Featured+Speakers

MACUL CONFERENCE Being Revised… || || //FEATURED SPEAKERS COMMITTEE// //TIMELINE//

Featured Speaker Development:

0. Sometimes if I know that a speaker is really popular, I will talk to them at the current Macul conference and tell them to set the next year’s date aside. 1. Review evaluations from the previous conference and list the favorable featured speakers. As soon as the conference theme and strands are developed, I write them down in my planner and always carry it with me. 2. I usually ask friends if they have heard any new speakers lately. I target those at the ISDs and RESAs who might have good leads. 3. Then I try to match the returning speakers to the strands. (for example: David Thornburg probably would match the future type strand) 4. I collect all of the brochures for upcoming conferences for what they are spotlighting as featured speakers. 5. I concentrate heavily on what I see at the NECC conference for new speakers. If I find a good one, I hang around after the speech and talk to them about our conference. I give them a Macul business card with the conference dates on the back. (I also tell them about the size of the conference and the theme) 6. I don’t always look just at featured speakers at NECC. If there are any strands that I don’t have a speaker for yet, I look thru all of the sessions for possibilities. I try to not have any featured speaker that I have not personally heard myself. 7. By the end of July I try to have contacted all of the featured speakers.
 * __June after board retreat:__**

8. At the same time I review the features trying to decide who might be a good candidate for the banquet speech. In the past few years, I have been turning to an entertainment type speaker first with some tie to technology and education. 9. In the past 2-3 years I have relied more heavily on the Leigh Bureau, Ron Symansky, for leads on the banquet. He and I discuss the theme and I look through the speaker brochure (if there is time, I show the book to several board members). Ron will send information and videotapes of possibilities. 10. I review the videotapes and if possible share them with some of the board members. For instance, the last 2 years, Jim B. has helped. 11. I try to have the banquet firmed up by August. I always call each of the speakers a second time to firm up the dates and discuss possibilities for the session title and content. If it is a regular speaker, such as David T., I always ask him if he has been doing anything new in the past year. After a while I have developed a relationship with them and have a great time talking about their latest work.
 * __Awards Banquet Speaker (Awards Luncheon in 2002):__**

12. I create a database that includes all of the relevant information on the speakers, what titles they are speaking on, honorariums, email address, and if there is a time constraint when they can speak. I communicate this info to CNS. 13. I create a letter with the DB fields as confirmation. It includes the honorariums, and a possible title or strand. I include the prebrochure speaker request info for title, description, and AV needs. I send copies to CNS along with the DB. (if I have time, I like to also read the regular session applications – sometimes we catch a feature that has sent the info in.) 14. I also develop a possible time slot for each session (sometimes you need to watch that CNS lets you know when they are doing it). I always try to have speakers at any one time that include 2 strands and have one that would appeal to coordinators/advanced users and the other for beginners. Sometimes it is not always possible but I try to let the speakers time requests work in the schedule. For instance, for Perry Reeves I put him early on Thursday so he can let people know about the hands-on labs. Apple usually wants 10am on the first day. I never put Apple and IBM close together. If there are a lot from one strand (like telecommunications) I try to schedule no more that one per session time. 15. CNS then takes over the process of confirming the speakers but I always birddog it to make sure they are following up. Some of these speakers are so busy that they have trouble meeting the deadlines but I make concessions and just repeatedly try to get them to return phone calls. Keep calling CNS and start calling the featured speakers who doesn’t have their info in yet.
 * __September:__**

16. I like to proof the conference brochure (and the pre-brochure if possible). Work with the conference chair to make sure speakers info is accurate. (There always seems to be some featured speaker that appears at the last minute or someone that a board member especially wants—it is sometimes difficult to turn them down when it is someone’s boss or something)
 * __November:__**

17. I also make sure that the features have a thank you gift (sometimes I have picked them up myself but lately the feature gifts have been picked out at the same time as the volunteer gifts, etc. 18. I like to make sure that speakers have arrangements from the airport. Some of them travel so much that I don’t worry. 19. I also like to introduce myself and talk to every one of the speakers. I usually walk around before each of the time slots and talk to the speakers – I make sure that they have the right AV needs, if there is anything they want etc. Then I pick one of the two to sit in for a while. I usually try to personally thank each one at the end of their speech. 20. I send a thank you letter.
 * __Conference:__**