Issue 1—2010
Inside this issue…
Social Media Demystified
•
Maintaining a Positive Attitude
•
Top 10 Things a New Exec Should
Know
•
Highlights from the Membership
Meeting and Panel Discussion
page
Springfield
full page
page 2
Executive Focus
Issue 1—2010
Published quarterly by:
Missouri Society of
Association Executives
722 East Capitol Ave.
P.O. Box 1574
Jefferson City, MO 65102
Telephone: 573.659.8898
Fax: 573.635.7823
sboeckman@msae.net
Submissions
News items from our membership are
welcome. The editorial staff reserves the
right to edit and/or reject all materials
received. Submissions may be condensed
in order to fit the allotted space.
Local photographs may be submitted by
our members for consideration of cover
placement. Please submit photo in high
resolution and include a photo release.
Deadline for submissions is the 15th of
the month preceding publication.
Advertising
Advertising deadline is the 15th of the
month preceding publication. For
advertising rates or information contact
MSAE office at 573.659.8898.
The appearance of advertisers does not
constitute an endorsement of the
products or services featured by the
Missouri Society of Association
Executives.
On the Cover:
In 2004, the Missouri State Penitentiary
in Jefferson City was decommissioned
after 168 years of operation. At the time
of its closure, the penitentiary was the
oldest continually operating prison west
of the Mississippi River. In the spring of
2009, the Jefferson City Convention and
Visitors Bureau reopened the doors to
the Penitentiary and is now offering hard
hat tours through many of the
penitentiary buildings. The tour allows
visitors to look at cells that were home to
infamous inmates such as heavyweight
champion Sonny Liston and James Earl
Ray.
Tickets for the tour are $12 per person
and can be purchased at
www.MissouriPenTours.com or
www.VisitJeffersonCity.com. Tickets are
also available by calling toll free, (866)
998-6998 or locally (573) 632-2820.
Social Media Demystified
By Ted Janusz
How can associations today benefit from using social
media like Twitter, Facebook and MySpace? Janusz takes
the mystery out of the top three sites.
Focus on the Good Stuff
By Paul Martin
It's been said that what we think about we manifest;
where we focus our energy determines what we produce.
By being optimistic we are able to bring good things into
our lives.
Top 10 Things I’d Tell a New Exec
By Robert Hall
Speaking from experience, Hall relates the top ten things
he believes all Association Executives should know.
Member Focus
Glavin Joins Graves & Associates, St. Louis Wins ASAE
Convention Bid, Kistler Earns CAE Designation, Prison
Tours in Jefferson City, Chateau Offers New Meetings
Package, Branson Lakes Area CVB wins 2009 Inner Circle
Award, The Lodge of Four Seasons Hires Kirtley, Lohman
Hills Creative Presents Workshop, Kristin Thompson Joins
Westin St. Louis
MSAE Spotlight: Membership Meeting
Departments
4
President’s Message
4
MSAE Board of Directors
6
Membership Application
12 Welcome New Members
19 Calendar of Events
page 3
Board of Directors
PRESIDENT:
Ryan C. Rowden
(573) 634-2941
Email: rowdenr@api.org
PRESIDENT-ELECT:
Linda Oligschlaeger
(573) 638-2258
Email: lindao@mobar.org
SECRETARY TREASURER:
William Schwartz
(573) 636-9455
Email: bschwartz@molagers.org
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT:
Gwen Pelzer
(573) 893-3700
Email: gpelzer@mail.mhanet.com
BOARD MEMBERS:
Patricia M. Barnett, CMP (314) 992-0645
pbarnett@explorestlouis.com
Jennifer Bauer (573) 635-0830
E-Mail: jbauer@mo-afp.org
Lee Bunch, (573) 632-6722
E-Mail: mscalee@socket.net
Daniel P. Mehan (573) 634-3511
E-Mail: dmehan@mochamber.com
Cindy Neff (660) 882-1468
Email: cynthia.neff@islecorp.com
Jodi Winegar (573) 634-4898
Email jwinegar@gallagherconsultants.com
VICE PRESIDENT PROGRAMS:
R. Dennis McClelland CAE, RCE, CMP
(573) 445-8400
E-Mail: rdennismcclelland@morealtor.com
VICE PRESIDENT OF MEMBERSHIP:
Doug Smith (573) 636-3188
Email: dsmith@agcmo.org
VICE PRESIDENT OF EDUCATION:
Jennifer Baker (573) 893-2060
E-Mail: jennifer@mohealthcare.com
FOUNDATION REPRESENTATIVES:
Ron L. Fitzwater, CAE (573) 636-7522
Email: ron@morx.com
Brenda S. Roling (573) 636-2822
Email: brenda.roling@embarqmail.com
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR:
Sandra C. Boeckman
(573) 659-8898
Email: sboeckman@msae.net
From Your President
First off, I hope everyone is staying warm,
I am praying that when this letter reaches
your desk warm weather will be right
behind it! I hope everyone enjoyed our
February workshop entitled “Planning and
Surviving Challenging Times” and I want
to thank our panelists who helped make it
a success. The panelists included
Jennifer Baker, Lorah Steiner, Katie
Steele Danner, Carol Kemna, Jan Neitzert,
Gayla Welsh and Ed Stroesser who did a
wonderful job. There was a great cross section of
people within our industry who helped moderate the
discussion and I hope you took something away.
