January 2012
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President’s Message
 by SUE DALY, CMP, Aon Service Corporation, sue.daly@aon.com
I met with a student from a small college in Indiana today. She is a senior and trying to figure out what career path she wants to take when she graduates this May. Meeting and event planning is an area that interests her. I explained MPI and what I do as a corporate meeting planner. She asked what I thought she should do to get experience and find a job. My response was to invest by getting involved in MPI.
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That got me to thinking of the “Investments in MPI” that will be offered to you, our chapter membership, over the next six months. To get the most out of your membership, I believe you need to get involved. That can mean attending one of the many meetings and events offered or serving as a volunteer.
In September, we had 140 volunteers within our chapter. If you’re not already a volunteer, consider joining a committee or possibly being a mentor or mentee through the Power of 2 Mentorship program. The five chapter committees (Communications, Strategic Alliances, Leadership Development, Education or Membership) all have volunteer opportunities available.
Emerging Leaders has a program planned for 9:30 AM on January 18, prior to our monthly meeting, on the topic of BYOB: Build Your Own Brand. Jess Elmquist with Lifetime Fitness will show us how to brand yourself to stick out from the crowd when creating your résumé, interviewing for a job, working on a promotion, or networking online. (Although “Emerging Leaders” is defined as those individuals with seven years or less experience in the industry, anyone is welcome to attend). Our January 18 Monthly Meeting speaker is Randy Pennington, who will speak on Earning the Right to Lead: How to Expand Your Influence by Increasing Your Credibility. Two great topics with information we can all use in our daily work life.
On February 8, join us for a Chapter Mingle from 4:30–6:30 PM at Pittsburg Blue in Galleria. This is an opportunity to meet new people, visit with industry friends, and make new business contacts. Then the education highlight of our year will take place on February 16: iConnect. This is our all-day education event where we showcase our suppliers.
These are just a few of the ways you can invest in your own professional growth in the next few months. If you’re not already involved or want to be more involved, take that first step. You will not regret it.
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Editor’s Note
by SUSAN BORMANN, CMP, International Dairy Queen, Inc., susan.bormann@idq.com
 We welcome in a new year this month. For some of us, there’s the tradition of making resolutions to guide us through 2012 with our newfound optimism for a fresh start. For others, resolutions are no sooner made than forgotten. Even if you’re not a fan of resolutions, the new year is a good time to at least take stock of where you are now and where you plan to go in the next 12 months.
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Let go of an angry heart. Send good wishes to someone who has hurt you. We all know we should forgive others for our own health. Your heart will thank you.
Laugh often. Laughter makes us feel good and also contributes to our wellbeing. When we smile, it’s contagious, and we spread a joyful attitude to those around us.
Listen thoughtfully. Be present to those around you. Turn off the computer, put down the phone, and give the person next to you your undivided attention. We need to be present when we are together.
Express gratitude. Even if things are not going exactly the way you planned, there are still plenty of things to be grateful for. Focus on the positive things about where you are in the new year. Let other people know how blessed you are to have them in your life.
Appreciate today. Instead of living in the future and looking ahead too often, or looking back at the past and pondering what you could have done better, live in the present and give your undivided attention to what you’re doing now. Your life deserves you fully present as it unfolds.
Imagine the possibilities this new year holds for you. Believe you can overcome the challenges and revel in your accomplishments. I hope that 2012 brings you peace, prosperity, and happiness.
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Emerging Leaders
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 Join fellow Emerging Leaders at the January event!
Jess Elmquist with Lifetime Fitness will show us how to brand yourself to stick out from the crowd when creating your resume, interviewing for a job, working on a promotion, or networking online.
Download the flyer
Learn more
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MPI MN Monthly Meeting
Earn the Right to Lead: How to Expand Your Influence by Increasing Your Credibility
11:00 AM-1:30 PM
Bay View Event Center
Excelsior, MN
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Conventional thinking is wrong. True leadership—the type that inspires people and organizations to achieve more than they could imagine—has very little to do with your position and everything to do with your ability to influence. While you can mandate compliance with your position, the commitment required to achieve amazing results must be volunteered to those who have earned the right to lead.
Isn’t it time to become the leader you’ve always wanted to be? This interactive, high-energy session will provide you with ideas and strategies to become a more effective leader regardless of your position. Come prepared to re-think what it takes to enhance your credibility and influence others.
January is half-price guest month. Bring your boss and use Randy’s presentation to initiate a conversation about growing your own leadership potential. Let your employer know you’re serious about your professional development. Don’t miss this unique opportunity!
