TONIGHT: Tuesday, May 15, 2012
6:30-9:30pm
Heartland Brewery, Empire State Building
350 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY

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WATCH THE LIVE STREAM at 6:30pm EST

PLANNERTECH PARTNERS

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Presenting Event Technology

There were such amazing companies that applied to present this year and the following were selected based on 4 key criteria that includes the application to the event industry, innovation, variety and cost for participant use. We are excited to announce the following innovative companies that will be showcasing at PlannerTech NYC 2012!

	Eventbrite At the Door + swiper. At the Door is an ipad application that allows you to sell tickets and become a box office anywhere. http://www.eventbrite.com @briteNYC NY2012 Participant
	Kojami Kojami has developed a comprehensive event mobile solution that allows users to discover, interact, connect and share information about any event easily! Kojami is a full event solution that captures the power of mobile marketing to enhance the event industry for both organizers and attendees. For event organizers, the service is a cost-effective way to create, manage and market events, as well as provide real time interaction with their attendees. Their attendees can utilize Kojami to simply discover, shove, and experience events at any time, from anywhere on any smartphone, with the touch of a finger. http://www.kojami.com @kojami NY2012 Participant
	Maestro Market Maestro Market is an online marketplace for discovering and connecting with experts on a wide variety of topics of interest to business meeting and other event planners: Leadership, Marketing, Career Development, Education, Wellness, Diversity and more. In addition to finding thought leaders for traditional speaking engagements, our platform opens up a huge potential for engaging experts in other ways such one-on-one, Skype-based “deep dive” conversations, Tweet chats or other meaningful experiences online or in-person. http://www.maestromarket.com @maestromarket NY2012 Participant
	OneLobby.ca OneLobby.ca is a social platform that allows attendees, organizers and exhibitors the opportunity to quickly make quality connections with the right people before, during and long after the event is over. http://www.onelobby.ca @onelobby NY2012 Participant
	P&V Enterprises Our tool is web casting, both live and on demand. This is a way to extend the reach of your event. We capture the live event add production value to the hybrid event as well as production value to the streams, live and on demand. http://pnventerprises.com/ @pnv123 NY2012 Participant
	Qrious Qrious helps ensure attendee, exhibitor and sponsor satisfaction by helping event participants meet more of the people that are important to them at professional events and conferences. Using the Qrious people-matching engine, event participants receive recommendations on who they should meet – and why – based on their role, goals for the event, existing social networks and specific business interests. Recommendations are presented to attendees on the web, in their inboxes and using the Qrious smartphone app. http://www.qriousapp.com @qriousapp NY2012 Participant
	Yapp Yapp is the easiest way to create a mobile application for your event. You don’t need any technical or design knowledge to create a beautiful, customized mobile application (iPhone and Android) for a wedding, fundraiser, corporate event, and more. Features include directions, schedule of events, real time updates, photo sharing, and more. The company was founded a year ago and we recently allowed select users try the product. The response from event planners has been phenomenal. We are backed by some of the world’s leading venture capitalists and individual investors from the women’s media industry. NY2012 Participant

Returning Event Technology

The following companies have presented at PlannerTech NY 2011 or DC 2011 and are back to show you all the upgrades and updates they’ve made to their products. PlannerTech is all about fostering innovation and we’re excited to bring our friends back for another round!

