  I’ll gladly pay you on Tuesday for a Hamburger today!
May is National Hamburger Month! Fire up the grill and loosen your belt.. This is the official month of the burger. Let’s celebrate this meaty burger with some trivia you can really sink your teeth into: Burger fun facts - Americans consume 14 billion a year and buy 5 billion hamburgers.
- Speedy was the original mascot for McDonald's.
- McDonald's is the most popular hamburger restaurant in the U.S.
- White Castle is the oldest continuous running hamburger chain.
- 1945 was the year the first self-serve McDonald's opened.
Click for some burger recipes!
In this issue, we continue our casting our Spotlight on several of THCC's Past-Presidents! Leadership Development is a strong component of the chapter and it is true that one, "gets back what they put into" their membership. Each of your Past-Presidents started out as a brand new member looking for someone to sit with at a chapter meeting. Each got involved at the committee level and made contacts and grew as leaders. We hope that each member of THCC will join a committee this year and will embrace roles of chapter leadership. Now, let's learn about some of our Past-Presidents!
 Jan Allen, President of Jan Allen Enterprises
Independent meeting planner, representing several state associations (WBDT for 32 years), also working on corporate events in Chicago and New York. What year were you president? 1990-1991 What was the theme of the chapter that year? “For The Good of the Industry" What you are most proud of from the year you were president? Keeping suppliers and planners working together towards one goal. Is there something about you that nobody knows / would be surprised to learn? I am a certified dental assistant and I entered my first year of college as a dental student. If I had it to do all over--I still wonder....  Joni Terrell Carlson
Director of Conventions for Texas Elementary Principals & Supervisors Association
What year were your president? 2000-2001 What was the theme for the chapter that year? "Balance" What you are most proud of from the year you were president?The Board continued to strengthen our financials, which was started in Annette Hicks' term as Chapter President. The benefits of getting involved and serving on Chapter committees was an emphasis throughout the year. What would your perfect evening look like? A perfect evening would be playing games, laughing, and eating good food with family.
re·cruit –noun 1. A new member of a group, organization, or the like. 2. To strengthen with new members. 3. To furnish or replenish with a fresh supply; renew. 4. To attempt to enroll (a member, affiliate, or the like): a campaign to recruit new club members.
–verb (used without object) 5. To engage in finding and attracting new members, students, planners, etc. Origin: 1635–45; < French, stem of recruter, derivative of recrue new growth, noun use of feminine past participle of recroître ( re- re- + croître < Latin crēscere to grow; compare crescent) Recruit a Planner, earn 2 points; Recruit a Supplier, earn 1 point Earn 4 points to be entered in a drawing to win a Wi-Fi + 3G iPad or an American Express Gift Card (valued at $250)
The program will run from March 15-May 15, 2011. Winners announced at the Annual Banquet on June 3rd (need not be present to win). All members who recruit a member will be recognized at Annual Banquet.
Members, once you’ve recruited a new member, contact Alysia Roden (alysiaroden@visitsanantonio.com or 210-207-6719) and she will verify their membership & enter you in the drawing.
MPI THCC Advertising Rate Changes and Campaign
For the first time in over five years, the Meeting Professionals International – Texas Hill County Chapter will be raising their online Spotlight newsletter and website advertising rates. We want to let you know in advance, as well as to offer you a special opportunity to lock into the current advertising rates before the new rates go into effect on July 1. MPI Texas Hill Country Chapter is the leading global community committed to shaping and defining the meeting and event industry in the Texas Hill Country. Our membership encompasses the Austin, San Antonio, Waco and Fredericksburg areas and beyond. Your advertisement will reach not only our 377+ members but many others who use our website as a valuable resource for meetings and events information. Advertising with MPI THCC is a great way to share your facilities, products and services to a targeted audience in your business area. The MPI THCC members are the decision makers who have the buying power to purchase. This advertising partnership provides you with an exclusive opportunity to cultivate mutually beneficial relationships with MPI members in ways that are best suited to meet the individual needs of your business. Advertising with MPI will bring you potential increased sales and higher revenue. Following is a testimonial from one our current advertisers on what advertising with MPI THCC brings to them: Dottie Bosley with the Galveston Island CVB who has a banner ad on the home page and spotlight in the MPI THCC website says “It is a great return on investment. The front and center position on those pages of the website are highly visible and interactive. I have been very pleased with my choice to be a part of the MPI THCC online community.” Here we would like to share MPI THCC meeting planners thoughts on why they prefer to use MPI THCC advertisers: Nickie Morgan, CMP, Texas Rural Water Association says the following “Whether it’s for a shuttle service, a CVB contact, a hotel contact, or any other vendor need, I turn to MPI supplier members first. Why? Because being an MPI member myself, I know the value of working with professionals who understand the importance of belonging to a community and building relationships within your network.” Debbie Farnum, CMP, Texas Association of School Boards says “I always try to “buy” MPI for my meeting needs, whenever it is feasible. It just makes sense to support the people who support your professional association if at possible. Doing business with people you trust is important and necessary for our hospitality industry.” Please review the attached advertising rates. If you are interesting in advertising on the MPI THCC online Spotlight newsletter and/or website and locking in the current advertising rates, please let us know no later than Thursday, June 30 by sending an email to Jeffrey Rasco at jrasco@attendeenet.com. This special offer is available to all MPI members, not just the MPI THCC Chapter members.
