August 25, 2010

ASAE Shines Again

I just got back to the office today from an invigorating ASAE Conference in Los Angeles. As a first time attendant to ASAE, I was impressed with the various educational tracks, the caliber of the attendees and the exhibitors as well as the creative nature of the pre- and post-event activities. We caught up on industry trends, got our mo jo back, learned about our destination and hotel partners—and still managed to have some fun in some of L.A.’s best spots.

The convention was hosted at the Los Angeles Convention Center in the heart of Los Angeles’ newly booming downtown core and adjacent to the bright lights of L.A. Live. The educational sessions ran the gamut of topics from dealing with the recession and honing executive leadership skills to hosting virtual board meetings and increasing your emotional intelligence. There were so many options and classes to select from that the nerd in me had trouble settling on one class per session. ASAE also launched their first-ever virtual meetings component in response to the shift in technology. The virtual meeting had an attendance of more than 200, and will continue at future ASAE events.

Between education sessions we made the rounds on the lively tradeshow abuzz with people catching up and chatting about their destinations and hotels. We saw some innovative things on the trade show floor. There was an association planner’s version of a haunted house filled with red tape and an ominous chairman of the board. There was also a fun game of Los Angeles Scrabble in the Los Angeles section of the exhibition hall. And the St. Louis, Missouri booth (the hosts of the next year’s ASAE conference) had a Build-A-Bear Station.

The conference entertainment was kicked off by the vocal stylings of Melissa Etheridge and closed with a spirited performance by Cyndi Lauper (check out the staff pictures here). The food trucks at the Food and Wine Classic were a highlight for me. But all in all L.A. Inc., did a fabulous job of showcasing their city and sharing a rare side of Los Angeles. And as a former four-year resident of L.A., I definitely experienced something new.