Re: 2013 AIS Convention

[Robert Pries <robertpries@embarqmail.com>]

A cautionary note. The North American Rock Garden Society (NARGS) finances it s own conventions and runs them, but the chapters carry out the convention details like our affiliates. The last couple of years the society was practically bankrupted because so much was spent on the conventions. If the AIS central is going to run the convention but depend as almost has to be the case on the affiliates to do much of the ground work, communication has to be very very good so that AIS funds are not overspent. I am not opposed to hiring someone to do something but if one does, it has to be expected that, that persons job, will bring in to the society more members or something that compensates for that out lay. 
Businesses invest in things because they bring in a return. You spend money to make money. But just spending money does nothing unless one has to have an expectation of why it will make money. I have been complaining for sometime that our continual loss of membership is going to make it harder to do many of the things we have expected in the past. Unfortunately you can have a downward spiral, that if you do not do those things you loose even more members. If you raise dues you can loose members also. 


----- Original Message -----
From: "William Plotner" <gardens@molalla.net>
To: aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
Sent: Saturday, March 27, 2010 12:19:07 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
Subject: Re: [AISdiscuss] 2013 AIS Convention

If the AIS takes ownership of this event and follows this type of 
plan....There is one thing you will see for sure...The cost will increase 
dramatically...... because we will very quickly no longer be using 
volunteers (non-Paid people) but having to hire coordinators and specialty 
people that the locals used to know and make special deals with in order to 
keep the prices down.

Will


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chris Hollinshead" <wolf-com@rogers.com>
To: <aisdiscuss@aisboard.org>
Sent: Saturday, March 27, 2010 6:08 AM
Subject: RE: [AISdiscuss] 2013 AIS Convention


>I don't think anyone would dispute the fact that there is a very real
> difficulty in getting groups/regions that are strong enough entities to
> "host" a AIS Convention and its attendant structure. (Dennis Hager has
> outlined this below.) Overall it's a huge task and there are few areas 
> that
> have all the correct elements in place. Therefore the present and ongoing
> difficulty in setting future convention venues.
>
> I would agree that perhaps the time is right for the AIS to take more
> ownership in what is the flagship annual event. I was quite surprised many
> years ago when I found out that the AIS had basically nothing to do with
> organizing these conventions, that it was left up to local groups to
> initiate, produce and execute the entire event. What I mean by the AIS
> taking ownership in this case could be providing organization leadership 
> and
> production for the event (see detail below). Local groups would still have
> some involvement(see below). The basic format structure of the event is 
> very
> similar from year to year just the venue changes. (the overall convention
> format could stand to be modified to be a shorter timespan but that's
> another discussion.)
>
> The concept that I put forth is as follows:
>
> AIS take ownership of the event in the following areas:
> Financial risk (and reward)
> Market event (we already basically do that)
> Plan and coordinate
> Execute the whole thing
>
> Local group:
> Provide display gardens
> Provide some volunteers at the event
>
> The AIS part looks formidable on its own, correct? There is a solution. 
> Its
> not free. Its businesslike, professional and provides the basis of a 
> planned
> structure and future. (rather than hope and pray)
>
> There are professional meeting organizers who could be contracted on an
> event basis to coordinate all the hotel selection and arrangements, bus 
> and
> trip arrangements, banquets, meeting rooms arrangements, etc.. There would
> have to be a AIS liaison to provide input and direction. Probably someone
> who has organized a convention previously would be a very good candidate.
> The bulk of the work is done by the professional meeting organizer. Set-up
> expenses for the convention would come from the AIS and correspondingly 
> any
> potential excess would also go back to AIS and could help fuel subsequent
> conventions financially.
>
> There would still be a local group involvement, that would be absolutely
> necessary but they would not have to bear the organizational weight of the
> event. They would still have to provide the garden venues (which is
> considerable on its own) and some peoplepower at the event but the bulk of
> the convention execution could be arranged by the professional organizer. 
> I
> think you would get many more venue candidates with a concept something 
> like
> this in place.
>
> I do know people that do this exact type of thing (organize large meetings
> and conventions). They have done this very successfully for businesses at
> venues all around the world. Our AIS convention would probably be quite
> simple for them in comparison. If you wish I could make an initial inquiry
> and/or put our designated representative in touch.
>
>
> Christopher Hollinshead
> 3070 Windwood Drive, Mississauga, Ontario L5N 2K3
> e-mail: wolf-com@rogers.com
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-aisdiscuss@aisboard.org [mailto:owner-aisdiscuss@aisboard.org]
> On Behalf Of R. Dennis Hager
> Sent: March 26, 2010 8:52 AM
> To: aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
> Subject: Re: [AISdiscuss] 2013 AIS Convention
>
> Paul,
> As the "organizational gadfly", I believe the difficulty in finding a
> location for the AIS convention is structural. Except for your expertise 
> in
> lining up conventions and assisting the host organization, the input from
> the AIS is minimal. Putting a convention, regional or "mini" convention
> together is a monumental task with a very steep learning curve. Each step 
> is
> critical and requires the participation of able and willing volunteers. 
> Add
> to that all the fiefdoms that exist with the AIS and the sponsoring
> organization. It doesn't take long to figure out that when we ask a Region
> or Club to host a convention, we are asking someone to walk through a
> minefield blindfolded.
>
> What do we really expect of the Host organization? Here's the short list:
>   1.  Provide Gardens
>   2.  Take Financial Risk
>   3.  Market the event
>   4.  Plan and coordinate with volunteers
>   5.  Execute the whole thing
>
> Most people join plant societies out of a passion for the PLANT, not 
> because
> of their management expertise. Until the AIS Board decides to take the
> reins, recognizes the Convention as an asset and manages it as such, this
> problem will never go away.
>
> I belong to other organizations that recognize the importance of 
> Conventions
> and/or Annual meetings. They are quite successful. They make money.
> Attendance is always high. However, their executive director is actively
> involved in the planning and marketing of the event.
>
> This little rant does nothing to address our short-term problem, but 
> unless
> the structural problems are addressed, this problem will continue.
>
> Dennis Hager
> (who is going back in his hole)
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Paul W Gossett" <pwgossett@juno.com>
> To: <aisdiscuss@aisboard.org>
> Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 11:28 PM
> Subject: [AISdiscuss] 2013 AIS Convention
>
>
>> DEAR FELLOW AIS MEMBERS,
>>
>>
>> Well, it is March 25, 2010 and I still have not received an invitation
>> from any iris organization to host the 2013 AIS Convention.  This is very
>> critical in that the Beardless Guest Plants will need to be received by
>> that site this Fall of 2010.  So I am asking all of you to talk it over
>> with your regions and local societies about hosting a convention and
>> contact me if you are interested in discussing a
>> convention with me for 2013.  The current up coming conventions are as
>> follows,  2010 Madison, WI, 2011 Victoria, BC Canada, and
>> 2012 Ontario, CA.
>>
>> I am thinking about the possibility of asking a section or cooperating
>> society in co sponsoring a convention with AIS.  What do you think?
>>
>> I have contacted some areas of the country about hosting the convention
>> but, I have not had an invitation from anyone.
>>
>> If you would like additional information as to what are the requirements
>> and what it takes to host a convention, please contact me.
>>
>> Thank you,
>>
>> Paul W. Gossett
>> AIS Convention Liaison
>
>
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