The FICP West Coast Chapter held its 2006 regional meeting in Newport Beach, Calif., August 10 to 12, at the beautiful, newly renovated Newport Beach Fairmont Hotel.

A terrific turnout of 22 meeting planners and 32 hospitality partner sponsors spent three days networking, touring venues, and gaining valuable education for professional advancement.

Attendees benefited from a Planners Exchange, where small groups brainstormed about topics relevant to the industry. The roundtable discussions generated ideas on how to maintain healthy work/life balance, how to plan unique meetings, and much more. A Meet the Sponsors Fair gave meeting planners and hospitality partner sponsors a chance to meet and network.

Meeting facilitator and speaker Jane Sanders, president of Authentic Leadership Resources, based in Malibu, Calif., and author of GenderSmart®: Solving The Communication Puzzle Between Men and Women, was sponsored by Diane Goodman of the Goodman Speakers Bureau. Sanders spoke about improving workplace communication between men and women and led an interactive workshop on creating a strategic life plan.

Speaker Bill Butterworth, founder of the Butterworth Communicators Institute and author of a series of business books, talked about work/life balance. He was sponsored by Nationwide Speakers Bureau.

Attendees also enjoyed fine dining and site visits at The Island Hotel and at the Balboa Bay Club, and had the opportunity to explore the Orange County area.

The West Coast Chapter is led by regional chapter chairs Betty Jo Roberts, Pacific Life & Annuity Co., and Judy Martin, CMP, AIG Medical Excess.