	EventFarm Event ticketing has evolved. It’s no longer just about creating an online ticket order/registration page and processing payments. Event Farm is at the cusp of the shift. Are you leveraging technology to target specific audiences to ensure your event is not only at capacity but has the RIGHT people in attendance? How are your guests interacting with your brand? Are you using mobile applications to make event operations more efficient? Welcome to the new world of ticketing. Welcome to the Farm! http://www.eventfarm.com @eventfarmhand Friends & Family Member: NY2011, DC2011, NY2012 Participant
	imbookin (Powered by Pogby) imbookin is a site that connects those seeking a space for an event with those that have spaces to rent out. Planners can find and book spaces on this site and can also build connections with the Sellers of the spaces, learn about their options, view available packages, and experience the diversity of traditional and non-traditional settings for their event. imbookin makes it easy to merchandise and share your space to a global audience, and to find the right space for an event. http://www.imbookin.com @imbookin Friends & Family Member: NY2011, DC2011, NY2012 Participant
	Social Tables Social Tables is the first-ever social seating chart utility. It’s like Google Docs and Google Maps for floorplans and seating charts. It’s the first piece of an event planning platform that will be more robust than anything the industry has seen.. http://www.socialtables.com @socialtables Friends & Family Member: DC2011, NY2012 Participant
	Splash (by One Clipboard) Splash is the perfect online presence for your offline experience. Created by One Clipboard, Splash has every tool you need to execute a flawless professional event from start to finish. http://www.oneclipboard.com @oneclipboard Friends & Family Member: DC2011, NY2012 Participant
	Pathable Social networking services for events are critical to attendee satisfaction and engagement, and they provide exhibitors and sponsors with the opportunity for dialogue with attendees, not just tote-bag awareness. Pathable’s award-winning on-line community for events provides a private, branded conference community where attendees can meet, schedule meetings, and stay in contact before, during and after the event, and their mobile experience carries the engagement to the show floor on iPhone, iPad, Android and more. http://www.pathable.com @pathable Friends & Family Member: NY2012 Participant

Other Participating Event Tech

Bswarms Bswarms is your Social Event Promotional System. We encompass everything you need to make your event successful. Not only is our system FREE to organizers, but easy to use as well. Once you create your account, you will be able to host, monitor and promote your SWARMS. Within minutes you will be able to start directing registrants to your customized URL and embed the link on your website. http://www.bswarms.com @bswamrs NY2012 Participant

Herematch herematch is the ultimate business networking tool! A must have app for anyone attending conventions, conferences, trade shows, seminars, business networking groups, and business networking events. www.herematch.com NY2012 Participant

Mutual transparency needs to start from the first conversation you have together.  Keep it simple and I don’t think this is asking much but be honest.  If you cannot offer a service, tell them, if you need upgrades or must have items, tell them.  Not being honest makes it difficult for everyone to do their job properly and work hand in hand making this industry successful.

Meeting planners, please (I’m begging on my knees) I have written about this in the past on RFPs but put everything in there that you want, need and dream about, the more the better.  A little tip I have is that I would separate my concessions list into two categories: Must Have and Would Like.  This tells the venue or hotel what you must have for this meeting, i.e. upgrades for VIPs, discounts on various items, commissions, or rates, it can be anything.

Your venue contact is not a mind reader and can only see what you have provided.  The response and offer is always based on that valued piece of business you provided in the RFP.  A difficult situation is when the piece of business is awarded based on the response and the planner comes back asking for more stating these additional requests are required and we must have them.   In the end nine times out of ten the two come to an agreement and make it work but it would have saved time and a lot of back and forth if everyone was just honest and transparent up front.

Hoteliers, which includes myself, you know what the hot buttons are for meeting planners so be upfront and address those right away.  It allows the planner to get the items they are focused on out of the way so they do what they do best and that is plan meetings in our hotels.  Be honest on the pricing of your AV, Food and Beverage, everything.  The biggest focus for the planner is not only a meeting taking place without a problem but staying within budget and proving the ROI.

Don’t sit on the opposite side of the table, sit on the same side and make it a win-win.  Pick up the phone right away when you get an RFP and give a call to the planner and thank them.  Inform them you received their RFP, looked it over, and wanted to find out what the top 3 most important things on it are.  They should be honest with you because you are being upfront and honest with them.  Mutual transparency is such a beautiful thing when done by everyone.

Take a moment. Sit back. Now think.  Think about how your interactions take place with a planner or a hotelier.  Is it good?  Great?  Could they be better?  How do you think we can take this industry to the next level by working together to provide a more mutual transparent process of planning meetings?

