Connecting you to theglobal meeting + event community

MPI-WISCONSIN CHAPTER“MPI-WI Chapter is the bridge to knowledge, compelling ideas, and relationships tocreate a voice in the meetings and events industry.”JAN
FEB
VOL 40/NUM 1

2018

STARTPLANNING.

©ADAM SHEA PHOTOGRAPHY; TOWN COUNCIL, NEENAH, WI

The Fox Cities offer
convenience, versatility
and venues for every typeof meeting. An array of
exceptional dining options,3,200+ hotel rooms
and group activities,
along with our walkable
downtown areas willcomplete your experience.
NEW in 2018 —Fox Cities Exhibition
Center (38,000 sq. ft. facility)

FoxCities.org/meeting

Plus Wisconsin’s
Best Shopping!

Contact Amy Karas at akaras@foxcities.org or 800. 236.6338

2| January/February 2018

MPI Agenda																

		

January/December 2018
VOL 40/NUM 1

MPI-WISCONSIN
2017 -2018
BOARD OF DIRECTORSPRESIDENT
CLAUDIA CABRERA
Madison Marriott West Hotel & Conference Center
claudia.cabrera@atriumhospitality.com
PRESIDENT-ELECTTAMARA JESSWEIN, CMPHID Global
tjesswein@hidglobal.com
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENTJEN MELL, CMP
Travel Leaders
jmell@tlcorporate.com

Feature Articles
Kristin Bjurstrom Krueger Student Scholarship Program

7

Oops! We messed up...				

7

April Education Event Preview

9Cheers to a Successful 4th Annual Great Lakes Education
Summit in Indianapolis!				

10

October MPI Event Recap

16

VICE PRESIDENT FINANCE
SARA KERN
Blue Harbor Resort & Spaskern@blueharborresort.com

February Education Event Preview

18

March Education Event Preview

18

VICE PRESIDENT MEMBERSHIP
JOELLEN GRABER
Mount Horeb Chamber of Commerce
adminassist@trollway.com

Get Social with MPI-WI!

24

Refer a Friend to MPI

28

VICE PRESIDENT COMMUNICATIONSMARIA PEOT, CMP
First Business Financial Services
maria.peot@gmail.com
VICE PRESIDENT EDUCATION
KATIE MCGINNISThe Iron Horse Hotel
kmcginnis@theironhorsehotel.com
DIRECTOR-AWARDS ANDSCHOLARSHIPS, & RECRUITMENTALISON HUTCHINSON
Fox Cities Convention & Visitor Bureau
ahutchinson@foxcities.org
DIRECTOR-MEMBER CARE
AMANDA RIDOUT
Harley-Davidson Museum
aridout@levyrestaurants.com
DIRECTOR-SPECIAL EVENTSJANE KINCHELOE
Minocqua Area Chamber of Commerce
jane@minocqua.org

In Every Issue
Editor’s Note

4

President’s Column

6

Food for Thought: Executive Chef Charles Lazzareschi		8Supplier Profile: Becky Melchi, CMP

15

Student Profile: Cathe Gorski

20

New Members & Anniversaries

22

Who's Being Social

26

Board Member Profile: Claudia Cabrera		

28

Planner Profile: Susan Arts, CMP, HMCC

30

CalendarBC

DIRECTOR- SPECIAL EDUCATION, PROJECTSDANIELLE ZIEGLER, CMP, CVT
Greater Madison Convention & Visitor's Bureau
ziegler@visitmadison.com
DIRECTOR-MONTHLY PROGRAMMINGTRACEY BOCKHOP, CMP
Meet Meetings
tracey@meetmeetings.com
DIRECTOR-PUBLICATIONS & COMMUNITY OUTREACH
CHERYL OSWALD, MPA, CMP
Kohl's Department Stores
cheryl.oswald@kohls.com
DIRECTOR-STRATEGIC ALLIANCES, SPONSORSHIPS &FUNDRAISING
LIZ UNRUH
Wisconsin Center District
eunruh@wcd.org
DIRECTOR-WEBSITE, SOCIAL MEDIA, & PUBLIC RELATIONSCATHY KREITERVISIT Milwaukee
CKreiter@milwaukee.org

Experience MPI Wisconsin
6 Different Ways
Print: Agenda Magazine
Web: mpiwi.org
Facebook: facebook.com/mpiwi
Twitter: twitter.com/mpiwisconsin
LinkedIn: MPI-WI Chapter
Instagram: https://instagram.com/mpi_wi_chapter																	MPI Agenda January/February 2018 | 3

MPI-WISCONSIN CHAPTER

Published bimonthly by
Meeting Professionals International –Wisconsin Chapter

EDITOR'S
NOTE

CO-EDITORSCheryl Oswald, CMP
Events Project Manager
Kohls
cheryl.oswald@kohls.com
Kathy Reading
Account Executive
The Scan Group, Inc.
reading@scangroup.net

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Alison Hutchinson
Danielle Ziegler, CMP, CVT
Maria Peot, CMP
Tracey Bockhop, CMP
Carrie Stollenwerk
Joan Pinch
Liz Unruh
GRAPHIC DESIGNAnn Shultz, AJS Designs
PHOTOGRAPHY
Stephanie Nicole Photography
PUBLICATION DEADLINESMarch/April 2018
Deadline: January 15, 2018

HAPPY NEW YEAR MPI-WISCONSIN!
2017 was quite a year! I reflect back on this past year for me and its unique
set of challenges. Those challenges pushed me even further toward my goals,
overcoming hurdles, and stepping into new opportunities.
As I look forward to this year, I have already started to think about what
I want to accomplish both personally and professionally. Maybe’s it’s theplanner in me, but I like to have a to-do list. I like to think of my goals as justone more thing to cross off the list!
As you start to think about your goals for the year, both personally andprofessionally, I encourage you to put something on your list you may havealways wanted to do, but never had the time or thought it possible.
Have you always wanted to volunteer? 2018 is the year to do it! Have you
thought about getting your CMP? 2018 is the year to do it! Make 2018 all
about challenging yourself and trying new opportunities!
I am excited to see what 2018 has in store for me, the chapter, and ourmembers. I don’t know about you, but I think this is going to be one of thebest years yet!

