Success Story: Four Simultaneous Meetings in Four Cities

Award Winners Announced

The event 

A biopharmaceutical company hosted a Plan of Action (POA) meeting with the goal of bringing four regions together to plan and strategize for their upcoming year’s goals and initiatives. The event was also an opportunity to announce winners of their “Circle of Excellence” top achievers.   

Challenges 

  • First ever Plan of Action meeting together. 
  • Compressed 4-week turnaround time to plan and produce the POA. 
  • After surveying feedback from their team, they decided to do regional meetings due to the pandemic concerns and team’s comfort level with travel at that time. 
  • Wanted to deliver consistent messaging across the meetings by offering the same training to each region. 
  • Wanted to enable the regions (30-45 people per region) to communicate with one another throughout the POA meeting.  

Solutions 

Upon understanding the goals of the client, the MTA team began sourcing per region in order to plan and coordinate four simultaneous meetings in four cities – Dallas, Chicago, New Jersey and Tampa.  

The four meetings were held over a 2-day period consisting of general sessions, live virtual broadcasts, and dinners in respective cities.  

By providing virtual broadcasts, this accomplished multiple goals:  

  •  The attendees in each region received consistent messaging.  
  • The attendees engaged with each region virtually for full participation. 

To accommodate live virtual broadcasts, the presenters were set up in a remote office so all regional meetings could have a similar experience of speakers on screen delivering a consistent message.  

Due to the virtual components of the event, the POA required extensive pre- planning and AV coordination in order to ensure a seamless experience.   

The following AV equipment was needed in order to accommodate the virtual needs: 

  • Tools for the virtual speaker; web camera for attendees per site to view other regional attendees and speakers; laptop; drape set up; microphones for speakers; reliable internet; screen; and projector.   
  • AV Production expertise and redundancies. 

To ensure that all four events were synchronous, our team lead set up a virtual room online in order to manage the four events simultaneously with the onsite teams that were managing timelines, visuals, virtual presenter kits, and extensive training for our team.  

The event included coordinated attendee dinners held at local restaurants within close proximity to the respective hotels in each city for easy transport and/or walking options.   

Specialty room drops were created for the Circle of Excellence incentive winners announcing the details of their San Diego incentive trip.  

With diligent pre-planning and guidance from MTA’s in-house AV expertise, the Miller Tanner Associates team worked in unison in 4 cities to deliver a seamless synchronous hybrid POA.  

Success Story: National Sales Meeting with a Unique Theme

Event 

National sales meeting for a U.S. medical device sales company in San Diego, California 

Challenges  

The national sales meeting hosting 70 attendees was originally planned for January 2022. Due to the pandemic, the in-person event was postponed a few months later in May.  

Solutions 

In lieu of the postponement, the customer opted to add a virtual event (4-week compressed turnaround) in February to announce the company’s award winners in advance of the rescheduled May in-person event.  

For the face-to-face event in May, the goal was to bring the team together for teambuilding, annual planning, and to celebrate in person for the first time in several years as a result of the pandemic. 

Results  

With a 4-week turnaround time, in February, MTA produced a virtual sales meeting and awards event announcing company winners with a creative flair designed by our team.   

For the national sales meeting scheduled for May, the Hotel Intercontinental was intentionally selected given its convenient proximity to the walkable Seaport Village, the USS Midway Museum, trolley rides, and other local attractions.  

The event kicked off with a reunion-themed welcome experience. Upon arrival, attendees received gift bags – with locally-sourced, eco-friendly San Diego-themed swag and snacks.  

Guests enjoyed a rooftop welcome reception experience with conversational-style seating, fire pits, food stations, and a photobooth. To enhance the reunion theme, company t-shirts were created and a photo wall was designed capturing memories from the company’s 35-year history.   

The hotel’s presidential suite served as the event’s hospitality suite and was utilized in various ways each day, offering a space for refreshment breaks, yoga classes, casual gatherings, and small meetings.  

The event’s agenda also included a catamaran 2-hour excursion, where attendees had the opportunity to sail the San Diego Bay and enjoy city sightseeing along the coast. Teams participated in a CSR activity supporting a local school. Groups experienced “dine arounds” in Little Italy where teams were divided by regions for intimate group dinners at local, quaint Italian restaurants.  