Photo by LungCookie

“I have a Master’s degree in English and I’m still unemployed five years,” said one Tunisian man. If you read my last post, you’ll understand why this struck a nerve. But it also reminded me that a lot of Americans are in that same position — overeducated, underemployed and annoyed at the stagnant position our economy is in.

More than a year ago, a group of people upset with the bank bailouts decided to occupy Wall Street. In major cities across America, #occupy movements popped up like McDonald’s franchises. There were murmurs that maybe this was some kind of American version of the Arab Spring. Unlike the Tea Party movement, which was born of the same disgust with government waste and financial abuse but leaned towards the other end of the political spectrum, the #occupy movement garnered a lot of positive press. Even meetings publications started talking about how we should #occupy our old meetings format to drive change.

But you can’t #occupy change. And anyone who’s seen footage of their general assemblies can tell you why.

Watch this and see if you can guess why I think they’ll end up being, at most, a footnote in the annals of history:

On Quora, I mentioned that I found this kind of group chanting (and spirit fingering) creepy. It was explained to me that the intention was to act like a human microphone so people throughout the crowd could hear what was going on. Because they “are the 99 percent,” their focus is including everyone and valuing the wisdom of the group over the value of an individual’s contribution. It doesn’t matter what the majority thinks, if there’s a portion of the crowd that’s unhappy, no motion goes forward because it might divide opinion. Going back and forth to hear everyone’s opinion on one topic before anything happens can take hours because they want unanimous consensus. It’s quite possible they might reopen something for discussion after it’s been shut down and dismissed because someone is dissatisfied with the outcome.

Although I fully understand the intent and political statement they’re attempting to make, this sounds like a board meeting from hell.

There’s a reason why our founding fathers decided to create a republic rather than a democracy. They also originally limited the privilege of voting to people who owned land.

If you’ve ever watched reality TV, you know why. It’s because — and I know this isn’t politically correct — not everyone is blessed with brains, drive and ability. There are a lot of shiftless, selfish, stupid people out there who are easily led but lack the cojones to lead. And although the trappings of civilization and prevailing mores do change with the times, people never really do. The founding fathers felt that if you didn’t at least own property that could be taxed, you didn’t have enough skin in the game to make an informed decision.

The American Revolution — like many revolutions — wasn’t planned by committee. And it certainly wasn’t a unanimous decision supported by everyone that it was going to affect. It — like many revolutions before and since — involved a small group of people agitating for change, creating a plan of action and assigning out responsibilities and deadlines for getting things done.

In short, every successful revolution has been proceeded by a series of incredibly effective meetings.

So rather than trying to #occupy change, make things happen. If you’re not sure how to do that, here are five steps that will make any meeting more effective and 12 things you can do right now that will revolutionize the meetings industry. If you have any more ideas about it, please share them below.

Photo by Sunset Parkerpix

Get excited! PlannerTech has returned to NYC and we are bigger and better than ever! Join us to meet ten new amazing technology companies who are changing the way we plan and implement events. And, this year, we’re expanding to host a new event called PlannerCrawl the night before – the perfect opportunity for you to mix and mingle with fellow event professionals on a venue crawl around Times Square! Check out the list of participating companies and register before space is sold out!

PlannerTech
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
6:30-9:30pm
Heartland Brewery, Empire State Building
350 Fifth Avenue New York, NY

PlannerTech – the event technology showcase – is back in NY! Get ready to learn about ten companies changing the event planning landscape and providing new ways for your clients to get the most out of their events. We have a great range of tools – from registration to mobile applications to networking tools. There will be cash bar, but you’ll get your first drink free and we’ll have light snacks as well – all for $20 in advance ($30 at the door!)

PlannerCrawl
Monday, May 14, 2012
6:30-9:30pm
Secret starting venue TBA to those who register

You are incredibly busy and keeping up with all the venues in Manhattan feels like a full time job. Join us for this evening event where we’ll tour six venues (all within walking distance) in just a matter of hours. Check out the venue, enjoy a drink at each and fill up with lots of snacks along the way. You’ll even get a sneak peak at some of the event technology tools being presented at PlannerTech. $10 in advance ($20 at the door!)

