Report of the Ad-hoc Committee on Conducting a Convention Absent a Local Convention CommitteeJohn Zajc, Norman Macht, and F. X. Flinn

Executive Summary

A SABR convention could be successfully held in the absence of a local convention committee. The additional cost would range from $6K – $11K paid to outside vendors plus SABR staff time valued in the low thousands of dollars.

The NCC/LCC structure was created at a time when SABRs staffing could not adequately manage the convention process, but this situation no longer holds true. The committee unanimously recommends that the existing convention policy, which calls for both National and Local convention committees, be revoked and full responsibility for the convention be returned to the executive director. The ED can then involve all interested members on a volunteer basis without restriction and while retaining full responsibility for the results.

Because of the importance of this latter recommendation, our report is divided into three sections, with several appendices. In section I, we discuss a number of findings made in the course of the investigation that lead us to our dramatic recommendation. Sections II describes how and at what cost a convention can be held without local involvement, and section III reviews the background to this effort.

Section I: Restoring Staff Primacy in the Convention Process

In examining how we conduct a convention in order to understand what we might have to pay for without an LCC, we come to these conclusions:

1. The SABR administrative office has to take a lead role in planning and executing the convention; if this supposition is accepted as true and the right people are in place, there may not be a need for a lot of additional professional support.

2. The current structure of how we plan and execute conventions is overly cumbersome.

Finding 1The SABR administrative office has to take a lead role in planning and executing the convention; if this supposition is accepted as true and the right people are in place, there may not be a need for a lot of additional professional support.

If the executive director or another staff member is trained and experienced in meeting planning and/or knows who she can turn to for advice and counsel, executing a successful convention is merely work. Given our current hotel needs, we have the ability to negotiate a good hotel contract without professional help, and we now have staff and volunteers and contacts in the industry that can help move us from good to optimal. The decision about working with a convention planner to negotiate the hotel contract should be up to the Executive Director.

When we have a strong local convention committee everything becomes easier. But when we do not have a strong local committee more work gets done by the SABR office. If we plan for the office to do more anyway, then we don’t have to put such pressure on the local committee. In fact, a local committee may be more likely to form, with more members, precisely because the ultimate responsibility no longer accrues to them.

As for volunteers during the convention, SABRs experience is that getting people to do “easy” things like stuffing goody bags and pulling a shift or two at the registration desk is not that hard to do, and the excitement of the event will bring people out to do those things. But even if they do not, most convention and visitors bureaus have a group of volunteers who can help at the registration desk.

The fact is that the Cincinnati convention was planned and organized by a handful of people, with the office taking a leading role. The geography of the key participants was far from local and face to face meetings were inconsequential to the successful planning.

Finding 2The current structure of how we plan and execute conventions is overly cumbersome.

The original purpose of the National Convention Committee was to take the majority of convention planning out of the office, freeing up the time of the staff to do other things. Our experience is that this works only marginally well, since ultimately it is the office where members turn for information and where budgets must be followed and bills be paid. In short, people expect the office to know everything and often be the decision-maker. When the NCC is staffed with volunteers who understand and know what they are doing and have the time and motivation to do it right, things run well. But if the NCC is staffed with volunteers who do not have a clear understanding of what they are doing (or are not interested and/or motivated), the work ends up being done by the office anyway.

The fact is that if responsibility for the conventions is returned to the Executive Director, the office will be free to arrange convention work as the talents, skills and interests of member volunteers present themselves. The weekly SABR Info mailings and the Bulletins can ask for volunteers to assess hotels, for example, or put out a call for interested parties to help with the convention publication, goody bags, vetting research presentations and the like. Volunteers who continue to do global tasks will in effect become an ad-hoc NCC with the ED as the chair, and those at the local level similarly become an ad-hoc LCC. But by putting the authority and decision making in the hands of the ED, we make sure the information flow matches the responsibility.

Section II: Pro-Forma Plan for Conducting a Convention Absent a Local Convention Committee

Methodology

Our methodology for determining how to figure the costs for running a convention without a local committee is as follows: assign items in the convention policy that are currently the responsibility of volunteers to outside vendors, whether a convention planner, management company or other agency. We then contacted representative firms and obtained quotes for these services.

John Zajc contacted Jill Stone of Helms Briscoe, who had made contact earlier in 2004 with Dick Beverage. Helms Briscoe is full service meeting and event management company. Zajc also met with Jim Taliak at Conferon, one of the world’s largest meeting planning companies. Conferon happens to be headquartered in suburban Cleveland (Twinsburg, Ohio). Flinn compared the results obtained with a freelance convention planner who found the numbers reasonable and all bases covered.

A Word About the Business Models of Planning Companies and Individual Meeting Planners

Meeting planners and meeting planning companies make their money through a commission negotiated with the contracted hotel(s). Typically, it is a 10% commission on every room night sold.