 Randy Pennington, the president of Pennington Performance Group, helps leaders build cultures that achieve results by leveraging the power of relationships and responsibility. He has worked with many of this country’s best-managed organizations, including JCPenney, Motorola, Sprint PCS, and Alabama Power Company, as well as numerous associations and government agencies.
Learn more
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MPI MN Mingle
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iConnect
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Excellence and Pride
by BRENDA ERICKSON, CMP, berickson10@comcast.net
 There comes a time when every good program needs hard study and a fresh look. Since September, membership’s recognition subcommittee, led by Amy-Marie Lemanski, CMP, has revised our Excellence in MPI awards, patterning them after the International RISE award.
What’s new? There will be five EMPI awards that focus like a laser on excellence among our members: Rising Star, Outstanding Supplier Member, Outstanding Planner Member, Outstanding Supporting Company, and Outstanding Meeting or Event.
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The nomination process will be more collaborative. The nominator and nominee will work together to prepare the submission. Winners are named and our profession is celebrated at the May gala. Your mission: Find out what your MPI friends and colleagues have been up to and nominate the best. More information will be provided later this month.
I did not write a column in the last issue because I was on a grand mission of my own to Vietnam and Cambodia. While I saw every Sofitel meeting room in Hanoi, Siam Reap (at Angkor Wat), and Saigon and met every catering manager, there is nothing like the grandeur of places world leaders meet. On nearly our last day, we saw the consummate meeting spaces in Ho Chi Minh City, a.k.a. Saigon.
These photos are from the Reunification Palace in Saigon and where the Vietnam War officially ended with the crash of a North Vietnamese Army tank through the gates. The New York Times (2003) called it the sexiest building in Southeast Asia. For me, it’s filled with fabulous meeting rooms, reception foyers, and blessedly high ceilings. I snapped away and gleefully spurted to my fellow travelers, “I’m a meeting planner and I’m in heaven.”
Pride of profession, indeed!
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Membership Notes
Winter Blues? Mingle ’Em Away!
Simply mingling has taken off in our chapter. We’ve gone from two annual Mingles to four, attracting more and more members who want to continue comradeship between monthly meetings. The third of the 2011-12 series will be Wednesday, February 8 at Pittsburgh Blue in the Galleria, Edina. If you’ve got the blues (or not), mark your calendar for a late afternoon gathering. Click here to register.
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Guests: Half Price January Monthly Meeting
Bring your boss, your colleagues, and your fascinated friends to our January meeting for half the regular price. That’s a mere $22.50. Register now!
Recruit and Score
Yes, yes… It’s halfway through another MPI year. At the May 16th gala, the winner of a $500 cash prize will be drawn from those of you who recruit members. Get your sales hat on! All it takes is one entry. Think what two or ten might do.
Slick Tool on the Horizon
Soon, an MPI MN membership directory will be posted online, making it easier than ever to buy from another MPIer or to recruit your vendor into our midst.
Renew with Benefits!
Renew in January and be entered in the drawing for EMEC or WEC registration or a one-year membership extension. Incentive, indeed!
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EMPI Winner: Supplier of the Year
What does winning an EMPI mean to you?
Being part of MPI has paid off in many ways. My partner, Gerry Sexton, and I got involved with an eye on opportunities for business development, with an expectation that the most effective way to make that happen would be through building relationships, and with the belief that all that probably comes together best (in any professional organization) by focusing first on genuinely trying to make some small difference, some contribution. We’ve had a chance to do all those things. Winning this award on top of everything else we’ve gotten from our involvement? It’s a bonus, and I truly appreciate the recognition and endorsement from MPI. There are a lot of great people in this organization.
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Where do you display your award?
Initially, it was in my dining room, catching the sun and friends’ attention on the built-in oak buffet. Now I have it closer by on top of a bookcase in my home office… in case I’m having a bad day.
What are you most proud of in your life?
My family, without question. I have a couple of amazing kids: a daughter, aged 25, and a son, aged 23. I’m biased, of course, but I think they’re turning out great. I know part of that is luck, but I also think Sue and I have done a pretty good job in raising them. It’s been our number one commitment, and I think we’re earning bonuses there, too.
Your EMPI is for the Supplier of the Year. Can you tell us a few highlights of your being a supplier that helped you to achieve this recognition?
