Jobs available with Harrah's Entertainment!

Harrah's Entertainment has many jobs available at each of their Atlantic City Hotels:

• Harrah's Resort





• Caesars





• Showboat





• Ballys

Jobs range from hourly part-time positions to salaried full-time positions.

If you are interested in seeing a list of all positions available, please see their career website: http://www.harrahsacjobs.com/ .

Subscribe to this Blog!

Hey Everyone! I finally added the Subscription Gadget to this blog, so now you are all able to subscribe, and get updates directly to whichever mail service you use.

Makes it easier to keep up-to-date on whats going on in the industry, and jobs that are available.

Just click on the "Subscribe to this Blog" link on the right.

Have a great weekend!

Belinda

Event Planning/Tradeshow Internships Available

Digest Tradeshow Management is seeking full-time temporary Event Planning Interns for their October 19-22nd Limousine Digest Tradeshow at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, NJ.

Learn more about Event Management at this tradeshow working directly with a Certified Special Event Professional (CSEP) and earn credits toward your event planning certificate program, where applicable.

Job Description:

• registration of attendees,
• greeting attendees,
• directing guests to proper event rooms,
• verifying credentials on tradeshow floor,
• monitoring educational sessions,
• pre-event set-up of three night time parties,
• event management during parties,
• silent auction coordination at fund-raiser
• various other tasks as assigned by Show Director or Show Manager.

Requirments:

• Full time availability,
• strong organizational ability,
• communication skills,
• data entry,
• presentation skills

At least sixteen (16) positions are available for October 19-22, 2008. Interns will be provided with most meals, a Per Diem rate stipend, and shared rooms during their internship.

If interested, please contact:
Megan Kline, CSEP ~ Show Director
29 Fostertown Road
Medford, NJ 08055
1-888-546-6344 ext. 251
609-975-2223 cell phone
megan@LimoShow.com

Tips for Electronic Resume Submission

In the September 2008 issue ofMeetings West, Sheryl Sookman Schelter wrote a great article with tips for how to get your resume to stand out when submitting an electronic copy. These tips are also really useful for a hard copy resume as well.

You can see the article by Clicking Here: http://www.meetingsfocus.com/displayarticle.asp?id=10828

Harry’s Savoy Grill & Ballroom - Now Hiring!

NOW HIRING!!

Ballroom/Event Captain

Are you serious about HOSPITALITY? And exceeding the guests’ expectations? Then come be your best with our award-winning team!!!!!

Responsibilities:

• Assists the Director of Special Events with the complete coordination of service to all ballroom and off-premise events in accordance with Harry’s established standards to ensure successful execution. Exceeds the guest’s expectations and Harry’s expectations of high quality of service and continuously improving that quality of service.

• Responsible for supervising and training ballroom and event service and set-up staff. Greets guests prior to the onset of the event and is present throughout its duration to assist in areas where needed. Continually directs and assists staff during the entire event to ensure that all details are carried out according to the guest’s specifications. Periodically checks with the guests to ensure satisfaction with the event and to responds to any additional requests.

Experience:

• Ballroom, off-premise event and/or restaurant experience required. Experience in various phases of ballroom and event operation preferred. Supervisory experience preferred.

• Must posses a general knowledge of food & beverage and computers.

• Must be guest focused and service oriented.

Harry’s is a GREAT PLACE TO WORK!!!!

http://www.harrys-savoy.com/

Offering great benefits, flexible schedule, ongoing training and education and growth opportunities.

DON’T DELAY – SUBMIT YOUR RESUME NOW to:

Nicole Stepaniak–Director of Human Resources
e-mail nicole@harrys-savoy.com
fax: 302-475-9990
phone: 302-475-3000
orApply in person: 2020 Naamans Road Wilmington, DE 19810

Don't Forget Scholarship Applications Due OCTOBER 1, 2008!!!

Click Here for More info!

Q&A with Kristina Kollock - University of Delaware Chapter President

I had the opportunity to sit down to chat with Kristina Kollock, the incoming President of the University of Delaware chapter of PCMA, about her internship and plans for the UD Chapter. Kristina participated in a great internship over the summer with Planning Factory International, and will be continuing to work with them throughout the school year.

Belinda: So what have you been up to all summer, Kristina?

Kristina: This summer I did take a few trips to the beach, one to Wildwood, NJ and a few to Rehoboth Beach,DE for a few long weekends. I also went on a Disney Cruise with my family, highly recommend by the way!!

This summer , I also had the opportunity to participate in an internship with Planning Factory International in Wilmington, DE. This destination management and corporate planning company is a well-known company that creates stunning events. With event planning in my future, I was thrilled when they asked me to work for them and I gladly accepted. This has been a great experience and I have learned so much about the industry in such a short period of time.

Belinda: What was your experience like upon starting and what projects did you work on with the Planning Factory?

Kristina: In May, when I began the internship, it was their busiest time. I was thrown into a new job and had to quickly acclimate myself with the office and the tasks at hand. Immediately, however, I felt welcomed and found that being forced to do things that I had never done actually made me learn faster and better. For example, ordering linens and décor for a number of events from many different vendors and suppliers was at first intimidating because I had no idea of the variety that existed of sizes, colors, and designs. I found myself stepping up and making important decisions that honestly, I didn’t feel I should be making, but due to the busy time, it had to be done.

Belinda: How has this experience helped you along your path to find a career?

Kristina: These pressuring times only helped me to learn and in the end made me a better intern. I was able to gain respect from the event planners, as well as, trust. The staff knew they could rely on me in times of need to complete the tasks at hand. Every day is a learning experience and I love going to work knowing that no two days will be the same. I have been challenged this summer, but have had the opportunity to work with an experienced and successful team. I look forward to working with them throughout my senior year and building my character for the future.

Belinda: So, what are your plans for the fall?

Kristina: As the fall school year begins, I will take what I have learned from my experiences at Planning Factory International and apply it to my new role as President of the University of Delaware student chapter of PCMA. With new ideas and strong leadership skills, our club will be active on campus and try to involve and show students what PCMA is all about. This year, our club plans on attending the PCMA Annual Convention in New Orleans, LA, as well as, host our 7th Annual PCMA Roundtable event, and our 2nd Annual PCMA Social. We also plan on getting more involved with educational events on campus and even creating our first student website.

