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V O L U M E 3 , N U M B E R 1 0 9 • J U N E / J U LY 2 0 0 6
THE NEWSLETTER FOR THE SACRAMENTO CHAPTER OF THE SOCIETY OF GOVERNMENT MEETING PROFESSIONALS
President’s XPRESSIONS . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Meeting Industry News
Denver Was Grand! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Educational News
Leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
TECH TIPS for the Non-Savvy! . . . . . . .7
CMP Review: Character Traits . . . . . . . .7
CHSP Review: Lost Business Report, What Does that Mean? . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Is CGMP for Me? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Recipe Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Chapter News
Member Profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
April Meeting: A Night in Tuscany . . .11
May Meeting: A Day in the Life Of A Supplier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Committee Mailbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
June/August Meeting Previews . . . . . .14
Board Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Board of Directors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Chapter Event Calendar . . . . . . . . . . .15
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
www.sgmpsac.org
Newsletter Places Third
At the National Conference in Denver,the Sacramento Chapter took third placein the competition. As is said, anythingworthwhile is never easy, and over thepast three years, the PONYXPRESS has beenjust that.
Each year, a key element has been addedto the newsletter – lead by a group of six with a vision to make changes and create something of which the Chapterwould be proud. From the early strug-gles to just meet the timelines to havingall of the articles to our editor, to chang-ing the masthead (twice), and addingkey articles, it has been a labor of love.
With a project of this nature, not oneindividual can produce something thathas been named as one of the best inthe country for the past two years. The present newsletter committee of Lu-Lu Ramos (Board Liaison), Brad Charlesworth, CHA, CHSP (Chair),
SGMPSacramento ChapterNational 3rd Place Winner of the 2005 Carole Anne Nelson Newsletter of the Year Competition
Dina Fong, Janice Hayden, RichardHeitke, CMP, Sharin Shellbach, andTrish Vasquez, CGMP is to be commended for their hard work andcountless hours that they have put intothe PONYXPRESS. There have been othersalong this long road that need to be recognized as well: Priscilla Gandy,Wanda Hedrick, and Emily Schroeder,who have all been committee members,and have helped develop the newsletter.
by Brad Charlesworth, CHA, CHSP, Heritage Hotel Group
In 2004, our National Boardrenamed the Newsletter of the
Year Award to the Carole AnneNelson Newsletter of the YearAward. Carol Anne had put incountless hours making theNational Capitol Chapter’sNewsletter the best in the country.
Brad Charlesworth, CHA, CHSP and Carla Slink, CGMPreceive award from Claudette Ferris, CPS and CharlesSadler, CHSP
Left to right: Janice Hayden, Trish Vasquez, CGMP, BradCharlesworth, CHA, CHSP, Rich Heitke, CMP and Lu-LuRamos (missing: Dina Fong and Sharin Schellbach)
J U N E / J U L Y 2 0 0 6
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Po
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pr
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Sacramento SGMPNewsletter CommitteeLu-Lu Ramos, Board LiaisonTel (916) [email protected]
Brad Charlesworth, CHA, CHSPChair, PhotographerTel (209) [email protected]
Dina FongTel (916) [email protected]
Janice HaydenTel (916) [email protected]
Rich Heitke, CMPTel (916) [email protected]
Sharin SchellbachTel (916) [email protected]
Trish Vásquez, CGMPTel (916) [email protected]
Design: NeoDesign
The PONYXPRESS newsletter ispublished bi-monthly inFebruary, April, June, August,October and December.
Articles are due three weeksprior to the publish date. The deadline for the June/Julyissue is July 10, 2006.
Send articles via email to: Brad Charlesworth at
[email protected] Lu-Lu Ramos at [email protected]
All articles and photography areproperty of the Sacramento Chapterof SGMP and may not be used with-out written permission from theBoard Liaison of this Newsletter.
*Please be advised that submitted articlesare subject to approval and content maybe edited by the Newsletter Committee.
The quality of a person’s life is in direct
proportion to their commitment to excellence,
regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.
—Vince Lombardi
President’s XPRESSIONSby Carla Slink, CGMP, Department of Transportation
The theme for this year was, “It takes Teamwork to Make aDream Work”……….. Mission Accomplished!
Another successful year has been completed and I must say that this Board was not left with any extra time on their hands.With retreats, strategic plans, membership focus, the EducationConference and Trade Show, Silent Auction, the Board meetings,as well as monthly chapter meetings, this Board was keptextremely busy. I want to thank not only this year’s wonderful
Board, but also all of the committee members who stepped up to the plate and tookon enormous challenges in such a short period of time. We tried some awesome ideasthat were suggested at the Membership Retreat and will continue to build on them forthe year to come.
The May National Conference in Denver was wonderful. There was lots of great educational sessions, keynote speakers and leadership opportunities. This year we were delighted to send eight scholarship recipients to the National Education confer-ence: Brad Charlesworth, CHA, CHSP; Pamala Corona, CMP, CGMP; Rich Heitke,CMP; Renee Larsen, Robin Pollock, Susan Sater, Yvonne Shifflette, and WendiWilliamson, CMP. Congratulations to all of you and thank you for your contributionsto the Chapter.
We had three members from our chapter who completed the Looking for Leaders (LFL)class. Congratulations to Robin Pollock, Lu-Lu Ramos, and Susan Sater. They workedvery hard this year to see this commitment through and they should be commended.This year, we sent Yvonne Shifflette to start the Looking for Leaders class and will cheerher on to becoming our next LFL graduate!