These are challenging times for associations and
there is no better time to get involved with MSAE to
help guide your group through these difficult times.
Our next workshop “Maximizing Technology during
Challenging Times” is scheduled for April 23rd and is
shaping up to be a very interesting program on “Social
Media”. Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn are
becoming a great tool for people to use in our
business. We have some of the industry’s best
coming to show us how to put these tools to work. I
find these workshops to be an integral part of what
MSAE does for our membership and I hope all of you
will make plans to attend.
And finally, MSAE is also holding a CEO Breakfast at
each of our workshops and I hope you will mark your
calendars for the next breakfast. In February Dave
Drebes, political prognosticator and owner of
MOScout lead the discussion and painted a picture of
the legislative and political landscape over at the
capitol for those in attendance. Dave did a wonderful
job and I want to thank him for giving up some of his
time to lead the discussion. We will be putting
together the next CEO breakfast for April and would
love to see you there. The CEO breakfast is a great
opportunity to discuss important topics with your
peers.
As always, thank you for allowing me to serve
and I look forward to seeing all of you at our
next MSAE event! —Ryan
page 4
By: Ted Janusz
I hear people talking about Web sites like Twitter, MySpace
and Facebook. What are they? And, even more importantly,
should I be using them to promote my association?
First, you are not alone. A recent Harris Interactive / LinkedIn Research Network survey
showed that 69 percent of American adults did not know enough about Twitter to even have
an opinion.
Tools like Twitter, Facebook and MySpace are components of something else you may have
heard people talking about: Web 2.0, a popular term for Internet applications in which the
users are actively engaged in creating and distributing Web content.
Web 1.0 probably consisted of the Web sites you saw back in the late 90s, which were
nothing more than fancy electronic brochures. Web 1.5 would have been something like
Amazon or eBay, sites on which one could buy, sell and leave reviews. What Web 3.0 will
look like is anybody's guess!
Let's look specifically at the three applications that you mentioned.
(Continued on page 7)
page 5
Membership Application
MSAE Can Take You There!
Among the member benefits of MSAE are the
Education Programs, Bi-monthly meetings, Speakers
Showcase and Meeting Planners Trade Show. At any
one of these events you'll learn about topics
affecting association management.
In addition to great business meetings, MSAE hosts
terrific social events like the annual FunFest Golf
Tournament and Christmas party and much more.
What's even better is that these functions go to
support the MSAE Foundation, which provides
scholarships to Missouri students.
page 6
(Continued from page 5)
Tweet, Tweet
“Twitter is like text messaging, only
you can also do it from the Web," says
Dan Tynan, the author of the Tynan
on Tech blog. "Instead of sending a
message to just one person, you can
send it to thousands of people at
once. You can choose to follow
anyone's update (called
"tweets") simply by clicking
the Follow button on their
profile, or vice-versa. The
only rule is that each
tweet can be no longer
than 140 characters."
States is Yahoo, followed by
YouTube. The third most visited site,
is Facebook, followed by MySpace.
YouTube was started by three former
employees of PayPal, and then sold to
Google about a year later for $1.65
billion dollars.
Unlike the other sites we'll discuss
that allow for the posting of words
To have to business success on
YouTube do not post a video
of your company
president in a head
shot saying blahblah-blah. Nobody
will view it. To be
noticed on
YouTube, be sure
to be humorous,
offbeat or very
personal.
According to
ComScore, Twitter
is the fastestgrowing major Web
site in the United
States with 25
million registered
users. That's up
3,000% from a
year ago.