Belinda: Sounds like a full agenda. Tell me a little bit more about the events your chapter is planning.

Kristina: Last year, we successfully fundraised and held our First Annual PCMA social. This was a great hit among the students and was very successful. It was a great way to get PCMA members and non-members from our major together to network, have fun, and raise money for our trip to Seattle. We also hosted our 6th Annual PCMA Roundtable event, during which we hosted 10 industry professionals from the surrounding areas. At this event, the students had an opportunity to network, ask questions and learn about a variety of jobs that are in the industry and the opportunities that are possible.

Belinda: What are you goals for the University of Delaware Chapter of PCMA this year?

Kristina: I look forward to growing and strengthening the membership of our club with the help of my Vice President, Stefanie Kahn, and Faculty Advisor, Brian Miller; as well as, making students better aware of PCMA and how rewarding it is to be a member of such a prestigious association!

Belinda: So, one last question: Do you like red sauce or green sauce on your enchiladas?

Kristina: Red sauce on my enchiladas haha!

How I spent my summer vacation…. In Taipei.

This summer I was given the opportunity to travel to Taipei, Taiwan to work on the Soroptimist International of the Americas 40th Biennial Convention. I worked with Soroptimist Meetings Manager, Eva Matyskiela, CMP last summer completing my junior internship working on the Soroptimist Professional Development Seminar and was invited back in March 2008 to begin work on the upcoming convention.

The 40th Biennial convention was made up of 1,800 women from the United States, Canada, Latin and South America, Korea, Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines. The convention spanned four days and was preceded by three days of leadership meetings and took place between three different locations.

My main responsibilities prior to leaving for Taiwan included organizing registration forms, creating confirmation and visa letters, updating hotel rooming lists, flight information and banquet event orders, creating VIP seating and speaking charts, and creating VIP name tents.

When I started back at Soroptimist in March, I was excited for Taiwan, but it still seemed so far away. But as time passed and that July 11th departure date grew closer and closer, my excitement grew higher and higher. Seventeen members of the headquarters staff would travel to Taipei and I was the only intern out of four to go.

The flight was long. Five hours to the west coast then thirteen hours to Taipei. This was the first time I had ever left the continent, but I was comforted in San Francisco when I saw Soroptimists who recognized me from the previous year’s conference. We landed in Taipei Saturday night and had less than 24 hours until the first event took place. And so it began…

The first three days were consumed with leadership meetings at the Shangri-La Far Eastern Plaza Hotel, a hotel brand that is not yet in the United States. During this time, my responsibilities included registration, checking room sets, tent card placement, and any other errands or jobs that the Executive Director or my boss needed me to do. One crazy adventure ensued when Patricia Chang, the Taiwan Region Secretary and I had to travel to several banks to get as much NT$ (new Taiwan dollar) in the smallest size bills and coins to use for change at the convention.

We then moved to the Grand Hyatt Taipei, our convention hotel and the Taipei International Convention Center for the four days of convention. The convention itself was comprised of two dinners (each with more than one seating), four general sessions, and three sets of six educational sessions. My main responsibilities included checking room sets, placement of signage and VIP seating tent cards, coordinating interpretation equipment and emerging leader’s information, but primarily keeping my boss from losing her mind.

Through this experience I was able to not only learn how a convention is created and implemented, but also different international practices and etiquette. While we did work with people in Taiwan who hold the same positions in the convention industry as we have here in the United States, there are great differences in how business is taken care of. Also, I was able to interact with and learn from women from over 13 countries. This was an amazing learning experience that I was given the chance to take part in and while it was a lot of work, I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Astrid Schrier
Temple University

Student Panel Participant at PCMA Leadership Conference

Sitting in the Biltmore Bowl where Shirley Temple once accepted an Academy Award, the tables were turned as I was mentoring industry professionals. PCMA sponsored my trip to the Los Angeles Millennium Biltmore Hotel for the annual PCMA Leadership Conference. I was selected along with three other students to participate in a Reverse Mentoring Session.

PCMA’s Leadership Conference is a two day program designed for senior leadership who want to expand their skill set and emerging leaders who wish to gain tools for success. The setting is very intimate compared to PCMA’s Annual Meeting therefore the attendees are all a close network. Sessions focus on leadership development, motivation, personality types, and innovation. Attendees are challenged to step out of their comfort zones and learn more about themselves and those around them.

Reverse Mentoring was a two step process, starting with breakfast on the first full day. I was pre-assigned several mentees who joined me for breakfast and conversation about Generation Y. Contrary to what I’m used to, I was leading the discussion while industry professionals where taking notes. Mentoring in this new position helped me grow and develop my own leadership skills while giving my mentees tools to use in their companies. During the second step of the process, my mentees presented and discussed what they learned from our discussion. During their presentation to the general group, there was opportunity for questions and additional discussion.

Once again PCMA has provided me with an amazing educational and networking experience. The Leadership Conference is unlike any other PCMA event I’ve attended, and I plan to attend in the future after graduation. I was so privileged to attend this conference with so many great professionals as well as provide learning opportunities for them about my generation.

Ashley Akright
Vice President
PCMA Penn State Student Chapter

Scholarship Applications Due October 1, 2008!!

Annual Meeting Scholarship
The PCMA Education Foundation is sponsoring a scholarship for up to three (3) students to work and attend the 2009 PCMA Annual Meeting in New Orleans, LA. This is an opportunity for student members to join industry professionals and gain valuable experience that will prepare them for a career in the meetings industry.

Chairman's Scholarship
This annual award will allow up to two (2) PCMA student members to attend the 2009 PCMA Annual Meeting in New Orleans, LA. This is an excellent opportunity to network with Industry Leaders and fellow students while enjoying the special distinction of being a 2008 "Chairman's Scholar."

Student Chapter of the Year (SCOTY) Award
The annual Student Chapter of the Year (SCOTY) Award is awarded to up to 4 (four) PCMA student chapters that best demonstrate overall leadership, academic excellence, community/campus involvement, web site development, membership growth and participation in the hospitality industry. This scholarship is sponsored by the PCMA Education Foundation. The four winning chapters are awarded up to $500 to fund an educational, community service or membership program to spend during the 2008-2009 school year.

