< PreviousBeat Burnout The Worst is Over, but Many Workers Are Still Feeling the Pressure BY MARK GOULSTON, M.D. AND DIANA HENDEL, PHARM.D. T he worst of COVID-19 seems to be over. So, just as a sense of normalcy is returning, why are America’s workers reporting record levels of burnout? And why is it driving what’s being called the “Great Resignation”? Burnout, characterized by deple- tion, cynicism and reduced produc- tivity, is a normal response to the extreme stress and trauma caused by a global pandemic that has dragged out for the past two years — and the delay is no surprise. Burnout happens progressively and cumulatively. Spend a year working long hours under stressful cir- cumstances, trying to also homeschool your kids, feel- ing isolated, grieving all these losses, and worrying about the safety of your loved ones and yourself, and eventually you will hit a breaking point. It takes time to reflect on and process what you’ve been through. It makes sense that many people are just now getting to that breaking point. Obviously, a cadre of burned-out employees is bad for engagement, innovation, productivity, and all the other factors that make a company hum. What’s more, the pandemic has given employees a lot of time to think and reassess. And many have concluded that life is too short to work for companies that don’t seem to care about them as human beings — hence, the mass exodus. The onus for fixing the burnout problem is on both parties. Leaders need to take burnout seriously. Get intentional about monitoring your employees’ men- tal health, which is intertwined with burnout, and intervening when needed. This matters in the best of times, but especially in the wake of a traumatic event like COVID. But also, employees need to take responsibil- ity for managing their own stress and building up their own resilience. FIVE TIPS FOR LEADERS … Stand firm against stigma. Burnout absolutely impacts people’s mental health. When it’s untreated, people can become depressed and anxious, and they may be at greater risk for substance abuse and possibly even suicide. That’s why a holistic approach to fighting burnout includes making sure employees feel safe enough to come to you when they’re struggling. We need to do all we can to bring mental health issues into the light — and to stand firm against the stigma that discourages people from talking about it. If you have an employee assistance program EAP, make sure people feel comfortable access- ing it. An EAP helps employees with issues that affect their health and mental and emotional well- being. If your organization has an EAP, make sure that people know the services it offers, and that they can access them confidentially. Reinforce the message that there is no shame in using an EAP. And if you do not currently have an EAP, consider setting one up now. Talk up the subject of mental health. Don’t assume people “just know” you care about this issue. They probably don’t. Say the words “I want you to be men- tally and emotionally healthy. Please come to me if you need help. My door is always open.” And don’t just say it once. Say it, announce it, write it, and reinforce it over and over. themeetingmagazines.com 10 APRIL 2022 | INSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENT INDUSTRYINSIDER Regularly meet with employees one-on-one so you’re more likely to be aware of their personal struggles. This is a good leadership practice anyway as it builds strong connections between leaders and employees. But especially in tumultuous times like now, it helps you know if they’re grieving a loss or their spouse has lost a job, or their child is struggling in school. The better you know your employees, the more likely you’ll be to intervene when they need it. Be aware of the signals you’re send- ing because people need to feel psy- chologically safe to tell the truth. It’s crucial for leaders to allow people to feel their emotions and to talk about it when they are having a tough time. Never penalize people, overtly or subtly, for bringing their secret struggles into the light. Never imply that this is a sign of “weakness” or that they are finding a reason to shirk their duties. And, if you think you’d never do this, know that it’s possible to subconsciously push people away through stigmatizing them. We often stigmatize others because what they are going through hits too close to home about our own mental and emotional issues. It seems that most of the world copes with anxiety and depression — as opposed to heal- ing from it — by trying to run away from it by keeping busy. Hearing about someone else’s issues can get in the way of our being able to run from ours. … AND FIVE MORE FOR EMPLOYEES Tell your employer how they can help. First, assume your employer wants to help; after all, it is to their benefit not to have a burned out employee. Maybe you need a more flexible work schedule or hybrid arrangement, such as partly remote, partly on-site to help you bal- ance