Busy, busy, busy little bees here in the Certain Software Marketing Department.  Lots of buzzing going on – we just returned from exhibiting at the ASTD (American Society for Training and Development) Conference and Expo in San Diego, CA.  ASTD attracts a large number of training program managers, session and meeting planners, program managers, etc.  Next, we’ll be at the Greenfair Silicon Valley starting this Friday in San Jose, CA.  We are a technology partner and sponsor and are supporting the Go Green efforts by educating the public on how to go paperless.  You can have a look at our Go Green best practices by clicking here: www.certain.com/gogreen

Next week is just as busy.  We are also a technology partner of HSMAI’s (Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International) Affordable Meetings and SGMP (Society of Government Meeting Professionals).  We will be exhibiting at HSMAI's Affordable Meetings West in Long Beach, CA on June 11-12 and also at SGMP’s Annual Conference being held June 11-14 in Dallas, TX. 

Certain is all around the world  – visit our event page to see where we’ll be next! 

I enjoy being a Supplier member of The Society of Government Meeting Professionals (SGMP) and associating with meeting planners from federal, state, and local government as well as other providers of meeting services and facilities.  

Through the Annual Education Conference and Tradeshow, monthly Chapter Meetings, and Special Events, planners and suppliers come together to review the latest trends in meetings management.  It is very rewarding to help meeting planners improve the quality and cost effectiveness of their meetings.

On February 5, I participated in “Achieving Gold” the goal for this year’s National Capital (NATCAP) Chapter‘s 11th Annual Winter Meeting & Tradeshow.  The event included a selection of sessions designed to keep planners and suppliers on top of current issues.

Sessions included “What is Sarbanes Oxley?” an explanation of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX ) and how meeting professionals must comply with this law from an ethical standpoint.  For instance, disclosing information that might provide one potential contractor an edge that others do not have; or bundling meeting services such as morning and afternoon breaks, internet fees, gratuities or perhaps even registration fees.  The bottom line is accountability.  Are we as meeting planners and service providers putting ourselves and our partners at risk of an ethical violation of SOX? Read more.    

A very hot and chic session topic was the “Greening” of Government Meetings.  This session demonstrated how the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is leading the way by making environmental responsibility a common business practice.  Did I mention the government has an acronym for anything and everything?  EPA is changing their contract acquisition rules to give preference to meeting services and facilities that consume less and manage resources in environmentally positive ways.  These topics were a perfect segue into the Trade Show.  I enthusiastically talked with attendees about the immediate benefits of using Certain Registration to “Go Green”.  Read more.

Mission accomplished.  I Achieved Gold!



David Dzergoski and Jeff Wilson from Certain talk with an attendee about "Going Green."

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