May/June 2018
Deadline: March 15, 2018
July/August 2018
Deadline: May 15, 2017

PERMISSIONS
Material in this publication may not be reproduced inany form without permission. Statements of fact andopinion within Agenda are the responsibility of theauthor(s) and do not imply an opinion of the officers or
members of MPI or MPI-Wisconsin Chapter.

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January/February 2018

Cheryl Oswald, CMP
Events Project Manager
Kohls

MPI Agenda																

				{Madison, WI}

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January/February 2018|5

President's Column
I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday season!
Thanksgiving and Christmas are my two favorite holidays
because I love spending time with my family, and our Peruvian
traditions fill me with a warm feeling that I adore. Like manyof you, we turn Christmas dinner into an event. For instance,
on Christmas Eve, we cook all day and rest in the afternoon
to recharge for the evening as we wait until midnight to have
our Christmas dinner. Then…we feast on turkey, stuffing andall the yummy Peruvian side dishes. We stay up late tellingstories, laughing, sharing memories and enjoying each other’scompany. Such a wonderful time!
I also hope you had the chance to participate and win big inour chapter’s Bidding For Good (BFG) silent auction. We hadsome really great items from hotel stays in Las Vegas, Orlando,
and Denver to gift cards and Club Level Party at a Mallards
game. Our 30 BFG items were valued at over $12,000! Again,a big thank you to all of our BFG donors and our BFG teamthat did such an amazing job this year!
It is crazy to think that we are already halfway through the
new MPI year. It feels like just last month that I started leading
this organization. But as they say, time goes by fast when you
are having fun! And for me, that’s one of the key ingredientsto a successful organization…work hard and have fun, andI can’t wait to continue to lead the chapter into anothersuccessful six months.
As we all know, this is not a one-man job but a team effort.
Therefore I would like to thank the Board of Directors fortheir hard work throughout the past 6 months, our monthly
volunteers for your engagement and dedication, our amazing
Strategic Alliance Partners, and Heather and Christopher at
MDS for your services and support to the chapter.
Our chapter is all about connecting its members and providing
various resources to our members. Therefore you will finda special insert in this issue of our Agenda magazine. Every
year we feature our supplier members in our annual Supplier
Showcase, which includes a listing of our chapter suppliers by
category, to help our planner members get the products andservices they might need for their next event.

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January/February 2018

Claudia Cabrera
President, MPI-WI Chapter

I want to give a big THANK YOU to our supplier members foralways contributing monthly raffle items, and monthly event
sponsorships and for being part of our Strategic Alliance
Program. We truly appreciate your support to the chapter
and we will always be grateful!
We have two great programs coming up in January andFebruary. We kick off our first meeting of 2018 on January
11th at the newly renovated Edgewater Hotel in Madison,
where Bree Brostko from Kindred Resorts and Hotels will beteaching us about “Infusing a sense of Place to Create Greater
Meeting Value.” Our Community Outreach organization forthis event will be the Road Home, please make sure to checkthe list of items needed on our website mpiwi.org.
I’m also really excited about our February event as we will
be hosting it at the brand-new Westin Hotel in Milwaukee
on February 15th. We will also be partnering with the
Alzheimer’s Association for our February Community
Outreach. For more information about this event please visit
our chapter’s website.
I hope to see each and every one of you at our next chapter
event! Please make sure to check the MPI-WI chapter website
for the list of upcoming events and make sure to connect with
us and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, Twitterand LinkedIn.
Wishing everyone a successful 2018 year!

MPI Agenda																

				

Kristin Bjurstrom
Krueger Student
Scholarship Program

Oops! We messed up…
The Agenda Magazine Team would like to apologize; we failed toinclude a complete list of 2016-2017 Award Winners announced
at the Gala in the November/December issue of the Agenda.
Congratulations to all of our winners – we are so honored andproud to have you as a part of the MPI-WI Chapter.

By: Alison Hutchinson

Meeting Professionals International – Wisconsin Chapter
recognizes the need to encourage and support individuals
pursuing careers in the meetings industry. Our annual$500 student scholarship is available for students enrolled
in a course of study in the meetings field at an accredited
college in Wisconsin. The funds will be distributed directly
to the student.
Criteria for Eligibility
The student scholarship is available to any person currently
enrolled in a course of study in the meetings field at an
accredited college in Wisconsin. The applicant must carrya minimum of six credits per semester and maintain aminimum grade point average of 3.25. Scholarship recipients
may re-apply in future years provided they continue to meetthe eligibility criteria.
Application Process
A complete application package consists of:1) The online Student Scholarship Application form
2) An essay on the topic “Why I Want to Work in the
Meetings Industry.” The essay must be typed, doublespaced and not exceed 500 words.
3) One letter of reference from a teacher or an employer.
4) A transcript that identifies courses of study and grade
point average
Please make students aware of this scholarship program.
If you need more information, please contact the MPI –Wisconsin Chapter administrative office at 608-204-9816
during regular business hours. Or, you can check out our
website at mpiwi.org.
The deadline for the application is Friday, April 27, 2018.

MEETINGS INDUSTRYADVOCATETEAM OF THE YEAR

Reggie Driscoll, CMP
Senior Meeting Professional
State Bar of Wisconsin

APRIL TEAM
Kathy Reading – Team Lead
Account Executive
The Scan Group, Inc.

