Originally Posted By: gjohnson This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Hard to believe that our year of planning and gettings things together have come to an end.
All in all for our first convention it was a resounding success. Total in attendence was 603 about 375 paid persons and the rest were Florida residents.
I would like to thank all of our Vendors to whom without this whole venture would have never been possible.
Thanks to Paul Sabados, Blaine Wiley, Gerry B, John Bowman, and Dave Bush for all the work that they put in throught out the year to help get this off the ground. We had many hurdles and many obstacle courses to get here but we got it done and people were happy.
I have already started putting together a staff for next years Convention which will be even bigger and better. We will start releasing little tidbits as we get along.
For all those that came, the Convention Staff would like to thank you and we hope to see you next year.
-- Gary (Snicker's) Johnson - Free NACHOS
The NACHI Foundation
Executive Director
Originally Posted By: gjohnson This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Thanks guys…
Look for bigger and better things next year. I think I wrote about 20 pages of notes on what I want to do different next year. Now that the first one is done. We can start working on the next. We will have double the space, and double the classes..
-- Gary (Snicker's) Johnson - Free NACHOS
The NACHI Foundation
Executive Director
Originally Posted By: cmccann This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Any ideas where the next convention will be? Michigan in January would be a great place, oh wait we got the super bowl next year never mind, no hotels.
Originally Posted By: jfarsetta This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
May I suggest starting to work wery soon on expanding the classes, and ensuring that they meet CE requirements for those state regulations that mandate it. Even of it means contractng with an educational provider to provide a portion of it.
– Joe Farsetta
Illigitimi Non Carborundum
"Dont let the bastards grind you down..."
Originally Posted By: Nick Gromicko This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
One of the problems was that our registration desk (an actual lobby room given to us by Disney) was downstream (way past) the entrance to our convention. So even though we had over 600+ register, many did not. I watched waves of inspectors come through the door without ever noticing the registration counter some 100 feet away.
Gary already has 20 pages of notes to make our convention bigger and better next year.
Originally Posted By: gjohnson This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Joe in answer to your question. Yes we will have the whole educational schedule done by April 1, 2005 at the latest which will give us plenty of time to work out the states that require licensing approval.
Next year I am getting the reg desk right next to the convention center.
-- Gary (Snicker's) Johnson - Free NACHOS
The NACHI Foundation
Executive Director
Originally Posted By: Blaine Wiley This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Chuck,
The plan is to have the convention at the same place and time next year, and to add one day to the convention which will allow greater latitude for class scheduling, vendor presentation time, and believe it or not, even lunch.
There are several reasons for remaining at Disney, one of which is that Orlando FL is the second cheapest destination to fly to.
Looking forward to Convention II, the sequel next year!!
Originally Posted By: gbeaumont This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Hi to all,
just a few thoughts based on comments made to me about NACHI education at the conference, and my own experiences. Next year we have the benefit of having gone through a huge learning curve, which all of us involved would admit was a very steep one. here's what I would like to do:
Classes over 3 days
Classes lasting minimum 3 hours
Only 2 sessions per day
As for speakers I was mostly very happy with the class content and some speakers will definately be re-booked, and also we now have speakers lined up who want to be a part of what we are doing.
Originally Posted By: rray This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
jbehling wrote:
I heard it was to be in Canada next year, Kingston as a matter of fact - and I believe it was Nick himself who said it ? 
I heard the exact same thing, and I also believe it was Nick himself who said it. I probably would go visit my friends in Canada. However, January will always be a bad time for me.
Originally Posted By: gjohnson This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Russell,
I suspect that our attendance will be a lot higher next year no matter where we have the convention. Some of the mistakes that were made this year will not be repeated.
I hope you can make it next year.
-- Gary (Snicker's) Johnson - Free NACHOS
The NACHI Foundation
Executive Director
Originally Posted By: jbehling This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
rray wrote:
jbehling wrote:
I heard it was to be in Canada next year, Kingston as a matter of fact - and I believe it was Nick himself who said it ? 
I heard the exact same thing, and I also believe it was Nick himself who said it. I probably would go visit my friends in Canada. However, January will always be a bad time for me.
You can make it a half convention/ half marriage and honeymoon trip
Originally Posted By: wpedley This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Gary,
I can't say enough about how I really enjoyed this first convention...
however I have a few thoughts for you.
1. If it wasn't for this BB I would never have known about any convention.I never recieved anything in the mail concerning it. You need
to send invites out to ALL members well in advance.
2. I would have liked to have recieved a packet containing info about
what was going on and where,including things for the family or the wifes
while we were all at class.
3. When we arrived at the check-in there should have been a sign or even
a table set up right by the counter directing NACHI members to the
registration.
That's all I have now but I'll let others comment also. Looking forward to
next year.  
