox Photography
- Carey Transportation
- Blazing Signworks
- Wine Entertainment Resources
- Destination Worcester
- Starwood Hotels of Boston
- Wynne Las Vegas
- Salem Waterfront Hotel
- Hilton of Boston
All attendees, both golfer and seminar participants
meet on the newly added terrace at the main lodge of
the resort for a reception sponsored by the resort.
Attendees were able to enjoy some of the finest food
presentation on the Cape while watching the ships pass
on the horizon.
Additional thanks must be given to Stephanie Grey who
took up the reigns as the Chapter manager at the last
minute to administer and guide the dedicated and hard
working Special Event Committee in finalizing the details
of this event.
MPI/NE Annual Meeting – The Night Show
with MPI New England
By – Deborah Costa
Watch the video here
On June 18, 2009 MPI New England celebrated its Annual
Meeting at the historic Taj Boston. This year’s Annual
Meeting was a wonderful evening that once again brought
together our chapter for an important celebration where
we recognized the achievements of fellow members and
their contributions and dedication to the chapter.
The Taj Boston welcomed over 150 meeting professionals
to network, socialize and support both the outgoing and
incoming board members. Highlights of the evening included
a count down of the top ten memorable moments for this
year’s Board of Directors done by our outgoing president,
Michael Carson, as well as a tribute to Sam Dame eloquently
presented by Past President, David Rich. Our annual awards
presentation and the induction of the 2009-2010 board
members that will serve our chapter for the year were
also part of the evening’s festivities.
Michael Carson with his unique style and genuine sense
of humor said farewell to our members as the chapter
president. The chapter has made great strides this year
under Michael’s leadership and we applaud him for all
of his accomplishments. As our new President, Michael
Lynch, told us that it was “good to have a seat at the
table” and urged each one of us as individuals to Evolve,
Reimagine, Elevate and Build on what we have and take
it to the next level. He promised to maintain a standard
of excellence for our chapter as he takes the reins as
President and leads us into 2010. In these challenging
economic times, Michael, along with our new board members
will focus more than ever on what is important – making
the MPI New England chapter a strong and successful association.
We thank our Annual Meeting sponsors for their
generosity and their contributions:
Taj Boston
Ovation Events
David Fox Photography
Craig Sutton Entertainment Services
2009 MPI/NE Award Winners:
Sam Dame Memorial Professional Development Scholarship
Award
Maggie Mohrfeld
Senior Sales Manager
Hyatt Regency Newport
Kathy Keegan-Cummings Professional Development
Scholarship
Kimberly Andrew
Independent Meetings Professional
Tomorrow’s Leader Award
Amy Doucette, CMP
Meeting Manager
PRRI, Inc.
Chapter Leader of the Year Award
Jill Forchielli
Senior Sales Manager
InterContinental Boston
Meeting Professional of the Year Award
Julie Nack Locke, CMP
Manager, Global Accounts
HelmsBriscoe
President’s Award
Julie Nack Locke, CMP
Manager, Global Accounts
HelmsBriscoe
We also thank our outgoing board members. We truly
appreciate your service and commitment to the MPI New
England Chapter.
Karen Bellavance, CMP
Stephanie Grey, CMP
Chelsie Horne, CMP
Patrick Lynch, CMP, CHSP
Deborah Matteson
Royce Tyree, CMP
Martha Sheridan, CMP
“NEM!CE
2009”
NEM!CE 2009 offered some of the best educational sessions
to date at an MPI New England event. In over 7 hours
of concurrent sessions, speakers presented on some of
the hottest and most important topics in our industry!
While all of the sessions had excellent attendance, there
was no way for you to possibly take in all of this education
in person...until now!
Thanks to Fleetwood Onsite, every session at NEM!CE 2009
was recorded and is now available as a podcast through
the MPI New England website!
Click the link below to download sessions individually
or to order a CD version of the entire program:
http://www.fleetwoodonsite.com/index.php?cPath=186_205
Thanks to everyone who attended NEM!CE 2009 and remember, "Let's
stop putting out fires, and let's get back to business!!"
Sell the Sizzle Not the Steak: How
to Take Your Brand to the Next Level
March 18 , 2009
Fairmont Battery Wharf, Boston
Co-chairs:
Kelley Bazydlo, CMP - American Schools of Oriental Research (ASOR)
Amy Doucette, CMP – PRRI, Inc.
During these uncertain economic times, marketing and
branding is paramount. Now more than ever, is the time
to promote a meeting, service, product and destination.
At the March 2009 program, this important topic was discussed
in great detail by a dynamic panel of marketing and branding
executives who agreed that these days it is more important
to “sell the steak” than to “sell the sizzle”.
Moderated by Karen King, CMP, CMM and Principal of Meeting
Strategists, LLC, the panel was comprised of leading
experts including: John Darman, the former Global Chief
Marketing Officer of Proctor & Gamble (formerly Gillette
Global), Nancy Harhut, a Creative Director recognized
internationally for best-in-class strategy most recently
as Managing Director of Relationship Marketing of Hill
Holliday, Brian Kenny, Chief Marketing and Communications
Officer of Harvard Business School and Evan Smith, President & CEO
of Newport County Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Many planners and suppliers are responsible for marketing
themselves and their companies, marketing a specific
meeting, marketing a destination or bringing a client’s
brand alive in a meeting setting, thus a solid understanding
of the branding process is essential. John Darman offered
a structured framework to approach branding consisting
of five key components: Who; What; How; Where; When.
These elements should work together to reinforce what
a brand stands for and deliver a message to the right
audience at the time and place where they are most receptive.
Darman concluded that, “It is a really simple concept
though executing it superbly is the challenge. It is
applicable to whether you are selling a product, brand,
destination or yourself.”
Nancy Harhut offered three tips on how to increase read
and response rate. She suggested the first step is to
determine the main message and not stray from it. Do
not make the mistake of adding extraneous information
as it only serves to dilute it. Lead with the main point
as there are only seconds to capture a prospect’s attention.