The difference between a Conferon, Helms Briscoe, and an individual meeting planner is somewhat minor. Conferon has more staff and its business model is more equipped to provide the ancillary services SABR would

need to do a convention in a city without the help of a local convention committee, such as Philadelphia. Helms Briscoe basically uses a partner, Resource One, to do some of the ancillary items. Jill Stone stated that if we kept some things, like transportation to a minimum, she could help out with that rather than using Resource One and their mark-up. An independent meeting planner has the most flexibility on how he or she is compensated; we did not investigate how much an independent meeting planner might cost.

What Would The Professional Do

The professional would, if we asked, do site-selection, or accompany SABR representatives on site selection trips. This is already paid for in all the business models, so removing that from SABRs responsibility would save SABR a couple hundred dollars. (The amount saved is dependent upon what kind of support the local CVB gave us--occasionally we can get free or discounted airfare to do site selection; pretty much always we get free accommodations).

The professional might also do the hotel negotiation. Conferon advertises that it has an agreement with most hotel chains that the price negotiated by Conferon is the same as the lowest non-commissionable price the hotel would offer. In other words, the hotel can’t “pay” for the commission by raising the room rate to cover the cost of the commission. Is having a professional negotiate the contract worth it? At the level of complexity we need and the conservative room blocks we contract for, Zajc is neither convinced nor not convinced that a professional negotiates a better contract than the NCC has negotiated in the past. However, he unequivocally says that the experience in working with the Westin in Cincinnati was the best hotel experience he has had in all the years he has had involvement. Whether that has anything to do with having a pro in the background may or may not be a coincidence. Also, both Jim Taliak at Conferon and Tina Greene of Security Travel warn of the specialized species of contract that is the hotel contract and advise that a person looking over a hotel contract should have experience in that specialized field, and not just “normal” contract law.

The professional would arrange for transportation to and form the ballpark (if necessary).The professional would take care of the logistics of the schedule, including a/v procurement and placement.The professional would take care of all banquet/catering needs with the hotel.The professional would be an on-site troubleshooter.The professional would staff the registration desk at times, and hire folks at times. The CVBs often also have volunteers that could staff a registration desk.

What The Professional Would NOT Do

The professional would not create our printed program.The professional would not create our souvenir publication.The professional would not create nor contact panelists/speakers.The professional would not vet research presentations.

How would we do these things?

Program

The printed program would need either a volunteer to compile, an intern to compile, or staff time to compile. Layout and design of the program, under the current relationship with McFarland, is done by hem after receiving the pages in the order we want them to appear.

Souvenir Program (Convention book)

Some additional cost may be incurred for the souvenir publication. Since this program is now part of the standard SABR publications for the year, the key role is that of someone to champion the vehicle, give it a theme, and proselytize for content. This could be done by a volunteer, by staff, or by a freelancer.

Speakers

Speakers will be contacted by the office. This makes the most sense from an efficiency standpoint.

Research presentation vetting

This process has been effectively administered by non-local volunteers for the past several years and can be easily institutionalized.

Timeline of A Convention Without a Traditional Local Convention Committee

More than 18 months out: Confirm the area has appropriate sized and priced hotels for a SABRCon presently available for the sets of dates we seek; this may or may not be contracted out.

18 or more months out: Officially choose area as host to SABR ConventionAsk locals who would like to help out; start making supporting cast assignmentsStart brainstorming with interested locals about who would be good speakers/panelistsStart Setting BudgetBegin soliciting articles for convention publication; choose an editor

14 months out: Advertise for a Meeting Planning Intern

9 to 12 months out: Start asking for research presentations

8-10 months out: Choose Convention Dates after MLB schedule is setPick HotelMeeting Planning Intern Comes On BoardStart Contacting Possible Speakers/PanelistsIssue Sponsorship Packets

7 – 9 months out: Begin slotting events

3 – 4 months out: Publish Registration/Information Mailer and send to membersBlind reviews of presentations beginLayout & design of convention publication; get to printer

6 weeks out: Complete Printed Program and get to printerAudio-visual needs determined; bid upon; and approved

Inside 6 weeks: All the other stuff that needs to get done.

What does it Cost?

By our estimates, hiring a Conferon or a Helms-Briscoe to help run our convention would cost no less than $6,000, and possibly as much as $11,000. There would be a few thousand dollars of staff time, although being more involved in the planning may pay off with better marketing and attendance and better sponsorship sales and relationships.

If we are using a professional for an East Coast city and can very conservatively and reasonably expect an attendance of 600, then the out-of-pocket cost is $10 - $18.33 per convention attendee.

HelmsBriscoe Resource One Conferon Notes

Site Inspection on commission on commissionContract Negotiation on commission on commissionOn-Site Staff (includes per diem) $2,825 $350 Figures 5 days on site (Wed-Sun)

Pre-Event Labor $1,875Assumes 25 hours for BEO review, program logistics, etc.

