Education Topic: Hosting Guests and Business Entertaining

The global business environment compels us to socialize and conduct business at the table or at socials more than ever before.  Executives at all levels find themselves hosting guests and conducting business in a variety of off-company or agency premises.  In this competitive atmosphere of opportunities, first-class hosting skills are a must.   We will review some must-haves to put in your toolbox when hosting.

Topics Include:

• Pre-Event Planning

• Determine goal, venue selection and program elements
• How to determine seating

• At the Event

• Host & Guest roles
• The  venue and working with staffs, selecting meal courses and beverages
• Navigating the table and tips for survival while working your way through a meal 
• How to mingle - business and conversation 

Core Competency – Protocol 

Speaker:  Kathleen Ryan, CGMP
                 Boeing
                 NATCAP SGMP Chapter Board

Kathleen Ryan, CGMP

Kathleen is a Boeing Customer Engagement Team Lead for the Washington D.C. region and is responsible for planning and executing senior customer meetings and demos, special events and exhibits for Boeing’s Space, Defense & Security businesses.  

Kathleen is a retired Air Force Officer and a former Chief of Protocol for the Department of the Air Force supporting both the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air Force.  She was also Aide-de-Camp to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  As a small business owner, she was an Associate of the Protocol School of Washington®, where she collaborated on the development of their Protocol Officer Training Course. Working with Harlan Lee & Associates, she conducted protocol training for the Missile Defense Agency and Defense Intelligence Agency. She is a Certified Government Meeting Professional (CGMP) through the Society of Government Meeting Professionals and was named the 2020 Sam Gilmer “Planner of the Year” for the association.  Kathleen is also a founding board member of Protocol & Diplomacy International Protocol Officers Association. 

Take Aways:

• How to handle situations pre, during and after your event.
• How to pre plan your event and set event goals.
• Tips on how to improve networking.

Community Outreach Committee

We will be collecting food items for the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank at the October Meeting. Please remember to bring non-perishable food items for this good cause.

Fundraising Committee 

This month the Fundraising committee presents a destination baskets raffle.  Be sure to bring money to buy raffle tickets for baskets donated by our CVB/destination members.