Support the message in the subject line, headlines, subheads,
email preview pane and through other visuals. Harhut’s
second recommendation is to market the benefits of an
event, product or service. It is not enough to make an
announcement; rather the audience must understand the
benefits. Finally, the marketing message must overcome
objections. She suggested thinking about the biggest
objection someone will have and building the argument
to overcome it into the marketing materials. The bottom
line is that marketers must communicate a focused message
that is benefits-oriented and includes arguments to overcome
the most likely objections encountered.
Brian Kenny addressed the importance of delivering events
and meetings of substance. In these new economic times,
attendees seek greater value from their participation.
It must extend beyond pure enjoyment and entertainment.
Kenny believes that events and meetings provide unparalleled
opportunity to build friends and relationships that will
yield profit in the future. They continue to play a critical
role in business.
Marketing a destination was another topic addressed
by Evan Smith. He shared the core elements that the Newport
CVB practices to promote the area. Destinations must
know their product and be familiar with all the lodging,
dining, transportation, planning and related suppliers
in a community to gain a sense of what the locale offers.
Secondly, it is critical to know the client and remember
that the client is king. It is also important to have
a sense of the business drivers and understand where
the business is originating whether it is in the corporate,
association or SMERF markets.
To hear more practical marketing and branding tips download
the podcast, a new feature of MPI New England’s monthly
programs, sponsored by Fleetwood Conference Recording.
The Fairmont Battery Wharf hotel was the generous host
for the March program. Adjacent to the historic North
End and new waterfront developments, the Fairmont Battery
Wharf hotel embraces the rich history of its neighborhood,
while providing its guests with a contemporary and sophisticated
retreat in the city’s most vibrant location. The hotel
features 150 elegantly appointed guestrooms, including
Fairmont Gold, the brand’s exclusive lifestyle offering
for the most discerning guests. The hotel offers a variety
of dining experiences from cocktails and light dining
in the lobby living room to its elegant restaurant and
lounge featuring an open kitchen and chef’s table, Harbor
views and seasonal outdoor dining. This exceptional Boston
resort features 6,000 square feet of meeting space, and
is ideal for intimate social gatherings and small corporate
groups.
At the program, Matthew Sterne, the hotel’s General
Manager, spoke about the exciting opening of the hotel
and the historic location of the property. Following
the program, attendees enjoyed a delicious assortment
of chef selections including Korean short ribs, ahi tuna
skewers and noodle bowls.
MPI New England would like to thank the entire staff
of the Fairmont Battery Wharf hotel, particularly Bea
Flammia, Senior Group Sales Manager, and Lizbeth Tate
Brown, Director of Catering, for all of their work on
making this program a success. Additionally, the co-chairs
wish to thank all who attended and the expert panel and
moderator for sharing their knowledge.
Kelly Bazydlo, CMP & Amy Doucette, CMP
“Painless Networking”
February 25, 2009
Millennium Bostonian Hotel
Co-chairs: Denise Banach, Sheraton Framingham Hotel & Conference
Center and Mark Gionet, SWANK Audio Visual.
In late February, MPI hosted a networking event with
an education component. As with all recent MPI meetings
of late, this one was well attended at 168 registrants,
in spite of being on Ash Wednesday.
Mike Carson spoke briefly to encourage involvement in
the upcoming All Team Retreat, held on March 7, 2009
and introduced Jill Forchielli, who spoke about NEMICE
and the exciting changes in its format this year. In
addition, Mike recognized this event’s sponsor – the
Millennium Bostonian Hotel.
Many long lasting business relationships have started
with a simple introduction at networking events. Since
many of us are focused on maintaining relationships and
connecting with new prospects in today’s business environment,
the February program was conceived to give both planners
and suppliers some take-aways on networking more effectively.
Chosen as our honored speaker for the evening was Jodi
Smith, President of her own company, Mannersmith. Jodi
recently celebrated 13 years in business and has been
seen on the NBC Today Show, ABC Good Morning America,
as well as others. In fact, she’d just been the featured
expert on a Fox 25 news segment about the importance
of professional behavior as a key element to keeping
your job in today’s marketplace.
Jodi considers herself an “etiquette advocate” on dining
manners, office conduct, and professional protocol.
She spoke about each of these areas but focused on her
“Top Ten Tips” list for networking situations.
Jodi encouraged the audience to ask etiquette questions
and typically provided entertaining and informative answers
as she kept everyone engaged through several activities.
We started by practicing proper handshake technique with
our neighbors. After, we learned proper handshake grasp
and length, many of us were shocked to learn that our
nametags were on the wrong side! This spurred more activity
from the crowd before we listened intently to Jodi's
unique concept of "snippet starters".
Snippet starters are Jodi’s refreshing alternative to
the 1 minute commercial or 30-second elevator speech
we’ve all been told are must-haves. The snippet starter,
per Jodi, is something unique you can say to others in
a networking situation that will: a) give you something
you like to talk about and b) help them remember YOU.
Jodi also had great thoughts about how to prepare for
each networking event in order to meet your goals. We
also learned how to read body language and maintain comfortable
eye contact as well as to master the way to graceful
exits that allow you to meet the maximum number of people
at a networking event. The reception that followed was
a spirited one as everyone laughed about the “3 B’s”
and shared stories and sympathies about the current economic
climate.
Those of you who missed the meeting but are looking
for a short guide on modern day etiquette, may want to
go to the Mannersmith website, www.mannersmith.com for
a synopsis on “From Clueless to Class Act: Manners for
the Modern Man” and the same-titled “Manners for the
Modern Woman” version. These can both be ordered from
Barnes & Noble as well. Jodi Smith agreed to speak
to MPI’s membership at a fraction of her usual fees –
thank you, Jodi.