Post-Event Labor $750 Assumes 10 hours

Package Costs $10,056

Travel to Event $500 $500

Total $5,950 $10,906

Conclusions/Recommendations

These costs are well within what SABR can afford at its established $75 registration fee, and, in the case of a northeast corridor convention that attracted 750 registrants, the additional attendance made possible by locating near membership concentrations completely offsets the costs (150 x 75 = 11,250). A convention can be conducted in the absence of a local convention committee.

Section III: Background on Formation of this Committee

SABRs existing process has in this century succeeded in turning out four strongly attended, highly profitable conventions. At the same time, the difficulty of site selection has become more acute. A number of destinations, particularly those in the Northeast, have been essentially off the radar because of a lack of volunteer interest at the local level. The NCC offered the board a series of fait-accompli site selections in recent years, often not having two legitimate alternatives, and none included a northeast corridor city.

Board member Flinn offered an amendment to the convention policy document that would have required the NCC to develop a forward-looking convention siting plan that would get the SABR convention into the northeast on a two or three year cycle. The principle stumbling block toward achieving this was not so much the location as the issue of local involvement. Our ad-hoc committee was formed to examine this question:

From the July 2004 meeting minutes:

Based on the Board’s discussion of a proposal by Flinn and subsequent email exchanges with the NCC and other interested parties, Beverage offered a motion to create an ad hoc committee – consisting of the Executive Director, the Treasurer, and a third member nominated by the president and approved by the Board

– to develop a pro-forma plan, including costs, for conducting a convention absent a local convention committee. This committee will present its report to the Board at its Winter 2005 meeting.

The motion was seconded by Traven, and approved by the Board, 8-0-0-0.

Appendix 1: Current Policy for Local Convention Committee

1. The Convention Committee (CC) shall appoint a Local Convention Committee Chair who will submit its recommendation for the following appointments to the CC for approval.

a) Transportation Coordinator - arrange bus transportation as needed for optional and scheduled events; arrange most favorable airport shuttle service; prepare directions to convention hotel for out-of-towners for the Bulletin; arrange transportation for special guests.

b) Publication/Program Editor - prepare a program of events and registrants for the convention, and arrange for last-minute "copy quick" type printing of program; solicit material and edit convention publication; seek bids for printing program and submit proposed printing budget to Chair; get local pre-convention and convention publicity. (Convention committee liaison and SABR Publications Director are available for layout, printing and content ideas.)

c) Speakers - work with CC in planning panel-type events; line up participants for panel, including former and present players (the latter working with the ball club liaison); arrange for banquet or other main event speaker.

2. The Local Committee will arrange for:a) Research presentations - solicit and vet applicants and their subjects; schedule presentations; arrange for required AV

equipment and copying of handouts; arrange for moderators and judges; coordinate judging; oversee presentation sessions.

b) Sponsorships - work with Executive Director in soliciting sponsorships of specific events, such as banquet, picnic, contest prizes, publication printing, and transportation; solicit items for "goodie bags".

c) Registration desk - arrange and schedule volunteers to staff registration desks and ticket exchange and to receive surveys and answer questions; stuff "goodie bags", set up registration desks.

d) Local Club - work with speakers' chair in lining up panelists; arrange for game tickets; seek cooperation in early notification of schedule or request for certain dates for club to be at home; explore other event cooperation by team.

e) Option events - suggest optional sightseeing activities; solicit group deals; work with transportation coordinator on required buses, etc.

3. The local convention committee Chair works closely with the liaison person from the CC, submits proposed budget for the convention, including costs of events; drafts schedule of events, conducts local committee meetings and rides herd on everybody else.

4. The CC will work with the local chair in designing the convention format and schedule and events and budget. The CC bears the final authority and responsibility for the format, schedule, and a budget.

5. The Executive Director shall be available to the local committee for help, guidance and advice. The local convention bureau contact will also be available.

6. Local chairmen should be aware that some coordinators do not have to live in the site city. For example, the Publications Editor or Presentations Chair could be any member of SABR with experience in those fields and the willingness to do the job.

7. Everything is on a volunteer basis.

8. The local committee will handle no money. The Executive Director will deal with registration, sale of vending space, paying of bills, and reimbursing of local expenses signed off by the local chair.

9. Past local Chairs estimate that it takes six to eight solid, dedicated people who have plenty of time to devote to planning and preparation for a convention, and 25 to 30 people to do everything that needs to be done during the convention.

Appendix 2: Conferon Proposal

August 12, 2004

Mr. John ZajcExecutive DirectorSociety for American Baseball Research812 Huron Road East, Suite #719Cleveland, OH 44115

Dear Mr. Zajc:

Thank you for your interest in partnering with Conferon Global Services. It has been a pleasure working through the details with you.

As you will soon experience, Conferon has become the innovator and standard-setter for nearly every facet of the conference & meeting planning industry. Partnering with Conferon provides SABR with several unique advantages:

• Society for American Baseball Research benefits from Conferon’s wealth of knowledge and experience resulting from conducting successful programs for over 34 years;

• Society for American Baseball Research enjoys the personalized attention of our high quality support teams who are committed to exceeding your expectations and developing an innovative solution for your conference;

• Society for American Baseball Research receives the unparalleled commitment to customer satisfaction that is proven on a daily basis.