But, what about other corporate events and the rest of the event world? A good portion of major internal corporate meetings – nationwide sales and marketing conferences , for example – have been either cancelled or downsized. Trade association conference attendance is way down in many industries. Educational and networking conferences are having trouble filling their seats. Why? Well, it appears that the conventional wisdom these days – which I feel is downright crazy – is to stop spending money on meetings and events. Stop spending to plan and produce, and stop spending on travel and the cost of registration. Just like many companies have cut down the marketing and advertising budgets.

I don’t have a degree in economics or business, but I do have one in education and that background taught me what is of utmost importance. All of the types of meetings and events that I just mentioned are a form of education and we need to find ways to extend the reach of learning and the opportunities derived from that learning.

A company or association – or any brand for that matter – must keep their name out there or soon they won’t exist.

For instance, trade associations rely on their meetings and Tradeshows for revenue and membership recruitment. Corporate America must bring their employees together to continue branding and educating from within. Large sales forces must be updated and trained.

The answer is either webcasting your meeting, or creating a live hybrid event. This means broadcasting your meeting to your audience wherever they are, or even bringing in speakers and participants from different locations all at the same time.  Attendees can have the same shared experience of a meeting, general session, or workshop and can be made available on demand for later viewing.

Ten years ago, if someone told you that you’d share private elements of your life in public with strangers, you’d call them crazy. Today, you probably get annoyed at the friends who haven’t joined Facebook yet. But you didn’t just one day start a Twitter account and start posting pictures of your breakfast.

Whether it was because a band you liked was on MySpace, or you had to create a business profile on LinkedIn for work, or you were seeking advice on a chat room from your peers, or you fell in love with Wikipedia and discovered you had things to contribute, eventually you got used to the idea that your information was valuable, that people cared what you thought and, slowly, the concerns you had about privacy or security started to recede. Now you “pin” pictures of places you’d like to go, “like” stories you read, tell everyone on Twitter when you check into a place on Foursquare and share what kind of music you’re listening to on Spotify.

We all have skills that are appropriate for what we do now. But will they still be valued 10 years from now? What are the little things that we are dimly aware of now that will ultimately transform how we live and work tomorrow?

I met my husband 10 years ago. You know how you can take a picture and then doctor it with Instagram to make it look awesome? He used to do that with a paintbrush on real photos for high-end women’s fashion magazines and less reputable publications like Penthouse (he says he was only focused on covering the bruises…). You know how you can drag and drop text and images in spaces to create magazines, books and enewsletters? Back in the days before computers, he’d physically lay out publications on a table, paste the pictures and text down, photograph them, send them to press and go through the bluelines from the printer to make sure nothing had shifted. And a little-known fact: He was one of the last people in America to be certified a Journeyman craftsman in Quality Control and some other antiquated, but essential skill, that people no longer care about.

In the 10 years we’ve been together, he’s been laid off three times. At his last job, he was in charge of the production of 200 magazines nationwide. Thanks to his efforts, he negotiated print contracts that saved his company $2 million. He was laid off less than a month after they were signed.

That was four years ago. Despite sending out resumes every day, he’s still unemployed. Because he possesses knowledge no one values anymore. He spent his life mastering skills particular to an industry that’s in danger of losing its relevancy. Not one to rest on his laurels, he started his own line of greeting cards kids can color and send. It’s a dream he had for a long time. And one that he really hopes takes off because he wants Cozmic Fun Lines to also produce children’s books and toys.

But the process of reinvention is slow, difficult and painful. He’s having to learn skills he never thought he’d use (sales) and ones that he naturally dislikes (marketing). Despite being shy of social media and distrustful of popularity contests, he’s entered the Get on the Shelf competition with his Color Me…Gift Cards and is trying to get people to watch his video, vote for it often and share it with their friends before April 3. If he makes it to the second round of voting and wins that, then he’ll get seed money and prominent placement in Wal-Marts around the country. The chances are slim, but he’s putting it out there, and I’m proud of how far he’s willing to go outside of his comfort zone to make this work. (By the way, he’d be embarrassed if I asked you to vote for him and tell all your friends. But if he won, he’d get over it.)