work and home priorities. Maybe you need more training or different kinds of projects to get you out of your funk. Maybe you need your company to consider upgrading the mental health benefits it offers. Employers can’t always meet every request, but most will do their best. Don’t be afraid to ask. If you don’t, they probably won’t even realize you’re struggling. Prioritize sleep, diet and exercise. They are your foundation. A healthy lifestyle may not get to the root of your burnout problem, but it can make you more resilient so you can better tackle those root causes. Go to bed early enough to get the rest you need. Cook a batch of healthy meals at once so you can have several lunches and dinners ready when you are. Make time to exer- cise; you will feel physically and emo- tionally better when you move your body several times a week. Meditate daily. A simple meditation routine can help you maintain a more relaxed state overall and manage anxi- ety and stress. If you’re new to medi- tation, try not to overthink it. Simply find a quiet moment, close your eyes, and begin slowly breathing in and out. Focus on your breathing but allow your emotions and thoughts to rise and flow through you naturally. Don’t fret if you can meditate for only a few minutes at a time. Start small and add more time when you are ready. You can also use your meditation time to do a quick body scan. Start at the top of your head and intentionally scan your entire body, noticing any areas where you may be holding onto extra tension. Mindfully release any ten- sion you become aware of. Let people know exactly what you need — and what you don’t — when you’re stressed out. The people in your life want to support you, but they may not know how to go about it, especially when your anxiety or stress levels are high. For example, tell family members, your partner and co-workers that you prefer they give you a few minutes of privacy when you’re visibly struggling, and ask them not to bombard you with chitchat until you’ve had a chance to calm down. It is much easier when everyone is on the same page. Consider checking in with a pro. It can be helpful to talk out what you’re experiencing with a trained profes- sional at least once. Use the resources you have available to you to set up a confidential check-in either with your EAP, a social worker, a mental health professional or a chaplain and dis- cuss how you are doing. You might find that this is very beneficial to your well-being and decide to make it a routine practice. Finally, whether you’re a leader or an employee, give yourself a little grace. It’s been a doozy of a time, and we’re all still feeling our way through. COVID has been incredibly stressful — life is forever changed — and it’s not the last traumatic event we’ll weather. We live in a time of chaos, and there will be disruptions from time to time. Employers and employees are just going to have to figure out how to get through them together. I & FMM INSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENT | APRIL 2022themeetingmagazines.com 11 The onus for fixing the burnout problem is on both parties. Diana Hendel, Pharm.D., and Mark Goulston, M.D., are the authors of “Trauma to Triumph: A Roadmap for Leading Through Disruption and Thriving on the Other Side” and “Why Cope When You Can Heal?: How Healthcare Heroes of COVID-19 Can Recover from PTSD.” Hendel is an executive coach, leadership consultant and former hospital CEO. Goulston is a board-certified psychiatrist, former assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at UCLA-NPI and a former FBI and police hostage negotiation trainer. THE AUTHORS E vents that boast wellness components have become mainstream as meeting attendees are interested in creating a work/life balance during meetings and events of all sizes. From classic yoga on the beach to incentive-focused physi- cal activities, to vegan-based cooking classes, today’s wellness event ele- ments can make a lasting impression on attendees who participate. WELLNESS AT ITS CORE Morgan Connacher, CSEP, vice president, events and special programs at Haute, says we have all been in silos in our professional and personal lives to varying degrees during the COVID- 19 pandemic, and that being able to safely bring people together in person, in real life, creates the ideal opportunity for incorporating wellness into all fac- ets of an event. “The act of meeting in person again fuels wellness consciously and subconsciously,” Connacher says. “Every person is on their own journey right now, and so our main job as plan- ners is to provide transparent commu- nication that lets attendees know what to expect throughout the experience so that they are able to make their own choices as they plan to engage.” And it’s important that meeting planners recognize that wellness and the discussion of mental health are much more at the forefront now. Spe- cifically, wellness isn’t a buzzword anymore; it’s deeper. “It isn’t all about