The Healthcare Convention & Exhibitors Association may have turned 75 this year, but the old dog still has a few tricks left in its bag. I wasn't able to attend this year, which is too bad. I a blast last year in Austin (links here, here, here, here, here, here, and here).
Anyway, though the press release doesn't give many details, it sounds like it was equally fun and educational this year. They added more workshops and gave the exhibit hall a more-open configuration for the June meeting at the Morial Convention Center and headquarters hotel Fairmont New Orleans
I also like that they labeled each session according to the level of expertise a participant should have to get the most out of it—wish more organizations would do this. But what I really like is the quote from HCEA executive vice president Eric Allen: â€You want to know what’s made HCEA great for 75 years?†Allen asked the audience during the Business Meeting. â€Look around. It’s all of us, because our members care enough to pursue a vision and meet needs, and maintain a vision of this industry as the greatest marketing medium in all of healthcare, and the greatest industry segment in all of the meetings industry.â€
News from HCEA:
The association’s 2005-2006 directors are Karen Kingston, B. Braun Medical, Bethlehem, Pa.; Judy Peak, Spectranetics Corporation, Colorado Springs, Colo.; Karen Prieto, Forest Laboratories, New York; Sandra Ratcliffe, Pfizer, Inc., New York; Kim Thompson, Biosense Webster, Diamond Bar, Calif.; Jan Blanck, Baxter Healthcare Corp., Round Lake, Ill.; George Feehan, GWF Associates, Hamilton, N.J.; and Sherri Sujai, American Society for Microbiology, Washington.
The association’s 2005–2007 directors are Joyce Banister, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Plainsboro, N.J.; Susan Huff, Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis; Laine Mann, Schering-Plough Corporation, Kenilworth, N.J.; Riki Metzger, Merck Human Health Division, North Wales, Pa.; Barbara Orr, Poretta & Orr, Inc., Doylestown, Pa.; and Kevin Wohlfort, American Urological Association, Linthicum, Md.