Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID) 2017

MPI Potomac Chapter and PCMA Capital Chapter GMID 17 Event

Recommended

Reviewed: April 07, 2017

Wonderful event! Amazing venue, fantastic speakers, helpful education on advocacy and great networking.

The Sphinx Club is a hidden gem in DC.

Right off the bat I was able to share what Meetings Mean and get into the purpose of GMID. Then, immediately saw familiar faces which was refreshing.

Checking in and getting familiar with my surroundings was a... See Full Review

Wonderful event! Amazing venue, fantastic speakers, helpful education on advocacy and great networking.

The Sphinx Club is a hidden gem in DC.

Right off the bat I was able to share what Meetings Mean and get into the purpose of GMID. Then, immediately saw familiar faces which was refreshing.

Checking in and getting familiar with my surroundings was a breeze.

The first speaker was Erik Hansen, Vice President of Government Relations, U.S. Travel Association. Erik spoke about the current climate of travel to include the impacts of the recent travel ban. He then shared the bad news, "fake news" and good news concerning meetings and travel.

The Q&A revealed some interesting feedback regarding perception vs. reality when it comes to policies. To combat misconceptions and to assist inbound visitors to the United States we were referred to Brand USA. (BrandUSA.com)

Next up was Seth Turner, Director of Citizen Engagement, Congressional Management Foundation. Seth's knowledge of advocating to US Members of Congress was outstanding. We learned the best way to become an advocate was to enroll in a 40 hour workshop to become informed before reaching out to Congressional staff.

Last was a panel which discussed a wide-range of topics from bathroom bills, infrastructure, human trafficking, infrastructure and Government meetings.

I was so inspired by the panel which included:

- Thomas "TJ" Maloney, Senior Director of Government Affairs, Marriott International
- Nancy DeBrosse, CMP, Senior VP Strategic Account Management, Experient
- Marcus Eng, CMP, Meeting Manager, American Public Transportation Association

Thomas Maloney shared invaluable information which showcased the importance of the Government Relations arm of Marriott.

Nancy DeBrosse gave a very passionate overview on Human Trafficking and how it's happening right under our noses in the hotel industry. For anyone wanting to learn more please visit http://www.ecpat.org and also download the app TraffickCam.

Marcus Eng spoke of the challenges regarding the bathroom bill.

As a former meeting planner I am overwhelmed by all new challenges planners face. It was great to hear perspectives from both the planner and supplier side.

I left GMID charged up and equipped to advocate on behalf of the Meetings Industry. Very much looking forward to next year.

As a native Marylander the Old Bay flavored popcorn was my favorite thing. The service staff was fantastic. The bartender would welcome everyone by their name which was a nice touch. ?>

As a native Marylander the Old Bay flavored popcorn was my favorite thing. The service staff was fantastic. The bartender would welcome everyone by their name which was a nice touch.

The architecture, history, space and staff made for an excellent choice to host GMID in Washington. The only challenged I faced was getting a signal on my phone to be able to Tweet and post live updates on here on MICE.

The architecture, history, space and staff made for an excellent choice to host GMID in Washington. The only challenged I faced was getting a signal on my phone to be able to Tweet and post live updates on here on MICE.