by Janet Dickelman
The messages of praise for the hotel staff, convention committee members and our convention volunteers have been overwhelming! The Hyatt Regency in Minneapolis was a phenomenal venue. Its staff was so welcoming and helpful.
The Convention and Visitors Bureau really worked to prepare the city of Minneapolis for our arrival. Their staff worked with local restaurants to obtain braille menus, and ensured that, in spite of the construction, there was always lots of assistance to help us maneuver through the area.
Thanks to the Minnesota host committee members for all their hard work and dedication. They prove that “Minnesota nice” isn’t just a saying.
I couldn’t coordinate this convention without the help and support of my wonderful and hard-working convention committee.
Margarine Beaman worked her magic once again to make sure our accessibility needs were met at the Hyatt and that everyone had a good experience at the airport. Sally Benjamin recruited a great group of volunteers; they were everywhere and extremely polite and helpful. Special thanks to Bruce Radtke, who once again was volunteer extraordinaire. Michael Smitherman once again made sure the exhibit hall ran flawlessly. Many people commented on how much they liked the layout of this year’s booths. Vicky Prahin was a great source of convention materials, and the information desk ran smoothly under her leadership. Rhonda Trott did a marvelous job in her first year as tour coordinator. In spite of weather cancellations, we had amazing tours, and all the feedback has been extremely positive. Rick Morin and his cadre of volunteers kept our AV equipment running and did an amazing job with ensuring that our assistive listening devices worked in the various meeting rooms.
Lane Waters and the registration staff made a huge endeavor look easy, and with pre-registration pick-up only the first three mornings, lines in registration were minimal!
Now it is on to Reno in 2017! Our conference and convention home will be the Nugget Casino Resort in Sparks, Nev. Convention dates are Friday, June 30th through Friday, July 7th. Our first tours will be on June 30th, and final tours on July 7th. Our opening general session will be held Saturday evening, July 1st, with general sessions Sunday through Wednesday morning, and all day on Thursday followed by our banquet.
Room rates at the Nugget Casino Resort are $89 (single or double) with an additional $10 per person for up to four people per room. Room tax is 13.5 percent. The room rate includes the hotel resort fee, which covers:
- Round-trip shuttle transportation to and from Reno-Tahoe International Airport,
- Complimentary wireless Internet in guest rooms,
- Daily complimentary bottled water, 2 bottles per room per day,
- Unlimited use of the year-round Atrium Pool,
- Unlimited use of the fitness center,
- Full service concierge, and
- Valet and self-parking in the secure, covered parking structure.
Staying in Touch
Once again, the convention announce list will be filled with information about the convention. You can subscribe to the list today by sending a blank e-mail to[email protected]. If you received updates for the 2016 convention, you do not need to subscribe again.
Convention Contacts
2017 exhibit information: Michael Smitherman, (601) 331-7740,[email protected]
2017 advertising and sponsorships: Margarine Beaman, (512) 921-1625,[email protected]
For any other convention-related questions, please contact Janet Dickelman, convention chair, at (651) 428-5059 or via e-mail, [email protected].