I think our contribution and the recognition have been cumulative. The first MPI meeting I went to nine years ago, I met Mary Medcraft, who was the incoming president, and Denise Woods, then president. They asked me about GrowthWorks. I mentioned strategic planning and, before I could say anything more, they told me they wanted to create a strategic planning process for the chapter. I think we’ve volunteered with eight different presidents to help facilitate the annual planning process. Over the years, I have been on committees. Gerry and I facilitated a special project to improve supplier/planner relationships. We’ve facilitated and made presentations at KnowledgeQuest. And, last year, we created an interactive panel presentation process for a monthly meeting. I think all that—and the fact that, whatever we do, we try to make it fun and productive—is what has built our relationships and reputation.
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Up Close: New Planner
Why did you choose to join MPI?
Christopher works on a team of meeting planners who are members of MPI. He has learned from them—and from his own experiences—that MPI is valuable for his professional growth. He wants to learn from other planners in the industry and gain more vendor connections to assist with his planning.
What are your favorite pastime activities?
Christopher likes spending time at his lake home. He’s a gardener and has a city plot on which he grows herbs and 24 heirloom tomatoes. He enjoys cooking.
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How long have you been in the meetings industry?
He has been providing support for meetings with Thrivent Financial for about 10 years, and has been in the role of event planner for about two years. His current position continues to grow with the addition of more meetings.
How did you get involved in the meetings industry?
He moved into a position with the company that involved development and planning of training programs. This position eventually led to his role on Thrivent’s Event Planning & Recognition team.
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Up Close: New Supplier
What do you hope to gain from your MPI membership?
Everyone who does meetings is involved with MPI. I’m looking forward to gaining the knowledge of the group, increased marketing, and networking.
Tell us about your business activities.
I’m a sales manager and have been with the Park Plaza for three months. The markets I work with are corporate, government, sports, and social.
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What are your favorite pastime activities?
I enjoy dining out and traveling. My favorite places to travel are the Bahamas and St. Martin.
What is your favorite thing to sell about your venue?
My favorite thing to sell at our hotel is the service. I’ve been in the Bloomington market for five months and am happy to be back. I gained my knowledge of sales and customer relations from a variety of wonderful venues, including the Pool and Yacht Club in Lillydale, Four Points by Sheraton Saint Paul Capital, Napa Valley Grille, Mall of America, and The Northland Inn, Brooklyn Park.
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Stress Management
by TAMMY OLSON, Event Planner, DJO Global, Inc, tammy.olson@djoglobal.com
 Tens of thousands of years ago, when our ancestors were living in caves and eating lichen and berries, those with the ability to instantly respond to threats (such as a pouncing sabertooth tiger or stampeding woolly mammoths) were rewarded with another day of life. This highly developed fight or flight response ensured that such an individual would return to the family fire to talk about his “crazy” day.
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These days, a “crazy” day means something a lot different. You’re unlikely to be fending off dangerous giant animals, but when your client loses all sense of reality and wants to throw a tequila tasting party hosted by Sammy Hagar for a group of insurance underwriters (of course with no increase in budget), your biochemical response to the request is very similar to your ancestors’ response to a life-threatening situation. Adrenaline and cortisol flood your body, your pulse races, your palms sweat, and you can feel your blood pressure rising and your eye start to twitch. Thankfully, the combined benefits of eons of evolution—and access to the Internet and your colleagues—can offer some coping mechanisms to help keep your body and brain in balance.
Most of us know ourselves well enough to recognize signs of stress. “My shoulders are up to my eyeballs,” says MPI MN President Sue Daly. “I want to start eating bad food just to get through the day,” admits Nikki Huckstadt McLain, MPI MN VP of Communications. But sometimes the signs are more subtle. Insomnia, depression, and an inability to concentrate are often overlooked as symptoms of stress and, in fact, may feel normal to those who are frequently battling the more obvious signs. It is essential to develop skills and practices to break out of the cycle of anxiety in order to avoid long-term effects of chronic stress, which can include a suppressed immune system, stomach ulcers, hypertension, and heart disease. In this season of resolutions, you might consider adding some healthy practices for the benefit of reducing stress in your life.
The number one thing we can do to minimize the effects of stress on our bodies is (you guessed it!) exercise. Experts say it is critical to take time to exercise, even if it’s simply walking. When I’m not traveling, my office colleagues drag me outside to march around the building in all types of weather, and we maintain a strict policy of not talking about work for those glorious 20 minutes. For those who work from a home office, a dog can be a great reminder to step away from your desk or schedule time to walk on your calendar as a recurring event. Sue Daly suggests that, for a truly stress-relieving walk, you need to pay attention to your surroundings. “Breathe deeply; enjoy the birds or the changing leaves. Just clear your brain and enjoy the moment.”