To find out more information and apply for any of these scholarships, please CLICK HERE or go to the PCMA Education Foundation Website: http://www.pcma.org/Header_Pages/Foundation.htm

September 24th Meeting with Joan Eisenstodt!

Hello Everyone!

The Greater Philadelphia Chapter of PCMA is pleased to have Joan Eisenstodt as our speaker for the upcoming meeting on September24, 2008 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center!

STUDENTS: Joan Eisenstodt, a widely-recognized and knowledgable industry leader, has asked to meet with any students who will be in attendance at this meeting. She is a wonderful resource for members of our industry, and is a huge supporter of Students in PCMA.

If you would like to attend, please email gppcma@comcast.net . If you are a student and would like to attend, but will not have transportation, please let us know!

Agenda:
11:30 - Registration
12 noon - Lunch and opening remarks
12:30pm-1:30 - Program

Location:The Pennsylvania Convention Center
1101 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-418-4700

MEETING SYNOPSIS:
Meetings Beyond Logistics: The Art Science of Learning at Meetings.

How do you know when your attendees gained the most out of the meeting? Was the educational aspect well received and understood? Did the program deliver a high and positive return on investment for the attendee's time?

Joan Eisenstodt will be with us to talk about "Meetings Beyond Logistics: The Art Science of Learning at Meetings". In this interactive session discover your own learning style, preferences, and explore the different ways in which education can be delivered at meetings and conferences. Through exercises and experiences, learn how to spice up the learning at your own meetings. For the suppliers among the audience, learn how to be consultative to your clients in their use of space and room sets, adding value to your services. Joan will helps us to gain a better understanding of how to use these tools to better select sites, prepare speakers and ensure return on participants' time.

Joan brings more than 30 years of experience to her work. She founded Eisenstodt Associates, a Washington, DC-based conference and hospitality consulting, facilitation and training company in 1981. She works with corporations, associations, professional societies, foundations, hotel companies and CVBs to facilitate and design meetings, negotiate contracts, and provides training. Active in PCMA since the mid '80s, and other industry and non-industry associations, Joan's passions for life-long learning and meeting excellence have been well-recognized: she was one of the first four recipients of HSMAI's Pacesetter Award, of IACC's prestigious Pyramid Award, "Planner of the Year" by MPI, inducted into the CIC Hall of Leaders, and most recently PCMA presented Joan with a life-time achievement as an educator honor.

Hyatt Regency Washington Available Positions

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Hyatt Regency Washington
400 New Jersey Avenue, NW,
Washington, DC 20001

Management Positions,
Assistant Banquet/CS Manager,
Assistant Executive Steward,
Associate Director of Catering,
Associate Director of Sales,
Catering Manager,
Pastry Supervisor,
Sales Manager

What are employers in the Hospitality, Tourism, Events Industry Looking For?

This was a post by Joan L. Eisenstodt on the MIForum (Meetings Industry Forum). This post contains a lot of good information on what employers are looking for in potential candidates in our industry, as well as, some of the hot topics of today that potential job candidates should do research on. If you would like to see the entire post CLICK HERE.

The MIForum is a great place to find information on our industry and discuss between professionals. If you would like to access MIForum CLICK HERE.

Topics Covered:
1) What the appropriate training or life experiences are to get into this industry.

2) If there is too much 101 v. exploration, etc.

3) The CORE knowledge base for our industry.

1. As I've helped clients over many years identify the qualities and skills desired in those being interviewed for positions in meetings departments and when we've interviewed people for those jobs, there are some things that stand out:

• Desire to learn demonstrated by what the person reads, watches, listens to;
• Inquiring mind demonstrated by the research the person has done about the company or organization with whom they are interviewing and the questions asked;
• The ability to communicate demonstrated by written and verbal communications;
• Broader knowledge of the world of business and the world demonstrated by the knowledge of what's in the news and the impact on our industry/the work to be done.
• What other experiences they've had. (Those experiences do NOT have to be in this industry or even a related one - life experiences can lead to great successes depending on the experiences and what one has learned.)

For those who have been in the industry even a short time, there are different questions and a different look:

• How have they continued learning (This goes even more for those who have achieved a CMP, CMM, MTA, or any advanced certification or degree. )

2. There is never enough 101! I am heartsick that MPI has suspended (for this year they say) MPI's Institute program this year. There are virtually NO "101" programs being done at industry meetings (other than brief sessions at Affordable Meetings) or by industry organizations. As the "Queen of the Basics" along with sharing the crown w/ Vicky Betzig, we KNOW there are many who need to know the basics - and who need to brush up on the basics. The turnover in our industry is high and many people continue to enter this industry … including those who have graduated from a degree program but may not have received the anecdotal learning they also need.

We need to broaden how "101" is taught, providing more experiential learning. Years ago, when Dolce Conf. Centers had a great "101" 2 day program, and when PCMA did "The College of Meeting Knowledge" and before that, the "PCMA/Sheraton Showcases", and the early days of MPI's Institutes, and GWSAE and ASAE did similar programs, we DID experiential learning - hands-on site inspections, hands-on plating of food, presentations to show what was learned and to help people build confidence in their presentation skills.

3. The core knowledge base for our industry is more difficult to pin down. We, on the planner side, often miss the core knowledge of how our industry partners operate and thus think that we 'should' get more when we negotiate; most have so little knowledge about language let alone contract language that so many things are missed. Business partners (and MANY planners) are missing what we (you and I, Everett) know about adult learning and how room sets and the impact of where a meeting is held on outcomes. There is so much more. I've not even touched risk management issues or nutrition and food allergy issues and on and on.

Yes, I concur with Newt Gingrich that most of what I learned, was by 8th grade and my life experiences enhanced what I had as basic knowledge. Yet, my basic education by 8th grade also included reading and listening to news, discussing world events and so on. In today's world, the internet allows the 'haves' to gain knowledge so easily.

Few use it.

