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.”

MAY
JUNE
VOL 39/NUM 3

2017

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May/June 2017

MPI Agenda															

			

May/June 2017
VOL 39/NUM 3

MPI-WISCONSIN
2016 -2017
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President
Jen Mell, CMP
Travel Leaders
jmell@tlcorporate.com
President-ElectClaudia Cabrera
Madison Marriott West Hotel & Conference Center
claudia.cabrera@atriumhospitality.com
Immediate Past President
Tom Graybill
Tri-Marq Communications
tom@trimarq.com
Vice President FinanceBrandon Smith
Levy Restaurants at Wisconsin Center District
bsmith@wcd.org
Vice President Membership
JoEllen Graber
Mount Horeb Area Chamber of Commercejoeygraber1@gmail.com
Vice President Communications
Maria Peot, CMP
First Business Financial Services
maria.peot@gmail.com

Feature Articles
2017 Spring Education Event: MPI University

8

MPI-WI March Event Recap		

10

SMUG MUG

12

Why Don't Millennials Do the Next Thing on the List?

16

In Every Issue
From the Editor’s Desk

4

President’s Column

6

Board Member Profile: Tamara P. Jesswein, CMP		

7

Who's in the News			

13

Food for Thought		

14Supplier Profile: Cathleen ʻCatʼ Caruso

15

Vice President Education
Katie McGinnis
Iron Horse Hotel
kmcginnis@theironhorsehotel.com

New Members & Anniversaries

18

Student Profile: Julie Wills 			

20

Director-Awards and Scholarships, Recruitment
Alison Hutchinson
Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau
ahutchinson@foxcities.org

Planner Profile: Michelle Eggert

22

CalendarBC

Director-Member Care
Sara Kern
Blue Harbor Resort & Spaskern@blueharborresort.com
Director-Special Events
Tracey Bockhop, CMP
Meet Meetings
tracey@meetmeetings.com
Director-Monthly Programming
Tamara Jesswein, CMPHID Global
tjesswein@hidglobal.com
Director-Publications & Community OutreachSarah Banach
Marcus Hotels & Resorts
sarahbanach@marcushotels.com
Director-Special Education
Danielle Ziegler, CMP, CVT
Greater Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau
ziegler@visitmadison.com
Director-Strategic Alliances, Sponsorships & Fundraising
Elizabeth Unruh
Wisconsin Center District
eunruh@wcd.org
Director-Website, Social Media, & Public Relations
Cathy Kreiter
Visit Milwaukee
cathykreiter@gmail.com

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 May/June 2017 | 3

MPI-WISCONSIN CHAPTEREDITOR'S NOTE

Published bimonthly by
Meeting Professionals International –Wisconsin Chapter

CO-EDITORS
Calley Van Kirk
Group Sales Manager
Holiday Inn Milwaukee Riverfront
calley@himilwaukee.com
Nicole Slemin
Senior Sales Manager
Hyatt Regency Milwaukee
nicole.slemin@hyatt.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Nicole Ellickson, CMP
Sarah Gibson
Danielle Ziegler, CMP, CVT

GRAPHIC DESIGNAnn Shultz, AJS Designs, ajsdesigns.net

PUBLICATION DEADLINES
July/August 2017
Deadline: May 15, 2017
September/October 2017
Deadline: July 15, 2017
November/December 2017
Deadline: September 15, 2017

SPRING IS FINALLY HERE!
Now that the last of the snow has melted away and longer days of sunshine abound,people tend to get caught up in all of the constant activity that surrounds Wisconsin in
the coming months. The whirlwind of special events, family BBQs, festivals, concerts
and other social activities can dilute our focus and we may become less likely to takethe time to attend MPI events and stay connected with our industry colleagues. There
are great spring and summer events to attend with MPI-WI, and I encourage you tohold yourself accountable to stay engaged.
A perfect start to the warmer season is our Spring Education Day, being held May
17-18, at the beautiful Green Lake Conference Center located in Green Lake, WI. This
event will focus on the Planner/Supplier relationship and is sure to be enlightening.
Then, June 29-30 do not miss the MPI-WI Summer Spectacular! The Best Western
Premier Waterfront Hotel & Convention Center and Oshkosh Country Club will behosting the event. Come out and show off your golf skills while connecting with yourfellow MPI-ers! As spring turns to summer, you can look forward to the Summer Socialsthat are always a great time to mingle and enjoy the sunshine.
Don’t let the busier season catch you off guard. Plan ahead for these MPI events,
reserve your spot as early as possible, and mark it on your calendar! You will notregret it.
Cheers to Springtime!

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

Calley Van Kirk
Group Sales Manager
Holiday Inn Milwaukee Riverfront

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3/6/17 11:14 AM

MPI Agenda

May/June 2017|5blog.mononaterrace.com

err ace, with its inspiring lakeside spaces
Mon ona T
cierge-caliber ser vice, fosters presence in theand conor greater productivit y in your meeting.
moment f
d capture your best thinking here.
Cultivate an©2017 Monona Terrace{MADISON, WI}

President's Column
Continuing on…
... that’s been on my mind lately. This is my last column as
your chapter President. It has been an honor and a pleasure
to serve the chapter in this capacity over the last year. I
am truly grateful to have had this opportunity to grow andlearn (and there’s been LOTS of lessons learned along theway), and also thankful for the opportunity to move on andcontinue serving the chapter in another capacity.

