metro connections brag book

Public Relations Portfolio

In spring 2012, metroConnections embarked on a proactive public relations campaign with its PR partner Constructive

Communication, Inc. The goal of the program has been to deliver key messages related to metroConnection’s solutions,

showcasing expertise as well as industry presence. Key targets include conference, event, stage production and

transportation services industry publications nationwide, as well as corporations targeting their C-Level executives.

Public Relations Portfolio

Goals of PR Program1) Position metroConnections as a thought leader in the

marketplace. Create more awareness of metroConnections on a national basis, as well as a local basis.

2) Help customers and potential customers understand all metro-Connections has to offer. Many clients know metroConnections for one area of the business — need to cross-sell.

3) Lead generation4) Build the brand of Attend-eSource® — metroConnections as

the premier website building company for branded/themed conference websites.

5) Position metroConnections’ team members as industry experts

6) Create awareness as a major player in the production services industry

StrategyThe program strategy is built on using the following tactics to showcase metroConnections to its target audiences:

• Pressreleases• Mediamentions/interviews–useanabstractapproachand

expert resource list to develop media interest• Awardsubmissions• Speakingopportunities• Peoplefocus–articles,blogsandmore

CCI has completed the following PR activities: • Expertresourcelist• Medialist• Abstracts• Factsheet

The program balances a variety of press releases and technical and how-to articles. In addition, social media outlets such as Twitter andFacebookhavebeenutilizedtopositionmetroConnectionsasan industry thought leader.

Tracking ResultsOnthefollowingpages,you’llfindarecapof activitiestodateincluding published pieces, as well as articles pending publication. We also have begun tracking coverage of metroConnections on the socialmediasitesTwitter.comandFacebook.com.Pressreleases

and articles from the metroConnections have been featuredonTwitterandFacebook,includingonseveral industry trade publication pages. To date, more than 953,000 readers have been reached through published pieces in both print and online venues. This coverage equates to more than $148,416 in ad dollar equivalency.

metroConnections Wins MarCom Award!

In November of 2012, the metroConnections PRCampaignwasrecognizedwithaGold-Level MarCom Award. The MarCom Awards is an international competition for marketing and communication professionals involved in the concept, writing and design of marketing and communication programs and print, visual and audio materials. marketing and communication professionals.

We look forward to your ideas and partnership as we continue to build on this PR foundation.

To date, more than 953,000 readers have been reached through published pieces in

both print and online venues. This coverage equates to more than $148,416 in ad

dollar equivalency.

Type Article Name Publication Pub. Date Pages Circulation Ad Equiv.

Release metroConnections Nominated For Ises Minnesota Star Awards

Press Release Mar-12

Article metroConnections Nominated For Ises Minnesota Star Awards

News Current Mar-12 1.00 25,000 $1,500

Release metroConnections Wins ISES Minnesota Star Awards Press Release Mar-12

Release metroConnections Announces Key Promotions Press Release Apr-12

Brief Going Places: metroConnections New Hires Special Events Magazine Apr-12 1.00 26,841 $5,415

Article metroConnections Announces Key Promotions EXHIBITOR Apr-12 1.00

Article Snap Shots: ISES Awards Corporate & Incentive Travel

Apr-12 1.00 40,014 $10,945

Release metroConnections Expands Transportation Services Group with Several New Hires

Press Release May-12

Release Award-Winning City Tours reminds visitors, locals of its Twin Cities Highlights tour

Press Release May-12

Article Unique Teambuilding for Strengthening the Team Dynamic

MidwestMeetings.com May-12 Blog

Brief Who's New for May 2, 2012 - Alissa Bemis & Mary Beth Blom

Special Events Magazine

May-12 0.25 26,841 $1,353

Article metroConnections Expands Conference Services Group with Several New Hires

EXHIBITOR May-12 1.00 30,624 $5,318

Article metroConnections Expands Transportation Services Group

Minnesota Meetings & Events

May-12 1.00 6,720 $4,995

Brief Special Events Business News for May 9, 2012 - Eric Bryson & Taylor Martinson


May-12 0.50 26,841 $2,708

Article metroConnections Expands with New Hires Exhibitor City News May-12 1.00 37,500 $1,400

Article Tips for Cost-Effective Corporate Event Transportation

Exhibitor City News Jun-12 1.00 37,500 $1,400

Article Tips for Cost-Effective Transportation at Your Next Meeting

ASAE Jul-12 2.00 25,000 $2,000

Article New Roles ASAE Jul-12 0.50 55,000 $1,000

metroConnections Return On Investment (ROI)

Brief metroConnections Announces New Hires Meetings Jul-12 0.50 55,000 $1,000

Article Best Practices for Event Registration Websites Conventions.net Jul-12 2.00 75,000 $4,000

Release metroConnections Named Top 25 DMC Worldwide Press Release Jul-12

Brief metroConnections 2012 Star Awards, Member News Minneapolis Regional Chamber: Connections Enewsletter

Jul-12 0.25 20,000 $500

Article metroConnections Named Top 25 Destination Management Company Worldwide

EXHIBITOR ONLINE Jul-12 1.00 30,624 $5,318

Article metroConnections Inc. Named to the 8th Annual Special Edition Events’ Top 25 DMC List

Minnesota Meetings & Events

Aug-12 1.00 6,720 $4,995

Brief People on the Move Exhibitor City News Aug-12 0.25 37,500 $350

Article metroConnections Announces Key Promotions Eventline Enewsletter Aug-12 0.50 40,000 $500

Article Teambuilding: An effective tool Corporate & Incentive Travel

Aug-12 2.00 40,014 $21,890

Brief Rachel Barrett - New People Profile Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal

Aug-12 0.25 13,392 $500

Brief Amy Jesse - New People Profile Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal

Aug-12 0.25 13,392 $500

Brief Amanda Sommers - New People Profile Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal

Aug-12 0.25 13,392 $500

Brief metroConnections Named to the 8th Annual Special Edition Events' Top 25

Bloomington Mn The Inside Scoop Newsletter

Aug-12 0.25 5,000 $250

Article Playing Picasso Meetings Biz Buzz Newsletter

Sep-12 0.50

Article Technology - How to use it better Corbin's Tech Talk Newsletter

Sep-12 2.00

Release metroConnections Recognized for 2012 Vision Awards

Press Release Oct-12

Article There's an App for That MNMeetings.com Oct-12 5.00 6,720 $24,975

Brief metrConnections Recognized for Destination Management

MNMeetings.com Oct-12 0.25 6,720 $1,249

Article Planner's Choice: My Favorite Vendor MNMeetings.com Oct-12 1.00 6,720 $4,995

Release 2012 Holiday Lights Tours announced by Award-Winning City Tours


Release metroConnections welcomes new National Sales Account Executive


Article metroConnections welcomes new National Sales Account Executive

MidwestMeetings.com Oct-12 Blog

metroConnections Return On Investment (ROI), continued


metroConnections Return On Investment (ROI), continued

Article Planners Find Eventful Success Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal

Oct-12 2.00 13,392 $15,412

Brief Stephanie Montini has joined Minneapolis-based metroConnections as national sales account executive.


Oct-12 0.25 26,841 $1,354

Release metroConnections welcomes new National Sales Account Executive


Article metroConnections welcomes new National Sales Account Executive

Conventions.net Oct-12 1.00 75,000 $2,000

Brief Stephanie Montini new hire announcement Twin Cities Nov-12 0.25 32,617 $1,573

Release metroConnections Proactive PR Campaign Recognized with 2012 MarCom Award

Press Release Nov-12

Release metroConnections announces key promotions and new hires

Press Release Nov-12

Article metroConnections Announces Key Promotions and New-Hires

Exhibit City News Nov-12 0.50 37,500 $700

Brief metroConnections Promotions: Andrea Hansen, Rachel Kuehne, Bill Sather, Rachel Schuler, and Sydney Wolf

Twin Cities Nov-12 0.25 32,617 $1,573

Article Online Event Registration Systems Go Mobile Special Events Magazine

Nov-12 3.00 26,841 $16,248

Total 35.75 952,883 $148,416


Topic Publication

Pending Publication

Teambuilding Insurance & Financial Meetings Management, Association Conventions & Facilities (www.themeetingsmagazines.com)

Transportation Services: More Than Getting the Bus There on Time Associations News

Setting Up for Success Conventions.Net

Transportation Service Texas Meetings & Events

Going Beyond the Logo Texas Meetings & Events

metroConnections Pending Projects

Social media tools have been used to reinforce key messages and objectives for metroConnections. Through Twitter

andFacebook,metroConnectionshasbeenabletoleveragetheseplatformstosharepublicrelationsactivities,

upcoming association events, industry information, and positioning themselves as thought leaders. By engaging

their audience, which includes major industry publication editors and publishers, industry leaders, competitors and

associations, they have been able to tie all marketing and PR efforts together for maximum results.

The following clips and spreadsheet show samples of the success that has resulted from participating in the

conversationsonTwitterandFacebook.

Type Name Outlet Date

Social Media AW City Tours retweet Services Twitter Mar-12

Social Media eventsforgood retweet ISES Awards Twitter Mar-12

Social Media sydneywolf mention City Tours Twitter Mar-12

Social Media MNMeetingsMag Twitter Mar-12

Social Media CarlosAtYourServ Twitter Mar-12

Social Media Congrats to ADMEI members metroConnectionsfor earning 2012 Star Awardsfrom ISES, ADMEIntl

Twitter Mar-12

Social Media MarkThornton “Need a flawless plan for start to finish? Conference Services from metroConnections” Mention

Twitter Apr-12

Social Media BrandtKrueger: A nice writeup from MidwestMeetings about some of the new teambuilding events metroconn is doing

Twitter Jul-12

Social Media Stephanie Arone: api_las_vegas: Congratulations metroconn for making the Special Event Magazine list of Top 25 DMC's from your friends at api_las_vegas!

Twitter Jul-12

Social Media We are so proud to be named Top 25 DMC this year! Retweeted by Meetings & Events magazine

Twitter Jul-12

metroConnections Social Media Results

Sample Conversations

metroConnections sample conversations, continued

Type Name Outlet Date

Social Media MarkThornton “Engage your audience through technology - Attend-eSource. Twitter Aug-12

Social Media RT @socialtables: Great tips to follow! Top 5 ways to maximize your special events budget, via @metro

Twitter Aug-12

Social Media jettingaround: Enjoying #Minneapolis & looking forward to checking out @metroconn Twin Cities tour + a play at @GuthrieTheater! #Mpls #travel

Twitter Sep-12

Social Media MeetingsMHJ: Winners: @metroconn, @thrivent, @IDeaS_RevOpt, Crowne Plaza Mpls North, @visitduluth, Type A Events & @HIMMetrodome http://mn-meetings.blogs.com/

Twitter Sep-21

Social Media Sue Pelltier: Thanks for this, @corbinball: Technology for Meeting Planners – Debunking the Myths by @metroconn http://ow.ly/e9RYs #meetings #eventprofs

Twitter Oct-12

Social Media kentkaiser: Great interactive lecture by event mgmt guru Jessica Woodward of Metro Connections in @NorthwesternMN #PR class today. Thank you @metroconn!

Twitter Oct-12

Social Media Sammystnr: @metroconn article in the MSP Business Journal! http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/print-edition/2012/10/26/planners-find-eventful-success.html …

Twitter Oct-12

Social Media EventTechGuru: #eventprofs don't be afraid to mix and match technologies that match your events needs. Don't settle... We'll show u how @metroconn

Twitter Oct-12

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Facts:

1. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., metroConnections provides complete conference, event and transportation services for meeting and event planners nationwide.

2. Since 1984, metroConnections has utilized its expertise and resources to specialize in the design and implementation of themed events, activities, transportation, tours and conference program logistics and meetings.

3. metroConnections was nominated for the International Special Events Society (ISES) 2012 Minnesota Star Award.

MEDIA CONTACT Sarah D. Warzecha metroConnections Marketing & Public Relations Manager Phone: 952.767.2907 EMAIL | METRO NEWSROOM Photos available https://metroconnections.sharefile.com/d/sa69805807dc49a5a https://metroconnections.sharefile.com/d/sd1098ef7b6547dfb https://metroconnections.sharefile.com/d/s6bd7fb70da542c5a https://metroconnections.sharefile.com/d/s03bf479afd541929

metroConnections nominated for ISES Minnesota Star Awards

(MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.) – Feb. 16, 2012 – The International Special Events Society (ISES)

announced their nominees for the 2012 Star Awards. Among the list was metroConnections, Inc.

for Event Design & Decor (Budget $25,000 and over) and Best Corporate Event for the Syngenta

Capital Markets & Demonstration Days.

In August 2011, Syngenta – a global agribusiness leader – partnered with metroConnections, Inc.

to create a unique platform to showcase its new technologies and vision for the future to their

shareholders, customers and employees.

http://metroconnections.com/

http://metroconnections.com/conferences/conference_services/

http://metroconnections.com/events/event_services/

http://metroconnections.com/transportation/transportation_services/


http://metroconnections.com/production/stage_design/

http://metroconnections.com/events/theme_events_exhibits/

http://metroconnections.com/transportation/tours/


http://www.ises-msp.org/

http://www.ises-msp.org/newsite2/index.php?page=mn-star-awards#general

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.metroconnections.com/pr1.php?news_id=295

https://metroconnections.sharefile.com/d/sa69805807dc49a5a

https://metroconnections.sharefile.com/d/sd1098ef7b6547dfb

https://metroconnections.sharefile.com/d/s6bd7fb70da542c5a

https://metroconnections.sharefile.com/d/s03bf479afd541929




http://www.syngenta-us.com/home.aspx

According to Pete Gnoza, Senior Sales Manager, metroConnections, Syngenta sought to avoid a

traditional conference setting. “Through a unique event experience, guests were invited to learn

about, build confidence in, and be inspired by this leading agricultural company at one of its rural

research facilities.”

Several divisions of metroConnections worked with Syngenta to transform a rural research site into

a multi-purpose, multi-building compound featuring a Dome City built from the ground-up in a farm

field. When guests first arrived by motorcoach, they entered what appeared to be an unassuming

and rather plain machine shed, referred to as the Plenary Building. However, as they stepped

inside, the glowing ambience was anything but the feel of a working tool shed. No longer were

tractors and tools the décor of choice. Instead, 16-foot white velvet drapes, wall-to-wall flooring,

and specialty lighting set the scene for their breakfast reception. Within the same square building,

the presentation stage was “revealed” as they entered the circular general session area. A custom-

built stage set and sophisticated audio visual elements created a powerful general session.

As attendees walked from the Plenary Building to the field, they encountered six field marker signs

featuring the Syngenta story. The Dome City was comprised of eight dome tents built in the

working farm field. Each dome was crop-specific and boasted unique exterior branding including a

custom vinyl appliqué and a custom-built sign. Further, each dome offered visitors an education

regarding a particular crop through literature, images, plants and props. Guests were invited to

touch, taste, see and experience the presentation. Additionally, guests visited two crop plots

featuring live samples of the company’s product offerings. An office tent was also erected at the

outskirts of the field to ensure the planning committee was as close to the action as possible.

“Throughout the complexity and magnitude of the planning, set-up and delivery of this three-day

event, metroConnections demonstrated their flexibility in meeting our needs,” said Raj

Iragavarapu, Head of Stewardship & PLM, Syngenta.

From branded signs to structural components, many custom-built elements were required to erect

the Dome City and re-stage two existing buildings. These custom elements were all created in-

house using the ample space of metroConnections’ 35,000 square foot event and production

center. The purpose of these elements was to create a memorable impression in a unique setting.

The ISES Minnesota Star Awards began in 2004 as a way to provide event professionals in

Minnesota with an opportunity to gain recognition for the events they create, plan, manage, and

execute each year. Anyone who has produced events (or components of events) within the state of

Minnesota or that works in Minnesota, but produces events in other locations is eligible to enter.

# # #

Recognized since 2006 by Special Events Magazine as a Top 25 DMC worldwide,

metroConnections provides complete conference, event and transportation services for meeting

and event planners nationwide. Since 1984, metroConnections has utilized its expertise and

resources to specialize in the design and implementation of themed events, activities,

transportation, tours and conference program logistics and meetings. The company is

headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn. For information on planning conferences, events,

productions, transportation logistics or group/companion tours, contact metroConnections at 612-

333-8687 or visit www.metroconnections.com.

ABOUT ISES The International Special Events Society is comprised of over 5,600 professionals associated

among 41 chapters in 37 countries around the world who work in the special events industry as

event planners, caterers, decorators, florists, destination management companies, rental and

production companies, tent suppliers, audio-visual technicians, party and convention coordinators,

hotel and convention managers, entertainers and much more. ISES provides education and

networking to its members to promote professionalism in the special events industry.

Keywords: metroConnections, event planning, transportation, conference, themed events, tours.

http://www.metroconnections.com/

metroConnections Nominated For Ises Minnesota Star Awards | Awards

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metroConnections Nominated For Ises Minnesota Star AwardsPosted in Star Awards by awards

Proof:

1. Headquartered іn Minneapolis, Minn., metroConnections provides finish conference,event аnԁ transportation atmosphere force fοr public аnԁ eventuality plannersnationwide.

2. Sіnсе 1984, metroConnections hаѕ employed іtѕ expertise аnԁ resources tοspecialize іn thе top аnԁ implementation οf themed events, actions, transportation,tours аnԁ discussion module logistics аnԁ meetings.

3. metroConnections wаѕ nominated fοr thе International Special Events Society (ISES)2012 Minnesota Star Award.

Thе International Special Events Society (ISES) announced thеіr nominees fοr thе 2012Star Awards. Amοnɡ thе list wаѕ metroConnections, Inc. fοr Event Top Decor (Budget$25,000 аnԁ over) аnԁ Preeminent Corporate Event fοr thе Syngenta Seed, Inc. CapitalMarkets Demonstration Living.

