June 2017
REGISTER NOW for the Annual MPI Toronto Chapter Golf Tournament: June 28, 2017! Enjoy three hours of golf plus a three-hour reception and banquet at the newly renovated Royal Woodbine Golf Club. Tee-off time is 2 p.m., and event completion is 8 p.m. (guaranteed). Beginners are more than welcome! Book a foursome (minimum two planners) or come out on your own and invite an industry colleague. This event provides an incomparable opportunity to mix and mingle with fellow meeting professionals and get to know one another in a relaxed, enjoyable atmosphere. Online registration is open. For information on sponsorship and prize donations, please contact Leslie Wright.
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July 2017
Don’t miss the MPI Toronto Connect Social on July 18, 2017 at JOEY Eaton Centre – a sparkling summer networking event where you can make new connections and catch up with industry friends and colleagues. Register for the Connect Social here.
Will you be reading the ever-popular SUMMER issue of meeting Magazine, due out on July 10? Don’t miss this year’s edition, themed "THE MONEY ISSUE" where we explore all things financial in the world of meetings and events. You will learn how to increase your value as a planner, who/how/what to ask for in sponsorships, money myths and truths about top Canadian destinations, how to create an event budget, and so much more, all from top experts in the biz! Look for it in your mailboxes this coming July.
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April 2018
Make sure you take out a big red marker and circle April 12-14, 2018 on your calendar. You are going to want to be in the nation’s capital over those dates to take part in the first annual edition of the EVENT. For the first time in MPI Canadian history, meeting professionals from three chapters (Toronto, Montreal/Quebec, and Ottawa) will be assembling for an exciting three days of COLLABORATION of ideas, CULTIVATION of new learning formats, and an overall ELEVATION of the meetings industry.
the EVENT will kick off Thursday night with a celebration of Global Meetings Industry Day, and transition into two inspiring days of education on Friday and Saturday. Sessions will concentrate on peer-to-peer learning, attendees immersing themselves in new educational environments, and business specific skills education.
Last month it was announced that Brookstreet Hotel would be home to the first installment of the EVENT in April 2018, with Montreal/Quebec hosting in 2019 and Toronto opening its doors to the program for 2020. This is a complete partnership involving equal participation and planning from each of the chapters annually, regardless of the host destination.
"We are striving to put together an experience that challenges the traditional boundaries of what we have come to expect from education and a typical event. From room setup design to name badges to speaker deliveries, our planning team has set a goal to think differently about how events are executed" noted Tim Whalen, Vice President of the Toronto Chapter and member of the EVENT Advisory Board.
For more information on the EVENT you can follow @theEVENTmpi on Twitter.
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The MPI Toronto Education Conference (TEC) was held at the beautiful JW Marriott The Rosseau in Muskoka, and we want to take a moment to thank everyone who helped this amazing event come together! The conference could not have happened without the support of our sponsors:
- JW Marriott The Rosseau Muskoka Resort & Spa generously sponsored many aspects of the conference including the morning exercise sessions on both days followed by breakfast. The Executive Chef, Shaun Crymbie, did an excellent job of providing healthy, creative meals. Monday evening’s dinner was a surprise set-up for everyone, and it was a great way to showcase what Muskoka is all about. Thanks to Laura Hanson, Event Manager and Avery Kober, Event Operations, for having the vision and offering it to TEC.
- EventMobi provided the app that allowed attendees to view the schedule at their fingertips, play the networking game, and see a list of attendees.
- Speakers’ Spotlight sponsored Bruce Kirkby, our opening speaker, award-winning explorer, writer and photographer, who gave an inspiring opening session and was then followed by Dan Berger from Social Tables, sponsored by Tourism London. Both speakers provided a great start to the conference program.
- PSAV sponsored the AV, and with their talented technicians they did an incredible job.
- Sunday night was the games night supporting the MPI Foundation’s Chairman’s Challenge. Thanks to White Oaks Resort & Spa and their team for facilitating this and providing some of the games. Those who attended got right into the action and the competition was fierce!
- Stewart Hall from Rock the Stars had us "rocking" on Monday morning with Battle of the Bands, and he did a great job as the facilitator for the conference.