Based on the information we discussed, I was able to construct a detailed proposal concentrating on Site Selection, Contract Negotiations, Meeting Planning, as well as Onsite support. I will contact you shortly to review and discuss how we will proceed.

Any questions please don’t hesitate to contact me directly at (330)486-0322.

Sincerely,

Jim TaliakNational Sales Manager

JT/ts

CONSULTING AGREEMENT for 2005 between the SOCIETY FOR AMERICAN BASEBALL RESEARCH (SABR)

and CONFERON, INC.

CONFERON STRUCTURE

At Conferon it is our philosophy to service our accounts with “Meeting Teams.” A core meeting team will be assigned to service SABR consisting of two Conferon executives. This group will serve as SABR day-to-day contacts, and each team member will be equally familiar with all details and operations of the SABR.

SITE RESEARCH/SITE RECOMMENDATIONS

For future meetings where hotels have not been contracted, Conferon will handle the entire site research function for SABR. Conferon’s assistance will include recommendations of hotel sites, as well as obtaining availability and rate information form all hotel candidates. This process will be three steps:

1. A list of cities will be developed and pre-screened by Conferon, with SABR’s direction. Conferon will analyze each city and submit recommendations concerning each proposed site’s ability to accommodate SABR’s requirements.

2. From that list of sites, SABR will create a prioritized “short list” of cities for Conferon to actually research for date availability. (2-3 cities are recommended).

3. Once the research is completed, CONFERON will prepare and submit to SABR a detailed report summarizing pertinent information for each available hotel/convention center, as well as our recommendations.

SITE INSPECTIONS

CONFERON will assist SABR in coordinating all the arrangements relative to arranging site inspections of the hotel finalists and the meetings destinations. (Ground transportation, scheduling meetings with the appropriate hotel staff, site tours, etc.).

A site inspection is an excellent opportunity for you to become familiar with the personality and capabilities of each hotel and convention destination being considered. It will help set the stage for negotiations and guide you through the final selection process.

CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS

Conferon will handle the entire contract negotiation process with all hotels in the selected city. Prior to commencing negotiations Conferon will meet with an SABR representative to discuss specific contract requirements (i.e. concessions, function apace, etc.) and will focus negotiations according to the agreed upon direction from SABR.

SABR’s out-of-pocket expenses are offset when hotel’s pay Conferon a 10% commission. That commission is paid with the commitment by each hotel that the room rates have not been increased in order to pay commission. This issue is addressed in writing, both in most existing national sales agreements Conferon is paid the commission primarily for two reasons:

1. We assist in introducing the business opportunity to the hotel ((via site research).

2. Our pre-event planning and on-site services provide a management benefit to the hotel, due to streamlined communication lines and Conferon’s experience level. (Our staff all has significant hotel background experience).

PRE-EVENT COORDINATIONConferon’s account team will work proactively to provide coordination services in the following areas: (Under the direction/approval of SABR).

1. Function Space Analysis and recommendations concerning all programmed events Meeting room assignments Determine comfortable/logistically sound seating capacities using Conferon formulas Program flow considerations

2. Supplier Negotiations/Management to include, but not limited to: Security services Off premise events – catering, DMC requirements Transportation (Shuttles for airport or off-site events, VIP transportation) Telephone service/equipment providers Hiring of temporary help to assist at conference site Printing services Simultaneous translation services and equipment Spouse/guest functions EMS personnel

3. Food and Beverage negotiations/management with the hotel and convention center Creativity in menu/setup recommendations Pricing structure to meet/exceed SABR budget projections Quality assurance/verification in terms of staffing/service commitments Conferon F&B guarantee system to minimize costs while maintaining quality

4. Special Event Coordination (e.g. ancillary events, off premise parties, etc.) Evaluation of logistical viability of chosen venue Coordination of all details with on premise contacts

5. Preparation of detailed meeting specifications Timely revisions submitted to all parties involved in coordination process Highlighting/strike-out feature to indicate changes

ON-SITE COORDINATION SERVICES

Conferon’s approach to on-site management will blend in with SABR’s internal coordination efforts, creating a unified seamless conference management process. Conferon will assign a on-site representative to provide SABR with thorough coverage for all facets of the conference operation. Our staff, trained to anticipate and resolve challenges before they become visible to meeting attendees, will become much more than an “extra set of hands”… our leaders will become an extension of SABR staff.

Since all of Conferon’s on-site employees have significant hospitality industry background, we will add an inside perspective into hotel/convention center operations and facilitating efficient communication with the venue. Utilizing skills and experience, Conferon’s representatives will:

Operate as the communication liaison between the hotels, convention center and any suppliers we are assigned to.

