Patrick Sullivan Interview (MeetingsNet On the Air)

Patrick Sullivan is a busy guy. As president of PRA Destination Management New York, he has worked in the meeting and incentive industry as both meeting planner and suppler partner. In his more than 20 years in the industry as a corporate meeting planner, incentive house account executive and owner of P-R-A New York.

Sullivan has organized events for clients around the world ranging from pharmaceutical company product managers to CEOs of major broadcasting networks for both meetings and incentive programs.

He is also the incoming president of SITE - the Society of Incentive & Travel Executives.

Sullivan, we believe, brings an interesting perspective from wearing different industry hats.

He just returned from a SITE meeting in Spain, where he participated in a panel on incentive trends, so we’ll talk about how these trends might impact incentive programs/travel, and put it in the context of our current economic downslide.

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Degree Soup (Corporate Meetings & Incentives)

By Bob Andelman
Corporate Meetings & Incentives Magazine
Jun 1, 2008 12:00 PM

As meeting planning reaches a new level of professionalism, the number of degrees and certificate programs has taken off. But will they help you to get a job?

For many years, the only college degree program in meeting planning was offered in the somewhat unlikely city of Madison, Wis. That's where, in the mid-1990s, the state's ambitious Meeting Professionals International chapter decided that it was time to act.

“We got together and said, ‘We're really tired of training people,’” recalls Janet Sperstad, CMP, a past president of the Wisconsin MPI chapter and recent MPI International Planner of the Year. “And the hoteliers were saying, ‘We're tired of getting people who don't know how to plan meetings!’ We all wanted a formal education program that would help people enter the profession. Suppliers needed a more educated customer. And for those of us looking to hire people, we'd have a whole different talent pool to pull from.”

The chapter wanted to create something beyond a certificate program and found a willing partner in the administration at Madison Area Technical College. “Madison College has a strong hospitality program, and one of their faculty members was an MPI member; he said he'd help,” Sperstad says. “Some of the four-year universities we spoke with didn't know where it belonged. And some weren't quick enough in their response. We weren't going to wait four years; we wanted it now, so it was born in Madison.”

Sperstad, who is credited as being the founder of the nation's first associate degree in meeting management, is now a faculty member. The first students graduated in 2004, and there are currently 90 students enrolled full time. The cost is $100 per credit hour; for students starting from scratch with no other higher education credits, it will cost just under $8,000 to earn the degree.

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“Meeting Effectiveness 101" (Corporate Meetings & Incentives Magazine Story)

“Meeting Effectiveness 101: Twenty years ago, Intel designed a training course for new hires around Andy Grove’s theories on effective meetings. Today, the program is stronger than ever”
By Bob Andelman
Corporate Meetings & Incentives
December 2006

Many of the Greatest concepts that flowed from Intel Corp. over the past quarter century can be traced, in some way, back to the mind of Andrew S. Grove. Who would have guessed that the inspiration for effective meetings was among them?

But there it is, right in the pages of the legendary retired chairman's 1986 book, High Output Management. Grove began Chapter 4, “Meetings — The Medium of Managerial Work,” with the opening volley:

Meetings have a bad name. One school of management thought considers them the curse of the manager's existence. But there is another way to regard meetings … a meeting is nothing less than the medium through which managerial work is performed. That means we should not be fighting their very existence, but rather use the time spent in them as efficiently as possible.

When Grove's book was first published, Tracy Koon was one of the people tasked with applying his ideas about efficient meetings to an internal training course at the company's Intel University.

“We do sit in a lot of meetings,” says Koon, who recently retired from her position as Intel's director of corporate communications, laughing. “A lot of meetings.” Grove's philosophy became hers as well: “Meetings are inevitable,” she says. “Let's look at them as a way to get real work done and real decisions made.

