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We are extremely excited to announce that Kathie McGrath has joined MEA as national conference manager. Kathie comes with a wealth of experience. Her skills and experience will be invaluable in the role she will play in coordinating our conference.
The organising committee is moving to cement all business and social venues to be used for the conference plus planning all associated activities. The program committee are working on topic areas to ensure that the best possible speakers are best suited to the topics and specific sessions. With our theme, An Island in a Sea of Change, we have an opportunity to bring knowledge and ideas from so many areas. Kathie and I will keep you updated with news as it happens throughout the coming months. My thanks to all committees.
Please make sure you think about spending a few extra days in Tasmania for pre and post touring. The official dates for the conference are April 1 – 3, however, there are numerous attractions, so arrive early and relax! Helpful websites are:- www.discovertasmania.com and www.tasmaniaconventions.com.
launching MEA National Conference Tasmania 2007
MEA’s CEO Linda Gaunt and national conference manager Kathie McGrath travelled to Hobart Tasmania on the 14th of September to attend a number of conference planning meetings and to host, with MEA’s conference chair Ruth Lilian, the official 2007 national conference launch. The local conference organising committee promoted the launch to local businesses and to the council chambers. This event provided an opportunity for networking and also to inform potential members about MEA. Our thanks to the local organising committee for organising the event. Thorough site inspections were also held in Hobart with major detail given to the conference venue, Hotel Grand Chancellor Federation Concert Hall & Convention Centre. The property is superbly situated on Hobart’s waterfront and offers world-class conference delegate facilities. The 2007 conference prospectus document is available now on the MEA website: www.meetingsevents.com.au.
For any sponsorship or conference enquiries, please phone Kathie McGrath on (02) 9929 5400 or email kmcgrath@mea.org.au. Registration and information website for the 2007 national conference will be available this November and the MEA national office will alert all members when this occurs.
Kathie McGrath - national conference manager
Who said Australia had peaked with the aftermath of the Olympic and Commonwealth Games and it was all downhill from here? Sydney is gearing up for APEC 2007 (place your bets now on what silly shirt, coat or hat the leaders will be forced to wear), Melbourne is limbering up for the FINA World Swimming Championships next year and Brisbane is putting on its dancing shoes in readiness for the World Dance Congress and Global Summit in 2008.
Not to mention the Pope’s visit in 2008 together with 500,000 of his closest friends.
Yes, events are here to stay and they are getting bigger, more diverse, more complex, more specialised and requiring greater sophistication and experienced suppliers and yes, you’ve guessed it, a more robust ROI. Good news for all of us in the events industry and don’t we like a challenge!! But notice the shift from the traditional medical and scientific association congresses that usually fill the corridors of Australia’s convention centres and the pages of our trade publications to the more international cultural, political and sporting events? Don’t get me wrong – there are still plenty of the former around although let’s face it, we have done most of the body parts and all of the diseases, so much so that we have to wait for them to rotate our way again and if the Olympics are anything to go by (Melbourne 1956 and Sydney 2006) – it can be a long time between drinks.
So we need to diversify – branch out - and this got me thinking that Brand Australia is still very much up there with the rest of them and we have developed an enviable reputation for pulling off major events and setting new benchmarks. As I have said before, the business events industry is overflowing with well trained, passionate and committed employees and leaders. Long may it continue. However, we must strive to improve and strengthen our community profile, raise awareness of who we are, what we do and what kinds of benefits we generate that make us worthy of community support and public/private investment.
The annual conference of any association is often seen as that organisation’s “brand” and MEA is no exception. This is a once a year opportunity for us to engage with corporate Australia and government, raise our profile as a distinct industry sector and increase our brand awareness. The program committee for next year’s conference is well underway with locking in keynote speakers and putting together an excellent educational offering with something for everyone I am told. The website will be uploaded soon with all the information.
Education remains an integral part of MEA’s mission and we are continually reviewing our educational products to make sure we are offering the best possible products to meet the demands of our members. I am also often told that the special interest groups that MEA facilitates are of huge benefit to members and these sessions are highly anticipated and well attended pre-conference. I recently hosted a lunch for in-house meeting planners (well, actually the executive chef hosted the lunch but I did most of the talking!). The gathered throng were so excited at meeting each other you’d have thought it was a speed dating session with the card swapping that was going on and the taking of notes. Most of them vowed to stay in touch and continue to bounce ideas and exchange feedback with each other and it made me realise just how powerful SIG groups can be.