The site for this program was the Millennium Bostonian
Hotel, located near the well know Quincy Market at Faneuil
Hall Marketplace in downtown Boston. The hotel’s General
Manager, Dominique Marty, welcomed our group to his property
and introduced us to his staff. The original hotel on
this site included 152 rooms and its construction included
some original walls from a store on North St. built in
1680. Today, the hotel has 201 guestrooms and suites
and recently expanded its function space by converting
the former Seasons Restaurant to the Seasons Ballroom
in which his MPI event was held. The Seasons Ballroom
is now a unique space which, in its heyday as Seasons
Restaurant produced notable Chef’s such as Lydia Shire,
Jasper White, Gordon Hammersley, amongst others. The
Millennium Bostonian began extensive renovations in 2007
and was looking forward to opening its new restaurant,
North|26 Restaurant and Bar, the following week after
MPI’s meeting. The restaurant opened on Saturday, March
14, 2009 signifying the completion of the hotel’s $25
million total hotel renovation.
We all immensely enjoyed the hors d’oeuvres presented
and trust that North|26 Restaurant and Bar will be a
great success!
The co-chairs would like to thank everyone who attended.
In addition, Rena Migdel and Pippa Nava of the Millennium
Bostonian who were our Sales and Catering contacts, whose
help was critical to the success of the evening.
Denise Banach, CMP
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What Meeting Planners Need to Know for 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Intercontinental
Boston
Record Set!
Wendy Desabaye, CMP
Program Manager, Lentra Meetings & Events.
On January 21 Meeting Professionals International New
England Chapter (MPINE) had a new record set for its
January meeting of 248 attendees! Co-Chairs Shelley Griffin
and Wendy Desabaye put together a compelling panel of
industry leaders to speak on the topic of “What Meeting
Planners Need to Know for 2009?” Tim Kirwan, General
Manager of the Intercontinental Boston gave a warm welcome
and offered some interesting facts about the hotels design.
Moderated by Martha Bunker Senior Vice President of
Fidelity Investments; the panel included Jeff Brown,
Executive Vice President Colpitts World Travel; Lisa
Kaplan, Key Account Director, Groups & Meetings
Inter-Continental Hotel Group; Amrita Nichols, CMP, Manager,
Meeting Services, Fresenius Medical Care NA; Scott Spector
Manager, Associations and Government American Airlines
Regional Office; Beth Stehley, VP Convention Sales and
Convention Services Greater Boston Convention & Visitors
Bureau.
The panel began by stating the three challenges they’re
facing in these tough economic times and expounded on
what steps they’re taking to overcome them. There was
a lively discussion around the new Massachusetts law
regarding the low incentives pharmaceutical company can
pay out and its impact on the meetings industry. There
was also discussion on the “perception” issue facing
luxury properties or any property with the word spa or
resort in it’s name.
Attendees lingered long after the meeting was over discussing
all that they had learned at the session and questioning
panel members further. They also enjoyed a wonderful
sampling from the hotel restaurants. A sushi chef prepared
amazing specialty rolls offered at Sushi-Teq. Miel a
French brasserie, offered a tasting of its famous sliders
and rosemary French fries.
MPINE has had a long history of providing strong topics
for both suppliers and planners. With a landscape that’s
constantly changing both parties need all the information
they can get to take them forward in their careers as
well as within the chapter.
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The
'UN-Holiday' Event
Monday, December 8th 2008
Westin Copley Place - Boston
Co-Chairs: Cezanne Macary, Sheraton Boston Hotel and
Brenda Houlihan, Experient.
Thank you to all the planners and suppliers that attended
the December “UnHoliday” Networking Event taking place
at on December 8th, 2008.. Over 200 planners and suppliers
took a break from the busy holiday season to catch up
with peers. Hopefully, the event was a jump start to
the New Year and offered a setting to reconnect with
old friends or establishing new contacts.
The Westin Copley Place, in the heart of Boston’s trendy
Back Bay neighborhood was a beautiful setting overlooking
Copley Plaza. The hotel has recently renovated its products
and amenities. From the moment you enter the lobby, the
scents, surroundings, even music are all specially designed
for your total serenity and complete relaxation. The
Westin Copley Place was a fabulous host to an evening
of delectable food, fine wines and a stage for a few
laughs.
Talking about laughs, attendees were entertained by
Boston’s own Steve Sweeney, a hometown favorite. Entertainment
Specialists sponsored the comedian Steve Sweeney as well
as kept the evening upbeat with custom music play by
a DJ.
Thanks to our friends at Yacht Starship, a lucky MPI
Member won a cruise during the Sail Boston. Yacht Starship
is the official dining cruise operator for Sail Boston
2009.
We thank our sponsors for their support and hope that
members will consider them for future projects.
Sponsors:
Westin Copley Place
Entertainment Specialist
Yacht Starshi
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MPI
New England Educational Institute
November 17 - 18, 2008
Hotel
Viking
Click
here to download the complete agenda
Missed the Educational Institute? Below is a recap
of the educational sessions and links to download the
presentations and associated handouts. Each session
offered three educational levels, B = beginner level,
I = intermediate level and A = advance level.
Opening Challenge: Innovate
or Perish – Regina
Clark, Left Brain Leverage
The simple truth is this: the economy is brutal and you must learn how to be
fresh, innovate and cutting edge! Are you stuck in your comfort zone or are
you challenging the system. Do you ask why on a daily basis? This thought provoking
session will inspire you to challenge the way you think about business and your
daily practices.
Regina Clark is an international speaker, author,
executive coach, founder of Left Brain Leverage, a NY
based management development consulting business, and
mother of three. For the past twenty years, she has been
energizing audiences with her content rich, fast paced,
interactive programs. Regina’s style is smart, witty,
informative and fresh. She brings current information
into every program and delivers the information with
energy and enthusiasm. Regina’s clients include Johnson & Johnson,
Medtronic, Cummins, and many others. Regina has spoken
at the MPI PEC and other MPI Chapter.