sunrise yoga sessions or cardio drum classes — though those can definitely be fun and build community. Rather, it is about creating space for people to truly connect and engage again in a way that they feel safe,” Connacher says. “Wellness is about coming together and building community in whatever way that makes sense for your audience. It takes more than trendy activities to achieve this, planners have to really understand their attendees and what they want to achieve from their events.” Caytie Pohlen-LaClare, founder/ president of The LaClare Group Inc., says, overall, when hosting a wellness event, the goal is to host an event that meets audience expectations. If you are doing hot yoga, but everyone will be in business attire, it’s obviously not a good match. So, meeting planners should strive for an event or activity that will themeetingmagazines.com 12 APRIL 2022 | INSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENT PLANNERTIPS Yoga has long been a mainstay of health and fitness aficionados, so of course, it’s always at the top of the list of wellness activities planners choose to bring to an event or conference. COURTESY OF VIBE AGENCY Planners Are Continuing to Embrace the Wellness Trend BY MAURA KELLER WELLNESS THE WONDERS OFaccommodate the majority of their tar- get audience and provide for various levels of fitness and health. “Wellness components are definitely becoming more mainstream. In general, people are paying more attention to their own health and wellness, and want that represented in the events they attend,” Pohlen-LaClare says. “I would say it’s often ‘expected’ by people at the meet- ings and conferences they attend.” Wellness covers a broad range of features and activities. It encompasses everything from the meals, snacks and drinks being served, to activities before, during and after the event. Many speak- ers and facilitators are also bringing well- ness features into their presentations. It might be as simple as some deep breath- ing exercises, chair stretches or a guided meditation. “There is plenty of scientific evidence about the benefits of mov- ing our bodies, getting fresh air, staying hydrated and making time for stillness,” Pohlen-LaClare says. “A more relaxed, focused and well-fed person will learn more, make better interpersonal con- nections and have an overall higher level of satisfaction in the event. It’s a win for everyone — the attendees and the hosts.” Incorporating a wellness event or wellness component into an event is ultimately about breaking up standard programming and getting people out of, or into, their comfort zone. For instance, award-winning event producer Melissa Park, global event producer at Melissa Park Events, once had a client who wanted a wellness activity incorporated into every event she produced. “When I questioned the fit into one or two of them, he went as far as to say the only type of customer he was interested in purchasing their product from was the one who would get up early to partici- pate in a run, ride or exercise class,” Park says. “He saw those who commit to exercise as generally positive and solu- tion-focused, which is who he wanted to attract. After understanding that better, it made perfect sense to include wellness activities across the board as a way to better qualify the leads.” STEPS TO TAKE As Chris Chan, founder, CEO and meeting planner at 3C Strategies explains, wellness events should have two goals. The first one is to decrease stress. People are recovering from the trauma brought on by the pandemic, and large events are still stress induc- ing for those who are sensitive to large crowds. “Second, building camarade- rie is a key goal,” Chan says. “People are starving for opportunities to forge relationships over shared experiences. Wellness events are great for your health and great for building bonds with co-workers, clients and others.” Accessibility is also key to a success- ful wellness event. According to Chan, too niche of an activity excludes more than it includes, leaving people feeling as an “other” rather than as part of the group. “Team activities are better than individual activities for building relation- ships and leaving people feeling a sense of happi- ness,” Chan says. Jennifer D. Collins, CMP, DES, president & CEO of JDC Events, says each orga- nization will have different goals of a wellness event — whether it is fitness, women’s wellness, stress management, life coaching, meditation or overall well-being exercises. However, she sug- gests that when incorporating wellness into an event, consider the areas where you will feature activities, for instance, via food, breaks or educational sessions. “It’s important for your process to work together so that it’s seamless and best represents the organization’s culture,” Collins says. “Creating a theme that coincides with your culture is a great way to bring people in. This theme could then tie-in with customized well- ness activations throughout the