Sacramento didn’t stop there. Our very own PONYXPRESS took third place in the CaroleAnne Nelson Newsletter of the Year competition. Congratulations to Lu-Lu Ramos,Brad Charlesworth, CHA, CHSP, Dina Fong, Janice Hayden, Rich Heitke, CMP,Sharin Schellback, and Trish Vasquez, CGMP for a job well done! Now that we are allback safely from Colorado, we look forward to new opportunities and successes for theupcoming year.
In July, the San Francisco Chapter will hold its annual boat cruise. Please check the San Francisco website www.sgmpsf.org for further information. Let’s caravan to San Francisco and show our support. See ya there!
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It was Wednesday in Sacramento andtime to make the sojourn to Denver to
take advantage of what I have heardwill be an excellent opportunity for education, networking with planner andsupplier colleagues, and taking in theMile High City. Wednesday began withanticipation of the conference to comeand meeting SGMP friends at the airport. The flight went well…there’snothing like taking in the stunningsnow-blanketed Rocky Mountains from38,500’ at 550 MPH. Seeing those four-teeners (peaks over 14K’ tall) made mewant to go take a hike. The flight wassmooth except for a few minutes ofroller-coaster chop while descending to the warm plains ofDenver. The Frontier Airlines Airbus crew was humorous and funand the pilot iced the landing.
A big sign welcoming SGMP hung at the Denver InternationalAirport. After retrieving our luggage, we were whisked off to theHyatt Regency by shuttle. On the shuttle we made the acquain-tance of Melinda Watkins, a member from Okalahoma City,and learned about her chapter. I checked in atthe beautiful new 37-story Hyatt Regency andwas welcomed by hotel staff all wearing SGMPConference pins. Next I went up to the SGMPregistration area and met more of my Chapterfriends. Now it was time to get settled in myroom, chill out for a while, check in with myoffice, and get ready for the WelcomeReception. The view west from the 15th floorwas a dramatic and inviting panorama knownas the Rockies: I pulled my chair up to thewindow, put my feet up on the sill and gazedat them for a while, and when I stopped star-ing, I noticed how beautiful and fun down-town Denver looks. The sky was blue with alight breeze and temperatures in the 80s.
I arrived at the welcome reception just a littlebit late and it was hoppin’. Friends were finding each other forthe first time in a year, there was food and libation, and a great
Denver Was Grand!Report on the SGMP National Education Conference from a First Time Planner Memberby Rich Heitke, CMP, California Redevelopment Association
eleven piece band, Funkiphino, got people dancing. I didn’texpect this, but there is an SGMP tradition where everyone wasexchanging stickers and pins from their chapter, town, or state.In fact, I had so many insignia on my name badge that youcould hardly see my name. After the Welcome Reception, I visited the lively and packed Hilton hospitality suite on the 37th floor, and checked in with some Hyatt friends at their function on the 8th floor.
Thursday morning arrived and it was time to get down to conference business with an opening ceremonyfeaturing a solemn, formal presentation of the colors by an Air Force detachment of NCOs. Theroom was pin-drop silent while the airmen wentabout their ritual. Then the National Anthem wasrendered, and finally the conference was called toorder by National President Donna Carey, CGMP,of the Sacramento Chapter. The opening generalsession served a nice American breakfast, afterwhich our keynote address began. Steve Ford,son of President Ford, an actor, lecturer, and evenformer cowboy, delivered an inspiring messageabout character, integrity, personal triumphs andtravails, and the great importance of family leader-ship. Mr. Ford recounted many stories of growingup with his family and a father who rose to theWhite House during difficult times. We learned
Keynote address by Steve Ford
Above: Trish Vasquez, CGMP, Donna Seley andMelissa LaPorte
continued on page 4
Right: Yvonne Shifflette, RobynPollock, Susan Sater and PamalaCorona, CMP, CGMP
Carla Slink, CGMP andCarl Thompson, CGMP
“The view westfrom the 15th floor
was a dramaticand inviting
panorama knownas the Rockies: I
pulled my chair upto the window, putmy feet up on thesill and gazed at
them for a while.”
program ensuedled by a superiormoderator, SandiLynn, CMP. Withskill and grace,Ms. Lynn led aninformative talk-show stylediscussion on thesubject of government challenges and changes featuring speakers Robert Gilbertof HSMAI, Cy Greenidge of the U.S. General ServicesAdministration (GSA), and Bob Haster of Southwest Airlines.Many rose to pose questions to the panelists, especially suppliers, about the decision-making process behind setting perdiem rates. The mood of the audience was strongly in favor ofdeveloping per diem rates based on meeting industry travel asopposed to the only somewhat relevant leisure travel. Mr. Greenidge, whose presence was valuable, insightful, and helpful, was a popular target of questions. He explained/claimedthat the GSA has no source of meeting industry rooming ratedata. Ms. Lynn suggested to the GSA that they work with SGMPto develop such data and base per diem on rates relevant tothose who are subject to it.
After lunch I chose a session from the Technology Trends trackentitled “Critical ExcelTools for MeetingProfessionals.” The classfilled beyond capacity inminutes so I was lucky toshare a computer andlearn from a master andself-proclaimed geeknamed Jim Spellos. Ilearned at least sixadvanced Excel toolsthat, had I known earlier,
would have saved weeks of mylife spent analyzing data. I heardfrom several people that Jim’sPowerPoint class was equallyexcellent, and regret that I didnot make time to take it. Cappingoff the day’s educational opportu-nities for me was an item from
the Legal Review track entitled “Is Your Email a Legal Pain in theNet?,” which was taught by a very highly skilled speaker andself-proclaimed “recovering litigator,”Patricia Eyres, CSP. Ms.Eyres imparted critical information about the permanence and
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J U N E / J U L Y 2 0 0 6 | M E E T I N G I N D U S T R Y N E W S
first-hand that his father, at age 92, is doing very well afterrecovering from pneumonia in the winter.