Facilitate all event setups, A/V, ancillary events, breakout rooms, offices, evening events, and any activities of other supplier subcontractors.

Ensure all event setups utilize comfortable seating/setup standards and appropriate audiovisual sight lines as applicable.

Manage utilization of event temporary personnel. Coordination of on-site security and medical services. Follow through on all food and beverage functions, including attendance verification and utilization of

Conferon inventory management systems. Provide assistance with flow management, including ingress/egress of SABR attendees for major functions,

and shuttle transportation to/from hotels and ancillary events. Attendance verification for all meeting functions if requested. Organization and placement of conference signage. Event move-in and move-out (other than Exhibit Hall). Billing verification on a daily basis for hotel and convention center charges. General troubleshooting.

POST-EVENT RESPONSIBILITIES

Once the SABR Forum is completed, Conferon’s core meeting team will continue its conference management support by assisting with post-event management activities. These services will include:

Immediate review of billing for all hotels, convention center and suppliers/subcontractors utilized upon receipt of documentation.

Assistance in resolution of disputed charges in a timely and efficient manner. Creation of a post-event report outlining all pertinent statistics.

COMPENSATION PLAN

Conferon is committed to building a long-term relationship with SABR for future years. All of the aforementioned conference management services will be provided to SABR with the following compensation structure:

Conferon Services Provided Fee DescriptionSite Research / Recommendations & SelectionContract Negotiations

2005: When Conferon is involved in site research and/or contract negotiations and is Commissionable at 10% for actualized guest room revenues, with the assumption of a minimum actualized guest room pickup of 1,200 guest nights.

Supplier Negotiations No additional charge – for suppliers not having a pre-existing relationship with SABR, Conferon will earn a commission in exchange for providing these coordination services.

Pre-Meeting PlanningOn-site Management $10,056 per year.

On-Site Management Conferon will provide (1) representative for up to a total of (5) on-site days. Services are listed on page 4 of this proposal.

SABR will be responsible for reimbursing Conferon for all reasonable travel, hotel and on-site services (i.e. guestroom, meals, tips, parking, transportation, etc.) Conferon will request complimentary accommodations when possible.

Conferon staff will adjust travel standards to accommodate clients current travel policies for the association staff.

Conferon Services Provided Fee DescriptionPre-Planning Meeting Days(at Selected Meeting Site)

Conferon will provide (2) planning meeting days that include travel time, at no fee to SABR. SABR will be responsible for all travel expenses as stated above.

Conferon representatives will attend additional planning meetings at SABR’s request and a fee of $850.00 per person per day plus expenses will be charged to SABR. This rate is quoted in 2005 terms and is subject to change for future years.

APPROVED AND ACCEPTED:

_____________________________________ ________________________________John Zajc Date Jim Taliak DateExecutive Director National Sales ManagerSociety for American Baseball Research

taliak/contracts/SABR

Appendix 3: Resource One/Helms Briscoe Information

Who We AreHELMSBRISCOE RESOURCEONE is a full service meeting and event management companyfeaturing the latest in online registration technology. By employing our core competencies, we are able to offer clients a wide breadth of experience and knowledge. Our team of professionals offers years of experience in the convention, meeting and event industry. Our clients include Fortune 500 corporations, trade associations, non-profit organizations and small- to mid-size companies worldwide. Our services include all facets of planning and operating meetings and events. This includes creative and web services, video and film production, staging and entertainment, speaker selection and presentation, tradeshow management, logistical coordination, budget management, registration services and virtually any aspect of the meeting management process. The variety and versatility of our services, staff and associates allows us to deliver seamless and complete meeting and event solutions.

BackgroundRoger Helms founded HelmsBriscoe in 1992 as a meeting resource company; Bill Briscoe later joined him. The company was built on a total commitment to client satisfaction and is dedicated to personal service. As a critical factor to today’s business success, HelmsBriscoe ResourceOne functions to assist clients in locating strategic meeting venues and provide value by negotiating with the hotels and other meeting suppliers on the client’s behalf.HelmsBriscoe is recognized as the hospitality industry's largest and finest site selection firm. We hold the #1 and #2 position as a strategic partner for all major hotel chains. We work with hotels and meeting suppliers worldwide, representing the interests of our clients. With our purchasing power, we bring value-added solutions to the site selection and planning process for clients both large and small.We offer a network of seasoned professionals able to fulfill your needs as they relate to convention,conference and meeting planning – from site selection to planning and consultation as well as on-site management. We are honored to work with the finest hotels and resorts both domestically andinternationally.