Yeah Buddy!
Did you know that the members of MPI-THCC have over 200 combined years of meeting planning experience? Are you curious as to how mature planner/suppliers have expanded their positions/careers? Perhaps you are new to the industry and would like a confidant comrade to talk to? Maybe you've been a member for several years and your job is at a cross roads? Whatever the case is, consider participating in the MPI-THCC buddy program! We will match you up with one of our seasoned members who will meet with you, introduce you to others, and help you work the room at your next MPI-THCC event. This way you too can expand your network and become one of those names/faces that everyone recognizes and knows they can count on when they have a question about planning a meeting or which vendor to use for a particular service. We pride ourselves on being a community and a family at MPI-THCC and we would love to help you keep your career moving and growing. If you are interested in getting your very own "buddy", please email Nickie Morgan, CMP, MPI-THCC Director of Member Care at Nickie.Morgan@trwa.org and she will help get you started today!
MPI THCC Job Line
One of the great features of the THCC website is the Job Line. Are you looking for a new position? Be sure to visit the Job Line often... jobs are posted frequently and the list is ever-changing. If your perfect next job isn't currently posted, you can even post your resume and get your name before potential employers! Are you looking to hire someone? Then use the Job Line to advertise the open position. Take advantage of this great feature and take your career to the next level!
Volunteers Needed
The chapter’s PR and Marketing team is looking for volunteers! If writing is or passion then you can help with press releases; if technology is your thing, then you can help with sending notices about the chapter’s events to various organization and newspapers or twitter to your friends and colleagues.
Time commitment is an hour or two a month. If you are interested please email Karen Krull at kbkrull@aol.com. Thanks!
 Save the Date for the 2011 Texas Education Conference!
Save the date now! MPI THCC’s 2011 Texas Education Conference will be October 27-28 at the Omni Corpus Christi Hotel. Transportation will be provided by the Corpus Christi Convention and Visitors Bureau from Austin and San Antonio for any attendee who wants to save some mileage and gas and wants the unforgettable experience of road-tripping with your MPI friends. Interested in serving on the 2011 TEC planning committee? Email Donna Harbers, CMP, chair of the 2011 TEC, at donna@taa.org. Let her know if you’re interested in education, marketing or registration outreach. She’ll do her best to honor requests.
Now is the time to Step Up and Sponsor!
There is no better way to get your name in front of your most valuable clients then when you support your MPI chapter through sponsorship. 2011 has begun and we are still without venue sponsors for several Noontime Networks and Monthly Chapter Meetings. We need your help. Please take time to review the updated sponsorship form by clicking HERE. Available dates and the preferred cities (Austin or San Antonio) are listed. The 2011 MPI THCC Awards Banquet is just 90 days away. Efforts to recruit silent auction donations will begin shortly. Members of the Sponsorship Team will be in contact with you concerning your contribution. Creativity, when donating, is encouraged and can be a fun way to display your brand and ingenuity. Remember, MPI THCC uses auction proceeds for member scholarships and continuing education projects. Please contact Silent Auction Chair, Shelley Gale, or Ellen Forsythe if you have a donation or if you have questions.
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Mark your calendars!
MPI-THCC Annual Banquet and Silent Auction
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 | 2011 End-of-Year Party
and Silent Auction
Register Today!
This end of the year event is for your whole family. Bring the kids, grand kids, parents - everyone except the family dog (no pets allowed, sorry) to play and enjoy the afternoon and early evening at Reunion Ranch in Georgetown Texas.
Click on this link to view a video sampling of Reunion Ranch and fun for the whole family.
Timeline:
3pm - 5pm
Silent auction/networking reception/games of all types - outside under the trees
5pm
Silent Auction closes & payout begins immediately following
6pm -7pm
We move inside to enjoy awards, a wonderful bbq dinner and installation of new officers for the 2011 - 2012 fiscal year.
The Silent Auction benefits our MPI THCC Scholarship Fund. Every year we give thousands of dollars in scholarships to our MPI THCC members.
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Special Thanks to our Hosts:
Reunion Ranch
850 C.R. 255
Georgetown
Map and Directions
FEES
Members: $25.00
First Guest of Member: $25.00
Additional Guests: $40.00
Non-Member $40.00
Children Under 12: $12.50
Children Under 4: FREE
There will be games and staff to
entertain the children.
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 SEE WHAT YOU’VE MISSED
Did you Know?
