< PreviousON THE RIGHT TRACK SMERF Meetings Planners Look to Get Back to Normal INDUSTRYINSIGHT themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESMARCH 2022 COURTESY OF ISABEL ALMEIDA 20I n the post-COVID-19 world, many destinations rely on the social, military, educational, religious and fraternal (SMERF) market to keep business alive. Shannon Groff, director of sales for North Carolina’s Discover Durham, knows that all too well, as she has seen the SMERF sector crumble in her city since March of 2020, though the social market segment— which held reason- ably strong through the pandemic — is starting to pick up. “Many people are holding weddings, family reunions and small social gatherings,” she says. “However, the military, education, reli- gious and fraternal market segments in SMERF have been very slow to return due to government regulations.” Like many others, the SMERF mar- ket was forced to not only cancel meet- ings and events early in the pandemic, but was tasked with finding new ways of providing content and professional development. Remote and hybrid mod- els, not typically used with larger-scale meetings, became essential. This left many organizations and associations with an immediate need to develop a strategy for remote delivery and learning. Many SMERF meetings not only developed a virtual strategy, but did so quickly. Jennifer D. Collins, CMP, DES, pres- ident & CEO of JDC Events, notes one of the biggest challenges for SMERF meetings was having to scale back to accommodate many local restrictions. “For some locations, capacity might have been a restriction or even mask- ing requirements or other safety proto- cols,” she says. “Some SMERF meetings also host the 65-plus population that faithfully quarantined over the past year. With the vaccines in circulation, this allows them to move about more freely. However, with the rise of the Delta, and [then] Omicron, variants, this [may have caused] some of those events to scale back. This sector hosts younger generations as well, which also [were] restricted.” Joan Eisenstodt, principal of Eisen- stodt Associates LLC, has been work- ing and advising nonprofits and sales people regarding SMERF meetings for more than a decade. “We’re all dealing with COVID, and the implications, and it’s not over. The concerns of many con- tinue to play a role,” she says. “For some groups, especially reunion and frater- nal, those who attend may be older. Or in all groups, there are parents or grandparents or other caregivers who do not want to risk passing COVID on to others.” Since there were so few meetings that occurred as scheduled in 2020 and 2021, the need to move dates means everyone is fighting for the same spaces, dates and hotels, eager to recuperate losses. That is troublesome for SMERF planners. “SMERF is often considered great business if there’s a hole in book- 21 MARCH 2022 ASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES K ers Look o Normal By Keith Loria Matthew Wales, CAE, CMP, vice president of member services & events for the AACTE, says his group managed to meet before the lockdowns in 2020, which gave them a year to plan their 2021 virtual annual event. themeetingmagazines.com Isabel Almeida, event & experience organizer with Optimise&Organise, says SMERF meetings were affected worldwide when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. COURTESY OF MATTHEW WALESings, because the SMERF market is often more rate-sensitive, space- intensive, and wants to bring in their own food and beverage,” Eisenstodt says. “Trying to compete for space with more lucrative groups is painful. And getting the necessary safety pre- cautions met can be too.” Ray Casey, president of Military Reunion Planners LLC, has spent 34 years planning and executing military reunions all over the United States. He shares that when the pandemic hit, his business almost crumbled as nearly every meeting he planned was canceled. And unlike some other meetings, attendees at military reunions aren’t interested in connecting virtually. “We hold mili- tary reunions, and they want to meet in person — that is the whole point,” Casey says, explaining why he wasn’t able to go the virtual route to which other planners of the SMERF industry were able to transition. Eisenstodt agrees that since SMERF encompasses so many different types of groups, some of which meet mainly for the camaraderie, virtual wasn’t as prev- alent as it was for other types of meet- ings. “Laws have been passed in many states and cities that impact SMERF groups because of who they are and what they do,” Eisenstodt says. “Groups are being cautious about where they meet to not violate their policies and bylaws, and position statements. It’s not COVID-specific; it is what’s hap- pened since COVID.” It’s not only in the United States where SMERF meetings are being impacted. Isabel Almeida, event & experience organizer for Optimise&Organise, plans meetings, summits, retreats, award ceremonies and art exhibitions across Europe, and things there have been just as troubling. “It’s been a challenging time, with many cancellations, frozen budgets and regulation instability,” she says. “On top of that, there has been a social perspective shift that made many suc- cessful meeting formats less relevant or desirable. For those able to embrace the change, this has also been a time of peaked creativity.” THE VIRTUAL WAY Within SMERF, there are organi- zations that must meet to fulfill bylaw requirements for an annual meeting. “In 2020, after March, if they’d not met, they had to meet virtu- ally,” Eisenstodt says. “Many also had to do that for [2021] because hotels weren’t open, weren’t fully staffed, and if the groups hadn’t booked when they postponed their meetings, space and rooms weren’t