This is fine, but
what is the
business application
of Twitter?
In the past, says Natalie L.
Pethouhoff, an analyst at
Forrester Research, companies would
depend on focus groups to get the
reactions of customers during a twohour session that can cost $10,000
to $15,000. Now companies like
Comcast, Dell, HR Block, Kodak,
Southwest Airlines and Whole Foods
can "follow" what real customers are
saying about them in real time. And
they can answer questions and
resolve complaints from real
customers immediately, if they so
choose.
The Toledo Blade even sends tweets
that are fast-breaking headlines,
along with "tiny URLs," which are links
back to the full story.
Top Four Web sites
According to Google Trends, the
number one Web site in the United
Diet Coke + Mentos - Check out the
geysers this combination
creates! While Coca-Cola stayed
away from promoting this
phenomenon (perhaps out of fear of
litigation), Perfetti (the maker of
Mentos) jumped in with both feet,
posting both a large link to YouTube
on its Web site and sponsoring its
own contest. In the process, they
sold a lot of mints.
and photos, YouTube is the number
one video-sharing Web site. Best of
all, you can post your video on the
site for free. A simple Flip video
camera (priced at under $150 on
Amazon.com) can do the trick for you.
What is the business
application of YouTube?
Let's examine some successful
examples:
Blendtec - a Utah-based manufacturer
of blenders posted a series of videos
entitled "Will it Blend?" In these
videos the company attempted to
pulverize items such as golf balls and
iPods. The first eight episodes
resulted in three million downloads in
a week. Even better for Blendtec,
they sold out of the $600 blender - in
the first 24 hours.
And take good
care of your
customer. What
kind of damage
do you think
United Airlines'
customer Dave
Carroll has done
with his video "United
Breaks Guitars" on
YouTube? So far the video
has over 5 million hits. You
might want to use the video to teach
proper customer service to your staff.
According to ComScore, in May 2009,
Facebook for the first time surpassed
MySpace in the number of users in
the United States. Facebook also
stands as the number two Website in
the rest of the world (behind
YouTube), surpassing MySpace
internationally in April 2008. Since its
usage has doubled in the last year,
total Facebook users outnumber
MySpace users worldwide, by 350
million to 130 million.
Facebook was originally created by
Mark Zuckerberg, intended for use by
his fellow students of Harvard
University as "The Facebook." It was
(Continued on page 8)
page 7
(Continued from page 7)
meant to be an online replacement of
the book one receives as freshmen
when entering college or university
containing photos and other
information about the new freshman
classmates. Within 30 days, about
half of the students of Harvard had a
profile on the site. Facebook soon
spread to other Boston area
colleges. Presently, approximately 85
percent of all college students
have a presence on Facebook.
others having similar likes and
dislikes. The site was initially popular
with bands, who didn't want to go
through the hassle of creating and
maintaining a web site, but sought a
way to distribute their music,
photographs, videos and other
information to their fans and would-be
fans. MySpace usage has since
spread like wildfire to people of all
interests and ages. MySpace initially
appealed to teenagers, but now half of
Facebook has been able to
overtake MySpace as the
number one social networking
site in the world because it no
longer has the stigma that it is
"just for high school or college
students." Anyone may now
join Facebook.
Sites like MySpace and
Facebook are so popular
because social networking
allows so much more than email or text messaging. In
addition to writing on someone
else's "wall" on Facebook, you
can also share photographs and
videos. With over a billion photos and
over 14 million added each day,
Facebook is the number one photosharing site on the Internet. At a
glance, you can see what all of your
"friends" are up to. And because you
choose your friends on Facebook, you
can virtually eliminate spam which
composes up to 90% of all e-mail.
How can you put it all together?
According to USA Today, HarleyDavidson's corporate profiles on
MySpace (36,000 friends) and
Facebook (175,000 fans) let it solicit
comments from fiercely loyal
customers. Harley also uses Twitter
and produces videos of its motorcycles
on YouTube.
The New Free TV?
There is a danger for businesses to
want to view the social
networking sites as a television
alternative since they can
advertise on them for free.
"If you are going to go there, you
had better go for the right
reasons," says Seth Godin,
author of the best-selling book
on marketing, Purple Cow. "And
if your reason is to sell more
stuff, please don't bother. It's
not going to work.”
the visitors to the site are age 35 or
older as the site's demographic
composition continues to shift.