Corporate Headquarters: 8535 E. Hartford Drive Suite 206Scottsdale, AZ 85255Tel: (480) 718-1111 * Fax: (480) 718-1126Regional Offices: 80 Offices WorldwideInternational Offices: 22 CountriesNumber of Associates: 500+ Associates

Executive Team:Roger T. Helms, President & ChairmanBill Briscoe, Chief Operating OfficerPeter T. Shelly, EVP, Business DevelopmentGary White, EVP, Client & Associate DevelopmentGreg Malark, EVP, Technical DesignPatricia Durocher, Managing Director, HB International

Why HelmsBriscoe ResourceOne_ Buying Power. In 2003, HelmsBriscoe booked 20,000 meetings worldwide. Consequently, all major hotel chains are eager to work with us, providing us stronger negotiating and buying power for our clients._ Staff. HelmsBriscoe has more than 500+ associates in 80 offices worldwide. We maintain a hotel database that ensures up-to-the-minute information and data on thousands of properties worldwide._ Experience. We know the meeting and conference business. Our sole focus is to help business professionals produce more effective programs that yield regal results. It’s what we do all day, every day. Our HelmsBriscoe ResourceOne staff average experience is 15 years in the meeting industry._ One Stop Shopping. As a full meeting planning resource, a single call makes sure all of your

needs are met. You will have one resource providing you with the services needed to ensurecontinuity and quality._ Customer Service. As our client, you are assigned a specific program manager and you become our #1 priority! Dedicated resources will be devoted to ensuring that your program is delivered to your utmost satisfaction AND we treat all of your attendees as VIP’s._ Capabilities and Flexibility. We offer a creative, well-seasoned staff with strong event design, marketing, production and destination management capabilities. You, as our client, will have a solid support group behind you throughout the entire process so you can focus on the strategic goals and objectives._ Outstanding Value. Our fees are the best value in the industry. We negotiate strictly on your behalf based on your individual programs needs with all hotels, facilities, and other meeting and event suppliers, where applicable._ The Real Magic – The real magic is in the personal service we provide. Our team will work with you through each phase of planning your event. From budget formation and control to the total execution. We worry about everything … so you don’t have to. Our involvement ensures a smooth and professional orchestration that will guarantee the creative and professional integrity of your meeting. We combine outsourcing and innovative procedures with many years of experience in the meetings and event industry that deliver a superior product and service.

Our Network and PartnershipsOur long-standing relationship with all major hotel chains and convention centers, audiovisual, transportation and destination companies, drayage firms and other suppliers ensures competitive rates and top-quality service for our clientele. Our knowledge of the industry and strong network of top professionals guarantees your group the opportunity to experience the best at the most competitive price.Our hundreds of partnerships throughout the industry go a long way. Here is just a sample of themany hotel chains that welcome and provide priority service to HelmsBriscoe clientele:

_ Adam’s Mark Hotels and Resorts _ Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts_ Four Seasons Hotels _ Fairmont Hotels_ Hyatt Hotels & Resorts _ Inter-Continental Hotels – North America_ Loews Hotels & Resorts _ Marriott Hotels_ Radisson Hotels Worldwide _ Regent Hotels Worldwide_ Ritz Carlton Hotels _ Hilton Hotels Corporation & Hilton International_ Omni Hotels _ Starwood Hotels_ Swissotels & Resorts _ Wyndham Hotels & Resorts

Our ClienteleHelmsBriscoe boasts a powerful network of thousands of loyal clients and top professionals throughout the world. Our worldwide association with top industry professionals and partnerships delivers the best service and quality product to our clients. No other company possesses the range and depth of service, buying power, and the ability to deliver a flawless and consistent product meeting after meeting. Our partial client list below, speaks to our experience and capabilities in the industry as the top meeting management resource firm:

_ Abbott Laboratories _ Ad-Net, Inc. _ ADP_ AICPA _ American Express Financial Advisors_ American Fire Sprinkler Association _ American Urological Association_ AT&T _ Aventis Pharmaceuticals_ Brinker International _ Bristol Meyer Squibb_ Centers for Disease Control _ Charles Schwab_ Chevron _ Cystic Fibrosis Foundation_ Digital Equipment Corporation _ Fed Ex _ General Electric_ Georgia Alcohol Policy Partnership _ H. D. Best Financial _ Haggar Company_ I2 Technologies_ International Association for Stability and Handling of Liquid Fuels_ International Spa Association _ JC Penney_ Jenzabar _ Kentucky Fried Chicken _ Kodak, Inc._ LPL Financial _ MasterGuard

_ McKesson Information Solutions _ Merck & Company _ Merrill Lynch_ Mirant Corporation _ Morgan Stanley _ Motorola_ National Youth Leadership Council _ Nortel Networks_ North American Mission Board _ Novartis _ Paine Webber_ Powell Goldstein Frazer and Murphy _ Proctor & Gamble _ Prudential_ Radio Shack/Tandy _ Smith-Kline Beecham Pharmaceuticals_ Society of Telecommunications Consultants_ State Farm Insurance _ Sun Micro Systems_ The Butler Co. _ The Gillette Company _ The MONY Group_ Toro Corporation _ U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops– Immigration & Refugee Services _ Wallace Pharmaceuticals _ Whitehall Labs_ Wyeth Ayerst

Your R1 Program Management TeamOur associates really know the score – 90% have in excess of 15 years in the meeting industry. They know destinations, facilities, contract negotiation, online registration, travel management, event production and much more…Teams are assigned according to each client’s needs, experience level and general location of offices. A team leader is designated with back-up and support personnel as necessary depending on the needs of the meeting, client and/or event. Travel staff is assigned based on requirements of the client. Each team member is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, using e-mail, cell phones, pagers, business phones and backup personnel as needed to ensure each program is executed seamlessly.

