[TheForge] "Official" news from ABANA N+1

[Grover Richardson]

No offence taken.  Many of my other unspoken points have been well
masticated by the others<G>.  What has now become dross at the end deleted.

Light comments and then if you wish to continue, we can go direct<G>.

1.	I do appreciate all the efforts that ALL the volunteers put into the
conferences.  Been there, done that.  Everyone bitches, but seldom does
someone walk up to a worker at a lonely post working hard, shake their hand,
give them an unopened can of coke on a hot afternoon, and say, "thanks dude
for the work."  Try it some time.  It will surprise the britches off of
someone<G>.
2.	I have been a part of "events" at all levels for years, though
admittedly not one of this size.  One thing that has been beaten into me by
the shear volume of reinventing the wheel every year is the necessity of: 
	A.	A book which outlines everything done, what works, what
doesn't work, who needs special privileges, and who is hard to live with.
The book would grow each year with new entries.  This would be the
guideline, rules, and root knowledge of the "craft of managing a
conference."  Though my comments may appear to be overly critical and
negative in this paragraph, the easy stuff never rears an ugly head above
the crowd.  It's the problems that need extra attention and more money
thrown at them to make them go away, therefore, it's the problems that must
be most inspected and alleviated.  I gauge an event by the fact that
problems do occur, they are noticed, but then quietly get fixed by the
expert staff without disrupting the event.  This is good<G>.
	B.	There must be continuity between years.  Otherwise, (as
mentioned above) reinventing the wheel becomes common place.  

	If it is determined that a monster conference is the be-all end-all
of the desire, then it would seem prudent to hire or assign someone
permanent conference liaison.  It should be a "bean counter" with blacksmith
experience.  This person, though he/she might not be the conference chair,
would look over ALL aspects of the conference as it is brought to fruition.
Yes, this would mean work and money spent up front, yes it would mean travel
for someone, but at this point it appears prudent in light of past problems.
Change the oil, or change the engine<G>.
	In most other organizations, events like this are seen as fund
raisers.  As such, they are self sustaining.
	If we wish to put on a "world class conference," then either we must
minimize costs, find something that will draw people to it even with a
$600.00 per head price tag, or find corporate sponsors or other underwriters
to help with the expenses.
	At this point, the questions are:
	1.	Do we, as blacksmiths and ABANA wish to put on a world class
conference?
	2.	If the answer is no, then we go to the regional level
conferences which pave proven positive in cash flow.  These conferences
would be more often, and localized.  Look at what Easyriders does with their
"swap meets."
	3.	If the answer is yes, then scrape together some cash, put on
the best that we can in 2010, and try to make it profitable.  If it were me,
I would look over the past conferences and see which were most profitable,
and ask the locals for a return visit.  Also, I would look at the home
locations of the members of ABANA and see how many live within a half day's
drive.  I'm thinking day trip.  Also it sounds like it's time for a survey
of members as to "What do you want to do with your life? (Aka Twisted
Sister, we don't want to be Neidermeir)"

3.	One lightly looks over a person's duties, only after they are
proven<G>.

Good discussion, hard problems, All the Best

-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Dave Mudge
Sent: Wednesday, February 21, 2007 12:49 AM
To: Sponsored by ABANA
Subject: Re: [TheForge] "Official" news from ABANA N+1

Grover this is getting long and I am one person trying to reply to 50
or 60 e-mails.
So, I'll be a little short. No offence intended, OK?

On 2/20/07, Grover Richardson <grover.richardson at gtri.gatech.edu> wrote:

>
> All very good suggestions Grover.
>
> On 2/19/07, Grover Richardson <grover.richardson at gtri.gatech.edu> wrote:
> > A renegade solution.
> >
> > Look at what a good price to charge people to attend will be (based upon
> > regional sized conferences).

****** We are a National / International group We can not put on a
world class conference for $35 / head.
>
> ..........The 2008 Conference Committee was charged with trying to put
> together a conference (abana style) based on 650 full paid attendees
> where the full package would cost under $600 per full paid attendee.
> We were not able to do that given the parameter's with which we had to
> work. Meaning at the school at New Paltz, within a given time limit.
>
> Understand working with previous conditions and restrictions, as set.  The
> direction of my comments were that NOW knowing what doesn't work, and now
> knowing what we can now NOT afford to do, and now knowing that the
existing
> conditions are somewhat unwieldy (being polite), it's time to reset the
> operating conditions, without raping the pensions of the pilots<G>.

******We had only one shot at a 2008 conference and after months of
hard work we couldn't make it happen.
>
> > Subtract the known costs (insurance, communications, etc.)
>
> ..........Finding the "known costs" was an extremely difficult job.
> Try to find industrial rental equipment in an up-scale residential
> neighborhood.
>
> Understand.
>
> A.      Go to a non-up scale neighborhood.

*****We didn't choose the neighborhood, NBA did.

> B.      All residential neighborhoods have nearby industrial neighborhoods
> where the sleepy heads work<G>.  Me included.

*****not this one.

> C.      Rental companies will fax rental prices to anyone who asks.  And
> tell the person how long the quotes are good for.  Last year I spent right
> at 150k of the company's money.  Quotes are easy<G>.

***** We had April (abana conference coordinator) working 10 hour days
5 days a week on just that. Chasing quotes, alternative locations,
services and equipment. She worked her fingers to the bone.
>
 

> I believe that a person should be assigned a job, given
> the tools to do it, and then be watched lightly.

****** In two other cases the person that had the job and was "watched
lightly" brought ABANA to it's knees (financially) we can not ever,
ever, allow that to happen again.