In Aug 2011, Syngenta Seeds, Inc. – a tellurian agribusiness personality – amalgamatedwіth metroConnections, Inc. tο mаkе a singular height tο showcase іtѕ nеw technologiesаnԁ prophesy fοr thе destiny tο thеіr shareholders, business аnԁ employees.

According tο Pete Gnoza, Senior Sales Manager, metroConnections, Syngenta Seedssought tο equivocate a normal discussion setting. “Through a singular eventualityexperience, guest wеrе invited tο accumulate аbουt, build certainty іn, аnԁ bе desirous bуthіѕ heading farming association аt one οf іtѕ farming investigate facilities.”

Numerous groups οf metroConnections worked wіth Syngenta tο renovate a farminginvestigate site іntο a multi-purpose, multi-building devalue featuring a Dome City builtfrοm thе levy a curfew-up іn a plantation field. Whеn guest initial indoors bу motorcoach,thеу entered whаt seemed tο bе аn down-tο-earth аnԁ rаthеr plain appurtenance shed,referred tο аѕ thе Plenary Building. Though, аѕ thеу stepped surrounded bу, thе intenseambience wаѕ anything bυt thе feel οf a operative apparatus shed. Nο longer wеrеtractors аnԁ collection thе décor οf сhοісе. Instead, 16-foot drab velvet drapes, wall-tο-wall flooring, аnԁ specialty lighting set thе perspective fοr thеіr breakfast reception.Surrounded bу thе same block building, thе display theatre wаѕ “revealed” аѕ thеуentered thе round ubiquitous discussion area. A custom-built theatre set аnԁ worldly audiovisible elements mаԁе a absolute ubiquitous conference.

Aѕ attendees walked frοm thе Plenary Building tο thе field, thеу encountered 6 margin

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metroConnections Nominated For Ises Minnesota Star Awards | Awards

http://www.newscurrentnews.info/awards/star-awards/metroconnections-nominated-for-ises-minnesota-star-awards.html[3/5/2012 9:11:13 AM]

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pen signs featuring thе Syngenta report. Thе Dome City wаѕ comprised οf 8 architecturetents built іn thе operative plantation field. Each architecture wаѕ crop-point аnԁ boastedsingular extraneous branding counting a tradition vinyl appliqué аnԁ a custom-built sign.Further, any architecture existent visitors аn preparation per a sold stand by literature,metaphors, plants аnԁ props. Guests wеrе invited tο іn tears, taste, see аnԁ knowledgethе presentation. Additionally, guest visited dual stand plots featuring live samples οf thеcompany’s product offerings. An bureau muster area wаѕ аƖѕο erected аt thе hinterland οfthе margin tο safeguard thе рƖοttіnɡ cabinet wаѕ аѕ tighten tο thе movement аѕ doable.

“Throughout thе complexity аnԁ grade οf thе рƖοttіnɡ, set-up аnԁ smoothness οf thіѕthree-day event, metroConnections demonstrated thеіr coherence іn public ουr needs,”ѕаіԁ Raj Iragavarapu, Hаνе control over οf Stewardship PLM, Syngenta Seeds, Inc.

Frοm branded signs tο constructional components, many custom-built elements wеrеcompulsory tο make thе Dome City аnԁ re-stage dual existent buildings. Thеѕе traditionelements wеrе аƖƖ mаԁе іn-house bу thе plenty space οf metroConnections’ 35,000 blockfeet eventuality аnԁ prolongation center. Thе purpose οf thеѕе elements wаѕ tο mаkе anoted sense іn a singular setting.

Thе ISES Minnesota Star Awards ѕtаrtеԁ іn 2004 аѕ a approach tο extend eventualityprofessionals іn Minnesota wіth аn eventuality tο benefit correlation fοr thе events thеуmаkе, рƖοt, manage, аnԁ ԁο any time. Anyone whο hаѕ bеnt events (οr components οfevents) surrounded bу thе commotion οf Minnesota οr wіth thе goal οf works іnMinnesota, bυt produces events іn οthеr locations іѕ authorised tο enter.

Recognizable ѕіnсе 2006 bу Special Events Magazine аѕ a Top 25 DMC worldwide,metroConnections provides finish conference, eventuality аnԁ travel atmosphere force fοrpublic аnԁ eventuality planners nationwide. Sіnсе 1984, metroConnections hаѕ employedіtѕ imagination аnԁ resources tο specialize іn thе tip аnԁ doing οf themed events, actions,transportation, tours аnԁ discussion module logistics аnԁ meetings. Thе association іѕheadquartered іn Minneapolis, Minn. Fοr information οn рƖοttіnɡ conferences, events,productions, travel logistics οr assemble/companion tours, crony metroConnections аt 612-333-8687 οr revisit www.metroconnections.com.

ABOUT ISES

Thе International Special Events Society іѕ comprised οf over 5,600 professionalscompared аmοnɡ 41 chapters іn 37 countries around thе world whο work іn thе specialevents industry аѕ eventuality planners, caterers, decorators, florists, end governmentcompanies, let аnԁ prolongation companies, muster area suppliers, audio-visualtechnicians, celebration аnԁ gathering coordinators, hotel аnԁ gathering managers,entertainers аnԁ severely extra. ISES provides preparation аnԁ networking tο іtѕ memberstο foster professionalism іn thе special events diligence.

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1. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., metroConnections provides complete conference, event and transportation services for meeting and event planners nationwide.



MEDIA CONTACT Sarah D. Warzecha metroConnections Marketing & Public Relations Manager Phone: 952.767.2907 EMAIL | METRO NEWSROOM Photos available https://metroconnections.sharefile.com/d/sa69805807dc49a5a https://metroconnections.sharefile.com/d/sd1098ef7b6547dfb https://metroconnections.sharefile.com/d/s6bd7fb70da542c5a https://metroconnections.sharefile.com/d/s03bf479afd541929

metroConnections Wins ISES Minnesota Star Awards

(MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.) – March 19, 2012 – The International Special Events Society (ISES) has

announced the winners of the 2012 Star Awards. Among the list was metroConnections, Inc. for

Event Design & Decor (Budget $25,000 and over) and Best Corporate Event for the Syngenta

Capital Markets & Demonstration Days.

In August 2011, Syngenta – a global agribusiness leader – partnered with metroConnections, Inc.

to create a unique platform to showcase its new technologies and vision for the future to their

shareholders, customers and employees.














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According to Pete Gnoza, Senior Sales Manager, metroConnections, Syngenta sought to avoid a

traditional conference setting. “Through a unique event experience, guests were invited to learn

about, build confidence in, and be inspired by this leading agricultural company at one of its rural

research facilities.”













custom vinyl appliqué and a custom-built sign. Further, each dome offered visitors an education

regarding a particular crop through literature, images, plants and props. Guests were invited to

touch, taste, see and experience the presentation. Additionally, guests visited two crop plots

featuring live samples of the company’s product offerings. An office tent was also erected at the

outskirts of the field to ensure the planning committee was as close to the action as possible.

“Throughout the complexity and magnitude of the planning, set-up and delivery of this three-day

event, metroConnections demonstrated their flexibility in meeting our needs,” said Raj

Iragavarapu, Head of Stewardship & PLM, Syngenta.





“It’s great to be recognized by our colleagues for the time and effort our team put into the event,”

said Gnoza. “Further, it is gratifying to have had the experience to work on this fun project and to

have had such a great partnership with our customer Syngenta.”

The ISES Minnesota Star Awards began in 2004 as a way to provide event professionals in

Minnesota with an opportunity to gain recognition for the events they create, plan, manage, and

execute each year. Anyone who has produced events (or components of events) within the state of

Minnesota or that works in Minnesota, but produces events in other locations is eligible to enter.

# # #


metroConnections provides complete conference, event and transportation services for meeting

and event planners nationwide. Since 1984, metroConnections has utilized its expertise and

resources to specialize in the design and implementation of themed events, activities,





ABOUT ISES The International Special Events Society is comprised of over 5,600 professionals associated

among 41 chapters in 37 countries around the world who work in the special events industry as

event planners, caterers, decorators, florists, destination management companies, rental and


production companies, tent suppliers, audio-visual technicians, party and convention coordinators,

hotel and convention managers, entertainers and much more. ISES provides education and

networking to its members to promote professionalism in the special events industry.



1. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., metroConnections provides complete conference, event and

transportation services for meeting and event planners nationwide.

2. Since 1984, metroConnections has utilized its expertise and resources to specialize in the design

and implementation of themed events, activities, transportation, tours and conference program

logistics and meetings.

3. metroConnections has a growing team of industry experts.

MEDIA CONTACT Sarah D. Warzecha metroConnections Marketing & Public Relations Manager Phone: 952.767.2907 EMAIL | METRO NEWSROOM

metroConnections announces key promotions

(MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.) – April 4, 2012 – metroConnections, Inc. – an award-winning conference,

event, production and transportation services firm – has announced several promotions.

The following team members have accepted new roles and responsibilities within the firm:

• Latawnie Hernandez was promoted to Program Coordinator, Conference & Meetings. She has

been with the firm for one year and previously served as the Attend-eSource® Registration

Services Lead.

• Andrea Maus was promoted to Transportation Services Sales & Programs Manager. An

employee since 2001, she has served as a program coordinator and manager.

• Renee Splittgerber was promoted to Executive Sales Director, Transportation Services. A

member of the team for 22 years, she started as a Transportation Services Coordinator and

moved into sales for the same division before being promoted to her current role.











http://www.metroconnections.com/about_us/news/


• Samantha Stoner was promoted to Event Services Coordinator. An employee for one year, she

previously served as Tour & Marketing Coordinator.

According to David Graves, President of metroConnections, these promotions are a reflection of

the firm’s growth in terms of business and scope.

“We are so proud of our team and the high level of service we provide our customers,” said

Graves.


metroConnections provides complete conference, event, production and transportation services for

meeting and event planners nationwide. Since 1984, metroConnections has utilized its expertise

and resources to specialize in the design and implementation of themed events, activities,

transportation, tours and conference program logistics and meetings. The company,

headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., also offers audio/visual and production services and is the

creator of Attende-Source®, a web-based solution that includes elements such as online

registration and custom-built event websites. For information on planning conferences, events,



# # #



Powered by

Special Events Business News for April 11, 2012Apr 10, 2012 6:16 PM, By Special Events Staff

MICHELLE HENEBRY FINNIGAN, most recently director of rental and maintenance, repair and overhaul business at True Value Co., has been named general manager of the Chicago location of CLASSIC PARTY RENTALS. Call 708/485-8061 �

TINA WEHMEIR, CMP, has been named president of PRECISION MEETINGS & EVENTS of Alexandria, Va. Call 703/739-4480 �

ELITE PRODUCTIONS INTERNATIONAL, a southern California-based event design and production firm, has named PAWNTRA SHADAB vice president of special events and marketing, based in Los Angeles. Call 323/798-4007 or 949/248-4200 �

DANE GORUP has joined HILTON ANAHEIM in Anaheim, Calif., as director of food and beverage. Call 714/740-4240 �

Minneapolis-based METRO CONNECTIONS has announced four promotions: LA TAWNIE HERNANDEZ has been promoted to program coordinator, conference and meetings; ANDERA MAUS has been named transportation services sales and programs manager; RENEE SPLITTGERBER is the newly named executive sales director, transportation services; and SAMANTHA STONER has been promoted to event services coordinator. Call 952/767-2907�

San Francisco-based KIMPTON HOTELS & RESTAURANTS has introduced three menus for group meetings that focus on lighter menu options and a rich array of nutrients. Call 415/955-5492 �

JOSH BERRY has been appointed executive chef of STOWE MOUNTAIN LODGE in Stowe, Vt. Call 802/253-3560 �

JENNA BRADLEY has been named sales manager for the EDINBURGH ZOO in Edinburgh,

Michelle Henebry Finnigan

Page 1 of 2Special Events Business News for April 11, 2012

4/19/2012http://www.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?expire=&title=Special+Events+Business+Ne...

� 2008 Penton Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

Scotland, with responsibility for selling the zoo's 200-year-old Mansion House and the recently launched Panda Delegate Rate to the corporate and agency market. Call 0845 6025619 �

The SHORES RESORT & SPA in Daytona Beach, Fla., has named ELIZABETH "LIZ" McMUNN the new catering sales manager and KEITH KEISER sales manager for the SMERF market. Call 866/934-SHORES [7467] ..

Do you have business news to share with us? Please send it here�thank you!

Find this article at: http://www.specialevents.com/news/special-events-business-news-for-april-11-2012/index.html

Check the box to include the list of links referenced in the article.

Page 2 of 2Special Events Business News for April 11, 2012


http://w w w .exhibitoronline.com/new s/enn-display.asp?counter=10889 May 16, 2012

metroConnections Announces Key Promotions

metroConnections Announces Key Promotions

4/5/2012 - metroConnections, Inc. - an award-winning conference, event, production andtransportation services firm - has announced several promotions.


LaTawnie Hernandez was promoted to Program Coordinator, Conference & Meetings. She hasbeen with the firm for one year and previously served as the Attend-eSource® RegistrationServices Lead.

Andera Maus was promoted to Transportation Services Sales & Programs Manager. An employeesince 2001, she has served as a program coordinator and manager.

Renee Splittgerber was promoted to Executive Sales Director, Transportation Services. A memberof the team for 22 years, she started as a Transportation Services Coordinator and moved intosales for the same division before being promoted to her current role.

Samantha Stoner was promoted to Event Services Coordinator. An employee for one year, shepreviously served as Tour & Marketing Coordinator.

According to David Graves, President of metroConnections, these promotions are a reflection ofthe firm's growth in terms of business and scope.

"We are so proud of our team and the high level of service we provide our customers," said Graves.

Recognized since 2006 by Special Events Magazine as a Top 25 DMC worldwide,metroConnections provides complete conference, event, production and transportation services formeeting and event planners nationwide. Since 1984, metroConnections has utilized its expertiseand resources to specialize in the design and implementation of themed events, activities,transportation, tours and conference program logistics and meetings. The company, headquarteredin Minneapolis, Minn., also offers audio/visual and production services and is the creator of Attende-Source®, a web-based solution that includes elements such as online registration and custom-builtevent websites. For information on planning conferences, events, productions, transportationlogistics or group/companion tours, contact metroConnections at 612-333-8687 or visitwww.metroconnections.com.

Contact:[email protected]

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1. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., metroConnections provides complete conference, event

and transportation services for meeting and event planners nationwide.

2. Since 1984, metroConnections has utilized its expertise and resources to specialize in the

design and implementation of themed events, activities, transportation, tours and conference

program logistics and meetings.

3. metroConnections has a growing team of industry experts.


metroConnections Expands Transportation Services Group with Several New Hires (MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.) – May 1, 2012 – metroConnections, Inc. – an award-winning conference,

event, production and transportation services firm – has announced new additions to their

Transportation Services Group.

Alissa Bemis has been hired as a Tours & Marketing Coordinator. In this role, she will work as a

coordinator for metroConnections’ public tour division, Award-Winning City Tours. She also serves

as Marketing Coordinator for the company. A graduate of Augsburg College, Bemis had an

internship at the Children’s Theatre Company helping to coordinate their annual fundraiser, “The

Curtain Call Ball.” Other prior experience includes working at a local church as their scheduling

coordinator scheduling hundreds of events and meetings each week.













Mary Beth Blom has joined the team as a Program Coordinator. A graduate of St. Cloud State

University, Blom previously served as the Marketing Manager for the Chanhassen Dinner

Theatres; the Administrative Manager for the Ultimate Pajama Party; Events Coordinator,

Expositions & Events for Greenspring Media Group; Sales Marketing Coordinator for WCCO-TV;

Account Executive for Nemer Fieger & Associates; and Promotions Associate for Infinity

Broadcasting (WXPT-FM / KSGS-AM). Blom volunteers as a league official for the Minnesota

State High School and the Judges’ Association of Minnesota Dance Teams.

Since 1984, metroConnections has provided complete conference, event, stage production and

transportation services for meeting and event planners nationwide. The metroConnections team

uses its expertise and resources to specialize in the design and implementation of themed events,

stage productions, transportation, tours and conference program logistics and

meetings. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., metroConnections also offers audio/visual and

production services and is the creator of Attende-Source®, a web-based solution that includes

elements such as online registration and custom-built event websites. For information on planning

conferences, events, stage productions, transportation logistics or group/companion tours, contact

metroConnections at 612-333-8687 or visit www.metroconnections.com.

# # #




Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn. and originally established as metroConnections

Public Tours, Award-Winning City Tours has been providing sight-seeing tours of the

Minneapolis-St. Paul area since 1987.

Award-Winning City Tours owes much of its success to the outstanding tour guides—from

the very first public tour, it was imperative to have highly trained tour guides rather than just

a bus driver doubling as the guide. Because the tours are very interactive, guests feel

comfortable asking questions along the way.

Award-Winning City Tours is a division owned and operated by metroConnections, Inc.


Award-Winning City Tours reminds visitors, locals of its Twin Cities Highlights tour Each tour is narrated by professional guides aboard a deluxe motorcoach, departing from Mall of

America and downtown hotels.

(MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.) – May 4, 2012 – Award-Winning City Tours will once again offer their

award-winning Twin Cities Highlights tour this spring and summer.

The tours, which showcase key sights in Minneapolis and Saint Paul and last approximately three

hours, are available weekends through June 17, with daily tours starting June 18. From

cosmopolitan downtowns to quaint neighborhoods, the Twin Cities Highlights Tour shows the

sights and sounds of Minneapolis and Saint Paul from the comforts of a deluxe motorcoach.

http://www.awardwinningcitytours.com/

http://www.awardwinningcitytours.com/tours/

http://www.awardwinningcitytours.com/faqs/





The tours, known for their highly trained guides and interactive nature, depart from the North Side

Arrival/Departure area at Mall Of America. Additional departure points include Marriott City Center,

Hilton Minneapolis and Hyatt Regency. Short stops at Minnehaha Falls and Guthrie Theatre

(weather permitting).

