Thank you everyone for coming to the Tampa Bay Area MPI Rocks the Holidays! There was a great turnout and who knew our chapter had so much talent!

The newest downtown venue The Vault was completely transformed with incredible lighting done by AVISPL and the mix of rounds, cocktail tables and mahogany chivaris by Signature Events and the vintage lounge by AFR Event Furnishings was perfect for the evening. Rich burgundy linens accented with white feathers and gold touches in the centerpieces provided by Savvy Events and Entertainment emphasized the vintage elegance only fit for the rock stars of the evening.

Everyone enjoyed the passed hors d’oeuvres, food stations, pasta station with the lobster ravioli and bar done by Catering by the Family.  An Affair to Remember also provide a delicious food station. The sweets done by TPC Sweets were delectable!

As the evening was kicked off, local band Charlie Hotel played some hits on the LED lighted stage provided by Inspire Entertainment. As guests listened to their favorite karoke hits of “Margaritaville”, “Summer of 69” and “Shook Me All Night Long” others could be found in LaserBattle’s Suite trying out the latest laser fun or in Flipbook Creation’s free standing photo booth complete with mustache and sign props. 

David Wright Photography’s green screen room providing guest options to take Holiday photos with an assortment of props…. Don’t worry David Wright was also doing candid’s so we have the proof!

Thank you to The Florida Aquarium for sponsoring the open bar providing the liquid courage for members to sing and an opportunity to sit back, relax and enjoy a night off and having fun with our colleagues and peers. 

We would also like to thank the members of the Strategic Alliance and Special Events committee for such a great event! A great time was had by all!

Thank you to our fabulous Holiday Party sponsors:

The Vault – Our Host

The Florida Aquarium – Our Bar Sponsor

AFR Event Furnishings

An Affair to Remember Catering, Inc

AVISPL

Catering By The Family

Charlie Hotel

David Wright Photography

Flip Book Creations

Inspire Entertainment

Savvy Events & Entertainment

Signature Event Rental

TCP! Sweets

Tropical Extremes Inc Event Activities

Congratulations to our 3 Scholarship winners!

Three membership scholarships were awarded at our annual holiday party on December 5th. The pool of applicants was the largest in our chapter’s history, and the committee members had their work cut out for them in evaluating each application. The scholarship winners cover a broad spectrum of our membership, with one supplier, one association meeting professional, and one government meeting professional.

Congratulations to the following individuals for being awarded scholarships at our annual holiday party on December 5th:
 

Kelly Flannery has been a member of our chapter for two years. She is currently a sales manager for Toffee to Go specializing in the corporate market. She has served our chapter in a number of capacities (currently she oversees the After 5 and raffle committees and is Director of Community Outreach and Networking Events). She is grateful for what our chapter has given her both personally and professionally.

Colleen Gray has been a member of our chapter for about a year and a half. She is an outreach specialist at Tampa Bay Estuary Program, coordinating more than 300 volunteers who work approximately 2,000 hours at a number of special events throughout the Tampa Bay area, and coordinating teacher workshops and community advisory committee field trips. She was MPI After 5 coordinator in 2010-2011 and is currently an ambassador for our Membership Committee and part of our chapter’s new “Elite Fleet” program.

Melissa (Lisa) Klos is returning to our chapter after a membership in 2007 with a previous employer. She is a conference and events planner with USF Center for Leadership in Public Health Practice, and is looking forward to getting her master’s in Communications from USF and becoming a committee chair within our chapter. She’s also a pole vault coach at a local high school!

Please congratulate these members on their well-deserved scholarships.

Special thanks to the Membership Scholarship committee members: Crystal Bruce (FairWind Meetings & Events), Denise Glass (Sensory 5), Ginger Phillips (Arden Solutions), Dori Regulski Mitchen (Sheraton Sand Key Resort), Sherry Sullivan (SSMeetings), and chair, Dina Vann (The Type-Writer).

Additional scholarships will be awarded at our chapter’s annual gala. Information and applications can be found on our website.

Applications for our next set of scholarships will be accepted
between April 1st and May 15th.

• That we give away a second round of scholarships at our Annual Awards Gala?  Be on the lookout for application information in the Spring.

• Tampa received a $10.9 million TIGER grant that is going to be used to complete the Riverwalk project?  Be sure to attend our January monthly meeting to hear about the exciting details of this project!

• Each Thursday this month we will conduct a drawing to cover the registration cost of one member attending their local chapter meeting. 

• At the end of the month, we will conduct a drawing from all December renewals and one lucky member will have their membership extended for another year for free. On a local level, our chapter will still give away a $50.00 restaurant gift card from the renewals.

 Events at a Glance

Breakfast Club

 January 9, 2013

 The Centre Club

8:00am - 9:30am

Register Now!

January Monthly Meeting

 January 23, 2013

 Raymond James Stadium

11:00am - 1:30pm

 Register Now!

February After 5

February 6, 2013

Hollywood Venue

Register Now!

SAVE THE DATE
March 11, 2013



Save the Date for a very special MPI luncheon with Emmy-winning television star, celebrity stylist, author and fashion designer Carson Kressley!

March 11th, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. at A La Carte Event Pavilion  

 Connections Campaign

Check out our happy Connections Campaign winner from the November luncheon, Paula DeBlasio from Hollywood Venue

Did you attend the Holiday Party? Have you booked your own company’s party with an MPI member? Keep in mind any connections you make at these events.

We want to congratulate Kelly Flannery for reaching her 10th Connection. We also want to thank those members who submitted Connections last month & helped us reach 21 submissions. January’s prize will be a 3 Course Dinner for 2 Plus Wine at SHOR, onsite at the Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach!

Check out an excellent example of a recent Connection submitted:

David Wright connected with Sherry Sullivan at SSMeetings who hired him to photograph her attendees at an annual meeting. David also provided a green screen for fun photos on-site! Congratulations David!

Questions/Comments, contact Bronwyn Fowler.

Want to be featured in our Connections Campaign?

Submit Your Connection Here!

Member of the Month

Holiday Inn & Suites Clearwater Beach
Holiday Inn & Suites Harbourside

Click here to read about Bailey.

Advertising Opportunities

To place your ad in Connections, eFocus or Social Media contact Denise Glass, Sensory 5

Want More Holiday Party Photos?

Holiday Party photos courtesy of David Wright Photography

Click here!

Coming Up Next Month   

• January's Monthly Meeting speaker rundown