ANNUAL MEETING
HANDBOOK
I. INTRODUCTION
The Dallas Regional Management Association (DRMA) Annual Meeting is a major activity of DRMA. At the Annual Meeting, the participants receive leadership training, are advised of status of Regional and National Council activities and projects, are brought up to date on Legislative issues affecting SSA and DRMA members, and above all, are afforded the opportunity to meet, network, and exchange ideas with their peers about their operations.
The desire to have a first class meeting in attractive surroundings must be balanced with fiscal reality.
The meeting is normally held in April or May. The Executive Committee will approve the meeting dates. Care should be taken to avoid scheduling the annual meeting in conflict with any major religious holiday.
Each area hosts the meeting on a rotating basis.
Because of the difficulty in booking suitable accommodations in a popular time of the year, it is customary for the area host committee to “bid” to host the meeting two years in advance at the annual meeting. As the rotation of Areas has now been established, the “bid” is basically pro forma, but permits the host Area to present any information it wishes about proposed sites to the delegates.
II. BUDGET AND FINANCING
DRMA underwrites the cost of the meeting. This underwriting is done by means of an advisory budget passed at a DRMA EC meeting that authorizes expenses for the meeting. The Area host committee is able to receive advances against the approved budget as their expenses are incurred.
Attendee expenses are primarily their personal responsibility, although DRMA underwrites a portion of the attendee expense by paying for a night’s lodging at the hosting facility.
DRMA reimburses the expenses of the Executive Committee attending the Annual Meeting. In addition, DRMA pays for the Webmaster and the winner of the Tommy Jones Excellence Award as well as other honor awards that might be presented.
DRMA will request administrative leave for Friday for those attending the meeting.
III. HOST AREA COMMITTEE PLANNING
Exhibit B is a sample long-range planning guide for a host committee.
Exhibit C is an updated checklist, which may be of use in making sure that details required for our annual meeting are not overlooked. Also as related to this list the following are offered as pointers:
ADVANCES
The chair of the host committee may be sent, upon request, an advance to cover estimated out-of-pocket expenses for the meeting. The DRMA Treasurer may arrange for the use of a credit card by the host committee.
HOST COMMITTEE
The Area Vice President of the host area will appoint a Host Committee to assist with the details of the meeting.
The Annual Meeting advisory budget passed by the Executive Committee each year will authorize the amount of Host Committee member travel that can be paid. As many of the Host Committee members as possible should be from the immediate area of the meeting site to limit lodging and travel expenses. Host Committee travel should be deferred until the time of the meeting to the greatest extent possible. A local chair at the meeting site is essential to maintain an ongoing and effective relationship with the professionals at the facility. During the meeting, the Host Committee has responsibility for a wide variety of largely unforeseen duties in order to provide a trouble-free meeting.
SELECTION OF HOTEL
The selected hotel must be large enough to accommodate anticipated delegates and guests, have a conference room for plenary sessions, and be able to accommodate the breakfast and banquet. Try to negotiate for at least one free suite for the Host Committee chair. The suite can be used for an extra room, if needed, for committees, but will be especially useful for the Host Committee to use for working purposes. If a second free room is available, it should be provided to the Host Committee. An important consideration is the need for space for a Hospitality Suite for Thursday evening and Friday evening. This could be in the Host Committee’s suite or the second free suite, if available. The space which will be used for the hospitality suite should have a refrigerator, and storage and serving space.
In selecting the site and hotel, transportation to and from major airports and parking facilities for those who drive must be considered. As airport availability is a cost factor as well as a convenience factor, it should be a prime consideration—in the Dallas Region, having Southwest Airlines access is a big plus. Also consider helpfulness. Be prepared for questions from members such as “Will special convention rates apply for early arrivals or late departures?” “What is the cost of an extra bed in a double room?” Provide as much leeway as you can for the final date to the hotel on firm reservations. Unfortunately, experience has shown that there are a number of last minute changes and decisions.
DRMA will pay the costs of hotel meeting rooms and normal gratuities through reimbursement, up to the amounts approved in the advisory budget. The hotel bill must be specific enough for the identification of these items.
Be sure that at the meeting itself the Host Committee contact people are introduced to attendees at the first session and that you make it clear that all complaints or problems related to the hotel are brought to them. The Host Committee best handles all dealings on such matters with the appropriate hotel management people.
Also, remember that gratuities are in order from the organization for the banquet and/or convention manager, and for housekeeping help for rooms used by the entire group.
RESERVATION FORMS
Reservation forms should be made available two months before the Annual Meeting. They should request, in addition to name, address and dates, the office name, job title, and home email address (for grassroots purposes). This will assist you in making badges and preparing lists of attendees for the official agenda/program.
Consider including a line for the office mailing address and telephone number on reservation forms. It will save you time if recontact is necessary. It’s also recommended that that you collect cell phone numbers to facilitate communication during any planned excursions. All mailings require postage. When reservations are received, you will need to have some method of controlling them. You may want to consider creating an Excel spreadsheet with multiple tabs and cells formatted to keep running tallies or an Access database that will generate reports or cross reference different listings. Be prepared for late registrations and last minute changes.
BADGES
For a more professional looking badge the DRMA logo or the meeting logo should appear prominently. The cost of printing the badges will be one of the items covered in the advisory budget. Price paid should be competitive.
DRMA LAPEL PINS
DRMA Lapel Pins have been purchased and will be supplied to the Host Committee by the EC. The pins should be distributed during the course of the meeting. Special emphasis should be given to providing the pins to first time participants. Any pins remaining from the meeting should be forwarded to the Host Committee of the next Annual Meeting.