Mr. Ford told us about something interesting President Ford didfor his children. He gave each of them a notebook in which hehand wrote his personal wisdom about subjects such as how tomake and keep friends and how to sew character and integrityin their lives. I am inspired to collect and write to my daughterssimilarly as they grow up. Mr. Ford reported that it was thosesage writings from his dad that helped him come back from arock bottom brink to a successful career and life. Interestingly,even though his acting career was in high gear with over thirtyHollywood titles under his belt, Mr. Ford was challenged by histhree nieces to do something to add value to his life. So…Stevebegan to address high school and middle school students onthe pitfalls of drugs and alcohol, and now has spoken to over65,000 of them. Finally, Mr. Ford gave us the caveat to expectthe unexpected in our lives, and his speech illustrated how theunexpected changed his and his family’s lives on several occa-sions. At the end of his address, Mr. Ford got a rousing standingO, and we attendees went off to our firstbreakout sessions inspired and charged.
Faced by seven tracks of breakout sessions, my first choice was a sessionfrom the Management Skills track on“Networking for Success” led byKathleen Barton, MBA. Ms. Bartondefined for us what networking reallymeans and taught us how to apply thoseskills at the SGMP conference. I sat withKathleen at breakfast and was surprisedto find that she was my first speaker.Kathleen illustrated for us how to strategically plan our networking at events. After the very recommendable session with Ms. Barton, we proceeded to the luncheon program.
Lunch featured a tasty rendition of seminarchicken served by the elegantly respectfuland attentive Hyatt staff. After a few briefspecial presentations, the luncheon
continued on page 5
Denver continued from page 3
Above (L-R): Sara Soriano-Russell, Wilshire Grand, TrishVasquez, CGMP and TiaSanford, LA, Inc.
Right (L-R): Nancie Brown,Hilton Concord and Lola Laign,Hilton Pleasanton
Top Right: Josh Hinks, CrownePlaza Ventura
Luncheon Panelist (L-R): Cy Greenidge, Robert Gilbertand Bob Haster
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J U N E / J U L Y 2 0 0 6
Denver continued from page 4
traceability of electronic communications, and how they aresought after in lawsuits as indicators of the intent of one’s workproduct. Some of the courses I attended offered such importantcontent that perhaps they should have been required or pre-sented at plenary sessions.
Finally Thursday evening came. I visited the Pacifica Hotels clienthospitality suite, enjoyed dinner with an SGMP friend at Hyatt’selegant and modern house restaurant, and met colleagues fromacross the country at the NATCAP soirée.
Friday morning began with an array of courses and I chose asession from the Supplier Skills track named, “Planning for theUnexpected,” which was facilitated by George Smith, CPF. InGeorge’s session we attendees broke into groups to discuss andplan preparedness and response scenarios to serious and crisissituations.
Next I participated in a session entitled, “When Bad ThingsHappen to Good Meetings – Attrition, Etc.” The speakersincluded one of the foremost meeting contract attorneys, JohnFoster, CHME, who joined fairly effectively via telephone due tocircumstances, and whose partner Chris Jensen, Esq. was present. In this session we delved into attrition, cancellation,and indemnification clauses from the perspective of tried andestablished legal standards. For anyone involved in event contract negotiation, this session was eye-opening and willguide my approach to attrition and cancellation clauses fromhere on out.
Friday evening began with the President’s Reception precedingthe Sam Gilmer Awards Banquet. The elegant gala banquet wassponsored by the hosts of the 2007 SGMP EducationConference (which will mark our 25th anniversary as an organi-zation), the Atlantic City CVA. After a business casual week atSGMP, it felt great to don my best suit for a banquet and program that was a highlight of the conference. The Carol AnnNelson Newsletter of the Year Award was announced and aswell as the Program of the Year, and the Sam Gilmer Plannerand Supplier of the Year.
Saturday morning began for me with my role as a moderatorfor the John Foster session entitled, “What Should be in myContracts with Third Partys and Vendors?” As a moderator, myresponsibilities included scanning the 3D barcodes on attendeebadges so that they would be awarded their continuing educa-tion units for session attendance. Then it was my privilege tocall the session to order and introduce the speaker John Foster,who in turn introduced his partner, Chris Jensen. Finally, as amoderator I honored John Foster with a gift from SGMP,encouraged attendees to give their feedback on evaluationforms, and closed the session. Such responsibilities are typicalexpectations of scholarship recipients since I received theJohnna Meyer Scholarship to attend the conference. I encour-age anyone who hasn’t done so to volunteer for moderatorduties because it gives you an opportunity participate in theconference and directlyinteract with the speakers.
After attending the 2006SGMP National EducationConference, I canstrongly vouch for thequality of the content,program design, speak-ers, banquet functions,tradeshow, and other networking opportu-nities. I encourage allSGMP membersacross the countryto rearrange theirpersonal and pro-fessional schedulesin 2007 and go toAtlantic City.
Sacramento Chapter SGMPSGM
P
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LEADERSHIPby Lu-Lu Ramos, Department of Conservation
In the spring of 2005 I received an email
announcing “Lookingfor Leaders” (a coursefocusing on teaching leadership skills anddeveloping leadersthroughout a volunteerorganization) that theSociety of GovernmentMeeting Professionals(SGMP) would be offering at their National Conference in Sacramento in May2005. The future isalways in the hands ofour leaders and that iswhy SGMP is dedicatedto developing new leaders and leadershipaspirations among itsmembers.
In May 2005 I joined 15up and coming leadersfrom all over the UnitedStates and, with DaveOlsen as our fearless leader we embarked on our year long journey into leadership. Our journey started with a one-dayworkshop at the National Education Conference in Sacramento.Throughout the year we partook in three one-hour conferencecalls, going over assigned readings, personal readings, projectupdates and sharing what was new or challenges we faced. Wealso had to select an individual project that would directly benefit our chapter.