What is the business
application of MySpace?
Successful marketing using any of the
Web 2.0 applications means an ad
cannot look like an ad or else it will be
rejected immediately by the social
networking visitors. Your customers
What is the business
on average are subjected to 1,500 to
application of Facebook?
5,000 advertising impressions each
People have a "profile" on Facebook,
day. Since they have successfully
whereas a business has a "page." You learned how to block most of these
and I can have "friends" on Facebook, interruptions, they are six times more
while a business has “fans”. How
likely to read an article from you than
businesses on Facebook can really
an advertisement.
benefit is by soliciting the trusted
referrals of their friends, which is
To see how companies have
something missing from the
successfully launched a presence on
monologue of advertising.
MySpace, check out Cartier
International (www.myspace.com/
MySpace
lovebycartier). But for my favorite,
look for Miss Helga, a spokesperson
Tom Anderson and Chris DeWolfe
for Volkswagen (www.myspace.com/
designed a Web site to provide a
service at no charge to regular people misshelga).
looking for a way to connect with
On the other hand, if you can use
social networking sites as ways
to connect to real people, just for
that sake alone, then it's a great
way to spend a half hour a day."
Godin concludes, "And what we are
finding, as a by-product of that is yes,
in fact, your business will do better,
because you are a trusted member of
the community."
Ted Janusz is a
professional speaker,
author and marketing
consultant, who
presents “Web 2.0 How to Harness the
Power of Social
Networking to Grow
Your Business.” Janusz
has been invited to
appear on the Geraldo
show on FOX News
Network. A featured speaker at the 2008
International Association of Administrative
Professionals conference, he has also
presented dozens of Creative Marketing
Conferences across the country for
Rockhurst University and was a keynote
speaker for the 2009 Independent
Computer Consultants Association
conference in San Francisco. Janusz was
selected by eBay to conduct “eBay
University” seminars nationwide. His
Website is: www.januspresentations.com
page 8
By: Paul Martin
A pessimist continually
finds himself in a place he'd
rather not be, while the
optimist counts her
blessings for all she's been
given. This is attitude at its
finest.
It's been said that what we think about we manifest; where we focus our
energy determines what we produce. "If you think you can't do
something, you're right," said Henry Ford.
A pessimist continually finds himself in a place he'd rather not be, while
the optimist counts her blessings for all she's been given. This is
attitude at its finest.
Attitude
When you put your feet on the floor each morning, you're on a mission—
you feel driven. The day's plan may include promoting a cause, planning
a board meeting or applying for a grant. Or you may face more
administrative tasks such as reprimanding an employee or preparing a
financial statement. Whatever it might be, it is your attitude that will
determine the level of difficulty you experience.
Approach tasks by being open to a beneficial experience and
outcome. For instance, while enrolling members you might meet a likeminded friend. While filing paperwork, you just might come up with that
novel idea. I come up with most of my ideas while grinding out miles
riding my bike or running for hours at a time as I prepare for my next
race.
Expect Success
Optimism goes a long way when it comes to staying the course in the
face of a daunting challenge. Expect things to go your way, know that
you will complete the task, that you will reach your goal, that you will
deliver when called upon. Things will come together for you, often from
unexpected places, when you stay open-minded while giving all you’ve
got.
I am training for a race in South Africa in May. I will run the 56-mile
Comrades Marathon, the world’s oldest ultra-distance foot race.
I’ve never run more than 26.2...but I’m dedicated to training and
convinced I will complete it. I know that I won’t actually enjoy all the
training and will surely find myself in great physical and mental
discomfort over the course of that 10-plus hour event, but that’s now
what I think about.
(Continued on page 10)
page 9
(Continued from page 9)
I think about the glory of the finish
line! Put your head where you want
to be and the rest of you will follow.
Expect Hardship
It has also been said—probably by
your parents and bosses—that
nothing comes easy. That's a given
in the vast majority of all things of
value. We are a goal-oriented
society—especially characteristic of
the volunteers and staff members
working in membership
organizations. This outlook has been
with us since the birth of our
nation. Thankfully, our country’s
founding mothers and fathers looked
past the hardships and kept their
eyes on the prize.
Approach your pursuits prepared for
physical, mental and emotional
difficulty—don’t forget to bring a little
patience—and you'll find these
bumps hardly phase you. Those who
expect smooth sailing experience the
opposite; they will surely fight a
storm.