So as I refocus my mind from “President” to “Past
President,” it’s not lost on me that the work we
accomplished this past year is a layer of foundation for the
next and in between us is an &.

Claudia Cabrera will glide into the “driver’s seat” as yourchapter President on July 1st. She’s already hard at work
preparing herself and the incoming Board of Directors forthis next year. There are so many things that happen thistime of year that the vast majority of MPI members don’tsee. The side meetings and calls between old and new Board
members, the on-boarding sessions from our partners at
MPI Global, the creation of the annual budget, education,membership and overall chapter business plans. All of yourboard members are like ducks on the water…they looksmooth and sleek when you see them but if you peek yourhead under the water, their legs are kicking at a feverish
pace to get these things accomplished while also executing
the Spring Education Day and Summer Spectacular events!

MPI is a wonderful place to make connections, bothprofessional and personal. I know Planner members thathave found trusted vendors that they work with year
after year. I know members that have met their futureboss sitting next to them at an MPI event. And I know
members that have vacationed together and attended
each other’s weddings all because they met here in MPIWisconsin. I cannot stress enough the importance ofmaking connections with our MPI community. How do you
make those connections? Come to our events, sit next tosomeone you don’t know, and volunteer!

Connections.

Inclusion.
In MPI-Wisconsin, we really are on the same team…
Planners, Suppliers and “Su-planners”! On the Board, wework as one to plan and execute the best chapter events,
magazine, strategic alliance and membership programs
possible. For the membership as a whole, we also work
together to be the best we can at our day jobs too, whether
it’s working extra hard on that hotel proposal for a new
Planner we met at the last MPI event or advocating for
a new vendor contact to our leadership team for our
next meeting. We are also part of a bigger picture within
MPI Global. It’s a blessing to be a part of this global
community and this network of chapters. One of myfavorite experiences during my time as President has beenconnecting with other chapters to learn how they do thingsin their world.

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May/June 2017

MPI Agenda															

			

Continuation.
MPI is like a river, “ever changing as it flows.” (Cananyone name that tune?) As with life in general,
MPI is constantly changing. Last year we saw a newmembership program get launched and that theme ofchange will continue in to the next year and beyond.
For those that are on the Board or active on thevolunteer teams, you will put a lot of time and effort into making these changes as seamless as possible for themembership body. Be diligent in learning all the facts,
continue to ask questions, view every change throughour member’s eyes to see their benefit and most of all,be proud of that work.

Discovery.
MPI-WI is a wealth of opportunity to discover something
new. Whether it’s learning something new from one of
the many education events we host to discovering a newskill while volunteering on one of the many committees
available to us as members. Let MPI-Wisconsin help you
discover something new in the next year.

BOARD MEMBER PROFILE

Tamara P. Jesswein,
CMP
Place of employment:
HID Global
Where do you currently live?
Germantown, WI
How long in the meeting/
event industry?
17 years
Tell us 2-3 things you are responsible for on the board:
Building monthly programming teams, coaching volunteers,and making sure the board is focused on serving ourmembers.
What is the best part of being on the board?
Engaging leadership skills amongst us.

Hope.
Every chapter President I know has the same hope…
that they left their chapter better than they foundit. And I’m no different. Like every volunteer in thischapter, it’s sometimes been a struggle to find time for
MPI when “regular work” looms overhead or personal
life commitments coincide with chapter needs. But
it’s also been one of the best learning experiences of
my life and therefore, one of the most rewarding. My
personal hope continues to be that membership grows,
chapter leadership continues to develop, we holdbigger and better education events, we strengthen thepartnerships we have with our sponsors and we continue
to promote (in my opinion) THE BEST chapter in Meeting
Professionals International!

What have you learned most from being on the board?
We are here representing the chapter as a whole.
What is the best advice you can give to someone who isthinking about getting more involved in MPI?
The best way to grow yourself professionally is to volunteer
and learn. The best place to volunteer and learn is at
MPI events. It is how you meet, develop and engage
relationships that will help expand your career.
Favorite hobbies or pastimes?
I am an avid sailor, though have little time to do so; aterrible golfer, but love the time spent outdoors anyway. I
sing bass in women’s barbershop choruses, quartets andtags whenever possible.
Favorite musical artist or band?
Michael Buble, Straight No Chaser, Supertramp, Ella
Fitzgerald, The Eagles, Dierks Bentley, and Bette Midler.
(See a pattern?)

