FUSE Roadshow Opens with Sold Out Event!
Last week the first event of the five-series FUSE Roadshow, put on by the Convention Industry Council (CIC), Social Tables and Meetings Mean Business, kicked off to a standing-room-only crowd. The event, held on February 17 at the Loews Madison in Downtown Washington, D.C., truly infused attendees in a fun and interactive format!
More than 100 planners, partners and suppliers were in attendance at the initial kickoff of the five-city event tour, continuing at the Loews Hollywood in California on March 9.
"The focus of the event is to fuse planners, partners and property managers together in an intimate setting. We are keeping the events small to promote engagement and garner more efficient and relevant networking," said Karen Kotowski, CAE, CMP, CEO of the Convention Industry Council.
Before the primary education began, The Convention Industry Council held a CMP Information Breakfast for those interested in the program, showcasing the value of the certification and the ins and outs of achieving the elite certification.
Kicking off the learning experience was a session on understanding Wi-Fi and what you need to know, which was presented by Michael Owen, Managing Partner of EventGenuity and current past chair of CIC’s APEX Standards Committee. Check out the APEX bandwidth calculator here.
Karen Kotowski,CAE, CMP, and Mallory Ward, Director at APCO Worldwide, tag teamed at an engaging and motivating session on the importance of not only being an advocate for our industry but how to best tell the story. Highlighting examples and backed by research from the Meetings Mean Business Coalition along with audience participation, Karen and Mallory inspired everyone in the room to join the cause.
After the morning sessions, guests got to relax in the hip and trendy lounge space designed by AFR Event Furnishings. Shortly after, lunch was served family-style further promoting engagement. The menu was infused with the flair of the onsite restaurant Rural Society bringing flavors of Latin America.
Following lunch the education continued highlighting research from Meetings Mean Business and Skift on what millennials want in meetings, introducing the crowd to the word "bleisure," combining business and leisure when traveling.
Dan Berger, CEO of Social Tables, released never-seen-before research their company conducted on site visits, showcasing the different perspectives of both planners and venue sales staff. The research revealed that the four key factors on both sides are trust, sincerity, competence and reliability.
The end-of-the-day coffee chat featured Elliot Ferguson of Events DC and Phillip Dufour, the first male Social Secretary in the White House, and current owner of DU4 Productions. This open dialogue panel brought out interesting facts on their successful career paths as well as highlighting some features and trends in the local DC travel market.
Closing the day with a bang was the "social hour" sponsored by Social Tables in the lounge with yellow coaches, pink and mirrored cubes, and the center of the back room highlighted by winged screens was the golden bar, which was the brains of Heidi of AFR Event Furnishings.
Partnering on an event with three organizations was a great way to add value and different perspectives. This event was a collaborative meeting with CIC, Social Tables, and Meetings Mean Business working together on the education and promotion. Our sponsors AFR Event Furnishings, Loews Hotels and PSAV all stepped up to impress the audience and enhance the overall experience.
Kotowski added "We couldn’t have been more proud to be a part of this event, and we are looking to improve the event continually along the way. Each stop will have unique touches and varied sessions to keep things interesting."
Seating is limited, so register for your spot at a location near you today!
Events Industry Council
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