“Intel had had a course about meetings before,” Koon adds, “but it was of the ‘why we have meetings’ variety. I took it when I first got here, and I thought, ‘This is interesting, but it doesn't help me do anything.’ It didn't do much to tell you how to make your meetings more effective.”

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“Managing Meeting Pros, Part 2” (Coporate Meetings & Incentives Magazine Story)

“Managing Meeting Pros, Part 2”
By Bob Andelman
Corporate Meetings & Incentives
October 2006

How can meeting department managers keep their independent, world-traveling, Type A planners challenged and motivated? Last issue, five readers shared their secrets to maintaining everyone's sanity in a pressure-cooker environment. This month, we explore how they find the best talent, as well as how they evaluate and compensate their staffs.

Are Planners A Tough crew to manage?

You bet. For starters, they need to be offered different incentives than their co-workers. Let's face it. When you're working weekends and nights, what you crave most is time off and a little stress relief.

In the end, what planners are looking for is recognition for a job with demands that exceed the boundaries of most office positions, the opportunity to call some of the shots, and the chance for training and growth within their companies.

On our panel:

*

JULIE JOHNSON, CMP, CMM, DIRECTOR, EVENTS AND INCENTIVES, LENNOX INTERNATIONAL WORLDWIDE HEATING & COOLING, Richardson, Texas — Her staff of four manages 150 meetings a year;
*

PAMELA WYNNE, CMP, CMM, MANAGER OF CORPORATE MEETING PLANNING, EDUCATIONAL TESTING SERVICE, Princeton, N.J. — Wynne oversees strategic sourcing, contract negotiations, cost analysis, billing and reconciliation, and tracking of expenses for about 800 meetings per year with six full-time planners;
*

MICHELLE BERRIOS, CMP, SENIOR MEETING PLANNER, KAISER PERMANENTE NATIONAL CORPORATE MEETING SERVICES, Oakland, Calif. — The majority of her company's 600 — 800 meetings each year are handled by the National Corporate Meeting Services staff of six. (Michelle left her position as this article was going to press.);
*

DEBBIE RICCIARDELLI, CMP, MANAGER, SALES OPERATIONS, ESPRIT PHARMA INC., East Brunswick, N.J. — Although she recently moved to Esprit and now is the sole planner, in her previous positions with Odyssey Pharmaceuticals and Watson Pharmaceuticals, she ran 15 to 25 meetings per year, ranging from five-person meetings to semi-annual meetings for 300 people, usually handled by herself, an additional full-time planner, and two or three ad hoc planners.

CMI: How do you know when a person is not going to be right for the job?

PAMELA WYNNE: During the interview process, I focus on certain key skills: negotiating, the ability to multitask, organizational skills, risk management, and customer service. I ask questions based on specific work experiences and their ability to problem-solve. I look for people who show the greatest skill in analyzing a problem, looking at solutions, and not being afraid to take risks.

Once a person is hired, it becomes apparent that maybe he or she is good with certain meetings or clients over others. If you can make shifts to have people doing the jobs they are best suited for, the entire team will excel.

DEBBIE RICCIARDELLI: You can tell by the person's demeanor in the office as well: One person who didn't work out used to slam her fists on the desk and get totally frustrated when things weren't going her way. That was very childish behavior.

CMI: What are some signs of trouble to watch out for with meeting planners?

JULIE JOHNSON: Whininess. Lack of attention to detail. Procrastination.

RICCIARDELLI: Two important things, I think: their ethics (how they handle amenities and offers); and when logistics are not coordinated well (i.e., when someone's flight is changed and the planner never notifies the ground transportation company, things like that).

WYNNE: If they get sidetracked when dealing with clients who are asking for more or are difficult to handle, it's a sign of trouble. It's also up to the manager to make sure planners stay on track and to help with any issues that might cause them to lose focus.

CMI: Tell us about your annual review process for meeting planners.