MPI Agenda
MPI Agenda
May/June
May/June
20172017| | 72017 Spring Education Event
MPI University
By: Danielle Ziegler, CMP, CVT
Convention Sales Manager, Greater Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau

Are you interested inreliving your college years?
Wonder what it’s like
if you had joined a
Fraternity/Sorority?
Wish you would havelistened more in class?
Miss the friendships you
made…and the parties?
Well, look no further –MPI-WI University is for YOU!
Join us Wednesday, May 17 &Thursday, May 18 at this year’s Spring
Education Event for the opportunity
to renew relationships, grow your knowledge, help thecommunity, and have fun! The Green Lake Conference

2017 SPRING EDUCATION EVENTMPI UNIVERSITY
WHEN:
		
WHERE:

Wednesday, May 17 &Thursday, May 18
Green Lake Conference Center

Center is the beautiful lakeside setting for our campus. Itfeatures lakeside hotel rooms as our residence halls, eachwith their own unique features, a dining hall for all ourmeals, and our classes/sessions held in our program buildingnear the dining hall and residence halls.

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May/June 2017

MPI-WI University will kick off
with our Welcome Reception
and Chairman’s Challenge on
Wednesday night. Grab yourdancing shoes and hit thedance floor as President-Elect,Claudia Cabrera, and instructor,
Dante Viscarra, take you ona journey to the Caribbean,
Central and South America, andteach you some easy and fun
Latin dances that include Salsa,
Merengue and Bachata! Not onlyis this a good workout, but it will
be lots of fun and great entertainment! Allproceeds of the challenge will go to the MPI-Foundation for
scholarships and grants.
We also encourage you to visit our complimentary CMP
101 session before the reception on Wednesday. CMP 101,
presented by Jodi Goldbeck, CMP, will teach us about Risk
Management and Stakeholder Management which will prep
you for taking the CMP exam.
Thursday will be a fun packed day with breakfast and lunch inour dining hall and then we move to our program building for
exhibits from our Strategic Alliance Partners (aka: Fraternities& Sororities), classes taught by professors in the industry,
and an engaging Community Outreach Project. Our keynote
professors include celebrity speaker, Scott Christopher,
to educate us on who are People People, Sarah Gibson
enlightens us on Managing Up and Down the Generational
Chain of Command, and ending out the day is Jay Gubrud,
who will help us improve the Supplier/Planner Relationship!

MPI Agenda															

						Scott Christopher
Scott Christopher is a best-selling
author who has appeared on
NBC’s Today Show, Fox Business
Channel, CNBC, National PublicRadio, BBC and has beenquoted in the New York Times,
Washington Post, Boston Globe, New York Post, Newsweek,
Economist magazine, Ladies Home Journal and many otherpublications. Scott’s unforgettable messages and off-the-cuff
humor illustrate firsthand how levity, humor and becoming a‘people person’ enrich lives at work and at home.

Sarah Gibson
Sarah Gibson is the founder ofAccent Learning and Consulting,
LLC, which allows her to share herpassion for speaking and teachingpractical workplace skills that
help individuals and businesses
succeed. She and her team have helped companies
understand the impact of workplace communication
through a large variety of professional development andleadership classes. Sarah also wrote Geezer. Punk. Whatever.
to help people learn more about the impact of generational
pieces in the workplace. See Sarah’s article on “Why Don’t
Millennials Do the Next Thing on the List?” on page 16.

Jay Gubrud

Laura JolcoverJay is a catalyst for performance
improvement. He is a dynamic
professional speaker, trainer,
author and consultant who has
been presenting across industries
and audiences for over seventeen
years. His programs challenge participants to eliminate
the everyday roadblocks to their success. Jay has an innate
ability to relate the trials of life and business in a way thateveryone can relate to… Cars and Driving!

Laura has over 25 years in Sales
and Marketing and over nine
years with the Number One
Furniture Rental Company in the
Nation, CORT Event Furnishings.
She has proven success using her
unique style, design, and what she calls a “common sense
approach” to problem solving, strategies and life.

Before lunch, we have a great opportunity to participate
in benefiting local senior living communities. During thisCommunity Outreach project, we will be creating cards
for the residents of these communities and some of theresidents will be participating in the fun!

We can guarantee that these classes will allow you toenhance your knowledge to graduate MPI-WI University atthe end of the day.

In the afternoon, there are three breakout sessions to choose
from including Business Writing Tips and Tools with Sarah
Gibson, Be a connector - creating value every turn! with Jay
Gubrud, and Event Design with Laura Jolcover.

For more information on our class schedule, professors, andto register, please visit www.mpiwi.org/events.
We look forward to seeing you all at MPI-WI University!

MPI Agenda

May/June 2017|9

MPI-WI March Event Recap
By: Nicole Ellickson, CMP
Our MPI-Wisconsin March Education and Fundraiser was held at
the full service Hampton Inn & Suites Milwaukee West on March
16, 2017. The day started out with optional pre-event sessions
for members; MPI 101 for new members or those thinking
of joining MPI and CMP 101 for seasoned members who are
studying for or interested in earning their CMP designation.
Courtney Idhe presented the March education session on “SixKeys to Effective Team Building.” Courtney’s engagement andactivities with the attendees taught them the steps of building
and or growing a business. She identified action steps to create abetter team.
Following education, the evening was kicked off with a good oldfashioned fair reception and fundraiser, where attendees could
connect with other MPI members, bring back their childhood
memories by playing carnival games for raffle tickets, and begin
bidding on the amazing silent auction items. The hotel pulled
out some great surprises with fair themed food and decorations.
Attendees danced to the DJ’s music and took silly photos in the
Photo Booth.
MPI-Wisconsin relies on the support from its members andnon-members and we are truly grateful for all the donations
and participation from everyone. We would not be able to get
donations and wonderful speakers without all your support.
Thank you.

