I have had many conversations with meeting professionals concerned about what might happen next because they have a new boss. Usually, the conversation reveals some level of fear or concern for their livelihood brought on by uncertainty and the...

Last month I started a series on what pharmaceutical companies and hoteliers need from each other with respect to meetings and conventions. My first article addressed meals caps and how they have not been raised by most pharmaceutical companies i...

Grass Shack Events and Media's Mike McAllen talks with Jaime Smith. Jaime joined audiovisual company Bartha's development team in July 2012, where she serves as the director of national business development. She focuses on developing new busi...

For years now, planners and hoteliers have been working out how to provide and pay for the ever-increasing bandwidth consumed by meeting attendees. With experience and knowledge building on both sides, things are getting a little easier. Here is...

Mary Ann Kenmotsu, CMP, CPCEI recently had a chance to e-chat about conference centers with Mary Ann Kenmotsu, CMP, CPCE, the director of catering and conference services at the Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort and Conference Center. Here’s ...

What compels employees, clients, and incentive qualifiers today? It’s not cash or more stuff. It’s access. The high-performing talent and high-value customers that companies need to attract and retain want to go behind the scenes, make a diffe...

For years now, planners and hoteliers have been working out how to provide and pay for the ever-increasing bandwidth consumed by meeting attendees. With experience and knowledge building on both sides, things are getting a little easier. Here is...

One of Alissa's favorite quotesPodcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: iTunes | Android | RSS Grass Shack Events and Media's Mike McAllen talks with Alissa Hurley. Alissa has more than 20 years of experience in corporate events and ma...

Two meeting hotels in Nashville—the Omni Nashville and the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center—were the most popular in the Cvent database, based on the number of e-RFPs they received through Cvent, the number of RFPs...

“I have so much respect for meeting planners. What you do is critical to our success,” said Jeff Duckworth, president, retail distribution, at John Hancock Investments. Duckworth leads a team of wholesalers and sales representatives...