Region 4 members at ACCED-I 29th Annual Conference in Boston, MA
Past Regional News from Region 4
From the January - March 2010 issue of ACCED-I Connections:
ACCED-I Region 4 Fall Meetings
This year Region 4 decided to host dual meetings on October 23, 2009 in Utah and Colorado to accommodate travel restrictions and budget constraints. Although the meetings contrasted in topic and location, the goal of the region was to allow as many members as possible to participate. A scholarship was even offered in hopes to assist someone in need. We are pleased to announce that this year's meetings were a complete success! With well over thirty participants, Region 4 had the best attendance in recent years. Colleagues from the across the region were able to unite to learn, network, and have a great time! We hope to have the same success this spring at the Annual Conference!
Eco Chic?
In the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, attendees gathered together to focus on being ‘eco chic’. The meeting, hosted at University of Colorado at Boulder, spotlighted the significance of being green and environmentally friendly in today’s world. The meeting covered a full spectrum of greening issues and motivations for change. Guest speakers included Abby Simons employee of Bloomin’, a local earth-friendly seed paper company, who discussed green paper products and their experience as a green company over the last 14 years and Dave Newport, director of CU’s four decade old, award-winning Environmental Center who discussed CU’s zero waste football games and future sustainability issues for college campuses.
Highlights included lunch catered by West End Tavern (home of the recent winner of Top Chef) and we audited selected current university conference websites for disability access using WAVE website.
Launch into the Future
Located on the edge of the Wasatch front and Salt Lake City, participants traveled far and wide to discover how to launch their operation into the future. The meeting held at the University of Utah centered on the current and future trends to promote and network a brand. From partnering to viral marketing, attendees enhanced their knowledge about the importance of today’s trends. Visitors included Chris Newton, an employee from GoTravelSites.com who shared his insight on strategic marketing using today’s technology.
Highlights included a trip to Olympic Caldron Park (home of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games).
From the November-December 2009 issue of ACCED-I Connections:
Welcome to Our New Members
Region 4 was lucky enough to gain three new additions during the past couple weeks. We would like to welcome Mary Ellen Sinnwell, Anne Gale, and Laurel McGilchrist to the ACCED-I family. Our new members submitted a few interesting facts about themselves so that we can get to know them.
Mary Ellen is the director of conference services at Colorado State University. Originally from Iowa, Mary Ellen is one of 10 children. She recently transitioned back into conferences after over 20 years of working in Residence Life.
Anne Gale has joined the staff at the University of Colorado – Colorado Springs. Before crossing over into conferences, Anne worked at the Broadmoor Hotel, finishing her career as tournament director hosting the USGA’s Men’s 2008 Senior Open. Interesting though, Anne is not a golfer.
Laurel McGilchrist is the conference and events manager at Colorado Christian University. Laurel is a mother of three teenage daughters. She loves to sing, perform, bike, and raise Goldendoodle puppies. Is there a future talent show at a regional meeting in the making?
Welcome to ACCED-I!
New Director-Elect
Region 4 is excited to announce we have a new director-elect. We sadly lost Marilynn Spittler when she resigned her position at Colorado Christian University. However, we are lucky to have a number of talented individuals willing to step up in leadership within our region. We are pleased to announce Christina Patarino, from UC Boulder, is the new Region 4 director-elect. Christina has done a brilliant job of planning the Region 4 fall meeting held in Colorado in October. We know she will help move our region to the next level. Congrats Christina!
Region 4 Fall Meeting
This year, Region 4 decided to hold a dual conference in both Utah and Colorado. Aware of recent travel restrictions, we wanted to accommodate as many as possible of those interested in attending. The two fall meetings were held October 23, 2009. Held on the beautiful University of Colorado, Boulder campus, the Colorado regional meeting focussed on sustainability and being “eco-chic". We were also able to have another fall meeting that was held simultaneously at the University of Utah campus in Salt Lake City. The Utah meeting focusses on launching your operation into the future. Both universities worked hard to put together content focusing on peaking the interests of our region.
