California’s Santa Clara CVB had its funding suspended for 60 days by the City of Santa Clara until a new management company can be found. Employee salaries and benefits will be paid during the 60 days.

Geoconda Arguello Kline, from Culinary Workers Union, Local 226 and UNITE HERE International Union, talks about negotiations with Las Vegas casino hotels.

The Memphis CVB changed its name to Memphis Tourism and debuted a new logo and tagline.

The Confidante Miami Beach, part of the Unbound Collection by Hyatt and fresh off a $3.5 million meetings and events space renovation wrapped in fall 2017, has become an in-spot in mid-Miami Beach’s burgeoning food scene, and meetings groups are invited to the table. Although the 363-room retro-style Mid-Century modern hotel that sits oceanfront on famed Collins Avenue hearkens back to the glory days of 1950s Miami Beach, chef Richard Hales has brought some modern Southern flavors to bear with his Bird & Bone restaurant.

SPIN, the senior planners industry network, has launched business education programs for independent planners.

Giants Enterprises senior vice president Stephen Revetria will be awarded 2018 Peter Goldman Award of Excellence from the San Francisco hotel community.

Tragedy struck during the NeoCon 50 tradeshow after Jacqueline E. Albertine, 57, fell from a swing installed in the David Edward showroom on the 3rd floor of Chicago’s Merchandise Mart. She died on Tuesday, June 12, 2018. The NeoCon example shows that it is critical for meeting and event planners to exercise the proper duty of care to mitigate accidents and reduce organizational liability if the unforeseen happens.

MPI is collaborating with NYU to develop a four-hour course on how to make meetings and events more inclusive for attendees.

What does high-stakes international diplomacy have to do with meeting planning? A lot, as it turns out. Meet Pamela Eyring, owner and president of The Protocol School of Washington, a nationally accredited educational institution that offers international protocol, cross-cultural awareness, business etiquette and image training for business professionals and, increasingly, meeting planners of top organizations that perform on a global stage.

While he’s known as one of the top meetings technology educators in the industry, a lesser-known aspect of Jim Spellos’ contribution to both the meetings industry and those with an acute need of nutrition is his efforts working with Rock and Wrap It Up!, an award-winning anti-poverty think tank.