available. It’s a game of try- ing to make it work.” Matthew Wales, CAE, CMP, vice president of mem- ber services & events for the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), has been involved in planning and marketing of events in the education association world for almost 15 years. He notes the AACTE was fortunate, as its 2020 annual meeting took place the last week of February, two weeks prior to the shutdown. “Therefore, we had an entire year, and the wisdom and insight from some of our colleagues, to incor- porate in planning our 2021 virtual annual meeting,” he says. “This allowed us time to research platform providers and develop some best practices for vir- tual delivery.” Last fall, the association began returning to in-person events, and had a few smaller, subject-matter-focused meetings, ranging from 20 to 40 attendees. “We used these as a sample to observe our members’ comfort level with returning to in-person meetings,” Wales says. “The result was that not only were the majority comfortable with the appropriate safety measures taken, but that they truly want to be there now more than ever.” Almeida notes while many SMERF meetings went virtual over the course of the last year, few have managed to have the same impact as in-person meetings. “The key is to re-create that tangible experience from far away,” she says. “It’s possible, but requires more creativity and a different approach to logistic management.” But not everyone is an expert at technology, and the virtual experience turned out to be challenging for many — especially older attendees. The main challenges were many people not being themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESMARCH 2022 Unlike corporate events, SMERF meetings are tough to hold virtually as the whole point of these meetings is for attendees to reunite annually — and in person, planners say. Isabel Almeida Event & Experience Organizer Optimise&Organise There has been a social perspective shift that made many successful meeting formats less relevant or desirable. We Live Forward by planning beyond the meeting room — connecting attendees to the core of our city’s culture. Now safely welcoming groups, Columbus gives you the confidence to collaborate, create and explore. Start planning your next meeting at ExperienceColumbus.com/meet. COURTESY OF ISABEL ALMEIDA 22We Live Forward by planning beyond the meeting room — connecting attendees to the core of our city’s culture. Now safely welcoming groups, Columbus gives you the confidence to collaborate, create and explore. Start planning your next meeting at ExperienceColumbus.com/meet. able to get a handle on Zoom and a lot of drops due to internet issues. So, turning to digital platforms and arrang- ing for everyone was a tricky task. “SMERF meetings need a leader, a per- son in charge of the event,” says Steven Walker, CEO of Spylix, a service facili- tating online legal employee-monitor- ing services. “The leader conveys the information or thoughts to their follow- ers. It is well observed that the physi- cal sound and feel of a group motivate many people. However, sitting alone in your house and listening to electronic audio tones down the excitement and the exact purpose.” For those associations that can do so, Groff expects the virtual option to be a choice forever. “Now that we are all used to using our virtual platforms, we can attend conferences on our laptop,” she says. “Many companies and organi- zations are asking attendees to attend the virtual option to save on flights, food and travel costs associated with in-person events.” THE HYBRID APPROACH For the near future, Collins expects SMERF planners will need to consider a hybrid model. “During the pandemic, this opened up opportunities in reach- ing more people or providing more con- venience,” she says. “I don’t believe this will entirely disappear. There is defi- nitely value in face to face. However, if there are cost or convenience consider- ations making it more advantageous to host a hybrid event, then I think it will be considered.” Therefore, one of the biggest chal- lenges with scheduling SMERF meet- ings in 2022 is not just planning for a return to in-person events, but develop- ing a strategy for how virtual options will be incorporated moving forward. “The costs associated with producing a qual- ity hybrid event can be exorbitant, and determining the optimal ROI between expenses and virtual engagement with your membership is key,” Wales says. Almeida says meetings planners have had no choice but to offer more hybrid meetings, with experiences that can be enjoyed from near and far. “They also became more collaborative. Participants are invited to help keep the safety regulations in place, but also to contribute to the content of the gathering,” she says. “Seeing as interactions between participants have become more limited, experiences are designed to make them interact in a more struc- tured and intentional way.” While gaining in popu- larity, Groff notes that hybrid meetings aren’t always the best idea. “During the early months of the pandemic, we did see hybrid meetings emerge,” Groff says. “Starting [last] fall, we are seeing people meet face to face as the hybrid model can be very costly with the virtual component.” PREPARING FOR A RETURN With the freedom granted by the vac- cines, Collins says it has opened up new opportunities to host SMERF events and she feels safer to do so. “I believe SMERFs will have to incorporate a level of safety that they may not have fac- tored in previously,” she says. “Certain types of SMERF meetings might also consider hybrid as part of their events. Not only from a safety standpoint, but also to extend the reach of the program. They may also be impacted by cost issues, which hopefully