Educational Session I
B: Intro
to Emerging Technology – Bryan Lavin,
Providence/Warwick CVB
Do you use LinkedIn? Have you ever blogged? Are you
unfamiliar with Facebook? This educational session is
your introduction to all of these things, and more! As
technology advances, Social Networking Media is quickly
becoming an important communication tool for not only
you, but for your attendees, employees and peers. It
is a common misconception that Social Networking Media
is a “time waster” or for the younger generation. However,
they are power means of communication, valuable tools
for making connections and spreading information, and
not that hard to master once you have used them! In this
interactive and fun educational program we will explore
the different types of Social Networking Media and introduce
you to ways to incorporate them into your next event.
Bryan Lavin is a National Sales Manager for
the Providence/Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau,
in Providence, RI. Bryan is responsible for promoting,
selling, and marketing Providence and the surrounding
communities of Warwick and Newport as a premier meetings
and events destination in New England. Currently, Bryan
manages the New England and Trade Show markets and is
responsible for client development as well as retention.
Prior to joining the staff at the PWCVB, Bryan was a
member of the convention sales team at the Worcester
County Conventions and Visitors Bureau in Worcester,
MA. Most recently, Bryan was the Marketing & Special
Events Coordinator for Wachusett Mountain Ski Area. While
at the mountain, Bryan managed all public events and
radio advertisement as well as maintenance of the Wachusett
Mountain website and social media pages. Bryan has five
years in the meetings and conventions industry.
I: Creative Problem Solving – Regina Clark,
Left Brain Leverage
Every person has the potential to be creative. Creative
solutions are often much better than rational solutions
but creative solutions take time. During this session
you will learn some creative problem solving techniques
that really work. We will identify a few MPI problems
and apply the techniques to solve the problems. You will
walk away with great ideas!
Regina Clark is an international speaker, author,
executive coach, founder of Left Brain Leverage, a NY
based management development consulting business, and
mother of three. For the past twenty years, she has been
energizing audiences with her content rich, fast paced,
interactive programs. Regina’s style is smart, witty,
informative and fresh. She brings current information
into every program and delivers the information with
energy and enthusiasm. Regina’s clients include Johnson & Johnson,
Medtronic, Cummins, and many others. Regina has spoken
at the MPI PEC and other MPI Chapter.
A: Best Practices/CSR – Moderator, Jonathan
Cardoni, Liberty Mutual
Panelists, Florine Edwards, FM Global
Panelists, Jennifer C. Squeglia, CMP, RLC
Events
The greatest resource available to meeting professionals
is each other. This program starts a conversation among
planners and suppliers identifying and addressing the
most important issues to each of us. Negotiation, technology,
green policies and economics are affecting everyone.
Through open discussion, we will provide an opportunity
to learn the many ways that different people address
the same concerns. We will look at these issues from
various points of view to provide each attendee additional
tools to best address these concerns which face all meeting
professionals. After years of working jobs closely and
not so closely related to meeting planning, including
entertainment production, graphic design, advertising,
and hotel food and beverage, Jonathan Cardoni joined
Liberty Mutual Conference & Meeting Management in
1996. He has planned meetings throughout the US and international
destinations from small department meetings to large
international management meetings. Jonathan is part of
the team that plans Liberty Mutual’s events and activities
around the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf, PGA Champions
Tour Tournaments. In 2001 Jonathan earned his CMP designation.
Florine Edwards is FM Global’s Vice President,
Manager, Corporate Programs and Exhibit Management. Based
in the company’s corporate offices in Johnston, R.I.,
Florine is responsible for ensuring the program, event
and exhibition needs of FM Global are met through consistent
global coordination and implementation. Florine has more
than 25 years experience in meeting and event management.
Prior to her current appointment in 1999, she served
as Vice President and Manager of advertising and corporate
relations. She also previously served as Assistant Vice
President. Florine joined the company in 1974 as an Assistant
Editor. Florine holds a bachelor’s degree in English
from Rhode Island College, Providence, R.I, and is a
member of the Risk and Insurance Management Society,
Inc., exhibits advisory board. She recently received
her Certification in Meeting Management (CMM) designation.
Jennifer Squeglia, CMP is principle of her
event planning company, RLC Events. Jennifer’s career
started in the hospitality industry working at luxury
resorts in Grand Teton National Park, St. John, Savannah,
and Martha’s Vineyard. Her extensive hotel experience
includes food and beverage and front office management,
as well as directing catering and conference services
departments. In 1999, Jennifer came to Boston to pursue
a career in corporate events and worked at John Hancock
as an Event Manager and worked on a team to execute John
Hancock’s hospitality programs for most distinct executives
and producers at three Olympic Games – Sydney, Salt Lake,
and Athens. In addition to the Olympics, Jennifer also
worked on the Boston Marathon for several years. After
many years at John Hancock, Jennifer brought her experience
to Fidelity Investments, where she served as Director
of Meetings & Client Events for the Fidelity Brokerage
Company. Supporting the Fidelity Registered Investment
Advisor Group and Fidelity Family Office Services, Jennifer
broadened her experience with agenda development, production
experience, trade show strategy, and high-end client
educational events. Jennifer has been a long standing
and active member of FICP (Financial & Insurance
Conference Planners). For two years, Jennifer has been
the Chairperson for the Northeast Region, planning two
meetings per year for planners and hospitality partners.
Jennifer was also a member of the Design Team for the
2007 FICP Annual Meeting and served as Education committee
chairperson.
Educational Session II
B: Contract Negotiations – Maureen A. Dermody,
CMP, Northeastern University
Click here to download the most
critical checklist. The purpose of this session
is to teach the basic steps to negotiate a hotel contract
that will result in cost savings to your meetings bottom
line, reduce your risk and liabilities and develop a
positive relationship that will help to support future
business. Once you have completed this session you will
be able to: establish a negotiations process based on
the latest industry “best practices”; learn how to set
your priorities based on your meeting goals & objectives;
understand the various types of negotiating styles and
when to use them; develop a strategy where your negotiations
will result in the best cost savings and mitigate your
risk and liabilities.