Types of events we specialize in:Conferences/ConventionsIncentive ProgramsSpecial/Hospitality EventsExecutive RetreatsProduct LaunchesSales and Marketing MeetingsSeminars and Training ProgramsUser Group MeetingsSporting EventsTeambuilding Events

Consulting Services & Program DevelopmentPhase I: Your Program Director will assist you and your team with identifying the key elementsof your program from which you may benefit by outsourcing as well as address areas of concernthroughout the planning process.

Phase II: Through a series of discussions and a thorough analysis, your Program Director willplay a key role to assist you with defining your program’s goals and objectives in addition tomanaging the logistical details.

AS YOUR CONSULTING PARTNERS, HELMSBRISCOE RESOURCEONE WILL:_ Assist you and your staff in the first critical steps of identifying and/or defining yourconference goals and objectives._ Develop timelines, budgets, communication processes and identify team assignments._ Protect your interests with all meeting suppliers._ Transfer an immense amount of valuable industry information in an allotted amount of time.Phase III: By the end of the project, the HelmsBriscoe ResourceOne team will have provided afull staff of resources using the processes and necessary guidelines that work best for you.

Theme & Logo DevelopmentHelmsBriscoe ResourceOne will work with you to develop a conference theme and logo that

supports your primary message. The theme and logo will be a common thread on all collateral,Web sites, PowerPoint presentations and handouts.

Conference/Program PromotionWe will identify and develop the appropriate communication and marketing pieces including butare not limited to conference stationary, exhibitor’s prospectus, conference brochures andflyers, agendas and Web site. This service ranges from concept and design to production andmailing, if desired.

Online Registration Turnkey ServicesIn today’s fast-paced and ever-changing environment, flexibility is a necessity. With onlineregistration from HelmsBriscoe ResourceOne, you’ll have the flexibility you need with a solutiontailored to meet your specifications. HelmsBriscoe ResourceOne will create and maintain acustom site for your meeting, providing you with continuous access to an easy-to-use real-timereporting tool.Attendees are finally satisfied, too. They can access the housing and registration system viathe Internet at their leisure to register for the conference, arrange their housing and even bookair travel in real-time and receive immediate confirmation of the process.Our online registration solution features:_ A custom site with your corporate or conference logo and theme_ Attendee-type registration_ Manage all your meeting communications via e-mail_ Full agenda with detailed session descriptions_ Breakout session registration and waitlist feature_ Manage housing requests and room block inventory at one or multiple hotels_ Collect and allocate roommate requests_ Secure hosting_ Password protected permission functionality_ Change, cancellation and registration tracking_ Access to pre-designed and ad hoc reporting in real-time_ Transactions recorded on final number, not changes_ Online instant confirmations_ Built-in budgeting codes for easy cost tracking_ Online travel booking and PNR acquisition_ Multiple meeting capability_ And much more!

Staging & AV ProductionHelmsBriscoe ResourceOne offers comprehensive management of media, production, stagingand AV services. Video modules, candid pieces, special effects, lighting and spectacularstages…we’ve done it all. Our experienced communications professionals will incorporate stateof-the-art technology to add extra pizzazz reinforcing your program's message and theme.HelmsBriscoe ResourceOne will coordinate and manage all of your AV and production needs.

Exhibit ManagementOur experienced associates will work with you to expand your reach to potential exhibitors,improve attendance, enhance your trade show image and increase your profitability. Our broadrange of capabilities in this area includes:_ Exhibitor communications_ Negotiating contracts with providers of decorating, material handling, security, audio-visual,printing, catering and entertainment_ Designing, creating, printing and distributing exhibit sales brochures_ Publicizing the event through extensive media relations programs_ Developing dynamic, effective promotion campaigns to include telemarketing, exchange advertising, direct mail, fax-on-demand, personal contact, mailing list development and maintenance

_ Creative traffic-builder ideas, floor space planning, booth assignments, space preference pointsystems and commercial sponsorships

Speakers & EntertainmentBased on your input and guidance, HelmsBriscoe ResourceOne will select and contract with the appropriate speakers to reinforce your message and/or entertain your attendees. We will handle all aspects of the process including negotiations, confirmations, reconfirmations, air and ground transportation, AV specifications, rehearsals, etc.

