Getting Back to Basics

These last few years have been a tumultuous time, and not just for the hospitality industry but world history. I don’t need to tell the story of how our industry was decimated. I don’t need to remind us all how hard it was to even get basic services or just toilet paper. Many of us lost colleagues, friends, and loved ones; including myself.

MPI PHL Chapter was cut in half as many people were furloughed, made redundant, or just left the hospitality industry altogether. Things will never be the same as they were in January 2020, but I truly feel they are getting better.

~When we meet, we change the world.~

I see this coming year as an opportunity to start fresh, to start over, to rebuild what we want to see in the hospitality and meetings industry. In the last MPI year, we welcomed 80 new members to our Chapter! Some of these professionals are our old friends but many of these are new to our area and industry.

At the May Awards Event, I revealed my theme for this year: Back to Basics. I want MPI to be a place where we can learn in a safe space and help make the Philadelphia hospitality industry stronger. To do that, I think we need to reset our goals and objects so that we can reinforce our Chapter’s foundations, and grow. My job this year is to be your voice, to help shepherd initiatives you want to see, and create the connections for resources that will make YOU successful, and inevitably the Chapter successful as well.

We would not have been able to see this last year of growth without our amazing volunteer Board of Directors. I want to send a very special thank you to our volunteers: Corey Armedio; Nicole Benner, CMP; Shawn Clary, HMCC; Kellie Mayrides, CMP; and Ira Rosen. These wonderful professionals have given their time to support sponsors, membership, communications, and our many other initiatives - and also just keeping the lights on in the Chapter when the World seemed so dark in quarantine. Thank you!

I want to thank the incoming 2023-24 Board of Directors for their commitment to this Chapter; for taking the journey to serve alongside me, creating education, events, and supporting our membership.

However, I also want to challenge all of our Members to also get involved. We need your help to ensure that the Chapter is here for future hospitality professionals.

I know MPI will never be your top priority; it’s not your jobbie job, but your work here could help you get your next jobbie job, as it did for me! Or you could help connect someone to their next jobbie job. The bottom line is that I hope that you find enjoyment and fulfillment in the work that we do in the service of each other, and in the support of our industry.

In closing, I want to thank everyone for my opportunity to fulfill one of my professional life goals: to be your President. I am here in the service of you, the Chapter Members, and I cannot wait to see all of the great things we accomplish together.