Annual Meeting Thank Yous and Follow-Up Info

Silent Auction  

Thanks so much to our Silent Auction donors who helped us raise over $8,300 to support GSAE’s educational programming. Tony Rissley is our new best friend. Expo Auctions made all this run smoothly and safely.  

Pay the Pig

Your generosity also helped us raise over $1,650 to support the good work of the United Way of the Coastal Empire through the Pay the Pig Raffle. Visit Savannah and their 10 industry partners kicked that up to more than $6,600 directly back into the community. We are overwhelmed. 

Congratulations to Sheryl Ehlers on winning the Grand Prize - Disney Park Hopper passes from Map Dynamics and the travel gift card, courtesy of Explore Charleston.  

GSAE Foundation Beer Pour 

Yay especially to the auction winners and our sponsors, Map Dynamics, Jekyll Island Authority, and the Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau and their industry partners for your support. With the help of hosts Lowell Aplebaum, FASAE, CAE, CPF, Mike Pennington, CAE and Russ Webb, y’all raised over $5,000 to fund future internship grants. 

Meeting Sponsors 

Watch our 2020 Sponsor Playlist here and take a minute to thank our main event sponsors who help keep us whole, especially our sponsors and exhibitors who contributed to the best swag bags ever. Y’all are all lucky crickets. JS. 

• Wednesday’s Savannah Picnic Reception & Dinner, Sponsored by Visit Savannah - Jen Thompson, National Sales Manager, along with the Visit Savannah industry partners. A big shout out to Renae Scott and Dan Mulder from Old Savannah Tours. Trolleys are cool.  
• Chair’s Reception sponsored by Explore Charleston - Chris Hendrix, CMP, Director of Sales, and John Michael McCants, TMP, Senior Sales Manager 
• Thursday reception sponsored by our host property, Hyatt Regency Savannah – Michelle Gortemoller, Director of Sales & Events and Cheryl Talley, Sales Manager 
• Thursday Opening Session, sponsored by Great Wolf Lodge Georgia - Christina Porter, Sales Manager 
• Thursday Breakfast with Crispy Bacon - Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center – Carol Hall, Association and Government Sales Manager 
• 2021 Annual Meeting Host & Thursday Luncheon Sponsors – Chattanooga Tourism Co – Barry White, IOM, CDME, President & CEO; Brian Murphy, Vice President, Sales; Lori Dodd, Business Development, Director and The Read House Hotel - Andrea Richey, Director of Sales 
• Friday Breakfast with Crispy Bacon – Jekyll Island Authority - Kevin Udell, Director of Sales and Maria Trammell, Sales Manager
• Friday Closing Session, sponsored by Carr, Riggs & Ingram, LLC – Matt Gunning, CPA, Partner
• Breaks – PIAG Insurance - Jason Cline, CAE, President & CEO; 100 Reviews - Teri Carden Co-Founder; MemberClicks - Mark Sedgley, President & CEO and Erin Hall, CAE, Product Marketing Manager 
• Logo Bags - Linda Minnick
• Useful Learning Journal – Discover DeKalb - Mike Vescio, Sales Manager 
• Golf – Discover Dunwoody - Steven Schumacher, Interim Executive Director & Golf Goody Bags – The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa  
• No one could miss Marty Bear, PMSI Promotions, in his exuberant attire onsite. Lots of thank yous for the logo kit to make it easy to embrace #SafetyFirst.

More In Kind Sponsors 

Map Dynamics, interactive map and GSAE Events meeting app - Austin Childers and Naylor Association Solutions, connections magazine and our e-newsletter – Chris Hodges and John Bacon, MBA. Visit all our meeting sponsors on the event app.  

GSAE  Volunteers 

We appreciate all our volunteers, especially the capable and energetic members of Team GSAE – Holly, Missy, Carol, Sheryl, Team Pay the Pig, Meet & Greet, Member Orientation and the Silent Auction committees. We could not have pulled this off without you. We owe you.