Maureen Dermody, CMP is the Corporate Meeting
Planner and Corporate Procurement Manager for travel
and technology industries. She has been a meeting industry
professional for twenty years and a Past Board of Directors
member for MPI/NE. Maureen is currently teaching as part
of the Meeting Industry Certificate Program at Northeastern
University.
I: Demystifying the CMP Process – Julie Nack-Locke,
CMP, HelmsBriscoe
Attendees will gain an understanding of who should take
the CMP; recognize the benefits of the CMP; identify
the requirements to get your CMP; review the time needed
to get your CMP-how long does it take from start to finish;
understand what books you need to study; figure out how
to navigate the application and review the policies and
procedures; review the fee structure; and identify application
deadlines and exams.
Julie Nack-Locke is a consultant in the meeting
and event industry. She is a Regional Manager for HelmsBriscoe,
the world’s leading site selection firm with offices
in 36 countries, providing services to organizations
which conduct conferences, meetings, conventions and
incentive travel. Julie specializes in facility research,
site selection and contract negotiations for organizations
ranging in size from small privately owned corporations
to multi-national Fortune 500 companies. Julie is also
an adjunct professor at Northeaster University in their
Meeting Management Certification Program. The meeting
and Event Management program is for experienced meeting
and event professionals looking to expand their skills
and remain competitive, as well as those interested in
starting a career in this field. She enjoys teaching,
and sharing her experience with students, as well as,
creating an environment which fosters an exchange of
ideas.
A: Across
the Generations: Closing the Gap –
Arlene J. Nicholas, Ph.D. Salve Regina University
With four generations in the current workplace, identifying
the different values, lifestyles, and motivation for
each is important to our future success together. Learning
how to sell to, market to, and interact with other generations
can help your individual career productivity. Dr. Nicholas
reveals a closer analysis of the different generations
and how to best interact and motivate one another. In
this session you will learn to understand the principles
and beliefs of each generation; how to communicate with
and motivate each generation for maximum productivity;
utilize effective hiring and incentive programs across
the generations.
Dr. A.J. Nicholas is an Assistant Professor
in the Business Studies and Economics Department of Salve
Regina University teaching undergraduate courses in Management
including Organizational Behavior, Business Communications,
Human Resources and Business Research. Community involvement
includes a Service Learning extension of Human Resources
and Business Communications courses in cooperation with
Child and Family that has Salve students working with
underserved community high school students on job and
college preparations. Dr. Nicholas also teaches graduate
classes of Human Resources on campus and online. She
received her B.S. in Biology cum laude at Salve Regina
University as well as a MA in Human Resource Management
and an MS in Information Systems Science. At Touro University
International, she received her Ph. D in Business Administration.
MPI and You – Chris Gasbarro, C3
Chris will challenge you to take every opportunity that
becomes available to you to participate as a Member
of MPINE. Whether you make the choice to attend each
Monthly Meeting, be it an Educational or a Networking
Event, it holds the potential to provide you with tools
to advance your own career, or enhance the career of
a colleague. Chris will speak to the many opportunities
that exist within the local Volunteer component of
MPINE.
As a Past President of MPI New England, no one exemplifies
better what it means to be an active committed participating
member of MPI, than Chris Gasbarro. As the proverbial
“Full Glass of Water”, Chris provides for all of those
privileged to work along side of him an example of quiet,
subtle mentoring. Chris would be the first to admit that
he receives by far more value and growth from his involvement
in MPI than what he contributes.
Educational Session III
B: Think
Strategic: Partner for Success – Chris
Reagan, Get Ahead Pro Speakers Bureau
In our competitive and challenging industry it often
feels like our business is a poker game. You never know
what cards the other player is holding. Combine that
situation with worldwide economic turmoil and it is easy
to see why many planners and suppliers feel on edge and
challenged. This presentation is designed to address
current market realities and to help planners and suppliers
work better as strategic partners. Attendees will:
• Learn key ways to partner more closely with their internal
and external customers;
• Discuss the “Three Agendas” and why they are so important
for sales and event success;
• Be provided with the opportunity to help create the
program prior to the event;
• Interact and share best practices with each other;
and,
• Develop a clear outline of how they can work better
with each other.
Chris Reagan is an entrepreneur, civic leader,
husband and father of two daughters. Chris established
Get Ahead Pro Speakers Bureau in 1995. Get Ahead Pro
has been secured by Corporations, associations and organizations
to produce successful and strategic, meetings, events
and training programs worldwide for the past decade.
Chris is a contributing writer to New England Corporate
Events, Banker and Tradesman, Meetings and many other
newsletters and publications. He is one of the Past Presidents
of Meeting Professionals International’s New England
Chapter and he has served on the Board of Directors for
the New Hampshire Brain Injury Association. Chris Co-Chaired
the Wings of Hope Air Show 2000 and is assisting the
NH Brain Injury Association and the NH National Guard
once again to prepare for the 2007 show. This one-day
event attracted over 140,000 attendees. Chris has climbed
Baxter Peak, Mt Katahdin and the Knife’s Edge five times
and walked on fire twice. Chris has presented to many
organizations including: The National Speakers Association,
NSA Pennsylvania, NSA New England, The Greater Portland
Convention & Visitors Bureau, Meeting Professionals
International, MPI New England and various other civic
and regional groups throughout New England, Canada, Mexico
and the United Kingdom.
I: Keeping all the Balls in the Air: How to
cope with constant change…And Still Stay Sane! – Rob
Peck, Get Ahead Pro Speakers Bureau
C.E.O.’s are increasingly challenged to juggle multiple
responsibilities. But "all work and no play"…
NO WAY! People don't glaze over, call in sick, or jump
ship, when they are in a cooperative learning environment
that supports fun-spirited, fresh thinking and respects
a healthy life balance. Good health is vital for good
morale and both bring out people’s best in tough times.