DEPARTURE TIMES

9:30 a.m. Marriott City Center / Radisson Plaza Hotels (7th Street, Marriott side)

9:40 a.m. Hilton Minneapolis Hotel (11th Street entrance)

9:45 a.m. Hyatt Regency Minneapolis / Millennium Hotels (Nicollet Mall, Hyatt side)

10:30 a.m. Mall of America (North Side Taxi & Shuttle Service Drop-Off)

MAY- Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays

May 11-13; May 18-20; May 25-27

JUNE- Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (Until June 17th)

June 1-3; June 8-10; June 15-17

*Everyday June 18-30

For ticket information, contact a tour specialist at 612-929-8687 (TOUR) or reserve tickets online.

A complete listing of dates, departure times and prices is outlined below. Tickets are $35 per adult,

$32 per senior 55 and older, $28 per student 13 to 21 and $25 per child ages 6 to 12. Children

under 6 are free if they are not occupying a seat.

About Award-Winning City Tours Originally established as metroConnections Public Tours, Award-Winning City Tours has been

providing sight-seeing tours of the Minneapolis-St. Paul area since 1987. Throughout the years,

Award-Winning City Tours has expanded from the Twin Cities Highlight Tour to include other

excursions such as the Stillwater City Tour & St. Croix River Cruise, Minneapolis Tour &

http://www.metroconnectionstours.com/tours/default.aspx?cid=d708c139-c69f-4e12-9480-859582034d66

Mississippi River Cruise, and the Holiday Lights Tour. In 2010, metroConnections Public Tours

was rebranded to “Award-Winning City Tours.” Originally the company’s tagline, it was a natural

switch as many customers were already referring to the tours by this name. Award-Winning City

Tours is a division owned and operated by metroConnections, Inc. For more information on

metroConnections, including our private and group tours, visit www.metroconnections.com.

For more information, visit www.awardwinningcitytours.com.

# # #




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Special Events Business News for May 2, 2012May 1, 2012 6:00 PM, By Special Events Staff

MELANIE GOODWIN, CMP, DMCP [see photo], has joined IN GOOD COMPANY MEETINGS & EVENTS of San Ramon, Calif., as director of business development. Call 925/855-3255 �

TRISH ACEVEDO has been named sales vice president for DMC group HOSTS GLOBAL ALLIANCE, based in Las Vegas. Call 800/634-6133 �

ANNE TROMPETER has been named executive vice president and senior creative director and KRISTIN VEACHhas been named senior vice president of marketing and business development at Chicago-based integrated

engagement marketing agency LIVE MARKETING. Call 312/237-3519 �

MICHELLE BAXLEY has launched AMIR EVENTS in Los Angeles, aimed at helping organizations ensure that their corporate, government and community events are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Call 213/222-6471 �

MARY MOLINSKI has joined DMC BBC DESTINATION MANAGEMENT of New Orleans as account executive. Call 504/523-9700 �

HIGH BEAM EVENTS of Austin, Texas, has appointed four event coordinators to its permanent staff: ALLISON KERIVAN, BROOKE MCCOMBS, CRYSTAL PHARR and SARAH BENNETT. Call 512/419-9401 �

Minneapolis-based METRO CONNECTIONS has named ALISSA BEMIS tours and marketing coordinator and MARY BETH BLOM a program coordinator. Call 952/767-2907 �


Find this article at: http://www.specialevents.com/news/special-events-business-news-for-may-2-2012/index.html

Page 1 of 2Special Events Business News for May 2, 2012


http://w w w .exhibitoronline.com/new s/enn-display.asp?counter=10963 May 16, 2012

metroConnections Expands Conference Services Groupwith Several New Hires

metroConnections Expands Conference Services Group with Several New Hires

4/26/2012 - metroConnections, Inc. – an award-winning conference, event, stage production andtransportation services firm – has announced several additions to their Conference Services Group.

Cassandra Fameree has joined as the Attend-eSource® Registration Services Lead. In this role,she works with the company’s suite of Attende-Source® Solutions to coordinate client registrationsand other client details such as housing management, name badges, onsite services, etc. A 2010graduate of the University of Minnesota, she was previously employed at the Hyatt, DowntownMinneapolis. She volunteers at the Community University Health Care Center in Minneapolisworking with the local diabetic Latina population at risk for developing heart disease as well as withpre-school populations teaching them Spanish.

As Program Manager for Conference & Meeting Services, Emily Griesser manages client eventsand programs. A 2006 graduate from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, she also has a Mini-MBA in Non-Profit Management from the University of St. Thomas. She began her event-planningcareer at the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum in Milwaukee. For the past four years, she hasprovided convention and meeting planning services for the National Scholastic Press Association inMinneapolis, an organization that works with high school and college journalism students.

Caitlin Hurley has joined the team as an Attend-eSource® Registration Services Lead. A graduateof the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, she has prior experience working for Red Bull USA, aswell as volunteer experience with Youth Vote, Meals on Wheels

In her role as a Program Coordinator for Conference & Meeting Services, Emily Jodl plans andexecutes client events and programs. She graduated from the College of St. Benedict in 2011 andwhile there, was very active in planning and executing on-campus events.

Emily Thielman has joined the team as Attende-Track Coordinator. In this role, she works withclients using the Attende-Track Lead Retrieval and Session Tracking Services. Operating from aunique ID number and barcode, users of this system scan attendee badges with a hand-held devicethat instantaneously transfers the information to a website for immediate downloading and analysis,eliminating the need to manually collect such information. She graduated from Bethel University andhas prior experience working with another event planning company as well as freelance work as aProduction Assistant.

About metroConnections Since 1984, metroConnections has provided complete conference, event, stage production andtransportation services for meeting and event planners nationwide. The metroConnections teamuses its expertise and resources to specialize in the design and implementation of themed events,stage productions, transportation, tours and conference program logistics and meetings.Headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, metroConnections also offers audio/visual and productionservices and is the creator of Attende-Source®, a web-based solution that includes elements suchas online registration and custom-built event websites. For information on planning conferences,events, stage productions, transportation logistics or group/companion tours, contactmetroConnections at 612-333-8687 or visit www.metroconnections.com.


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Home > metroConnections Expands Transportation Services Group

metroConnections Expands Transportation Services Group

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metroConnections, Inc., an award-winning conference, event, production and transportation services firm welcomes two new additions to their Transportation Services Group.

metroConnections, Inc., an award-winning conference, event, production and transportation services firm welcomes two new additions to their Transportation Services Group.

Alissa Bemis joins the metroConnections team as a Tours & Marketing Coordinator within the Public Tour Division. In addition she will serve as Marketing Coordinator for the company. Bemis is a graduate of Augsburg College and has event coordination experience coordinating the Children's Theare Company's annual "Curtain Call Ball." She is a former scheduling coordinator for a local church where she orchestrated hundreds of events and meetings on a weekly basis.

Mary Beth Blom will begin her positions with the company as a Program Coordinator. She is the former Marketing Manager for the Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, Administrative Manager for the Ultimate Pajama Party, Events Coordinator in Expositions & Events for Greenspring Media Group. She is also served as a Sales Marketing Coordinator for WCCO-TV, Account Executrive for Nemer Fieger & Associates and Promotions Associate for Infinity Broadcasting. In her spare time Blom volunteers as a leage official for the Minnesota State High School and the Judges’ Association of Minnesota Dance Teams

metroConnections has given full service conference, event, stage production and transportation assistance for meeting and event planners nationwide since 1984. The company is headquartered in Minneapolis and has created a web-based online registration and event website application called Attende-Source.

metroConnections Appoints New Marketing and PR ManagerTaking the Industry Pulse on Transportation and ToursMeetings + Events E-newsletter Sign Up

Page 1 of 2metroConnections Expands Transportation Services Group

5/16/2012http://mn.meetingsmags.com/print/9414

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Special Events Business News for May 9, 2012May 8, 2012 6:28 PM, By Special Events Staff

Minneapolis-based METRO CONNECTIONS has named ERIC BRYSON an event services artist and fabricator and TAYLOR MARTINSON (see photo) a production services coordinator. Call 612/333-8687 �

ISES has announced the formation of its MIDDLE EAST CHAPTER ...

Veteran DMC executive LEX LYON, DMCP, will launch SAN DIEGO IN A BOX on May 15�a private convention and visitors bureau that will offer personalized service providing direct access to hand-selected suppliers to the meeting and convention industry in San Diego. Call 858/999-0825 �

TONY SANSONE has been named sales director at TASTY CATERING of Elk Grove Village, Ill. Call 847/593-2000 �

DAWN, ERIN and JAMIE CERMAK, owners of decor and furniture rental company CHICKA CHICKA BOOM BOOM of Baltimore, have purchased FANDANGO PRODUCTIONS, also of Baltimore. Call 410/244-0066 �

From her base in Toronto, JENNIFER GINSBERG will oversee central and eastern Canadian accounts for GLOBAL EVENTS PARTNERS, headquartered in Washington. Call 416/690-7599 �

Event and destination management company JPDL INTERNATIONAL, based in Montreal, has launched a new website: www.jpdl.com. Call 514/287-1070 �

TIM KIRK has joined New York-based SIGNATURE SYSTEMS GROUP as account manager, sales and rentals. Call 212/953-1116 �

COAST CONCIERGE SERVICE of Costa Mesa, Calif., has launched a new website: www.coastconcierge.com. Call 714/979-4764 �

Taylor Martinson joins MetroConnections.

Page 1 of 2Special Events Business News for May 9, 2012


Eric Bryson Taylor Martinson

metroConnections expands with new hires

People

Monday, May 14 2012 10:38

metroConnections Inc., a conference, event, production and transportation services firm, has announced new additions to their team.

Eric Bryson has joined the team as an event services artist and fabricator. A graduate of both Oklahoma State University and the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, he previously worked in film and television for in Montreal Canada as a production/effects artist. Other experience includes hand-making more than 5,000 masks for Cirque Du Soleil as well as working at Kern Studios in New Orleans fabricating Mardi Gras floats. Bryson also has experience as a print technician making handmade, silk-screened wallpaper for Flavor Paper.

Taylor Martinson has joined the team as a production services coordinator. With a degree from Winona State University, she previously worked for an association in the green building/sustainability industry in a role that involved event coordination, fundraising, meeting and management. She also has experience in group event sales.

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Page 1 of 1metroConnections expands with new hires

6/15/2012http://www.exhibitcitynews.com/index.php?view=article&catid=48%3Apeople-on-the-mo...

Tips for cost-effective corporate event transportation

News

Tuesday, May 29 2012 08:22

If you’ve spent months planning the perfect sales meeting for your team, or the best annual conference for your membership and clients, you know that details count. You’ve added personal touches throughout the planning process and are ready for success. But one area that could hinder the timeliness, as well as the sentiment of attendees, is transportation. Ensuring your attendees arrive and are shuttled in a convenient manner can set the tone of your entire event. Pulling it all off with today’s streamlined budgets can be a challenge. Fortunately, there are a few key areas that can help you save money without hampering the quality of your event.

One of the main methods of saving money related to transportation is ordering early. Although it’s logical to handle transportation as a last-tasked item as you want to have all the other details finalized first, planning early can allow you to lock in fuel rates as well as provide more flexibility in available vehicles. Further, while a good destination management company (DMC) is able to accommodate last minute requests, an organization can typically save money if the vehicles are reserved early. Even if your schedule isn’t firm, a DMC can book a tentative schedule. If you do not book early, vehicles will become reserved by others, resulting in higher fares for the remaining inventory. In such cases, depending on your group’s size, several smaller vehicles may need to be used if a large enough motor coach isn’t available. This will result in higher costs as well as additional coordination on your end.

Another consideration is the ability to better plan routes and activities. By consolidating transfers and looking at all available options with your DMC, you’ll benefit from a more economical solution. For example, with air travel, many attendees book their own flights, resulting in countless itineraries and airport meet-and-greets. However, much expense can be eliminated by using a program manifest. This ensures the proper number of buses is ordered and available during an appropriate timeframe for attendees. Gathering such information can be cumbersome, so it is key to partner with a DMC that offers attendees the opportunity to easily share their travel information, such as through a custom event registration website.

Other key factors that may impact your bottom-line are restrictions and permitting, staging areas for loading and unloading guests, safety, inspections and insurance. With ample notice, a DMC can ensure economical and efficient solutions related to these factors. For example, it’s possible to obtain a permit to pick-up at a location that normally won’t allow buses to load/unload, which obviously provides the best door-to-door service for your guests. It is also key that your DMC have connections with local convention and visitor bureaus, hotel concierge, airport staff and city officials to assist with routing information and streamlined staging. Knowledge of various customs and cultures is also critical. For example, a tour of students from the Middle East may require separate transportation for the men and women.

In addition to incorporating these tips to save money, your transportation line-item can also be a revenue generator for your event. For instance, some DMCs will facilitate sponsorship opportunities for the group by integrating branded bus wraps, headrest covers or other signage to promote the

Page 1 of 2Tips for cost-effective corporate event transportation

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sponsor and/or conference theme. This not only provides you with the opportunity to generate funds, but it provides for a better experience as you can incorporate the brand and theme through every attendee touch point.

Many common mistakes, inefficiencies, expenses and general areas of frustration can be alleviated through simple pre-planning. If possible, it is recommended to share transfer and shuttling needs with your DMC three to six months prior to the event. Other transportation, such as airport meet-and-greets, can be arranged one to two months in advance.

As a final note, working with a DMC that is a member of the Association of Destination Management Executives International will help you efficiently identify your needs and maximize your return on investment.

Renee Splittgerber is the director of transportation services for metroConnections. She oversees the tour and transportation services division, including operations and sales functions. Her experience includes the management of 4,000 attendee conventions and juggling the management of 17 groups during the NCAA final four championships.

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Home > Resources

A transportation management company can work to obtain a permit to pick up and drop off your event attendees atlocations where local traffic restrictions normally wouldn't allow buses to load and unload. | Photo courtesy ofmetroConnections.

Ensuring your attendees arrive and are shuttled in a convenient and safe manner can set the tone of your entire event.However, pulling it all off with today's streamlined budgets can be a challenge. Fortunately, you can save money in a few keyareas without hampering the quality of your event.

Choose a Transportation PartnerTo begin, many common mistakes, inefficiencies, expenses, and general areas of frustration can be alleviated through simplepre-planning with your Destination Management Company (DMC) or a national transportation management company. Theinterview process should include a thorough background of the company, including its longevity, financial stability, clientreferences, and more.

Other information that it should be willing to share includes coverage for insurance and risk management, an overview of thevehicle fleet and maintenance procedures, as well as data on the selection criteria and experience of drivers. If possible, it isrecommended to share transfer and shuttling needs three to six months prior to the event or as much as a year in advancefor a large convention. Other transportation, such as airport meet-and-greets, can be arranged one to two months inadvance.

Book Early for Better OptionsThe bottom line also benefits from early planning. Although it's logical to handle transportation after you iron out all the otherdetails for your event, planning early can allow you to lock in fuel rates and provide more flexibility in available vehicles.Further, while a good transportation company is able to accommodate last-minute requests, an organization can typically

Tips for Cost-Effective Transportation at Your Next MeetingJuly 6, 2012By: Renee Splittgerber

Tips for Cost-Effective Transportation at Your Next Meeting - Ne... http://www.asaecenter.org/Resources/articledetailnew.cfm?Ite...

1 of 2 7/11/2012 9:53 AM

save money if the vehicles are reserved early.

If you do not book early, vehicles will become reserved by others, resulting in higher fares for the remaining inventory. Insuch cases, depending on your group's size, several smaller vehicles may need to be utilized if a large enough motorcoach isn't available. This will result in higher costs and require additional coordination on your end.

Get Detailed on Times and LocationsAnother consideration is the ability to better plan routes and activities. By consolidating transfers and looking at allavailable options, you'll benefit from a more economical solution.

For example, with air travel, many attendees book their own flights, resulting in countless itineraries and airport meet-and-greets. However, much expense can be eliminated by utilizing a program manifest. This ensures the proper number ofbuses are ordered and available during an appropriate timeframe for attendees.

Gathering such information can be cumbersome, so it is key to partner with a firm that offers attendees the opportunity toeasily share their travel information, such as through a custom event-registration website.

Other key factors that may impact your bottom line are restrictions and permitting, staging areas for loading and unloadingguests, safety, inspections, and more. With ample notice, your DMC or transportation management company can ensureeconomical and efficient solutions related to these factors that can add to your cost and slow down or halt your transfersif not planned properly.

For example, it's possible to obtain a permit to pick up or stage at a location that normally wouldn't allow buses to loadand unload, which can provide better door-to-door service for your guests. If these situations aren't handled properly, thegroup may encounter city traffic control restrictions, not be able to load at its desired location, or encounter a safetyissue.

It is also key that your transportation company have connections with local convention and visitors bureaus, hotelconcierges, airport staff, and city officials to assist with routing information, streamlined staging, and more. Knowledge ofvarious customs and cultures is also critical.

Plan for EmergenciesIn addition to planning for success, it is also crucial that you work with your transportation firm to plan for a crisis. Be sureto ask the firm for its emergency procedure protocols, how it handles equipment failures, its dispatch accessibility, and itscancellation policies. Questions to take into consideration include: Is the driver trained to maneuver the vehicle safely tothe side of the road? Will there be an employee, beyond the driver, onboard that is trained and well equipped to keepeveryone on the bus calm and in a safe location? Further, with safety being the main concern, can your transportationpartner arrange for a backup vehicle to arrive quickly?

Sponsorship OpportunitiesAs a final thought, advance planning can also give you the opportunity to capitalize on your transportation needs as arevenue generator for your event. For instance, some transportation firms will facilitate sponsorship opportunities for thegroup by integrating branded bus wraps, headrest covers, or other signage to promote a sponsor or conference theme.This not only provides you with the opportunity to generate funds, but it also provides for a better experience, as you canincorporate the brand and theme through every attendee touch point.

