MPI Minnesota April 2024 President's Message

Hello my MPI Friends! And happy spring to you all! As I write this, I’m staring out the window at the fresh blanket of spring snow that we just got – and waiting for the next round to begin this weekend because, hey, it’s Minnesota and weather is unpredictable, as we all know. And if you are reading this and you are new to Minnesota – surprise! I hope that future Savannah will read this when the newsletter comes out and will say, “Whew! It was a good thing you were wrong about that snowstorm past Savannah!” But you always have to be prepared for things to change.

And just as Mother Nature can change at the drop of a hat, so can things in the meeting and event industry. We are constantly in a state of being poised to readjust, ready to pivot at the last minute. This year, the MPI chapters throughout the country were asked to adjust our fiscal year calendar and change where our year started and ended. Without getting into the boring minutia of what that meant from a paperwork standpoint, what it did was allow us to reexamine our event calendar and change the scope of some of our events and where they land in the year.

As we get more into the spring (or 2^nd winter, pending the aforementioned snow), you may start to see some of those changes. Our nominations for the 2025 Board of Directors is just kicking off – whereas they used to take place in the winter. That is because our new members of the board will be recruited now in preparation to start in January 2025. And if some of you are wondering where the heck the ask is for EMPI (Excellence in MPI) nominations, don’t fret! Those are coming – they just won’t happen until later in the year. We’ll be awarding the EMPIs at a new event, starting in January 2025.

Looking a little bit closer to now, we are going to see a new spin on a social event, happening this June 18^th at the Mall of America. I can’t reveal TOO much as the team puts together the plans for this but it’ll keep you moving, exploring, and maybe some shopping too!

Our goal with these changes is that we’ll keep the MPI offerings fresh for you, our members. We strive to serve you in the best way possible and make sure that you are getting the most out of your time with MPI Minnesota. I hope to see you at a future event!