On May 23, 2006, at the National Education Conference inDenver, Colorado, the first leg of my journey came to end, for Iand six (out of the 15) other future leaders attended our lastone-day workshop focusing on our final assignment. We gave gave a five to ten minute presentation on the principles of lead-ership we learned, the challenges we faced with our projects.Then came our proud moment of graduation.
When I received my final assignment from Dave to give a presentation on the leadership principles, ideas, and challenges “I learned this past year from my personal study, personal project, or class, I thought there was no way could I do it.
2005-2006 "Looking ForLeaders" Graduating Class (leftto right) Josette Paige, CNP(Washington, DC), CassandraWebber (Oregon), RobynPollock (Sacramento), LydiaStayyy, CMP (Austin), DaveOlsen (Instructor), Susan Sater(Sacramento), Lu-Lu Ramos(Sacramento), Lynn Armstrong(Dallas) and Rhond Wise,CGMP (Education Foundation)
Dave had to be out of his mind to think I was going to havetime to put a presentation together during my eight hourscheduled work day, let alone get up in front of the class andpresent it. I hate talking in front of a group. I took this class voluntarily through SGMP; he could not hold me accountableto do my presentation.
Did he not realize that I have far too many projects on theburner, deadlines, and end of the fiscal year to deal with at theoffice? Not to mention the work I do for SGMP where we are inthe process of putting the newsletter together which comes outtwo days after the conference, updating the Chapter PolicyManual for the President to take to the President’s roundtable at Nationals, and summarizing the Chapter’s achievements for the year.
But I did what he asked and would like to share with you onepart of my presentation about what I learned on my journeythrough leadership:
Studies show there are several leadership styles:Autocratic – We do it my way
Democratic – We make decisions together
Bureaucratic – We follow the rules
Laissez-faire – We do whatever we want
Then there are several ways to motivate people:Theory X – If I intimidate you, you will do more
Theory Y – If I praise you, you will do more
Theory Z – If we do it together, you will do more
continued on page 13
“On May 23, 2006 at theNational Education Conference inDenver, Colorado, the first leg ofmy journey came to end, for Iand six (out of the 15) otherfuture leaders attended our lastone-day workshop focusing onour final assignment...”
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CMP Review: Character Traits for Meeting Professionalsby Richard Heitke, CMP, California Redevelopment Association
The meeting planner and his or her counterparts on thesupplier side, the sales manager, the convention services
manager, and the banquet captains are the principal figureswho strive to make a meeting successfully meet its goals andobjectives. Whether the Gs and Os are met depends on thebasic human elements that make up character. Success is notachieved on skill and experience alone. Character is not a singular quality, and to say one “has good character” does notdescribe why or how a person does what he or she does.Fortunately, character is not an inherited or fixed gift, andmeeting professionals can cultivate traits in themselves to support the goals and objectives of their organizations.
According to the Character Training Institute (CTI), there are49 character traits and their opposites. The 49 traits are possessed by everyone, and success depends on the degree to which one applies them. Focusing on a few character traits important to meeting professionals will foster one’s accumulated skill and knowledge bases bring success.Examples of character traits include wisdom versus naturalinclinations; patience vs. restlessness; and determination vs.faintheartedness.
Meeting professionals need to foster the characteristics oforganizers within themselves. The next order of business is totouch on and translate some of the traits identified andexplained by the CTI and apply them specifically to plannersand suppliers.
Meeting professionals must, “…visualize final results and directresources for the successful completion of goals.” Planners andsuppliers need to work on their:
Orderliness vs. disorganization
Initiative vs. unresponsiveness
Attentiveness vs. unconcern
Resourcefulness vs. wastefulness
Diligence vs. slothfulness
Thriftiness vs. extravagance (if on a tight budget)
Thoroughness vs. incompleteness
Availability vs. self-centeredness
Alertness vs. unawareness
Generosity vs. stinginess
Responsibility vs. unreliability
Truly describing all of these traits requires hundreds of words foreach. Both suppliers and planners benefit from one of the mostimportant traits, attentiveness versus unconcern. One way the CTIdescribes attentiveness is, “Showing the worth of a person by giving full concentration to his/her words.” For meeting professionals, attentiveness to detail is what is important becauseof the myriad of tasks with which they are faced to bring an eventto successful fruition. Good luck to you and focus on the traitsthat will help you and your organization succeed.
TECH TIPS for the Non-Savvy! by Brad Charlesworth, CHA, CHSP, Heritage Hotel Group
Over the past few issues of “Tech Tips for the Non-Savvy,”we have been looking at how to set up your data base.
Now that we have the information entered, our categories created, and have all of this data available, how do we use it?
One of the most powerful tools that Outlook or Act has is theability to create mailing labels.
A mail merge is a procedure in which you add names andaddresses to mailing labels, envelopes, form letters, catalogs, e-mails, or faxes for mass distribution.
Here is the trick to getting started with doing a mail merge.Open your Internet Explorer and type in the websiteavery.nereosoft.com/ms and download the free mailing pro-gram. The 15 minutes it takes to download the program willsave you countless hours trying to create mailing labels.
Once you have downloaded the program follow these steps:
Step #1. SELECTING THE CONTACTSAfter installing ProWrite, open Microsoft Outlook and highlightone of your contacts. If you want to select more then one
contact, hold the CTRL-key and click on the other contactswith your mouse.
Other Options:
• CTRL-A – Selects all the contacts in the folder.
• Click on the first contact and then hold SHIFT-key and clickon the last contact you want to select and all contacts inbetween will be selected.