With any event, unexpected challenges can arise. That was the case when the company’s leader (the MC for the awards event), was unable to attend the event last minute due to an unforeseen circumstance; however, our team responded timely with an alternative, creative solutions.  

  • Because the leader was not able to fulfill his role as MC for the awards event, MTA assisted with preparing his replacement to ensure a smooth transition.  
  • To keep the leader engaged despite his absence, our MTA team surprised him with photos from the event that included a cardboard cutout of him “in attendance”.  
  • With the assistance of our team, he, in return, surprised his colleagues virtually with a Cinco de Mayo celebration on May 5th complete with festive refreshments. He was able to participate virtually in a very special, memorable way. 

With pre-planning and pre-staging, MTA completely transformed the conference room in under 2 hours into a stellar, star-studded celebration experience – “Dancing with the Stars”.  Guests were transported “under the stars”, where the room was adorned with ambient pin spot and neon lighting, and colorful uplighting designed by the MTA AV team; and the room was decorated with elegant table and room décor by candlelight. The night was topped off with award winner recognition and DJed music and dancing.    

In summary, through trusted partnership, the MTA team delivered an exceptional themed event experience from ideation to execution as this national sales event truly encapsulated the goals and company culture for our returning customer.  

Meet MTA: Gemma Plans Garcia, Global Experience Manager

Meet MTA associates and learn what they do

The Miller Tanner Associates’ (MTA) difference is our people. That’s why we want to introduce you to our team of superstars that brings our corporate meetings and events to life for our customers. Today we introduce you to Global Experience Manager Gemma Plans Garcia, our Spain-based associate. Tapping into her impeccable communication and interpersonal skills, Gemma works directly with both our customers as well as manages team members to seamlessly deliver exceptional events from beginning to end.

Meet Gemma Plans Garcia

Tell us about your current role with MTA? What are your primary responsibilities?

As a global experience manager, I have a hybrid role. I have the opportunity to work both internally and externally with clients. On the one hand, I work closely with our customers to help ensure meetings are well organized and executed smoothly. It is a team effort, along with our vendors, to put all the pieces together and implement seamless events. Additionally, I manage team members and contribute to the Global Experiences Management Team in the creation and development of resources and training tools for the company. 

What did you do before joining MTA?

I worked in local television in Barcelona during my internship with the university as reporter. After that, I got an international scholarship to study and work for a year as coordinator in the Press and Public Relations for the German-American Institute Heidelberg (DAI) in Germany. I have always loved communication and being involved with different aspects of organizing cultural events like poetry slams, conferences, political debates, concerts, etc. It was a very exciting period of my life. We used to organize and host multiple weekly activities for people to enjoy at the institute.  

I also worked several years in a Spanish DMC coordinating offsite dinners, transfers for international events, and logistics for summer English camps in the United Kingdom. Very diverse and varied as you can see, so that is what I love about this industry! 

How long with MTA: 9 years and I also worked as contractor for 2 years before joining the MTA team full time. 

Gemma with colleagues at the MTA Workshop in Iceland

What’s your favorite aspect of MTA?

I love the culture and people at MTA. Colleagues are from all over the world and even if working remotely, everyone shares kindness and a team spirit that makes this company global and unique. I have always been given opportunities to grow and this is not always common in the countries I worked in the past.  

Languages spoken: Catalan and Spanish (native languages) and also German.

What are some global cities/countries you’ve visited for MTA events?

I have worked for MTA events in Istanbul – culture, food, hospitality from the local people and hotel staff – I loved it! I have also visited and worked in Athens, Rome, Paris, Amsterdam, London, Prague, Vienna, Madrid, Marbella, Warsaw, Moscow, Kiev, Hong Kong, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Chicago, Los Angeles, Puerto Rico…. Still many places that I would love to visit!

Favorite city you’ve visited and why?

Istanbul and Athens are in my favorite list of cities. They are culturally and architecturally astonishing and full of history. You can spend hours walking the streets and be surprised by the markets, monuments, big squares or parks in the middle of the city, the colors, the smells, and the mix of modern and ancient. The food is amazing in both cities; the people I met during my visits were all very hospitable and kind. I have very good memories from both places. 

Where are you originally from and where do you reside currently? Have you lived any other places?

I am originally from and currently reside in Barcelona. After university, I lived nearly a year in Vienna for a scholarship I received from my university, then in Heidelberg, Germany for an internship (European Union Youth Project) with the Deutsch-Amerikanisches Institute Heidelberg for 2 years and then I moved to Vienna again for 3 years. 