Job Hunting Tips and Tricks

I'm sure for many of the recent graduates out there, the job hunt has already begun. Here are some tips to remember when looking for and applying for a job:
Job Hunting 101 for New Grads by Kate Lorenz

25 Ways to Sabotage Your Job Search by Anthony Balderrama

Leave This Info Out of Your Interview by Rachel Zupek

6 Steps for First Time Job Hunters by Kate Lorenz

For more articles on finding a job, check out Career Builder and Degree Driven Here

Internships and jobs available on PCMA Website

I know many of you are searching for jobs and internships for the summer. Please be sure to visit the PCMA Career Center by clicking here in order to check out new postings.

This website is updated constantly, so be sure to check back for new job listings!

As internships are passed along to me, I will also be posting them on the blog. All internships are posted here and on a seperate blog that I have made for only job opportunities:

http://gppcmainternshipsandjobs.blogspot.com/

Many of these internships are still available, so please apply!

Another place to search for jobs and internships is on the Meetings Industry Forum (MI Forum) located here: http://groups.google.com/group/MiForum .
The MI Forum is a good resource for discussion between current industry professionals and prospective professionals. Many times I come across great opportunites listed here.

If you have any questions, or would like someone to look at your resume, please email me at gppcmastudents@gmail.com

Thanks!

Belinda Keota
Meeting Manager
Produce Marketing Association

Student Development Chair
Greater Philadelphia Chapter of PCMA

GPPCMA Scholarship Winners!

The PCMA Education Foundation has released the names of the winners of several of their annual scholarships, and I am pleased to announce that the Greater Philadelphia Chapter had 4 student winners, each winning the Roy B. Evans Scholarship.

Ashley Akright, Penn State University
Peter DiOrio, Penn State University
Tara Miller, Temple University
Sara Quinteros-Fernandez, Penn State University

The Roy B. Evans Scholarship is a $5,000 award for tuition, underwritten by the PCMA Education Foundation. Students are chosen based on their academic record, hospitality work experience, current and planned involvement in the hospitality industry, recommendations by their faculty and work supervisor, and PCMA involvement.

The full press release can be found HERE.

MORE SCHOLARSHIPS ARE STILL AVAILABLE! Deadlines for the following are October 1, 2008!

Annual Meeting Scholarship
The PCMA Education Foundation is sponsoring a scholarship for up to three (3) students to work and attend the 2009 PCMA Annual Meeting in New Orleans, LA. This is an opportunity for student members to join industry professionals and gain valuable experience that will prepare them for a career in the meetings industry.

Chairman's Scholarship
NYC & Company Convention and Visitors Bureau is proud to sponsor the PCMA Chairman's Scholarships, originally established to honor James H. Youngblood, PCMA's Chairman of the Board in 2001. This annual award will allow up to two (2) PCMA student members to attend the 2009 PCMA Annual Meeting in New Orleans, LA. This is an excellent opportunity to network with Industry Leaders and fellow students while enjoying the special distinction of being a 2008 Chairman's Scholar.

Student Chapter of the Year Award
The annual Student Chapter of the Year (SCOTY) Award is awarded to up to 4 (four) PCMA student chapters that best demonstrate overall leadership, academic excellence, community/campus involvement, web site development, membership growth and participation in the hospitality industry. This scholarship is sponsored by the PCMA Education Foundation. The four winning chapters are awarded up to $500 to fund an educational, community service or membership program to spend during the 2008-2009 school year.

Additional information on these scholarships and how to apply will be posted on the PCMA Education Foundation Website, which can be found by CLICKING HERE.

Conference Coordinator / Conference Registrar in NY

The International Baccalaureate (www.ibo.org) is a non-profit educational organization offering curriculum and assessment worldwide. IB is a recognized leader in the field of international education. IB Programmes encourage students to be active learners, well-rounded individuals and engaged world citizens.

The North American regional office of International Baccalaureate provides a wide range of services to IB World Schools and to prospective schools that are interested in our programs. In addition, IB North America offers a full array of professional development opportunities for teachers and administrators throughout the year.

The IB North American regional office of International Baccalaureate currently located in New York, NY is looking for a:

Conference Coordinator / Conference Registrar Band Level 8 = $33,000 - $37,400

Prospective and authorized schools that wish to offer the IB Programmes must send faculty to professional training workshops. The conference coordinator will liaise with hotels, vendors, programme staff, faculty and delegates to plan the logistics of teacher training workshops.

The position will also have the overall responsibility for processing a school’s request for enrollment in IB North America workshops.

The Conference Coordinator / Conference Registrar is responsible for:

• Responsible for all communications with faculty leaders and staff
  for upcoming IB North America workshops
• Creating and maintaining accurate workshop reports, volunteer
  database, and other workshop related documents while coordinating the
  logistics for 4 – 6 workshops annually
• Provide workshop leaders with appropriate material for their subject
  session
• Provide exceptional customer service onsite to workshop
  participants, faculty leaders and staff
• Financial responsibility for accurately processing all invoices and
  expense claim forms from faculty leaders related to workshops
• Act as a support system for conference registrar during peak
  registration periods

Requirements:

• A combination of experience, education, and training that would provide the level of knowledge and ability required for the position
• Meeting planning experience desirable
• Excellent communication skills – both written and oral
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (especially Word, Excel and database)
• High level of organizational and interpersonal skills
• Skilled in using standard office equipment
• Ability to work independently and as part as a dedicated team
• Must have a flexible work schedule and be willing to work extended hours

Application Process:

Please submit a curriculum vitae/resume with a cover letter outlining your interest in, salary requirements and qualifications for, this particular post to:

Human Resources Department
International Baccalaureate North America
475 Riverside Drive, Suite 240
New York, NY 10115

E-mail: ibnahr@ibo.org

**INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE REVIEWED

Complimentary Student Webinar

Graduation season is fast approaching...
Ease the transition from classroom to career with the complimentary PCMA Student Webinar "From Classroom to Class Act: Making the Transition from Student to Meeting Professional" on Tuesday, April 15, 2008.

Created for YOU by a George Washington University Event Management class, this Webinar presents you with the opportunity to join industry veteran Joan Eisenstodt on April 15th for a candid discussion with recent graduates and established meeting professionals who will share their personal triumphs and lessons learned.