Getting enough sleep (that’s six to eight hours a night for adults) and eating healthy foods are your body’s most basic requirements for replenishing and repairing itself from the cellular damage that occurs each and every day. Periodically indulging in escapist books or TV can help to clear the cobwebs. “Sometimes I veg out to trashy TV shows (i.e. Real Housewives of any city). I need something mindless to take away thinking about something I really have to focus on,” says Nikki McLain.
Sue advocates the practice of yoga. Long recognized for its perfect blend of physical and mental workout, it crops up on my list of resolutions each year. “I admire the emotional balance that those who practice it demonstrate.” Nikki concurs, saying: “I think people who seem peaceful by doing yoga are awesome. Maybe I should try that.”
When faced with your next unrealistic deadline, corporate reorganization, or other event beyond your control, take a deep breath, assume a yoga pose if you feel like it, and be grateful that you aren’t in the direct path of a herd of woolly mammoths. Life is good!
For more tips on keeping your cool, check out our inspiration article from One+, our MPI International publication.
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Member Anniversaries
Congratulations to the following members, who have been recognized for their continued commitment to MPI MN and who celebrated their monumental anniversary. Thank you for your continued involvement and commitment within our chapter.
- Melody Kath, Medtronic – 10 years
- Cheron Rubenstein, Edinburgh USA – 10 years
- Daniel Young, CMP, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans – 10 years
- Jay Gunnarson, Rochester Convention & Visitors Bureau – 5 years
- Kim O’Keefe, CMP, Land O’Lakes, Inc. – 5 years
- Casey Romano, meetingpages.com – 5 years
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New and Renewing Members
New Members
Please welcome these new members of MPI MN, who have joined since the last newsletter. Check the MPI online directory for full contact information. |
Amy Bloss
Kimberly Chick
Sales Director
Tony Kantar
Partner
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Julia Kotlovich-LaCroix
Kristoffar Nelson
Project Manager
CSL International
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Renewing Members
Please welcome these returning members of MPI MN, who have renewed since the last newsletter. Check the MPI online directory for full contact information. |
Cathy Berg, CMP
Director Mtgs & Conventions
ACA International
Ross Bernstein
Motivational Speaker & Best-Selling Sports Author
Ross Bernstein Speaking
Diane Dukes, CMP
Director of Meetings & Events
Professional Liability Underwriting Society
Lacey Finnell
Go Radio Broadcasting
Dianna Fuller, CMP CMM
Manager, Global Accounts
HelmsBriscoe
Joan Hane
Director of Sales
Ramada Mall of America
Sheila Kyle, CMP
Director of Incentive Sales
Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel & Casino
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Jennifer Locke
Director of Catering
Hilton Minneapolis/Bloomington Hotel
Maren Obermeyer
Senior Meeting Planner
RBC Wealth Management
Kristin O’Brien, CMP
Senior Meeting Planner
Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America
Kim O’Keefe, CMP
Senior Meeting Planner
Land O’Lakes, Inc.
Casey Romano
Publisher
meetingpages.com
Jason Rudoy, CMP
Account Manager
metroConnections, Inc.
Jane Schuldt, CITE
President
World Marketing Group
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Erin Sjoquist
Event Manager
Capella Education Company
Abby Slagle
Meeting Coordinator
Piper Jaffray
Pamela Soules
Event Manager
Winmark Corporation
Sara Stark-Mikolich
Principal
The Stark Group
Rita Swanson
Premier Planning Services, Inc.
Michael Vinup
Vice President
IML North America
Mary Vogt
Vice President
Krisam Group & Global Events Partners
Jon Young
President and CEO
Heroic Productions Inc.
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2011 Holiday Party Recap
by STEPHANIE RIPLEY, American Express Meetings & Events, stephanie.ripley@hotmail.com
 The theme for the December 2011 Holiday Party was “Everything That Glitters”—and it sure did! The Doubletree by Hilton did a wonderful job setting up the room while Event Lab and Connie Duglin Linen set the stage. The room and décor were fabulous and really carried out the theme with a glittering wall and hanging decorations. In the background, the DJ supplied by DS Event Center played holiday music to set the mood.