PRESIDENT’S AWARD

Julie Kronlage
Vice President of Sales
Travel Dubuque

Katie McGinnis
Senior Sales Manager
The Iron Horse Hotel

SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR

Deana HeinischGroup Sales Manager
Waukesha/Pewuakee CVB

PLANNER OF THE YEAR

Cheryl Oswald, MBA, CMP
Events Project Manager
Kohl’s Department Stores

RISING STAR AWARD

Jason Kauffeld
Director of Group Relations
Green Lake ConferenceCenterKyra Popp
Sales Manager
Wisconsin Dells VCBKRISTIN BJURSTROMKRUEGER SCHOLARSHIPAnn Breitenbach
Madison College

CHAPTER MEMBER GRANT
Carmen Smalley, CMP
Instructor
Milwaukee Area TechnicalCollege
JoEllen GraberMarketing and Tourism
Coordinator
Mount Horeb Chamber ofCommerce

INDUSTRY PARTNER
Fox Cities CVB

Kudos to a job well done this year! We look forward to seeing
what can be accomplished by our members in 2017-2018.

MPI Agenda

January/February 2018|

7

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

Executive Chef
Charles Lazzareschi
Chef Charles Lazzareschi was raised in the roasted garlic and fresh
basil aromas of his father’s Italian restaurant. Knowing his career,like his father’s, would be built around providing fresh, thoughtful
food to like-minded diners, he attended the California Culinary
Academy and cut his fine dining teeth working in the kitchens oflegendary chefs in the San Francisco restaurant scene including
Julian Serrano, Jeremiah Tower, Joyce Goldstein and Hans Weigand.
Chef Charles and his team at CIRC in The Madison Concourse
Hotel are dedicated to expert preparation of the season’s best
ingredients, providing a memorable dining experience to locals
and a taste of Madison’s rich dining scene to our city’s guests.

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January/February 2018

MPI Agenda																

				MUS H R O O M & R OAS T E D GARL I C BR U S CH E T TA
Serves 48¼-inch slices country bread3garlic cloves chopped

2

garlic cloves peeled and left whole

3C

sliced shiitake mushroom caps

3C

coarsely chopped oyster mushroom caps

APRIL
Event Preview

2½ C sliced portobello mushrooms
2T

By: Tracey Bockhop, CMP

finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

3 tsp olive oil
1T

salad oil

6 ozheavy cream½ tsp salt
⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper½C

shaved parmesan cheese

18-24 roasted garlic cloves ( recipe follows)

Preparation
Lightly coat both sides of bread with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Heata grill pan or broiler over medium-high heat; toast bread, cook on each side until
golden brown and slightly charred. Lightly rub 1 side of each bread slice with thewhole cloves of garlic. Repeat procedure with remaining bread and garlic.
Heat salad oil in a large skillet; add mushrooms; cook 6 minutes or until liquid
evaporates and mushrooms are tender, stirring constantly add shallots and garlicand continue to cook for 1 minute medium-high heat. Add cream and allow to
reduce by half. Remove from heat; stir in salt and pepper and ½ of the parmesan.
Season with salt and pepper.
To serve place 1 piece of grilled bread in the center of a plate spoon some of themushroom mixture over the bread. Add the second piece of grilled bread andspoon some more of the mushroom mix over the top. Garnish with parsley, roasted
garlic cloves and remaining parmesan cheese.

ROASTED GARLIC

3
medium heads garlic
2 T olive oil

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400° F
Trim the top third of the garlic bulbs exposing the cloves and discard the top.
Arrange heads of garlic on a baking sheet, rub garlic with olive oil. Bake for 40
minutes to 1 hour, when the garlic is soft it is ready. Remove from oven and let cool,squeeze the cooled garlic bulb from the bottom allowing the cloves to come out.

MPI Agenda

Rain or Shine we will be hosting
our April Education on Global
Meetings Industry Day, April 12th
at the Radisson Paper Valley inAppleton. Attend, and you will not
be disappointed as we learn andcelebrate our industry and all it
has to offer.
April Education
Global Meetings Industry Day
April 12th
Radisson Paper Valley
AppletonJanuary/February 2018|9

Cheers to a Successful 4th Annual Great
Lakes Education Summit in Indianapolis!
By Danielle Ziegler, CMP, CVT
We just concluded another successful Great Lakes
Education Summit (GLES) in Indianapolis, IN overNovember 12th-14th. This 4th annual event brought
together the MPI Chapters of Indiana, Michigan &Wisconsin once again to CONNECT, ENGAGE, and
INSPIRE with one another while participating in a varietyof education sessions and networking opportunities.
This year, GLES had over 200 attendees that included
suppliers, planners, and an increase of students from
Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis(IUPUI). The IUPUI students were also very involved
with on-site volunteering during our Welcome
Reception with James Spellos’ VARnival©: Hands
on with Virtual & Augmented Reality, hosted by theSheraton Indianapolis City Centre. VARnival© offeredmultiple stations providing hands-on experienceswith virtual and augmented reality, as well as custom
temporary tattoos and art. It was a great interactive
experience and gave attendees examples of what they
could offer at their events.

Franceen Friefeld

10|

Breeda Miller

Tim O-Shea

Sarah Michel

January/February 2018

MPI Agenda																

Mitch Taylor

James Spellos

		

		

Prior to the Welcome Reception, GLES hosted its First
Aspiring Leaders Network, which was well attended. Thisannual session is great if you are interested in joining theboard or learning tips and tricks from other chapters.
Monday was kicked off with our opening keynote, Sarah
Michel, on Conference Connexity. Sarah gave the audience
unique examples of how to encourage networking between
attendees by thinking outside the box with different room
set examples. This definitely was taken to heart by someof our breakout speakers as they ended up modifying theirroom sets on the fly to engage their session attendees.
These breakouts included Sales for the Event Professionalwith Mitch Taylor and Surviving Clientzilla with Breeda
Miller, and both provided great takeaways for planners andsuppliers. The lunch program brought back James Spellos toshow us Hot Technologies to be used in 2018. The uniquetools included a wearable PowerPoint slide advancer,
augmented reality ideas to interact with attendees, and new
app suggestions to stay on top of the latest trends…to namea few. James’ sessions are always entertaining!

