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The
Best Silent Auction
MGA’s silent auction is great fun and a great
fundraiser for two out-standing causes – the
Association’s government relations agenda, and the
Paul M. Felice Memorial Scholarship Program.
Bidders vie for trips, experiences, collectibles and
other great stuff for themselves, family members,
friends, and favorite customers. It’s the best place
to kick off your 2010 Christmas shopping! The types of
items donated are too numerous to mention. If it’s
something that people treasure, it qualifies. It’s as
simple as that.
Vacation trips, getaways, overnights, golf or spa
packages;
Dining certificates, sporting events and show/ theater
tickets;
Gourmet food baskets, fine wines and spirits;
Electronics, sports memorabilia, art, gift baskets,
gifts for the home chef;
Rare opportunities, like golf or dinner with [insert
your big shot’s name here & make it happen];
Coffee for a year; floral bouquets via FedEx for every
holiday and more.
Everyone is invited to donate, and to bid early and
often. An auction preview will be shared prior to the
conference so you can arrive with your shopping list
in hand. You will see many poss-ibilities, in every
price range.
If you can support the auction with a donation, please
use the Donor Form below to make your donation.
Don’t hesitate to call MGA’s Mike Hamelin at
800-947-6237 ext. 20 with any questions or ideas.
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Registration is Open for MGA
Fall Conference
A Retailer Registration Kit
and Sponsor/Exhibitor Registration Kit are now available for
download.
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Includes Brochure,
Conference Registration Form,
Hotel Reservation Form,
&
Fall Golf Classic Entry Form. |
Includes Brochure,
Sponsor/Exhibitor Request Form,
Fall Golf Classic Entry Form,
Hotel Reservation Form,
& Conference Registration Form.
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Summer’s
Here! Plan Now for Fall: All that’s left to do is to block the
dates on your calendar, get signed-up and start looking forward
to your post-Labor Day business vacation at beautiful Grand
Hotel on Mackinac Island. The heavy lifting has already been
done by Michigan Grocers Association’s convention committee,
which has planned a rewarding 2½ day event MGA members won’t
soon forget.
MGA encourages all Michigan retailers and suppliers to retool,
recharge and revitalize at this year’s conference and show.
Register early and secure the dates on your calendar. Questions?
Call MGA’s Mike Hamelin at 800-9-GROCER (800.947-6237) ext. 20.
New for 2010
This year’s conference begins on the same weekend that Grand
Hotel hosts its famous Fall Antiques Show, and MGA guests
are welcome to attend at no additional cost. Top dealers from
across the Midwest make this one of the most anticipated shows
of its kind every year. The hotel itself has added new flat
screen TVs in every room, a new game room in the Gate House
restaurant, and a Trophy Room honoring Sadie, the Scottish
Terrier that earned Best in Show at the 134th Westminster Dog
Show in February. Sadie is owned by Grand Hotel Chairman R.D.
Musser II and his wife, Amelia.
By special
arrangement with Grand Hotel, MGA conference guests can enjoy
the Grand Luncheon Buffet each day of their stay
in 2010 at no additional charge. The buffet is a distinct
highlight of the Grand Hotel experience, featuring
hot and cold entrees, seafood, salad, delicious
pastries and much more. “This is a great benefit of
attending the conference,” said MGA President
Linda Gobler. “A full breakfast and five-course
dinner are always part of the package at Grand Hotel,
but the luncheon buffet is normally a $35
additional cost.”
Concurrent with the Silent Auction will be a complimentary
Michigan Wine & Cheese Reception for all MGA guests,
featuring the bounty of Michigan-grown specialty crops, and
celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Michigan Grape & Wine
Industry Council. Cheers!
Speakers That Make
You Think and Do
It’s no secret that the MGA fall conference features some of the
country’s best speakers year-in and year-out. The lessons and
ideas gleaned from the general sessions are alone worth the
price of admission.
Kicking-off the conference in 2010 are the founding partners of
Food Marketing Success, Inc., Lex Barker and Lyle
Larson with their presentation, “Finding Your NEW Normal:
People, Product, and Profit.” Barker and Larson will convince
you that achieving success is all about leveraging the power of
your people – focusing on the “human capital side” of your
business vision, core values, and guiding principles.
Delivering the conference theme address, “The Power of Vision
and Leadership” is Ken Blanchard associate, Chris Edmonds.
According to Edmonds, “Creating a clear and inspiring vision is
not an activity that can be checked off a list. It’s one of the
most critical and ongoing roles of a successful leader.
It means the difference between high and average performance,
whether it’s an entire organization, a department, or a team.”
