Did you Know?
Did you know that Black Friday, the retail extravaganza day after Thanksgiving, is the busiest day of the year for plumbers? Black Friday typically brings with it a 47 to 50 percent increase in business for plumbers, compared to an ordinary Friday. The number one reason for maintenance: Kitchen sink drains and garbage disposals. The more you know. Read more about it here.
5 Things to Know in November
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The Silent Auction is officially closed and we raised $69,263.73. Thank you to everyone who helped make this possible! Learn more here.
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The 2017 Annual Conference is officially over. Thank you to everyone who attended and made the event possible! What was your favorite part? Let us know on social with #ficp17.
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The November digital edition of MeetingsNet is now available.
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Meeting Insight: How Sound Can Enhance Your Meeting. Read the full article here.
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From Social: Support FICP committees and task forces. Check it out here.
2017 FICP Annual Conference Sees Record Attendance
The 2017 FICP Annual Conference wrapped up yesterday in sunny San Diego, California. This year’s Annual Conference drew more than 700 attendees to the Manchester Grand Hyatt where they had access to a variety of education on trending topics like understanding your financial health and fostering powerful communication, focused networking time and heard from keynote speakers like Bert Jacobs and John Ondrasik. Attendees also enjoyed three unforgettable evening events at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina, the Hotel del Coronado and the USS Midway. Find education session resources in TheNetwork and view event photos here.
Kick Off 2018 with FICP
Plan to attend the 2018 FICP Winter Symposium, taking place January 21-23 at the newly-renovated Revere Hotel in Boston, Mass. Offering exceptional education and memorable networking, the Winter Symposium is the best way to kick off the new year! Register now.
Recruitment Program
This year, we're launching the FICP Membership Recruitment Program early! Please review the updated guidelines on the membership recruitment page and reach out to your network to share the many benefits of an FICP membership. When your colleague submits a membership application — which must be completed by 5:00 p.m. CT Friday, August 31, 2018 — instruct him/her to list your name in the referral section to ensure that you receive credit. It’s as simple as that! Help FICP grow a strong membership base and get even more connected at a 2018 FICP event.
New Website
Notice something different? That’s right, FICP has a new website! Explore the new platform and design and check out enhanced features like TheBlog, more streamlined navigation and beautiful imagery. On this site, it is also now easier to log into your member profile and TheNetwork, all in one step.
FICP would like to thank the members of the Website Task Force, who have provided critical feedback to shape the design, content and functionality of the site in recent months. Task Force members include: Jan Hennessey, AssetMark; Kathie Hewitt, Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club; Dayna MacLeod, BMO; Suzanne Ronglien, AIG; and Deirdre Tinsley, Ironshore, Inc.
Welcome to the New FICP Board and HPAC
FICP would like to introduce its 2018 Leadership. View the press release and full listing here.
Strategic Partner Profiles
FICP Strategic Partners support the organization year-round. This month, learn more about Fiesta Americana and ACCESS Destination Services.
Marian Gardiner, Director of Insurance/Financial Sales
What are you most excited for in the next 12 months?
We’re most excited for growth and innovation. Fiesta Americana Hotels & Resorts will be going through tremendous growth over the next three years, to take our current property count of 160 to more than 300 hotels and resorts! The next 12 months alone will include over 50 projects either being finalized or commencing construction… including new destinations of Cuba and Dominican Republic! Each new property will have the latest in hotel technology and allow our guests even more options to choose from while providing the same high level of customer service.
What do you find to be the most valuable aspect of your FICP Strategic Partnership?
The most valuable aspect of our strategic partnership is the promotion of Fiesta Americana Hotels & Resorts as a Strategic Partner at each FICP event along with being featured annually in this FICP newsletter, NewsNet.
Tell us something about Fiesta Americana that most people don’t know.
“All all-inclusive resorts are not created equally.” This is a basic mantra that truly emulates our Fiesta Americana Resort Collection properties, as our all-inclusive resorts have genuinely evolved over the past five years by the creation of daily, memorable experiences and not just another meeting at another typical hotel.
Our all-inclusive resorts feature the very best culinary experiences as well as authentic Mexican entertainment that allows our group attendees to immerse themselves into the local culture during their group program. From tequila classes in Puerto Vallarta, to Mayan fire dances in Cancun, to a barefoot wine experience in Los Cabos… our all-inclusive resorts truly provide every meeting and incentive attendee with an authentic Mexican experience. Each Fiesta Americana Resort Collection property is unique upon itself and provides a completely distinctive, authentic experience by utilizing creativity and customization for each and every group!
Sterena Strickland, Regional Vice President, Sales
What are you most excited for in the next 12 months?
One of the most exciting trends we see in the meetings and events industry is the continued influence of experiential marketing (XM), and the impact it has on how we develop programs that speak directly to the aspirations of our clients. ACCESS has always worked to maintain a keen awareness of the “why” behind our clients’ needs when it comes to crafting the perfect production and, the continued focus on the incorporation of XM plays to our strengths as we move deeper into the experience economy.
What do you find to be the most valuable aspect of your FICP Strategic Partnership?
In an age so dominated by social media, personal and professional networks are essential in maintaining a vibrant presence with one’s audience. Our Strategic Partnership with FICP furthers that cause beyond the typical online channels and facilitates our ability to keep our finger on the pulse of such a dynamic industry as the finance and insurance marketplace. No organization can effectively exist in a bubble and our relationship with FICP is a tremendous resource that helps keep us on the leading edge of trends within the market, preparing us to meet any challenge and rise to the occasion when called upon to do so.
Tell us something about ACCESS Destination Services that most people don’t know.
A lot of folks in the industry probably don’t realize that ACCESS is actually the first official DMC. While it has become an established part of the MICE industry lexicon, "Destination Management" was first used in the early 1970s. The term was coined in the United States in 1972 by Phil Lee, Founder of California Leisure Consultants (now ACCESS Destination Services). Phil subsequently convinced the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau to officially adopt the term to distinguish full service DMCs from a variety of single-service providers and “ground operators,” as they were previously called.
FICP Welcomes New & Returning Members and Hospitality Partners
Meetings Professionals:
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Vanessa DelGatto, National Planning Holdings, Inc.
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Erin Gasbarro, Innovative Captive Strategies
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Holly Kiskaddon, Nationwide Insurance
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Katie Weber, Principal
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Malissa Wood, Commonwealth Financial Network
Hospitality Partners:
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Marla Bedrosian, Trump National Doral Miami
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Danielle Boyles, Hyatt Regency Seattle,
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Jennifer Bumbalo, RenoTahoe
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Vinnie Cicerale, The Villas of Grand Cypress
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Sharon Goodspeed,Greater Palm Springs CVB
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Kyle Huddy, Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa
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Rachel Jessop, Hyatt Regency Scottsdale at Gainey Ranch
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Laurie Knapp, AlliedPRA
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Justin Koch, JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE
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Noelia Larson, Marriott International
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Ana Madden, Meet Puerto Rico
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Brian Mordecai, RMC
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Brandis Protenic, AOO Events
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Ashley Sarpong, Fairmont Washington DC
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Debbi See, Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa
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Kieran Smith, Radisson BLU Edinburg
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Anna Surber, The Beverly Hilton
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Sherry Weaver, Vail Resorts Meetings & Events