Three meeting planners share their experiences hosting events in three sunny and sandy Florida destinations—Clearwater, Tampa and St. Petersburg.
Classic Clearwater Beach
The highly anticipated sixth Updates in Medicine conference, hosted by Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine (KPCOM) at Nova Southeastern University, was poised to take place in October 2024 at the beautiful Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach. Excitement was building as attendees looked forward to a memorable weekend by the Gulf—until Mother Nature threw a curveball. Hurricane Helene, soon joined by the forceful Milton, barreled into Florida’s west coast, leaving a trail of devastation that upended the region and forced the conference team to swiftly rethink their plans.
Pivoting to new dates—April 25-27, 2025—Kathy Sadler, who serves as project manager to the dean of KPCOM, was quick to praise the team at Wyndham for their quick decisions when it came to every aspect of the event.
“Our partnership and the director of national accounts Kirstin Smith’s proactive communication assisted us in executing our agreement quickly with extremely fair price points for our returning group. Kirstin uses a strategic approach and understands the specific needs of our group. By understanding our vision, it lays a great foundation for seamless execution,” Sadler said. “Once again, the event exceeded all expectations imaginable due to the team working together with a natural spirit to serve others and an unmatched spirit of excellence.”
The gathering, which attracted more than 300 attendees, is a family-oriented continuing medical education (CME) weekend for the college’s alumni, which also serves as a thank you to the underserved clinical and rural medicine leadership.
With the theme “Leadership in the New Millennium,” the conference featured a mix of educational and entertaining activities, including a festive welcome reception and a range of informative CME sessions presented by the KPCOM’s faculty members and administrators.
Sadler said the weekend included unforgettable networking moments, laughter and fun that allowed spectacular memories to be made.
“I can’t say enough about the Wyndham. It’s a great property. We use 150-160 sleeping rooms and every meeting space. We used the Pelican Room, which is a gorgeous space overlooking the Gulf, and we also have five to six breakout sessions,” Sadler said.
The first night of KPCOM’s Updates in Medicine conference kicked off with a lively welcome reception featuring delicious and healthy passed hors d’oeuvres served from 6–9 p.m., and the emphasis was on healthy.
“The food is tailored to doctors and families who appreciate health-conscious options, and because we have an ethnically diverse audience with probably every country represented at KPCOM, chef goes out of his way to offer ethnically diverse fare like empanadas and Indian dishes,” Sadler said. “The atmosphere is festive as guests mingle, laughter fills the air and the energy is up as everyone connects. Afterwards, the party moves to the lobby bar, which is always buzzing thanks to a well-staffed team.
“The hotel knows our crowd loves to network, so the vibe stays fun and social long into the evening,” she added, “with plenty of opportunities for memorable conversations and new friendships.”
Saturday was all business as guests attended medical education sessions for CME credits while families went to the beach and pool. An elevated boxed lunch for those in sessions contained a diverse menu.
[Related: Bradenton Provides a Fresh Florida Experience for Groups]
“We do vegetarian Caprese sandwiches and ahi tuna on brioche buns, as well as gourmet roast beef and turkey sandwiches,” Sadler said.
“We wrap up on Saturday at about 1:30 p.m. so meeting attendees and their families can explore Clearwater Beach, including Clearwater Marine Museum, Dolphin Tours, Craft Breweries like Three Daughters or Green Bench (in St. Pete) or local ice cream shops.
“The hotel allows our guests to stay after checking out of the hotel to enjoy family-friendly restaurants in the area like Marina Cantina, Crabby’s, Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill or Salty’s Island Bar & Grille,” she added. “Some venture to nearby St. Pete for the day.”
Sadler said the feedback she and KPCOM get about the hotel and Clearwater from guests is always positive, nothing everything from the “million-dollar sunsets” to how “there’s lots to do for families and kids.”
“It’s artful implementation, so all aspects of the weekend consistently provide the ultimate guest experience,” Sadler said. “The team has infectious and contagious positivity.”
Top-Notch Tampa
Dawn Merlino, executive assistant, FBO Operations at Sheltair Aviation—the nation’s largest privately-owned aviation network—brought nearly 40 spirited team members from 16 Sheltair aviation bases spanning Texas, Colorado, Georgia, and an array of Florida cities to what she calls “the greatest little niche in Tampa,” or Midtown.
When the group wasn’t in general sessions listening to insights from aviation experts, in breakouts with their teammates or learning the finer points of budgeting, attendees turned Midtown into their playground whenever they had free time during the November meeting.
They strolled the sunny courtyard, sipped artisan coffee at Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company, cheered for the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lighting while enjoying brews at Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux, explored quirky shops and even challenged their wits at exhilarating The Escape Game Tampa. Every corner offered something exciting for an unforgettable meeting experience.
“We love the location because it’s like our own little enclave. Everything is contained near the hotel,” Merlino said. "“Of course, a key draw is the weather, too, and these hotels and Tampa in general really accommodate our style…We always do a survey after a meeting and our attendees always cite the location and having so much to do during their free time.”