Renee Splittgerber is director, transportation services, at metroConnections in Bloomington, Minnesota. Email:[email protected]

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Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., metroConnections provides complete conference, event, stage production and transportation services for nationwide.

Since 1984, metroConnections has utilized its expertise and resources to specialize in the design and implementation of branded online registration web sites, themed events, stage productions, conference planning and transportation services.

metroConnections has been named to the 8th Annual Special Edition Events’ Top 25 DMC List.


metroConnections Named Top 25 DMC Worldwide (MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.) – July 23, 2012 – metroConnections, Inc. – an award-winning

conference, event, production and transportation services firm – is pleased to be named to the 8th

Annual Special Edition Events’ Top 25 DMC List; first named to this list in 2006.

As one of the world’s Top 25 DMCs (Destination Management Company), metroConnections was

selected by Special Events magazine based on the following criteria: the number of events

handled per year, annual revenue from DMC services, capabilities and noteworthy events.

Special Events Magazine recognized metroConnections for several awards for its Syngenta

Capital Markets and Demonstration Days event series.

“We’re honored to be a part of the 8th Edition Special Events’ Top 25 DMC List,” says Sam

Thompson, Founder and CEO of metroConnections. “When the DMC list first came out, it was









http://specialevents.com/news/8th-annual-special-events-25-top-DMCs-list/







http://specialevents.com/

almost all US companies. This year’s list has quite a few international names. We are thrilled to

remain on this list to represent the US companies and be among these new international names.”

About metroConnections


transportation services for meeting and event planners nationwide. With annual revenue of $13.4

million, the company operates from its headquarters in Minneapolis, Minn. and produces more

than 1,400 programs per year. The metroConnections team uses its expertise and resources to

specialize in the design and implementation of themed events, stage productions, transportation,

tours and conference program logistics and meetings. metroConnections also offers audio/visual

and production services and is the creator of Attende-Source®, a web-based solution that includes




# # #

Keywords: metroConnections, event planning, transportation, conference, themed events, tours,

special events.


From: Sarah D. WarzechaTo: Kimberly Kayler; Wendy AblesSubject: FW: Connections: Your Regional Chamber"s E-newsletterDate: Thursday, July 26, 2012 10:59:29 AM

Here is the actual Chamber News that was mentioned in the previous email. Sarah Warzecha | Marketing & Public Relations ManagerP 952.767.2907F 952.884.5680E [email protected] www.metroconnections.com1650 W 82nd St. Suite 125, Minneapolis, MN 55431

metroConnectionsconferences. events. production. transportation. From: Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Thursday, July 26, 2012 9:13 AMTo: Sarah D. WarzechaSubject: Connections: Your Regional Chamber's E-newsletter

To ensure you receive future emails, please add [email protected] to your address book.

Thursday, July 26, 2012 VISIT OUR SITE | UNSUBSCRIBE

FeaturesMember NewsChamber NewsUpcoming RibbonCuttingsChamber Events Chamber FeaturesChamber OnlineDirectoryChamber CalendarCommunity CalendarMember NewsMember Discounts

Letter From The PresidentOut of the woods?

While the economy clearly remains sluggish, many indicators warrant a growing optimism. Our friends at the Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS® tell us that for first time since 2005, housing is ontrack for being a net positive contributor to national GDP in 2012.

I can tell you based on the many ribbon cuttings we have been involved in recently, the multi-tenant housing marketis strongly rebounding across the region.

And the office market is showing new signs of life. Tomorrow, members get an advance look at the plans fordowntown’s newest office tower (the first in a decade): the future headquarters of Xcel Energy.

Local earnings reports add more fuel to the fire of recovery. Last week, U.S. Bancorp announced an 18 percentincrease in profit for the second quarter. Several of the executives we have spoken with on our Grow Minnesota visitsacross the region expect to grow this year.

Within the Chamber, we can clearly see companies reinvesting in growth. Membership is up and our two highestpriced programs, Leadership Twin Cities and the InterCity Leadership Visit both sold out in record time.

So, are we out of the woods? No, but we can certainly see daylight from here.

Time to Grow your BusinessEveryone agrees that starting a business is tough, but growing a business is equally daunting. How do you decidehow much you want to grow? How do you plan for growth while dealing with the unexpected and inevitable change?

On August 8, as part of Small Business University, the Chamber is convening a panel of business owners to discusshow and why they expanded their businesses and the lessons they learned in the process. These successfulbusiness owners include: Kieran Folliard, Owner, 2 Gingers Whiskey Company; Scott Parkin, Owner/Broker, HoffmanParkin Urban Realty; and Barb Epstein, President/Account Director, Marketing Midwest, Inc.

When:7:30 - 9 a.m., Elsie’s Restaurant, Bar & Bowling (members $15, nonmembers $30)

Sponsored by UPS, this program is sure to be both enlightening and entertaining. Click here to register. www.minneapolischamber.org/smallbusiness






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See some of the Region’s newest projects even before they begin construction. For several years now, Peter Bruce has been providing an annual display of models and visuals of many of theCommunity’s future projects. This year’s event will take place on August 20 to 22 at the IDS Crystal Court. Displaytopics will include downtown/neighborhood projects, housing, retail, hotels, transportation, rail/transit corridors, greenbuildings, public buildings and spaces. Stop in and see new developments in Minneapolis, Hennepin County and Minnesota. The event is free and open tothe public.

Todd Klingel

Member NewsPLEASE CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE MEMBER NEWS

Community Health Charities Minnesotaidream.tvCommunity Health Charities Minnesota (CHCM) presented idream.tv with the "Most Outstanding Spirit" award for theircampaign video for Minneapolis Public Schools charitable giving campaign. The video incorporated employee storiesand voices to promote workplace giving. CHC representatives noted a 200 percent increase in donations based onMinneapolis Public Schools contributions. Also, Kim Mageau has been appointed President and Chief ExecutiveOfficer of CHCM. Most recently, she served as President and CEO of Magellan Pharmacy Solutions.

TOP

Felhaber, Larson, Fenlon & VoigtThe law firm of Felhaber, Larson, Fenlon and Vogt, P.A., is pleased to announce Chambers USA recognized fiveFelhaber Attorneys as well as the firm's Labor & Employment and Real Estate Practice Areas. Jim Dawson, DavidEide, Sara McGrane, Penny Phillips and Paul Zech were selected as 2012 Leaders in their Field by Chambers USADirectory. Paul Zech was inducted as Fellow by The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers. He is the onlyattorney from Minnesota elected in the class of 2012. Only 21 Minnesota lawyers have been elected Fellows of theCollege, including Felhaber attorneys Jim Dawson and Tom Vogt. And Jon Hopeman has been selected as theStanley V. Kinyon Adjunct Teacher of the year at the University of Minnesota Law School; Mr. Hopeman is the 2012winner in the adjunct category.

TOP

Lommen Abdo, Cole, King & Stageberg, P.A.Margie Bodas, Vice President of Practice Management at Lommen, Abdo, Cole, King & Stageberg, P.A. was selectedas one of the 2012 Women in Business Industry Leaders by the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal. The Journalnoted Bodas' role in creating the firm as it is today, and overseeing the merger of Lommen Nelson, a traditional lawfirm, with Abdo & Abdo, which had a strong specialty in the entertainment industry. Also, U.S. News Media Groupand Best Lawyers® released the 2011-2012 "Best Law Firms" rankings. Lommen Abdo's Appellate, LegalMalpractice and Personal Injury Practices were included in the Tier 1 Rankings, the top level rankings. Also highlyranked were Lommen Abdo's practices in Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law, Construction Litigation and RailroadLaw.

TOP

metroConnectionsThe International Special Events Society (ISES) has announced the winners of the 2012 Star Awards, includingmetroConnections, Inc. for Event Design & Decor (Budget $25,000 and over) and Best Corporate Event for theSyngenta Capital Markets & Demonstration Days in August 2011. The ISES Minnesota Star Awards began in 2004as a way to provide event professionals in Minnesota with an opportunity to gain recognition for the events theycreate, plan, manage and execute each year. The company was also named to the 8th Annual Special EditionEvents’ List. metroConnections was selected by Special Events magazine based on the following criteria: the numberof events handled per year, annual revenue from DMC services, capabilities and noteworthy events.

TOP





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metroConnections Named Top 25 Destination Management Company Worldwide

7/26/2012 - metroConnections, Inc. is pleased to be named to the 8th Annual Special Edition Events’ Top 25 DMC List; first named to this list in 2006. As one of the world’s Top 25 DMCs (Destination Management Company), metroConnections was selected by Special Events magazine based on the following criteria: the number of events handled per year, annual revenue from DMC services, capabilities and noteworthy events.

Special Events magazine recognized metroConnections for several awards for its Syngenta Capital Markets and Demonstration Days event series.

“We’re honored to be a part of the 8th Edition Special Events’ Top 25 DMC List,”says Sam Thompson, Founder and CEO of metroConnections. “When the DMC list first came out, it was almost all U.S. companies. This year’s list has quite a few international names. We are thrilled to remain on this list to represent the U.S. companies and be among these new international names.”

About metroConnections Since 1984, metroConnections has provided complete conference, event, stage production and transportation services for meeting and event planners nationwide. With annual revenue of $13.4 million, the company operates from its headquarters in Minneapolis, MN. and produces more than 1,400 programs per year. The metroConnections team uses its expertise and resources to specialize in the design and implementation of themed events, stage productions, transportation, tours and conference program logistics and meetings. metroConnections also offers audiovisual and production services and is the creator of Attend-eSource®, a web-based solution that includes elements such as online registration and custom-built event websites. For more information, call 612-333-8687 or visit www.metroconnections.com.


Related News

metroConnections Expands Conference Services Group with Several New Hires Share this news:

Page 1 of 2metroConnections Named Top 25 Destination Management Company Worldwide - Exhib...

7/26/2012http://www.exhibitoronline.com/news/enn-display.asp?counter=11236

Powered by

Special Events Business News for Aug. 8, 2012Aug 7, 2012 6:16 PM, By Special Events Staff

PAULA RAMIREZ has been appointed director of catering at the HILTON ANAHEIM in Anaheim, Calif. Call 714/740-4240 �

Irvine, Calif.-based DMC 360 DESTINATION GROUP, included on the latest Special Events'"25 Top DMCs" list, has announced its expansion into Florida. Managing partner JOE FIJOL will head day-to-day operations in Florida, managing corporate travel programs and events. Call 949/348-1900 �

CHARLES MEREDAY has been named executive chef at the SOUTH SEA ISLAND RESORT in Captiva, Fla. Call 866/565-5089 �

Nashville, Tenn.-based DMC DESTINATION NASHVILLE, included on the latest Special Events'"25 Top DMCs" list, has

purchased GRAND AVENUE GLOBAL EVENTS from transportation provider GRAND AVENUE. Call 615/851-9190 �

MERLINE DUCLOS has joined Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based linen company OVER THE TOPas a sales representative. Call 954/424-0076 �

The BALTIMORE MARRIOTT INNER HARBOR AT CAMDEN YARDS in Baltimore, Md., has named BILL DOWNES executive chef. Call 410/962-0202 �

The Shenzhen New World Group, the China-based owner group of the Marriott Los Angeles Downtown, has announced the transition of the property to a new brand--THE L.A. HOTEL DOWNTOWN. The hotel is currently undergoing a $20 million renovation that is expected to be complete by spring 2013. Call 213/617-1133 �

NORMAN NICHOLS II has joined the PARAGON CASINO RESORT in Marksville, La., as executive chef. Call 318/253-2035 �

NATIONAL EVENT SUPPLY of Toronto has announced a strategic alliance with LOCHER

Paula Ramirez of the Hilton Anaheim.

Page 1 of 2Special Events Business News for Aug. 8, 2012



EVERS INTERNATIONAL to begin warehousing and distributing select NES products from the Locher warehouse in Vancouver, British Columbia. The move is designed to provide cheaper and faster shipping options to customers in western Canada and the U.S. Northwest. Call 905/795-1667 �

METROCONNECTIONS of Minneapolis has announced several promotions: RACHEL BARRETT has been promoted to technology solutions designer; AMY JESSE to senior program coordinator, conference and meetings; and AMANDA SOMMERS to assistant registration manager. Call 612-333-8687 �


Find this article at: http://www.specialevents.com/news/special-events-business-news-for-august-8-2012/index.html


Page 2 of 2Special Events Business News for Aug. 8, 2012


Man

y or

gani

zati

ons

have

bee

n fo

rced

to

stre

amlin

e th

eir

even

ts a

nd c

onfe

renc

-es

due

to

toug

h ec

onom

ic c

ondi

tion

s.

How

ever

, m

any

of t

hem

sti

ll re

cogn

ize

the

im-

port

ance

of t

eam

build

ing

acti

viti

es t

hat

serv

e to

bu

ild m

oral

e an

d te

amw

ork.

How

ever

, the

rece

nt

GSA

deb

acle

tha

t in

clud

ed a

bik

e-bu

ildin

g ac

tiv-

ity

at a

lavi

sh p

rice

tag

of a

ppro

xim

atel

y $8

0,00

0 re

sult

ed in

gro

ups

taki

ng a

car

eful

look

at

futu

re

team

build

ing

acti

viti

es. A

s su

ch, i

t is

mor

e im

por-

tant

than

eve

r bef

ore

to e

nsur

e th

at th

e sc

ope

and

perc

epti

on o

f you

r cho

sen

acti

vity

is a

ppro

pria

te.

The

Big

Pic

ture

To b

egin

, the

key

to

succ

ess

is s

tart

ing

wit

h th

e de

sire

d ou

tcom

e fr

om a

big

pic

ture

per

spec

-ti

ve a

nd d

esig

ning

a c

usto

m s

essi

on t

hat

wor

ks

for

your

gro

up a

nd e

vent

. Too

oft

en, t

eam

build

-in

g is

sim

ply

inco

rpor

ated

into

an

even

t fo

r th

e sa

ke o

f hav

ing

an a

ctiv

ity.

How

ever

, ide

ntif

ying

a

goal

is a

s im

port

ant

a st

ep a

s se

lect

ing

the

acti

v-it

y it

self.

Sur

e, m

ost a

ctiv

itie

s pr

omot

e em

ploy

ee

or m

embe

r cam

arad

erie

, but

wha

t abo

ut th

e ne

w

sale

s te

am c

olla

bora

tion

or

man

ager

ial s

tyle

in a

ce

rtai

n de

part

men

t? C

an y

ou h

one

in o

n sp

ecifi

c gr

oup

dyna

mic

s? W

heth

er p

arti

cipa

nts

real

ize

it

or n

ot, g

ames

may

be

form

atte

d to

ach

ieve

spe

-ci

fic re

sult

s or

del

iver

a d

isti

ncti

ve m

essa

ge.

Wit

h th

e go

al c

lear

ly id

enti

fied

for

the

acti

v-it

y, it

sho

uld

be tr

eate

d lik

e ev

ery

othe

r asp

ect o

f th

at m

eeti

ng/e

vent

in te

rms

of p

repa

rati

on, b

ud-

get

and

coor

dina

tion

to

ensu

re a

pos

itiv

e ex

peri

-en

ce. F

or e

xam

ple,

man

y te

ambu

ildin

g ac

tivi

ties

ca

n be

str

uctu

red

in d

iffer

ent

form

ats

in o

rder

to

acc

ompl

ish

diff

eren

t ob

ject

ives

. Cas

e in

poi

nt

is a

n ac

tivi

ty c

alle

d Li

ght

Art

(se

e op

posi

te p

age)

. Ea

ch t

eam

tak

es a

pos

itio

n ar

ound

a la

rge

4-by

-

6-fo

ot li

ght b

oard

that

has

a g

rid

on th

e to

p. Th

e te

ams

are

supp

lied

wit

h sm

all c

olor

ed t

iles

that

fit

in th

e gr

id to

cre

ate

imag

es o

n th

e lig

ht ta

bles

. Th

en, e

ach

team

mus

t fun

ctio

n in

a c

reat

ive

envi

-ro

nmen

t, a

s th

ey a

re a

sked

to c

reat

e a

land

scap

e on

the

ir l

ight

boa

rd.

Onc

e al

l te

ams

have

com

-pl

eted

the

ir la

ndsc

ape,

the

boa

rds

are

disp

laye

d.

Nex

t, th

e te

am is

chal

leng

ed to

wor

k on

a p

roce

ss-

orie

nted

tas

k an

d cr

eate

a p

rede

term

ined

imag

e.

Each

team

rece

ives

a g

rid

that

sho

ws

them

whe

re

to p

lace

tile

s an

d w

hat

colo

r ti

les

to u

se. Th

is r

e-qu

ires

the

tea

m t

o co

mpl

etel

y sw

itch

gea

rs a

nd

form

ulat

e a

plan

. The

team

will

nee

d to

ass

ign

role

s, s

plit

into

sub

gro

ups

and

wor

k cl

osel

y w

ith

each

oth

er to

follo

w th

e pa

tter

n. W

hen

the

team

s ha

ve c

ompl

eted

the

ir g

rids

, the

ligh

t ta

bles

will

be

dis

play

ed a

nd th

e im

ages

will

com

e in

to fo

cus.

This

team

build

ing

acti

vity

requ

ires

the

team

to

wor

k to

geth

er in

a v

arie

ty o

f way

s: th

e te

am m

ust

colle

ctiv

ely

agre

e on

the

ir v

isio

n an

d th

en w

ork

toge

ther

to

brin

g th

e vi

sion

to

life.

For

a g

roup

th

at s

impl

y w

ants

to

enco

urag

e ne

twor

king

, the

te

ams

can

be a

ssig

ned

at r

ando

m,

afte

r w

hich

th

ey a

re g

iven

det

aile

d in

stru

ctio

ns a

nd s

et f

ree

to h

ave

fun

exec

utin

g th

eir

goal

. But

, if t

he o

bjec

-ti

ve m

ay b

e to

iden

tify

the

lead

ers

of a

gro

up a

s w

ell a

s th

eir

lead

ersh

ip s

tyle

, the

tea

ms

may

be

divi

ded

mor

e st

rate

gica

lly, a

fter

whi

ch t

hey

are

give

n ve

ry l

ittl

e di

rect

ion.