- Monday night was the Fireside Chat and Campfire with S’mores sponsored by Ottawa Tourism and the Shaw Centre, our Marquee Sponsors. The Muskoka Room was full for the Fireside Chat and the campfire kept us warm and brought that Muskoka feel to the evening.
- To close the conference on Tuesday, National Speakers Bureau brought us Tony Chapman, speaker, moderator, facilitator, TV and radio personality, and author. A great close to the TEC, inspiring attendees to "start storytelling."
- Thank you to Peller Estates Winery for being the exclusive speaker gift sponsor.
- D.E. Systems was our on-line registration partner and The Image Commission provided the photographer. Check out the MPI Toronto website for photos from TEC! Ignite Magazine is our Media Partner so look for photos in their next issue.
- We also want to thank our additional exhibitors: Destination St John’s, Habitat for Humanity Ontario Gateway North, Niagara Parks Commission, Silver Hotel Group, and Vintage Hotels.
As you know, TEC could not happen without a great committee behind it, so a huge thank you to Chair, Tami Adams; Speaker Liaison, Kiran Balladin; Marketing & Communications, Caitlin Burgess, CMP; Vendor Liaisons, Janet Green and Peter Jones; Event App Liaison, Jeff Leggett; Charity & Sponsors, Lyne Montpetit, CMP; Sponsor Lead, Erin Reid; Venue Contact, Mary Sistilli; Speaker Liaison, Correen Smith; Director, Mariella Irivarren, CMP; and Vice-President, Nikki Sayers, CMP.
Instead of "see you next year," we will say "see you at the EVENT, April 12-14, 2018 in Ottawa!"
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If you haven’t visited the MPI Toronto Chapter BLOG lately, you are missing out on a wealth of informative articles and inspiration! Written especially for (and by) meeting and events industry professionals, the BLOG is always chock-full of valuable learning and inspiration. Be sure to check it out, share it with your colleagues and start some discussions! Right now, on the BLOG:
- "Bridging the Mentorship Gap" from BMO Financial Group’s Manager, Event-Based Marketing and MPI Toronto Chapter’s Director of TEC MARIELLA IRIVARREN
- "Have You Tried to Find Work-Life Balance and Failed?" from Resiliency Ninja, TEC speaker, and Growth Consultant & Author at ElevateBiz ALLISON GRAHAM
- "Mastering Change & Clearing the Cluttered Mind" from TEC speaker and award-winning explorer, writer and photographer BRUCE KIRKBY
- "How I Tackled My CMP" from TEC Committee Chair and Canada Health Infoway Event Planner CAITLIN BURGESS
- PLUS an extensive archive of past articles you need to read!
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Did you know that MPI Toronto Chapter’s print and digital publications offer unique, on-going opportunities for meeting and event professionals to get published and be heard by the membership? Now is the time to have a voice, share your knowledge and expertise, and inspire conversation within your industry! Here’s how:
CHAPTER SPEAKS – For every issue of meeting Magazine, we crowd-source the best responses to a topical question posted on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter and publish these in a feature called "CHAPTER SPEAKS." Will you be in the next issue? Be sure to follow us by clicking on the hyperlinks above, watch out for the bi-monthly Chapter Speaks discussion and add your two cents’ worth. We'd love to hear from you!
BLOG – It’s so easy to contribute to the MPI Toronto Chapter BLOG by sharing your thoughts on a subject of interest and/or learning value to our readership. It’s a great way to engage with your industry colleagues and get connected to your fellow MPI Toronto Chapter members! Simply contact Communications Committee Chair Amy Tough to get started.
meeting MAGAZINE – As a not-for-profit organization, MPI Toronto Chapter relies on our industry experts and colleagues to help provide thought-provoking articles and knowledge-enhancing advice to our Members in every issue of meeting Magazine. By contributing your knowledge and expertise, your name will reach thousands of industry planners! Each issue is printed and mailed to every member of the Toronto Chapter along with our sponsors and advertisers. The digital copy is distributed by email, as well as on social media via Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. In a matter of seconds, YOUR expertise is shared with thousands. If you would like to be considered as a potential author for an upcoming issue, please contact Amy Tough.