To view photos and headshots from this year’s GLES by Stephanie
Nicole Photography, visit https://stephanienicolephotography1.
shootproof.com/gallery/mpi/ and use the password: mpi.

In the afternoon, GLES continued with two more breakouts
by Sarah Michel and James Spellos. Sarah gave attendees
tips on how to Develop Radical Hospitality to enhancecustomer service skills, and James educated session goers
on How Your Mobile Device Can Save A Life.
James Spellos

Surviving Clientzilla with Breeda Miller
Both sessions gave suppliers and planners plenty to think
about when working with clients and attendees. Throughout
the day, GLES had a record number of exhibitors with over 34.
To encourage engagement, a scavenger hunt was offered forattendees to interact with the exhibitors and each other tocollect points throughout the summit. The attendee with themost points won a scavenger hunt app from GO Scavenger
Hunts and the Indiana Chapter basket. This winner happened

MPI Agenda

January/February 2018|11

to be our very own JoEllen Graber. Way to dominate
at GLES, JoEllen! Tamara Jesswein, CMP also won the
Meetings Michigan raffle and took home a suit casefull of goodies. The Wisconsin Chapter was definitely
a force to be reckoned with in Indy!
After a full day of sessions, we ended at a very fun
and unique adult event venue - Punch Bowl Social(PBS), sponsored by Visit Indy. At Punch Bowl Social,
the possibilities were endless - whether your poison
was bowling, giant Jenga, Skee-Ball, or Karaoke, PBS
had it all! I highly suggest checking out Punch Bowl
Social if you are attending WEC in Indy next June.
On Tuesday, the final day of the summit, attendees
finished up placing their online bids during our Silent
Auction. The online component was new for GLES
this year and we managed to raise over $3,600…anincrease over 2016. Our morning keynote, Franceen
Friefeld, chose a healthy breakfast buffet and gave
us tips and tricks on how to eat heathy during
conferences and in our day to day busy lives. Mitch
Taylor and Breeda Miller made another appearance
to finish up the breakouts. Their sessions included
interactive engagement tips and shoestring
budget fundraising. To conclude the conference,
Tim O’Shea, offered an entertaining and engaging
session on “Change IS a Funny Thing.”

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January/February 2018

MPI Agenda																

				He even told us a story about how he met his childhood, andpossibly current, crush – Mary Lou Retton!
Overall, the 4th Annual Great Lakes Education Summit wasa success and the Indiana Chapter did a fantastic job! It waswell attended, provided a variety of new and enlightening
education content, and included fun and unique networking
opportunities. I want to thank all of our chapter members
who participated on the GLES committee and assisted in its
success…we couldn’t have done it without you – Alison Huber,
CMP, Cheryl Oswald, CMP, Sarah Scheer, CMP, and Liz Unruh.
A special thank you also goes to all of our Wisconsin sponsors
and silent auction donors who represented our chapter. Your
support is greatly appreciated!

Franceen Friefeld

Mitch Taylor

Tim O'Shea
Sarah Michel

Mitch Taylor

MPI Agenda

January/February 2018|13

Nov 4-6, 2018
Monona Terrace
Hilton Madison Monona
Terrace Hotel

14|

This year’s event will be tough to top, but WE are up for the challenge as Wisconsin will
be hosting the 5th Annual Great Lakes Education Summit at Monona Terrace Community& Convention Center and Hilton Madison Monona Terrace Hotel in downtown Madison,
November 4-6, 2018. NOTE: it is one week earlier, so mark your calendars as we look forward
to seeing you all next year in Madison!

January/February 2018

MPI Agenda																		

		

SUPPLIER PROFILE

Becky Melchi, CMP

Senior Sales Manager
The Abbey Resort and Avani Spa

How long in the meetings industry? The clients I serve on
behalf of The Abbey Resort know me as being an energetic
and helpful resource with 30 years’ worth of meetings andevents planning expertise.
Tell a bit about your company and/or current position:
I absolutely love representing The Abbey Resort through mywork booking meetings and events for Fortune 500 companies
at our lakeshore resort! Thanks to my career’s worth ofexperience, my colleagues tell me I am at my best and also
my happiest when I am arranging the perfect meeting spacefor my fabulous clients.
The Abbey is the perfect destination for meetings ranging
in size from five to 500 or more. Our property offers morethan 40,000 square feet of flexible, indoor/outdoor meeting
space set among 90 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds.
With ample natural light and stunning views of Geneva Lake
throughout the resort, we bring the outside in!
Tell us about your family: I have two sons, two daughters-inlaw and two grandchildren. They are the light of my life! My
son with the two kids lives near me. I so enjoy being involvedin their very active schedule filled with sporting and school
events. My other son and his wife live in Los Angeles so thatgives me a great reason to escape to the beach!

Dream Vacation: I
would love to visit
the English countryside and explore historic castles, big andsmall. I think it would
be a wonderful experience to slow down,take in the culture,and explore the history and lore of thecountry.
If I won the lottery I would: If I won the lottery, I would be in
England exploring castles and the countryside.
Words to live by:
Stay focused and above all, practice patience.
Some tips on staying focused and positive that work for me
are as follows:●

We are in charge of what enters our mind and thoughts,
so block out and move beyond any animosity you may
encounter and be selective about what you allow in.
Negativity can take on a life of its own, but only if you let it.

●

Grab everything good and hold on to it to keep negativity
at bay. There is so much to be grateful for and positive
about, so be sure to count your blessings every day!