What do you do for fun?

I enjoy the cinema, travelling, swimming, and sumi-e (Japanese ink painting). I also have 2-year-old twins that keep me very distracted. 

What stands out to you about MTA services?

MTA is admirable for its resilience and adaptability. In just a few weeks of planning, we can plan anything from a hybrid meeting in Lagos, Nigeria to a big incentive event in Puerto Rico or a very personalized and small ad board in Rome.

Why do you think the MTA Workshops are valuable? 

The MTA Workshop is the best time of the year for me because we can gather as a team and connect in person with everyone from all departments. We always go to nice places and do some team building activities, and CSR activities that connect us with the place. So far the best ones for me have been in Portugal and in Iceland. 

Visit www.millertanner.com to learn more about MTA and our associates. Get to know our associates by following us on Instagram for behind-the-scenes with our team.

Meet MTA: Callie Carkin, Senior Contracts Specialist

The Miller Tanner Associates’ (MTA) difference is our people. That’s why we want to introduce you to our team of superstars that brings our corporate meetings and events to life for our customers. Today we introduce you to Senior Contracts Specialist Callie Carkin. Callie’s extensive knowledge of contract processes and efficiencies combined with her adeptness for laser-sharp problem-solving, undoubtedly contribute to Miller Tanner Associates overall seamless process for launching any successful event.

Meet Callie Carkin

Tell us about your current role with MTA. What are your primary responsibilities?  

As the senior contracts specialist, I work closely with many areas of the Commercial Team. Primarily focusing on contract management and Salesforce process automation. I coordinate with finance/proposals/account management to ensure that our contracts and change orders are processed quickly and efficiently. 

What did you do before joining MTA?  

I worked in a similar capacity at a Pittsburgh area startup company. While many of the job functions were the same, I primarily focused on legal operations and contract negotiation. 

Callie and the MTA Commercial Team

What do you feel are the most fulfilling aspects of your job? 

For me, getting to learn and understand a completely different line of work, to grow and streamline a lot of current processes, while also helping to make the lives much easier for my co-workers, is fulfilling aspect of my job.

What’s the biggest mistake that you feel companies make when planning an event? 

I think many companies rely on in-house teams to plan events when they should be relying on the experts like MTA. 

Callie in Iceland for the annual MTA Workshop

What do you do for fun? 

I enjoy many different things and like to keep myself busy. Whether its taking out the paddleboard for the day, going to festivals, camping, hiking or just a relaxing day at home with my animals in my backyard oasis – I love to have fun, laugh and enjoy life! 

What makes Miller Tanner Associates stand out as meeting planning company?

The diversity and skillset of Miller Tanner Associates’ employees is astounding! How everyone works so cohesively and smartly together to ensure that our customers have the best experiences is truly something to admire. 

Why do you think that the annual MTA Workshops are important? What do you get most from this time together? 

Being a fully remote company, it is important to take that time yearly to get together to laugh, learn, smile, and truly enjoy the company of the people with whom we work so closely, but don’t get to see in person all the time.  

Visit www.millertanner.com to learn more about MTA and our associates. Get to know our associates by following us on Instagram for behind-the-scenes with our team.

Meeting Theme Ideas: Why They Matter

4 Ways to Create Meeting Experiences With Themes

Updated: 12/22/2022

Last week on our blog, we discussed team building as an effective way to create a memorable meeting experience. Today we explore how to create an unforgettable meeting experience through a well-executed theme.

Discover how you can bring your next meeting, be it a regional sales meeting or a leadership conference, to life by weaving in themes to accomplish your meeting goals, excite participants, and shape your overall meeting experience for your attendees.

Continue reading “Meeting Theme Ideas: Why They Matter”

Meet MTA: Brian Buzas, Software Engineer

The Miller Tanner Associates’ (MTA) difference is our people. That’s why we want to introduce you to our team of superstars that brings our corporate meetings and events to life for our customers. Today we introduce you to Brian Buzas, software engineer with MTA’s Technology Services Department. Brian’s attention to detail and software engineering expertise supports our Technology Services Team’s development of superior MTA products for event management both internally and for our customers.

Meet Brian Buzas


Tell us about your current role with MTA? What are your primary responsibilities?
I am a software developer at MTA. I write the software for MTA’s proprietary EPIC, Attend,
VALTs and registration 2.0.