JOHNSON: Our company has a specific process I must follow. Salary planning is done in the fall. We set an increase date then for the following year. Planners are evaluated on the quality of their programs, customer and peer reviews, and input from VPs with whom they work closely. And, primarily: Did they stay within budgetary constraints and still deliver quality programs?

RICCIARDELLI: Part of the review is also subliminal: how their personality traits match with the job. Is my contract negotiator assertive enough to get the best deal for the company? Is the meet-and-greet employee enough of a people person?

WYNNE: We evaluate the person's financial contribution to the company through cost savings and cost avoidance, improvements to processes, and customer service ratings. Objectives are reviewed quarterly, and then we conduct an annual performance review.

MICHELLE BERRIOS: We ask each employee to propose goals for the year, which are then approved by our director. At the end of the year, the director will review the personal goals and client feedback with each person on the team.

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“Managing Meeting Pros, Part 1” (Corporate Meetings & Incentives Magazine Story)

“Managing Meeting Pros, Part 1”
By Bob Andelman
Corporate Meetings & Incentives
September 2006

Are Meeting Professionals a tough crew to manage? You bet.

Because they are on the road so much, there can be communication and comp-time issues. They are expected to work all kinds of crazy hours — so how can a manager possibly compensate them for that? Then there is the pressure-cooker environment, and Type A personalities, and occasional sleep deprivation.

We decided to approach five experienced meeting department managers to explore how they manage it all and keep their staffs — and themselves — sane.

On our panel:

*

JULIE JOHNSON, CMP, CMM, DIRECTOR, EVENTS & INCENTIVES, LENNOX INTERNATIONAL WORLDWIDE HEATING & COOLING, Richardson, Texas — Her staff of four manages 150 meetings a year.
*

PAMELA WYNNE, CMP, CMM, MANAGER OF CORPORATE MEETING PLANNING, EDUCATIONAL TESTING SERVICE, Princeton, N.J. — Wynne oversees strategic sourcing, contract negotiations, cost analysis, billing and reconciliation, and tracking of expenses for about 800 meetings per year with six full-time planners.
*

MICHELLE BERRIOS, CMP, SENIOR MEETING PLANNER, KAISER PERMANENTE, Oakland, Calif. — The majority of her company's 600 to 800 meetings each year are handled by a staff of six in the national corporate meeting department.
*

PEG WOLSCHON, CMP, CTP (CERTIFIED TOUR PROFESSIONAL), MANAGER OF MEETING SERVICES, TENET HEALTHCARE CORP., Dallas — Wolschon runs a fairly new department with about 115 meetings on the books for 2006, a number that is likely to reach 200 by year's end. (Peg left her position as this article went to press.)
*

DEBBIE RICCIARDELLI, CMP, MANAGER, SALES OPERATIONS, ESPRIT PHARMA INC., East Brunswick, N.J. — Although she recently moved to Esprit and now is the sole planner, in her previous positions with Odyssey Pharmaceuticals and Watson Pharmaceuticals, she ran 15 to 25 meetings per year, ranging from five-person meetings to semi-annual meetings for 300 people, usually handled by herself, an additional full-time planner, and two or three ad hoc planners.

CMI: What's different about managing a meeting planning department versus other departments you have managed?

WYNNE: I find it to be a lot harder than managing a department where people are at their desks all day. Usually someone is out, and we have to fill them in later, either via e-mail or by calling them. I try to take into consideration the different learning and communication styles of my staff, but it is much harder to do that with a staff that is multitasking.

RICCIARDELLI: It's not easy to “grade” a meeting planner's performance. Other jobs can be measured more objectively, with facts and figures.

With meetings, unless you are at the planned function, you often have to depend on the feedback of the attendees to determine how well things were executed. If a meeting did not go as well as I would have liked, we will have more than enough people comment on it. If the meeting goes well — as 99.9 percent of them do — the way I get feedback is to ask everyone with whom I cross paths about it.