Onc

e th

e ac

tivi

ty i

s co

mpl

ete,

a h

ealt

hy d

iscu

ssio

n ca

n oc

cur

rela

ted

to le

ader

ship

sty

les,

str

uggl

es a

nd m

ore.

Dre

am B

igW

hen

goal

-set

ting

, it

is

also

im

port

ant

to

thin

k be

yond

the

tra

diti

onal

obj

ecti

ves

of n

et-

wor

king

, sh

arin

g an

d le

ader

ship

dev

elop

men

t.

Man

y or

gani

zati

ons

have

pus

hed

thei

r obj

ecti

ves

to a

lso

and/

bene

fit t

he c

omm

unit

y. F

or e

xam

ple,

on

e po

pula

r ac

tivi

ty i

nvol

ves

team

s co

mpe

ting

to

bui

ld t

he b

est

whe

elch

air.

Smal

l gro

ups

wor

k to

geth

er t

o an

swer

a s

erie

s of

que

stio

ns t

o ea

rn

“buc

ks”

to p

urch

ase

whe

elch

air

part

s. O

nce

all

requ

ired

pie

ces

have

bee

n ea

rned

and

whe

el-

chai

rs h

ave

been

ass

embl

ed, t

hey

will

hav

e to

run

thro

ugh

the

obst

acle

cour

se to

bec

ome

elig

ible

for

insp

ecti

on. A

fter

tea

ms

crea

te a

cus

tom

lice

nse

plat

e, fi

nal j

udgi

ng w

ill ta

ke p

lace

in w

hich

team

s w

ill b

e ra

ted

on q

ualit

y an

d cr

eati

vity

.In

add

itio

n to

the

obv

ious

ben

efits

of

team

-w

ork,

this

act

ivit

y off

ers

the

orga

niza

tion

the

op-

port

unit

y to

giv

e ba

ck b

y do

nati

ng t

hese

cha

irs.

Fo

r ex

ampl

e, o

ne g

roup

rec

entl

y co

mpl

eted

thi

s ac

tivi

ty a

nd th

e w

heel

chai

rs w

ere

then

don

ated

to

a lo

cal n

onpr

ofit

orga

niza

tion

. The

day

afte

r th

e ev

ent

was

ove

r, th

e w

heel

chai

rs w

ere

on a

tru

ck

mak

ing

thei

r w

ay to

a h

ospi

tal i

n Ja

mai

ca.

Loca

tion

and

Gro

up S

ize

Mat

ter

Man

y te

ambu

ildin

g ac

tivi

ties

can

be ca

tere

d to

a

vari

ety

of g

roup

siz

es a

nd e

vent

loca

tion

s, b

ut

thes

e ar

e ke

y pi

eces

of i

nfor

mat

ion

whe

n co

nsid

-er

ing

opti

ons.

For

exa

mpl

e, s

ome

food

-the

med

ev

ents

are

bes

t exe

cute

d ou

tdoo

rs.

Oth

er a

ctiv

itie

s si

mpl

y re

quir

e a

lot

of s

pace

or

an

area

tha

t al

low

s fo

r “g

etti

ng d

irty

.” Fo

r ex

-

ampl

e, P

layi

ng P

icas

so is

an

acti

vity

tha

t st

arts

ou

t by

div

idin

g a

pain

ting

into

sm

alle

r se

ctio

ns

and

givi

ng e

ach

team

a p

hoto

of

a se

ctio

n to

re

plic

ate

on a

bla

nk c

anva

s us

ing

pain

t, b

rush

es

and

sket

chin

g to

ols.

Onc

e th

e te

ams a

re fi

nish

ed,

the

indi

vidu

al c

anva

ses

are

piec

ed t

oget

her

to

crea

te a

rep

rodu

ctio

n of

the

ful

l pa

inti

ng. Th

e ac

tivi

ty d

emon

stra

tes

that

eve

n w

hen

wor

king

se

para

tely

, all

cont

ribu

te t

o th

e bi

gger

pic

ture

. Fu

rthe

r, b

y in

corp

orat

ing

a sp

ecifi

c th

eme,

loca

-ti

on o

r im

age

as y

our

grap

hic,

the

act

ivit

y ca

n be

per

sona

lized

. For

inst

ance

, one

gro

up g

ave

a lo

cal s

pin

on t

heir

act

ivit

y by

rep

licat

ing

a m

u-ra

l of t

he M

inne

apol

is s

kylin

e or

igin

ally

cre

ated

by

a lo

cal a

rtis

t. S

mal

l can

vase

s, w

hich

are

less

ex

pens

ive,

als

o al

low

org

aniz

atio

ns t

o ke

ep a

nd

disp

lay

the

art

they

cre

ate.

Com

mun

icat

ion

Is K

ing

As

in a

ll as

pect

s of

pla

nnin

g an

eve

nt,

com

-m

unic

atio

n w

ith

the

even

t pl

anne

r is

cru

cial

. In

addi

tion

to

clea

rly

outl

inin

g th

e ob

ject

ives

, it

is

key

to c

omm

unic

ate

chan

ges

in t

erm

s of

gro

up

dyna

mic

s, p

erso

nalit

ies

and

size

— a

ll of

whi

ch

can

dras

tica

lly c

hang

e th

e eff

ecti

vene

ss o

f an

ac

tivi

ty.

How

ever

, wit

h pr

oper

com

mun

icat

ion,

te

ambu

ildin

g ca

n be

an

effec

tive

com

pone

nt o

f yo

ur n

ext e

vent

.C&

IT

Sta

cy F

an

tau

zzi

is a

n ac

coun

t m

anag

er a

t m

etro

Con

nect

ions

, whi

ch s

ince

198

4 ha

s ut

ilize

d its

ex

pert

ise

and

reso

urce

s to

spe

cial

ize

in t

he d

esig

n an

d im

plem

enta

tion

of b

rand

ed

onlin

e re

gist

ratio

n w

ebsi

tes,

the

med

eve

nts,

sta

ge p

rodu

ctio

ns, c

onfe

renc

e pl

anni

ng

and

tran

spor

tatio

n se

rvic

es. T

he c

ompa

ny is

loca

ted

in B

loom

ingt

on, M

N, a

nd h

as a

n of

fice

in O

rland

o, F

L. in

fo@

met

roco

nnec

tions

.com

, ww

w.m

etro

conn

ectio

ns.c

om

Team

build

ing:

An

Effe

ctiv

e To

ol

By

Stac

y Fa

ntau

zzi

Photos courtesy of metroConnections

TheM

eetin

gMag

azin

es.c

omC

orp

ora

te &

In

cen

tive T

ravel

Aug

ust

2012

11

10

A

ugus

t 20

12

Co

rpo

rate

& In

cen

tive T

ravel

The

Mee

tingM

agaz

ines

.com

PERS

PECT

IVE

Brin

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To view this em ail as a w eb page, go here.

Fore! The Bloomington CVB Golf Tournament Another SuccessThanks to all 150 golfers, partners and sponsors who contributed to another successful year at the 8th Annual Bloomington CVB Foundation Golf Tournament. It was a warm, but perfect day on the course of Town and Country Club in St. Paul, with many happy golfers and sponsors enjoying the links. Please check out the photos from the day here . Over $8,500 was raised during our online auction, benefitting our Bloomington CVB Foundation. Thank you to all of you who donated over 58 items to

support hospitality scholarship programs.

Bloomington Heritage Days Needs VolunteersBloomington Heritage Days' goal is to build a stronger community through the promotions of celebrations, educational programs, citizen volunteerism and the preservation of community. The day-long event is Saturday, September 15 with activities, events, contests and shows scheduled until midnight. A large team of volunteers are needed to make this event a success. Sign up as an individual or a group by clicking here by September 1.

2013 Destination Bloomington and Mall of America Visitors Guide -Don't miss out!This annual publication offers year-long high impact, targeted advertising opportunities for your business and includes editorial coverage of all there is to do and see at Mall of America-plus where to stay in the Bloomington. This official visitor's guide is packed with detailed information about everything that leisure & business visitors need to know when planning their ultimate Bloomington get-away and is the

perfect opportunity for you to reach the large and lucrative visitor's market coming to Bloomington, MN to stay, play and shop. For more information about advertising please contact Tabitha Fields at 612-371-5809. Space reservation deadline: November 9, 2012.

Bloomington Hotel News

� Country Inn & Suites celebrates 25 years in Bloomington - see the Star Tribune article featuring Bloomington's General Manger Heidi Olson

� Microtel hotels ranked first among economy chains by Consumer Reports magazine and J.D. Power. Click here to read the article

� Watch the Progress on the New Radisson Blu Hotel -a web cam has been set up to watch the progress being made in the new Radisson Blu Hotel Mall of America. Click here to see the hotel being constructed, through its March 2013 opening

Mall of America Wins AwardFor the fourth consecutive year, Mall of America® won the Wellness by Design Award for excellence in promoting worksite wellness. The awards, presented at a June 21 award ceremony at the Earle Brown Heritage Center in Brooklyn Center, Minn., recognized employers who made employee health a priority and acknowledged their creative and effective wellness policies and programs. The awards are presented in four award levels to Hennepin County worksites that demonstrate accomplishments in

management support, wellness infrastructure, assessment and evaluation, supportive environments, communication and engagement and programs and interventions.

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8/27/2012http://view.destinationbloomingtonmn.org/?j=fe5c17737c6501747014&m=fe70157075640...

Mall of America UpdatesNew Stores:

� Carhartt - South 138� Juicy Couture - South 140� Tilly's - North 246 � Masu Sushi & Robata - South 344� Cupcake - West 384

New Flights Added at MSP International AirportSpirit Airlines now offers nonstop flights from the Twin Cities to Dallas and Fort Myers and Fort Lauderdale flights start on November 8th. Southwest Airlines will begin offering two daily, nonstop flights between MSP and Kansas City, Missouri, beginning February 14.

� Minni Bar Opens on Concourse G - offers both drinks and light snacks to chill out before flight

� Chick-fil-A Debuts on Concourse C - offering a large menu Monday-Saturday� FlySmart App now available - featuring interactive maps to navigate the MSP Airport

See Who Attended the 44th Annual International PowWowThe Bloomington CVB took advantage of the over 90 appointments they had with tour operators and asked them to talk about being at PowWow and the travel industry. See what they had to say here.

Minnesota's Lodging Metrics Show Moderate Growth through the 1st Half of 2012For the first half of 2012, Minnesota's lodging industry experienced moderate year-over-year growth in five of six reported metrics - occupancy, demand, revenue, room rate and revenue per available room (RevPAR). The sixth metric, room supply, decreased slightly (0.5%), compared with the 1st half of 2011. The report reflects continuing growth in lodging business, though at a somewhat slower pace than the second half of 2011. For more information on this story, click here.

Earn a Certificate in Festival and Event Management OnlineThe University of Minnesota Tourism Center offers a comprehensive, online course in Festival and Event Management to help festival and event organizers run successful events. This interactive, engaging class covers management systems, tools, and theories that are relevant to events. A special 2012 session on Social Media & Events will help class participants understand the role social media plays in festivals and events and how they can use social media for marketing their events. For more information, please visit the Tourism Center website or contact the Tourism Center at [email protected].

metroConnections Named to the 8th Annual Special Edition Events' Top 25 DMC ListmetroConnections, Inc. has been named to the 8th Annual Special Edition Events' Top 25 DMC List for the second time since 2006. As one of the world's Top 25 DMCs, metroConnections was selected by Special Events magazine based on the criteria of: the number of events handled per year, annual revenue from DMC services, capabilities and noteworthy events. Special Events Magazine recognized metroConnections several times for its Syngenta Capital Markets and Demonstration Days event series.

See What's New at the American Swedish InstituteIn late June, the new Nelson Cultural Center opened to the public, featuring the Helena Hernmarck tapestries on display. FIKA, a new café overlooking the Turnblad Mansion, recently opened and will feature an ever-changing seasonal menu dedicated to regional ingredients and Nordic traditions. From espresso and pastries to seasonally changing

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8/27/2012http://view.destinationbloomingtonmn.org/?j=fe5c17737c6501747014&m=fe70157075640...

Harvey GrotskyPublisher

Quote of the Day“This is a time whenmeeting professionalsneed to show theirstrategic value. Weshould still work underthe assumption of thepast few years that wewill do more with less.”— Lisa English, CMP, CMM,Marketing Manager, StrategicMeetings Management, CventRead more in: “How to Spin TightBudgets Into Meeting Gold.”

Atlantis Paradise Island,Bahamas. Planners are offeredadded value of up to $25,000 inthe form of complimentary stays intwo superior suites: the RoyalTowers Bridge Suite Offer (value$25,000/night) is available togroups with a minimum of 2,000room nights that contract for datesin 2013 or 2014 by December 31,2012; offer includes a privatereception with customized menu

Playing Picasso“Playing Picasso” is an example of a teambuilding activity that taps into aparticipant’s creative side. According to Stacy Fantauzzi, account managerat metroConnections, start by dividing a painting into smaller sections andgiving each team a photo of a section to replicate on a blank canvas usingpaint, brushes and sketching tools. Once the teams are finished, theindividual canvases are pieced together to create a reproduction of the fullpainting. The activity demonstrates that even when working separately, allcontribute to the bigger picture. Further, by incorporating a specific theme,location or image as your graphic, the activity can be personalized. Forinstance, one group gave a local spin on their activity by replicating a muralof the Minneapolis skyline originally created by a local artist. Smallcanvases, which are less expensive, also allow organizations to keep anddisplay the art they create.Read more in “Teambuilding: An Effective Tool.”

The Week of September 3, 2012

2013 Meetings Bookings Matching 2012As reported in Hotel News Now, meetings bookings worldwide for 2013 arematching those for 2012, according to American Meetings Inc., a globalleader of meeting planning services that annually analyzes and summarizesthe meetings climate. MORE>>

Mixed Business Travel Trends ReportedAccording to Business Travel News, a U.S. Federal Reserve report revealsthat business travel growth may be slowing in some districts of the U.S. Forinstance, tourism industry contacts in the Fed’s Boston district “expect thatoverall 2012 performance will be strong, but express concern thatperformance will weaken over the last few months of the year.” MORE>>

Demand Up for Hotel Development in SeattleEven though business is not back to pre-recession levels in downtownSeattle, trends indicate that there is definite improvement, and thus,developers are proposing new hotel projects, according to a report in TheSeattle Times. One project on the drawing board is for a 1,200-room hotel,which would be the second largest hotel in downtown after the SeattleSheraton. MORE>>

Meliã Atlanta Opens Dramatic Event SpaceMeliã Atlanta announced the opening of SKY twenty•five, a spectacularevent space occupying the entire top floor of the 25-story midtown hotel.Floor-to-ceiling windows offer panoramic views including 360-degree viewsof the Atlanta skyline, Stone Mountain, Centennial Park and a direct viewinto the Bobby Dodd Stadium, home of Georgia Tech football. The 502-roomhotel has more than 31,000 sf of flexible meeting and banquet spacedivided among 21 rooms. MORE>>

HSMAI Features MPI Sessions at MEET NationalThe Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI)announced Meeting Professionals International (MPI) is hosting two sessionsat HSMAI’s MEET National, the meeting and event-planning industry’spremier show September 5–6, 2012, at the Walter E. Washington ConventionCenter, Washington, DC. As part of the partnership between HSMAI and MPI,MPI provides education for meeting planners at select HSMAI events, andHSMAI provides training and professional development for sales and

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9

Technology for Meeting Planners – Debunking the Myths

©2012 Brad Neuman, MetroConnectionsIn today’s technology-enhanced world, meeting attendees not only appreciate, but expect to have easy solutions for attending events. After all, many of us run our offices, finances and social lives from our tablet or phone –so the notion of filling out a registration form and submitting via email, snail mail or fax seems archaic. However, there are many misconceptions surrounding the use of such technology. Following is an overview of many common misconceptions and how to successfully employ technology in a manner that improves the attendee experience.

Misconception 1: I’ll be replaced by the technology.

Technology enables you to automate some of the processes that are time-consuming, which allows planners to engage with their clients in a more strategic manner. You will not be replaced; rather, you will shine as a team member who works efficiently and smart. Further, many of the processes that become automated are those that lend themselves to human error. For example, required submission of email addresses on a registration form reduces the need for administrators to have to follow up with registrants to get a missing address. The time saved allows for more strategic engagement with attendees. With the use of application programming interfaces (APIs), transferring of travel and hotel data reduces the amount of time spent proofing manifests and room blocks. Again, these cumbersome tasks are reduced dramatically, allowing for planners to spend their time working on meeting the goals of the conference.

Misconception 2: I can get all the info I need from my existing spreadsheet.

Many meeting planners still depend on spreadsheets and email to work their magic. However, they are missing a huge opportunity to not just report the data, rather, really mine the data. Instead of manipulating the data to get the information you need, with the right tools, you can manage the data that you likely would love to have at your fingertips.

For example, by employing the right technology, a planner can report to executives and managers the data that will help them make last minute decisions, leverage their spend for the future. Did a particular link get a lot of traction from a recent e-blast, resulting in registration for a session? Should you add another time slot for that particular topic? Or is a particular event lagging behind others at this point? Analyzing this data, not merely reviewing your total registration numbers, allows you to maximize dollars spent as well as the attendee experience. Such information also enables you to be more strategic with your transportation, venue and housing planning efforts, as well as negotiations.

Misconception 3: My meeting is too small to justify the expense of an online registration system.

With today’s technology, there is no such thing as a meeting too small to benefit from the use of technology. Further, deployment time of the technology is a lot faster and simpler than it used to be. With online training and cloud-based products, installation and ramp-up is typically straightforward and painless.

Misconception 4: Online registration systems are dangerous. What if the Internet crashes or gets hacked?