event. It would also be beneficial to have dem- onstrations or other interactivity that keeps people engaged and moving. Fea- turing some form of food and beverage is always a draw, so incorporating that into your theme would be added value.” The Haute team thinks business is personal, so the first place they like to start when thinking about wellness and attendees is getting to know the audi- ence. How can you craft a pre-event strategy that lets you get to know attend- ees and individuals? How can you build meaningful experiences for a whole range of personas that will be engaging with your event? As Connacher says, wellness is an approach to the entire strategic planning process, not just cer- tain aspects of the event. She suggests planners ask themselves: Do you offer a variety of INSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENT | APRIL 2022themeetingmagazines.com 13 COURTESY OF MELISSA PARK EVENTS An early-morning run is great to offer as part of the wellness activities at an event. But, planners say, consider that many attendees may prefer to exercise in the evening. Jennifer D. Collins, CMP, DES President & CEO JDC Events Creating a theme that coincides with your culture is a great way to bring people in.ways for people to consume content — not just a keynote address, but smaller group discussions, matching one-on- one meetings, or crowd-sourcing topics in real-time to address what people really want to learn? Do you push past the ballroom, not just offering yoga in the morning or a 5K run, but thinking about local activities that people can participate in together, or hands-on activities that create a sense of adventure, and teach people new and unique skills? Are you creating a space that provides structure and flexibility for people to really build relationships and have the water-cooler conversations that we’ve all been missing for the past few years? “Meeting planners need to go deeper with attendees’ wants and needs to provide true wellness,” Connacher says. “Do you really understand why attend- ees are traveling to your event? We’ve seen that not every event needs to happen in person over the past few years, as some people are more hesitant to travel. Are you understanding what your audience wants and communicating very clearly what they will take away from attend- ing your event?” That’s why Pohlen- LaClare says that communication is vital. If planners are going to the effort to intentionally plan events or offer wellness features, they need to remem- ber to talk about it. “Promote the well- ness aspects throughout the cycle of the event. This includes everything from ‘save the date’ and invitations, to event confirmations and other post-registra- tion communications, and finally, on the day of the event,” Pohlen-LaClare says, adding that putting signage on the registration area, small tent cards on the tables, and announcements from the stage, all help to inform and remind the participants of the wellness aspects available to them. “Communication will inform and get people excited about the various wellness events. Ultimately, this means more attendee engage- ment,” she says. The LaClare Group recently orches- trated a client conference that featured a small indoor labyrinth on the floor in a quiet breakout room that was located farther away from the main sessions. The lighting was lowered, there was soft instrumental music playing and some flameless candles were lit. This was added to the agenda and promoted every day of their conference. The laby- rinth room was open all day to accom- modate everyone’s schedules. For a virtual event, The LaClare Group showed videos of musicians play- ing their instruments during the breaks between sessions. This soothing inter- lude enabled people to reflect on what they just learned in the last session, help bring heart rates down and pro- vided a mental break. “A more upbeat activity we’ve done is a dance break. We played some great music, and the hosts not only encouraged everyone to dance, they also led it,” Pohlen-LaClare says. “When everyone around you is mov- ing to the beat, it’s less intimidating. So many smiles — it was fun!” Jen Pace, CMP, program design & sourcing manager, consulting solutions, at Event Travel Management (ETM), suggests critical aspects for an event with a wellness focus could include: • Morning group runs. Use a local professional runner from the area or even tap into other attendees that might have a passion for running to lead a group run. • Morning activities, such as yoga or Peloton classes. • Early morning gym times. • Wellness-focused or self-help extracurricular activities from a local expert — depending on the location of your event. • Healthy food and bever- ages, which are an easy way to incorporate well- ness into events. Pace started slowly incorporating wellness by looking at menus and food choices differently. She suggests includ- ing a good mix of healthy choices and options to appease people who consider