Responsibility
You have a responsibility to complete
your tasks not only for yourself but
also for the benefit of others who rely
on you at work, home and
community. Accepting responsibility
with the knowledge that others are
counting on you will lighten the
heaviest loads.
I’m running the 56-mile race as
member of Team World Vision, 18
individuals each charged with
generating 100 people, groups, or
entities to sponsor an African
child. The knowledge that my team
and those children are counting on
me brings ample energy to take this
daunting task to successful
completion.
Make It A Habit
Optimism is a habit, it’s part of one’s
personality. For example, when
getting to know someone, an
optimist will focus on one’s
qualities—not shortcomings. By
looking for the good, the door is open
to greatness. And I think Mr. Ford
might agree that great vision calls for
seeing what is possible.
Paul Martin is a frequent speaker for
associations, chambers and business. He is
a leg amputee, Ironman triathlete and silver
and bronze medallist at the Athens
Paralympic Games. He can be contacted at
paul@paulmartinspeaks.com or 508-3978406.
page 10
Top Ten Things
I’d Tell a New
Association
Executive
By: Robert A. Hall, CAE, Executive Director,
American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons
With a long career behind me,
including carrying a rifle for Uncle Sam
in Vietnam, five terms in the
Massachusetts Senate, and 28 years
as an association executive, the
calendar suggests that my long march
through life is closer to the finish than
the beginning. In fact, for the last
couple of years, time has fled with
such celerity that the “march” feels
more like an out-of-control hiker
pounding breakneck down a steep
trail, unable to slow down and flailing
his arms to maintain balance.
1. Finances. Work hard to get a solid
understanding of association finances
as a body of knowledge, and your
association’s finances in particular. If
things are going sour, you better be
the first person to know it, and do
something about it. Pointing at the
CPA or bookkeeper and saying,
“That’s not my job” won’t cut it. You
may be running a non-profit, but if it
operates at a continual loss, it will go
bankrupt just like a business, and it’s
doubtful the government will decide
you are “too big to fail.” Money pays
for the party.
much as you do about your own, you
will not have a great team. And never
let association members abuse your
staff by swearing at them or
denigrating them. If it costs you your
job to stand up for your staff, the job
wasn’t worth having.
4. Leadership. There are a lot of
factors to leadership, but a fellow
named Lewis Burwell Puller boiled
them down to three: 1. Be proficient at
your job (or your followers won’t
respect you). 2. Set the example. (If
you always arrive late, leave early and
fudge your expenses reports, you’ll get
I have the consolation that with age
comes wisdom. That consolation dies 2. Bylaws. Be the most knowledgeable lax staff members too.) 3. Look out for
person in the organization about your the welfare of your subordinates. (If
each day with the first stupid thing I
do, but each night I try to breathe life bylaws and policies. Yes, chances are you are the big hog at the trough at
raise and bonus time, you’ll get the
they are complex, and you will forget
into it. Regardless, I’ve been around
kind of loyalty you deserve.) No one
things in them—I still do. But having
long enough that younger peers do
the board discover you are operating has yet put it better.
ask me for advice—I have recently
in violation of the bylaws is not career
been asked to counsel two
association colleagues on their
enhancing. And it won’t be their fault. 5. The future. The volunteers want
great things to happen today, on their
careers.
watch. But whose job is it to ensure
3. Staff. Your staff is a reflection of
That led me to think about the sort of you, because it’s your job to build the that the association is strong and
vibrant in ten or twenty years? Yours.
staff. Yes, sometimes you inherit
advice I’d offer a person just
things that association politics prevent You have to balance achieving today’s
embarking on the wonderful, evermission with building the financial
you from fixing. Nevertheless, team
changing and sometimes-frustrating
building is your job. Staff development reserves and infrastructure for the
career we call association
future. You have to ensure that the
is your job. Developing their future
management. For what it’s worth,
here are ten thoughts, in no particular careers ten years from now is your job association has strong policies, strong
too. Unless you care about the welfare governance and a strong brand. That
order.
and development of your staff as
(Continued on page 16)
page 11
Laura Glavin Joins
Graves &
Associates
Laura Glavin has joined Graves
and Associates, CPAs, LLC,
Jefferson City, working in tax
and auditing. Laura has 5 years
of accounting experience and is
working on her CPA exam. She
is originally from North County
St. Louis, and along with her
husband, Toby, and their daughter, Lexi, they are
enjoying living in Jefferson City.