No different than having a back-up plan for your existing system, it is key to have a back-up plan for your technology. Most programs these days have multiple back-up procedures in place, but it is still a good idea to periodically print out a copy of your data.

In addition, most technology companies that house vulnerable information take extra precautions to make sure their systems are secured. The best secured systems have been certified PCI Service Provider Level 1 (which means it adheres to a set of requirements designed to ensure the information they process and/or store is maintained in a secure environment). If you evaluate solution providers on their ability to meet the latest developments in e-commerce security, you’ll minimize the risk of issues. Ask your vendor for a PCI certificate of completion on their PCI data security assessment.

Misconception 5: I heard that systems don’t talk to each other, so I’ll end up coordinating multiple technologies. And, I am not a computer expert.

While this was the case for many years, programmers have listened to users and are now designing software that talks to other software. For example, there are now lead retrieval and registration programs that talk to each other. These programs are more intuitive today, allowing operators to easily collect and analyze information with a click of a mouse.

Misconception 6: Our attendees aren’t really interested in all this technology.

NewsTechSpec technology site insection is now

available as an app (for both iPhone and Android)

Corbin quoted in recent issue of the New York Times

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While technology should not be employed simply for the “wow” factor, all attendees appreciate a better experience. However, many companies have learned the hard way that launching a technology, such as mobile aps, without first knowing what their audience needs or wants, doesn’t provide a return, just an initial flash. It is key that technology is employed in a manner that doesn’t just impress, rather, assists the attendee in doing their job, learning a certain topic or making the right connections. For example, don’t just provide tablets to your sales force thinking they will know how to access all the information needed for the conference. Instead, pre-load them with all the tools and resources they will need to be successful, not only during the two day event, but throughout the next year. Preload them with content and links, as well as the ability for automatic updates.

While it is fun to be on the cutting-edge of technology implementation, be sure to outline clearly what you are trying to accomplish with its employment. For example, there is new badge scanning software that allows you to “bump” two badges together, and by doing so, transfer the contact information from attendee to attendee or attendee to exhibitor/sponsor. There also are several mobile apps, QR scanners, etc., enable you to download or use as a plug-in for a smart phone with the intent of contact information transfer as well. However, while a fantastic device, be sure you’ve thought through areas of confidentiality and security before implementing such a tool.

Misconception 7: Social media is a waste of time related to my meeting.

Like any other marketing tool or technology, for it to work, you must outline your goals and how you’ll measure success, or you’ll end up feeling like time and effort was wasted. In the case of social media, the use of platforms that encourage interaction, such as a Twitter hashtags, can be very effective, but you must outline your objectives. Too often, a conference hashtag will simply be announced at the beginning of the event and that is the end of the involvement. However, much success can be gained by hosting contests using the platform, and listening and responding to attendees’ questions. Also, it is a great way to engage exhibitors or speakers in the conversation. The great thing about social media is that it allows for other individuals to experience the event or conference without having to be there. As they follow the conversations via social media platforms, they can also gain valuable insights and information. What great (and free) public relations for your event!

By taking these misconceptions into consideration, you’ll be able to successfully implement the right technology for your next conference or event.

Brad Neuman is the Director of Attend-eSource® Technologies, a web-based solution that includes elements such as online registration and custom-built event websites. Neuman and his team build more than 600 custom conference and meeting websites annually. He has been in the registration and housing technology business for more than 16 years. For more information, or a strategic analysis of your current conference or event technology, contact Brad Neuman at [email protected].

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Page 2 of 3Technology for Meeting Planners – Debunking the Myths - Corbin Ball Associates

9/20/2012http://www.corbinball.com/articles_technology/index.cfm?fuseaction=cor_av&artID=8996


1. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., metroConnections provides complete conference, event, production and transportation services for meeting and event planners nationwide.



MEDIA CONTACT Sarah D. Warzecha metroConnections Marketing & Public Relations Manager Phone: 952.767.2907 EMAIL | METRO NEWSROOM Photos available https://www.yousendit.com/download/TEhYTmZkRkVubHgzZU1UQw

metroConnections recognized for 2012 Vision Awards

(MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.) – Oct. 4, 2012 – Meetings: Minnesota’s Hospitality Journal announced

the winners of the 2012 Vision Awards. Among the list was metroConnections, Inc.’s Sales

Manager, Nicole Caradmone for the Customer Service she provided at the Syngenta Capital

Markets & Demonstration Days.

Presented on September 27, 2012 at 514 Studios in Minneapolis, Minn., the Vision Awards

honored individuals in Minnesota’s hospitality industry who demonstrated best practices in seven

categories (Customer Service, Stewardship, Event of the Year, Planner’s Choice: My Favorite

Vendor, Leadership, Inspiration and Innovation). The editors of Meetings: Minnesota’s Hospitality

Journal selected seven recipients from these nominations.




http://www.metroconnections.com/production/production_services/











https://www.yousendit.com/download/TEhYTmZkRkVubHgzZU1UQw

http://www.mn-meetings.com/index.php

http://www.mn-meetings.com/visionawards/about.php



Syngenta – a global agribusiness leader – partnered with metroConnections, Inc. to showcase

their vision for future to key stakeholders at their Capital Markets & Demonstration Days event.

The goal was to educate their guests in a unique environment that would help them gain a

complete understanding of current capabilities, recent innovations, and future goals while

experiencing the company’s brand by integrating it throughout the whole venue and event. With

the help of Nicole Cardamone, Sales Manager at metroConnections, the chosen rural research site

was transformed into a multi-purpose, multi-building compound featuring a Dome City built from

the ground up in a farm field. Working with Cardamone, Pete Gnoza, Senior Sales Manager, and

Brian Riebe, Project Manager, also played a vital role in the success of the event.













custom vinyl appliqué and a custom-built sign.





The Meetings: Minnesota’s Hospitality Journal’s Vision Awards were formed to recognize

individuals in Minnesota’s hospitality industry who demonstrate best practices in customer

services, innovation, leadership, inspiration and stewardship. For more information, please visit

http://www.mn-meetings.com/visionawards/about.php.

# # #


metroConnections provides complete conference, event, production and transportation services for

meeting and event planners nationwide. Since 1984, metroConnections has utilized its expertise

and resources to specialize in the design and implementation of themed events, activities,





Keywords: metroConnections, event planning, transportation, conference, stage productions,

themed events, tours.

http://www.mn-meetings.com/visionawards/about.php


FOCUS HOW-TO

26 MN-MEETINGS.COM FALL 2012

Maybe last year you noticed your attendees were more plugged into their mobile

phones during your event. Perhaps this is the year to take advantage of their digital

dedication and create an application for your event. If that is the case, you wouldn’t

be the first to take the step. Applications for meetings and events are becoming more

common. Meeting Professionals International created an app for its World Education

Congress and International Special Events Society has an app for EventWorld. Closer

to home, the new River’s Edge Music Festival debuted an app, and the Minnesota

State Fair has one too.

THE SEARCH“It takes a lot longer than you think it might

take to do it,” says Kathleen Haase, group

marketing manager, CRV events at Boston

Scientific. Haase helped to get an app cre-

ated for the CRV national sales meetings

the past two years. A growing number of

application developers are beginning to offer

their services. Which one is right for you?

Seek out your options and find out what

makes each different. Twin Cities-based

Tiny Mission, among its variety of apps, cre-

ated the Schwan’s USA Cup application this

year for the National Sports Center in Blaine.

Other developers are more directly focused

on the meetings and events industry, like

Want to create an app for your next event? Read on to learn more about when an app is right for you.

BY ELLIE M. BAYRD

There’s an App for That

27FALL 2012 MN-MEETINGS.COM

EVENT APPS

MISCONCEPTIONSPerhaps you’ve considered getting an app for

your event before, and you decided against

it because it sounded too expensive, too dif-

ficult or your event is too small. Explore your

options before you dismiss the concept.

“We had serious sticker shock when we

first started shopping around,” says Barclay

Kruse, chief communications officer,

National Sports Center. “Apps are not cheap

to develop and you can’t do it yourself.” Kruse

says they worked out a sponsorship partner-

ship with Tiny Mission to save on the cost.

The cost and difficulty all depends on

whether you start from scratch or with an

existing app structure, like EventMobi, says

Haase. “A lot of these platforms are already

built,” she says, “so that makes it more turn-

key, if that fits into what you want.” She first

consulted with others who had created from

scratch, so she was prepared for the possible

high cost. “We had heard about the expenses

and so when ours came in way lower than

that I think it was a relief,” she says. “For

someone who has never built one, yes I think

it would be a sticker shock, to see that this

could range from $5,000 to $10,000, depend-

ing on what you all wanted to do and how far

you stray from the set piece that they already

have created.”

It’s all about finding the right app for an

event. Neuman says planners might save

by working with a company that has some

existing apps that they can customize or you

could consider web apps. “I think that’s a big

misconception that the pricing is still way

out of the ballpark. The price is, first of all,

very competitive,” he says. “The cost of the

application, the discussion about whether

or not you need a native versus a web app,

I think that scares planners away from even

having to make that decision.” He says native

apps can cost two to three times as much as

web apps.

Apps can work for events of varying

sizes. Richard Perry, founder and CEO

of Minneapolis-based Primmo Apps, cre-

ated iConnexus, which launched this year.

iConnexus is designed to encourage net-

working at events of varying sizes. It helps

you locate others at an event with whom you

should connect. Neuman says he’s worked on

small events that utilized a web app to help

engagement.

Toronto-based EventMobi (which Haase

used) and Connecticut-based TripBuilder’s

Event Mobile.

Know your goals and objectives before you

start your search, suggests Haase. Then do

your homework by reading all the blog posts

and recommendations you can. “There’s so

much chatter about all the different compa-

nies that are doing it, so you can get a good

feel for which one might work best for you.

Don’t just go with one person’s recommenda-

tion,” she says.

And know what you mean by app. These

days you can choose between web apps and

native apps. Web apps use your mobile web

browser, while native apps are the ones you

download onto your phone, from places such

as Apple’s App Store. “It really has to be a

discussion with the client to understand what

they are going to be using it for and what their

expectations are of what they want out of it,”

says Brad Neuman, director, Attend-eSource

Technologies, at Bloomington-based metro-

Connections. metroConnections began

creating mobile-friendly websites about 10

years ago then started working on web apps

six years ago before adding native apps the

past few years.

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“ It really has to be a discussion with the client to

understand what they are going to be using it for

and what their expectations are of what they

want out of it.” — Brad Neuman, director, Attend-eSource Technologies,

at Bloomington-based metroConnections

ICONNEXUSAPP

From metroConnections, mobile sites as they appear on iPads and iPhones.

FOCUS HOW-TO


the ability to share schedule changes (some-

times due to weather) at a moment’s notice

is key. “It’s challenging to communicate the

information to a full campus that’s 600 acres

with 25,000 people,” he says. “Every way that

we can communicate those schedule changes

helps us reach our customers.”

One thing Haase learned from working

with EventMobi is that some app builders

have partnerships that might limit your

choices. She would have preferred to display

photos through Shutterfly, but EventMobi

had it set up through Flickr. She recommends

knowing your must-haves and deal breakers

up front. One important element for their

app: wayfinding. The CRV national sales con-

ference includes four hotels and a conference

center. They were inspired by MPI’s WEC

app, which proved to be a great resource for

agenda and speaker information.

You might offer attendees a way to per-

sonalize their agenda or exhibitors to tailor

their experience. Neuman also recommends

maps, not only of the meeting space, but the

hotel space and surrounding area. Social

media is another big element to consider.

“Twitter feeds are the rage on all of the dif-

ferent types of apps right now,” says Neuman.

He says each app developer has strengths and

one app may be better than another for your

specific event. “Some apps are stronger in the

agenda management area and some apps are

stronger in the community and social areas,”

he says. “You really want to know your goal

and what you are trying to get out of it.” The

big thing is having a way to share updates on

the spot with attendees or exhibitors.

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCEThe discussion of whether to use an app for

your meeting or event will, of course, need to

address whether your audience is tech savvy.

Do enough of your attendees or exhibitors

have smart phones? Are they active on social

media?

Apps, of course, need to also take into

account the different types of smart phones.

As Perry was developing his app, he encoun-

tered delays with launching it on Android.

Until it’s on multiple platforms, he says he’s

only solving half the problem. “It works well

for the iPhone people, so now you alienate

Neuman suggests planners survey attend-

ees at their events and see whether they

missed having an app and if they really want-

ed one. If he had to pick those events that are

best suited for an app Neuman says those that

have a lot of concurrent tracks or expanded

agendas, or just those where exhibitors and

attendees need to be updated with current

information.

APP ELEMENTSSo you know you want to have an app for

your event, but what elements do you need

to include to ensure the app is useful for your

attendees or exhibitors? If you know your

attendees and the goals for the event, that will

help you decide.

Haase recommends taking a look at what’s

in your attendee’s agenda. Will they have

time for chat rooms, surveys and polls? Or

are they too busy? She also reminds that you

need to understand the type of event. Her app

doesn’t have public social networking or pub-

lic information sharing. She had to work with

the legal department to know what could be

published and what needed to be restricted.

Maybe your attendees will need passwords to

access certain information.

The Schwan’s USA Cup app, which had

5,400 downloads in its first year, focused

on the basics. Kruse says they made sure to

include a site map, directions, restaurant

listings, news links and video. Most impor-

tant, for their audience, the app includes

schedules, scores, weather information and

notifications. “It’s a pretty straightforward

app,” says Kruse. “There’s nothing too fancy

or crazy with it. The focus on the first year

was essential information.” For the USA Cup, P

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“ It’s challenging to communicate the information to

a full campus that’s 600 acres with 25,000 people.

Every way that we can communicate those

schedule changes helps us reach our customers.”

— Barclay Kruse, chief communications officer at the National Sports Center

SCHWAN’S USA CUP APP

MPI’S WEC APP

29FALL 2012 MN-MEETINGS.COM

EVENT APPS

the Android people,” says Perry.

Haase also makes an effort not to alien-

ate those without smart phones. She makes

sure to offer the option of printing out the

materials at the registration desk for those

who would prefer information that way. Be

prepared for that, she says, instead of forcing

it on your audience.

“The audience that attends USA Cup is

extremely social media savvy,” says Kruse.

Last year when organizers made calls

for action on Facebook, they had a large

response. “We were just overwhelmed with

the number of people who jumped right

on immediately,” he says. Knowing there were

that many people on-site using their mobile

devices helped make the decision to add

an app. “Obviously there are plenty of peo-

ple out there with the technology to use an

app,” he says. “It’s just another way for us to

interact directly with our customers, really,

really quick.”

MARKET YOUR APPSo, you have an app; now your attendees have

to know you have an app. Plus, they have to

know where to find it and how to download

it. Marketing your app is a big part in generat-

ing success. “Apps don’t market themselves,”

says Kruse. “You have to work hard to inform

people that it exists, that it’s free, and then

remind them and encourage them to down-

load it.”

Include the app image on all the collateral

you send out before your event. Feature it

on your website. Send e-blasts reminding

Display QR codes at the registration desk to encourage attendees to download the app on-site.

TOP

PH

OTO

CO

UR

TE

SY

OF

ME

TR

OC

ON

NE

CTI

ON

S

This past May, Maritz Research Hospitality Group, in partnership with Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI), released the results of its extensive study of the future of meetings in four sepa-rate white papers: technology, meeting design, suppliers and vendors, and social media. The survey consisted of 1,612 meetings stakeholders, 46 percent of whom currently work as meeting plan-ners, with another 43 percent currently employed as suppliers. Maritz Research also drew from other various research. The following information is from The Future of Meetings Technology. www.maritzresearch.com

Survey respondents agree that mobile phone and device applications will con-tinue to grow in the future, according to the Maritz Research report. Key aspects of meetings use include GPS technol-ogy and education. Highlights from other relevant research, as highlighted in The Future of Meetings Technology:

+ A research study on the future of meet-ings found that two-thirds of respondents (64%) believed that in the future, “All pre-sentations, videos, etc., (will be) down-loaded to my mobile” [“Hotels 2020: Beyond Segmentation,” Amadeus]

+ A recent meetings sector report noted that, “One area of technology that is set to grow and grow is the meetings applica-tions or apps.” [“’Freeconomics’ – The Rise of Free or Very Low Cost Meetings and Tradeshow Software,” Corbin Ball]

+ “Eighty percent of meeting profes-sionals are using smartphones and other mobile devices in their jobs. Yet, with this high adoption, relatively few have used mobile applications yet for their own meetings. This is about to change.” [“ECSB Insights: Acclimatizing Owners to the Cloud,” Enterprise Council on Small Business, Corporate Executive Board, Corbin Ball.]

“App”-solutely

FOCUS


attendees to download the app. Then present

it loud and clear during your event. “Make it

easy,” says Neuman. “At an event we just did,

we had huge signs with QR codes on them at

registration. They just put their camera up

to that and could get the app if they hadn’t

already.”

And once attendees have the app, you

want them to get the entire benefit, so it’s

important to assign a dedicated staff person

to man the app throughout your event. Time

changes, agenda changes, photos from the

previous day—the more information you

update the app with the more value your

attendees will find in it. “There is someone

touching our app every day throughout the

meeting itself,” says Haase.

MEASURE SUCCESSIf you go with an app, you’ll want to be able

to measure that success to make sure it was

a worthwhile addition. For some, just going

paperless is a goal. Haase says one of the

reasons they chose to create an app was to go

green instead of always printing out agendas

and maps. Kruse agrees, “We went pretty

much paperless with our results and scoring

at this tournament.” The other basic measure-

ment of success for native apps is the number

of downloads.

Selecting a developer who has tracking

and analytics available will help the process.

“ For someone who has

never built one, yes

I think it would be a

sticker shock, to see

that this could range

from $5,000 to $10,000,

depending on what you

all wanted to do and

how far you stray from

the set piece that they

already have created.”

— Kathleen Haase, group marketing

manager, CRV Events, Boston Scientific.

Next to theTwin Cities...

we’re a greatplace to meet!