Step #2. LABEL DIALOGClick the menu PROWRITE, LABEL. The Label dialog willappear. Here you can select various options, click on the helpbutton to see more information on each of these options. Ifyou select just one contact, then you will see that contact’sinformation.
If you select more then one contact then you will not see thecontact’s information but just “Temporary Group.”
continued on page 14
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CHSP ReviewLost Business Report – Best Dust Collectorby Brad Charlesworth, CHA, CHSP, Heritage Hotel Group
What is the lost business report, and why do I need to
fill it out? Here comes another form to fill out. Doesn’t
management realize I have sales to conduct? I have to fill out
this silly form, and then show it to my Director of Sales.
On the contrary, this “silly” form can make or break your sales
career. It is one of the best lead sheets that you will ever use.
How often have you listened to one of your fellow colleagues
take a phone call and say – “I am sorry we do not have the
space available, have you tried hotel X.” This is the single
largest mistake a salesperson can make, and yes, we have
all done it.
This actually happened at a hotel that I was at. As the Director
of Sales, I asked my salesperson with whom he or she was on
the phone. I was told it was a client looking for space and we
did not have it. I asked them what company they were with.
They told me and my heart started to race. It was a company
that we had been trying to come to our hotel for over a year. I
asked what the contact name and the phone number was. I was
advised they did not get the information that we needed.
In speaking with several meeting planners, they confirmed that,
“this happens all the time.”
Do’s for the Lost Business Report
1) Ensure that you receive all of the person’s information –
Name, Company Name, Address, Phone Number, Fax
Number and Email. Do this even before you quote a price.
2) If you do not have space available, ask if the client is flexible
on their dates. More business has been booked this way by
both the customer and you being flexible.
3) Ask if they have other meetings that come to your area, and
if they do, find out when would be a good time to contact
them for their upcoming events.
4) Finally, if you are unable to accommodate the person, give
them alternatives.
5) Ask them if you can give them a site inspection when their
meeting comes to your area.
6) Make sure to follow up.
I was at a conference and had
a conversation with a salesper-
son on Lost Business reports,
and this salesperson was very
pleased with himself. He
informed me that they filled
out the forms, showed it to
their Director of Sales and then filed the form. I asked one
simple question, “Where is the form?” The individual
responded proudly “it is in a file in my desk.”
Suggestions on how to use a Lost Business Report
1) Don’t let the paper become clutter in a file.
2) Make sure to file the form by month.
3) Use it as a lead generation source.
4) Set a time to follow up with clients that you were unable to
book and phone them.
5) Follow up with the client.
Sounds easy enough, but if you have asked enough questions
while you have them on the phone, this can be one of the best
lead generating sources you have.
If the person on the phone says that this is an annual event, you
know that you should be following up with the client around
the same time the following year. If I get a call in January for a
meeting in October and it is an annual event, I know that the
following year in January I should be calling the client to ask if
they have set their dates for October.
What a great way to generate business! We are all trying to gen-
erate new business, and these reports are a great source. Phone
the people who you know are booking in your area, and you
already have all of their information. Remember…when you are
asked to fill out the Lost Business Report, it is not just another
form for you to complete. It can eventually lead to your next
booking, and make you the superstar in the office.
If the person on thephone says that this is an
annual event, you knowthat you should be follow-
ing up with the clientaround the same time the
following year.
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Is CGMP for Me?by Donna Carey, CGMP, SGMP National President
We seem to be talking a lot about the Certified
Government Meeting Professional (CGMP) certification,
and intriguing as it may be, everyone is trying to learn more.
Our SGMP Headquarters Office continues to receive a number
of calls asking about the certification and every meeting
organization is now looking to develop their own. How great
this is that we in “Government” are ahead for once. This new
certification will soon be available for our Supplier members too.
A couple of months ago, I received a call from the FBI. No, they
were not investigating me, but it was a call to find out more
about SGMP. I had to ask Carl Thompson, our Executive
Director to meet with them in Washington, D.C. As you can
imagine, the FBI does quite a few meetings. We were delighted
when their entire office joined SGMP, and it will be required for
each of their meeting planners to take the CGMP certification
class. In fact, it comes a step raise. We are very excited about
this endeavor and continue to pursue more government offices
in promoting SGMP and the CGMP certification.
On a personal note, I recently applied for a meeting planning
position at another department. When the interviewer asked
his colleague if the CGMP was the same as the CMP – the
colleague said “OH NO, she has the Government Certification.”
This took me by surprise, and I probably missed the next
question, still not believing what I had just heard her say, but
how rewarding it was to hear her speak so highly of the CGMP
classification even if it was only seven words. I didn’t get the
job, but another very qualified SGMP individual did.
My hope is that we can gather a chapter team to work on this
project in conjunction with the State Personnel Board and see
what we can do to get that extra step in our salary for the
CGMP. Any takers on helping us get there????
J U N E / J U L Y 2 0 0 6 | E D U C AT I O N A L N E W S
Chicken Nori Salad Rolls2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 quarts water
1/2 pound dried thin rice noodles
1 large English cucumber
12 sheets toasted nori
1/3 cup thinly sliced pickled ginger, drained
12 pieces red leaf lettuce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
3/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons prepared wasabi
DirectionsIn large saucepan, place water over high heat and bringto a boil. Add chicken, return to boil, cover and removefrom heat; let stand about 15 minutes or until chicken isno longer pink. With tongs, lift chicken and immerse in
cold water to cool; lift outand drain. Return water insaucepan to a boil, add ricenoodles and stir to separate.Return to boil, cover andremove from heat. Let standabout 3 minutes until noo-dles are tender; drain,immerse in cold water anddrain again. Slice chicken crosswise into 1/4-inch strips. Cutcucumber lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices, and then cut length-wise into sticks. Lay one nori sheet on flat surface; arrange 3chicken slices, end to end, in horizontal line; top with gingerslices. Arrange one cucumber stick at edge of lettuce piece androll tightly. Place lettuce roll on ginger and distribute 1/3 cup ricenoodles evenly over lettuce. Fold nori over filling and roll tightly,moistening edge to press and seal. Repeat process and arrangenori rolls, seam down, on platter. Cut crosswise and sprinkle withsesame seeds. Mix together soy sauce and wasabi; serve as dip.Makes 8 servings.