600 Blind Athletes at
Although
The conference planner guaranteed 250 participants, but at final count, CC hosted over 600 athletes. Fortunately, we were able to accommodate the increased numbers. In addition to the shock of 600 athletes on campus, one of the challenges encountered was participants using fire-alarmed exits because they were not marked in Braille. As you plan conferences for participants with special needs, some unique considerations must be made. Each year as we host over 50 conference groups in the summer, we learn something new. This summer with the United States Association of Blind Athletes was no different.
From the September-October 2009 issue of ACCED-I Connections:
The Region 4 fall meeting will take place Friday, October 23, 2009 at the University of Colorado-Boulder in Boulder, CO. Mark your calendars and watch for further information coming soon!
We are sorry to announce that Marilyn Spittler has left the collegiate conference and events industry and her position at Colorado Christian University. We would like to wish Marilyn good luck - she will be missed by all! If anyone is interested in filling the regional director-elect position, please contact Marci at mhealy@guesthouse.utah.edu for more information.
Before Marilyn left, she reported a hail and wind storm tore through parts of the Denver metro area mid-July. The summer conferencing crew at Colorado Christian University managed emergency procedures during the storm and helped clean up the debris the morning after.
From the June-August 2009 issue of ACCED-I Connections:
Dallas L. Holmes, EdD, associate professor, specialist institutional research and civil rights, at Utah State University in Logan, UT is retiring and will be honored at a reception at Utah State University in Logan, UT on June 11th. Dallas is a long-time member and supporter of ACCED-I including board member and ACCED-I president from 1996 - 1997. Congratulations Dallas!
From Marilyn Spittler at Colorado Christian University:
CCU hosts Guns 'n Hoses event to support Special Olympics
Sirens wailed and the campus of Colorado Christian University filled with police cars and fire trucks, but this time there was no emergency - it was all for fun and a good cause. Local police officers took on local firefighters in a charity basketball game to fund Special Olympics. Celebrity guests included Denver Bronco and Colorado Ice cheerleaders, retired Denver Nuggets celebrity coaches, Kyle Speller the Denver Nuggets announcer, and more. The firefighters
came out on top 49-42 as family, friends, and Special Olympians cheered on.
Going the extra degree for a GI
It was from the other side of the world that one of CCU's graduates from the class of 2009 was able to take part in commencement, thanks to weeks of planning by the University and the United States Air Force. Master Sgt. Ben Seidl, 38, became a highlight of graduation day from his post thousands of miles away in Afghanistan. The career military man, who has been serving in Afghanistan since November, delivered a special video greeting to the crowd of more than 3,000 people. Among them were members of his own far-flung family who had been invited as special guests of the University. Read more
From the April/May 2009 issue of ACCED-I Connections:
| The "Wild Wild West” |
Region 4 members at ACCED-I 29th Annual Conference in Boston, MA |
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Fantastic news, Boston was a success!!! We missed those who were unable to join the fun. Thanks to Patrick Nielson at New Mexico State University, we have a glimpse of our regional dinner at Skipjack’s Seafood Emporium. The conversation was amazing and the food was delicious!
 Patrick Devouring a Tasty Lobster |
 The Wild Bunch |
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Throughout the conference, Marci Healy at the University of Utah was busy scurrying around creating memories through photography using her new iPhone. For those of you who missed this professional photo shoot…look out next year!
 Decisions...Decisions |
 BFFS? |
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 Our Friends at BYU |
 Smile girls!! |
Future News! Members from Region 4 are now thinking out of the box to overcome geographical challenges and new budget cuts for travel. Plans are in the works to hold our regional meeting in two different locations in the future to accommodate. Same Time. Same Date. Same Great Conference! We are optimistic the solution will allow more members to join us for this important regional event. We hope to see you there!
From the November - December 2008 issue of ACCED-I Connections:
The Region 4 regional meeting will take place November 6 - 7, 2008 at the University of Denver in Denver, Colorado. Please join us in the beautiful Rocky Mountains for a great networking experience.