●

Smile when you talk; it adds a positive tone to your voice.

●

Have faith in yourself and what you know, and address
issues at hand when you feel it is appropriate to do so.

●

Be firm in your beliefs and principles and don’t agreewith someone if you don’t. It’s ok to agree to disagree!
Learn to smile, nod and cordially move on.

●

Above all, practice patience at all costs. Patience is not
passive; it is active and a concentrated strength. Make
yourself a positive force to be reckoned with – throughpracticing patience, be remembered for being passionate,kind, respectful and thoughtful.

Where were you born? Fort Wayne, Indiana
Where do you currently live? Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Favorite Pastimes: I enjoy cooking and baking with mygrandchildren.
Favorite Musical Group: Rolling Stones and Sting
Person whom you admire and why: I have always foundQueen Elizabeth to be admirable. She has dedicated herself
to the throne and has never wavered in her loyalty to her
country.

MPI Agenda

January/February 2018|15

October MPI Event Recap
By: Carrie Stollenwerk and Joan Pinch
MPI-WI Chapter members were welcomed to Fond du Lac
by co-hosts, the Fond du Lac Area Convention & Visitors
Bureau team and the WISCO Hotel Group representatives
on October 19. The renovated and expanded Lake
Winnebago Conference Center at the Holiday Inn was thesite for the MPI October Chapter education meeting.
The day started out with networking in the foyer including
photo opportunities with Fond du Lac’s very own sturgeon
mascot. A hearty lunch and brief remarks followed by our
President, Claudia Cabrera, announcing fabulous news
that the MPI Wisconsin Chapter was awarded the Top
Performing Chapter! Members were treated to a savory
menu of hand-rolled chicken breast stuffed with cheese,spinach and artichoke, accented with wild rice, mushrooms
and roasted carrots.
Next was the Community Outreach partner for October, theFondy Food Pantry, representative and board member, Judy
Cusick. Attendees were asked to donate food items to help
stock the local food pantry which aids needy families in Fonddu Lac County.
October’s Education Session topic “Brand Champions,” ledby Michelle Wierzgac, MSEd was very entertaining andinteractive. Members participated in team discussions
for building their personal brands as well as for theirprofessions. Some of the members were selected to share
their own brand champion stories with us. In addition, themembership prepared elevator speeches to help market
their companies.
The reception sponsored by the Fond du Lac Visitors Bureau
and the WISCO Hotel Group offered guests a complimentary
beverage including a local and Wisconsin favorite, the handmuddled “old fashioned” supper club cocktail engaging
members to top it off by adding their own favorite garnishes.
A wide spread of mouth-watering appetizers were enjoyedfeaturing skewered sesame chicken with ginger sauce andcandied bacon, chicken and peppered cheese canape, ham
topping swiss cheese pinwheels along with fresh fruit and avariety of cheeses. The reception ended with the drawing ofmany wonderful door prizes.

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January/February 2018

MPI Agenda																

				Attendees also had the opportunity to participate in some
additional pre-and post- meeting activities with a brief tourof Fond du Lac’s alternative meeting venues. Steve Frantz,
one of the principal partners of the downtown Hotel
Retlaw offered members a sneak peak at the plans for thelandmark boutique hotel which will be opening in late 2018
after a undergoing a $25 million renovation. Members werealso treated to champagne and wine as they were greetedby Jacqui Corsi, Executive Director of Thelma Sadoff Centerfor the Arts during a tour. Thelma is located in the heartof Fond du Lac’s resurgent Downtown District and offers
an opportunity to be surrounded by world-class visual art
in a beautiful distinctive and warm setting with a blend of
midcentury and modern architecture.
Several members were shuttled next to some after-hours
merriment at the new Donny Du’s golf and restaurant
facility just steps away from the Holiday Inn. Guests
were greeted by the owner, Don Du Chateau who alsooffered golf tips in the private party room while engaging
the competitors in some challenging games on the golf
simulators. A new destination for many members to
discover in Fond du Lac along with great memories atanother fun MPI WI Chapter meeting!

MPI Agenda

January/February 2018|17

February Preview

March Preview

By: Nicole Ellickson, CMP

By: Tracey Bockhop, CMP

Christy Lamagna, CMP, CMM, CTSM
Are you yearning to be treated with more respect atwork? Frustrated by the misconception that what you do for aliving is glamorous and fun? Does the thought of more hands
to help complete the myriad of tasks you’re juggling soundappealing? Would you like a salary that truly represents yourtalent and time? These things and more are within reach,
all we have to do is execute what Christy calls, the ‘Strategic
Planning Principles.’ Learn about her plan which calls for
an industry-wide evolution, transforming event planners
into strategic planners. Learn what that means, when it canhappen, why it matters, and how you can help create thismuch-needed change. Join us for our monthly education at
the Westin Milwaukee on Thursday, February 15th as Christy
Lamagna, CMP, CMM, CTSM will help us do it all.
Secure your room before February 8th by calling the hotel
directly at 414-224-5224.

Christy Lamagna, CMP, CMM, CTSM
Master Strategist~Connector~Idea Maker
Strategic Meetings & Events New York Institute of Technology
Christy helps clients plan strategic, effectively branded, costeffective, goal driven programs. Through superior planning,negotiation skills and with an eye on your SMART goals, her teambuilds brand-extending, cost effective, result-oriented experiences,
not just events.
Her team supports internal meetings, user conferences, incentive
trips, product launches, tradeshows, regional meetings, road showsand more. They write and execute marketing plans and sponsorships, negotiate contracts, design and produce the event marketingstrategy and all other components of a program.
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January/February 2018

The Madison Concourse
Hotel will be hosting our March
Education on Thursday, March
15th. Buckle Up! You are about
to Enter a Hybrid Event Strategy
Crash Course. You are going toneed your seat belt firmly secured for this drive through.
Join Steph Pfeilsticker as she
guides you through what you
need to know to plan a hybrid
event. Based on her compreSteph Pfeilsticker
hensive 5-week hybrid event
planning series, she is packing
the best of the best to deliver you the content you needto know to be successful. Technology for what roles youneed on your hybrid team will also be covered. Steph will
share best practices on marketing your event, ensuring
attendee engagement, and solid content management. If
you haven’t already been asked to add a virtual stream toyour physical event, you will very soon. Let Steph give you
the time-tested tools to succeed in your first hybrid event.
We are partnering with DAIS-Domestic Abuse Intervention
Services in Madison to help impact the members they serve.
Secure your hotel room at The Madison Concourse Hotel by
March 7th at 608-257-6000.