Attend this session to:

• Define "professionalism
• "Build effective working relationships with supervisors and co-workers
• Identify a mentor and how to maintain a long-term relationship

From Classroom to Class Act: Making the Transition from Student to Meeting Professional

When: April 15, 2008
Time: 1 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. Eastern
12 p.m. - 12:45 p.m. Central
11 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. Mountain
10 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Pacific
Cost: Complimentary

Register Today - Click Here!

This PCMA Student Webinar is brought to you by the Walter E. Washington Convention Center

Top 5 Reasons to Get Active in Community Service

5. Free T-shirts for In Sync Day
4. Learn the art of Bingo calling
3. Hone your “Top Chef” Skills for Ronald McDonald House Guest Chef Programs
2. Network with chapter members


And the # 1 reason is to get active in community service is...
...Put a smile on someone’s face !

Greater Philadelphia Chapter of PCMA

Spring Events for the St. Christopher’s Hospital Ronald McDonald House

April 9
House Entertainment and Guest Room Supplies Donation Drive

Collection at the chapter meeting

May 13
4:00-7:30pm
Guest Chef Dinner Program

Contact Jolene McNeil at jmcneil@fernley.com for more information or to volunteer.

Be Green - Philly Chapter Meeting Evening of April 9th!

Don't let Green Make You See Red. "Green" is one of the most discussed topics in our industry today. In this session, an industry advocate will discuss and educate participants regarding the types of environmental-related requests proposed in the industry as they relate to meetings and events. Contract terms and provisions will be included as it relates to those provisions. Discussion will also encompass the legal and risk related aspects of certain requests and the corresponding cost analysis.

Objectives:
• Educate participants on the most common environmental-related requests for meetings and events.
• Educate participants regarding the availability of green initiatives at facilities and the challenges to the facility to attempt to comply with certain requests, including the evaluation of cost and capabilities to achieve "greenness" now and in the future.
• Educate participants regarding legalities of certain environmentally based requests as it relates to meetings.

Kelly Franklin Bagnall has represented and consulted with owners and managers of hotel and resorts in virtually all aspects of operational matters, including contract creation and negotiations, handling disputes involving litigation, arbitration and attending to risk management and security issues. Kelly is a partner with the law firm of Brown McCarroll, L.L.P. a member of the State Bar of Texas, as well as a number of industry associations.

Agenda for Wednesday, April 9, 2008
5:00pm - Registration
5:30pm - Opening remarks
5:45pm - Program
7:00pm - Reception

Location:
The Hub Cira Centre
(Attached to 30th Street Station)
2929 Arch Street Suite 200
Philadelphia, PA 19104
267-519-5260 or 877-the-hub1

If you would like more information, please CLICK HERE.

If you would like to attend, please contact the chapter administrator:
Erica Keagy
610-220-1232
gppcma@comcast.ne

Event Planner/ Office Administrator Position in Delaware

The Committee of 100

The Committee of 100 is a business organization that promotes responsible economic development and addresses issues which affect Delaware’s economic health. Membership includes both small and large businesses, firms, and organizations representing a diverse range of professions including banking, law, engineering, architecture, advertising, accounting, development, insurance, construction, printing, transportation, real estate, utilities, medical institutions, and retail.

The Committee of 100’s mission is to keep Delaware’s economy healthy. A healthy economy not only benefits member businesses, but also, enables the community to more effectively address quality-of-life issues such as education, the environment, health care, public safety, housing, transportation, recreation, the arts, and social services. The committee of 100 has, since 1967, monitored the City, County, and State to bring expertise and a balanced perspective to address issues which could impact Delaware’s economic health and quality of life.

Office Administrator/Event Planner Position

The Committee of 100 is seeking a person with excellent organizational, administrative, and writing skills, event planning experience, and technology expertise to serve as Office Administrator/Event Planner. The Office Administrator/Event Planner will support and report to the Executive Director. Office Administrator Duties As Office Administrator, this person will be responsible for the management of the office and support of the Executive Director. Responsibilities include monitoring the work of the Administrative Assistant; writing letters, minutes, and reports; reviewing records, including membership, financial, and administrative data; negotiating vendor contracts; managing office equipment and systems, printed materials and the website, the Scholarship process and sponsorship programs.

Event Planner Duties

As Event Planner, this person will be responsible for providing office management of the Annual Dinner Auction, including meeting with and supporting the Dinner Auction Committee; monitoring records; writing letters; workgin with vendors; managing printed materials and the PowerPoint presentation; identifying, obtaining, tracking, storing, and delivering items; managing the setup, event, and followup. The Event Planner will also be responsible for identifying and managing additional fund-raising events.

Candidate Requirements

The Office Administrator/Event Planner must possess excellent organizational, administrative, and writing skills; event-planning experience; and technical expertise, including knowledge of WordPerfect, Word, Excel, and the ability to quickly learn and become adept at utilizing new software applications and new technology. Knowledge of QuickBooks and PowerPoint a plus. As the Committee of 100 is a membership organization, the Office Administrator/Event Planner must interact well with people.

If you are interested in this position, please contact:
The Committee of 100
704 King Street
Suite 512
P.O Box 512
Wilmington, Delaware 19899
Phone: 302-654-6115
Fax: 302-654-1556
http://www.committeeof100.com/

Internship with GEP Philly

About GEP Philly:

At GEP Philly, we specialize in the design and management of group events. Our services include airport meet & greet, group tours, spouse programs, entertainment, themed receptions and dinners, team building programs and complete VIP services for corporations, associations, incentive travel and non-profit institutions. We operate out of our headquarters location in the heart of Center City Philadelphia, and maintain two satellite on-site offices at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown Hotel and Loews Philadelphia Hotel.


As a professional DMC and member of ADME - the Association of Destination Management Executives - we possess extensive local knowledge and resources, and are experts in the venues and services available for group activities. We partner with our clients to achieve their business objectives by incorporating the most exciting locations and elements that reflect the distinct character of Philadelphia.

Primary Objective of Position:
Support the GEP Philly team by providing assistance in the areas of sales, project development, operations and administration to gain a better understanding of what a Destination Management Company does.