701 Bunker Lake Blvd.,Ham Lake, MN 55304Phone: 763-755-2140

majesticoaksgc.com

© Explore Minnesota Tourism Photo

tcgateway.com

· Meeting Planning assistance with a Facilities Director· Professional staff leading the hospitality industry· 10 Minutes from Downtown Minneapolis with free parking· On-site kitchen operated by our In-House Executive Chef· Exceptional Value· Unique Venue with Ballroom offering full audio/stereo system

612-870-1662 www.galemansion.com

[email protected]

MEDIA CONTACT Sarah Warzecha Marketing & Public Relations Manager Phone: 952.767.2907 Email | Website FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

2012 Holiday Lights Tours announced by Award-Winning City Tours

(MINNEAPOLIS, MN) – Oct. 24, 2012 Award-Winning City Tours announces its annual Holiday Lights Tour; an

opportunity to celebrate community spirit and the warmth of the season with family and friends. Now celebrating its

22nd year, Holiday Lights Tours are made available to the public on three prime Saturdays before Christmas. The 2012 dates are Saturdays December 8, 15 and 22. Plan in advance as tickets go fast. Reservations are required

by calling Award-Winning City Tours at 1-612-929-8687.

The Holiday Lights Tour, an annual family tradition for many, travels through the colorful streets of the Twin

Cities, and past the beautiful decorative lights of local merchants and residents. While aboard a warm deluxe

motorcoach, a knowledgeable tour guide provides commentary on holiday traditions and local lore. Guests

experience quiet residential neighborhoods as well as bustling city streets.

All tours depart from Mall of America from the North Side Arrival/Departure Facility. Tours operate from 6 to

8:30 p.m. Tickets are $29 per adult, $28 per senior 55 and older, $23 per student ages 13-21, $20 per child ages 6

to 12, children 5 and under not requiring a seat receive free admission.

Holiday Lights Tours also make a great activity for groups. Private Holiday Lights Tours are available for

groups from December 9 through December 22. The private, group tour follows the same route as the public tour.

All cancellations must occur 7 days prior to the tour to receive full refund. Contact Award-Winning City Tours to

arrange your group’s private tour today by calling 1-612-929-8687.

About Award-Winning City Tours

metroConnections presents Award-Winning City Tours; public and private group tours for visitors including the Twin

Cities Highlights, Minneapolis Tour & Mississippi River Cruise (summer) and Stillwater Tour & St. Croix River

Cruise (July only). Reservations can be made by calling Award-Winning City Tours at 612-929-8687 or by visiting

http://www.awardwinningcitytours.com/.

###


http://www.awardwinningcitytours.com/Holiday-Lights-Tour.php




• Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., metroConnections provides complete conference, event, production and transportation services for nationwide.

• Since 1984, metroConnections has utilized its expertise and resources to specialize in the design and implementation of branded online registration web sites, themed events, stage productions, conference planning and transportation services.

• metroConnections has a growing team of industry experts. MEDIA CONTACT Sarah D. Warzecha metroConnections Marketing & Public Relations Manager Phone: 952.767.2907 EMAIL | METRO NEWSROOM

metroConnections welcomes new National Sales Account Executive. (MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.) – Oct. 24, 2012 – metroConnections, Inc. – an award-winning

conference, event, production and transportation services firm – has announced the addition of

Stephanie Montini as National Sales Account Executive.

In Montini’s role at metroConnections, she will be responsible for strategically identifying new

national business opportunities and customers, along with maintaining healthy relationships with

company clients for all four service centers. Montini has established extensive experience working

with corporate and association incentive clients for meetings, conferences, conventions,

tradeshows, trips and other meetings. Other experience includes sales and operation account

management, and national experience positioning meetings and convention services around the

country in her previous roles in both South Florida and San Francisco.

metroConnections has developed a national scale and scope in their stage production services,

along with a continuing expansion across the country. According to, Tom McCulloch, Vice













President, metroConnection’s stage production services are the fastest growing segment. “We

produce general session stage solutions in ballrooms all over the U.S., with more than 40 percent

of this client business out-of-state,” said McCulloch.

A graduate of Columbia College, Chicago, Montini is a member of Meeting Professionals

International (MPI) and is a volunteer at the kid’s program at the Sojourner Women’s Shelter in

Hopkins, Minn.










# # #

Keywords: metroConnections, event planning, transportation, production, conference, themed

events, tours.


3

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Latest Staff Appointments News & Views...

metroConnections welcomes new National Sales Account Executive

metroConnections, Inc. – an award-winning conference, event, production and transportation services firm – has announced the addition of Stephanie Montini as National Sales Account Executive. In Montini’s role at metroConnections, she will be responsible for strategically identifying new national business opportunities and customers, along with maintaining healthy relationships with company clients for all four service centers. Montini has established extensive experience working with corporate and association incentive clients for meetings, conferences, conventions, tradeshows, trips and other meetings. Other experience includes sales and operation account management, and national experience positioning meetings and convention services around the country in her previous roles in both South Florida and San Francisco.metroConnections has developed a national scale and scope in their stage production

services, along with a continuing expansion across the country. According to, Tom McCulloch, Vice President, metroConnection’s stage production services are the fastest growing segment. “We produce general session stage solutions in ballrooms all over the U.S., with more than 40 percent of this client business out-of-state,” said McCulloch.A graduate of Columbia College, Chicago, Montini is a member of Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and is a volunteer at the kid’s program at the Sojourner Women’s Shelter in Hopkins, Minn.

Hyatt Regency Minneapolis Welcomes Mark Becker As General Manager

Hyatt Regency Minneapolis, 1300 Nicollet Mall, announces the promotion of Mark Becker to General Manager.Becker, a 22-year Hyatt veteran, will oversee operations at the newly renovated Hyatt Regency Minneapolis. As General Manager, Becker is responsible for the overall vision and future direction of the property. He began his career with Hyatt in 1990 as a Housekeeping Supervisor with Hyatt Regency Greenwich. Becker acted as Executive Assistant Manager for Hyatt Grand Champions Resort and Spa at Indian Wells, CA and Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach. While serving as Rooms Executive, he oversaw a $36 million expansion of the Hyatt Grand Champions Resort and developed the first Medical and Skin spa in Hyatt’s portfolio. During his time as a Senior Rooms Executive with Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach, he implemented a recreation department and developed the

first ocean front property partnership with Disney. As General Manager of Hyatt Regency Sarasota, Becker was the leading force behind a $20 million transformation which resulted in a 4 Diamond rating. Becker was named Manager of the Year in 1996, and received the distinguished Hyatt Hotels and Resorts Rooms Executive of the Year in 2004 and 2007. In 2010, he was the Board Chair of the Sarasota Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. He currently serves on the Executive Committee Member for the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce. Becker graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management from Boston University. He and his wife have 12-year-old twin daughters.Hyatt Regency Minneapolis features 533 guestrooms, 74,000 square feet of high tech function space, and a StayFit™ Athletic Club with an indoor heated pool. The hotel is located at 1300 Nicollet Mall, which features Nicollet Mall shopping and dining. Hyatt Regency Minneapolis is only a short trip away from the Mall of America, the

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Page 1 of 13Midwest Meetings | Staff Appointments News & Views - Midwest Meetings

10/24/2012http://www.midwestmeetings.com/staff-appointments.html

From the Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/print-edition/2012/10/26/planners-find-eventful-success.html

Premium Article Preview | For full site access:Subscribe Now

Strategies

Planners find eventful successMinneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal by Meg O'Connor, Staff Writer

Date: Friday, October 26, 2012, 5:00am CDT

Meg O'ConnorStaff Writer- Minneapolis / St. Paul Business JournalEmail

Growing event-planning firm metroConnections Inc. aims to keep its business model as fresh as its work for clients.

CEO Sam Thompson started the Bloomington-based company in 1984 as a tours and transportation-services provider. The businesses soon began broadening its range of services. When Thompson’s brothers-in-law, David and Mike Graves, joined the business in 1988, it began planning post-event soirees. And more recently, metroConnections expanded into producing events themselves. Now, clients can come to metroConnections for jobs ranging from transportation to the production of a meeting and the after party.

The shift significantly boosted the company’s sales in recent years, President David Gravessaid. MetroConnections’ revenue jumped 40 percent from 2009 to 2011, reaching $16 million last year.

A recovering economy played a role, as well. Revenue this year is up by $3 million compared to the same period in 2011.

MetroConnections credits its growth to more than just the expansion of its services. The firm focuses on consistently generating fresh and innovative ideas that keep clients coming back. That’s not an easy task, especially with long-term customers, including Target Corp., Microsoft Corp. and Boston Scientific Corp.

Every time clients return to metroConnections, they need something different and the company has to give it to them, David Graves said. “We have to continue to invest in our creativity to avoid becoming stale or irrelevant.”

Page 1 of 3metroConnections finds eventual success - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal

10/26/2012http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/print-edition/2012/10/26/planners-find-eventful-su...

One way Graves said metroConnections stands out is its in-house warehouse, where the company can show off its range of capabilities. The space features floor-to-ceiling shelves stocked with miscellaneous items ranging from sleek couches to oversized musical instruments. Taking a glimpse into the workshop, the odor of fresh sawdust and acrylic paint is evident as the production team works on decor for an annual Halloween party that will include a 9-foot monster mouth to serve as the entrance for the event.

MetroConnections’ production team designs, creates and delivers such pieces for events.

The company’s clients come predominantly from the Twin Cities area, but metroConnections manages events all over the country. The company has seen strong demand in Florida, where in 2007 it opened an office led by Mike Graves. The company also has a location in Burnsville.

Each office is responsible for a different portion of the business and has employees that specialize accordingly. The headquarters office in Bloomington oversees conference services and transportation, while Burnsville is responsible for events and meeting production.

Finding a successful way to manage and execute events for a wide range of industries and geographies was one challenge metroConnections had to overcome. The firm ensures each event-production project is led by one staff member, who serves as a point person for the client. That way, when questions or concerns arise there is one person who is in the know and can help to sort out the dilemma, David Graves said.

MetroConnections also doesn’t try to do everything alone. The company often partners with other event-planning businesses.

Due to metroConnections’ large warehouse, many other Twin Cities event companies also rent pieces and have them delivered by the company.

“MetroConnections is easy to work with, they are timely when delivering a piece, priced right and good at getting all of the details to come together,” said Ryan Hanson, a creative producer at Minneapolis-based BeEvents, which has partnered with metroConnections.

MORE...

Company: MetroConnections Inc.

Headquarters: Bloomington

CEO and founder: Sam Thompson

Employees: 63

Revenue: $16 million

Page 2 of 3metroConnections finds eventual success - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal

10/26/2012http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/print-edition/2012/10/26/planners-find-eventful-su...

Powered by

Special Events Business News for Oct. 31, 2012Oct 31, 2012 6:51 AM, By Special Events Staff

DENISE DORNFELD as has been named president of DMC ALLIED PRA NORTH AMERICA, based in San Diego, with responsibility for overseeing all operations of 20 U.S.-based franchises and wholly owned offices. Call 800/797-9471 �

Cleveland-based event rental company EVENT SOURCE has added three new employees to its staff: LAURA O�BRIENwill serve as customer experience coordinator, LAUREN BALATA takes the post of customer service representative, and PATRICK KENNEDY will manage information technology for all Event Source operations. Call 216/901-0000 �

Celebrity wedding planner DAVID TUTERA has launchedDAVID TUTERA WEDDING PLANNERS, an online planning tool �

New York's KITANO HOTEL has named MELISSA PASTONcatering sales manager. Call 212/885-7000 �

MARCO BUSTAMANTE has been appointed director of food and beverage for CAPELLA PEDREGAL in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Call 52 624 163 4300 �

Phoenix-based KOOL PARTY RENTALS has opened a new showroom in Las Vegas. Call 702/979-1398 �

STEPHANIE MONTINI has joined Minneapolis-based METROCONNECTIONS as national sales account executive. Call 952/767-2907 �

LYNNE O'BRIEN has joined STAGING CONNECTIONS in Canberra, Australia, as business development manager. Call 61 2 6124 0700 �


New AlliedPRA North America president Denise Dornfeld.

Page 1 of 2Special Events Business News for Oct. 31, 2012


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metroConnections welcomes new National Sales Account Executive.

metroConnections welcomes new National Sales Account Executive.

(MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.) – Oct. 24, 2012 – metroConnections, Inc. – an award-winning conference, event, production and transportation

services firm – has announced the addition of Stephanie Montini as National Sales Account Executive.

In Montini’s role at metroConnections, she will be responsible for strategically identifying new national business opportunities and

customers, along with maintaining healthy relationships with company clients for all four service centers. Montini has established extensive

experience working with corporate and association incentive clients for meetings, conferences, conventions, tradeshows, trips and other

meetings. Other experience includes sales and operation account management, and national experience positioning meetings and

convention services around the country in her previous roles in both South Florida and San Francisco.

metroConnections has developed a national scale and scope in their stage production services, along with a continuing expansion across

the country. According to, Tom McCulloch, Vice

Page 1 of 6metroConnections, Inc. - Press Releases - Press Release Distribution Services - Trade Sho...

12/12/2012http://www.conventions.net/press-releases/metroconnections-welcomes-new-national-sal...

President, metroConnection’s stage production services are the fastest growing segment. “We produce general session stage solutions in

ballrooms all over the U.S., with more than 40 percent of this client business out-of-state,” said McCulloch.

A graduate of Columbia College, Chicago, Montini is a member of Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and is a volunteer at the kid’s

program at the Sojourner Women’s Shelter in Hopkins, Minn.

Since 1984, metroConnections has provided complete conference, event, stage production and transportation services for meeting and

event planners nationwide. The metroConnections team uses its expertise and resources to specialize in the design and implementation of

themed events, stage productions, transportation, tours and conference program logistics and meetings. Headquartered in Minneapolis,

Minn., metroConnections also offers audio/visual and production services and is the creator of Attende-Source®, a web-based solution

that includes elements such as online registration and custom-built event websites. For information on planning conferences, events,

stage productions, transportation logistics or group/companion tours, contact metroConnections at 612-333-8687 or visit

www.metroconnections.com.

# # #

Website: www.metroconnections.comContact: Wendy Ables

[email protected]

Back ToPress ReleaseseNewsletter SignUpTradeshow Industry JobsPost Press Release

Page 2 of 6metroConnections, Inc. - Press Releases - Press Release Distribution Services - Trade Sho...

12/12/2012http://www.conventions.net/press-releases/metroconnections-welcomes-new-national-sal...





metroConnections welcomes new National Sales Account Executive (MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.) – Oct. 24, 2012 – metroConnections, Inc. – an award-winning

conference, event, production and transportation services firm – has announced the addition of

Stephanie Montini as National Sales Account Executive.

In Montini’s role at metroConnections, she will be responsible for strategically identifying new

national business opportunities and customers, along with maintaining healthy relationships with

company clients for all four service centers. Montini has established extensive experience working

with corporate and association incentive clients for meetings, conferences, conventions,

tradeshows, trips and other meetings. Other experience includes sales and operation account

management, and national experience positioning meetings and convention services around the

country in her previous roles in both South Florida and San Francisco.

metroConnections has developed a national scale and scope in their stage production services,

along with a continuing expansion across the country. According to, Tom McCulloch, Vice













President, metroConnection’s stage production services are the fastest growing segment. “We

produce general session stage solutions in ballrooms all over the U.S., with more than 40 percent

of this client business out-of-state,” said McCulloch.

A graduate of Columbia College, Chicago, Montini is a member of Meeting Professionals

International (MPI) and is a volunteer at the kid’s program at the Sojourner Women’s Shelter in

Hopkins, Minn.










# # #


events, tours.


http://www.twincities.com/business/ci_21915673/business-briefing-sunday-nov-4

Page 1 of 3 16/11/2012 08:55 AM

Business briefing, Sunday, Nov. 4Pioneer Press TwinCities.com-Pioneer PressPosted: TwinCities.com

ADVERTISING/ PUBLIC RELATIONS

Megan Swenson has joined Prior Lake-based as a senior account executive.Bellmont Partners Public Relations

ASSOCIATIONS

Beth Strinden Kadoun has been named director of tax and fiscal policy at the .Minnesota Chamber of Commerce

COMMUNICATIONS

Greg Zimprich has joined St. Paul-based as its first senior vice president of agencyKohnstamm Communicationsoperations and strategic insight.

CONSTRUCTION

Fullerton Cos., a supplier of building material based in Plymouth, has appointed president. ... David Walock Mark, former commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, hasPhillips

returned to Minneapolis-based as director of business development.Kraus-Anderson Construction Co.

EVENTS INDUSTRY

Bloomington-based , a conference, event, production and transportation services firm, hasmetroConnections Inc.hired as national sales account executive.Stephanie Montini

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Russ Plunket, has retired as president and CEO of in Minnesota. has beenPostal Credit Union Brian Sherricknamed as his successor. Sherrick also serves as chairman of the and sits on the boardPCU Community Foundationof directors of the . ... , an international employee-owned wealthMinnesota Credit Union Foundation Bairdmanagement, capital markets and private equity and asset management firm, has appointed to itsKaren HeintzEdina wealth management office. ... , Minneapolis, has appointed U.S. Bank Wealth Management Ed Cowlingdirector of specialty asset management. ... has been hired by , St.Christopher Piatt Bremer Investment ServicesPaul, as a Raymond James registered representative. ... The Minneapolis office of , aRBC Wealth Managementfull-service securities firm, has hired as a senior vice president/financial adviser, and David Upin Denise

as an investment associate. ... Golden Valley-based Meysembourg Allianz Life Insurance Co. of North Americahas named vice president of IT business engagement in the technology division. ... Patrick Christiansen Bremer

, St. Paul, has hired as a senior vice president and human resources director for the TwinBank Meghan BrownCities area. ... , through its and its military support program, isU.S. Bank U.S. Bancorp Foundation Proud To Serveawarding $20,000 in grants to Defenders of Freedom in Dallas/Fort Worth.