JOHNSON: I used to be a regional director of sales for a hotel corporation and had even more staff than I do now, but I don't see much difference. Everyone in every job is under some pressure to excel and to attain his or her objectives. Managers must put themselves in their employees' shoes and recognize the pressures that are inherent.

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“Meat and Greet Services" (Motivation Strategies Magazine Story)

“Meat and Greet Services:
Eatertainment companies focus on group events”

By Bob Andelman
Motivation Strategies Magazine
(Motivation Show 2006 issue)

Even a 35-year-old venue with locations worldwide can still learn new tricks when it comes to hosting group business.

That’s what happened in February, when the Hard Rock Café chain hosted a 12-city, multi-venue video sales conference. The client imagined holding its event at the Hard Rock in a way that the restaurant chain itself hadn’t considered before.

“This company knew it could pick from the banquet menus we had,” says Kevin Kirby, senior director of sales for Hard Rock International in Orlando. “They had an A/V company that came in and did the hookups. It was a morning day part; we weren’t open to the general public. This company got its message out and didn’t incur the cost of flying everyone somewhere else.”

As obvious as it seems in retrospect, running a meeting or special event at multiple Hard Rocks – or any eatertainment venue, for that matter – was actually an “a-ha!” moment for the parent company.

“It was interesting to us and we’ve put the team to thinking about how we’d do this again in the future. It really worked quite well,” Kirby says.

In the case of the video sales conference, the client originally approached individual Hard Rocks in the cities it was interested in before corporate headquarters became involved as a unifying force. From there, everything fell into place, including a special limited brunch menu.

“Ironically, it gave them a unifying experience as best they could without being in the same city,” Kirby says. “And this wasn’t an over-the-top experience relative to high-end budgets, either.”

The Hard Rock, for one, has greatly evolved in the last decade.

“It’s been a revolution with what we do with hotels, casinos and live concert venues,” Kirby says. “We’ve reached out to groups and can offer a diversity of experiences they’re not used to from the Hard Rock Cafe they might remember from 15 years ago. A lot of the programs we’ve been implementing have more global scale and synergy with the cafes and how they’re positioned to the group marketplace. The seeds have been planted; it just needs to be communicated to the marketplace. If you want a unique experience and high energy, this is the place to go.”

Each Hard Rock – and there are now 132 of them worldwide – is different. Some are stand-alone restaurants; some are part of a casino, whether in Las Vegas or Tampa; still others are part of a concert venue. Some can accommodate a group of 50; some 200. Many cafes and casinos have private rooms. “There are a number of different ways you can go about it,” Kirby says.

Places such as the Hard Rock Café, Dave and Buster’s, Planet Hollywood, NASCAR Café, GameWorks, and Harley-Davidson Café are known for their specialized motifs, classic menus, souvenirs and many for their food. Why not consider holding an event at one – or several?

Dave and Buster's bills itself as “the perfect location for business meetings and events all in one facility,” according to the Dallas-based chain’s director of sales, Ty Watson. “We give them the opportunity to meet, network, play and build tremendous relationships all under one roof. We offer everything that a hotel can offer for the actual meeting itself, but then so much more in the way of team building exercises and the social aspect of what we can do after the meeting is complete. We also offer many chef crafted buffets that are competitive in pricing, if not lower than most conference centers.”

Dave and Buster’s is in 44 North American cities; if you’ve never been to one, it is the ultimate electronic game arcade, minus the gambling, plus a full menu. The typical location ideally can handle meetings for up to 200 or special events for up to 2,000.

"The largest advantage of holding a meeting at Dave and Buster's is the true interpersonal relationship building factor that our facilities provide,” Watson says. “By offering an all-inclusive destination, attendees can experience a first-class meeting environment while networking and strengthening relationships within the organization through team building exercises and other competitive games. We specialize in customizing all-inclusive packages for meeting planners to include meeting rooms with state of the art A/V equipment, multiple buffet options, hundreds of drink combinations, team building exercises and all the fun you can imagine in the Million Dollar Midway. It is truly a more complete option than using the familiar hotel banquet space that spills out into an empty banquet foyer."