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The CMP Study Group Committee is fortunate each year to work with, and welcome, 15 to 20 industry professionals as speakers at the CMP Study Sessions from April to June. Without our valued speakers, the CMP Study Sessions truly would not be possible. The speakers prepare their presentations in advance and present assigned skills from the Events Industry Council Manual, and the PCMA Manual, many of which are focused on their individual expertise. The members of the CMP Study Group Committee and the attendees of the sessions truly value everything the speakers offer including volunteering time out of their personal and professional schedules to prepare for their session and then present to the group, their knowledge and their experience. The speakers are always so willing to answer questions and share their personal experience through the CMP journey with the attendees.
The CMP Committee would like to thank everyone who took part in the CMP study sessions. If you are interested in volunteering to be a speaker, please email Amy Duffy, who would more than happy to provide more information.
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The Marketing Committee prepares to serve you better as we move into a new MPI Toronto Chapter fiscal year, by creating more opportunities for involvement through Social Media and connecting you, our members, with the information you want in real time. If you have suggestions, want a repost or simply want to chat, connect with us on any one of our accounts below.
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The memberTOmember program has exceeded $2.2 million to date in business transactions since its launch in 2016, all because of the support of our membership! The program has successfully encouraged business between our members and has also shown employers and members just how beneficial an MPI Toronto Chapter membership can be. Thank you for your ongoing support of this very special program. Please continue to record your transactions HERE to be eligible for some fantastic prizes and always remember to buy MPI!
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Sponsorship opportunities are still available for the always-popular Annual Golf Tournament on Wednesday, June 28, our final event of this fiscal year. Contact Vicki Zeppa or Leslie Wright to learn more.
The new fiscal year for The MPI Toronto Chapter begins on July 1, and we are seeking venues for some of our upcoming events. If you would like to host one (or more!) of the events listed below, Vicki Zeppa or Leslie Wright would love to hear from you:
- September 20, 2017 – AGM and Volunteer Recognition
- October 17, 2017 – CMP Study Group and Professional Development Workshop including lunch
- November 15, 2017 – CMP Study Group and Professional Development Workshop including lunch
- January 10, 2018 – MPI Toronto Connect Social
- February 8, 2018 – Professional Development Workshop
- March 8, 2018 – MPI Toronto Awards Gala
- April 12, 2018 – Global Meetings Industry Day
We encourage you to think of our sponsors when looking for suppliers to provide services to your event. MPI Toronto Chapter buys MPI as much as possible. You have the first opportunity to be part of our success. Let us know how we can partner with you to provide value to our members and to showcase your organization. Contact Vicki Zeppa or Leslie Wright for more information.
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Reminder from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada – With significant growth in the number of people wanting to visit Canada, applying early is more important than ever. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is reminding special event and conference organizers to encourage international participants to plan ahead and apply early for Canadian travel documents. International participants should review Canada’s entry requirements to find out which travel documents they will need to visit Canada, such as a visa or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), and apply early. Participants can also find information about visiting Canada for business here. IRCC has prepared handouts and social media messaging to help you share this important reminder. We encourage you to spread the word via your professional networks, websites, social media accounts and in client communications to help minimize stress and ensure a smooth travel experience for visitors to Canada. Posters and shareable images are also available to remind all travelers to Canada to apply early if they need an eTA or visa. If you would like electronic copies of any of these products, please contact IRCC at Outreach-Rayonnement@cic.gc.ca.
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AV-CANADA Appoints General Manager to Ottawa Branch
AV-CANADA is pleased to introduce Alice Parnis as the General Manager for the AV-CANADA, Ottawa branch. AV-CANADA is delighted to have Alice as part of their leadership team. Alice is a strong, passionate leader with more than 20 years of experience in the industry. We look forward to leveraging her experience, creativity and industry recognition in both managing and expanding our AV-CANADA, Ottawa business. Alice can be reached at alice.p@av-canada.com.
Destination Halifax Announces Major Changes During Canada’s Tourism Week
As of May 31, 2017, the Halifax region’s Destination Marketing Organization (DMO), formally known as Destination Halifax, has changed their name and brand to Discover Halifax, along with a brand new business strategy and fresh programs. This is a new strategic direction for the DMO, including stating their intention to make Halifax globally recognized as the favourite city in Canada. For more information, contact Katie Conklin, Communications Manager, 902-442-9344, kconklin@discoverhalifax.com.
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