Winter Meeting Agenda - Click here for PDF File Version

Current as of February 10, 2019.  Please check back for updates! Please visit the Discover Dunwoody site to get fired up for February 20!

Our host venue for the conference sessions and lodging will be ATLANTA MARRIOTT PERIMETER CENTER 246 Perimeter Center Parkway NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30346 Transportation from the hotel to offsite, Wednesday evening reception and dinner will be provided.

Tuesday, February 19th

Time Session
All day Early arrivals

 

Wednesday, February 20th

Time Session

9:00am

Registration Open 
Sponsor & Exhibitor Set Up - Perimeter Prefunction

10:00am - 11:30am

GACVB Board of Directors Meeting - Abernathy

12:00pm

Lunch on your own - Discover Dunwoody Dining 

12:30pm - 1:15pm First-time Attendee/New Member Meet & Greet - Abernathy
New members come meet and learn about programs & services offered by GACVB.
1:30pm - 3:00pm

Welcome & Opening General Session sponsored by Discover Dunwoody - Salon C & D

Engineering Experiences from Concept to Competitive Advantage

Speaker: Joe Veneto, Veneto Collaboratory 

Today’s travelers are experience junkies and want unique, local, authentic experiences when they travel that connect them to the heart and soul of destinations as well as attractions. Uncover the consumer forces that are impacting visitor behavior. Learn the strategies you and your organization must implement to create competitive advantage by engineering UFEs, Unforgettable Experiences. Discover the Experience Formula™ to impact and influence your customers’ emotional bank accounts. Uncover the five stages of every experience to create meaningful customer connections. You will turn your visitors into brand ambassadors who will amplify your message.

3:00pm - 3:30pm

Afternoon Break sponsored by Pineapple Public Relations - Perimeter Prefunction 

Silent Auction Opens supporting Education Programs & Scholarship Opportunities 

Executives Lounge Opens sponsored by Conversant - Abernathy

3:30pm - 4:30pm

BREAKOUT SESSIONS - Three options

Destination Digital Marketing: Day 1 - Salon A

Integrating your DMO digital marketing strategy – Breaking down the digital silos and identifying how social media impacts PR, blogs, and advertising.

Moderator: Scarlett Rosier, Co-Founder & Director of Operations, Rhyme & Reason Design

Panel Guests:Jess Coleman, Owner – Root & Bloom Social; Ray Peabody, President – CVB Digital; Shantel Khleif, Co-founder & CEO - Imagine Media Consulting 

 

Leveraging Your Higher Learning Institutions - Hammond

DMOs working with local colleges and universities: Research, Workforce Development, Group Sales, Product Development projects, and more

Moderator: Dr. Mark Newton, Paul T. Martin Chair in Hospitality and Tourism Harry W. Walker School of Business, Piedmont College - Athens

Panel Guests: Neville Bhada, Founder & CEO – Tourism Skills Group, Adjunct professor, Cecil B. Day School of Hospitality, Georgia State University, Georgia State University School of Hospitality Industry Advisory Board; Dr. Bynum Boley, Assistant Professor Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management, University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources; Dr. Kyle Woosnam, Associate Professor, Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management, University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources; Dr. Steve Morse, Dean, McCamish School of Business & Sport Studies, Professor of Economics, Reinhardt University

 

Frontline Hospitality Training Programs sponsored by Stamp Destinations - Salon B

Frontline staff has the most direct interactions with our visitors. Hear how DMOs are making a difference in how their frontlines influence the visitor experience in their destinations and why these efforts matter more today than ever.

Moderator: David Allred, Principal – Stamp Idea Group, LLC

Peer Panel Guests: Aaron Buzza, VP of Development & COO - Visit Macon CVB; Cricket Elliott, Tourism Education Director - Explore Gwinnett; Regina Dyer, City of Gainesville CVB Manager; Renee Carden, Sales Manager - Lake Lanier CVB

 

5:15pm

6:00pm

CEO Meet & Greet: Executives Lounge sponsored by Conversant - Abernathy

Departure to Opening Reception & Dinner - Transportation Sponsored by Discover Dunwoody 

6:30pm - 9:30pm

"Dunwoody at Dusk" - Opening Dinner Event 
Dunwoody's boutique Le Meridien Atlanta Perimeter hotel 


Thursday, February 21st

Time Session
8:00am - 5:00pm Registration Open 
8:30am - 10:00am

Concurrent Leadership Development Sessions - Tier 1 - Organizational Excellence:

  Leading a High-Performance Team                                                                                         Leadership Excellence Certification (LEC) Course 1 - Part 1 - Salon A
Speaker: Chelsea Powell, The Leadership Institute at Columbus State University 
 