What does this have to do with you? I’m wondering how far you are willing to go. And if you realize how close to the edge of corporate extinction you may already be.

Did you know 87 percent of marketers believe that in four years half the meetings they plan will be virtual ones? Online meeting platforms like Go to Meeting and WebEx aren’t a lot of fun, but they get the job done. And they get it done cheaply. Do you know how to articulate the importance, relevance and bottom-line impact of what you do?

If traveling from place to place continues to get more expensive and air travel continues to become more unpleasant, it’s not hard to believe that attendance will continue to erode at live events. Do you know how to incorporate hybrid technologies that bring face-to-face attendees together with remote ones and make those virtual participants want to convert to attending in-person next year?

It’s a time of great disruption: high unemployment, revolutions overseas, domestic unrest, economic uncertainty. Which also means: This is a time of great opportunity. I dined with a man last Friday who’s invented an app that lets you take a picture, set a price and send it to media outlets. Newspapers, television stations and magazines in Europe already use it to send assignments out to citizen journalists near the sites of natural catastrophes, accidents and other newsworthy happenings. It will completely transform the field of photojournalism. But do you think the people lugging $5,000 worth of camera gear know that yet?

Learning doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, I know that there are a lot of people out there (I’m talking to you Jeff Hurt and Midori Connolly) who go out of their way to make it fun. So, friends, it’s time to start going out of your way to brush up on things that you could probably care less about.

I promise, those of us who care about you and your future will go easy on you. After all, as my ballet teacher used to say, “Everyone was a beginner one Sunday.”

Join me in Tampa March 21, Denver on June 19 or Chicago in July to learn about hybrid event technology (and if you don’t think it’ll be fun, watch this short trailer). I’ll also be in St. Louis, Mo., on May 11 to teach planners how to work Smarter, Faster and More Efficiently (and if you’re in MPI, headquarters will pay my speaking fees for this session through June 2013 if you request it through the speaker’s database).

Are you based in Dallas? Then don’t miss Jeff Hurt sharing his insights on innovation on March 28. Stormi Boyd, CMP, will teach you how to ditch your conference binder and go digital in San Antonio April 12 and Austin May 16. And Midori is everywhere. Follow her @AVGirlMidori to see her jam-packed dance card and see if she’s coming to a city near you.

Need a steady infusion of inspiration? Subscribe to the newsletters and various media I curate for Plan Your Meetings. The 2012 PYM Annual is all about revolution, innovation and what it takes to succeed in this business. And throughout the year, we publish a steady stream of how-to best practice and advice articles and videos online that demystify new technologies and can help you adjust to new challenges. Think of it as a cross between Real Simple and Wired, but for #eventprofs.

Plan well and prosper, friends.

Related articles

• What’s wrong with this room set? by @KristiCasey (lizkingevents.com)

Let’s have a look at the potential risks of connecting to an open WiFi network. From the participants and organizer point of view.

Yeah right, what’s the point?

WiFi is nothing more than a data transmission system. Free and open WiFi is accessible to anyone, and yes, that means ANYONE. In theory all data transmitted through WiFi network can easily be intercepted by any computer user. And yes again, that means ANY user.

Uhm I can see a privacy issue coming …

Correct! Keep in mind that the data you transmit through an open WiFi connection and network is most likely readable by others. It’s not secure ….. You’d better be aware that all critical services that requires authentication by password are a potential risk if they’re not running over a secured connection like SSL.

What do you mean by that?

Ok, a little bit of tech talk here: data is sent over the internet in packages. Information, for example e-mail messages or login information, is constructed from several packages together. If you want to log in at your e-mail account over a non-secured connection, the data is transmitted in human readable format. So everyone who get’s the package on his computer is able to display that information and now possess your login credentials. With SSL, the packages of information are encrypted. If someone intercepts the information, they can’t do anything with it. Intercepting data is not an easy task to do, but you want to avoid the people who put effort in managing it…

I’m with you. Now what should I do?

