Welcome to our new year! It is with excitement and enthusiasm that I greet you as your MPI THCC 21-22 President! To let you know a little bit about me, I am the Director of Conventions for the City of College Station. I have been in this position for seven years, although we changed names and entities this past year, my role remains the same, to bring and support convention business to College Station. I grew up here and then left after college, living first in Austin, then Dallas. I had the opportunity to move back about eight years ago when we bought a farm near Franklin. I really enjoy my country home and working in a small and growing community. If you ever want to visit College Station, just let me know! Otherwise, I will see you at our events this year. I hope you join me in that “can’t wait” feeling to be together in-person. Everything feels fresh to me with businesses reopening, furloughed workers being called back, and new positions to fill. I passed a sign today that said, “We are fully open, come on in!”- it made me smile!

When asked to come up with a theme for this year, I chose Create Your Future. I thought about all that we have been through this past year. How companies had to dissolve business plans, evolve, get leaner--and exactly where did that leave people? If you were lucky enough to keep your job in 2020, it probably changed, you were probably asked to take on new projects and new ways of putting on events. Maybe you now have multiple roles due to downsizing, maybe you have struggled to stay relevant as events and communications moved to virtual and then hybrid, maybe you work for a different company and are having to learn a new culture. Maybe you left your old job completely and are in search of that perfect new role? Maybe you want to find a company that offers more flexibility? Maybe you have been hit by the entrepreneurial stick and have started your own event business.

Whatever shake up you went through last year, I want MPI Texas Hill Country Chapter to be the community where you get the tools you need to thrive this next year. I want our education programs to sharpen your skills and provide the pathway to new certifications. I want our networking events to bring us together in fun and meaningful ways. I want our volunteer positions to be purposeful and inclusive. I want our focus on our members to forge new connections through collaborative opportunities.

As I think about this year, I am excited for all that it can be. We are all in this together—let’s create our future!

Sophie Curtis
2021-2022 President, MPI Texas Hill Country Chapter