August Trivia
August was named in honor of Augustus Caesar. It has 31 days because Augustus wanted as many days as Julius Caesar's month of July had*. Previously names Sextilis in Latin, it was the sixth month of the Roman calendar.
*In Case You Didn't Know...
*They took that extra day from February, which DID have 29 days (30 days during Leap Years)
The Most Requested Summer Music:
1.Summer Lovin' - Grease
2.Summertime, Summertime - Jamies
3.Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days Of Summer - Nat King Cole
4.Happy Together - Turtles
5.Summer in the City - Loving Spoonful
6.School's Out - Alice Cooper
7.Joy To The World - Three Dog Night
8.Surfin USA - Beach Boys
9.California Sun - Riverias
10.Summertime's Calling Me - Catalinas
11.Summertime - DJ Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince
12.Summer - War
13.Saturday In The Park - Chicago
14.Girl Watcher - O'Kaysions
15.Remember (Walking in the Sand) - Shangri La's
16.I Can See Clearly Now - Johnny Nash
17.Hot Fun In The Summertime - Sly and the Family Stone
18.We Got The Beat - Go Go's
19.Summer Wind - Frank Sinatra
20.Summertime Blues - Eddie Cocheran
21.Up On The Roof - Drifters
22.Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini - Bryan Hyland
23.Sunshine On My Shoulders - John Denver
24.Vacation - Go Go's
25.Sunshine Superman – Donovan
Source: www.popculturemadness.com
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 Julie Courtney, CAE, CMP
This month's Spotlight shines on our MPI THCC VP of Communications, Julie Courtney, CAE, CMP. An MPI member since 2003, Julie has been actively involved since she first joined, both at the committee level and at the leadership level. She has a wealth of experience serving on the MPI THCC Board of Directors in a variety of positions -- In addition to her current position as our VP of Communications, Julie has served as VP of Finance and as VP of Membership. She is in her second year serving on the Southwest Showcase Task Force and serves on the TEC Planning Committee.
In her "life outside of MPI", Julie is the VP of Education for the Independent Bankers Association of Texas (IBAT). She is a full time wife and mother, yet always goes the extra mile both in her career and in our chapter.
Let's get to know Julie better!!!
What would you say is the biggest benefit to being a member of MPI?
The Relationships and friendships that I have made are worth their weight in gold.
What is your proudest professional accomplishment?
Achieving my CMP in 2007 and my CAE this January.
What is your proudest "real life" accomplishment?
Jess and I just celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary and this August our daughter turns 6.
If you won the lottery tomorrow, what would you do with the money?
I would take some fabulous vacations and be debt free. I wouldn’t tell anyone or change what I am doing. I would just invest it in a community bank (of course!) and do random acts of kindness for my family and friends and to those in need.
Do you have any hidden talents that nobody else knows about?
Hmmmm, I don’t have any hidden talents... but I have several bar tricks! (smiles)
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New MPI-THCC Chapter President
Susan Greenberg is WOWED!
Read what turned her head.
THCC Gets a Gold Star
The chapters listed below are the MPI Gold Star Chapters that had a net gain in members this month and/or a retention of 74% or higher. Thank you to all the awesome THCC members who got us on this list! ****(chapters in Bold Print are recognized in both categories)
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| Eastern Great Lakes |
79.07% Retention |
| Texas Hill Country |
76.32% Retention |
| Middle PA |
75.96% Retention |
| Aloha Chapter |
75.47% Retention |
| Northern CA |
+6 net new members |
| North Eastern NY |
+3 net new members |
| Houston |
+3 net new members |
| Aloha Chapter |
+2 net new members |
| Texas Hill Country |
+1 net new member |
| Sacramento-Sierra NV |
+1 net new members |
 Course Syllabuses Now Available for CMP Study Groups in Austin and San Antonio
Still trying to decide if this is the year you go for your CMP? Or, are you so excited about working toward your CMP that you can hardly stand it? Click here to read the course syllabus for the Austin study group or here for the San Antonio syllabus. Now, back to our regularly scheduled program!
The CMP Study Groups in Austin and San Antonio prepare for another season of valuable and fun study sessions! Area professionals wishing to pursue their Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) certification may join this exciting group for weekly presentations that wrap up with a Study Weekend and Mock Exam experience. These power-packed study sessions will give CMP candidates the edge they need to improve their chance at passing at the January 8, 2011 certification exam.