As you know, MEA has a new home in North Sydney so next time you are hurtling north on the Pacific Highway stop by for a coffee and a free tour – I know the staff would love to show you around and at the same time you could register for the conference, apply for accreditation and settle on your advertisement for next year’s Who’s Who. Talk about managing your time effectively! The boss will be proud of you.
MEA moves to North Sydney
As many of you are aware MEA has recently moved to upgraded premises in North Sydney. This move will provide many new opportunities for our organisation to do business in the ever-competitive not-for-profit sector. To our valued membership, thankyou for your ongoing support which has assisted us in reaching this goal, and please feel free to drop in and visit us at 1 McLaren Street, North Sydney.
MEA WA moves ahead
Great news for MEA in WA. As many of you may be aware MEA has been using an association management company in WA. This arrangement has certainly met our needs in the past, but as our goals grow bigger we are forging ahead with our own staffing and office in West Perth. This will allow our new branch development officer to focus on existing members and grow our membership base in Western Australia. I am very excited about this initiative and look forward to supporting our dedicated WA branch as they move into “new and exciting times for MEA”.
MEA Extraordinary General Meeting
MEA recently held an EGM at the Sydney Marriott Hotel. I have outlined below a summary of the outcomes of this meeting, and how it will impact in the future.
• Terminology within our constitution has been changed to reflect Chair and not the currently used term President, Vice Chair replaces Vice President etc
• MEA now has a Board of Directors and a National Council and not a National Executive and a National Council as in the past
• The office bearers of the Board of Directors are Chair; Vice Chair and Treasurer, there is no longer a President, First Vice President and Second Vice President
• The number of Board Members has been changed, MEA will now have five Board Directors and not six. Office bearers will be elected on merit and there is no automatic succession plan
• MEA will have the ability to co-opt by invitation up to four members to its board for specific purposes as agreed by the Board of Directors. Co-opted Board members are influencers and do not have voting rights
These changes have been made after much consultation and legal guidance. If you would like to know more about them in detail I invite you to telephone me to discuss.
Telstra and MEA partnership
MEA is delighted to announce Telstra will again sponsor our Executive Forum. The inaugural Executive Forum was held during the 2006 MEA conference on the Gold Coast and featured a keynote address by Michael Ossipoff, Telstra’s Director of Capability on the changing world of technology and its impact on future business operations. In partnership with Telstra, MEA will also host an event at Telstra’s Sydney Innovation Centre later this year for key players in the business events industry.
Who’s Who
Our annual publication Who’s Who is under production once again. If you would like to advertise in Who’s Who, or find out more about our Who’s Who please contact our office at your convenience.
 Searching for an award winning, accredited and/or industry recognised supplier for your next Meeting or Event?
When looking for a supplier for your next meeting or event, where do you start? How do you know that the supplier you choose is the best choice for your requirements?
Wouldn’t it be fantastic to find a supplier via word-of-mouth, just like you do a great hairdresser, restaurant or that elusive tradesman who not only turns up, but turns up at the right time?
Thankfully, just like a friend or colleague who can lead you in the direction of the best personal service provider, MEA can assist in directing you to the best professional industry supplier. MEA can help you narrow down your search, because it has already done so much of the hard work.
The MEA website (www.meetingsevents.com.au) has simple search facilities that allow you to look for industry award winners, accredited meetings managers and associate-fellows within the industry.
MEA has some 1800 members and subscribers, making it by far the largest industry association. All members are bound by a code of ethics, so by simply choosing a supplier who is a member of MEA you are already on the right track. All our members can be found via the Who’s Who search facilities from the front page of our website, and to make it simple you can search by category, state, organisation or person.
You can narrow down your choices further still by using the MEA website to search for the accredited members, associate-fellows or state/national award winners.
The MEA Meetings & Events Industry Awards recognise excellent business practice in the meetings and events industry in Australia. They encourage industry professionals to excel in the achievement of their business and personal goals, and reward those who achieve outstanding results. MEA has completed the gruelling task of selecting state and national winners in 24 categories – all you need to do is pick up the phone and give them a call! You can find past and present winners of these awards from the awards page of the MEA website www.meetingsevents.com.au/awards or in your hard copy of the 2006 Who’s Who book.