being at a conference or meeting a “cheat” or splurge time for their food choices. “I’ve incorporated things like smoothie bars and energy drinks, and I’ve even brought in a health guru to create personal- ized natural energy shots for attendees,” Pace says. Pace then started building a wellness focus for specific ses- sions and started infus- ing the event with high- energy experiences. She’s brought a DJ onto the main stage during a general session to spin and pump up the tunes to take things to the next level and get people up and moving. “Some plan- ners like to play it safe with more typi- cal music, but I find that music brings people together and can enhance areas of a conference or meeting that can be under attended or considered bor- ing,” Pace says. Wellness at hotels is a significant focus now as well, so Pace recommends planners tap into the hotel’s resources. Ask if they can offer private morning yoga classes for your attendees, get gym fees waived or additional hours added, or provide more complimentary water bot- tles to attendee rooms with a note about wellness and the importance of being hydrated. “Planners need to start think- ing of these things during the contracting process to help maximize spend, because incorporating wellness components isn’t always cheap and may not be part of the overall event budget,” Pace says. themeetingmagazines.com 14 APRIL 2022 | INSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENT COURTESY OF MELISSA PARK EVENTS Melissa Park, global event producer at Melissa Park Events, suggests making standalone wellness activities part of a unique experience, such as “on a rooftop with an epic view.”MAKING WELLNESS EVENTS SUCCESSFUL To ensure wellness events are a suc- cess, Collins says it is essential planners know their audience. Wellness events are not for everyone, so it’s important to know your demographics so you can plan for what will best resonate. “For instance, if your audience is not into fitness, offer- ing yoga or similar activities may not be as effective. If needed, consider polling your audience with select offerings to gauge interest,” Collins says. “It would then be important to set goals for your event, establish a planning timeline and begin promoting to build interest.” As most large-scale events now offer various wellness activity options as part of their sponsorship program, they need to have a unique element that will be a draw for attendees. While you can produce them on our own, having the backing of an event producer’s market- ing expertise and their desire for the activity to be a success is going to drive attendance. “When planning a stand- alone activity, the key is incorporating them into a unique experience,” Park says. “Is there a rooftop with an epic view for an exercise class? A nearby well-known beach for yoga? A famous athlete who could conduct a lesson and then do a meet and greet? With jam- packed programs, you’ve got to think outside the box to pique interest and drive registration and participation. Once you’ve got your activity locked and loaded, you then need to think about the experience. A juice bar, branded equipment, gift bags — these are all the little details that make a big difference.” Valerie Bihet, director and meeting planner at VIBE Agency, recommends planners watch the trend in wellness and tie it in to be sure you’re accounting for what is going on in society. For exam- ple, when it comes to menus, you used to just have to cater to traditional meat eaters and vegetarians. Now, you have a new category of people with restrictive diets that need to be accounted for such as keto, pescatarian, vegan, etc. Also there is a trend that people are drinking alcohol less, so including more mocktails can be tied to the wellness of the event. “Think about timing too. When talk- ing about a wellness — or rather a fitness — activity, most people tend to think ‘Do it in the morning first thing.’ But not everyone is a morning person, and they usually work out later in the day or evening,” Bihet says. “If you only offer activities in the morning, you will lose out on their participation. Instead, you should think about all the attendees and offer options to accommodate a variety of workout styles, including the lunch- break crowd and post-work, pre-dinner exercisers. This way your activity will fit more into their regular routine when at work and participation will be higher.” Everything you are doing to account for attendee wellness at the event also needs to be well communicated and promoted to have a maximum of par- ticipation and engagement on-site or virtually. Casey Carignan, CMP, meet- ings and events manager at Exact Sciences Corporation, says the ultimate goal of a wellness event should be participa- tion by as many attendees as possible. “Meeting plan- ners will know if the event was a success if the attend- ees were highly engaged and had a positive experience,” Cari- gnan says. “In turn, they are more likely to tell