Page 16 - TN Public WorksJan-Feb 2014 Vol. 31 No. 6
P. 16
2013 Hammonds
by ronnie
Conference
Highlights
Any discussion of the 2013 Conference be overstated. I sincerely appreciate and ties, and I think the get acquainted party
at Meadowview must start with the work thank all the members of the Committee provided and excellent forum for this.
of the conference committee. The com- for the dedication and perseverance they
mittee actually started planning this year’s put into the Conference. Educational Sessions
conference at the Memphis Conference The educational sessions were outstand-
last year. They met with representatives SWANA ing. Manny Belen did a great job getting
of the Kingsport Convention and Visitors Another key component in ensuring speakers that were experts in their fields
Bureau and Meadowview to get ideas on the success of the conference was the and had topics to talk about that were
what could be done with the conference. involvement of SWANA. They helped in both timely and informative. I attended
From that meeting came ideas on the all facets of the conference from having one session that was put on by Pete Reed
Casino Night Get Acquainted Party and members on the Conference Committee, which talked about the new MSDS laws
the storytelling around the fire pit. Also at monetary sponsorship, providing educa- that was really something that I needed to
this meeting SWANA let the committee tional sessions with a moderator for their hear about. We also had something a little
know that they wanted to be full partners room, helping to gain exhibitors for the different for the TCAPWA in our educa-
in the conference and informed the com- conference and participating in all facets tion sessions this year. We had a couple of
mittee that they would be ‘putting skin in of the conference. round table discussions. These are a great
the game’ as Eddie Anderson of Stringfel- Casino Night way to find information from your peers.
low termed their involvement. At this year’s Host Cities Recep-
The committee had monthly telecon-
ferences that eventually evolved into tion we tried something new for
TCAPWA. Instead of the usual en-
once every two weeks as the conference tertainment the conference commit-
got closer. Mike Flatt provided excellent tee decided to have a Casino Night.
leadership as the committee chair. Angie Jennifer Ogden and Angie Womack
Womack and Jennifer Ogden were the secured several very nice prizes to
core of the committee and did yeoman’s give out to the “big winners” and an
work to ensure the conference would instruction book on gaming to give
be a success. The committee planned out to the first person to go broke!
everything from the times of each part of The food was great. I know I en-
the event, the menu’s, the entertainment joyed the desert bar. It was great to
(Casino Night and the Storytelling around see everyone gathered around hav-
the firepit) and Manny Belen as Education ing a good time together and being
Chair organized the speakers. The amount able to have some fun. One of the
of time, effort and hard work provided by most valuable parts of any confer-
the members of the Committee cannot ence is the networking opportuni-
16 TPW January/February 2014
by ronnie
Conference
Highlights
Any discussion of the 2013 Conference be overstated. I sincerely appreciate and ties, and I think the get acquainted party
at Meadowview must start with the work thank all the members of the Committee provided and excellent forum for this.
of the conference committee. The com- for the dedication and perseverance they
mittee actually started planning this year’s put into the Conference. Educational Sessions
conference at the Memphis Conference The educational sessions were outstand-
last year. They met with representatives SWANA ing. Manny Belen did a great job getting
of the Kingsport Convention and Visitors Another key component in ensuring speakers that were experts in their fields
Bureau and Meadowview to get ideas on the success of the conference was the and had topics to talk about that were
what could be done with the conference. involvement of SWANA. They helped in both timely and informative. I attended
From that meeting came ideas on the all facets of the conference from having one session that was put on by Pete Reed
Casino Night Get Acquainted Party and members on the Conference Committee, which talked about the new MSDS laws
the storytelling around the fire pit. Also at monetary sponsorship, providing educa- that was really something that I needed to
this meeting SWANA let the committee tional sessions with a moderator for their hear about. We also had something a little
know that they wanted to be full partners room, helping to gain exhibitors for the different for the TCAPWA in our educa-
in the conference and informed the com- conference and participating in all facets tion sessions this year. We had a couple of
mittee that they would be ‘putting skin in of the conference. round table discussions. These are a great
the game’ as Eddie Anderson of Stringfel- Casino Night way to find information from your peers.
low termed their involvement. At this year’s Host Cities Recep-
The committee had monthly telecon-
ferences that eventually evolved into tion we tried something new for
TCAPWA. Instead of the usual en-
once every two weeks as the conference tertainment the conference commit-
got closer. Mike Flatt provided excellent tee decided to have a Casino Night.
leadership as the committee chair. Angie Jennifer Ogden and Angie Womack
Womack and Jennifer Ogden were the secured several very nice prizes to
core of the committee and did yeoman’s give out to the “big winners” and an
work to ensure the conference would instruction book on gaming to give
be a success. The committee planned out to the first person to go broke!
everything from the times of each part of The food was great. I know I en-
the event, the menu’s, the entertainment joyed the desert bar. It was great to
(Casino Night and the Storytelling around see everyone gathered around hav-
the firepit) and Manny Belen as Education ing a good time together and being
Chair organized the speakers. The amount able to have some fun. One of the
of time, effort and hard work provided by most valuable parts of any confer-
the members of the Committee cannot ence is the networking opportuni-
16 TPW January/February 2014