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Once again, we started the event with networking and bidding on the silent auction items. There were many wonderful items to bid on and the competition to get the exact gift you wanted was fierce! We give a big “thank you” to those who donated the auction items and to all who purchased these great finds for our chapter’s Educational Scholarship program. The silent auction continued through the luncheon and ended with the live auction, emceed by one of the best-known personalities in Twin Cities’ broadcasting, John Hines, as the auctioneer!
Thanks to IML Worldwide and their keypads, the bidding was a breeze. Avex helped with the AV so everyone could view the scrolling silent auction bids, and John Markovich was there with his photo booth. Papilio Photography was on hand to get great shots of all the action. To tie everything together, Cornerstone Copy printed the booklet that listed the day’s events and silent auction items. Many people even used the program as their live auction paddle.
All in all, the day did, in fact, “glitter”!
Thank you to our gracious sponsors for making this event possible:
DoubleTree by Hilton: http://doubletree1.hilton.com/en_US/dt/hotel/MSPBSDT-DoubleTree-by-Hilton-Hotel-Bloomington-Minneapolis-South-Minnesota/index.do
AVEX: www.goavex.com
Connie Duglin Linen: www.connieduglinlinen.com
Event Lab: www.eventlab.net
IML: www.imleventtechnology.com
John Markovich Photography: www.jmphoto.com
Papilio Photography: www.papiliophotography.com
A huge thank you goes out to the Holiday Party Sub-Committee and Silent Auction Sub-Committee and volunteers who did an excellent job of planning this year’s event.
Check out photos from the December Meeting on our Flickr page!
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CMP Questons: AV
by DENISE WOODS, CMP, AGC of Minnesota & MPI MN CMP Chair, Education Committee, dwoods@agcmn.org
- Your screen is 10' x 12'. The last row of seats should be no farther back than:
- 80 feet
- 20 feet
- 96 feet
- 24 feet
- If the meeting room is 75 feet long and 50 feet wide, if you need to use the entire room for seating, what is the proper screen height to be used?
- 6 feet
- 8 feet
- 9 feet
- 10 feet
Answers
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Scholarship Winner: Jessica Bartram
Having been in the industry for 14+ years and essentially growing up with meeting and event planning all around me, I have no doubts at this point in my career that I have found what I want to be when I grow up. There’s a rush that I get when working on events and stepping on site that nothing else has ever come close to. While I continue to develop my knowledge and skill set by attending MPI events and other industry networking and educational events, I am thrilled to finally solidify my knowledge with, in my opinion, the industry leading certification. I also look forward to the demand that having a CMP will provide me as I will be required to attain educational credits throughout the year in order to keep my certification. I am so grateful to MPI for this opportunity and look forward to testing, passing, and applying my gained knowledge within MPI and the rest of the event industry.
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MPI MN Website and MOTM Newsletter Opportunities
 by LISA ANNE VENNE, MPI MN Advertising Chair, lisavennempi@aol.com
If you’re looking for an inexpensive way of getting the word out on your venue or on services you offer, look no farther. The new advertising structures on the MPI MN website and Meeting of the Minds newsletter offer a great way to reach your meeting industry colleagues.
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Click here for additional details. There are multiple options to fit your budget.
Contact Lisa Anne Venne, MPI MN Advertising Chair, at lisavennempi@aol.com or 763-229-2181 with questions.
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About Meeting Professionals International
Meeting Professionals International is the association for the global meetings industry and is committed to delivering success for its 21,000 worldwide members by providing innovative professional development, generating industry awareness and creating business development opportunities. Founded in 1972, the Dallas-based organization delivers success through its 68 chapters and clubs in 20 countries around the world. For more information, visit www.mpiweb.org.
International Headquarters
3030 LBJ Freeway, Ste 1700 | Dallas, TX 75234-2759
972-702-3000 | Fax: 972-702-3000 | www.mpiweb.org
Minnesota Chapter Office
1821 University Ave. W., Ste S256 | St. Paul, MN 55104-2897
651-917-6243 | Fax: 651-917-1835 | office@mpimn.org | www.mpimn.org
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About Meeting of the Minds
Meeting of the Minds is the official publication of the Meeting Professionals International Minnesota Chapter and is published 11 times yearly. Statements of fact and opinion within this newsletter are the responsibility of individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the officers or members of MPI. Articles submitted are subject to editorial revisions.
Articles for Meeting of the Minds are always due on the fourth Wednesday of the month prior to distribution, and articles for News Notes are always due on the first Thursday of the distribution month.
Advertising opportunities are available!
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