Steph Pfeilsticker
Chief Hybrid Strategist, Hybrid Events Authority, LLC
Steph Pfeilsticker is an award-winning thought leader and innovatorwith nearly 20 years of event industry experience. She founded
Hybrid Events Authority to share her hybrid meeting expertise withorganizations that would like to extend their content to audiences
outside of the meeting room.
The industry has taken notice of Steph’s work. She was named a
Top 20 Changemaker, and has been the recipient of nearly a dozen
awards from meetings industry for her work. She has served as
President of the MPI Minnesota chapter and been inducted into
the Minnesota Meetings and Events Hall of Fame. Steph received
an undergraduate degree from Valparaiso University in Valparaiso,
Indiana and an MBA from Bethel University in St. Paul, MN.

MPI Agenda																				

MEET LAKE GENEVAYour next meeting destination – Lake Geneva

Create a destination experience for your conference complete with after-hours activities. Resorts,
mansions, boats, wineries and live music, Lake Geneva will keep your group engaged and recharged!
Great dining, activities and shopping will add value to your conference that your attendees will
forever talk about.

For more information contact our meetings concierge today!
Meetings@VisitLakeGeneva.com • 262-812-0022 • www.VisitLakeGeneva.com/Meetings

GIVE YOUR GROUP SOMETHING UNEXPECTEDMPI Agenda

January/February 2018|

19

STUDENT PROFILE

Cathe Gorski

Special Events Manager
Metcalfe's Market, Wauwatosa

What drew you to the meetings industry?
When I was in college, I worked for four summers as aconference coordinator at my college, the Universityof Pittsburgh at Johnstown. We didn’t have a formal
conference center at the time but used the dorms and othercampus facilities to add revenue to the campus coffers. I
really enjoyed the work; the attention to detail that was
required and the variety of people I got to meet. I ended
up getting side-tracked for the last 20 years by several
newspapers and print media buying jobs. Most recently,
I worked for Kohl’s for 12 years before being outsourced.
That development put me back on my original path.
Tell us about your college program:
The Milwaukee Area Technical College Event Management
program is an Associate’s Degree program with an emphasis
on event planning. It has a varied curriculum that is reallyengaging due to the great instructors (including MPI WI’s
own Rochelle Rupnick and Carmen Smalley) who share
their actual meeting planning and hotel management
experiences with the students. The instructors also go outof their way to use their industry connections to create
opportunities to introduce their students to events andfacilities in the Milwaukee area. I realized the program wasfor me when, as I was completing assignments, it really
didn’t feel like work.
Teams or projects that you have worked on for MPI or
would like to be involved with:
I would like to get involved in either the Education orMembership committees.

Where do you currently
live? Milwaukee
Favorite Pastimes:
Walking Trixie,
collecting Snoopy stuff, listening to Bob and Tom
podcasts, bike riding, gardening and checking out
comedians at the Pabst and Riverside.
Favorite Musical Group: Here Come the Mummies
Person whom you admire most and why:My grandfather, who came to this country from
Czechoslovakia when he was only 9, who witnessed his
uncle and father die in a coal mine not long thereafter
and who still spent over 30 years working as a coal miner.
He was VERY proud of being a US citizen and was truly
an example of an immigrant coming to this country andmaking a better life for his family.
Dream Vacation: A month (or more) in Pacific Grove, CA(just west of Monterey). We try to visit every year, but afew days just aren’t long enough.
If I won the lottery I would: Move to Pacific Grove andspend A LOT of time donating money and volunteering atanimal rescues.
Words to live by: “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because
it happened.” — Dr. Seuss

Tell us about your family:
I’ve been married to my husband Pete for 21 years thisSeptember. We have a Doberman-mix named Trixie.
Where were you born?
I was born in Windber, PA, a small town about 20 minutes
east of Johnstown, PA (aka Flood City) and 90 minutes eastof Pittsburgh, PA. Sorry folks... I’m a Steelers Fan.

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January/February 2018

MPI Agenda																				

MPI Agenda

January/February 2018|21

MPI WISCONSIN MEMBERSHIP
Anniversaries
25 YEARSCINDY FOLEY, CMP
Regional Director of
Sales and Marketing
Atrium Hospitality

1 YEAR

BRENDA STEINBACH
Education & Convention
Director
PIA of Wisconsin

ANGELA BOSWICK
Guest Service Agent

20 YEARSJEROLD FOX
Director of Facility
RelationsMarcus Center for the
Performing Arts

MARY FREDERICK
Corporate Coordinator
Wausau Homes
JANA LIPARI
Conference Manager
Forte Research Systems

15 YEARS
HEATHER DYER, CAE
Owner
Morgan Data Solutions,
LLC
LOUISE FRANDA
Sales Manager
Landmark Resort Hotels
TAMI GILBERTSON,
CMP
Director Corporate
EventsWPS Health Solutions

JODY ROOS
Association Meeting
Planner
Wisconsin Bankers
Association
TRACIE TOTH, CMP
Associate Director ofSales
The Osthoff Resort