their friends and colleagues about the event, enabling a “word-of- mouth” method and free promotion for future events.” Carignan suggests other tips as well, such as promoting and encour- aging attendees to participate in the event, and including testimonials from attendees who participated in previous wellness events. “Utilize a meeting app for advance promotion and include the wellness opportunities in any event gamification,” Carignan says. And although elaborate wellness events are wonderful to include, they aren’t required. If a meeting planner is running low on time to plan wellness events, provide attendees with local trail/running maps. Or if they have a meeting app, they can build in a “step challenge” that tracks attendees step count, and the winner receives a pro- motional item. “As planners, we have to stop looking at wellness as a trend. One size doesn’t fit all, and the way to truly embrace wellness is to do the work to learn about our attendees and design an experience that suits them,” Connacher says. “Vanity metrics as the major indicator of event performance are no longer the goal. Numbers won’t be nearly as relevant as they once were. What will matter most is how strategic the event is, how engaged participants are — and this speaks to an emotional investment for a return on dollar invest- ment. Wellness is part and parcel of event design. This includes the duty of care for attendees and delivering last- ing, meaningful, and human-to-human connections.” I & FMM INSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENT | APRIL 2022themeetingmagazines.com 15 COURTESY OF CAYTIE POHLEN-LACLARE Caytie Pohlen-LaClare, far left, founder/ president of The LaClare Group Inc., says, “In general, people are paying more attention to their own health and wellness, and want that represented in the events they attend.” Valerie Bihet Director and Meeting Planner VIBE Agency Offer options to accommodate a variety of workout styles, including the lunch-break crowd and post- work, pre-dinner exercisers.themeetingmagazines.com 16 APRIL 2022 | INSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENT DESTINATIONREPORT INSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENT | APRIL 2022themeetingmagazines.com 17 T his is a solid consensus among meeting planners: There is something for everyone in Las Vegas. “It appeals to the high-end traveler, the culinary connois- seur, those seeking art and cultural experiences, ‘spa crit- ics,’ sunbathers, shoppers, gamblers; those who want to stay up all night and those who want to sleep-in surrounded by luxury,” says Susan Stafford, co-founder of The Event Archi- tects (TEA). There also is no shortage of hotels, interesting meeting spaces, private event venues or culinary options. And meeting plan- ners do not have to exert much effort to find unique venues, menus, entertainment or activities. For Stafford, Las Vegas has been her “go-to” locale for meetings and events, including professional industry retreats and continuing education events, for years. Stafford has spent her entire professional career in the corporate meetings and events space, including TEA, which specializes in customizing corporate events from large concepts to specific details to create the uniquely perfect business retreat, event, seminar or incentive trip. Stafford is not alone in her appreciation of Las Vegas as it has long been the hub for “all things meetings and events,” Stafford says. “Attendees seem to enjoy semi-frequent trips to Las Vegas and develop their personal list of favorite lounges, shopping outlets, restaurants and casinos.” Beth Miller, CDS, director of global accounts at ConferenceDirect, a full-service, third-party meeting planning company, has been book- ing an annual toy industry trade show in Las Vegas since 2013. She also books toy manufacturers and their sales representatives in Las Vegas for a unique event to showcase products for the new year that takes place every December in Las Vegas. This event uses hotel suites as “meeting spaces” for manufactur- ers to schedule rotating small meetings with their sales representative over the course of a week. “I’ve booked legal events in Las Vegas, as well as continuing legal education conferences. I’ve also planned the Natural Products Association conference annually for two years in Las Vegas. I just recently booked another large Baby and Child Trade Show in Las Vegas that will take place [this year] at Paris,” Miller says. With that level of experience within the Las Vegas meetings and events space, Miller recognizes all that Las Vegas has to offer. “It’s Offering Something for Everyone BY MAURA KELLER VEGAS LAS DEPOSITPHOTOS.COMan exciting place to be. There’s always something to do, see or eat, flashing lights and lots of action,” Miller says. “There are excellent restaurants and there are so many options to please unique tastes.” In addition, one key draw of Las Vegas is the level of professional meet- ing and event