Successful Meetings - March 2009 - (Page 48D)

BigIsland A DIVERSE PARADISE Sparsely populated, easily accessible, and blessed with rugged natural beauty, the Big Island raises the bar for unique meetings. BY MARC BOISCLAIR NO DOUBT JENNIFER MAMER-BOHN HAS PLANNED bigger meetings in sexier destinations than her January program on Hawaii’s Big Island. But when Mamer-Bohn, manager of meeting and travel for St. Paul-based CHS Inc., sketched out her list of site requirements (no congestion, plenty of outdoor activities, cultural, and agricultural group tie-ins) this low-key jewel of an island seemed like the best bet for her group. “We’re a farm-supply cooperative, and produce and market grain and energy products,” says Mamer-Bohn. “Our people are all from small towns across the mainland, so not being in a big city was extremely important for them. This was our first Hawaii meeting, and we thought the Big Island would be a good place to start.” Indeed, the Big Island, with its amazingly varied climate, topography, and cultural heritage, would rank high from the start among most meeting destinations. There’s room to roam aplenty here—at just over 4,000 square miles, the Big Island is bigger than all of the state’s other islands combined. And yet the island’s population maxes 2 MEET.BIGISLAND.ORG out around 160,000, equivalent to the density of Maine or Oregon. Moreover, all that land comes packaged in a smorgasbord of microclimates—from lush, tropical rain forests to grassland, beaches, and mountains (yes, mountains, snowcapped and red-hot). In fact, while Mauna Kea rises to 13,796 feet above sea level, it would rank higher than Mount Everest (about 33,500 feet) if the trek up began at the mountain’s true base on the Pacific Ocean floor. Kilauea, meanwhile, remains the world’s most active volcano, and regularly thrills locals and visitors alike with its fiery, glowing lava flows that light up the night. Few other destinations combine climate and terrain in such an ideal manner, providing attendees with all types of outdoor recreation, from golf and snorkeling to tennis and nature hikes. Like to bike? The Big Island’s got miles of two-wheel trails with eye-popping views. Need a day at the beach? Bring the shades, sunscreen, and volley ball, as the Big Island is home to spectacular sand and surf. And where better to promote the “green is good” concept than http://MEET.BIGISLAND.ORG

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Successful Meetings - March 2009

Successful Meetings - March 2009 Contents Editor's Letter News Update Education Management Matters Meetings Law Mouth for Sale Visionaries And the Award Goes to... Taking Green Initiatives to the Top Events of Presidential Proportion It's a Small World After All Places + Spaces Big Island Supplement-Insert NYC Metro Houston Oahu The Bahamas Memphis Passport

Successful Meetings - March 2009

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