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May/June 2017

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SMUG MUG

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May/June 2017

MPI Agenda															

			

			

Meet
inWisconsin!
search these properties & more at
WisconsinLodging.org

APPLETON
Radisson Paper Valley Hotel
333 W. College Avenue, Appleton, WI
920/733-8000 | radissonpapervalley.com
Meeting rooms: 26; Sleeping rooms: 388; F&B: Yes
We’re building something more... Fox Cities Exhibition
Center connected to our existing 38,000 sq. ft. of
flexible function space. www.fcexhibitioncenter.com
DOOR COUNTY
Landmark Resort
4929 Landmark Drive, Egg Harbor, WI
920/868-3205 | thelandmarkresort.com
Meeting rooms: 10; Sleeping rooms: 260; F&B: Yes
Simplify your meeting planning.
Beautiful Door County venue with eight of ten
meeting rooms featuring a water view. All suites.
EAU CLAIRE
Metropolis Resort & Conference Center
5150 Fairview Drive, Eau Claire, WI
715/852-6000 | conferences.metropolisresort.com
Meeting rooms: 10; Sleeping rooms: 107; F&B: Yes
Located just off Interstate 94. Groups up to 300 and
9,200 sq. ft. meeting space. We create Fun and memorable
events with unique offerings & convenient meeting space.
NEENAHBest Western Premier Bridgewood Resort Hotel
1000 Cameron Way, Neenah, WI
920/720-8000 | bwneenah.com
Meeting rooms: 12; Sleeping rooms: 95; F&B: Yes
Award winning resort hotel close to I-41. Golf course & minigolf, tennis, fitness center & free Wi-Fi. Groups up to 500.
Renovated meeting rooms & 10,000 sq. ft. meeting space.
PEWAUKEE
Country Springs Hotel, Water Park &Conference Center
2810 Golf Road, Pewaukee, WI
262/547-0201 | countryspringshotel.com
Meeting rooms: 20; Sleeping rooms: 187; F&B: Yes
40,000 sq. ft. meeting and banquet space,
45,000 sq. ft. indoor water park.
SHEBOYGANBlue Harbor Resort & Spa
725 Blue Harbor Drive, Sheboygan, WI
920/452-2900 | BlueHarborResort.com
Meeting rooms: 10; Sleeping rooms: 180; F&B: Yes
Blue Harbor on Lake Michigan offers scenic meetings
spaces for groups of 10 to 1000. Just one houraway from Milwaukee and Green Bay.

Congratulations to KRISTA EMMONS on her
promotion at Travel Leaders! Krista’s been a memberof MPI since 2015 and has been a the Team Lead for
the June Golf Outing for two years.
Krista has been with Travel Leaders since hercompany was acquired by them in 2015 and is
the new Operations Manager in the Meetings
Management Division. Congrats, Krista!!

Congratulations to DONNA SMITH on her promotion
at Heidel House! Donna has been a member of MPI
since 2012 and has been a volunteer in many roles
through the years. Donna has been with Heidel
House for eight years and is the new Senior SalesManager. Congratulations, Donna!

Thank you to JOE MILLENBACH who has been ourvolunteer editor of the Agenda since July 2015. Joe’stime and commitment to the Agenda is appreciatedby all of our readers! Thank you, Joe!
Welcome NICOLE SLEMIN as our new editor! Nicole
is new to MPI and we are excited to have her on the
Agenda team.

MARIA PEOT, CMP has accepted a new position withFirst Business Financial Services as their Social Media &Events Specialist.

MPI Agenda

May/June 2017|13

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

Head Chef
Therese Lewallen
Green Lake Conference Center Green Lake WI
WHITE CHICKEN CHILI
Ingredients:
2 cups diced white onion
2 cups diced celery
2 cups diced green pepper
1 cup butter
1 Tbsp. finely chopped garlic
1 cup flour
12 cups hot chicken stock
3-4oz cans diced green chiles
2 Tbsp. ground cumin
3-14 oz. cans cannellini beans
8 cups cooked diced chicken
2+ cups grated Monterey jack cheeseSalt & Cayenne pepper
Fried tortilla strips
•
•
•
•
•

Sauté onion, celery and green pepper until tender
Add 1 Tbsp. finely chopped garlic
Add 1 cup flour to make rue and cook until light golden brown
Add 12 cups hot chicken stock, cook until thickened
Add diced green chiles, 2 Tbsp. ground cumin, cannellini
beans, cooked diced chicken• 2 cups grated Monterey jack cheese• Salt and cayenne pepper to taste• Top with fried tortilla strips and Monterey jack cheese