will not be long term, but most certainly could be a fac- tor in the short term.” After almost two years of virtual engagement, expectation levels are likely to be high as SMERF meetings return for in-person events. “However, we all know this industry has been hard hit during the pandemic, and many of our hotel, convention center and over- all hospitality partners are struggling with staffing to meet demand,” Wales says. “So, as a colleague of mine says, ‘We all need to pack a pocketful of patience,’ because things will not be perfect our first time back in a face-to- face environment.” Costs have also risen, given the need for new safety protocols and the labor issues. Some venues are waiting until they have the business in order to staff, so there are limited guarantees on service levels. Wales encourages events profession- als not to throw out their virtual strate- gies, but determine what items can still be incorporated moving forward. “It’s no secret that doing a true hybrid event requires more resources, including staff time,” he says. “Take care of your team and pay attention to their workload, because it’s their availability and band- width that should be a primary factor in determining how you maximize the delivery of your meetings and events.” And with things starting to pick up maybe faster than expected, venues themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESMARCH 2022 Although virtual meetings aren’t ideal for SMERF meetings, hybrid is an option if measures are taken to ensure online attendees feel like they are part of the process. Shannon Groff Director of Sales Discover Durham Starting [last] fall, we are seeing people meet face to face as the hybrid model can be very costly with the virtual component. COURTESY OF ISABEL ALMEIDA 24are all struggling to keep up with the limited staff to execute a top meet- ings experience. Plus, forecasting has become a huge challenge with all of the starts and stops and unknowns. “Many people were furloughed or let go due to COVID, and some have left the industry altogether,” Groff says. “The variants have also made for slow starts and stops. The unknown makes it hard to plan. Cancellation clauses and force majeure are having to be rewrit- ten due to COVID.” Another big challenge comes down to finances. Eisenstodt recently saw an eye-popping charge from a hotel for a SMERF group — a 25% administra- tion fee that is taxed at 9% on top of food and beverage, room rental and labor — and it’s not a gratuity charge. “It’s vital to negotiate contract terms that work,” she says. “Just like after 9/11, hotels and their owners want to continue to protect groups’ abilities to meet because of COVID. And now, with this likely double endemic, it becomes more critical to consider the ‘what ifs.’ Staffing and facilities need to assure groups that their meeting will be taken care of.” WHERE WE STAND The current approach for the SMERF market is mixed, and it really depends upon who your constituents are and how they have been impacted by the pandemic. For example, AACTE moved full-steam ahead with a 2022, in- person annual meeting in New Orleans the first week of March. “However, [we prepared] for a smaller attendance, given that many colleges and univer- sities are still operating on reduced budgets and under travel restrictions,” Wales says. “We [also prepared] digital versions of our major sessions, which we will … offer online in the months after the event.” Many SMERF meetings are being planned in 2022, but with the caveat that a back-up plan is in place. “Unfor- tunately, with regulations changing as often as they are, there is always the possibility of having to hold events that cannot be attended by the full participant list — either due to venue capacity restrictions, international travel limitations or personal health situation of individual participants,” Almeida says. “It’s important to plan for this and ensure that participants that cannot partake physically have the chance to have an equally engag- ing experience.” As of late 2021, Casey shares that about 75% of the military reunions he plans are back to being held in person, with his most recent one being an aircraft carrier military reunion group in Louisville for about 350 people. “We’re back, but only seeing about 70% of normal turnout,” he says. Eisenstodt is seeing more in-person meetings being planned, though many not until later in 2022 because of safety, since there is still uncertainty with COVID. A recent SMERF meeting that she advised on met last fall and had just a quarter of expected participants in person, but they did have a virtual component that brought the attendance closer to normal. Still, many involved in the SMERF industry are concerned about the unknowns, such as unpredict- able regulations allowing or limiting social gatherings. “Meetings and events take time to plan for a reason — there are logistical arrangements to be man- aged, but also participants’ mental and emotional preparation, which often happens subconsciously,” Almeida says. “With the constant changes in regula- tions, all those things become more challenging to manage.” One trend that has come out of the pandemic is that more people are looking to hold their meetings in an outdoor space or natural surroundings, with enough air and space for every- one to interact with ease. “They are also becoming more intimate, with fewer people involved, and those who are there interact more meaningfully,” Groff says. “I expect venues to adapt to these norms, and experiences to reflect these up- and-coming values.” A survey of the experts mostly come to the same conclusion: SMERF meetings are likely to survive and prosper in the years ahead, as meet- ing in person is of value to the attendees of these sorts of