RECIPE BOX
In honor of the 2006 SGMP National Education Conference
A recipe from the award winning kitchen of Lisa Carr, Cedaredge, Colorado
Sandy Ujiiye is a conference planner withthe California Department ofTransportation, better known as CalTrans.She has been at her current position forfive and a half years. Her favorite thingabout her job is the people she gets tomeet and work with and the worse thing iswhen people don’t meet deadlines theyare given.
She plans about 50-60 meetings a year,the largest being about 250. Her favoriteplace to hold a meeting in California isSan Diego.
Sandy joined SGMP in 2001 to networkand meet people. She says her favoriteSGMP activity that she has attended wasthe Education Conference at Lions Gatelast February.
Born in Fargo, North Dakota, Sandy cameto California when she joined the AirForce. She worked as an aircraft mechanicon C-5s, C-141s, and F-16s in Spain for six
years, and then ended up at Travis Air Force Base after she gotout of the service. She shares that one unique fact about herthat most people would be surprised to know is that sheworked as a correctional officer for seven years in hopes ofbecoming a correctional counselor.
She currently resides in Vacaville and has been married for fiveyears to Warren and has two children, one stepdaughter, and afive-year-old granddaughter named Nya. Sandy loves being agrandmother and letting Nya help her in the kitchen and bakecookies and stir things for dinner. She also has a 13-year-old“puppy” named Teddy who’s half cocker spaniel and half lhasaapso.
In her spare time, Sandy enjoys exercising, reading, and scrapbooking. She describes herself as “clumsy,” “active,” and “prompt.”
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Supplier Profile – Jennifer Zajac Winters Holiday Inn Capitol Plaza – Downtown by Dina Fong, Department of Education
Jennifer Zajac Winters is a sales manager atthe Holiday Inn Capitol Plaza in DowntownSacramento and holds a degree in hoteladministration from the University ofNevada, Las Vegas.
Born in Lodi, she has been in the hospitalityindustry for 17 years. In addition to sales,she has worked in various capacities such asfront desk, housekeeping, concierge, andguest services. Her career has taken her tothe Bay Area, Boston, Japan, and HongKong.
Her favorite aspect about the Holiday InnCapitol Plaza is the location as well as theirrecently renovated rooms. Jennifer says, “I love the excitement that comes withworking in a hotel. In addition to the excitement, I truly enjoy getting to knowmy clients and making them happy.” Sheadds that the worst part about her job is
leaving her infant daughter in the morning.
Jennifer and her husband, Richard Winters, had a beautiful baby girl, Christine Allison Iris last November. Named after twograndmothers and one great-grandmother, Christine possessesblue eyes and red hair and loves her parents’ hospitality friends.The Winters’ family also includes two black Labradors and onebunny…all female.
Besides baby Christine, the latest excitement for Jennifer and Rich is finalizing the purchase of a bed and breakfast in Volcano(Amador County). Be sure and visit some time!
A member of SGMP since 1998, Jennifer enjoys networking withgovernment meeting planners and says her favorite activity hasbeen the 2000 National Convention in San Diego.
Describing herself as “genuine,” “fun,” and “dedicated,” Jenniferpractices yoga to relax. One unique fact we would find surprisingabout her is that she once won a Jell-o wrestling contest!
Planner Profile – Sandy Ujiiye CalTrans by Dina Fong, Department of Education
Know someone you’d like to see featured in the next“Supplier or Planner Personality Profile?” Please emailDina Fong at [email protected].
PonyXpress
“In addition tosales, she has
worked in vari-ous capacitiessuch as frontdesk, house-
keeping,concierge, and
guest services.”
“Sandy plansabout 50-60
meetings ayear, the largest
being about250. Her
favorite place tohold a meetingin California is
San Diego.”
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April Meeting
Viva! SacSGMP!!! by Susan Sater and Renee LarsenDepartment of Transportation
The Italian flags were waving, the wine was flowing, thepasta was buona, and the bidding was Con piacere!
A great time was had by all who attended the Silent Auction atthe Clarion Hotel in Downtown Sacramento. James Lynton,Director of Sales, was a wonderful host, and served as emcee forthe event. Over 80 attendees bid on over 75 auction items, andover $8,000 was raised!
Mille Grazie to all the hotels and chefs that participated andcreated lots of fun and food. A special thanks to Nancy Gewekeand the Lodi Convention and Visitors Bureau for hosting thewine tasting.
Pasta Sauce Cook-off Participants:
Holiday Inn Sacramento Capitol Plaza—Dan Clarizio
Doubletree Hotel Sacramento—Charlie Connell
Marriott Hotel Rancho Cordova—Jose Gallegos
Delta King Sacramento—Julian Vasquez
Chef Charlie from the Doubletree wowed the voters with hiswonderful shrimp sauce and won the competition.
The Committee:
Gail LaTona was the brains behind the committee and themefor this year’s event. Gail even earned hazard pay, breaking herankle just moments before the event started. Returning from theemergency room in a wheelchair, Gail closed out theevening.
Special music was provided by Awesome Classic Sounds andowner Joe LaTona. Joe kept us entertained while gettingupdates on wife Gail from the hospital.