Therese has been in the foodservice industry for 30+ years.
Over the course of those 30 years, she has owned a restaurant
and managed banquet halls. She took a break from her
foodservice career to support her son’s Wisconsin Badger
football career and to care for her elderly parents. During thistime, two of her daughters worked at the conference center’s
greenhouse and asked her to join them on a seasonal parttime basis. Along with her passion for cooking was a love ofgardening. After the first season of greenhouse work, Therese
assumed the responsibility of greenhouse manager and heldthat position for three years. During her employment she
volunteered to help in foodservice as needed and found herlove of the foodservice industry was her true passion. When theopportunity arose, she applied and was awarded the Head Chef
position here at Green Lake Conference center.
Bauer Dining Room in Kraft Centre serves buffet style meals anddelicious ice cream! Enjoy a table with a lake view or gather
around the fireplace for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The main
dining room seats 540. Within the main dining room there
are two additional dining rooms for small groups and private
banquets: Tower (seats 84) and Mitchell (seats 96).
Our talented foodservice team designs menus and decorates
to create a great atmosphere for banquets, picnics, barbecues,
coffee breaks, afternoon teas, and working lunches/dinners.
View our catering menus at glcc.org.

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May/June 2017

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SUPPLIER PROFILE

Cathleen ʻCatʼ Caruso

General Manager, pc/nametag Inc., a subsidiary of Avery North America
How long in the meetingsindustry? I’ve been in themeetings industry a little
under two years.
Tell a bit about yourcompany and/or current
position: Our company
services the meetings industry by offering name badges andmeeting registration products. So we’re helping planners create
important events where people make connections and havefun. I can’t think of many industries that are better than that.
Our goal is to make it easy for the planner to succeed andto make sure that the name badge looks great, is legible
and makes a great first impression -- what everyone
wants at an event. My official title is general manager of pc/
nametag, but I think of myself as more of a cheerleader forthe team who champions bigger and smarter ideas about how
we deliver value in the meetings and events industry, andbecome a market leader in the B-to-B space as it relates to
Avery consumer products.

Tell us about your family: My husband Mike is our family’s
domestic engineer – he is a stay-at-home dad for our sevenyear-old twins, Kira and Gavin. I grew up energized by familyrun businesses. My father worked for GE and then built his
own business in manufacturing and renewable energy. My
grandfather on my mother’s side was in the oil industry andalso owned a chain of supermarkets during the depression.
And my father’s father was a farmer. So I was surrounded bysmall-business entrepreneurs. My mother was from the Southand loved to throw parties for any type of occasion. While I
was growing up, she was the event planner for my father’scompany. And while in college, I was the party planner for mysorority. So you could say I’ve been inspired by or participatedin event coordination most of my life.
Where do you currently live? I live in Madison, just 10 minutes
away from pc/nametag’s corporate office in Verona, WI.
Favorite Pastimes: I’m an avid runner, and I also like to hike.
When I can, I love to scuba dive and windsurf. I’m also asnowboarder (which is appropriate for a former California girlliving in Wisconsin).

EVENTS THAT IMPRESS
From power breakfasts to lunch time brainstorms to company celebrations,
Davians leaves an impression on everyone in the office.
Lighten your work load and relax as we handle every detail. Whether at our full service
Event & Conference Center, your office or another venue, let Davians help you impress
clients, colleagues and the boss at your next meeting or event.
davians.com | events@davians.com | 262-781-3333 | N56W16300 Silver Spring Dr | Menomonee Falls, WI 53051

MPI Agenda

May/June 2017|15

Why Don't Millennials
do the Next Thing on the List?
By: Sarah Gibson
In discussing managing up and down the generational
chain of command, one of the biggest complaints against
the millennial generation is they do whatever thing we ask
them, but then they come back to us and ask for their next
assignment. If we tell them to go do A, we expect them todo B, C and D without needing us to tell them it needs to be
done. As a supervisor, this can be hard to manage.
Let’s think about why millennials may behave this way. We
raised millennials in very scheduled environments. At thistime, you go to this event. Then check in with us by text, go
to your next event, and check in with us again. In essence, we
trained them to come back to us for feedback between eachstep. It’s not that millennials aren’t smart. They are. They arequite brilliant. The issue is us. We raised a generation of folks
on regular feedback, and then we expect them to act basedon something contrary to our 18 years of parenting.
Rather than view this need for feedback as a negative thing,
we need to reframe it. First, if we think about why a millennial

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May/June 2017checks in for feedback, it’s ultimately so the millennial does
the task we’ve asked of her correctly. That’s a good thing. It’sa great thing! She wants to make sure she’s on task and doing
things the way we want. Second, this keeps any mistakes or
errors in an easily correctable situation. If something is off themark, the entire project doesn’t fail, we only need to tweak
the one thing to bring things back into alignment. That’s
another win for us. Last, millennials are happy to complete
projects on their own without feedback, however, they would
like our permission to do so. Often they’d like to run throughthings once with us to make sure they have it correct before
doing it completely independently. Again, not a bad thing.
We have to be aware that our feedback now creates lesscorrective measure later. It’s actually a time saver for us.
So the next time you tell a millennial to go do A, remember
they are happy to do B, C and D, but they’ll likely comeback at each step, and it’s truly a win for both of you as you
manage up and down the generational chain of command.

