Feature Article: Planning for Disaster

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Feature Article: Planning for Disaster

9/11. Anthrax. SARS. Katrina. Avian Flu. All of these phrases can strike fear into a meeting planner's heart, with good reason. It's human nature to avoid topics that cause us stress or discomfort, but as meeting professionals we must address these and similar issues for the safety of our program participants and the credibility and reputation of our organizations. Yet, according to a study conducted by Purdue University for the Professional Convention Management Association, meeting planners on the whole are not prepared to respond to a crisis of any kind – be it a meeting attendee having a heart attack, the roof collapsing on the convention center, or a contagious disease.

What an exciting year this has been for VAMPI! From the Chapter of the Year Award to finishing the fiscal year with more than 200 members, all kinds of wonderful things have been going on as we celebrate our 20th Anniversary! As part of our ongoing efforts to provide the best value to our members, we have been working on transitioning the Chapter newsletter to an electronic format. This is the first issue of the digital The VAMPI Voice. Each issue will also be posted on the Chapter web site (http://vampiweb.org/newsletter.htm). We will continue developing the electronic format over the next few months making it an even richer resource for you with links to more detailed information and resources.

The entire Board and I are looking forward to a lot more exciting developments for the members in the coming year, not the least of which will be the Disney Institute program in December. If there is anything you as a member would like to see from VAMPI, please let us know. The organization works best when we have a wide variety of members offering their input. Electronically yours, Mary Kidd, CMP, Executive Director

The old Boy Scout motto could as easily be that of the meeting professional. Our roles are defined in large part by the planning of each element of a meeting, from site selection to contract negotiation, from on-site logistics to preparing speakers, from coordinating attendee evaluations to demonstrating ROI to our organizations, the list is endless! A meeting's overall success is determined by our abilities to plan every detail and, more importantly, to have contingency plans in place when the unexpected happens.

Every August VAMPI members and guests gather for VAMPI's Annual Educational Conference for education, fellowship, and a chance to rejuvenate both mind and body. This year's Annual Educational Conference, held August 2-4, 2006, at Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, featured an additional treat – a celebration of the organization's award-winning year, the Chapter's 20th Anniversay, and recognition of the conference as VAMPI's 16th annual event. It has been a remarkable year for VAMPI, and attendees were ready to celebrate!

CMP certification is a proven way to improve your performance in the industry in which you earn your living and are directing your future. It can also increase your opportunities for advancement and greater financial rewards. It does require time and study, however, in our area over ninety-five percent of our study group students pass the exam. Applications must be submitted to CIC by September 12, 2006.

September 14, 2006, Writing and Implementing a Strategic Business Plan , Marriot Newport News at City Center - October 5, 2006, VSAE Fall Marketplace , Richmond Convention Center - October 26, 2006, What's Hot in Hotel Contracts & What You Need to Know Now (Co-sponsored with HSMAI), Sheraton Richmond West - December 7, 2006, Disney Institute and VAMPI Annual Basket Auction , Richmond Convention Center

In the workplace you may need the following supplies if there is a disaster that keeps you in the building for several hours or even a few days.

1. Computerized registration can provide the following, except: a. attendance control; b. marketing history; c. automatic name badge generation; d. guarantee of data accuracy; e. all of the above 2. Conference objectives should be: a. achievable; b. specific; c. quantifiable; d. numerical; e. all of the above 3. At your last convention, 6,000 registrants used a total of 4,285 rooms. Approximately, how many rooms should you project for your next meeting if you increase attendance to 10,000? a. 5,500; b. 6,100; c. 6,800; d. 7,000

Students in the Introduction to Meetings and Conventions Management class are available to provide on-site assistance with your meeting, conference, convention, or trade show during September – November 2006. This is a required, graded laboratory assignment for the course. Students can work with you for 1 – 3 days without pay, but do need to receive room and board plus auto mileage reimbursement from Blacksburg. Contact: Howard Feiertag, CMP, CHME, CHA Department of Hospitality & Tourism Management Pamplin College of Business Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA 24061-0104 email: howardf@vt.edu phone: 540-231-9459 fax: 540-231-0117