Leaders who know how to respond creatively to unforeseen
challenges model a resiliency that rubs off. Nothing
helps us bounce back quicker than a good laugh. Keeping
a sense of humor helps us keep problems in perspective
and recognize that difficulties can either obstruct or
instruct. It’s our choice. We can constantly complain,
or we can constructively reframe…. and have less stress,
and more zest! Attendees will get a delightful object
lesson in how learning a new skill expands left and right
brain thinking, and come away with a heightened appreciation
for the link between leadership and laughter (and why
humor is a great hearing aid when it comes to enhancing
listener’s attention). They will also derive deeper insights
into what frustrates- and what facilitates, cooperative
learning and group chemistry. Each person will leave
with a handy reference guide: Tips For Getting A Grip
On Overload & Overwhelm, which includes several fun
and creative 20-30 second R & R techniques to recharge
their energy and rejuvenate their outlook, as well as
a crisp, and easy to apply protocol to ensure problems
are viewed in proper perspective.
Rob Peck is the C.E.A. (Creative Education
Advocate) of ZESTWORKS a speaking, training and consulting
firm whose core philosophy is to make content come alive
by linking lessons with laughter. Rob graduated the University
of Pennsylvania (Phi Beta Kappa) and Ringling Brothers
Clown College ("Magna Cum Looney"!) He received
The International Juggler's Association's Excellence
in Education Award and was a featured guest on Donahue.
Zestwork's guiding principle is that high spirits mean
low attrition. Rob's novel use of juggling (both as a
medium and a metaphor) immediately strikes a universal
chord that cuts across all age and gender barriers. In
Peck's nimble hands juggling becomes both a memorable
illustration of how to deal with lots of "balls" in
the air- and still stay focused... and a hands-on training
tool that helps participants hone their concentration
and heighten their sense of humor at the same time. As
a speaker, trainer and consultant, Peck has helped thousands
of multitasking professionals re-discover a life-balance
which links learning with laughter and frees them to
have less stress and more zest at work....and at home.
A: Measure or
Perish: Why Knowing Your Meeting
History is Essential – Amy Sherwood, IAPP
Attendees of this session will learn why collecting historical
data is necessary when planning meetings. Particularly
in a down turned economy meeting planners need to be
at the top of their game. To do so they must rely on
a bevy of information that can guide their strategy,
budgeting, and purchasing decisions. More than ever planners
must justify their spending, do it better than their
competitors and deliver more with less. This session
will make the case that you must arm yourself with the
data. Using examples and tools, attendees will work through
sample worksheets and share their experiences with colleagues.
Attendees will learn how to predict their attendance
while building a budget, not after; they will understand
how much alcohol should be ordered and accurately print
the correct number of marketing materials and much more.
Amy Sherwood is Operations Director at the
international Association of Privacy Professionals. She
joined the IAPP as the organization was beginning to
take shape and was instrumental in moving event operations
from and association management company in house. In
her first role as Events Director, Sherwood built a program
from one staff member to a team of eight. She developed
procedures, developed strategies and managed daily operations.
Today, she has oversight of all operational and business
functions as they relate to events, membership, certification
processing and general office flow. Prior to joining
the IAPP, Sherwood worked at Strawbery Banke, and outdoor
history museum, as an events manager, where she helped
build a facility rentals program, and produced fundraisers,
and educational events. She has worked in New York for
philanthropy the Markle Foundation; Fanlight Production
in Boston, an educational film distributor and has degrees
from the Culinary Institute of America and Ithaca College’s
Park School of Communications. She holds certifications
in meeting planning (CMP) and information privacy (CIPP).
In her free time she volunteers regularly for many organizations.
She has been a Big Sister through the Big Brother Big
Sister program for 6 years, organized a major fundraiser
that is now in its thirteenth year for the Avis Goodwin
Health Clinic; and was Chair for the Amesbury Cultural
Council.
Educational Session IV
B: Work
Your Tradeshow
Olivia Frawley, Jurys
Boston Hotel; Robert Berkowitz, Puerto
Rico Convention Bureau
Click here to download the checklist and objectives and
results.
From how to find the best show for your market, to registration,
to follow-up, there are steps which one can take to make
their Trade Show experience flow smoothly and efficiently.
Attendees will learn what makes a show work well and
what does not. How to prepare prior to the show, how
to pre-set appointments, and how to work a successful
booth. Most importantly, discussing how follow-up after
returning to the office is paramount.
Olivia Frawley is originally from Co. Claire,
Ireland and is currently living and working in Boston,
MA. She has worked for the Jurys Doyle Hotel Group for
seven years and has been involved in Sales & Marketing
for 11 years. Her role at Jurys Boston Hotel is as Group
Sales Manager, and manages diverse markets. Olivia attends
a number of Trade Shows annually within the US and Europe,
to include Pow Wow, DNE, NEMICE, Springtime in the Park,
World Travel Market (London), and the Consumer Holiday
Show (Ireland). Olivia holds a BA Degree from the University
of Limerick, Ireland and a post-graduate Diploma in Tourism
Management & Marketing from the Dublin Business School,
Ireland.
Bob Berkowitz has been in the tradeshow and
meetings industry for over 20 years and is a consummate
marketing and sales professional who has strategically
directed events and tradeshows in categories ranging
from computer and information technology to wireless
services, to a wide variety of associated products. He
started his career at the Interface Group, creators of
COMDEX and produced events for Apple Computer, Comverse
Network Systems and Oracle. In his current role, Bob
works with clients based in the northeast booking meetings
in Puerto Rico.
I: Risk Management – Evan Smith, Newport County
CVB
This session is designed to help planners and suppliers
explore the different risks each side faces when negotiating
business and planning an event. The content will focus
on risk identification, risk avoidance, risk reduction,
and risk transference. The discussion will also explore
innovative applications and resources that help minimize
risk. Group interaction is encouraged. Attendees will
learn to identify and understand risk from the other
side’s perspective; what risk management is reasonable
verse overkill; what are “every day risks” compared to
“crisis risks”; identify low and high risk activities;
will build a list of resources to help with their own
risk management issues.