Sales:
- Assist sales department with marketing campaigns – addressing gifts to recipients, deliver gifts to hotels
- Assist sales team for site visits. Order vehicle, script out timeline and venue information
- Research companies/conventions for leads
- Help package and prepare Fed Ex proposals
- Help sales reps in hotels with projects
- Updating databases and maintain lists for holiday cards
- Re-stock give-away items
- Assist with PDF’ing word files for clients

Project Development:
- Assist in securing space and services for client proposals
- Research new products, venues, themes and ideas for proposals
- Data entry into ACT! & WebDMC systems for current vendors and clients
- Custom label CD’s for popular entertainment options we send to clients
- Assist in the creation of GEP presentations, including Award Submissions and Special proposals for clients

Operations:
- Organize the internal tabs and information for the part time staff binders
- Assist Operations Managers with organizing part time staff uniforms, nametags, signage and binders prior to a program
- Updating Part time Staff Contact Information in Database
- Re-stock client gift items such as coffee mugs, gift cards, etc.
- Assist with reserving Part Time Staff for specific dates and times
- Running program related errands (picking up rental cell phones, uniforms at dry cleaners, printed materials, etc.)
- Assist with packaging and shipping of Client Thank you gifts
- Shadow Ops Manager on larger programs when necessary

Administration/General:
- Ladies in the Biz—coordinate a meeting and location, negotiate specials, send out evite list, etc for one evening event
- Administrative duties including ordering office supplies, filing, copying, faxing, data entry, mailing and running errands.
- Organize part-time staff refresh meetings (organize, maintain RSVP list, get food, nametags)
- Help track vendor referrals
- Organize back closet; order shelves, hooks, etc to display
- Assist administration manager with issues with telephones, cell phones, fax machine, Xerox machine, computer problems, printers, email

If anyone is interested in applying for this position, please contact:

Tricia Kornutik
Finance & Administration Manager
GEP Philly
The Phoenix Building
1600 Arch Street ~ Suite 200
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Tel:267-514-2626
Fax:267-514-2728
Email: tkornutik@gepphilly.com
www.gepphilly.com

Convention Coordinator - Summer Intern Position

The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) seeks a college student for the summer in preparation for the annual convention.

Compensation is $12.00 per hour.

The non-profit membership organization offers an excellent opportunity to gain experience in event planning and conference management. Duties may include registration, event orders, credentials and other duties as they arise. This position will work with the meetings department and be involved in many aspects of the planning and coordination process for our annual convention of approximately 2,500 attendees.

The position will be part-time from late May through June 30th for 15 – 20 hours a week. The position will continue on a fulltime basis (37.5 hours per week) from July to mid- August. Start/end dates and work schedules are flexible.

Responsibilities include:

1) Routine tasks (50%)
o Assist with registration convention inquiries, works with Member Records and Member Service Center on registration, answering and responding registration phone and email inquires; registration troubleshooting.
o Enters data into database for credentials and flag ceremony, assists in organizing notebooks and information.

2) Event planning (50%)
o Assists with banquet event orders, including food and beverage, audio visual, room setups etc for opening reception, exhibit hall events, NAIFA internal events, and other convention functions.
o Provide photocopy, fax, and email support

Qualifications:

The right individual is someone who has good communication and writing skills; is detailed oriented; has good computer skills; ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously, excellent customer service skills. Familiarity with the Microsoft Office Suite including Word, Excel, Outlook, and Access. Students with major in hospitality/hotel or interest preferred.

Process:
Send a cover letter and resume to recruiter@naifa.org. Please include: your start date and approximate end date. State “Convention Coordinator - Summer Position” in the subject line of the email. No phone calls please.

o Job location is Falls Church, VA (metro accessible)
o Compensation: $12.00 per hour
o This is at a non-profit organization
o This is an temporary job
o no -- Please, no phone calls about this job

Internship with Destination Management Company!

Roberts Event Group knows how to gauge and stage an event, is flexible enough to manage one element or the entire program, work up front or behind the scenes. Planners feel at ease with the company’s clear communication, team involvement and tireless work ethic. This is a team that works for you, with you, is accessible and responsive, giving you what you want and more - events that come to life, audiences that get inspired and results that get noticed

Roberts Event Group is a full service corporate events company servicing the tri-state region for over 25 years. We provide services that include Destination Management, Event Production, Incentive Programs and Conference Services.

Internship Program – Coordinator Job Responsibilities

The goal of our Internship program is to educate the selected individual in the many aspects of our industry. We are looking for a highly energetic person who is multi-task oriented.

The right candidate will be exposed to:

Coordination Department

• Talent/vendor confirmation mailings;
• Distribution of entertainment/vendor material for clients to include: audio and video dubbing;
• Talent/vendor research for new services and product;
• Destination Management manifest creation and input;
• Proposal research and writing;
• Talent/vendor negotiations
• Event site selection visits
• Hands-on experience in DMC to include transportation staffing and registration;
• Special event coordination

Administration Department

• Back-up answering the phones and directing calls
• Take new call sheets and distribute
• Make up corporate packets
• Make up social letter packets
• Mail packets
• Copy, distribute and mail contracts
• File single papers into files
• Type and file new contract folders including proposals
• Keep proposal log up to date
• Keep music library filing up to date
• Take direction from Office Administrator for other odd jobs/projects to be completed

Internship would require 3 - 5 days per week and 15 - 40 hours per week. Weekend hours would only be necessary if the candidate is interested in working on an event that falls on the weekend. There is no payment for this internship program; however, additional income may be obtain from working on events for the company.

The office is located by the Jenkintown Train Station.

If interested please contact:

Robert Carachilo

Director of Operations

robertseventgroup.com

215.887.7880 (w)

Penn State Experience at the 2008 PCMA Annual Conventin

Three years ago, when I stepped foot into the Philadelphia Convention Center for the 2006 PCMA Annual Meeting, I never thought five days would change the rest of my college career. As a freshman at Penn State, I came home from the convention counting down the days until graduation. I had found my true passion, the events industry.

