5 New Things About Next Year’s RCMA Annual Conference

Under the Religious Conference Management Association’s new leadership, and with lots of feedback from members, associate members, and the faith-based meetings community, RCMA’s 41^st annual conference is being reshaped to deliver a fresh, exciting, and productive experience for attendees and exhibitors. The conference is scheduled for January 29-February 1, 2013, in Minneapolis.

1. New schedule: On-site registration/badge pickup will open on Monday, January 28, with a full schedule of new activity options set for the following day before the opening reception. The business meeting will be held Thursday morning (instead of Friday), and on Friday morning there will be a grab-and-go breakfast, as well as custom site visits of Minneapolis for those who sign up. For a more detailed look at the tentative schedule visit the RCMA Web site.

2. Revised Behind-the-Scenes Experiences: Following breakfast/orientation on January 29, members and associate members may participate in one of three options:

• Extended Education Classes—These offer more in-depth education, with possible topics including legal, technology, and a prep class for those seeking the Certified Meeting Professional designation.
• Hands-on Hospitality—Members can join host partners in an immersion project in one of several different areas (convention center, hotel, caterer, or CVB).
• Impact Minneapolis—Members and associate members will have the chance to participate in a local service project.

3. More networking opportunities: One of the new networking opportunities is the late-night group meeting, where members and associate members have an opportunity to meet in small groups and discuss subjects of their choosing. The Expo Hall will have a lounge area, where there will be an interactive activity scheduled during a 15-minute break on each day of the exposition.

4. Expanded educational formats and sessions: These include a supplier education track, as well as a new session dubbed E², where multiple presenters will offer quick tips on a range of subject areas. Presenters will be pre-qualified.

5. New exhibitor options/sponsorship opportunities:For the first time, exhibitors and meeting planners will be able to meet in 10-minute, pre-set appointments. Further, there are new sponsorship opportunities and booth options for exhibitors. Details can be found at RCMAweb.org.