Sign up now to attend the Orientation and Application Review Session. In San Antonio, the orientation is on August 3, 2010, at 5:15pm. in the Conference Room of the newly renovated Administrative Offices of the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. In Austin, the orientation is August 2, 2010, at 5:30 p.m. at the Norris Conference Center.
Click here for Austin’s general course information, details of the program and the proposed course syllabus information or here for San Antonio’s. If immediate assistance is required, feel free to contact any of the committee chairs for the Study Group at the contact information provided below:
San Antonio:
Anne Moses, CMP annemoses2002@me.com
Al Lomas, CMP, CMM, CFE alfredolomas@sbcglobal.net
Elias Aguirre, CMP eaguirre@therkgroup.com
Brenda Teichroeb, CMP bteichroeb@therkgroup.com
Austin:
Lisa Gallo, CMP lisa.gallo@horizonmeetings.com
Debbie Farnum, CMP debbie.farnum@tasb.org
Holiday Luncheon for San Antonio Senior Companions Set for December 6
Mark Your Calendar and be ready to celebrate with our great San Antonio Senior group of volunteers on December 6, 2010 @ Sunset Station in San Antonio from 9am-2pm and thank them for their devoted service. This will be our winter community event and more details and requests for volunteers and donation will follow in October.
 Play to Your Strengths: Dream…Learn…Lead
The 2010 Summer Educational Alliance, hosted by GaMPI, will be held at the newly opened, world-class Secrets St. James located in Montego Bay, Jamaica from Thursday, August 26 – Sunday, August 29, 2010. Add these dates to your agenda and make plans now to attend this exceptional conference.
You’ll experience premier professional development, an exquisite destination and meaningful, leisurely networking opportunities. The registration website will open in mid-June. For more information, click here or visit www.gampi.org.
We can’t wait to see you in majestic Montego Bay for SEA 2010. We invite you to play to your strengths: dare to dream…learn to lead…shape the future.
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THCC Welcomes
Our New Members:
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PLANNER
Gabi Glass
Event Coordinator
State Firemen’s and Fire Marshals’ Association of Texas
P.O. Box 351
Wimberley, TX 78676
Gabriela.glass@gmail.com
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SUPPLIER
Pam Peddycoart
Sales Manager
Wyndham Garden Hotel Austin
3816 S. Lamar Blvd. #3107
Austin, TX 78704
ppeddycoart@yahoo.com
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SUPPLIER
Penny Smith
Director of Sales & Marketing
Embassy Suites San Antonio Riverwalk-Downtown
13015 Rambling Oak
San Antonio, TX 78232
smittysa@sbcglobal.net
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PLANNER
Valarie Reiser
Meetings and Marketing Assistant
Texas Association for School Nutrition
3520 Executive Center Drive, Ste. 165
Austin, TX 78731
valariereiser@yahoo.com
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Join us for the San Antonio August 2010 Chapter Meeting
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
“Career Management”
Dawn Rasmussen, CMP
Pathfinder Writing and Career Services, LLC
Our Hosts:
Westin La Cantera Resort
16641 La Cantera Parkway
 Free transportation from Austin! There will be a 10 passenger van leaving from the Holiday Inn Town Lake @ 9:30am and returning after the meeting at approximately 2:15pm. The van is “first come - first served” - if you want to ride please email Janice - mpi@austin.rr.com to be put on the list of riders.
FEES
Event Registration
Pre-registration (member) $25.00
Special Note: A member is allowed to register a non-member planner at no charge for this meeting. This is a wonderful opportunity to expose non-member planners to the chapter and the benefits of joining MPI.
Pre-registration (non-member) $40.00
Click here to register
Career Management - Taking the Tiger by the Tail - Seizing Control of Your Career Destiny
Be Proactive and take home these key strategies. . .
• Build a forward-thinking resume - a strategic ,keyword rich document that is a career blueprint.
• Understand your value proposition and how to go about finding the types of companies that appreciate your career assets.
• Learn to build a ‘spiderweb’ of network contacts.
The very nature of how we manage our professional career, from being an expert hospitality and meeting professional networker to being considered for promotions within your organization and even to go about finding new/additional work if you are down-sized, has radically shifted due to emerging technologies and constantly changing economic conditions. By being in career management mode, it means that you, as a professional, are making effective career decisions proactively to maintain value to your employer and enhance employability.
Knowing where you want to go in your organization and in the meetings industry (and preparing accordingly) adds purpose and paves the way to more fulfilling work. This session teaches you how to become an expert networker while providing other career management tips that every professional needs to know.