St. Louis Wins ASAE Convention
Bid for 2011
St. Louis has won the bid to host the 2011 ASAE
convention and the Convention & Visitors Commission is
now seeking volunteers to serve on committees during
the planning process. If you are interested or have
questions, please contact Patricia M. Barnett, CMP, at
the St. Louis CVC (pbarnett@explorestlouis.com or
800.325.7962). Help show ASAE how excited St. Louis
is about this opportunity!
Committees: Transportation, Marketing & Promotion,
Public Relations & Media, Volunteer Recruitment &
Assignment, Social Media
James W. Kistler
Earns CAE
Designation
James Kistler is currently
President and CEO of the Heart
of America Chapter of Associated
Builders and Contractors. ABC is
a national organization
representing more than 25,000
member businesses in Kansas
and Missouri who believe in open
competition and free enterprise.
James Kistler completed the U.S. Chamber Institute of
Organization Management (IOM) program in January of
2009 and received the national designation of Certified
Association Execution (CAE) in January of 2010.
James Kistler previously served as Executive Vice
President of Associated Industries of Missouri and as
Executive Vice President and a former Vice Chairman of
the Missouri Transportation and Development Council.
While with Associated Industries of Missouri, he served as
the director for the Missouri Business and Industry Health
Council, Executive Director of Taxpayers Research
Institute of Missouri, co-chair of the state School to Work
Advisory Committee, a member of the state Drug and
Alcohol Summit subcommittee on workplace safety and
as a member of the state Business and Labor Ad Hoc
Committee.
James Kistler has served as a special representative of
the state of Missouri in a multi-state task force examining
the role of state government regarding employee skill
shortages and training.
He previously served as Director of Government Relations
for the Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians
and Surgeons where he served on committees dealing
with Medicaid reimbursement, managed care and
professional relations. Prior to that, Mr. Kistler worked
with governmental compliance and policy with the
Missouri Department of Economic Development and the
Department of Agriculture.
page 12
Prison Tours Continue to be a Popular Attraction in Jefferson City
In 2004, the Missouri State Penitentiary in Jefferson City
was decommissioned after 168 years of operation. At the
time of its closure, the
penitentiary was the
oldest continually
operating prison west
of the Mississippi River.
In the spring of 2009,
the Jefferson City
Convention and Visitors
Bureau reopened the
doors to the
Penitentiary and is now
offering hard hat tours
through many of the
penitentiary buildings.
Visitors begin the tour
by entering the penitentiary through the same building
the inmates did. The tour allows visitors to look at many
of the cells, including the cells that were home to
infamous inmates such as heavyweight champion Sonny
Liston and James Earl Ray. Also featured on the tour is
the gas chamber where 40 inmates were executed, the
buried cells, several housing units and the upper yard.
In addition to the prison tours, Ice shows, adventure
races, outdoor movies and spectacular theater
productions await those who visit Jefferson City in
2010. Jefferson City, once again, has put together a full
lineup of special events throughout the year, many of
which are free.
Some of the newer events to
be added Jefferson City’s
calendar are Thursday Night
Live concerts on the streets
of downtown, “Stars Under
the Stars” Outdoor Movie
Series, Show-Me Beer
Festival and the Capital City
Cookoff barbecue
competition.
The capitol grounds plays
host to many events such as
the Cultural Concerts in
August and September and
the Outdoor Movie Series set up in the shadow of the
capitol dome in June, July and August.
Jefferson City’s events are perfectly suited for those with
a tight budget because the majority of them are free,
including long-running, annual events such as Salute to
America Fourth of July Celebration, Kidsfest, Harvestfest,
Oktoberfest, Governor’s Mansion Candlelight Tours and
Living Windows Christmas Showcase. For specific details
on all of Jefferson City’s events, or to purchase tickets for
the prison tours, go to www.VisitJeffersonCity.com.
page 13
Branson Lakes Area CVB wins
Association Meetings 2009 Inner
Circle Award
Association Meetings magazine readers voted for the top
CVB’s – those that provided the best service to their
meetings and conventions during the past 12 months.
This is the 18th year for the Inner Circle Awards. This year,
the award was presented to only 15 Convention and
Visitors Bureaus nationwide. The Branson Lakes Area CVB
won the award for the third consecutive year and they are
the only CVB in the state of Missouri to receive this honor.