Today’s leaders need to provide their people with:
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A compelling vision that starts everything in the right
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A picture of the future that people can actually see; and
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Clear values that define the way employees act on a day-to-day
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Chris Edmonds is an MGA favorite, speaking at two previous
conventions, most recently teaching customer service lessons
from the Sheldon Bowles book, Fish! about Seattle’s famed
Pike Place Fish Market.
The keynote speaker on Monday afternoon is Stephen F.
Hayes, a frequent FOX News contributor and senior writer for
The Weekly Standard.
Hayes’ presentation will combine an up-to-the-minute report on
the most significant Michigan and national congressional races,
a Washington view on Michigan’s race for Governor, and informed
analysis of the headlines and debates raging across our country.
Throughout the Bush Administration, Hayes’ reporting on national
security matters shaped the debate on many hot-button issues and
in the past 18 months, Hayes has distinguished himself as a
tough but thoughtful critic of the Obama administration and its
policies—from deficits and spending to health care, and from
Guantanamo Bay and detainees to rogue states and terrorism.
Widely regarded as one of the top political journalists in the
country, Stephen Hayes is an old-school style “reporter’s
reporter.” The strong opinions expressed in his writing and
broadcast appearances grow out of his exhaustive and extensive
reporting on the issues of the day. His daily contact with the
nation’s top political and national security leaders puts him in
a unique position to provide fair and balanced insights about
politics and policymaking. Very
few experts on the national scene can provide a more informative
and entertaining look at American campaigns and elections.
“We’re fortunate to attract a speaker of Stephen Hayes’ caliber,
especially in this busy election year. He appears on one or
more FOX News shows nearly every day of the week,” said MGA
director and conference chairman Dale Grooters of Encore
Floral Marketing. “Everyone attending the conference will be
interested in his presentation.”
A
graduate of DePauw University and Columbia Graduate School of
Journalism, Stephen Hayes is the author of two bestselling books
and has been a commentator on CNN, The McLaughlin Group, MSNBC,
CNBC, and C-SPAN.
The SHOW They’re
Still Talking About
No high-pressure selling or urgent decision-making required. The
MGA show is for retailers that want to know what’s new in the
marketplace, from current business partners and potential new
ones. Experiencing a new relevance in the past 2 years, MGA’s
show has been rediscovered by retailers and suppliers alike. The
atmosphere is casual and relaxed — conducive to conversations
and really learning about products and services that can build
their business. The show features a little of everything with an
emphasis on the new, the fresh, and the local:
The Michigan Marketplace features the uniquely Michigan-made and
Michigan-grown;
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Green packaging, supplies and equipment; |
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Perishables, deli/bakery, and center-store; |
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New, natural/organic, local and sustainable; |
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Professional services: legal, creative, financial, information
technology and more! |
The MGA Show is right-sized for both retailers and exhibitors –
limited to 50 display booths and just three hours of seeing,
smelling, and sampling.
  
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Mark Your Calendar
112th Annual Conference & Show
Sept. 12-15, 2010
Grand Hotel
Mackinac Island, MI
All of the event’s activities and functions are
available for sponsorship by companies that want to
show their support of MGA members.
Interested exhibitors and sponsors are encouraged to
contact MGA’s Mike Hamelin at 800-9-GROCER ext. 20
or
mike@michigangrocers.org to secure their place.
Download the Sponsor/Exhibitor Registration Kit
below for more information.
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Conference Agenda
Sunday, Sept. 12, 2010
Antiques Show (till 4 p.m.)
Grand Hotel Check-in
Welcome Reception
Dining Room open for Dinner
Entertainment
Monday, Sept. 13,
2010
Breakfask
Annual Meeting & General Session
Speakers:
Lyle Larson &
Lex Barker of Food Marketing Success, Inc.
Chris Edmonds, a Ken Blanchard Associate
Grand Buffet Luncheon
General Session II
Keynote Speaker
Stephen F. Hayes -
FOX News contributor and senior writer for
The Weekly Standard
Show Setup; Bocce Tourney; Leisure Time
Silent Auction
Chairman’s Dinner
Tuesday, Sept. 14,
2010
Breakfast
Food Show (8-11 a.m.)
Fall Classic Golf Outing
MGA Reunion Reception
Dining Room open for Dinner
Chocolate Party
Wednesday, Sept. 15
2010
Breakfast
Check-out & Departure
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Speakers
Lex
Barker
and Lyle
Larson
Chris Edmonds
Stephen F. Hayes
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If you would like to be added
to our
mailing list to receive conference materials,
please
complete our
Information Request Form
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