DAWN RASMUSSEN, CMP is the president of Portland, Oregon-based Pathfinder Writing and Careers, which specializes in mid-to executive level professional résumés.
She writes a monthly job search column for MPI’s One Plus association magazine distributed to 26,000 members worldwide and is also a frequent professional speaker on career management topics. She is also a regular presenter for meetingjobs.com webinars on job search techniques.
Additionally, Dawn teaches resume writing and job search classes at her hometown area colleges and universities. You’ll also find her volunteering on a weekly basis at the Oregon Employment Department donating her time teaching resume writing tips to unemployed workers.
If you are looking for great job search and resume writing tips, be sure to visit her blog after hearing her presentation.
Join us for the Austin August 2010 Chapter Meeting
“Shields Up – Protect Yourself, Your Company and Your Family When You Do Business on the Internet”
University of Texas Club
2108 Robert Dedman Drive
Austin, TX 78712
(512) 477-5800
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
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Sponsored by the Waco CVB
Event Registration
FREE to MPI-THCC Members (thanks Waco CVB!)
Special Note: A member is allowed to register a non-member planner at no charge for this meeting. This is a wonderful opportunity to expose non-member planners to the chapter and the benefits of joining MPI.
Pre-registration (non-member) $40.00
Register Online Today
Speaker: John Dickson, The Denim Group
It’s simply impossible today to do business or manage life’s challenges without using the Internet and e-mail. Despite significant advances in security technologies and countless mainstream articles about the threats associated with Internet use, new successful scams continue to pop up every day. Recent investigations into common security breaches reveal that the majority of users reported that they suspected that something was strange, but continued their transactions or communications anyway.
This presentation will introduce a number of clever exploits that attackers use to steal sensitive information and financial data. These exploits will be shown in an interactive way, giving the audience an opportunity to decide whether the scenario is safe – or not.
John is a superb public speaker, a security rock star and current President of the Alamo Chapter of the International Systems Security Association (the MPI equivalent for security). John leads the Denim Group, one of the area’s fastest growing technology companies. He is also heavily involved in San Antonio’s initiatives to become “Cyber City USA”.
Visit www.mpithcc.org for more information on these events and more!
Mark your calendars for these upcoming events:
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Texas Education Conference (TEC)
November 4-5, 2010
Lakeway Resort & Spa
Contact Dayne Sullivan or Karen Krull, CMP if you’re interested in joining the committee |
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Press Release FYI
If you would like to send a press release, there is now an easy form available on the web. Just access it, fill it out, and send to the PR Committee, and you've got news!
Have Breaking News? MPI-THCC is proud to help spread the word about our members/industry. We want to hear from you.
Send your news to: commteam@mpithcc.org
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Come on, THCC members, we know more of you have awesome news to share! Send your dirt to commteam@mpithcc.org.
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Reach Out!
Would you like to reach the MPI-THCC membership right at their desktops? Sponsor Hill Country Spotlight! Click here for information about advertising, or call Jeff Rasco at 512.847.1122
We have lots of advertising opportunities on the website, and a great special on ads and enhanced membership directory listings. Contact Jeff for the scoop!
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Downtown Fort Worth’s Sundance Square to be Home to ESPN during Super Bowl XLV
ESPN, Inc. has chosen downtown Fort Worth’s Sundance Square as its production headquarters for Super Bowl XLV. More than 80 hours of ESPN television coverage, as well as ESPN Radio shows, and other related content across ESPN’s multimedia platforms will be based out of Sundance Square. On-site telecasts will begin Monday, January 31, 2011 and all shows will be open for free public viewing.
Click here to learn more
 Segway through Corpus Christi
From the Corpus Christi Caller-Times
CORPUS CHRISTI — Segways, two-wheeled, personal transportation devices, have arrived in Corpus Christi. Tim Heuston recently opened SegCity Tours, which offers guided tours of downtown on the machines, which are ridden standing up.
He offers 1 1/2- and two-hour tours of the bayfront, Watergarden, Heritage Park and sites in between. Prices range from $25 to $65 per person, depending on the size of the group.
Click here to read the rest of the article.
Bowling Hall of Fame: From Bieber to Bridges, Star-Studded Line-Up of Celebs Nominated For 2011 Induction
Fans Worldwide Can Vote Online at www.gobowling.com for the Next Celebrity Inductee into the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame
From Hollywood "A"-listers and the stars of the silver screen to pro athletes and celebrities who like to bowl for fun, the revitalization of bowling is evident across all sectors of pop culture. To pay tribute to celebrities and notable individuals who help contribute to the enduring popularity of bowling, the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America (BPAA) announced today its 2010 class of nine nominees for consideration into the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame.