Ground TransportationGround transportation services include personalized airport meet and greet and departures. Your participants will be greeted at a pre-determined location within the airport and transported to their final destination. Our greeters will assist with baggage claim and handle skycap gratuities. We utilize local drivers and the latest equipment including luxury motor coaches, mini motor coaches, passenger vans, sedans and limousines. Our ground transportation team will be onsite during your program to provide personalized service and assist your guests with last minute changes to their ground transportation arrangements.

Budget & Financial ManagementYour assigned Program Director will work with you to develop detailed budgets, establish merchant services, if required, and handle all conference related accounts payable and accounts receivable requirements. Financial progress is continuously compared against the estimated budget and financial reports are consistently generated to communicate and ensure your financial goals are met.

Food & Beverage FunctionsOur experienced staff will assist you in planning creative menus and events including organizing and managing all food and beverage functions. As an extension of your staff, we will work directly with the facility to orchestrate your selections from menus to centerpieces, staffing, staging, special touches, etc. We will advance each function to ensure all specifications are met, including room set-ups, counts, charges, etc.

Tours & Recreational ActivitiesFocusing on group dynamics and desired outcomes to determine appropriate activities is the key to running a successful recreational program. Our seasoned associates can facilitate this process for all of your delegates, spouses and children. We will coordinate and manage all arrangements and, if necessary, employ and oversee a qualified supplier from our national network of contacts.

Post-Program ReconciliationWe pride ourselves on post meeting services provided to our clients. Upon conclusion of each program, HelmsBriscoe ResourceOne will coordinate and conduct internal post-convention meeting with client’s staff and with all program suppliers. We will compile a post-event summary highlighting client’s successes and our recommendations for future meetings. We provide final reports to include:_ Income statement_ Detailed transaction reports_ Profit & loss statement_ Final attendee list_ Hotel room block pick-up and expense_ Food & beverage expense_ Audio visual expense_ Incident reports (if applicable)_ Provide analysis of attendee evaluations (if applicable)

Other ServicesAs a full service meeting and event planning company, we will create, plan and manage anyaspect of your program. Not covered, but available, are miscellaneous items such as gifts andamenities, hospitality desks, signage, team building exercises and more…

Pricing StructureGiven that costs vary respective to specific services, the HelmsBriscoe ResourceOne philosophy on pricing is to remain flexible and quote a fee structure based on the needs of our clients. Depending on the scope of services, our pricing formulas may be:

Ala Carte Client selects service(s) and fees are quoted on each specific service contracted.Package Discounts A discounted price is quoted for multiple services contracted.Flat Fees One price quoted for full scope of meeting management services.Cost Plus Percentage Fees are derived from adding a percentage to the cost of the service or product

HelmsBriscoe ResourceOne PledgeAt HelmsBriscoe ResourceOne, we pledge to provide our clients with the best customer service in the industry. We believe the best way to serve our customers is to combine expert service; ethical dialogue; consistency; faster, better and more cost-effective solutions for managing conferences and events. Our years of success translate into increased buying power and sharp negotiating skills. Our extensive knowledge of the marketplace benefits our clients by providing them with successful solutions at the best prices possible.Customer service is the number one priority at HelmsBriscoe ResourceOne. We look forward to fulfilling our pledge and partnering with you!

Clients Value ResourceOne“ResourceOne did an absolutely terrific job of managing the conference. All of us who had major roles in pulling the event together agree that R1 was superb. They had that conference nailed down to the last detail and pulled it off without a hitch. We were fully expecting (based on previous experience) major headaches stemming from space constraints, storage constrains, turnaround times, and other obstacles, but it all went so smoothly. We're still marveling at the turnaround of the ballroom from exhibit hall to reception in under 90 minutes. And everyone on the R1 team was a pleasure to work with. I also believe that R1 saved us a lot of money. They're a lean organization and didn't burden us with a lot of overhead costs. They used local staff (who were also excellent) on site, which meant we didn't pay travel and housing costs (only the two program managers and the registration manager traveled). They negotiated major price breaks for us with the network provider, the drayage company and the AV service. They managed costs at the hotel so well that the bill from the Wyndham is the lowest for a tech con in five years.” – Computer Sciences Corporation

“…The professionalism and attention to detail shown by HelmsBriscoe ResourceOne were exemplary… Everything went off without a hitch, and we have received nothing but wonderful feedback from our attendees… I’d love the chance to work with you again! Thanks again for your assistance in making both of our meetings truly successful!”— Cigna Insurance

“I would like to commend you on the excellent workshop you conducted for the Georgia Power Company. Your creativity and planning expertise helped make our first annual team building workshop a HUGE success! I was impressed with your professionalism and ability to develop a program that fit the exact needs of our department. As a result, feedback from the entire group was extremely positive! I will highly recommend you to other groups within The Southern Company…”— Georgia Power

“You exhibited a “can do” attitude for every request we had and followed the attitude with results. The high energy level you brought to our conference added to the overall success of the effort. Another benefit that I observed was your ability to anticipate our customer’s needs and help us meet them… I look forward to working with you in the future.”

— Amoco Petroleum Products