Conference Committee
Charges:
The Conference Committee shall plan and oversee the annual conference and other educational forums. The Conference Committee membership will be responsible for the following:
- Coordinate conference hospitality, social events, and activities;
- Gather materials to be included in conference bags from the conference site's local Tourism Board, Visitor's Centers and/or Chambers of Commerce;
- Gather information to publish a conference site Resource Guide to be posted on the MAACM web site, included in conference bags, and placed at registration desk;
- Assist Committee Coordinators with designated responsibilities and tasks, as needed;
- Assist at conferences to ensure all areas of responsibilities are accomplished;
- Research and make suggestions to the President for gift ideas (Board, Advisory Board, Standing and Special Assignments), upon President's approval, place order;
- Assist President with presenting Board gifts at the annual meeting;
- Develop mid-year and annual conference registration forms and hotel reservation forms and forward to Website Coordinator for posting;
- Work with Communications Committee, Audio/Visual/IT Coordinator, and/or other independent vendor, to arrange for conference signage;
- Develop an Activities Sheet for the annual conference to post and distribute at registration desk;
- Obtain from Treasurer, list of annual conference attendees;
- Assist President with Close of Conference Grand Prize Drawings; and
- Tabulate overall conference evaluations and present to the Board at the December meeting.
The following delineates responsibilities of the Conference Committee Coordinators:
Workshop Coordinator:
- Serve as a liaison to the Professional Development Committee;
- Forward Initial Speaker Information Forms to the Professional Development Committee and set deadline for return of completed forms to formalize Faculty Commitment forms for the mid-year and annual conferences;
- Prepare Faculty Confirmation and Commitment forms and mail by agreed upon deadline;
- Coordinate receipt of all completed and signed Faculty Confirmation and Commitment forms from presenters and forward copies of same to the Treasurer prior to the mid-year and annual conferences;
- Compile presenters' biographies and workshop descriptions, taking note of any changes to the description, time and/or date. Notify PDC of any changes;
- Coordinate all presenter arrangements for the mid-year and annual conferences and prepare a Conference Grid compiling: contact information, workshop title, assigned room, date(s), time(s), A/V needs, hotel requirements, handout status, etc. to be distributed to the Conference and Communications Chairs as well as A/V Subcommittee Coordinator;
- Arrange for duplication of presenters' handouts for those speakers that request this option for the mid-year and annual conferences;
- Work with Communications Committee, Audio/Visual Subcommittee, to ensure that all audiovisual needs are met for the mid-year and annual conferences;
- Work with the Professional Development Committee, assist in editing and preparing speaker biographies, following existing template, and forward to Conference Publications Coordinator for Conference Program Book;
- Work with the Professional Development Committee to prepare the educational program, following existing template, and forward to Conference Publications Coordinator for Conference Program Book;
- Submit list of speakers attending conference to Treasurer for preparation of conference name badges;
- Staff and/or develop a schedule for Speaker Registration Desk coverage;
- Maintain contact with all speakers and facilitate speaker assistance at the mid-year and annual conferences; and
- Print and furnish conference name badges for all presenters.
Conference Publications Coordinator:
- Gather and update all materials necessary to create and publish an Annual Conference Program Book and Schedule-at-a-Glance working with Professional Development Committee, Workshop Coordinator, Vendor Coordinator, Communications Committee, President, and the Board;
- Research printers located near conference site and obtain three bids for publishing and delivery of the required amount of Conference Program Books and Schedule-at-a-Glance. Bid information to be presented to the Board for approval;
- Create documents, following existing templates, to publish the Conference Program Book, including: Mission/Vision; Contents; Welcome Letter from the President; Board of Directors, etc. section; Board Bios; Special Acknowledgements; Committee Chair Reports; Facilities Floor Plan; Educational Program; Speaker Bios; Business Meeting Agenda; Minutes of Board Meetings; John Neufeld Award; Report of Nominations Committee; Vendors and Sponsored Items/Events; Conference Participant List, and Notes;
- Design a cover for the Annual Conference Program Book and Schedule-at-a-Glance working with the Communications Committee, The Beacon subcommittee; and
- Convert all materials into PDF format in order to be printed.
The Chair of the Conference Committee will have oversight of the following:
- Oversee and coordinate the work of all subcommittee coordinators to ensure established timelines are met;
- Work with the President to coordinate all conference site arrangements, including overflow facilities;
- Establish and maintain the Conference Master Account with the conference facility;
- Coordinate with the Workshop Coordinator to make hotel accommodations for presenters;
- Work with the President to coordinate food service activities that include menu selection and head counts;
- Work with the President to finalize the Banquet Event Order (BEO);
- Submit articles on the committee's accomplishments for the spring, summer and winter issues of The Beacon;
- Gather reports from subcommittee coordinators and incorporate into one Conference Committee report for submittal to the board prior to Board meetings;
- Review and update the Meeting Specifications and Request For Proposal to provide to MAACM Board of Directors/Officers, and;
- Review and update the Conference Master Checklist of responsibilities.