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May/June 2017|17

MPI WISCONSIN MEMBERSHIP
New Members
REBECCA STAATSSales Manager		
Metropolis Resort
rebecca@metropolisresort.com
MORGAN NAPGEZEKIntern			Coldwell Banker
mnapgezek@yahoo.com

NANCY POZGAY
Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c.
Marketing Events Specialist

NICOLE SLEMIN
Senior Sales Manager
Hyatt Regency Milwaukee
nicole.slemin@hyatt.com

STUDENTSSHANNA DOMBROWSKI
Student			
Madison College
sjdombrowski@
madisoncollege.edu

TAMMY WISNEFSKI
Holiday Inn
F & B Executive

AMANDA RIDOUT
Harley Davidson Museum
Sales Manager

LORI JOHNSON
Janesville Area Convention &Visitors Bureau
Director of SalesSHERI PAAPE
Northwestern Mutual
Field Events Coordinator

DONNA LARSEN
Student
Meeting and Event Management

DARLA LEICK
HelmsBriscoe
Manager, Global Accounts

JOE MILLENBACH
ConferenceDirect
Global Account Executive

KAREN VLACH
Culver Franchising System, Inc.
VP of Administration

AMY QUALMANN, CMP
Wisconsin Association of
School Boards
Comm Specialist/Event Planner

CALLEY VAN KIRK
Holiday Inn Milwaukee
RiverfrontGroup Sales Manager

COLETTE KUKLAEmbassy Suites by Hilton
Milwaukee Brookfield

ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARYNATALIE CAMPBELLJ Stevens Productions
Head of Marketing

SETH ELDER
Lake Geneva Canopy Tours
Director of SalesLAURIE FREUND
Waukesha County TechnicalCollege
Coordinator of Library
Development

LATASHA BROWN-KANDE
Student			
Madison College
lbrownkande@madisoncollege.edu
ANGELA BOSWICK
Student
bostwick2017@gmail.com

WADE DERBYFox Premier Meetings andIncentives
Program Manager
JOAN PINCH
Wisco Hotels
Regional Director of Sales

BETH CUEVASPC/Nametag
Account Manager

JOHN PATCHIN
Student			
Madison College
jpatch97@gmail.com

SUSAN CUDWORTHThe Ridge
Director of Sales
DAVID LONCARIC
Student
Event and Trade Show
Coordinator

FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARYJENNIFER TERPSTRA
Direct of Sales		
Crown Plaza Milwauke Airport
jterpstra@crowneplazamke.com|

TEN YEAR ANNIVERSARYJOEY GREENO
Kalahari Waterpark Resort
Convention Center
Assistant Director of SalesCARRIE WUNDERLICH
Meeting Planner		State Bar of Wisconsin
cwunderlich@wisbar.org

18

Anniversaries

EMILY JANNEY
The Edgewater Hotel, LLC
Catering Sales Manager
MONICA RINCON
AcuityCustomer Relations Specialist

May/June 2017

JESSICA ZELENOCK
Milwaukee Marriott
Downtown
Market Senior Sales Manager
SARAH SCHEER, CMP
American Family InsuranceMarketing Assistant
KATRINA CEASAR
S’cape Relaxation Services, DBA
Meeting and Special EventManager

KIMBERLEAH BLEDSOE
Student
Milwaukee Area Technical College
JESSICA PHILLIPS
Student
KA HER
Student
MARY GREENE BALESTRINO
Student
APRIL TYLLA
Student
TIMOTHY SMITH
Student

CASEY NEVERMAN
Fox Premier Meetings andIncentives
Program Coordinator

MPI Agenda															

						

MILWAUKEE, WI

LOCAL ISN’T A BUZZWORD IN MILWAUKEE, IT’S JUST HOW WE LIVE.
LOCAL RESTAURANTS, LOCAL COFFEE, LOCAL RADIO – YOUR ATTENDEES CANENJOY A TRULY AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCE, THE MOMENT THEY STEP INTO OUR CITY.
300,000 Sq. Ft. Convention Center | 16,000 Hotel Rooms | 150 Locally-owned Downtown Restaurants

