Check out highlights from our Meetings Today LIVE! MidAmerica 2018 held at the Marriott St. Louis Grand, with activities at Busch Stadium and various other off-site venues.

Geralyn Krist, CMP, joined the ConferenceDirect team as a global account executive. In this role, Krist will place particular emphasis on new business development. Krist, who will be based in Kansas City, Mo., has more than 25 years of hotel and destination sales experience. Most recently, she worked for the Sheraton New Orleans.

In light of the July 19, 2018, duck boat tragedy near Branson, Missouri, consider these five areas, each with a few questions, to include in your RFPs regarding boats, cars and buses, and also for hotels and off-site venues. These are items that are likely taken for granted by meeting and event planners organizing group excursions and transportation.

After finding herself tasked with planning a portion of the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers' 2018 Annual Member Meeting, Jill A. Notini turned to Lulubelle Animal Rescue and brought in some adorable puppies!

The Riverview Inn & Suites is the latest hotel to join the Ascend Hotel Collection. Following a multimillion-dollar renovation, the hotel now features updated amenities and accommodations, including an indoor pool, refreshed guest rooms and townhouse suites. The property boasts over 30,000 square feet of conference and meeting space for up to 1,700 guests, including a 14,500-square-foot ballroom.

Hyatt Place Milwaukee/Downtown opened at The Brewery in Milwaukee. The 150-room, six-story hotel, is located in the heart of this redeveloping historical neighborhood as well as one block away from Milwaukee’s much-anticipated entertainment district and new Milwaukee Bucks arena.

The Eaglewood Resort & Spa unveiled a renovation, including the addition of a new restaurant and outdoor patio. The next phase of the renovation is slated for completion this fall and will feature upgrades to the resort’s bedding and event pavilion with the addition of floor-to-ceiling windows for views of the golf course.

InterContinental Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort opened in Vietnam. The property is located on the Phu Quoc island, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve off the coast. The resort features 459 guest rooms, suites and villas, an exclusive beachfront, six restaurants and bars and 21,500 square feet of meeting facilities.

Hyatt Regency Beijing Wangjing opened with 348 guest rooms and over 60,000 square feet of meeting and event space.

Renaissance Philadelphia Downtown Hotel opened following a multimillion-dollar renovation. In the heart of Old City Philadelphia, the 152-room the hotel’s design pays homage to the cultural history of the city with a clever irreverence from playful portraits of Benjamin Franklin's five mistresses, created with pixelated $100 bills tucked away in Chez Ben restaurant, to pop-art inspired images of famous Philadelphians adorning each of the guestrooms.