Beyond discovering my passion, PCMA has also allowed me to develop personally and professionally. My networking skills have improved drastically and my confidence has grown significantly. Those skills are reflected in interviews, group work, internships, classes, and my personal life. Penn State’s curriculum only has two classes devoted to event planning, so the educational aspect of PCMA has given me knowledge I otherwise wouldn’t have exposure to.

During the recruitment of students, I always try to convey how important this organization is to me. I try to explain how spellbinding the Annual Convention is in every aspect. Penn State ended up sending twenty students to the 2008 Annual Convention in Seattle, and I couldn’t be prouder. We represented ten percent of the student body, the second largest population (second to a school that was driving distance).

Tuesday night in Seattle, our group was sitting around a table and we all shared about our experience with the convention thus far. Each first time attendee radiated passion and gushed about how grateful they were for joining PCMA. It literally brought tears to my eyes because they finally got it; they finally understood the passion of the industry and the importance of PCMA.

After returning to State College, that energy is still high within the group. We have numerous guest speakers planned and students begging to get more involved. Individually, students are continuing to build their network and are seeking more opportunities for education. Our professors are more than impressed with the organization and the students, calling us a “model student organization” with “first rate” educational programming. We as an organization look to those compliments with gratitude, yet also use them to raise the bar of excellence.

On behalf of PCMA Penn State, I would like to thank you all. Your hospitality and willingness to help foster our education is why we’re able to be successful. You, the people, are what make this industry amazing, so from all the students I express my deepest gratitude.

Ashley Akright
Secretary
PCMA Penn State

[Ashley is the 2007 winner of the Greater Philadelphia Chapter PCMA Student Scholarship]

Amazing Student Scholarship Opportunities - Deadlines Approaching!

Applications are due March 12, 2008 for the Roy B. Evans Scholarship, the Multicultural Scholarship and the Student Planner of the Year Scholarship.

Greater Philadelphia Student Members have a history of winning!

Last year

• Astrid Schrier from Temple University - Student Planner of the year,
• Matthew Ardakanian from University of Delaware - Roy B. Evans Scholarship

2006

• Widener University – Student Chapter of the Year
• Linsey Poletti - Widener University – Chairman’s Award
• Deana Piva – Widener University - Roy B. Evans
• Matthew Ardakanian – University of Delaware - Roy B. Evans
• Dr. Brian Miller – University of Delaware – Educator of the Year

2005

• Katie Steigerwalt – University of Delaware – Chairman’s Award

2003

• University of Delaware – Student Chapter of the Year
  

Apply now to win a $5,000 tuition-based scholarship; an opportunity to attend the 2009 PCMA Annual Meeting in New Orleans and plan a student seminar with a $1,000 tuition-based award; and/or $1,000 scholarship to offset the expenses of tuition, textbooks, and other associated educational costs.

NEW Scholarship opportunity! The PCMA Education Foundation is making it possible for up to five lucky PCMA Student Members to receive a scholarship to attend the PCMA Leadership Conference June 8-10 in Los Angeles. Check online for more details. We will begin accepting applications soon, so look for the application to be posted March 4th. The deadline for this scholarship will be in early April.

Watch your body language!

Job Interview coming up? Watch your body language! Image consultant Susan Bixler says you should never underestimate the importance of nonverbal communication in a job interview.

To read the full article click HERE.

Myspace, Facebook, Meeting Planning, Oh My!

What do websites like Myspace, Facebook, YouTube, Flikr, and Wikipedia have to do with meeting planning? These social networking sites are now important means of creating connections between users, and many of these users are meeting attendees.

Social networking sites are now very popular means of getting messages out to attendees, and also are used by attendees to do research on the meeting destinations and information about upcoming meetings and events.

Michael Goldstein wrote an article recently about social networking and meeting planning, and it can be found here.

Student Planner of the Year - Astrid Schrier

Every year the PCMA Education Foundation offers students the opportunity to gain hands on experience at the Annual Meeting through their scholarship programs. This past year I was chosen as the recipient of the Student Planner of the Year award. This scholarship requires that the student create an education session that can be implemented at the Annual Meeting. My session centered on the topic of servant leadership and how it can be put into practice in our industry.

In June of 2007, I was informed that I had won the scholarship. I proceeded to call my boss, GPPCMA Past President Eva Matyskiela and my previous advisor, Dr. Joe Goldblatt to tell them the good news. I think it only took about another two hours before most of the GPPCMA chapter and the faculty at Temple University’s School of Tourism and Hospitality Management knew about the award. I guess I told the right people to spread the news.

Within the next couple of weeks I was contacted by Kristin Crane, Manager of PCMA’s Education department and Dr. Cynthia Vanucci, my PCMA appointed mentor who was on the Annual Meeting Program Committee. My next step was to work with Dr. Vanucci to establish my goals and learner objectives for my session. After this was completed, I needed to find a speaker. In my original session proposal I identified two men from the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership. I contacted one of those men, Larry Spears, but he informed me that he and the other speakers in their speaker’s bureau would be unable to attend. He recommended I contact Jan Levy, a former member of their Board of Directors who lived in Seattle and worked for Leadership Tomorrow. I contacted Jan and she agreed to be my speaker.

In the months before the Annual Meeting I would touch base with Kristin and Jan to make sure that everything was in order for the session. Since I had chosen to have a single speaker on a single topic, as opposed to say a panel of speakers, there was not much else to do before the actual session.

Upon arriving in Seattle, I was able to meet and connect with the other scholarship winners and PCMA staff members. Being scholarship winners we had a predetermined schedule to follow that included attending all of the student sessions, helping speakers, assisting with set-ups and the Career Fair and attending meetings. I also got a chance to be filmed for a video for the PCMA Education Foundation promoting the scholarships that they offer. It was nice to have a preset schedule to follow because I did not have to worry about planning all of my own activities, but we still had allotted time where we could make our own decisions.

My session was held on Tuesday morning proceeding the general session. I started to get nervous on Monday night, but as the general session ended, my nervousness hit its all time high. All of the other scholarship winners except Lauren Staiano from University of Central Florida had to be at another session, so Lauren was instructed to keep me calm and she did. All I really had to do during my session was introduce my speaker after I had been introduced by Gery Seibert, Chairman of the Education Foundation. Of course it didn’t help that my entire chapter was sitting in front of the podium, but I got through it. The session seemed to be a success and the topic well received.