Partnerships and collaboration across economic boundaries - Salon B
Speakers: Shana Young, The Leadership Institute at Columbus State University

Jennifer Nelson, Public Service Assistance: Governmental Training, Education, and Development - Carl Vinson Institute of Government, Univ. of Georgia; Mary Beth Horton, President - Habersham County Chamber of Commerce

10:00am - 10:30am Morning Break sponsored by Atlanta Magazine Custom Media - Perimeter Prefunction
10:30am - 11:45am

Concurrent Leadership Development Sessions - Tier 1 - Organizational Excellence: 

Leading a High-Performance Team                                                                                                Leadership Excellence Certification (LEC) Course 1 - Part 2 - Salon A

Speaker: Chelsea Powell, The Leadership Institute at Columbus State University 

 

Partnerships and collaboration across economic boundaries - Salon B

Speakers: Shana Young, The Leadership Institute at Columbus State University

Mat Swift, President of W.C. Bradley (ret.) - creation of Uptown Columbus; Dr. Shawn Cruzen, Executive Director, Coca-Cola Space Science Center; Greg Camp, President National Infantry Museum (ret.).  

11:45am - 12:45pm

Networking Luncheon What Did We Learn? - King & Queen

Sponsored by Meredith Travel & Southern Living

Lunch and learn from colleagues with Q & A sharing obstacles and success stories (Table leaders providing five questions for discussion)

1:00pm - 2:15pm General Session:  GACVB Business Session & GDEcD Tourism Division Update  - Salon C & D
2:30pm - 3:30pm

General Session - Shared Economy Lodging Industry Update - Salon C & D

How can you influence policy and partner with stakeholders? Panel regarding Short-Term Rental providers: regulations, local government relations on policies and ordinances, tax revenues and more

Moderator: Lee Hughes, Hughes Public Affairs

Guest Panelists: 

Ulrik Binzer, Co-Founder & CEO – Host Compliance

Chris Hardman, Director of Membership – Georgia Hotel & Lodging Association

Troy Flanagan, American Hotel & Lodging Association

Sarah McQuade, Planning Manager, Planning Department – Hall County, Georgia Government Department

Michael Owens, President/CEO - Tourism Leadership Council

Brumby McLeod, Associate Professor, School of Business in the Department of Hospitality & Tourism Management – College of Charleston

3:30pm - 4:00pm Afternoon Break sponsored by Advertising Unlimited - Perimeter Prefunction 
4:00pm - 5:00pm

BREAKOUT SESSIONS - Two options 

Destination Digital Marketing continued Day 2 - Salon A

Integrating your DMO digital marketing strategy – Breaking down the digital silos and identifying how social media impacts PR, blogs, and advertising.

Moderator: Scarlett Rosier, Co-Founder & Director of Operations, Rhyme & Reason Design

Panel Guests: Jess Coleman, Owner – Root & Bloom Social; Ray Peabody, President – CVB Digital; Margot Dukes Eddy, Co-founder &COO - Imagine Media Consulting 

 

Best Practices in Local Grant Programs - Salon B

How DMOs develop and manage local grants to partners in marketing, product development, cultural arts and more to stretch and maximize their promotional dollars.

Moderator: Jay Markwalter, Executive Director – Georgia Association of CVBs           

Peer Panel Guests: Lindsay Fruchtl, VP of Marketing – Augusta CVB; Hannah Smith, Director of Marketing & Communications - Athens CVB; Peter Bowden, President & CEO – VisitColumbusGA; Lisa Anders, Executive Director – Explore Gwinnett 

5:45pm

Thursday Reception 'Live Music & Libations' sponsored by Discover Dunwoody - Perimeter Prefunction

6:30pm - 9:30pm Discover Dunwoody Dine Around 

Friday, February 22, 2018

Time

Session

8:00am

Registration Open

8:30am - 10:15am

Concurrent Leadership Development Sessions - Tier 1 - Organizational Excellence

 

Change is Good, You Go First! - Leading Change                                                                                  Leadership Excellence Certification (LEC) Course 2 - Salon A

Speaker: Chelsea Powell, The Leadership Institute at Columbus State University 

 

Partnerships and collaboration across economic boundaries - Salon B
Speaker:  Shana Young, The Leadership Institute at Columbus State University

10:30am

Silent Auction Closes supporting Education Programs & Scholarship Opportunities 

10:30am - 11:45am

Wrap Up General Session - Leadership: Developing a Healthy Culture - Salon C & D

Fred Cerrone, Founder & Chairman of Hotel Equities 

12:00pm

Silent Auction Checkout - Perimeter Prefunction 

Lunch on your own - continue to Discover Dunwoody! 

12:30pm 

Adjourn