Meetings Today

Where Life, Death, Grief and Hospitality Connect

Now or next week, at a meeting or event where we are to network and enjoy ourselves—or perhaps in your office—someone, maybe you, are or will be grieving. Perhaps you have been asked, as I was, to help plan a life celebration for a co-worker or a friend or a family member. Because sometimes, just as we are asked to help plan joyous events, we are asked to help with end-of-life events.

Are There Stupid Meeting Questions? It Depends!

You know the questions: "Where's the bathroom?" asks a participant standing under the restroom sign. Or you, the planner, asks "Who is the hotel's owner?" to which the response is "Why do you want to know?" To questions about making changes in meeting formats, the response is too often "We've always done it that way. Why change now?"

Balancing Parenting and Caregiving While Working in Hospitality

Those of you who are parents and work full or part time, from home or in a hotel or convention center or office—or those of you who are caregivers for someone—have multiple jobs. I do not know how you do it.

International Women's Day: Moving the Industry Forward

Each time I’ve asked women in our industry if they consider themselves feminists they hesitate. Not all of them—but enough and in different age cohorts that I think there is a fear of being a strong woman, showing you are a strong woman, and identifying as a feminist. We can do more and better.

Meeting Trends: We’ve Only Come This Far?!

I’m frustrated with the meetings industry. OK. More than frustrated—pretty darn angry. In the week before I wrote the final version of this blog, I met with a retired hotel colleague and his husband, who asked me if I still loved what I did. I hesitated. Read on to see how "never-the-less" I persist.

Event Planners: It’s Time to Set Boundaries With Your Clients

When I transitioned from working for hotels to independent meeting and event planning, I wish I would have known it was OK to set boundaries or charge your clients for additional services. My focus was on providing anticipatory service, versus remembering I was now a small business.

On the Scene: Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City Electrifies Groups With Music and Venues

Measles Outbreak in Los Angeles County: How to Avoid the Spread of Airborne Illnesses at Meetings and Events

Change the Events World One Tweet at a Time During Positive Impact Events’ #CSRshareDay

MeetGreen Presents Its Hottest Sustainable Food & Beverage Trends for Events

Providence Warwick CVB Names Kristen Adamo CEO

Hilton Rochester Opens at Mayo Clinic

Fire Safety Checklist: Protect Meeting Attendees at Any Venue

On the Scene: Marriott CRN’s SoCal Properties Deliver the Personal Touch on a Convention-Sized Scale

Groups Can Now Enjoy Historic Bowling at The Howard

VIDEO: An Event Planner Tour of the San Diego Marriott Marquis