Successful Meetings - November 2008 - (Page 35) Political Meetings and Blue Green but much of it is what we do every day,” says Randy Thompson, general manager of the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis, the headquarters hotel for the Republican National Convention, held September 1-4. POLITICIANS ON MISSIONS In Denver, “The mission for [the DNC] was to make this the greenest convention in history. For us, it was about, ‘What can we do that is green and will leave a lasting legacy?’” explains Rachel Benedick, associate vice president of convention sales for the Denver Metro CVB. The CVB facilitated green business workshops with experts from the Environmental Protection Agency and the local community, organizing workshops for five different groups: restaurants, hotels, meeting and event planners, venues, and transportation providers. Benedick says they were “a huge success,” and that they will continue as a legacy project. A similar program, GreenGatherings, was started in the Twin Cities to raise awareness, help protect natural resources in the area, assist groups in planning lowimpact events, and work with local businesses interested “It shouldn’t take a group like the RNC coming to the hotel to get you to do these things . . . We have to deliver the expectation of the customer, and if they are highly motivated by the environment, we should be able to stand up and help them.” —Randy Thompson, general manager, Hyatt Regency Minneapolis SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS NOVEMBER 2008 successfulmeetings.com 35 http://www.successfulmeetings.com
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