Thanks to Silent Auctioncommittee membersSusan Sater, (Co-Chair); Robin Pollock(Collection, Inventory,Check-out); EmilySchroeder (Registration);Renee Larsen(Decorations); TeriOnorato and KaraleeAdams(Solicitationof AuctionItems).
Ah, la dolcevita!
Teng Lorenzo and Nancy Vasquez meet duringthe Silent Auction
Anna Goehringand Debi Collenshared some ofthe fine bever-ages made inour area.
Chefs Dan Clarizio, Charlie Connell, JoseGallegas and Julian Vasquez
A Night in Tuscany. . .
Pasta Sauce Cook-off
Winner Charlie Connell,Doubletree Hotel Sacramento
Jose Gallegos, MarriottHotel Rancho Cordova
Julian Vasquez, Delta KingSacramento
Dan Clarizio, Holiday InnSacramento Capitol Plaza
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A Day In The Life Of A Supplierby Lisa Bell, Wyndham Hotels
The venue was the Holiday Inn Capital Plaza, the topic, “ADay in the Life of a Supplier” aka, “Supplier 102.”
Lisa Bell, Wyndham Hotels, was joined by a panel includingTeri Onorato, L.A. Athletic Club; James Lynton, Clarion HotelMansion Inn; and Michael Trillo, InterContinental Hotels Groupwho explained how sales people have to justify certain pieces ofbusiness to their bosses. With sales returning to hotels in levelsseen before the 9/11 era, it is becoming more difficult to placegovernment business in some hotels.
The one common theme from the meeting was that flexibilityand relationships are crucial in booking meetings. Ensuring thatwhen a Request for Proposal is sent that it is flexible, but spe-cific in what is important to a planner. For example being ableto hold a meeting on a Monday and a Tuesday when a hotelmay have lower occupancies.
Communication was also cited as another key factor, statingthat having statistics from past meetings will help ensure thebest fit for the meetings.
Overall, it was a greatopportunity for all of us tolearn how different hotelsaccept bids for differentmeetings, and how we areall able to work together toprovide the best service fordifferent size groups.
Hats off to the Holiday InnCapitol Plaza for providing us with an excellent venue for learning and to celebrate Cinco De Mayo.
A feature article on “Supplier 101” will be placed in theAugust/September issue of the PONYXPRESS focusing on this meeting.
May Meeting
Teri Onorato, James Lynton and Micheal Trillo provided their expertiseon how to book government meetings
Lisa Bell gave us the basic facts on how to book government meetings
Rich Winters, Raquel Correa, and Wendi Williamson, CMP meet beforethe May meeting
Communication was alsocited as another key factor,
stating that having statisticsfrom past meetings will help
ensure the best fit for themeetings.
When work, commitment and pleasure all become one and you
reach that deep well where passionlives, nothing is impossible
—Anonymous
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Committee Mailboxby Janice Hayden, California State University, Sacramento
Community Service Committee: At our Annual MembershipRetreat in August, the Committee will select the charities andspecial projects the Chapter will be working on in the fall andwinter.
Elections Committee: This election made history. For the firsttime, we had a tie for a position. A run-off election for the oneDirector Planner position was held at our May Chapter Meeting.The committee is pleased to announce the 2006-2007 BoardElection results:
President Carla SlinkFirst Vice President Emily SchroederSecond Vice President Lisa BellSecretary Lu-Lu RamosTreasurer Donna DottiDirector Planner Crystal SpencerDirector Planner Karl Bauer, CMP (Contract Planner)Director Supplier Teri Onorato
The new Board will be installed at our June 1, 2006, meeting.
Membership: If you are interested in being a part of this committee, please contact Trish Vasquez at:[email protected] or (916) 651-9111.
Program Committee: The committee has been busy workingon securing a location for the August membership retreat. Theyare also looking ahead to the next education program inSeptember. A choice of speakers has been targeted and thecommittee is working toward getting the program set up.
If you wish to join us for the ride, as committee member or as achapter meeting coordinator, get in touch with Yvonne at:[email protected] or (916) 654-2147.
We very much appreciate your program evaluations as they help guide us to provide top quality programs for this great chapter.
Never be bullied into silence. Never
allow yourself to be made a victim.
Accept no one’s definition of your life,
but define yourself.
—Harvey S. Firestone
So what traits must a leader have?
Vision – to see the whole scope of the project.
Detail oriented – to see the minute details that need to be takencare of.
Compassion – for the job and for the people who they work with.
Drive – To not let obstacles get in their way
A Delegator – Know what they need to do, and what they canassign to others.
Understanding – Knowing peoples limits.
Fair and Consistent
The most important leadership skill is keeping everyone involvedand feeling ownership to the process/group.
Some of the Leadership Principles that I incorporated into mydaily life this year were:
Seeing – Leadership requires vision. Developing a vision requiresthe ability to see. To look backward and see clearly what has happened. To see what’s in front of your noise, the present tense.To see ahead to the next day when the challenges will be greater.To see the future that will become a reality.
Listening – All can hear, but few really listen. How to listen to col-leagues and collaborators, how to listen to markets and constituen-cies, and how to listen to yourself – all through the endless din ofthe present, the voices of the past, and the future is vital.
Communications – Tone, what is said and non verbal
Fitness – Leadership requires strength and endurance in allareas—physical, mental, and moral. Because leadership is a heavyload, it is a long journey that drains resources.
In closing, I would like to share this poem I came across duringmy studies. The author is unknown.
The LeaderThe boss drives group members; the leader coaches them.
The boss depends upon authority; the leader on good will.
The boss inspires fear; the leader inspires enthusiasm.
The boss says “I”; the leader says “we.”
