Interview with Denise McGinn, CAE, the president of Association Guidance, East Lansing, MI.

 Denise McGinn, CAE is the co-founder and co-owner of Association Guidance, a multi-client association management firm. She started the company in 1993 and has been retained since then by the nonprofit Michigan Safety Conference. She is also the contracted event planner for the Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority, and recently provided event management services to Michigan State University’s Institute for Food and Agricultural Standards. McGinn is a graduate of the six-year Institute for Organizational Management, Notre Dame University, where her course study focused on the management of nonprofit organizations.

Q: How many, and what type of, meetings does your company plan for your clients a year?
A: We do three conferences, one trade show and probably 12–20 committee or board meetings a year. We do one a year that’s some type of volunteer work; last year we did a golf tournament for a substance abuse program at a local hospital.

The Michigan safety conference is the largest: about 3,000–4,000 people, 250 trade show booths and 120 classes over two days.

Q:  What are the biggest challenges that lie ahead this year for the meetings industry?
A: For me, I am continually pushed to offer the latest and greatest in technology, but do it with less money. Whether you’re in corporate planning or an independent, it’s the same. There’s so much technology available out there, the problem is finding the budgets, the time and the personnel who know how to use it—or to train myself to use it.

Q:  How do you see the job of the meetings professional changing?
A: It’s the need to become more knowledgeable about technology. It’s keeping myself up to date with training and making sure I trust whoever is doing it for me if I don’t know how, getting the right data to me to make a quick decision.

Q:  What attracted you to the meetings industry?
A: I would say I fell into it more than became attracted to it. When I would approach nonprofits about what part the association or organization was struggling with, it was always event planning that they wanted to outsource, because it was so labor intensive—especially groups without staff or volunteers who weren’t interested in doing it. They needed someone to do it for them, and that’s what I do.

Q: What new technology do you use: social networking? virtual meetings?
A:  Google webcamming instead of meetings—one-on-one, small committee meetings. We are going to try Facebook; I don’t know how successful that will be; we’re testing the waters there. There’s also a members-only section of our website where leadership can go in and view financials with a password.
We haven’t done virtual meetings yet. I don’t know enough to offer it, but we’re looking into it. We’re not getting any requests for it.

Event planners like to look ahead, but a lot of [our clients] are in their 50s and 60s and don’t even have the Internet yet. I have to put things in the mail for them. The new generation, as they insert themselves into [leadership] positions, will change this.

Q: What do you wish someone had told you early in your career?
A: Don’t take things personally. Often [planners] are the dump site for every complaint, every suggested change. It’s not personal—they really believe they’re being helpful. I could have saved myself a lot of grief over the years about this.

I’ve learned to always talk in questions to people. Instead of assuming what they want, I ask, how would you like me to handle this? That gets to the heart of it. People are not complaining, they’re offering their assistance—and it’s not just attendees. That works with everyone—sales staff, catering staff...

Q: What’s the best tip you could share with other planners?
A: Always be honest with whomever you’re dealing with. If it’s bad news, make the call anyway; be truthful and upfront with attendees, with the hotel, with the convention center. Always be honest.

Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: The variety. I can plan my day based on my mood. If I’m feeling social, I make sales calls. If I’m feeling quiet, I do financials; if creative, I design a cover or something. There’s always something that needs to be done in every aspect of the business. I’m never bored. I also like working with people—across the board, in the many industries I’ve been involved with.