Chateau Offers Meetings on a
Higher Level
The AAA Four-Diamond Chateau on the Lake Resort, Spa
& Convention Center, which sits on an Ozark mountaintop
overlooking Branson, Missouri’s scenic Table Rock Lake,
is offering a “Meetings On A Higher Level” package with
seven enticing incentives for groups. The 301-room
resort boasts one of Missouri’s largest convention
centers, with 43,500 square feet of flexible meeting
space, and the ability to host groups of 10 to 3,000.
Available to new programs booked and held at the resort
by May 1, 2010, the “Meetings On A Higher Level”
package includes seven incentives: the choice of a free
meeting break, or wine & cheese reception, or
continental breakfast; five free Spa Access passes at the
resort’s world-class spa, for attendees; a free meeting
room; three free VIP amenities; one free VIP upgrade to a
suite at the group rate; free high-speed Internet access in
all attendee guest rooms; and free garage parking for all
attendees. Making it even more appealing is that room
rates for the package start at just $99 per room, per
night. The package is available to new groups with a
minimum of 25 room nights. The offer is based on space
availability and the availability of the incentive perks at
the time of the contract signing. The incentive perks are
one per program, and not one per day, and the offer may
not be combined with any other special offer or
promotion. Meeting rooms are assigned appropriately to
group room nights booked.
For information about the offer, call the resort’s Sales
Department at 1-888-333-LAKE (5253) or (417) 3341161, or visit www.ChateauOnTheLake.com .
The Lodge of Four Seasons
Announces KC Kirtley as New St.
Louis Group Sales Representative
Growing up in South County St.
Louis and having attended Oakville
Senior High School, K.C. moved to
the Lake area and completed her
education at Camdenton High
School and State Fair Community
College. After college Kirtley served
as a sales representative/
warehouse manager for V.I. Cards
located in St. Thomas, United States
Virgin Islands. After missing the
beautiful and ever changing
seasons of Missouri, KC moved
back to the Lake area and began her hospitality career at
Dogwood Hills Golf Resort facilitating group golf stays,
events and tournaments for three years. Kirtley joined
The Lodge sales force in September of 2008 representing
the SMERF market. K.C. and her fiancé, Charlie, reside in
Camdenton, Missouri with their two children (Cole, a black
Labrador and Izzie, a Boxer mix) and plan a late summer
Lake area wedding. K.C. enjoys golf, camping, traveling
and spending quality time with her family.
As the St. Louis Group Sales representative for The Lodge
of Four Seasons K.C. will handle the entire St. Louis
market base including Corporate, Association and SMERF
accounts. Kirtley will remain located on-site at The Lodge
providing the highest possible level of service for her
clients and will be visiting the St. Louis area regularly for
sales calls. K.C. is excited to expand her market base
“back home” to the St. Louis area and building
relationships with meeting planners throughout her new
region. For your St. Louis group meeting needs, or a
personalized site tour please call K.C. Kirtley at The Lodge
at 800-711-8983.
page 14
Lohman Hills
Creative
Presents
Workshop
Lohman Hills Creative
presented "Building Your
Social Media Toolkit" at
the Special Olympics
Conference held January
16th at Tan-Tar-A. The
presentation detailed ways in which organizations can
use social media applications to expand their footprint,
encourage new membership, and avoid pitfalls along
the way.
LHC is a creative shop located just outside Jefferson
City, Missouri. They help their clients find creative,
innovative solutions to the timeless problems
encountered by businesses and organizations. They can
be reached by email at gina@lohmanhills.com or by
phone at 573.338.4177
Kristin Thompson Joins Westin
St. Louis
Kristin Thompson, CMP, has joined the Westin St. Louis
as Sales Manager. Located in the historic Cupples
Station section of St. Louis, The Westin St. Louis boasts
a premiere setting. Enjoy the nearby federal courthouse,
pedestrian mall, and famed Gateway Arch. Watch a
Cardinals game at Busch stadium or just explore the
city.
Every aspect of Westin is carefully selected to create an
emotional connection with their guests. Thier sensory
welcome greets you with warm lighting, beautiful
botanical arrangements, signature music, and calming
white tea scent. Their Heavenly Bed® and Bath help
you awaken refreshed and ready for the day ahead.
