By: Elizabeth Houston, Senior Sales Manager, Visit Indy

Happy summer, my fellow PCMA Heartland Members! I don’t know about you, but I can’t believe September is already just around the corner. Our Chapter has been hard at work; time has just been flying! I guess that’s the case when you’re hard at work!

Have you heard? Our Heartland Chapter has started hosting Regional Lunch and Learn events this year. Providing even more networking and education for our Chapter! Our St. Louis region just finished hosting their 3^rd Lunch and Learn, just last week! So far the St. Louis Lunch & Learns have been averaging thirty-five attendees each program. Our Tulsa region hosted their first Lunch & Learn in June, and had fifty-three attendees. A very big thank you to Megan O’Keefe, and Dale Shuter in our St. Louis region, and Michael Farr and Danielle Wright in our Tulsa region for spearheading this amazing new initiative. This has been so exciting to be able to bring more events to our all our members!

Our committees had a plan… and they didn’t let anything stop them!

• Membership, Chaired by Hayley Neverve: Haley has been hard at work with her committee working with our current and future members! As you can imagine, this is not an easy task to keep your arms around six states! But, Haley has managed to keep a constant pulse on the needs of our members.
• Programs/Education, Co-Chaired by Gina Page and Tricia Grube: WOW-this committee rocks!!! As we’ve all got to see first-hand, Gina and Tricia have been working diligently with their committee to plan some remarkable events! We can’t wait to see what’s in store for events coming up. Be sure to check out a full listing of our upcoming events.
• Communications/Marketing, Chaired by Eric Jacobson: As you read this newsletter, you get to see Eric and the Communications/Marketing committee’s hard work in action! This committee keeps us up to date with all the “doings” happening in our Chapter-with our newsletter, and social media! As this team works hard to keep us posted, please remember to engage with us on Social Media. We want to hear from you!
• Sponsorship, Chaired by Sandy Wachter: What can we say, we LOVE our sponsors!!! Our Chapter couldn’t do what we do, without our amazing sponsors! And we couldn’t find and work with our remarkable sponsors, without the hard work of Sandy and her committee! This committee works hard from the beginning of the year, to the end. We still have sponsorship options available for 2017! Please reach out to Sandy for details.
• Emerging Leaders, Co-Chaired by Teresa Hellman and Kate Turner: Kate and Teresa have been hard at work planning our 2^nd Annual Career Exploration Day! Taking place at the Marriott Kansas City Overland Park, November 4, 2017. This very special event focuses to the Student Membership, allowing an opportunity to learn and discuss the different career paths in the hospitality industry! If you have questions, or would like to get involved with this great event, please reach out to Teresa or Kate. Another new initiative for this committee is Student Job Shadowing. Keep your eyes out for the Job Shadowing Application, being sent out soon. If your organization would like to host a student in the future to job shadow, please be sure to fill out the application.
• Golf Tournament, Chaired by Craig Deel: Craig and his golf committee are in full swing (no pun intended), as we prepare for the Golf Tournament at Top Golf in Leawood on August, 31st. This committee has been working hard to plan another exciting tournament – I know I can’t wait to attend again. If you haven’t registered please visit here to register. I promise it will be a fun afternoon for all, so be sure to sign up!
• Scholarship/Awards, Chaired by Katie Conoyer: Katie recently joined our PCMA Heartland Chapter, and jumped right in to chair our Scholarship/Awards for 2017! Katie has worked with our members to review and award our scholarships so far this year—one of our favorite things to get to give away each year! Be sure to keep an eye out for emails updating you on scholarships still to come this year!
• Community Service, Co-Chaired by Sarah Morrissey and Lynn Gross: Before I share all Sarah and Lynn have been up to, I have to say a BIG THANK YOU to our members and their amazing spirit of giving. We are only in August, and our Chapter has done so much for the Heartland Region. A big round of applause for the time and support you have given. Sarah and Lynn have passionately worked to assure our chapter has had the opportunity to give back in Kansas City as well as around our region. Our first regional Community Service Day of Service, was a big success with over 20 volunteers in Kansas City, Olathe, Tulsa, and St. Charles! This success wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of each of you!

If you’re looking for a way to become involved in a greater way in 2018, now is your chance! Our outstanding committee chairs are working with our Board to strategically fill our positions for the 2018 calendar year. Please reach out to any of our Board or Committee Chairs if you want to be a contributing volunteer member for next year.

2017 has been a year of teamwork and dedication by our entire Chapter. From donating your time or your services. I think it’s safe to say the Heartland Chapter is made up of some of the best members around—put I could be partial! I’m thrilled to see where the rest of this year takes us, and hope to get to see each of you at one of our upcoming events (August 31-Golf Tournament at Top Golf/ September 14-Networking Reception at Fontaine/ November 16- State of the Industry Presentation & Reception at Sheraton Overland Park). Have a wonderful rest of your summer!