As President & CEO, Evan Smith leads the
Newport County Convention & Visitors Bureau in promoting
Newport as a premiere destination for leisure and business
travel. In Evan’s 19 years at the NCCVB, he has overseen
all marketing initiatives to position Newport as an appealing
destination. Looking forward, Evan is enthusiastic about
uncovering new possibilities to promote the destination
through innovative partnerships and creative packaging.
During his 28-year career in travel and tourism, Smith
has served in sales and marketing capacities for three
hotels and an international tour operator. Additionally,
Smith is an active member of numerous travel trade organizations
including TIA and SATW. He is the founder of the New
England Visitor Center Association.
A: Green
Meetings: Beyond PC – Michelle Johnson
and Chris Gasbarro, C3
Click
here for notes from the Greennstorm.
The hottest topic in our industry, “Green Meetings” has
become the new vernacular-but is it too much a marketing
or advertising position? As a meeting professional, planner
or supplier, this session will allow you to evaluate
and take proactive steps to truly make your programs
more “Green”. It’s not just a word, it’s an action-one
that the meeting professional plays an important role
in by influencing the green opportunities with your organizations,
vendors, and attendees. Beyond PC refers not only to
successfully navigating the “Politically Correct” world
of sustainable meetings and events, but also a more “Mac”
approach to creating green-through design and innovations.
Deliverables you will take away are a broader understanding
of “Greening” opportunities that exist in your meetings
and events; contract and negotiation examples to leverage
a better meeting footprint for your next meeting; how
to design your meetings and events to allow for maximum
sustainable practices; how to influence your partners
and vendors for a smaller meeting footprint.
Chris Gasbarro represents the creative aspect
of C3, a meeting and event experience agency based on
the Seacoast of New Hampshire. His background combines
expertise in event production, media creation & development,
environmental design and brand messaging. In short, Chris
collaborates with clients to deliver powerful ideas and
storytelling in the meeting and event landscape Chris
pushes organizations to try it differently. The results
are astounding. By urging clients to take calculated
risks, organizations open people up to new ways of listening,
learning—and changing. Chris’s creative approach uses
humor, energy and excitement to lead and develop gatherings.
He developed it over the course of a colorful decade-long
career during which he toured with bands across North
America, sound-checked Fortune 500 CEOs, served as director
of sales & marketing for a renowned staging company,
reorganized 2 businesses, and even captained boats. His
most valuable experience came from witnessing the thousands
of ways organizations presented their message in meetings
(both right and wrong) over the years.
Michelle Johnson is the Champion of Community
Building at C3. Her background as Senior Manager of Global
Meetings for The Timberland Company taught her that shared
purpose makes a community—and a successful meeting. Michelle’s
true expertise is getting clients to start with a vision
and carry it through to the end—a task requiring collaboration
on a wide scale and seamless execution. Michelle gained
her formal experience in meetings and events during her
8 years at Timberland. There she managed her own team
on an average put on 12 sales meetings, 6 trade shows,
and 20-30 regional shows each year. The insights she
gained proved to her the critical role meeting planners
can plan in organizations’ futures. She knows first hand
how by elevating the role of meeting planner you can
create events with powerful stories that make the most
of budgets and have real impact. She’s an indispensable
teammate because, she urges companies to step outside
their comfort zones and push their creativity and expectations.
Future Economic Trends in the Hospitality Industry
- Professor Dennis Michaud, Babson College
With the Economy and business strategy being forefront
of everyone’s mind, you will not want to miss this closing
session!
Dr. Dennis Michaud has over 25 years experience in the private sector
including investment banking, project finance, financial management and strategy
planning. He was a founder or co-founder of five corporate start-ups, two which
went public. Dr. Michaud has been a visiting assistant professor of economics
for five years at Brown University where he taught courses in international
finance and trade, corporate strategy, corporate governance, and international
negotiations. He continues to lead the corporate governance research program
at Brown. He also served as a senior policy advisor to the Rhode Island Economic
Development Corporation where he developed a new corporate mission statement,
corporate by-laws, and board of director best practices for RIEDC’s industrial
development subsidiary. His research interests and publication focus on corporate
governance and strategy. Dr. Michaud has published in the Journal of Strategic
Management Education, and Social Science Research Network and is currently
writing a book on corporate board leadership. back
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Co-Creation
and Community
By Programming Committee Co-Chairs
Bryan Lavin – Providence Warwick Convention and Visitors
Bureau
Craig Sutton – Craig Sutton Entertainment
The connection between the chosen topic for MPI New
England’s October meeting, “Co-Creation and Community
“ and the tightening economic climate was incredibly
timely and demonstrated the importance, more than ever
that we work together and unite as one in the meeting
industry. From all indications, coming together is exactly
what took place, as over 180 people networked together,
communicated together, interacted and had fun on October
22, 2008 at the Long Wharf Marriott in Boston.
For the
first time ever, MPI/New England asked its members, “What
do YOU want to learn?” Topics for this meeting were
based solely on suggestions from the MPI/New England
membership and included eLearning, Social Networking
Media, and the Generation Gap. Attendees were asked
to co-create their own round table discussions based
on one of the above topics.
Mike Carson, President of
MPI New England looked over a sea of people in a room
decorated in a patriotic theme of American flags and
red, white and blue linens, and lighting. Aided only
by basic talking points, and “Conversation-Starters”,
attendees shared their thoughts, opinions, and personal
experiences through lively conversation. In 15 minute
segments, each topic was explored and then in an interactive
switch, guests moved to a new table and topic, allowing
the opportunity for attendees to experience a new conversation
and connect with a new group of people. At the conclusion
of the meeting, Mike appeared as “Uncle Sam”, to once
again re-affirm MPI’s new direction that “We Want You”
to work together.