I recommend that every student apply for the scholarships offered by the Education Foundation. Each scholarship, while being different in requirements and prizes, allows students to gain hands on experience that they may not necessarily get a chance to attain. By being awarded this scholarship, I was able to focus on fundraising for other students in my chapter to attend the meeting since my trip was already taken care of. Also, I was recognized by more professionals in the industry because they knew I had been awarded the scholarship.

If any students have any questions about applying for scholarships, please do not hesitate to email me at astrid.schrier@temple.edu.

Student Meet and Greet in Seattle!

Please Join Us!

The Greater Philadelphia Chapter of PCMA would like to invite all of our students to our Student Meet and Greet!

When: 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM Monday, January 14, 2008

Where: Washington State Convention Center - 2nd Floor Seating Area [located behind room 201]

What: Pizza, Soda, and Networking

This will be a great opportunity for all of our students at the annual convention to meet each other, as well as, some of the members of the Student Development Committee. Please feel free to ask any questions that you may have about the convention or the industry.

This will be a casual event.

Meetings Coordinator Position available at ASTM!

ASTM International is one of the largest voluntary standards development organizations in the world-a trusted source for technical standards for materials, products, systems, and services. Known for their high technical quality and market relevancy, ASTM International standards have an important role in the information infrastructure that guides design, manufacturing and trade in the global economy.

SUMMARY OF POSITION:
The Meetings Coordinator reports to the Director, assists all Meetings Managers and provides back up support to the Administrative Assistant.

The Meetings Coordinator provides support facilitating arrangements for in-house meetings and events, Technical and Professional Training (TPT’s), independent meetings, committee weeks and departmental projects and activities. This position interacts with most departments within ASTM, committee meeting attendees and will conduct business arrangements with meetings related vendors.

RESPONSIBILITIES:
Lead administrator for the Meetings Application: set up independent meeting notices in HTML and pre-registration data for ASTM website, run reports, and manage the registration for all meetings. This will require troubleshooting with our web administrator, I/T project manager and manage and track a list of enhancements. Meetings Coordinator must communicate all changes and updates to meetings staff, Technical Committee Operations (TCO) administrative assistants (AA’s), and other users.

Administrator for Meetings Equipment: Maintenance of equipment (LCD’s, teleconference phones, computers, printers, badge printers, credit card machines receipt printers etc.), replacing and upgrading inventory, distribution and resolution of conflicts pertaining to the inventory for in-house meetings, independent and committee week. The Meetings Coordinator will order/rent additional equipment as needed with outside vendors. This position will be responsible for testing equipment prior to committee week meetings and checking the condition when returned.

Responsibility for creating and maintaining Request for Proposals (RFP’s) for all independent and committee week meetings. This involves determining realistic room blocks, meeting space requirements, and special activities for each meeting. Committee meeting profiles to be managed and conflicts resolved with staff managers. The Meetings Coordinator will compile all pertinent information that hotels require to submit a legitimate proposal to host ASTM meetings.

Coordination of Independent Meetings to Include:
· Review RFP’s to see if critical information has been included and resolve items not addressed
· Prepare meeting contracts for manager’s signature
· Reviewing meeting schedules against space contracted and resolving conflicts with the hotel.
· Contract with hotel or vendor to order meetings related equipment and/or services, and make appropriate revisions to the original contract
· Review hotel BEO’s (Banquet Event Orders) and sign off on arrangements or bring to manager’s attention if there are financial issues that need resolution, or unusual committee requests.
· Follow up on all meetings – hotel bill, final pick up, final data entry into meetings application, and distribute statistics to meetings and staff managers with recommendations for any appropriate revisions to committee meeting profile or committee meeting RFP.

Coordination of Committee Week Meetings to Include:
· Review all submitted schedules against the committee meeting profile and bring any conflicts to meetings and staff manager’s attention.
· Review and proofread with meeting managers the charts, schedules, BEO’s, LCD schedule, A/V requirements, signage, welcome letters, receipts, meeting notices and all miscellaneous handouts and email blasts.
· Manage VIP reservations to make sure Board and Officers are housed in the main meeting hotel by reserving a special block of rooms for this purpose. Review lists of reservations from overflow hotels to determine if managers need to handle special requests.
· Work with hotel convention services to obtain room names, discuss changes and room pick ups and other meeting issues.
· Manage the shipment of meeting materials to hotel. This includes coordinating shipping deadline dates with staff, packing, working with shipping company, coordinating delivery with hotel, and responsibility for inventory of supplies. The Meetings Coordinator will also be responsible for coordinating the return shipment and restocking supplies.
· Occasional on-site meetings support and/or as an emergency back up to manager or traveling AA.

Coordination of In-House Meetings to Include:
· Posting the in-house schedule on lobby monitor
· Preparing the in-house schedule of meetings
· Prepare and post door signs
· Back-up the meetings manager on all in-house activities including assigning meeting space, working with building and grounds for special set-ups, order food functions and monitor the in-house meeting activities, arrange transportation, provide up to date general meeting handouts, handle all meeting room requests and maintain the appearance of the registration area.
· Work and network with local hotels and restaurants.

Assist Director in special projects

Back up the department’s administrative assistant.

Handle basic office duties such as typing, answering phone inquiries, tracking bills and payments, distribution of mail, send email blasts, web site updates, etc.

QUALIFICATIONS:
Good organizational skills, team spirit, cooperative attitude and flexibility are essential

Effective communication and rapport with staff, hotel and meeting vendors, and also committee members and meeting attendees

Acute awareness and follow-through of details and deadline dates

Accurate typing (40wpm) with knowledge of a word processing package and working knowledge to use a relational database is helpful

Skills to type in HTML, or the willingness to learn

This position requires a high school diploma and a couple of years of meetings related or general office experience is helpful.

If you are interested in more information and applying for this position, please send your resume and cover letter to:

Betty Schultz
Director of Meetings ASTM International
Phone: 610-832-9701
Fax: 610-832-9669
Email: bschultz@astm.org file://www.astm.org/