events. “SMERF is all about camaraderie,” Eisenstodt says. “Though virtual can be OK, it’s not the same. As the populations age more, those who are attending reunions and fraternal groups want to see each other, and experience the comfort of old friends and colleagues. That keeps this industry thriving.” | AC&F | MARCH 2022 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES Joan Eisenstodt, principal of Eisenstodt Associates LLC, center, says members of reunion and fraternal groups are often older, so they may be slow to return to live events. Matthew Wales, CAE, CMP Vice President of Member Services & Events for the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) Not only were the majority comfortable with the appropriate safety measures taken, but that they truly want to be there now more than ever. COURTESY OF JOAN EISENSTODT 25MARCH 2022 P icking the right food and beverages for events has always been a bit of a minefield for planners, with ques- tions about how much to order, what to order and how to appease people with different needs occupying more than a little mindshare. But for the last two years, questions around the safety of food service and availability of ingredients have made the F&B portion of the event even trickier to navigate. Mealtimes can also be one of the most fun parts of an event, providing attendees with memorable experiences and a casual setting in which to connect with others. COVID-19 has created many challenges with food service, but there are many ways planners can cope, and return eating to the enjoyable experi- ence it should be. CURRENT CONCERNS FOR F&B SERVICE The cost of food and service is a chief concern today. “The budgets that I’m working in were developed prior to this whole supply-chain issue, so the increase in budgets year after year is pretty small,” says Lauri Byerly, events & program coordinator for the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association. One way to save money is to simply buy less food. “We’re telling our clients to dump some basic break food and save the money to do more meaningful lunches and dinners,” says Mary O’Connor, president of Mary O’Connor & Company, an event planning firm in the Chicago area. In general, Americans are eating less than they did 10 or 20 years ago as they become more mindful of their weight and health. Providing them with smaller, higher-quality offerings fits with the modern ethos. Byerly’s top recommendation for dealing with price increases and tightening budgets is to be flexible with food and beverage options. If your top meal option isn’t available, either because of a price increase or because the ingredients are no longer avail- able, work with the catering staff to find a creative solution. Flexibility is increasingly important as supply chains remained kinked. “Chefs have to be creative and adaptable with Winning F & B The Latest Trends in F&B Service at Events By Sophia Bennett INDUSTRYINSIGHT themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES 2627 MARCH 2022 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MUSIC CITY CENTERall the food and product shortages around the world,” says Adam Haver- land, executive chef at the JW Marri- ott Anaheim Resort in Southern Cali- fornia. “We are faced with having to substitute product daily, which can be challenging when managing clients’ expectations.” To deal with his chal- lenge, Haverland says planners need to make their colleagues or clients aware of these issues and the impact that may have on their event, such as the possibility of having to substitute products or some items simply not being available. “I think transparency from the get-go is key to creating a good experience,” he says. In addition to sourcing of food and items such as clean linens, Max Knoep- fel, executive chef, food and beverage for the Music City Center in Nashville, points to getting and keeping adequate staffing as a major challenge for venues right now. Another is keeping up with the many mandates relating to COVID- 19. The federal government has its own set of requirements, while differ- ent localities may too. On top of that, planners may have specific requests to either help attendees feel safe or pro- vide a sense of normalcy. Knoepfel has found that the supply-chain issues have been eased somewhat by buying from local suppliers — including those that are women and/or minority owned, a request that has increased in the past two years. “It’s easier to get an honest answer from them about whether they can really provide things,” he says. To provide groups with greater flex- ibility as the size of their events have fluctuated, Knoepfel has sometimes staggered orders and purchased from two different vendors. If the size of a group suddenly changes, it might be possible to cancel delivery from one of those companies. Another way that he’s helped groups deal with smaller- than-expected turnout is helping them donate leftover food to local charities, which limits food waste. SAFETY AND SOCIAL ASPECTS OF DINING Planners’ thoughts on how to serve the food is mixed. The meetings Byerly has planned most recently were small, with only a few dozen people in atten- dance. There, people were offered a breakfast buffet and seemed comfort- able with it. In fact, she sees few linger- ing effects from COVID when it comes to food service. “There was a time where meeting plan- ners would want to choose something that people weren’t sharing,” she says — meaning things like charcuterie or crudité platters were out. “Now, we’re moving back to what we used to do as far as I can see.” But keeping food service safe in the face of the ongoing pandemic is still top of mind for event professionals. “As we return to in-person events, we are seeing more and more caterers