How long have you been with MTA? I have been with MTA for a year and a half.

What did you do before joining MTA?
I was a software developer for an educational company for 11 years and a hospital before that.

What do you enjoy most about your job?
I am a huge fan of Legos – I have been since I was a child; and software development lets me
build things virtually on a computer. It is very tangible and rewarding as you can usually go
home that day and see something new you built that day.


Where do you live and what do you love most about your state/city? Any must-see tourists
spots?

I live about 20 minutes from Cleveland, Ohio. The great lakes are pretty amazing to
see. We have a few islands to go see on Lake Erie and, of course, Cedar Point if you like roller
coasters. Additionally, we have the Cuyahoga Valley National Park about 30 minutes from my house.

What do you do for fun?
I coach and play volleyball, ride motorcycles, and enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking.

What are some of your favorite tech trends?
I do enjoy home automation and things that allow simplification of my life.

Why do you think that the MTA Workshops are important? What do you get most from this time
together?

I rarely get to interact with anyone outside my department and spending time getting to know
people in other departments is enlightening. I get to better understand what they do and what
they need from our software to enable them to be successful. Additionally getting a small glimpse into what we can do for clients is really awesome.

Visit www.millertanner.com to learn more about MTA or follow us on Instagram for behind-the-scenes with our team members.

6. What do you do for fun?
I coach / play Volleyball, ride motorcycles, and enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking.
7. What makes Miller Tanner stand out as meeting planning company?
I’ll add in something I learned on our trip to Iceland. “That we have an internal development
shop”
8. What are some of your favorite tech trends?
I do enjoy home automation and things that allow simplification of my life… Until they stop
working then it is a hassle.
9. Why do you think that the MTA Workshops are important? What do you get most from this time
together?
I rarely get to interact with anyone outside my department and spending time getting to know
people in other departments is enlightening. I get to better understand what they do and what
they need to be successful from our software. Additionally getting a small glimpse into what we
can do for clients is really awesome.

Success Story: Congress Management

The Event 

A global healthcare company hosted various meetings throughout the week at the annual European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress in Paris, France.  

Photo Credit: ESMO

The Challenge 

Within an expedited timeframe, our customer needed assistance with strategic congress management and logistics support, specifically planning multiple meetings/meeting types during the ESMO Congress. That which typically requires 6-8 months planning lead time, our team had 8 weeks to accomplish given the condensed timeline. Adding to the challenge, Paris shut down for 2 weeks for scheduled holidays during our 8-week planning phase.

Photo Credit: ESMO

The Solution 

Pre-Event 

Prior to the event, the MTA Global Experiences Team was charged with managing all of the pre-event planning including: managing attendee registration; securing hotel room blocks; managing speakers for each symposium; arranging speakers’ transportation; submitting requests for approval of auxiliary meetings; sourcing meeting locations; and coordinating all onsite staffing. 

Our Paris-based, French-speaking associate played a key role in venue procurement working directly with restaurant vendors in-person to ensure the venue spaces selected were optimal for each dinner, meeting, etc. Our associate hand-selected local Parisian restaurants that met the desired criteria for special meetings, networking, and dinners. All of this was accomplished with our compliance team ensuring events were within the Congress and country guidelines. 

Business meeting management for 10 events hosted in business meeting rooms; our team managed nine room transitions throughout the day.

Event Management 

Because of the many moving parts involved in planning multiple running events within the 5-day Congress, on-site staffing was essential to the success and MTA ensured that meetings were fully staffed to manage all events.  

MTA was responsible for managing a total of 28 events which included both pre-meetings prior to the Congress in Paris and meetings taking place throughout the week of ESMO. Among those were: 

  •  A pre-conference social gathering for 200 attendees in Paris.  
  • 16 total ongoing events including networking dinners and business meetings.  
  • Business meeting management for 10 events hosted in business meeting rooms; our team managed nine room transitions throughout the day to ensure the spaces were prepped for all consecutive meetings from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.  
  • Our on-site team directed the minute-by-minute oversight; contingency planning for AV emergencies; and transportation throughout the day for our team dispersed in multiple locations. 
  • Partnerships were also an important factor working with the client’s internal planning team and external vendors to ensure all goals were achieved.  

