MPI In Atlanta, A Sneak Preview

By Marlane Bundock

This Feb. 7 – 10, the expertise and resources of Meeting Professionals International, one of the top associations focused on the professional development of meeting planners, will be in Atlanta. During these four days, planners and suppliers will gather at the Georgia World Congress Center and exchange ideas about best practices within our industry.

To get a better idea of what you can experience at this years educational conference, which MPI is calling MeetDifferent, we spoke with Bridget Sypolt, the associations director of events.
Heres what she had to share for this online exclusive Q&A:

What will be the highlight(s) of this years conference?
This year, MPI is offering over 80 Knowledge Sessions that will equip you with groundbreaking methods and resources to evolve your business and keep pace with these demanding times.

MPI volunteers will assist in the Product Recovery Center for this years community service project. The Product Rescue Center (PRC) provides quality food, beverages, and health products to over 800 non-profit partner agencies in Metro Atlanta and the area. These partner agencies, in turn, distribute these products to individuals and families in need. Volunteers make this possible by sorting, inspecting and packing donated items for these groups.

Founded in 1979, the Atlanta Community Food Bank currently distributes almost 2 million pounds of food and other donated grocery items monthly to more than 800 non-profit partner agencies in 38 counties in Metro Atlanta and North Georgia. Distributing these donations to low-income Georgians, our partner agencies provide dynamic links between the local community, the food bank and our supporters.

With the state of the economy, what types of programs/sessions will the conference offer in order to assist planners with challenges?
A number of sessions were developed that address the current economic crisis. These sessions offer solutions not only for ones business, but also their profession. Staying on top of current technology and industry trends is vital to your success.

A few of those sessions include:

• Meetings Technology In Troubled Times: How To Do More With Less
• Recession Proof! How To Win BIG During Challenging Times
• This Isnt Your Daddys Downturn: Insiders Look Into The Economic Status Of Our Industry
• Inside Scoop For Suppliers: Strategic Tips For Increasing Profitable Business In A Tumultuous Environment
• Crossing The Generational Divide: Making The Four Generations In Your Workplace An Economic Advantage
• Gen Y & Your Meeting: How To Attract, Engage & Maintain Gen Y Participation At Your Meetings, Even In A Tight Economy
• Free & Low-Cost Marketing Tools For A Tight Economy
• Meetings Technology In Troubled Times—How To Do More With Less

When was the conference last held in Atlanta?
The conference has never been in Atlanta. This is a first!

Are you especially marketing the conference to meeting professionals located in the Southeast?
The state of the economy has hit hard across the globe MPI offers an excellent forum for all meeting and event professionals to come together to find real solutions to current challenges. So, while we expect to have a lot of planners from the Southeast at the event, no matter where you live, if you are a meeting professional, you cant afford to not be a part of this conference. Your success depends on it!

Why is Atlanta a good city as far as accessibility to hold the conference?
No airport in the world has better access than Atlantas Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Over 80 percent of the nation is within a two-hour flight. And, while the average U.S. airline seat capacity by region has declined by 8 percent year-to-date, Atlanta is down only 1.9 percent. The airport offers 165 direct non-stop domestic flights daily and 89 direct non-stop international flights daily.

Drive-in access is also a plus for Atlanta. Three major U.S. interstate highways intersect in Atlanta: I-75, I-85 and I-20.

To learn more about the conference, click here.