switch to stations with individually packaged items that are grab and go,” says Roger J. Whyte II, principal at RJ Whyte Event Produc- tion in Washington, D.C. “Stations allow for spacing throughout the event, which keeps lines shorter and also helps with crowding. It also allows for a low-touch experience and less grazing, as stations encourage guests to grab what they want and return to their seat instead of crowding the buffet. “Catering teams and event-planning teams have got- ten creative as far as room setup goes, whether that be by spreading out tables with a bit more service perimeter then normal, or by decreasing the count at each table and playing with rounds or squares,” Whyte says. “This allows for guests to have more space, but also for the service staff to have space.” O’Connor has seen a lot of associa- tions switch to staffed buffets or pre- packaged food. In an attempt not to backslide on environmental goals too much, many planners have specified compostable products such as those made of sugar cane or bamboo. She expects that to continue for the fore- seeable future, at least for breakfasts and lunches. Keep in mind, though, that compostable products provide an environmental benefit only if they’re composted and no benefit if they end up in the trash with all the other waste. However the food is served, meals are no longer about consuming calories and rushing to the next meeting or session. At dinner — and sometimes breakfast and lunch — “dining has become more themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESMARCH 2022 Chefs say generally, Americans are eating less than they did 20 years ago, so providing them with smaller, higher-quality offerings fits with the modern way of serving food at events. Adam Haverland Executive Chef JW Marriott Anaheim Resort Because everyone has eaten comfort food for the past year and a half, they will gravitate towards eating a little more healthy. JAMES CHARLES SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY 28about networking than sitting down,” O’Connor says. To facilitate that, many planners are doing small bites that are easy to carry and encourage peo- ple to graze rather than sit down for a plated meal. When remote events exploded in 2020, food-service professionals gen- erated a lot of ways to create foodie experiences for people who were stuck at home. Whyte thinks providing cre- atively packaged foods for guests who are attending hybrid events from home will continue to be something plan- ners need to think about, at least for a while. “This ensures that both the in-person and at-home experience are equal for attendees,” he says. “It offers a level of comfort to guests who are not ready to return to an in-person experi- ence just yet.” Groups that are still worried about cleanliness and safety might look for facilities that participate in the Global Biorisk Advisory Council’s (GBAC) cer- tification program, which helps facili- ties provide the safest, most hygienic environment possible. The Music City Center is one of several venues across the country that has this certification. FOOD TRENDS “Everybody became a food expert over COVID. My profession has no more mystery,” Knoepfel jokes. Between this increased food knowledge and consumers’ shifting values around eating, chefs are definitely doing some event food that is different than it was even five years ago. Instead of starches like potatoes or rice, Knoepfel is serv- ing a lot more grains, including ancient grains such as quinoa and Kamut. One place those show up is in bowls, which are mix of grains, protein, vegetables and perhaps a sauce. They are easy to customize with different ingredients to adapt to the needs of vegetarians, veg- ans or those with allergies. In addition to healthy grains, Haver- land thinks fermented foods, yuzu, hibiscus and turmeric will begin show- ing up more on menus. “I think in 2022, because everyone has eaten comfort food for the past year and a half, they will gravitate towards eating a little more healthy,” he adds. “We will see more plant-based proteins and vegetar- ian dishes on menus. To-go food will be a popular option again this year, so I think chefs are going to continue to create dishes that hold up well in a to-go box.” One of Knoepfel’s ideas for serving food in containers is to package hors d’oeuvres in a bento box, so that each person can simply pick up a covered container when they enter a room and eat at the time and place that feels most comfortable to them. He’s done this for both hot and cold hors d’oeuvres. “Both local ingredients and sustainability are really important issues right now in the food industry,” Whyte says. “I think we’re going to see this carry over into client requests.” Caterers will see more demand to pro- cure local ingredients, serve less red meat and increase their plant-based offerings. Venues will face greater pressure to provide zero waste and other sustainability measures. Given that these trends are here to stay, both groups need to be prepared to present a plan for how they can help clients meet their sustainability goals. Planners’ shift to buying local has also given them a better sense of the importance of buying what’s in sea- son, O’Connor says, so seasonal food is more important than ever. Knoepfel MARCH 2022 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES Max Knoepfel, executive chef, food and beverage for the Music City Center in Nashville, says supply-chain issues are a big problem, but it is eased by buying local ingredients. Mary O’Connor President, Mary O’Connor & Company We’re telling our clients to dump some basic break food and save the money to do more meaningful lunches and dinners. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MUSIC CITY CENTER 29Next >