GET TO KNOW MILWAUKEE

VISITMILWAUKEE.ORG/MEETMPI Agenda

May/June 2017|19

STUDENT PROFILE

Julie Wills
STUDENTMADISON COLLEGE

Teams or projects that you have worked on for MPI or
would like to be involved with:
I would like to be involved in membership or
communications. Both teams would allow me to get to know
the members better and find out what they need to succeed.
Tell us about your family:
My husband and I have two grown children who live in thearea. One tradition we have is to get the best tickets we canafford and attend a Packer game every season (plus we get
quality time together traveling to and from the game).
The whole family also “volunteers” for the Dragon Art
Fair (1st Saturday in June), which I have been coordinating
for the past 13 years. They have learned how much goes
into planning an event, and how good it feels to make it
successful for the artists and guests.
What drew you to the meetings industry?
I entered the Hotel Management program at Madison
College after high school. Although I really enjoyed learning
about the hospitality industry and the creative aspects of
the work, I only completed the first year and my career
took me in a different direction. Since that time, I haveworked in government, non-profit associations and thecorporate world in an administrative capacity. Luckily, mostof these positions allowed me to use my creativity to planand organize events, annual meetings and retreats - so
I was able to keep my foot in the door and learn event
management on the job.
Tell us about your college program:
In 2014, I completed the Meeting & Events Management for
Administrative Professionals certificate program at Madison
College. At that point, I was encouraged by my teachers to
pursue the associate program. I am currently finishing up mylast two classes and internship this semester!
Person you admire most and why:
Ellen DeGeneres. She spreads laughter and gives back tothose who need help. She and others who are able to do
this help to make the world better.

20|

May/June 2017

Where were you born? Waunakee, WI
Where do you currently live? DeForest, WI
Favorite Pastimes:
Coordinating events for the Dragon Arts Group, the nonprofit I co-founded, as well as family gatherings, girl’s
weekends with my high school friends, and relaxing with agood book.
Favorite Musical Group:
Tie between Kelly Clarkson and Bon Jovi
Dream Vacation: European river cruise
If I won the lottery I would:
Take care of my family’s bills and student loans, book thatriver cruise and find a way to give back to my community.
Words to live by:“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people
will forget what you did, but people will never forget how
you made them feel.” — Maya Angelou

MPI Agenda																					

SQUARE FEET OF MEETING SPACE
5,600 meetings and conventions a year. 8,000 guest rooms. 90,000
square feet of contiguous exhibit space. No matter how you break
down the numbers, Wisconsin Dells is one of the Midwest’s top
areas for your meeting or convention. With enough space forgroups large and small, personalized planning,state-of-the-art facilities, and 16+ million gallons
of fun in dozens of indoor and outdoor waterparks,
there’s no reason business and pleasure can’t mix.

MEETINGS THAT ATTRACT ANY CROWD.

MeetInTheDells.com | sales@wisdells.com | (888) 339-3822, ext. 345

MPI Agenda

May/June 2017|21

PLANNER PROFILE

Michelle Eggert
Director of Global Accounts
ConferenceDirect

How long in the meetings industry? Too long – over 25 years
How long in MPI? Joined 11/5/2002
Tell us about your company and/or position:
ConferenceDirect is a professional event management andmeeting planning company dedicated to providing services
that save planners time and money. Guaranteed.
I have been an independent contractor with
ConferenceDirect since September 2001. I appreciate
the opportunity to service my customers in the bestmanner I possibly can, whether it is site selection, contract
negotiation, conference management services, housing andregistration assistance, SMM, development of meeting apps,
or providing expertise in any of these areas.
Teams or projects that you have worked on for MPI or
would like to be involved with: I served on the boardof directors of MPI from 2005-2008 and enjoyed every
opportunity I had during that period, from membership
recruitment/retention to monthly meetings andprogramming. In January 2017, I served on the Community
Outreach Committee with GloBall Giving and appreciatedthe opportunity to learn more about the organization andtheir commitment to helping children worldwide.
Tell us about your family: Bill, my husband of 31 years,
still looks younger than me, which drives me crazy because
he’s 11.5 years OLDER than me. We were blessed with two
incredible daughters, Karen and Rachel, both who havefound great husbands. Brandon, our son, and my daughterin law, Rachel, and their two amazing kids Laney (9) and Sam(6), make us laugh whenever we are together. Life would not
be complete without Greta (our dog), Artie (Karen & Steve’sdog), and Penny (Rachel’s princess), especially when thethree are together. Sound the alarm the UPS man is here!
Favorite Pastimes: Knitting, long walks with the dogs –especially when the sun is shining – fishing, and being withthe family just kicking back and relaxing
Where do you currently live? Town of Vernon

22|

May/June 2017

Where were you born? Bay View, WI (Milwaukee)
Favorite Musical Group: Can’t say I have a favorite musicalgroup. Favorite Musical? Well that would be Sound of Music hands down. Best. Movie. Ever.
Person you admire most and why: My mom and dad. My mom
was incredibly caring and giving. At her funeral, the Pastor’s
message was “the Lord gave to Bonnie and the Lord gavethrough Bonnie.” He couldn’t have stated it more eloquently.
My dad is amazing – always patient, kind, smiling, laughing, yetalways there to give guidance when needed. He reads the paper
every day and can provide you any fact about what is going on –whether you want to hear it or not.
Dream Vacation: Just took it in June 2016 – 7 day cruise to
Alaska followed by three days in Denali National Park for our
30th wedding anniversary.
If I won the lottery I would: First, return a percentage to the
Lord’s service. Second, take the family on a warm vacation
anywhere in February or March. Third, buy a cute little cottage
on a lake with fish, and stash the rest.
Words to live by: "Be still and know I am God."Special personal accomplishments: Having the courage
and support to become an independent contractor with
ConferenceDirect one week after 9/11.