The Harley-Davidson Cafe in Las Vegas features private and semi-private areas; the entire venue can be rented for an evening and can hold up to 1,400 guests for a corporate reception or theme party.

“We offer a variety of banquet menus or we will custom-create a menu specifically tailored to the demographics of our clients,” says Kate Mazzarella-Minshall, director of sales and catering for the Harley-Davidson Cafe. “We are customer-service oriented, flexible and accommodating and we offer quality and consistency in our food at competitive pricing.”

Because these places are used to serving a lot of volume – in terms of people and food – they can often be booked on shorter notice than other types of venues. But not too short.

“A lot of people have waited to book their reservations, but we encourage them to do it further in advance,” Kirby says. “But a week or two weeks? We can do that. Hard Rock Café Times Square on a week’s notice, however, we might not be able to do. We don’t want them to have an unfavorable experience.”

Choosing an appropriate venue is always an issue for corporate groups, of course. Hard Rock Café or Planet Hollywood might be considered too risqué for a group’s function; the same folks might be more at home among the games at Dave and Buster’s and GameWorks or the race cars at NASCAR Café, however.

“Rock ‘n’ roll can be deeply personal or something you do with a group of people,” Kirby says. “It appeals to so many people in so many different ways – people that you wouldn’t think of as headbangers or enjoying a certain music genre, will still surprise you by appreciating the memorabilia and experience. A Hard Rock really is a place for people of different classes of society and love of music to come together.”

There are a few things you can’t do at an eatertainment venue that you can do in a hotel or banquet hall, such as transforming the venue into something else. The genre relics on the wall stay; no exploding volcanoes will be built center stage, thank you.

Many of the cafes have gone through A/V upgrades and some have their own in-house A/V staffs, large projection screens TVs, PowerPoint and video hook-ups? And if they can’t do it, they typically have a local production partner that can.

Costs for an eatertainment venue will likely compare with conference centers.

“If it’s a meeting, it would probably be no different than what a venue rental would be,” Kirby says. “We would need staff, of course. In the case of the multi-venue, multi-city client, we had to be staffed in the morning – a time when we’re not usually open – and be able to deliver. And we don’t charge the same price in every café. There’s nothing we do that’s different than anybody else. If we don’t charge a venue fee, we’re looking at F&B minimums, no different than a hotel would do.”

And then, of course, there are the cool souvenirs.

“If a customer does a bulk buy, we have taken some of our shirts and put the name of company X or the name of their product launch on the sleeve,” Kirby says. “If the company’s not willing to offer something to attendees, we offer a gift-with-purchase strategy. We do try to incorporate the merchandise with the experience. We like to do a t-shirt, something they’d wear and be proud of and it would resonate for a while.”

So the Hard Rock Café merchandise store would likely be open even if the venue were rented out for a special event?

“The fact that I would have it fully stocked is coincidental,” Kirby says, laughing. “As much as we believe our food drives people back, it’s the service and the merchandise.”

Eatertainment Directory

NASCAR Cafe Corporate HQ
(865) 637-2324
http://www.nascarcafe.com
Theme: Racing

Harley-Davidson Café - Las Vegas
(702) 740-455
http://www.harley-davidsoncafe.com/
Theme: Classic motorcycles

Planet Hollywood International Corporate HQ
(407) 903-5500
http://www.planethollywood.com/
Theme: Movies, Hollywood

Dave and Busters, Inc. Corporate HQ
(214) 904-2241
http://www.daveandbusters.com
Theme: Games

Hard Rock International Corporate HQ
(407) 445-7625
http://www.hardrock.com
Theme: Rock ‘n’ roll

GameWorks Corporate HQ
(818) 254-4263
http://www.gameworks.com
Theme: Games