HEALTH CARE

The recently ranked , Hastings, above theU.S. Department of Health and Human Services Regina Medical Centernational average in 10 of 10 categories, and at or above the Minnesota average in nine of 10 categories, in anational survey.





• Constructive Communication, Inc. was recognized with a MarCom Award on behalf of metroConnections for a proactive public relations campaign.


metroConnections Proactive PR Campaign Recognized with 2012 MarCom Award (MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.) – Nov. 14, 2012 – metroConnections, Inc. – an award-winning

conference, event, production and transportation services firm – was recently recognized with a

2012 MarCom Award.

The MarCom Awards is an international competition for marketing and communication

professionals involved in the concept, writing and design of marketing and communication

programs and print, visual and audio materials. The awards are administered and judged by the

Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals. The international organization

consists of several thousand marketing, communication, advertising, public relations, media

production and free-lance professionals. The Association oversees awards and recognition

programs, provides judges and sets standards for excellence.








http://www.metroconnections.com/conferences/attend_esource/




http://www.metroconnections.com/conferences/conference_services/

http://www.metroconnections.com/transportation/transportation_services/

http://www.constructivecommunication.com/

http://www.marcomawards.com/





http://www.marcomawards.com/

In collaboration with their PR partner Constructive Communication, Inc. of Dublin, Ohio,

metroConnections received a Gold-level award for their public relations campaign in the summer of

2012.

“We are honored that our collaborative work with Constructive Communication, Inc. has been

recognized,” said Sarah Warzecha, metroConnections, Marketing & Public Relations Manager.

About CCI Founded in 2001, Constructive Communication, Inc. provides public relations and marketing

communications services to professional service and technical markets including architecture,

engineering, construction, manufacturing, concrete, chemical, plastics and more. For more

information, visit www.constructivecommunication.com.

# # #











events, tours, MarCom Awards.

http://www.construtivecommunication.com/






metroConnections announces key promotions and new hires

(MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.) – Nov. 15, 2012 – metroConnections, Inc. – an award-winning

conference, event, stage production and transportation services firm – has announced several new

personnel changes for the firm.


• Andrea Hansen was promoted to Director of Event Services. She has been with the firm since

2004 and previously served in several coordinator and management roles. In her new role,

Hansen will be responsible for the management of target accounts within Event Services, and

will oversee the account management team to ensure consistency and open communications.

Further, she will serve as lead trainer for new hires in the Event Services division.

• Rachel Kuehne has been promoted to Program Manager, Event Services. Kuehne has been in

the industry for the past one and a half years and was promoted from previous role as Event

Coordinator. She will be working directly with clients as well as managing accounts as needed.





















• Rachel Schuler has been promoted to Registration Lead, Attend-eSource® Services, where

she will be responsible for working with Conference Service programs and attendees. She will

apply her five years of industry experience in this new role for housing management, online

registration quality control, preparing client data reports, production and design of conference

name badges, fielding questions and e-mail requests from attendees, and providing onsite

support and materials. Schuler holds a Bachelor of Arts from St. Cloud State University and

volunteers for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

• Promoted to Program Manager, Event Services, Sydney Wolf has been with metroConnections

as an Event Coordinator and Event Services intern. Her responsibilities will include proposal

development, increased client management, event logistics management, and a continued role

in scheduling and managing staff for Events/Production and Casino. Wolf holds a bachelor’s

degree from Johnson & Wales University.

• Bill Sather has been promoted to Sr. Technical Director, Production Services, where he will be

responsible for the management and oversight of all technical aspects of meetings and events.

During his ten years with metroConnections, he was a Production Manager and Technical

Director.

metroConnections has also welcomed two new hires. Joining the metroConnections team this year

are Bryenne Albright as the new Attend-eSource® Account Manager, and Andrew Kurcan as

Technical Director, Production Services.

Albright has experience with project coordination, communications and event planning for several

major corporate brands, including Best Buy, Hertz Corporation and Ingersoll Rand/Thermo King.

Further, she has extensive experience working in cross-functional teams, customer service and

event planning and coordination for team meetings, store training events and tradeshows.

Albright will be responsible for managing client relations, communication and timeline and

expectations for Attend-eSource® Service clients. In addition, she will oversee the conference

website build process, including collection of content and branding guidelines, quality

control/proofing of websites, and collaborating with the web design team to provide quality website

and/or online registration for clients. Attend-eSource® is a suite of web-based tools and related

services to help meeting planners plan faster, manage logistics easier and provide analysis

accurately and more effectively.

Kurcan will be responsible for delivering exceptional experiences through stage, audio and visual

presentations, as well as applying these skills during client programs such as general sessions,

awards galas, receptions and more. With 15 years of experience in concert, radio, television,

event, hotel audio-visual and photographic production, his expertise ranges from small studios to

arena scale media and event production. Having focused his studies in music, trombone

performance, Kurcan holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Denver, and a master’s from

Bemidji State University.

According to David Graves, President of metroConnections, these promotions and new additions

continue to showcase the firm’s growth in terms of business and scope.

“As we continue to grow as a firm, our leadership has strengthened with the addition of these

exceptional individuals,” said Graves. “We hold these employees in high regard for their passion

and excellent customer service.”

About metroConnections Since 1984, metroConnections has provided complete conference, event, stage production and

transportation services for meeting and event planners nationwide. With annual revenue of $13.4

million, the company operates from its headquarters in Minneapolis, Minn. and produces more

than 1,400 programs per year. The metroConnections team uses its expertise and resources to

specialize in the design and implementation of themed events, stage productions, transportation,

tours and conference program logistics and meetings. metroConnections also offers audio/visual

and production services and is the creator of Attend-eSource®, a web-based solution that includes




# # #

Keywords: metroConnections, event planning, transportation, conference, themed events, stage

production, tours.


metroConnections announces key promotions and new-hiresPeopleWritten by Exhibit City NewsTuesday, November 20 2012 15:33

metroConnections Inc., an event, stage production and transportation services firm, has announced several new personnel changes for the firm.

“As we continue to grow as a firm, our leadership has strengthened with the addition of these exceptional individuals,” said David Graves, president, metroConnections. “We hold these employees in high regard for their passion and excellent customer service.”


• Andrea Hansen was promoted to director of event services. She has been with the firm since 2004 and previously served in several coordinator and management roles. In her new role, Hansen will be responsible for the management of target accounts within event services and will oversee the account-management team to ensure consistency and open communications. Further, she will serve as lead-trainer for new-hires in the event services division.• Rachel Kuehne has been promoted to program manager, event services. Kuehne has been in the industry for the past one and a half years and was promoted from previous role as event coordinator. She will be working directly with clients as well as managing accounts as needed.• Bill Sather has been promoted to senior technical director, production services, where he will be responsible for the management and oversight of all technical aspects of meetings and events. During his 10 years with metroConnections, he has been a production manager and technical director.• Rachel Schuler has been promoted to registration lead, “Attend-eSource” services, where she will be responsible for working with conference-service programs and attendees. She will apply her five years of industry experience in this new role for housing management, online registration quality control, preparing client data reports, production and design of conference name badges, fielding questions and email requests from attendees and providing onsite support and materials. Schuler holds a bachelor’s degree from St. Cloud State University and volunteers for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.• Promoted to program manager, event services, Sydney Wolf has been with metroConnections as an event coordinator and event-services intern. Her responsibilities will include proposal development, increased client management, event logistics management, and a continued role in scheduling and managing staff for events/production and casino. Wolf earned bachelor’s degree from Johnson & Wales University.

metroConnections also has welcomed two new-hires. Joining the metroConnections team are Bryenne Albright as the new Attend-eSource account manager and Andrew Kurcan as technical director, production services.

Albright has experience with project coordination, communications and event planning for several major corporate brands. She will be responsible for managing client relations, communication and timeline and expectations. Albright will oversee the conference website build process, including collection of content and branding guidelines, quality control/proofing of websites, and collaborating with the web-design team to provide quality website and/or online registration for clients.

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11/21/2012http://www.exhibitcitynews.com/index.php?view=article&catid=48%3Apeople-on-the-m...

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Kurcan will be responsible for delivering exceptional experiences through stage, audio and visual presentations. With 15 years of experience in concert, radio, television, event, hotel audio-visual and photographic production, his expertise ranges from small studios to arena-scale media and event production. Kurcan earned a master’s degree from Bemidji State University.

Since 1984, metroConnections has provided conference, event, stage production and transportation services for meeting and event planners nationwide. The company operates from its headquarters in Minneapolis and produces more than 1,400 programs per year.

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Page 2 of 2metroConnections announces key promotions and new-hires

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Page 1 of 2 12/12/2012 12:08 PM

Business briefing, Sunday, Nov. 25Pioneer Press TwinCities.com-Pioneer PressPosted: TwinCities.com

ADVERTISING/PUBLIC RELATIONS

Public relations firm , St. Paul, has hired as director of government relations. ...Goff Public Inc. Elizabeth EmersonAdvertising agency , Minneapolis, has named managing director on the SubaruCharmichael Lynch David EibenAmerica account.

ARCHITECTURE/ENGINEERING

Minneapolis-based has hired as business developer in itsHGA Architects and Engineers Erika EklundMinneapolis office.

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Insurance broker , a unit of Willis Group Holdings, has appointed seniorWillis North America Sharon Albrechtvice president of commercial construction practice for Minneapolis-based . ... Willis of Minnesota SevenHills

, St. Paul, has hired as an account manager. ... , CEBS, founder andBenefits Partners Melissa Clifford David Martinpresident of , an Edina employee benefit agency, has been named to the board ofDavid Martin Agency Inc.directors of the , a national network of employee benefit brokerage and consultingNational Benefit Centercompanies.

HEALTH CARE

Carol Koenecke-Grant has joined as chief strategy officer.Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota

HONORS

Industrial fabrics firm , Minneapolis, received the Industrial Fabrics Foundation 2012 innovationUni-Systems LLCaward for its new retractable fabric roof product, and the international achievement award of excellence for itsJuvia Restaurant, Miami Beach, Fla., project, which uses the product in a high-style rooftop setting. ... Sera

, PE, of , Golden Valley, was named the winner of the Be Inspired AwardsMaloney Mortenson Constructionsponsored by Bentley Systems, in the innovation in land development, engineering and management category. ...

, Edina, , Winstead, and , Minnetonka, were winnersFairview Partners St. Mary's Care Center South Lake Pediatricsin the Minnetonka-based health insurance company Raising the Bar innovation awards for providers. ... Medica's

was named realtor of the year, received the distinguished service award, and Deanna Wiener Henry Brandis Lynn received the Ed Anderson political achievement award at the annualLeegard Minnesota Association of Realtors

meeting.

HOSPITALITY

The Campus Club at the University of Minnesota has hired as events sales manager, responsible forJane S. Kerrpromoting its event space for meetings, weddings and other celebrations.

LAW

Krista Griffith has joined the St. Paul firm of , practicing in the areas ofFelhaber, Larson, Fenlon and Vogt PA



Page 2 of 2 12/12/2012 12:08 PM

employment and general litigation. ... has rejoined , Minneapolis as an officerStephen Tight Frederikson & Byronin the firm's corporate, mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capital, and live sciences groups.

MARKETING

IWCO Direct, a Chanhassen provider of direct marketing solutions, has launched a revamped website, ,iwco.comand SpeakingDIRECT blog.

NONPROFITS

Minneapolis-based , a nonprofit raising awareness for student safety in study abroadClearCause Foundationprograms, received a $10,000 grant for public service announcements at the 2012 NASCAR Ford EcoBoost 400Championship. The grant was given by St. Paul-based . ... , market manager at BMO HarrisA2f Pictures Jim SathreBank, has joined the board of directors of , a Minneapolis-based nonprofit serving children and adults withFraserspecial needs. ... The recently presented , St. Paul, withPolaris Foundation Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcarea check for $10,000, money raised during the 2012 Spring and Fall Flood Run motorcycle rides.

OPENINGS

Union House/Made in USA Trading Company, specializing in U.S.-made products, has opened at 26789 ForestBlvd., Wyoming. ... , an automated personal training studio, has opened at 820 W. 78th St.,Koko FitclubChanhassen. ... A new business accelerator similar to a business incubator, , has openedBusiness Enterprise Centerat 7516 80th St. S., Cottage Grove. ... , a women's clothing boutique, will open next spring at RegencyHot MamaCourt indoor shopping center in Omaha, Neb.

PROMOTIONS

Plymouth-based apartment development and management firm , has promoted to the role ofDominium Narak Semasset analyst. ... has been promoted to senior vice president of lending at . ... Kelly Johnson Postal Credit Union

has been named head of Internal Audits, a shared service of Kendall Bishop Allianz Life Insurance Co. of North and ... , Minneapolis, a conference, event, stageAmerica Fireman's Fund Insurance Co. metroConnections Inc.

production and transportation services firm, has promoted to director of event services; Andrea Hansen Rachel to program manager, event services; to senior technical director, production services; Kuehne Bill Sather Rachel to registration lead, Attend-eSource Services; and to program manager, event services.Schuler Sydney Wolf

RELOCATIONS

R.F. Moeller Jeweler will close its Gaviidae Common location, 555 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis at year's end, andre-open in a new location within the mall early next year.

SERVICES

metroConnections Inc., Minneapolis, has hired as Attend-eSource account manager, and Bryenne Albright Andrew as technical director, production services.Kurcan

EMAIL ITEMS to businessnews@ .pioneerpress.com


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Online Event Registration Systems Go MobileNov 1, 2012 12:00 PM, By Melissa Stephan

Online registration products go mobile with some exciting new ways to let event attendees register anywhere, anytime

We live connected to our mobile devices for information and communication, so it's only natural that the trend of mobile access and online integration for event registration continues to build.

HOW DOES ONLINE REGISTRATION WORK?Basically, an event host decides on the registration options and fees, and then uses template-driven forms to create an online registration form and web page.

The next step: setting up the account process, importing the invitee list, then going live and using the system to send email announcements. This basic outline comes from Corbin Ball, CMP, owner of Bellingham, Wash.-based Ball Associates, an independent consulting firm specializing in event technology.

And Ball should know — he keeps track of some 200 online registration companies. Here, we look at three major players:

CVENT KEEPS TABS ON THE MONEYThe online registration and event management product from Cvent includes a number of different features that event planners can turn on and off, says Eric Eden, Cvent vice president of marketing in McLean, Va. The price ranges from $3 to $10 per attendee based on functionality and features.

Cvent's payment system and gateway to a client's bank account give clients a unique ability to stay on top of cash flow. “If an attendee registers for a conference, we enable e-commerce so the money goes directly into the client's account,” Eden says. “There's no routing of money

MetroConnections' online options allow easy scanning of badges to track and store attendee information.

Page 1 of 3Online Event Registration Systems Go Mobile

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two or three weeks later.”

To boost its mobile apps offering, Cvent recently purchased CrowdCompass, a company that makes mobile apps for conferences. CrowdCompass provided the mobile app for The Special Event 2012 in Tampa, Fla., in January. “Event planners spend a lot of time working on their websites,” Eden says. Now, “Attendees can actually press a button and get the same info from the website, and it goes into CrowdCompass' mobile app.”

USERS ‘LIKE’ EVENTBRITEEventbrite's claim to fame is its power to empower users on social media. According to the company, its users report that the average “share” on Facebook generates 11 page views back to an event page, and an average of $2.52 in ticket sales.

“If you go to Eventbrite.com and hit ‘Create an Event,’ it will walk a planner through the ‘create’ flow and the steps need to make the event live,” says Eventbrite marketing manager Brianna Haag, based in San Francisco. If an event planners charges and collects money, Eventbrite has a per-ticket fee relative to the ticket price, she adds.

The company has three mobile apps: “Eventbrite,” to keep all attendees' tickets in one place and “discover” events near them; “Entry Manager,” to handle event check-in via an iPhone, Android or iPad; and “At the Door,” to collect onsite payment for an event. “If someone is looking to buy a ticket at the door, you can process credit card information with ease, and the attendee information for on-site payments will sync on the back-end with your Eventbrite account,” Haag adds.

Eventbrite just released Passbook integration for iOS6 (Apple's operating system), and Haag credits this upgrade with a tremendous number of downloads of the Eventbrite app. “In the first week since we launched our Passbook integration, we saw 20,095 Eventbrite tickets uploaded into Passbook,” she says.

ATTEND-ESOURCE: YOU CHOOSEAttend-eSource is a suite of web-based tools and related services with online registration, attendee badge creation and management from Minneapolis-based MetroConnections. Attend-eSource can be implemented for any size or type of meeting, the company says, and planners can use the tools and services à la carte, according to Erin Thompson, director of Attend-eSource services. She says registration services can range in price from $8 to $38 per attendee, depending on the service option chosen and the event's specific requirements.

A recent client implemented a mobile website to provide session information, agendas, housing information and registration to attendees, all accessible via their mobile device. Brad Neuman, director of Attend-eSource Technologies for MetroConnections, explains that the client promoted the conference hashtag early to track engagement and interaction. Attendees could find the hashtag on various conference materials including the general session stage, drink coasters at the reception, and even the custom-branded event pillows.

New features include “a badge self-scan, a new administrative interface to check off people as they walk up to an event that can update multiple attendees at once, and self-check-in




kiosks with badge printing,” Neuman adds.

WHAT'S NEXT?So where's registration headed? We asked Ball to take a stab at future trends and — no surprise — it's all things mobile.

“Look for increased integration with mobile apps, mobile ticketing, mobile lead exchange, mobile document delivery, near field communication — AKA NFC — and social media integration during registration, during the event and afterward,” Ball predicts.

RESOURCESBALL ASSOCIATESwww.corbinball.com

CVENTwww.cvent.com

EVENTBRITEwww.eventbrite.com

METROCONNECTIONS/ATTEND-ESOURCEattendesource.metroconnections.com

Find this article at: http://www.specialevents.com/mag/online-event-registration-systems-go-mobile/index.html




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