MPI Agenda																					

ESCAPEY

ADVERTORIAL

to theUrban Wilderness of Milwaukee!

ou know Milwaukee
for its world-classattractions like theHarley-Davidson
Museum, Milwaukee Art
Museum and Miller Park, alongwith the fun of brewery tours
and summer festivals. But it
might just surprise you that
Wisconsin’s largest city has its
own urban wilderness for yourattendees to explore.
Milwaukee’s location at the intersection of Lake Michigan andthree rivers sets the stage for water sports, recreation, workouts and scenic vistas year-round. Hop on a Bublr bikeshare bikeat one of numerous bike stations downtown and head to thegreen parklands along Lake Michigan. How about a great teambuilding game of beach volleyball at Bradford Beach, recently
named by Travel Channel as one of its “Best City Beaches?”Complete with retro beach house and Tiki hut drinks, Bradford
is a magnet for visitors and residents alike.
Our green, 90-acre lakefront area is a paradise for runners as
well, who run for distance along the water and work out at
exercise stations and on steep bluffs and stairs between the
shoreline and Lake Park above. For those who prefer a leisurely
stroll, our 3-mile RiverWalk cuts through downtown, linking
popular brewpubs and neighborhoods like the German heritage
area and the Historic Third Ward, anchored by the vibrant
Milwaukee Public Market. Be sure to stop for a photo op with
the Bronze Fonz of the beloved “Happy Days” series.
Want to give your Bublr bike more of a workout? Take thesegment of the 100+ mile Oak Leaf Trail that leads from thelakeshore north along a former railroad line through spectacularwooded sections along the Milwaukee River. For a mix of urban
settings and nature scenes, head west along the Hank Aaron
State Trail, which stretches along the Menomonee River Valley.
Growing in popularity for individuals and groups, kayak
and canoe rentals are a great way to view the city and its
architecture from a unique river level perspective. Check out
more than twelve bridges that span the river downtown and be
sure to stop at a riverside brewpub along the way.

Back at the lake, it’s “allhands on deck” as groups
help raise and lower themajestic sails of the threemasted Great Lakes schooner,
S.V. Denis Sullivan, mooredat Discovery World in thesummer months. Or if you’drather just unwind and watch
the world float by, rental
pontoon boats, including thecountry’s only “pub crawl
by boat,” and dinner cruises
on board the popular European-style Edelweiss boats make
exploring the rivers and Lake Michigan a highlight of any visit to
Milwaukee.
Golfers can play where the pros play on some of the nation’sbest courses. Just 45 minutes outside of Milwaukee are worldclass public courses like Erin Hills Golf Course, host of the 2017
U.S. Open in June, and Whistling Straits along Lake Michigan,
which has hosted three PGA Championships and welcomes the
Ryder Cup in 2020. Greater Milwaukee offers 10 private clubs,
more than 55 public courses and 15 county courses, including
Brown Deer Golf Course, former host of the PGA’s U.S BankChampionship for more than 30 years.
A different kind of urban adventure awaits at recently-opened
Adventure Rock on Milwaukee’s East Side, where 27,000 square
feet of indoor climbing on 42-foot walls with 210 possible routes
adds up to one great time for all ages and abilities.
It’s all about the outdoors in Milwaukee in the summertime,from relaxing beer gardens in county parks, to free outdoor
music concerts and lakefront festivals. Summerfest marks its
50th “Big Gig” this year with headliners like Pink, Zac Brown and
Tom Petty, along with ten additional stages showcasing musicfrom country to classic rock, blues, indie and more.
Bring your meeting to Milwaukee, and you can count on ouroutstanding hotels and meeting facilities, major attractions,professional sports, Potawatomi Hotel & Casino and an
acclaimed restaurant and brewery scene.
But we’ll be happy to show you our wild side too.

For more info: Laura Lutter Cole, Convention Sales Manager, VISIT Milwaukee
800/576-6466, lluttercole@milwaukee.org • visitmilwaukee.org/meetingplanner
MPI Agenda

May/June 2017|23

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

Return Service Requested

2017

Datebook:

MAY

19-22

Spring Education Day
Green Lake, WIMPI WEC (World Education Congress)
MGM Grand
Las Vegas, NV

19

Summer Social - Madison
Location TBD

3Summer Social - Milwaukee
Location TBD

16Summer Social - Fox Cities
Location TBD

SEP

JULY

Summer SpectacularBest Western Premier Waterfront Hotel &Convention Center & Oshkosh Country Club
Oshkosh, WI

AUG

29-30

OCT

Connecting you to theglobal meeting + event community

17-18

JUN

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

21
19

Awards Gala
Marriott Madison West
Middleton, WI
Education Event
Holiday Inn Fond du Lac & Lake Winnebago
Conference Center
Fond du Lac, WI