SYLVIA HEMAUER, CMPManager of Special
Events & Corp. Travel
Sargento Foods

5 YEARSKRISTA EMMONS, CMP
Operations Manager,
Meetings Management
Travel Leaders
Corporate
KATIE MCGINNIS
Senior Sales Manager
Iron Horse Hotel22|

MORGAN NAPGEZEKInternColdwell Banker Elite
ALLISON ROCCA
Events Manager
Orascoptic
JODY SIMON
Administrative Assistant
Wisconsin Associationof Mutual Insurance
Companies
REBECCA STAATSSales Manager
Metropolis Resort

10 YEARSALEXANDRA HARJUNG,
CMP
Leisure Group Sales& Convention Service
Manager
Wisconsin Dells Visitor& Convention Bureau

BARB ANDERSON
Travel/Food Services
Administrator
American Family
Insurance

KRISTEN SALEWSKI,
CMP
Advertising, Promotions& Design Specialist
Rural Mutual Insurance
Company

January/February 2018

TIM VAN DE YACHTSales Director
Ghidorzi Hotel GroupBETHANY WAGNER
Sales Manager
Chula Vista Resort &Conference Center

JOSHUA WIMMER
Meeting and Event
Planning Intern
Premier Choice
Association
Management

STUDENTSLATASHA BROWNKANDETORY ZEMANEMANUEL HERNANDEZ
MAURICIO HERNANDEZCHELSEA CRUBAUGH
GRETCHEN GILHAMJULIA OELLERICH
KATIE SIXELCIARA HEFTYBRIANA METCALFEAMY LATINIBARBARA MOUBRYSHANNA DOMBROWSKI
JOHN PATCHINRACHEL BRAUN
DONALD MAYER
TIFFANY VANPHRAVONGJOANNA WALDNERAJNI WINNER
AMANDA WONDRASHTXONG YANGLASHONDA LEWISMOLLY CUNNINGHAM
ELEANOR HENDERSON

A special welcome to all of thestudents who have joined
MPI Wisconsin!

CARRIE WUNDERLICH
Associate Meeting
PlannerState Bar of Wisconsin

MPI Agenda																

				

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KalahariMeetings.com

Call 855-411-4605
to learn more©2017 Kalahari Development LLC

MPI Agenda

January/February 2018|23

Get Social with MPI-WI!
By: Maria Peot, CMP

The MPI-WI Chapter is proud to be active on various social
media channels. If you’re a part of one of these online
communities – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram– you can follow our accounts and join in on the fun andconversation!

Follow Us Now!
Facebook: @mpiwi
Twitter: @mpiwisconsin
LinkedIn: MPI-WI Chapter (group)
Instagram: @mpi_wi_chapter

Social media is one of the main ways we promote both Global
and Chapter events, news and activities to our members andan easy way for you to share information about our Chapter
with your network. Sharing our posts with your networks is
the single best way to spread the word about MPI-WI andincrease the Chapter’s followership and potentially increase
our Chapter’s membership.
In addition to promoting our events on social media, MPI-WI
shares industry news, best practices, and other resources that
our members and followers would find valuable. We often

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January/February 2018

post open-ended questions to our followers about industryrelated problems, which allows people to chime in with
their experiences. This is an easy way to engage with fellow
members and followers, so take advantage of it!
Through social media, members and followers can also posequestions to each other. Having trouble brainstorming a newand creative event theme? Looking for information about
the industry and don’t have time to do in-depth research?
Need ideas for planning an event on a limited budget? Headto the MPI-WI Facebook page or LinkedIn group and create apost with your dilemma. Fellow followers and members canchime in with their ideas – there’s a wealth of knowledge andexperience right at your fingertips.
Unable to attend an event? By following MPI-WI on social
media, you can stay in touch and follow what you’re missing
at a live event. We have individuals assigned as “live posters”
attending each event, posting pictures and videos ofeverything from the food served, community outreach items
donated, speakers and presentations, and candid shots ofattendees.
Interested in volunteering on the Social Media team for our
Chapter? We’re always looks for people to help us spreadthe word on social media, and this can be done whether you
can attend events regularly or not. Please send an email toadmin@mpiwi.org with “Social Media” in the subject line andsomeone from the Communications Team will follow up withyou with additional info on our current needs.

MPI Agenda																

				

We Want YOU!
By: Liz Unruh

Are you looking to be more involved in MPI,
but don’t have a lot of extra time?
The Finance team is looking for someone
who is organized, and can do spreadsheets.
This would entail keeping track of thedifferent sponsorships and what they
have used. The volunteer position would
take less than an hour a month. If this issomething you would be interested indoing please contact Liz Unruh at eunruh@
wcd.org. If you have any other questions
she would be happy to help answer them.
Call (414) 908-6079.

MPI Agenda

January/February 2018|25

Who's Being Social

26|

January/February 2018

MPI Agenda																

				

Make Your Own History.

Fundraising galas, weddings, corporate luncheons and dinners. Unique event space for any
occasion, large or small. The Lambeau Field Events Team will help make it legendary.

BOOK YOUR LEGENDARY EVENT AT LAMBEAU FIELD TODAY.
Call 920.569.7515 or visit packers.com for more information.