experience at the city’s numerous hotels, resorts and venues. As Miller explains, the staff at most properties is quite adept in planning and executing meetings — most importantly, large ones. “There are lots of unique venues for clients to host receptions, as opposed to doing the usual meeting inside a ball- room,” Miller says. “And everything is large enough for most groups, includ- ing bars and restaurants, bowling alleys and movie theaters, salons, rooftops, terraces and lots of one-of-a-kind nooks and crannies, and even inside the cabins on a Ferris wheel. It seems like anything and everything can lend itself to becom- ing an event venue in Las Vegas. Also, the city offers great options and availability for unique décor and entertainment to incorporate into meetings to make an event really special.” The biggest draws for Brilla Moore’s meeting and event clients who want to come to Las Vegas for meetings are ease of getting to Las Vegas, as McCarran International Airport supports most international and domestic carriers, a wide variety of hotel and resort options in every price range, great service, close proximity of hotels to McCarran Inter- national, incredible food from all over the world and plenty of entertainment options to appeal to almost any group. As vice president of PlannerSource Inc., a boutique company that works with clients for meetings and events all over the world, with meetings from 10 to 1,500 attendees, Moore enjoys the wealth of options when planning a meeting or event in Las Vegas. Based on the large variety of “everything imagin- able,” she can meet the needs of all of the attendees, whether they want to see a world-class concert, visit speak- easies, have incredible food experi- ences, go out into the desert to explore and hike, people watch or try their luck in the casinos. “In Las Vegas, you can experience almost anything that you are willing to pay for,” Moore says. Cheryl Gentry is founder & CEO of Glow Global Events, a full-service agency she has run since 1998. Her agency delivers high-quality, high-touch event services and solutions for organi- zations all over the world. Her team handles every aspect of an event — from ide- ation to execution, including stra- tegic planning, technology, and talent and audience management. Whether the event is in-person, virtual or hybrid, Gentry and her team strive to deliver a flawless expe- rience for clients and attendees alike. In just the last year, Glow Global Events spear- headed events and digital content for a mix of corpo- rations, nonprofits and pro- fessional associations. “In Las Vegas, we’ve worked with several clients in the financial, insurance, and food and beverage indus- tries to plan all-hands con- ferences, accommodating anywhere from 500 to 3,000 attendees per event,” Gen- try says. “Some of our most notable event experiences have included conferences for Allianz Life Insurance at the MGM Grand, Tanqueray at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, and Crown Royal at the Palms Casino Resort.” Gentry says Las Vegas is one of those rare cities that offers so much for both event organizers and attendees. “On the attendee side, the biggest draw is the burst of life all throughout the city. After a day spent indoors at a meeting or workshop, they can see a Cirque du Soleil show, see a singer like Lady Gaga or Adele in residency, feast on some of the country’s finest cuisine or explore the vibrant nightlife scene,” Gentry says. “Attendees can create an entire experi- ence for themselves, on their own terms, once a conference ends.” For event planners such as Gentry, Las Vegas also is a city where planners can craft unbeatable VIP experiences. Many of the city’s venues, especially the restaurants, house luxurious back rooms and hidden spaces that planners can use to their advantage to ensure “that attend- ees feel tended to and top-dollar ticket holders get their money’s worth.” NEW AND NOTABLE What also makes Las Vegas a huge draw for meetings and events is that the area is constantly evolving — introduc- ing new properties and venues, as well as updating and renovating the city’s long-standing gems. For example, Las Vegas has seen a tremendous amount of new development over the last couple of years, including the opening of three new resort properties, Circa Las Vegas, Virgin Hotels Las Vegas and Resorts themeetingmagazines.com 18 APRIL 2022 | INSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENT Beth Miller, CDS Director of Global Accounts ConferenceDirect It’s an exciting place to be. There’s always something to do, see or eat, flashing lights and lots of action. ARIA Resort & Casino, part of MGM Resorts International’s robust collection of Las Vegas venues, offers 500,000 sf of versatile, fully equipped meeting spaces. PICASSO AT BELLAGIO IS WHERE IT ALL COMES TOGETHER YOU HAD TO BE HERE. FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO BOOK YOUR EVENT WITH MGM RESORTS, VISIT MGMRESORTS.COMNext >