From the day the first of 1,150 attendees arrived in Madison, Wisconsin for the 19th annual Congress for the New Urbanism, the love fest was on. How Madison won the nod to host this impressive organization is a story of tenacity and a lot of collaborative effort. […]
Read More: Wisconsin Meetings – Fall 2012
The furthest thing from Curtis Queck’s mind the day he went pheasant hunting in a scenic Spring Green, Wisconsin valley was finding a creative new place to hold company meetings. For Curt, it was just another great day in the woods. By day’s end, he was looking over the hunting lodge that hosted him from a very different perspective. […]
Read More: Wisconsin Meetings – Spring/Summer 2013
Wisconsin sports fans are well known for their loyalty and game day exuberance, but even non-followers can find plenty of reasons to enjoy our revered teams and the impressive facilities they call home. Taking advantage of these unique venues for group gatherings is an excellent way to encourage learning, celebrating, and simply enjoying Wisconsin- style fun any time of the year. Lambeau Field, Road America, Miller Park, the Brewers Class A team Timber Rattlers baseball stadium in Appleton or the newest party perch at Madison’s Camp Randall Stadium—all have a lot to offer for corporate outings or family fun. […]
Read More: Wisconsin Meetings – Spring 2014
In size alone, Lake Michigan is impressive. It’s the fifth largest lake in the world and the only one of the Great Lakes located entirely within U.S. boundaries. From the Illinois border to the tip of Door County, the towns and cities along Wisconsin’s Lake Michigan shore are rich repositories of history, culture, innovation, friendliness and the occasional quirkiness, making each in its own way a first-rate choice for meetings or family outings. […]
Read More: Wisconsin Meetings – Summer 2014
At times during the hubbub of a large corporate event, company executives need to disengage and convene in a quieter setting where important issues can be pondered. If the setting is a private dining room with a touch of style, quietly away from the clamor but still close to the big event…that’s even better. […]
Read More: Wisconsin Meetings – Winter 2014
It was a mid-morning break at a National Business Travel Association (NBTA) conference in Tampa, Florida, and I was comparing notes with Terri Payne, the director of corporate purchasing at GSI Commerce Inc., a global company with US headquarters in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, Terri’s home base.
GSI, with over 5,000 employees worldwide, provides e-commerce and multichannel marketing solutions to some of the world’s leading brands—big names like Levi, Elizabeth Arden, NASCAR, Hewlett Packard, Zales, the NFL and NBA, Toys R Us and many more.
Most of us who call Wisconsin home can come up with a significant list of reasons why we love it here. Wisconsinites are friendly. The scenery is diverse and exceptional. Our cities are culturally and intellectually rich. We have big-city amenities without the big-city price tag. There is an almost endless variety of activities and experiences that are uniquely Wisconsin.
A meeting planner weighing Wisconsin’s benefits against other and better known destinations is likely to be more objective and analytical.
Fifteen-or-so years ago when Facebook king Mark Zuckerberg was probably still in high school, I shared a luncheon table in San Francisco with fourteen other hotel guests who had agreed to take part in a “community meal.”
My lunch partners didn’t know me, and I didn’t know them. Our paths would likely not cross again (except perhaps at the checkout desk) and that was just fine with all of us. We were there to eat, chat, exchange any clever or inane thoughts that came to us, and move on to the rest of our lives.