If you need a meetings manager or conference manager, MEA can simplify your search by leading you in the direction of those who have gone through the arduous task of applying for industry accreditation. They have proven their skills and experience via rigorous assessment tasks, demonstrated recent and extensive management experience and have MEA verified referees. MEA have ensured that their professional development remains up-to-date and has had an accreditation panel interview them in person. MEA can certainly recommend the use of these accredited individuals, and you can find them via our website accreditation page. Look for accredited meetings managers (AMM) and/or accredited in-house meetings managers (AIMM).
Another way of narrowing down your search for the perfect supplier would be to look for those members who have obtained industry recognition via the associate-fellow program (AFMEA). Again, all the hard work has been taken out of your search as MEA has checked their referees, ensured that they have recent and extensive industry experience and have current industry knowledge and skills through continued professional development. MEA is proud to recognise associate-fellows as significant industry achievers, and they also can be found via the accreditation page on the MEA website.
We hope that the dizzying maze of industry suppliers has become a lot more welcoming! Our website searches are at your service 24 hours a day, you can call any of our state offices for further assistance or call Fiona Kelly (fkelly@mea.org.au) at the MEA national office on (02) 9929 5400.
Meetings & Events Industry Awards Closing Soon!
Important Submission Information at a Glance
Qualifying Period: July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2006
Submissions close: 4pm, January 22, 2007
Early Bird submission deadline: Submit by 4pm, December 14, 2006 and earn a three for two registration at your state awards event. (ie for every two registrations, the third registration is free!)
PD Point allocation: Up to 15 PD points can be earned for individual award categories!
State Award events: During Feb / March 2007
National Presentation: MEA National Conference, April 1-3, 2007 – Hobart, Tasmania
Where to get entry documents: The MEA website
www.meetingsevents.com.au/awards Summary of Changes to the Awards Submission process
• Submission documentation is downloaded and uploaded from the MEA website – no more hard copy submissions to courier!
• Submission content requirements have been radically reduced without compromising the high quality expected of award finalists and winners (reduction of submission length from between 25 per cent and 56 per cent of previous years’ requirements.)
• Members have the opportunity to nominate a member for an award.
Additional benefits for submitting for an award
• Submission automatically gives you access to the early bird delegate fee for the MEA national conference.
• Make it to state finalist status, be present at your state award event and go into the draw for one complimentary standard rego to the MEA national conference – one in each state! *conditions apply
For further information, please contact Fiona Kelly at the MEA national office on (02) 9929 5400 or awards@mea.org.au.
The following members have recently attained MEA Associate-Fellow status:
AFMEA
Allan Dawson Execugifts Pty Ltd
Teresa Dawson Execugifts Pty Ltd
Allison Williams Tasmanian Convention Bureau
Keren Southgate Staging Connections
Phil Holmes Convention Wise Pty Ltd
Guy Alessandro Alessandro & Associates
Clayton Jan Recruitment & Consulting Services
Clare Lee Conrad Jupiters
Jacqui Muir Waldron Smith Management
applications now open
CONFERENCE SCHOLARSHIPS sponsored by USI
We are delighted to announce the launch of the 2006 MEA/Ungerboeck Systems International Young Professional Scholarships and acknowledge USI’s ongoing support of our industry. Ungerboeck Systems International (USI) will again provide national sponsorship for seven of our young industry professionals to attend the MEA national conference in Hobart in April 2007. So if you have a staff member who is under 30 with less than three years’ full time experience in the meetings and events industry and would not normally be entitled to attend the conference contact your state branch or go to www.meetingsevents.com.au/training/scholarships for more details and conditions.
Ungerboeck Systems International remains the leading provider of integrated software solutions for the business events sector. Today’s Event Business Management System EBMS has been supplemented in the marketplace by the aspire™ product, targeted specifically at smaller businesses that don’t require the full footprint of EBMS. EBMS and aspire™ have been designed as a comprehensive – yet modular – business management system covering all aspects of venue, event, destination and exhibition management. For more information on these USI products go to www.ungerboeck.com.
Plans underway for AIME 2007
AIME 2007 moves back to its usual time slot in February next year, and plans are well underway to make it the biggest and best AIME yet. AIME 2007 is expected to attract up to 850 exhibitors, 450 hosted buyers and more than 2000 visitors.
The floorplan has been changed to incorporate the event’s move back to the halls nearest the main Clarendon Street entrance of the Melbourne Exhibition Centre. Other changes are also being considered based on feedback from post event research.
Hosted buyer applications are now open online and exhibitors can visit the AIME website to get full details about AIME 2007 and to book a stand.
AIME 2007 will be held at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre on February 13 & 14. For further information go to: www.aime.com.au.
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