MPI Agenda

January/February 2018|27

BOARD MEMBER PROFILE

Claudia Cabrera

Madison Marriott West

Where do you currently live?
Madison, WI
How long in the meeting/event industry?
10 years
Tell us 2-3 things you are responsible for on the board:
As the current President of the Chapter, some of myresponsibilities include acting as the official spokespersonof the Chapter, communicating with and supervising theChapter Officers and Directors to ensure that all assignments
are completed per our Business Plan and Operations
Calendar, making sure the Chapter is financially stable andcommunicating our progress and plans for the future of the
Chapter to our members.
What is the best part of being on the board?
The best part of being on the board is to be part of a great teamthat is passionate about our industry and cares deeply about
the well-being of our Chapter.
Favorite hobbies or pastimes?
Play my classical guitar, Karaoke and Trivia night with friends.
What have you learned most from being on the board?
I learned that is O.K to speak your mind and have a different
opinion, even if you don’t necessarily agree with everyone else.
Most of the time, someone else in the room is thinking theexact same thing.
Favorite musical artist or band?
Hands down Coldplay! Love their uplifting songs!
What is the best advice you can give to someone who isthinking about getting more involved in MPI?
Do it! I promise you will not regret it! We have many volunteer
opportunities available and we are more than happy to help
you find a volunteer role that not only meets your interest but
it will also help you growth both professionally and personally.

28|

January/February 2018

WANT TOSTRENGTHENA FRIENDSHIP AND
AN INDUSTRY?
REFER A FRIENDTO MPI
By: Alison Hutchinson
We are pleased to offer you an opportunity tohelp a colleague, friend, or young professional
experience the benefits of MPI membership.
Bring a friend to the February 15, 2018 or March
15, 2018 chapter meetings. The member whobrings the most friends each month will receivea $25 VISA gift card. If your friend joins MPI-WI,
you will be entered into a drawing to receive$100 off your MPI membership. After all, what
are friends for?

MPI Agenda																				JOHNSONVILLE TAILGATE VILLAGE

Make Your Own History.
Any event. Every event. Whether it’s an intimate meeting forfive or a gathering for 1,000, Lambeau Field can accommodate
with 16 unique event spaces, an extraordinary staff andexceptional all-around excellence.
When you host your event at Lambeau Field, you are able tooffer your guests more than any other venue in the state: shopping,dining, tours and most importantly tradition, pride and passion.
This is Lambeau Field, the hallowed ground of the one and only
Green Bay Packers.

ATRIUM FLOOR

BOOK YOUR LEGENDARY EVENT
A T L A M B E A U F I E L D T O D AY !
Call 920.569.7515 or visit packers.com for more information.

LOMBARDI BOARDROOMMPI Agenda

January/February 2018|

29

PLANNER PROFILE

Susan Arts, CMP, HMCC

Where were you born?
Rhinebeck, NY (about
2 hours north of NYC
in the Hudson River
Valley)How long in themeetings industry?
Almost 30 years (!)
How long in MPI?
20 years

Where do you
currently live? Wind
Point, WI (in Racine)

Tell us about yourcompany and/or
position: M&IW isa Wisconsin-based,
woman-owned meeting& event managementcompany, with a global
footprint.
● Our Purpose is to transform organizations through live
meetings and events.
● Our Mission is to serve as an extension of ourcustomers’ event resources, ensure a comprehensive
understanding of their goals and objectives, and deliver
high quality, impactful, and value-driven results.
● Our Vision is to be the leading meeting, incentive andconference management company in regard to service
and reputation, driving results for organizations acrossthe globe.
As Project Director, I support the Global Operations teamin many areas, including new client implementation andprocess improvement. Basically, whatever the organizationand staff need as far as support, I am available!
Teams or projects that you have worked on for MPI or
would like to be involved with: I’ve worked on committees
and been on the board in the past, including the Speaker
Advisory Committee, Awards Gala Selection Committee and
VP/BOD from 2004-2009.
Tell us about your family: My husband, Michael, and I have adaughter, Shannon, who lives and works in the Washington,
DC area. We have two fur-babies at home (Haley, a labbeagle mix and Juliet, a domestic short hair cat).

30|

Project Director, Global Operations
Meetings & Incentives, Worldwide Inc.

January/February 2018

Favorite Pastimes:
Horseback riding,skiing, bicycling,gardening, reading,photography…anythingthat keeps me busy and outside as much as possible.
Favorite Musical Group: Can’t really name one; my taste
runs the range from opera to jazz to heavy metal…it all
depends on my mood.
Person whom you admire most and why: The first person I
thought of was Gloria Steinem. Her lifetime commitment towomen’s rights and equality are an inspiration.
Dream Vacation: My favorite quote from Susan Sontag –“I haven’t been everywhere but it’s on my list.” Over the next
few years, we have trips planned for Galapagos, Alaska, andAfrica, so I’m looking forward to fulfilling those dreams!
If I won the lottery I would: Use it to fund my travel habit,take care of my family and do good within the community.
Words to live by: Begin and end each day with a gratefulheart.
Special personal accomplishments: From 2007-2017,
my husband and I were the caretakers at the Wind Point
Lighthouse in Racine. It was a very special place, andwe were privileged to be able to take care of a historic
landmark for 10 years.

MPI Agenda																

				

MILWAUKEE, WI

HARLEY-DAVIDSON WAS BORN HERE. GIVE YOUR ATTENDEESA TASTE OF THE FAMILY TRADITION OF CHROME, FREEDOM AND
WALKING ON THE WILD SIDE. YOU'D BE SURPRISED HOW MANYARE ALREADY HOG WILD.
300,000 Sq. Ft. Convention Center | 16,000 Hotel Rooms | Home to Harley-Davidson's 115th Anniversary

GET TO KNOW MILWAUKEE

VISITMILWAUKEE.ORG/MEETMPI Agenda

January/February 2018|31

WISCONSIN
CHAPTER

2820 Walton Commons, Ste 103
Madison, WI 53718
tel: 608.204.9816
fax: 608.204.9818
email: admin@mpiwi.org
web: www.mpiwi.org

JAN

11

FEB

Connecting you to theglobal meeting + event community

2018
15

MAR

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

15

APR

Datebook:

12

Education Event
Edgewater Hotel
Madison, WI

Education Event
Westin Milwaukee
Milwaukee, WI

Education Event
Madison Concourse Hotel
Madison, WI

Education Event
Radison Paper Valley
Appleton, WI