With foresight, ingenuity, contingency planning, and MTA expertise (AV and local knowledge), our Global Experiences Team worked steadily and purposely to successfully manage a total of 28 programs related to this Congress event within less than 8 weeks of planning.  

5 Benefits of Working with Women Owned Businesses

5 Advantages of Partnering with WBENC
Miller Tanner in 1997

Updated: 11/29/2022

For 18 years, Miller Tanner has proudly maintained a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) Certification through the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), the nation’s largest third-party certifier of the businesses owned and operated by women in the U.S. Nationally recognized by thousands of major U.S. corporations and federal, state and local government entities, this certification is no small feat. The process is a lengthy and intensive one. To achieve WBENC certification, women-owned businesses complete formal documentation and a site visit process which is administered by one of WBENC’s 14 Regional Partner Organizations.

Continue reading “5 Benefits of Working with Women Owned Businesses”

Meet MTA: Haley Temple, Global Experience Designer – Events

The Miller Tanner Associates’ (MTA) difference is our people. That’s why we want to introduce you to our team of superstars that brings our corporate meetings and events to life for our clients.

Today we introduce you to our Global Experience Designer – Events Haley Temple, our Paris-based associate. As a global experience designer, Haley keeps our customers’ events on track and running smoothly from start to finish.

Meet Haley Temple, Global Experience Designer – Events

Strengths (based on CliftonStrengths): Learner, Strategic, Intellection, Achiever, Futuristic

Languages spoken: French and English

Tell us about your current role with MTA? What are your primary responsibilities?  

I am a global experiences designer, meaning I work with the customer team, on-site vendors, and other members of MTA staff to ensure their event comes to life – while sticking to compliance regulations and budget parameters. 

What did you do before joining  MTA?  

Before joining MTA, I was in charge of communications at a private high school in the heart of Paris, France. Before that, I taught anglophone literature and history for a bilingual section in the same high school while also managing communications for the department as well as a student exchange between Paris and Sydney, Australia. It was a lot of fun!  

What’s the best part of your job? 

Every event is different and presents its own unique challenges – what I like the most about my job is the fact that I get to pull the strings, per se, to make everything come together. I also really love working with and getting to know each unique customer team in order to understand their event goals and objectives while pulling together all the necessary resources to make it all happen! Plus, I get to learn a few new and interesting things about the cultures where the event will take place, about the pharmaceutical industry, as well as compliance law/regulations. 

What’s been your favorite event destination as an event planning professional? 

Paris, of course! It was a lot of fun to have my colleagues here and to get a chance to show them my favorite places while we worked together as a team to make the magic happen. I have also enjoyed working in Miami, and I have a memorable story about an event in San Antonio, Texas. I have a feeling there will be many more exciting places to come.

Do you have a few great travel tips that you could share? 

Always bring your own (empty) water bottle through airport security and fill it up on the other side! Always travel with headphones, a great playlist, and a good book. Never be afraid to make conversation with the person next to you on the plane. You never know who you will meet!  

What do you do for fun? 

For fun, I like to walk around the city, visit art exhibitions, and meet friends for coffee on the weekends. I also take a ceramics class in my neighborhood where I am learning new things about color glazes—did you know that heavy metals are heated up to high temperatures to create the amazing colors that we see on some pottery pieces? I also adore the aerial arts, so I practice aerial silks and trapeze when I have time.  

You currently reside in what city? What do you enjoy most about living there? Any favorite spots that you would recommend to tourists? 

I am originally from Georgia in the U.S., but I have lived in Paris, France for the last 11 years. I love the food, the art, and all the amazing cultural exchanges you can encounter in a city like Paris!

What makes Miller Tanner Associates (MTA) stand out as a meeting planning company?

What I love about MTA is how much heart goes into each event and how much heart goes into working with each other – it feels like a big family that I feel like I’ve known forever, but was somehow missing the memo on the family reunions!   

Why do you think that the MTA Workshops are important? What do you get most from this time together? 

I love getting to chat with people from different departments and discovering new connections outside of the usual work talk – for instance, learning that one of our colleagues had written a book and that another lives not far from where I grew up.  

Anything else you’d like to add? 

I am happy to be here and feel very lucky to have an opportunity to work alongside the team!  

Visit www.millertanner.com to learn more about MTA and our associates. Get to know our associates by following us on Instagram for behind-the-scenes with our team.