We will meet for dinner on Thursday night, November 6th for those of you who will be in early. The meeting will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, November 7th. A light breakfast will be served beginning at 8 a m.
The keynote speaker will be Chantal Unfug. Chantal was the main organizer of the Democratic National Convention hosted in Denver this summer. She will speak about the planning, challenges, and success of piecing together an event of that size. Click here for more information.
You may register for the conference at http://www.guesthouse.utah.edu/confregistration.htm.
The registration fee will be $40.00 per person. Hotel options are available on the registration page.
If you have any questions about the meeting, please contact your Regional Director-Elect, Marci Healy.
Our Regional Director Melanie Eaton, University of Denver, welcomed a baby boy to her family. Thomas Joseph Eaton was born on September 9th. Congratulations Melanie!
From June - August 2008 ACCED-I Connections:
Submitted by Melanie Eaton:
Sheila Couture, CMP, University of Wyoming writes "The weather is beautiful here in Wyoming (at least today!), and summer is just over the hill. Our latest change is our name: we are now called the Center for Conferences and Continuing Education. The new title reflects our changing programming. We have a busy upcoming season this summer with over 50 events planned. The groups range from athletic camps to teachers, workforce, the bar association, AARP, humanities, employment, a state business leadership program, health, animal science, nonprofits, aviation, physics, and wedding receptions. With at least five new hotels in our immediate vicinity as well as updated residence halls, we have lots of venues to choose from when planning events. We also are involved in graduation activities, candidate tours, and trips both regionally and abroad. We recently held a state-wide noncredit conference called "Building Partnerships" to address the need of communication and collaboration with all educational institutions throughout the state of Wyoming. Since our division also presents noncredit workshops and enrichment programs, we are planning some other unique activities: ranching, railroad history, marathon training, astronomy, and a class on children's picture book illustrations. If we make it through all this (!), we are currently creating our next five-year plan that will direct our business and efforts. So, if you are vacationing or driving through Wyoming, please stop in – we would love to show you our operation. Have a productive summer!"
Jennifer Brookes from St. John's College in Santa Fe reports that summer is fast approaching with only one week between graduation and the arrival of the summer's first conference group. Despite being displaced from her office a number of times over the past several months, due to a variety of sewer and mold-related mishaps, she has hired what looks to be a great summer staff and is confident that everything will come together wonderfully.
Auli Summerhays from Colorado State University (CSU) reports that the CSU Events team has elevated institutional recognition events this spring to new heights at Colorado State University!
CSU's longevity and retirement recognition in early April brought smiles to many faces as our MCs turned out to be dancers, too! (Have you ever seen one of your vice presidents dance to Michael Jackson's Thriller? Well, we have – and the chief of police and the athletic director, too!!!) The celebration also allowed our campus family to enjoy each other's company more in a comfortable and celebratory setting – and had some surprise treats and gifts throughout the event. The former lecture-style setting was transformed into a campus celebration – a party that was the talk of the town for weeks.
Being festive and celebrating our successes continued later in April for the university's awards ceremony which celebrated the "Stars of CSU" for their accomplishments. The décor of the ballroom was literally starry – with hundreds of stars hung from the ceiling, floating from the centerpieces and decorating the tables and stage. A Hollywood-style walk of fame welcomed the guests to the ballrooms (through a doorway that has never before been used as an entrance!) and each honoree received their own Hollywood star at the end of the event. Throughout the setup and decorating stages for the events, other campus groups came by to take pictures, discuss new and unique options for the ballroom setup, and take away ideas for their own upcoming events. Imitation truly is the greatest form of flattery. And we truly feel flattered! Happy summer months to all from CSU!
Heather Clapp, events and programs specialist at Casper College reports on a few events that they are planning for the 2008-2009 school year. Knowledge Enrichment for Youth (KEY Program), a summer residence program for high ability students in the 5th and 6th grade, will take place over three sessions in June. The International Language Institute sponsored by GOETHE institute in Chicago, promoting the German language and culture will take place Saturday, July 12 – Sunday, July 20, 2008. The Seventh Annual Math and Science Conference, a professional development conference for Wyoming math and science teachers, will run January 9 - 10, 2009.