Nominees include Hollywood megastars Bill Murray (Kingpin), Jeff Bridges (Big Lebowski) and Paris Hilton, pop music artists and bowling aficionados Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift, NBA athletes and recreational bowlers Chris Paul and Dwight Howard and TV personalities Jimmy Fallon and Kim Kardashian
Click here to read the complete list of nominees with bowling-themed biographical information.
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 WEC—2010: When you attend, you’ll change the world.
Change isn’t coming; It’s here. And with it comes new challenges for you and your organization. From pharma to fundraisers, from the midwest to the middle east, and whether you’re a corporate, independent or association planner, the demands for proving the value of your events isn’t just increasingly important—it’s vital. Fortunately, uncharted change breeds unprecedented discovery and opportunity to guide you into a new era.
By attending, you will:
Increase your professionalism, advance your career, demonstrate value and build a network of collaboration.
Utilize the latest trends to design innovative and successful meetings.
Streamline and improve your work, your personal brand, your meeting design and attendee’s experience utilizing the latest learning methods and technology.
Articulate the value of meetings and events to the C-suite, and demonstrate ROI. Learn from industry experts and the best thought-leaders in the business.
That opportunity is MPI’s World Education Congress 2010. This year, we’ve made it our mission to build a conference that gives you more efficient practices, top-notch networking and ROI that’s clear and measureable. When you bring this valuable knowledge home, everyone in your organization reaps the rewards.
Why Attendance is Critical for Success
By arming yourself with the latest the industry has to offer, you’ll not only stay effective; you’ll be indispensable. Businesses that invest in their people have the advantage over their competition.
WEC will enable you to develop performance-based objectives, relationships and new ways to do business. Through collaboration with the top industry minds, you’ll discover where the future is taking us and how to not only be smarter, but to work smarter. And through strategic meeting management and corporate responsibility practices we’ll demonstrate how events can shape business—and leave the world in better shape.
We look forward to you joining us in Vancouver for WEC where big ideas will happen and where you’ll have the opportunity to create relationships that last a lifetime. Because change is now, and now is the time for your events to change the world.
REGISTER FOR WEC TODAY
MPI Redesigns MPIweb.org
MPI has redesigned the MPIweb.org site, creating a user-friendly experience that focuses on the six primary areas of Content (Business of Meetings, Effective Management, Career Development, Research and Tools, Technology and Corporate Social Responsibility).
Power Search – The new search engine allows members to search based on topic with results that are categorized by type (podcast, white paper, article, video, audio, blog post) and timeline.
Member community and Personal Pages – MPI has created a user community that connects members to valuable content and a network of professionals.
- Private Profile includes demographic and professional details members chose to share, based on each person, which is part of the larger community.
- The My Library section saves and organizes content of interest to the member.
- My Topics brings potential content of interest based on specific site usage.
- The Suggested Job features connects member with potential positions.
Improved Content Delivery –The web site allows members exclusive access premium MPI content.
- Articles can be shared via more than 10 social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, Digg, etc.), allowing members to spread the knowledge provided to them
- Members can now comment on and rate articles, highlighting what data or details have influenced their work
- The multimedia player, which combines audio, video and presentation tools
The Value of Business Barometer Matters
Business Barometer is MPI’s bi-monthly research initiative that gauges the climate of the meetings and event industry. Based on input from valued industry leaders, the research provides members insight about the best areas for hiring; growth sectors such as corporate versus government and domestic versus international; and gets a pulse on the immediate future of meetings.
Notes:
- 61 percent of respondents say current conditions are better than one year ago and 65 percent project better upcoming conditions
- The June 2010 report includes participation from EU countries, which will now be included as a separate region
- The largest decline in business comes from the international corporate market (both in US and EU)
- Top Trend affecting the industry: Shorter lead times
- Trend: Managing lower budgets in the uncertain economy
- Of Note: For the first time since Oct. 2009 (when Biz Barometer began tracking employment trends), the number of organizations increasing full-time and part-time employment is greater than that of organizations reporting decreases in those two areas
- Companies reporting increase in full-time employment rose from 14 percent to 27 percent; part-time from 17 percent to 22 percent
- Of Note: For the first time since August 2009, the number of organizations reporting improved attendance is greater than the number reporting decreased attendance
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MPITHCC PO Box 49135 Austin, TX 78765-9154
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