As a visitor you should keep these things in mind:

• don’t dive into every free hotspot you encounter, there are people waiting for your credentials
• when you see a free hotspot, check the source of the hotspot. You can see if the WiFi source is a laptop, tablet or phone. Those can be suspicious, especially when they’re called “Free WiFi” or “Free hotspot”.
• certify yourself that you’ve the right WiFi network. Currently “Evil Twin” networks are becoming increasingly popular at large events or venues for phishing attacks. Imagine you think you’re dealing with an AT&T network and you’re asked for credit card payment ….
• if you have access to a VPN (virtual private network), connect to it when you are connected to an open WiFi network.
• avoid sending files with sensitive information over an open network. If you have to password protect them or use encryption.
• check your webmail via SSL connection. Be sure to see https appear in the URL field.
• by checking your e-mail via your e-mail client, your username and password is sent over the WiFi network. Be sure you use SSL for both incoming and outgoing messages.
• you’d better avoid internet banking or doing some Amazon payments over a WiFi connection, as there’s the risk of transferring personal and financial information.
• always keep your firewall and (security) software up to date, and turn of file and printer sharing.
• password protect your computer.

As an organizer:

• deploy a secure WiFi network, get an expert to help you.
• communicate the right network name and credentials to your visitors.
• monitor suspicious WiFi network activity and act upon on it.

Data connection is becoming a primary need. And thus very interesting for people that have malicious intents. By providing a properly secured WiFi access to your visitors, you’ll serve them a lot. But be aware and be prepared!

More to read:

• Security at WiFi Hotspots
• 10 Best Practices for Designing Your Event Wi-Fi Deployment
• Secure WiFi for Large Scale Events and Arenas
• WiFi Honeypots and hacker case

The common theme was one of camaraderie among early adopters who are all trying to navigate this still new landscape to improve their businesses. One of the most applicable and interesting sessions I attended was led by Gabe Zichermann, CEO of Gamification.co. Not only was the subject relevant to meetings, but the psychology and science behind gamification’s ability to stimulate creativity and innovation was fascinating.

Gamification: n. the process of using game thinking and mechanics to engage users.

When those in the meetings and tourism industry hear the term gaming, they might think first of casinos. Others might think of a middle-aged man playing World of Warcraft in his basement. Those looking to transform meetings think of engaging participants in a system that stimulates learning.

“There really are few self-starters in the world,” Zichermann says. While there are entrepreneurs with ideas they can’t wait to get out, most people need specific challenges to encourage stimulation.

“Games present the most compelling and flexible way to do that,” said Zichermann. Trying to engage an audience with a contest that asks them to submit a video might get a few responses. However the quantity, quality and creative expression of the entries will rise if the contest introduces simple constraints such as send a video of yourself with our magazine in front of a landmark talking about why you love our conference.

Zichermann explained more about why gaming works this way, specifically for events, in this video interview.

Creating a game at your event does require more than adding a competition or check-ins. Games work when they incorporate feedback, friends and fun. Feedback stimulates the challenge/achievement loop in participants’ brains and taps into their desire to do it over and over again. Successful games create an experience participants want to do and share. For instance, a loyalty program that introduces a game adds a viral nature to something that is otherwise private. Fun is different for everyone, so it’s important to know your audience and what constitutes fun for them. Forced participation is usually not the answer. “Even if [the game] is more fun than whatever tragic data entry they would be doing otherwise, if the appeal is ‘You will have fun and play this game,’ they generally will not,” advised Zichermann.

Have you incorporated gaming into your event using an app, check-ins or teambuilding? We’d like to know how it worked.

Read more about Zichermann’s Gamification Summit or how his company, Dopamine, can create a game for your event.