The Aloft Tampa Midtown and Element Tampa Midtown, which are adjacent to each other, have their own unique and funky vibes, Merlino said, which is why the group has met there for the past four years.
“We prefer a relaxed meeting atmosphere, so we set up sofas and lounge chairs to encourage group discussions and networking among colleagues,” Merlino said. “Every base operates so differently, so it’s great when they can share what they’re doing with their peers while making valuable connections. That’s why we don’t do traditional conference seating.”
Attendees also used the outdoor terrace to relax with coffee or cocktails, and in previous years, the group had dinner at the hotel’s signature restaurant, Sal Y Mar Rooftop Bar.
The group is mostly made up of Sheltair’s customer-service and line-service managers who cater to customers all day, so Merlino said it’s important attendees get the VIP treatment in return.
[Related: Discovering Outdoor Opportunities for Groups in the Florida Panhandle]
“They take care of people all day; here, they get taken care of,” she said. “I make sure to pick places that are a home away from home for them.
“As soon as I walked into the hotel, I had a moment,” she continued. “I have nothing but high regard for all the people who work in the hotel who are all professional and friendly.”
Merlino said this meeting was decided on under “a bit of a time crunch,” and with only four weeks to go, the Aloft and Element Tampa Midtown put it all together.
“We always have some special requests from guests, and the hotel has never said ‘no’ to me. They just work with us. We have a lovely relationship,” Merlino said. “The group uses both hotels and the shared meeting space as well as the outside terrace space, and the staff on both sides is amazing. It’s notable that I’ve been working with the same banquet staff since we started coming here—that says a lot about the hotel.”
The group has also enjoyed some truly memorable offsite adventures, like an exhilarating scavenger hunt on peddle boats along the Hillsborough River. Teams competed to snap creative photos of quirky and famous river landmarks, racing against each other with lots of laughter. The journey ended with dinner at Armature Works, where everyone celebrated with great food and riverfront views.
Sheltair strives to give back to the community with a CSR activity as well. Groups have gotten into teams to take canned goods and make miniature golf holes with them, then they donated all the food to Feeding Tampa Bay. Another time, the group split into teams in which they all painted canvases of animals, which they later presented to St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital.
And for those who want to stay a bit longer to enjoy Tampa, Merlino said there are a plethora of choices: Gulf beaches, Tampa Aquarium and Tampa’s Riverfront.
Sunny St. Pete Beach
This past September, the excitement was palpable as Church & Dwight—the renowned Ewing, New Jersey-based company behind household favorites like ARM & HAMMER, OxiClean and Orajel—selected the sun-soaked shores of St. Petersburg as the backdrop for their highly anticipated National Sales Meeting. As one of the world’s fastest-growing consumer packaged-goods powerhouses, Church & Dwight’s choice promised an unforgettable gathering where innovation meets inspiration under the Florida sunshine.
Historic gem The Don CeSar, built in 1928, would be home base for the company for its three-day meeting, which brought together 200 sales managers from across the country.
Tara-Lynn Cesaro, shopper marketing digital associate manager at Church & Dwight, transformed the event into an exciting blend of education, department meetings and plenty of opportunities for relaxation and fun.
“We kicked off each day with engaging sessions, then enjoyed lively group activities and networking breaks because we rarely get the chance to be all together,” Cesaro said. “We made sure to have some downtime for poolside lounging and spontaneous beach adventures, like volleyball, which we set up right on the beach.”
[Related: Miami and Fort Lauderdale Strive for the Meetings Limelight]
Most attendees flew into Tampa International Airport, which Cesaro said she loves.
“It’s clean and easy to navigate,” she said, “and only 28 miles from The Don CeSar.”
The property nicknamed the “Pink Palace” has a pool that was the perfect place for the welcome dinner. Food stations serving sushi to prime rib were scattered around the deck so guests could mix and mingle. The casual sit-down dinner on the second night was held in the hotel’s historic ballroom.
Guests were captivated by the hotel’s rich history and the intimate atmosphere of the property—so much so that the group practically had the place to themselves, creating a feeling of exclusivity and camaraderie.
When attendees had free time, some enjoyed the paddleboards and kayaks that The Don CeSar provides for guests to use, a few people rented Jet Skis and others traveled to nearby Largo to The Bayou Club to play on its signature Tom Fazio-designed golf course.
Some attendees took advantage of Spa Oceana and onsite restaurants including Maritana for coastal cuisine, Society Table for local seafood, Rowe Bar with beach views, Beacon Pool Bar & Lookout for cocktails and Uncle Andy’s Market for sweets.
When it came to working with The Don CeSar, Cesaro said she appreciated the friendly and attentive staff, the rooms, the excellent food and the sparkling sands of the beach just steps from the hotel’s doorstep.
“In all my years planning these gatherings, it’s almost unheard of to get zero complaints—but this time, we nailed it.” she said. “Attendees are already asking about future dates so they can turn the trip into a mini-vacation.”
The next Church & Dwight National Sales Meeting will take place in September 2026 at no place other than The Don CeSar.
“Honestly, we’re total creatures of habit—and proud of it!” Cesaro said with a laugh. “We always feel comfortable here.”