There’s a place on our wonderful chapter website, where you can see speaker handouts from past THCC events?
Be sure to bookmark this link! http://www.mpithcc.org/slides/
(Rejoined Supplier Member) Connie Reineke Sales Manager Hilton Hotel Waco 113 S. University Parks Drive Waco, TX 76701 254 867 0000 | THCC Welcomes
Our Newest Members!
Supplier Keith Godwin Manager, Sales & Social Media Hotel Indigo San Antonio Riverwalk 830 N. St. Mary’s San Antonio, TX 78205 | Supplier Ali Klein Sales Manager Austin Convention Center 500 E. Cesar Chavez Austin, TX 78701 512 404 4242 Ali.klein@ci.austin.tx.us
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| Press Release FYI
If you would like to send a press release, there is now an easy form available on the web. Just access it, fill it out, and send to the PR Committee, and you've got news!
Have Breaking News? MPI-THCC is proud to help spread the word about our members/industry. We want to hear from you.
Send your news to: commteam@mpithcc.org | THCC member Karena White recently wooed the crowd with her moving rendition of the National Anthem at a recent Arkansas Travelers baseball game. Karena is the National Sales Manager of the Peabody Little Rock. They Like us. They Really Like Us… Thank you Cindy Lo for setting up the new page.
| Reach Out!
Would you like to reach the MPI-THCC membership right at their desktops? Sponsor Hill Country Spotlight! Click here for information about advertising, or call Jeff Rasco at 512.847.1122
We have lots of advertising opportunities on the website, and a great special on ads and enhanced membership directory listings. Contact Jeff for the scoop!
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 Lubbock’s first four star hotel announced
Lubbock, Texas Thursday May 5th –North America’s largest monitoring and leisure travel organization, AAA, has awarded the Overton Hotel & Conference Center their prestigious Four Diamond Award. This recognition makes the Overton Hotel & Conference Center Lubbock’s only Four Diamond rated property and additionally the only Four Diamond rated property in West Texas. “It’s an honor and privilege to receive the Four Diamond rating from AAA” Kurt Metcalf, General Manager said. “It’s a true testament to the dedication of our employees and we look forward to providing Four Diamond service to our guests.” The Overton Hotel & Conference Center opened in July 2009 and is managed by 1859 Historic Hotels LTD. Two other properties in the 1859 family are rated at Four Diamond; The Cliff House at Pikes Peak, Colorado and The Brown Hotel, Louisville, Kentucky.
 Hotel Havana named one of the 50 best hotels by Travel + Leisure
The hotels that landed on this year's list range from a sexy, pricey skyscraper in New York - the Trump SoHo - to hotelier Liz Lambert's stylish yet more affordable Hotel Havana on San Antonio's Riverwalk..
Read more (http://travel.usatoday.com/hotels/post/2011/05/travel-leisure-2011-it-list-groundbreaking-hotels-trump-soho-w-hotel/169508/1)
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Better. Bolder. Brainier. This is WEC like you’ve never seen it. No community is more dynamic, and none more ready to embrace opportunity than the professionals of the meetings and events industry. That’s why we’ve amped up WEC this year to generate greater ROI—and no BS—in a surging industry. We’re adding, expanding and giving you more of what you come to WEC for. The trade show is gone. Gained are rich business conversations, more professional development experiences and greater insights into what it takes to be successful in a fast-evolving industry. You’ll find more ways than ever before to tailor your conference experience and make WEC your own. This is all about how you do business in 2011 and beyond. Get it done in the way that fits your personal style and business goals. So, what’s new? More Face Time. It’s the industry’s most valuable commodity. If your business thrives on meaningful one-on-one interaction and more lucrative connections, Hosted Buyer Program and Buyer Connect are just for you. These face-to-face experiences deliver through pre-qualified business appointments—now at a lower price point. More Brain Time. WEC isn’t just talk. It’s hands-on and in-your-face with actionable ideas for today’s business challenges and technology demos that showcase the future. With three days and more than 100 sessions, when you head back to the office you’ll hit the ground running—and quite possibly with your head spinning. More Brand Time. To tell your brand’s story and connect with the best planners in the business, we’re providing two opportunities at this year’s WEC: Blitz! is WEC’s must-see, must-do event. Blitz! gives suppliers a high profile platform to create their own brand experience to quickly deliver the big wow that attendees would learn on a site visit in an entertaining, interactive environment. Find out more > Visibility, reach and frequency are the triple-threat payoffs to MarketSquare, where suppliers will own the hottest piece of highly trafficked real estate of the conference and mix and mingle with attendees the entire time. Check it out > More You Time. It all culminates in a completely customizable experience, no matter who you are. More brain time if you want to learn, more face time if you want to connect, and more brand time if you want to do business. It’s all about what success looks like to you, and to us, success looks like WEC 2011. Register now!
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MPITHCC PO Box 49135 Austin, TX 78765-9154
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Trader Joe's coming to Texas after all