Kristin can be reached at 314.552.5794
Welcome New Members
Bridget Elrod, Kleertech, Fenton, MO
Libby Huff, Sales Manager, Crowne Plaza
Kansas, Kansas City, MO
Angela Lang, Area Sales Manager, Drury Hotels,
St. Louis, MO
Emilee Mudd, Director of Communications,
Missouri Health Care Association, Jefferson
City, MO
page 15
(Continued from page 11)
can be a delicate balancing act for which you may not be
thanked now or remembered when you are gone. And, yes,
you may take some lumps and the next executive or a
future board may fritter away what you’ve built after you
are gone. Build anyway—duty is duty.
6. Ethics and moral courage. It is often wise to bite your
tongue and go along with a policy or program pushed by
the volunteers that you think may not be the best course.
It is, as we say, their association. But it is never wise to
agree to lie, or break the law, or compromise your ethics
for them, even if it means your job. There are other jobs,
but repairing your reputation and personal honor can be
impossible. And one transgression against your character
will lead to others.
7. The Board. You are not the official leader of the board
and the other volunteers, but you are a leader, and they
will need your guidance and good judgment. They have
given you the honor of being their association executive,
and they pay you. You owe them leadership, your best
judgment and you owe them the truth. But the wise
executive learns to phrase the truth diplomatically and
respectfully. Someday I hope to be wise. And I have
learned that, despite your best efforts, micromanaging
happens.
8. It’s not about you. When I was a new executive, I read
something I’ve always remembered, though I’ve, alas!
forgotten the author: “An association executive should
have his fingers on every pulse and his fingerprints on
nothing.” That is, it is always the volunteers who deserve
recognition and honors for the advancements of the
association. Your recognition comes in your paycheck and
the accomplishments you list on your resume.
9. Network. Ever year I know more about association
management, but a smaller portion of what there is to
know. As with every profession, the body of knowledge
grows far faster than any one person can learn. But
through ASAE, your local ASAE affiliate and informal
groups of execs in your particular field or region, you can
develop an amazing network of un-paid professional
advisors, who know a lot more than you possibly can,
about a wondrous array of subjects. Get involved, if only as
a participant. Meet people you can call upon for advice
and help. And give unstintingly of your own good ideas and
experience to them, thus enriching the pool of knowledge.
10. Know when it’s time to go. The job that was perfect for
you five years ago may not be right today. And sometimes
the only solution to a bad situation is to be willing to walk
away. The only job I’ve every regretted leaving was the
Marines—and that’s my heart talking, not my head. New
challenges can energize you and restore your creative flow
and commitment. And if you can—and sometimes I can’t—
try to shut the door softly behind you.
Bob can be reached at 847-384-4373 or E-Mail: Bob@aahks.org
Tan-Tar-A
half page
page 16
MSAE Spotlight
Membership Meeting
Moderator .......... Jennifer Baker, Manager of Education, Missouri Health Care Assn.
CVB ............................................ Lorah Steiner, Executive Director, Columbia CVB
Tourism......................Katie Steele Danner, Director, Missouri Division of Tourism
Event Planning.... Carol Kemna, Executive Director, Missouri Physical Therapy Assn.
CEO................... Jan Neitzert, Executive Director, Missouri Park and Recreation Assn.
Hotel ...................................Gayla Welsh, Director of Sales, Lodge of Four Seasons
Marketing......................................... Ed Stroesser, President, Communique’ Inc.
Mark your calendars for
the next Membership
Meeting and Workshop
April 23
Truman Hotel
page 17
Hosted at the MSAE office at 722 East Capitol Avenue, your $20 registration includes lunch and
learning with ASAE’s new webinar series. Space is limited so reserve yours today!
Lodge 1/2 page
page 18
Branson 1/4 pg
St. Joe
quarter page
Calendar of Events
2010
MARCH 19
Board Meeting, MSAE Office
MARCH 24
Lunch & Learn Webinar
MSAE Office
Lunch noon, webinar 12:30 pm
JULY 20
Joint Meeting Planners Tradeshow
Capitol Plaza Hotel
AUGUST 6
Board Meeting., MSAE Office
AUGUST 21-24
ASAE Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, California
APRIL 9
Board Meeting, MSAE Office
SEPTEMBER 20
Board Meeting and Funfest.
Meadow Lake Acres Country Club
APRIL 23
Membership Meeting and Workshop
Truman Hotel
SEPTEMBER 21
Annual Meeting
Truman Hotel
MAY 21
Board Meeting, MSAE Office
NO MEETINGS IN JUNE
OCTOBER 1-2
Board Retreat
Location TBA
JULY 2
Board Meeting, MSAE Office
For sponsorship opportunities call 573.659.8898
page 19
Sprinfield full page