Photo
News and Events
Fall Regional Meeting
The Region 4 meeting was located at the
We will be planning our regional dinner for the Annual conference soon, please look for more information to follow!
From ACCED-I Connections, January - March 2008
The Region 4 meeting was held at the University of Denver on November 2nd. The morning began with a motivational speech from Robert Wells with Chicken Lips entertainment. This meeting included two tracks, events and conferences. There were several presenters including Perry Hacker, CMP, Dan Gette, Brenda Soto, and Auli Summerhays. A big thank you to those who presented! Our region had great a great turn out and appreciates all the attendees for the input and knowledge that was shared at this conference.
We will be planning our regional dinner for the Annual Conference soon, please look for more information to follow!
News from Sheila Couture, CMP, University of Wyoming:
At this time of year, we are closing accounts and analyzing sales. After review, I noticed that our sales have remained steady along with headcounts in most of our programs. The one downturn we noticed was that athletic camps showed a slight decrease in headcounts. Let's hope business holds steady in the next year or two!
This fall we have been hosting lots of conferences focusing on health and environment, and have been advocating for green practices with our customers. We also handle noncredit programming of all types and are seeing a large upturn in certificate program interest, and customized training.
Staff activities for the holidays included adopting a local family in need of some assistance for the holidays; what joy it gave us to give - at least double the joy it gave the family. We also collected donations for the local animal shelter that were greatly appreciated by our furry friends, and their caretakers.
Hope to see old and new friends in Las Vegas in March!
From ACCED-I Connections, October - December 2007
Hey Region 4, its time for our fall regional meeting. We have a great agenda and lots of networking opportunities this year. I highly encourage as many Region 4 members as possible to attend. There are many hotels close by if you need to spend the night and downtown Denver is a blast.
Here are the details:
Regional Meeting - Keeping Campus Conferencing & Events 'Above the Rest'
Date: November 2, 2007
Time: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Location: Gottesfeld Room/Ritchie Center - University of Denver, 2201 E. Asbury Ave. Denver CO 80208
Cost: ACCED-I Members: $50.00; Non-members: $60.00
Register: To register, visit https://webapps2.utah.edu/conferences/acced-i
Hotel: The sponsoring hotel for the meeting is the Holiday Inn Select. The hotel is offering a rate of $89/night. To make reservations, call 1-888-388-6129. Please mention that you are with ACCED-I Region 4 meeting which is being held at the University of Denver when booking so you can get the special rate.
Schedule of the day:
7:30 a.m.- 8:00 a.m.:
Arrival and Breakfast (sponsored by Sodexho)
8:00 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.:
Welcome and guest speaker - Bob Wells of Chicken Lips Entertainment (sponsored by Holiday Inn Select). He will present, Laughing As Though Your Life Depended On It, which will explore ways to use your sense of humor - and a few other tricks to keep your professional and personal life fresh and energized. This is a wonderfully over-the-edge approach to stress control, for the individual and the organization.
9:15 a.m. -10:45 a.m.
Customer Service (Disney presentation): Perry Hacker
10:45 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Break
11:00 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.
One-stop shop and ACCED-I update: Dan Gette & ACCED-I staff
11:30 a.m.- Noon
Business meeting & regional leadership nominations
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Lunch (covered in registration)
SPLIT if we have enough events and conference people
1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Conference Logistics (lead by Brenda Soto) and No more event planning! Invite them to EXPERIENCES (lead by Auli Summerhays)
2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Sustainability discussion and open forum
4:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Closing remarks
Questions:
For additional information please contact Melanie Eaton at (303)871-5110. For hotel information, please see the Region 4 website on the ACCED-I homepage.
From e-Communique, April - May 2007
Region 4 had a great turnout at the Annual Conference in Baltimore with 35 members. Here are photos from our regional dinner.
