Event Veteran Brings Fresh Outlook and Know-How to MeCo Members

New York City, NY November 10, 2006- The Meetings Community (MeCo), the ultimate online resource environment for event planning professionals, is pleased to announce the addition of its newest moderator, Sandy Biback, CMP, CMM. Biback comes on board as MeCo’s Tuesday Moderator, providing a fresh outlook and expertise for the planning, meeting, and hospitality industries globally.

“I am excited about working with all 1,000 MeCo members on Tuesdays (and beyond) to exchange our visions for an improved, more professional industry,” says Biback, President of Imagination+Meeting Planners Inc. “Everyone in every community needs to give back—it is my turn to give back to a community that has served me well.”

William Youngs, who has stepped down as Tuesday moderator due to increased responsibilities at work, will be functioning behind the scenes helping with special MeCo projects. “We thank Bill for all his hard work as the Tuesday Moderator,” announced Jim Louis, CIO Best Meetings, Inc. and MeCo co-founder.

Since meeting planning is now a $102.3 billion-dollar industry, professionals are eager to get as much information and training as possible. Event planners and representatives worldwide have been meeting on MeCo, since its inception in January 2006, to network, job search, discuss and exchange ideas about every aspect of the planning industry.

“MeCo gives professionals a reliable place to turn to for current facts, history, brainstorming, ranting, and honest advice within the planning community,” Biback reveals. “This provides everyone a chance to peek into many facets of our industry.”

Sandy Biback is an ideal leader for MeCo users, as she has been a significant member of the professional meetings industry for over 25 years. She has owned and operated her own independent meeting planning firm, Imagination+Meeting Planners Inc., since 1990. Biback launched Meeting Essentials A-Z in 2000, providing customized planning workshops for corporations, government agencies, and organizations.

“At MeCo, we learn from each other—all to make our industry more professional and user-friendly,” states Biback enthusiastically, “I look forward to sharing a Canadian perspective, the viewpoints of my students, and my philosophy on how life impacts our profession.”

Sandy Biback has been an active member of Meeting Professionals International (MPI) since 1989, rising to the position of Vice President of the Toronto Chapter. She is a founding member of the Canadian Council Advisory Committee, which published the internationally acclaimed Meetings & Conventions: A Planning Guide. Biback is also a key member of Independent Meeting Planners of Canada (IMPAC), serving as President in 2002.

In addition to her affiliations with corporations and associations, Sandy Biback is an influential educator at institutions such as George Brown College and the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. Since MeCo was designed to educate the planning community, her teaching background is just right for members who want to learn more about the industry.

“It is truly an honor to have Sandy Biback join our team here at MeCo,” declares Dan Parks, President & Creative Director of Corporate Planners Unlimited and Monday Moderator for MeCo. “Her tremendous experience in the planning industry and fresh insight will prove to be very beneficial to all MeCo members and moderators alike, as we continue to expand as a community.”

Biback does everything under the planning umbrella, ranging from directing corporate events to managing the grand opening of a well-known computer company’s new building. As a volunteer manager for the 1997 Special Olympics World Winter Games held in Toronto, Biback successfully managed the “Welcome to Canada” event for 2500 athletes, coaches, and celebrities.

It makes perfect sense that MeCo would add a person of such caliber to its Moderator Board. Sandy Biback’s impressive credentials and reputation in the event planning industry will certainly be a valuable asset to MeCo members worldwide.


For more information on how to join MeCo, please visit www.meetingscommunity.org .

About The Meetings Community (MeCo)
The Meetings Community (MeCo) is a free online destination for meeting planners and suppliers to discuss the issues surrounding the meeting and hospitality industries. After years of experience in the meeting and hospitality industries, James Louis, Loretta Lowe, Dan Parks, Jean Travers, Sue Walton, and William Youngs saw a groundbreaking opportunity to connect the planning management community on a global scale. MeCo is a free service; membership is open to all meeting and event planners and suppliers from around the world and encompasses all aspects of the industry. MeCo was launched to educate and foster the sharing of information on issues that affect meeting and hospitality professionals.

Contact:
Dan Parks
President & CEO of Corporate Planners Unlimited
Monday MeCo Moderator
Phone: 949 289-5002
Email: cpu@corporateplanners.com