The boss assigns the task; the leader sets the pace.
The boss says, “Get there on time”; the leader gets there aheadof time.
The box fixes the blames for the breakdown; the leader fixes thebreakdown.
The boss knows how it is done; the leader shows how.
The boss makes work drudgery; the leader makes it a game.
The boss says, “Go”; the leader says, “let’s go.”
Leadership continued from page 6
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Membership Statistics by Janice Hayden, California StateUniversity, Sacramento
Government Planners 108
Contract Planners 11
Retired 4
Student 1
Suppliers 107
Total Chapter Membership 231
Government Planners 52.7%
Suppliers 47.3%
PonyXpress
With a new Board brings a new beginning. On August 3, 2006, from12:00 to 5:00 p.m. the Sacramento Chapter of the Society of
Government Meeting Professionals will be holding their Annual MembershipRetreat at the Hampton Inn & Suites Sacramento Airport – Natomas, 3021 Advantage Way, Sacramento. A reception will immediately follow thePlanning Meeting.
This annual meeting is designed to meet the new board, hear the goals forthe year, form committees, and with the help of the membership, plan out the entire year. Your participation is vital to having a successful year. Comeprepared to join a committee and get involved.
Registration will start at 11:30 a.m., lunch will be served at noon and the planning meeting will run from 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m.
August Meeting Membership Retreatby Janice Hayden, California State University, Sacramento
Board Talkby Lu-Lu Ramos, Department of Conservation
As our term comes to an end, wereflect upon our Strategic Plan
and review our goals and accomplish-ments. The Board members are excitedabout the National Conference and arelooking forward to seeing all our manyfriends within the SGMP family inDenver.
Some of the other items the Board hasbeen working on include:
• Policy Manual
• Raising money for the NationalCharity, the Colorado TherapeuticRiding Center
• Installation of the new Board
• Upcoming programs
• Year end
The Board would like to thank JamesLynton and the Clarion Hotel for hosting our monthly Board meetingsthis past year.
The transitional Board meeting will beheld on Wednesday, May 31, 2006, atthe Clarion Hotel starting at 4:30 pm.
Board minutes are available uponrequest.
June Meeting Installation of Officersby Carla Slink, CGMP, Department of Transportation
Board the Riverboat Delta King, 1000 Front Street in Sacramento on June 1,2006, to install our new Board, honor the Planner and Supplier of the Year
and see who receives the “Pony-Up” and “Partnership” Awards. I will also reporton the Chapter’s accomplishments and present the President’s Award.
Come help us celebrate our accomplishments and congratulate the award winners.
Registration begins at 4:30 p.m. with the festivities running from 5:00 p.m. to6:30 p.m.
Tech Tips continued from page 7
The Avery template being created is listed at the top of the Label dialog. To select adifferent Avery template click on the help button to see a list of all available Averytemplates.
To create the labels click on OK.
(Note: If this is the first time you are using ProWrite you will be asked to fill in yourSender Information which is used for return address information on envelopes,labels, faxes, and letters. IMPORTANT: Please make sure to fill in the country informa-tion as it is used by ProWrite to determine if the country will be added to labels orenvelopes going outside of the country.)
Step #3. PRINTING THE LABEL Microsoft Word will open and an Avery label sheet will be displayed with the contact or contacts merged into the sheet of labels ready to print. Now insert theAvery label sheet into your printer and click on FILE Menu on the top right hand ofthe menu bar, click on print, or just click on the printer icon located on your tool bar.
You will not believe how easy it is to create mailing labels once you have downloaded this program.
During the next issue of Tech Tips for the Non Savvy, we will look at how to createletters while using our contacts in Outlook.
J U N E / J U L Y 2 0 0 6 | C H A P T E R N E W S
The Society of Government MeetingProfessionals (SGMP) enjoys interaction ofgovernment meeting planners (local, stateand federal), suppliers who support gov-ernment market and contract plannerswho work with government planners.SGMP is a national organization with chapters throughout the United States.
The SGMP Sacramento Chapter charteredin June 1988 with 37 members. TheChapter has grown to over 200 supportivemembers, and is now the second largestchapter in the U.S. Our Web site iswww.sgmpsac.org.
The National Web site can be viewed atwww.sgmp.org.
Remember to log in on the “MembersOnly” section by using the first four lettersof your last name and your membershipnumber.
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Board of Directors
SecretaryLu-Lu RamosTel (916) [email protected]
TreasurerDonna D. Dotti
Tel (916) [email protected]
DirectorLisa BellTel (619) 338-3604 [email protected]
Sacramento Chapter
DirectorGail LaTonaTel (916) [email protected]
DirectorKit GonzalesTel (916) [email protected]
Immediate Past PresidentJanice HaydenTel (916) [email protected]
PresidentCarla Slink, CGMPTel (916) [email protected]
1st Vice PresidentEmily M. SchroederTel (916) [email protected]
2nd Vice PresidentJames LyntonTel (916) ) 444-8000
Chapter EVENT CALENDAR
June 1, 2006
Installation of Officers
Riverboat Delta King1000 Front StreetSacramento, CA
Registration: 4:30 p.m.Meeting: 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
July 2006
No meeting
August 3, 2006
Annual Membership Retreat
Hampton Inn & SuitesSacramento Airport – Natomas3021 Advantage WaySacramento, CA
Registration: 11:30 a.m.Lunch: 12:00 p.m.Planning Meeting: 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.Reception: 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Vision The Sacramento SGMP Chapteris universally recognized within theindustry as the premier resource for thegovernment meeting profession.
Mission Expand the knowledge andexpertise of Government MeetingProfessionals through education, training, advocacy and industry relations to ensure cost-effective meetings and provide added value toeach organization.
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