Photo by Cea

Karina Avela – PR/Marketing for Event Businesses
Karina is an expert when it comes to PR and Marketing. She’s going to share a ton of great information in 2012 that planners can use to build their event businesses through PR and marketing efforts. Businesses are built on word of mouth and PR/Marketing is the best way to leverage that!

Paul Cook – Getting Into the Business for Students
Paul has blogged for the Liz King Events blog since it first started. He is an incredibly talented author and force in the event industry. Paul does a ton of work with students and will be focusing his blogs this year on preparing students to enter the event industry. Covering everything from networking to building your resume, Paul’s tips are a must-read for anyone looking to enter our industry.

Jennifer Garrett – Industry Trends
Jennifer Garrett writes for Collison Media and is going to share with us some of the industry trends that you need to watch out for! She is a genuine spirit and incredibly in-tune with our industry. Make sure to tune in each month to see what she has to say! You know it’ll have an impact on you and the way you do business!

Malla Haridat – Event Business Development
Malla is a great friend and was a guest blogger for LKE in 2011. She is going to continue sharing her business development tips for all of you throughout the coming year. On everything from time management to goal setting, Malla will get you on the right track to a successful year!

Liz Mazzei – Locations, locations, locations
Liz and I have done a lot of work together in the past year, including the launch of PlannerTech in New York and Washington DC. We work so well together, we figured we’d expand PlannerTech in more cities and she’ll be stopping by the blog each month to share her thoughts on locations (her specialty at imbookin.com).

Deborah Pannell – Life Stories as they apply to events
Deb is one of those genuine authors who captures you with her humor and makes you scratch your head because of the great content. She keeps up her own personal blogs as well as the eventwist blog and she’s adding LKE to the mix! She is going to write about all her wonderful life experiences and how they apply to our industry!

Kristi Casey Sanders – Speaker Management
Kristi has been one of those people that I met via Twitter. We’ve still yet to make our relationship official (by meeting in-person), but I can tell how knowledgeable she is. In 2012, she’s going to talk all about managing speakers as an event planner. Stay tuned for all you need to know!

Neil Park – Photography
Neil has been a friend of mine for many years and I always believe that working with your friends is a great idea (contrary to popular opinion). I’m really excited to have Neil on board this year sharing his images with all of you. I’m sure you will love his work and learn a lot from him as well. I know I have a lot to learn in this area!

Greg Ruby – Risk Management and Green Meetings
Greg Ruby is hysterical, but his knowledge is even more amazing. He’ll be writing for us this year on various topics focused around risk management and green meetings. Greg is a wealth of knowledge and he shares it all with his infectious personality. Now that I’ve built him up, the pressure is on for him to be funny as hell in 2012.

Lord Jason Scott – Celebrity Events
Jason has written faithfully for the LKE blog throughout 2011 and his articles on celebrity events have been some of the most popular. Who doesn’t want to hear about all the behind-the-scenes information about events with your favorite celebs? I can’t wait to see what he has in store for us in 2012!

Derrick Stomp – Event Technology
Derrick is one of the brains behind Twoppy – a really cool mobile application for events. I had the chance to get to know him when he came all the way from the Netherlands to join us for PlannerTech. He is a really dynamic guy and very passionate about connecting planners with event technology. You will learn a LOT from him this year!

Alexandra Suazo – Social Media
Alexandra is a go-getter. I first met her after she reached out to me via Twitter and I’ve kept up with her awesome life ever since. She is getting into the industry and is really well versed in social media. Her life is social media. I look forward to some great posts from her (and I’m sure some video blogs, as well!)

I’d like to thank all of the attendees who came out and shared the first-ever PlannerTech with us! A special thank you to the Roger Smith Hotel for their generous sponsorship of the event and to all of the volunteers who made the event possible! Also, a huge thanks to Pogby for their leadership on the event and Christine Upton for all her contributions to the planning team.

Please enjoy the pictures from the event and take a look at all the people who made it come together so smoothly! We had a great time and I hope you all did as well!

Also, a huge thanks to the Showcase Organizations and Promotional Partners!

Photos by Steven Rosen Photography & Swig Productions