By: Alex Garcia
President
(Orlando Central) Florida Chapter, STC
president@stc-orlando.org
Happy New Year!
We at the STC (Orlando Central) Florida Chapter have a wonderful announcement that affects the short-to-mid-term future of chapter focus:
**STC SUMMIT 2018 IN ORLANDO, FL**
MAY 20-23, 2018
HYATT REGENCY ORLANDO
(FKA THE PEABODY ORLANDO)
That’s right! Orlando has been chosen to host the 2018 STC Summit – the preeminent gathering of technical communicators the world over. We at STC (Orlando Central) Florida are humbled and honored that the international headquarters chose our city as the home of next year’s STC Summit.
Putting together a conference of this magnitude is a tremendous undertaking, and we need YOUR help, as our members and friends. Elaine Gilliam, STC Meeting Manager / Communities Staff Liaison, shared an information kit with Chapter leadership, which I will be blogging about in this space as the events become relevant.
First up, we, as next year’s host Chapter, need to staff a table at the 2017 STC Summit in Washington DC. Are you going to the STC Summit this year, and would you like to help your STC (Orlando Central) Florida Chapter promote the City Beautiful? Please contact me directly at President@stc-orlando.org.
Elaine’s Description of duties:
During 2017 Summit: In the exhibit hall, STC will provide your chapter with an area where your chapter members can distribute materials to promote the location. STC will work with the Hyatt Regency Orlando, and VisitOrlando, the Orlando Convention and Visitors Bureau, for brochures to hand out. If you want to augment this with anything, you’re welcome to do so.
The Closing General Session on Wednesday, 10 May, will be prime time to promote the 2018 Summit. STC will obtain a video that will help to promote the location. The Hyatt Regency Orlando has given us a $100 food and beverage gift certificate that can be used at any of their restaurants. The certificate is good through the dates of our conference. In addition, VisitOrlando has given us a beach bag with appropriate beach items. We’ll give this out at the Closing General Session. In the past, we’ve had attendees complete an entry form at the host chapter area/table in the exhibit hall. Then we have had one (or more) of the chapter representatives do the drawing at the Closing General Session.
If there is anything else the chapter wants to do at the Closing General Session, that’s fine. It just needs to be short (2 minutes). We also need to know what your plan is by so that we can include it in the script for this event.
Welcome Table/Display: In the registration area, there will be a table where the host chapter may set up a display and any materials you want to hand out. Visit Orlando, the local convention and visitors bureau, will be happy to provide city and region materials. We will forward to you the contact names and phone numbers after
Some of the items we suggest you have at the table are lists of restaurants in the area, maps, and city magazines. Personal recommendations of a favorite restaurant will be greatly appreciated. Summit attendees will be responsible for making their own restaurant reservations.
We understand that having chapter representatives at the table for the entire length of the conference may be challenging. We believe the majority of attendees will come by the table at the beginning of the Summit. We suggest that at a minimum you have someone at your table during these times:
Sunday, 20 May: 12 Noon to 5:30 PM; 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM
Monday, 21 May: 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM; 3:30 to 5:00 PM
Tuesday, 22 May:10:30 AM to 1:00 PM; 3:30 to 5:00 PM
Naturally, if you have enough volunteers who are willing to take turns through the entire Summit, having someone at the table all the time will be a bonus.
Also, please feel free to blatantly promote your chapter. You may do this with a sign (i.e., “Central Florida Chapter welcomes you to STC’s Technical Communication Summit”), giveaways, or anything fun you can think of. Giveaway items are to be paid for by the chapter.
So excited about bringing the Summit back to Orlando in 2018!