ADVANCE PRINTING
The Host Committee will arrange for the printing of programs, etc. Provide sufficient lead-time. Be prepared for the need for late printing for some items - such as banquet program, agenda.
Presentation folders or binders have become an expected part of each Annual Meeting. These can be ordered as soon as you know what the annual meeting theme will be.
Expenditures for the printing of the programs, folders, and/or binders are also covered by the advisory budget. However, as with all items, care should be taken that the costs are as reasonable as possible. Securing more than one estimate is suggested. The Host Committee may find that color reproduction may be more economically done on the Committee members’ own inkjet printers, with reimbursement furnished for the cost of print cartridges and paper.
AUDIO-VISUAL EQUIPMENT
The Host Area should ensure that a laptop computer is available for all business sessions. Where possible, all PowerPoint presentations (especially those of guest speakers) should be preloaded on the laptop. Also, a large projection screen should be available. A podium with microphone is needed for the head table, a wireless/hand held microphone for the floor, and a lapel microphone should be available for presenters requesting one. Care should be taken to ensure that all audio visual equipment is working properly prior to the beginning of each day of the business meeting. The host area should have at least one person designated as responsible for all audio visual arrangements and operation.
IV. EVENTS
BANQUET
The banquet is an event occurring Friday evening after the meeting Friday afternoon. It is traditionally emceed by the Regional President or someone chosen to stand in for the Regional President. The President will be responsible for recognizing the Executive Committee members and other special guests.
The banquet is the time chosen to present honor awards. The president may present the award or may designate another person to do so. The president should be seated near to any dais or microphone, but a head table is not a tradition for this meeting. Seating is at each person’s pleasure. However, if a head table is used, it should be arranged in the following order:
DRMA Area Area AD MC Reg Com Chairperson
President VP Host Committee
If the Regional Commissioner is present, he/she should be seated at the head table flanking the DRMA President (Commissioner closest to the center). In this case, another regional official or Area Director can be next to the RC. Remember that in this instance, it is the regional officials who are the speakers and have rank and they should be to the right and left of the presiding official in order of rank.
If someone gives an invocation, the individual should be seated at one of the ends (depending on where you need balance). The invocation should be non-sectarian. Place cards are essential so that individuals know where they will sit. A member of the Host Committee should also be on hand and designated to direct them to their places. Most people do not assume that they will be at the head table.
BREAKFAST, Saturday Morning
Breakfast will normally be Continental in style and will be served just prior to the opening of the meeting Saturday morning.
DRMA will pay for the breakfasts of the guests from Central Office and Regional Office.
COFFEE BREAKS DURING THE MEETINGS
The Host Committee will make arrangements for coffee and soft drinks for the breaks during Friday afternoon of the meeting. The advisory budget should cover the cost of refreshments provided during the meeting.
Coffee Break on Saturday morning will simply be refreshing of the breakfast served earlier.
DOOR PRIZES
Although not required, the giving of door prizes throughout the meeting has become somewhat of a tradition. This practice is often used to help get delegates back on time from breaks and lunches, i.e., you must be present to win. Each member of the Executive Committee should donate one door prize, not to exceed $20.00 in value. Participants always enjoy prizes with some link to the host Area, whether large or small. Remember when acquiring door prizes that most delegates fly to and from the meeting. Large items may be unwieldy or costly to ship home, although the hotel may be able to assist in shipping.
BANQUET ENTERTAINMENT
The decision as to whether to have entertainment at the banquet, and if so, what type, is left to the area Host Committee. Many have chosen to have outside entertainment, ranging from speakers on the local city or area to humorists to live bands with dancing. Others have chosen to skip outside entertainment and have opened the Hospitality Suite for networking instead.
OPTIONAL EVENTS
Area Host Committees may sponsor a number of events and activities to showcase the area where the meeting is being held and to provide entertainment for the participants and their guests. These activities are fully paid for by those participating in the activity as no DRMA funds are provided for these events.
V. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE RESPONSIBILITIES
GUESTS AND HONORS
The Executive Committee is responsible for inviting Central and Regional Office officials, guest speakers, and workshop presenters.
The Executive Committee is responsible for getting plaques, certificates of appreciation, etc. and will pay for all plaques, etc, that it will present.
The Executive Council is responsible for inviting the winners of the Tommy Jones Excellence Award and any other honor awards presented. The EC will pay the travel, lodging and per diem of these guests unless they are already attending the meeting.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETINGS
The Executive Committee may determine a need for a meeting of one of the standing committees of the DRMA, e.g. the Finance Committee. Those committee meetings will be scheduled during off meeting hours on Friday or Saturday.
VI. EXHIBITS
EXHIBIT A
ANNUAL MEETING SITES
YEAR HOST ASSOCIATION SITE
2005 / Area V / Fort Worth2006 / Area III / Houston
2007 / Area VI / Albuquerque
2008 / Area IV / San Antonio
2009 / Area I / Little Rock
2010 / Area VII / Oklahoma City
2011 / Area V
2012 / Area III
2013 / Area VI
2014 / Area IV
2015 / Area I
2016 / Area VII
2017 / Area II
2018 / Area V
2019 / Area III
2020 / Area VI
Note: DRMA hosts the NCSSMA Annual Meeting in all years ending in “3.” We hosted the meeting in San Antonio in 1983, Houston in 1993, and Albuquerque in 2003.