Planning for this event began months
in advance with the launch of the MPI/New England Group
Space. Group Space is on on-line forum which allows
members of MPI to connect through a common topic. On
the MPI/New England Group Space members posted discussions
and blogs with their ideas for an educational topic at
a monthly meeting, these suggestions were then molded
into the program on October 22.
Bryan Lavin spoke first
to the group about what it means to Co-Create, and then
Craig Sutton facilitated the round table discussions.
Special thanks also to topic facilitators Jay Krupp and
David Miller from Newmarket Media, Sarah Hamilton of
Keystone Dental, Inc., and the sales teams from Marriott
Long Wharf and Marriott International.
The Marriott
Long Wharf was an outstanding and generous host for the
evening and went above and beyond to ensure the success
of the program. The top-notch event staff provided fantastic
meeting space, decorations, audiovisual services, and
amazing executive chef selections for the reception that
followed. Doug Soares, Area Director of Sales for Marriott
spoke to the attendees about the recent renovations to
the hotel and allowed the meeting to speak for itself.
Doug Soares and Joseph Souza, Director of Event Planning
worked closely with Bryan Lavin and Craig Sutton to ensure
that this event was a memorable experience for MPI/New
England. back
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MPI/New
England 2008 Annual Outing & Golf Tournament
By Kathleen Tormey
The
MPI/New England Annual Outing and Golf Tournament, held
in memory of Chapter Leader, Kathy Keegan-Cummings, were
held on September 22, 2008 at the fantastic Ocean Edge
Resort & Golf Club on the Cape in Brewster, Massachusetts.
Golfers enjoyed the new Jack Nicklaus design golf course.
Non-golfers were treated to their own special outing
which included a luncheon and tour at the Wequassett
Inn Resort & Golf Club Hotel, followed by afternoon
of shopping in Chatham, Massachusetts.
All attendees came back together for the wrap up session
and awards. Ocean Edge provided a wonderful early morning
coffee break for golfers before tee time and a stupendous
reception. The staff at Ocean Edge out did themselves
in service and helpfulness and it was noticeable in every
small detail that was attended to. Reviews from attendees
were wonderful. Everyone loved golfing at Ocean Edge.
Thanks to c3, who sponsored the weather, we had beautiful
skies to play under.
A Special Thanks to Our Sponsors
EVENT SPONSORS |
Carey
Boston |
Ocean
Edge Golf Club and Resort |
Wequassett
Resort |
|
HOLE
SPONSORS |
ARAMARK
Harrison Lodging |
Commonwealth
Worldwide |
Destination
Worcester |
Hilton
Hotels Corporations - Boston Regional Sales Center |
Long
Beach Area CVB |
Newport,
RI CVB |
Ocean
Edge Golf Resort |
Palm
Springs Desert Resorts |
Renaissance
Providence Hotel |
Rosewood
Hotels |
Starwood
Hotels of Boston |
The
Liberty Hotel |
The
Lighthouse Inn |
The
Peabody Orlando |
|
BEVERAGE
CART SPONSORS |
LXR
Luxury Resorts & Hotels |
Palace
Resorts |
Puerto
Rico Convention Bureau |
|
GOLF FOURSOME
SPONSORS |
A&A
Metro Transportation |
Atlantic
City Convention and Visitors Association |
Boston
Coach |
Commonwealth
Worldwide |
Destination
Worcester |
Doubletree
Hotels |
Gaylord
Hotels |
Gaylord
National Resort and Convention Center |
LXR
Luxury Resorts & Hotels |
Marriott
International |
Meeting
Strategists |
Ocean
Edge Resort & Golf Club |
Sebasco
Harbor Resort |
Sepracor |
Starwood
Hotels of Boston |
The
Liberty Hotel |
The
Sagamore |
| |
| back
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MPI/NE Annual Meeting
Celebrating Excellence – Past, Present & Future
By: Deborah Costa
On June, 17, 2008 MPI New England celebrated its landmark
30th anniversary at the historic Omni Parker House Hotel.
The year’s Annual Meeting has once again brought together
our chapter for an important celebration where we recognized
the achievements of fellow members and their contributions
and dedication to the chapter.
The rooftop ballroom at the Omni was an outstanding venue
for 140 meeting professional to network, socialize and
support the outgoing 2007/2008 board members. Highlights
of the evening included a tribute to MPI/NE past presidents,
the awards presentations, and the induction of our new
board members, who will serve out chapter for the 2008
– 2009 year.
Patrick Lynch bid farewell to the group as the chapter
president. The chapter has made great strides this year
under Patrick’s leadership and we applaud him for his
accomplishments. Mike Carson talked about change and
how it affects all of us. He will continue to impart
his energy and enthusiasm as President of the MPI New
England Chapter for our 2008 -2009 year, and we look
forward to another successful year for the New England
Chapter of MPI under his leadership.
We thank our Annual Meeting sponsors for their
generosity:
Omni Parker House
David Fox Photography
Entertainment Specialists
PSAV
2008 MPI/NE Award Winners:
Meeting Professional of the Year Award
David Fox
David Fox Photography
Chris
Gasbarro
Chief Creative Officer
C3, LLC
President’s Award
Grace Andrews
President and Founder
Training By Design
Beth Hamiroune
Vice President, Sales
Krisam Group/Global Events Partners
Chapter Leader of the Year Award
Bea Flammia
Senior Sales Manager
The Regent Boston at Battery Wharf
Tomorrow’s Leader Award
Steven Krohn
Owner
Wine Entertainment Resources
Sam Dame Professional Development Scholarship
Award
Kelly Bishop
Senior Meeting Planner
Liberty Mutual Insurance Company
We also thank our two outgoing board members.
We truly appreciate your service and commitment to
the MPI New England Chapter.
Mary M. Keough-Anderson, CMP, CMM
Manager Conference and Meeting Management
Liberty Mutual Insurance Company
Chris Gasbarro
Chief Creative Officer
C3, LLC
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