L*MAR recap and feedback thread

[hobogato]

As a comparison of this year to last year, I am posting last year’s conference information along with this year’s.

Tmac 2009

INCOME:

$ 3,925.00 Prepayments, Sponsor Donations, Booths
(Checking Acct Deposits)

$ 1,345.32 PayPal Income (includes PP fee deductions)

$ 5,711.00 Event Day (includes raffles $3,446.00)

$10,981.32 TOTAL INCOME


EXPENSES:

$ 1,775.10 Speaker Fees, Flight Reservations

$ 479.55 Hotel Expenses (2 Nights Calfo, 1 Night Borneman)

$ 6,066.19 Embassy Suites San Marcos (Convention Center Venue)

$ 391.63 Office Supplies, Printing, Plaque (subject to change)

$ 171.99 Lowes supplies (tile saw, plastic sheeting, badge holders plastic container, etc)

$ 213.80 Hotel expenses on Mark Levison & Eric Kite

$ 536.20 Cell phone reimbursement to Steve Byrd on 6/7/09 (voted by BOD)

$ 9,634.46 TOTAL EXPENSES


$1,346.86 GRAND TOTAL PROFIT












Lmar 2010

EXPENSES:

GUEST SPEAKERS:

$ 1,370.80 - airfare for speakers
$1,523.58 Hilton Palacio Del Rio Hotel - Total of 10 Rm Charge for Guest Speakers only
$ 43.25 Pizza Hut (Paid cash - taken from cash box at venue) - pizza for vendors at event
$ 400.00 Incidental Cash to 4 Speakers - receipt/signatures on file

$3,337.63 Total


OFFICE / PRINTING EXPENSES:

$ 107.04 Thermocraft (Postcard Advertisements)
$ 75.23 Monarch Trophy Studio (Plaques)

$182.27 Total


CONVENTION CENTER CHARGES:

$1,015.00 City of San Antonio (6/4/10) (1/2 down pymt)
$ 865.26 The RK Group (Refreshments)
$ 692.01 PSAV Presentation Services (Roll Up Screen, Stand, Projector, Microphone & Service Charge)
$ 1,000 City of San Antonio (Estimated balance owed on Convention Center Rms 101 & 103 – have not received final invoice, but it should be less than this amount)
$ 175.00 Insurance for MAAST for event


$3,747.27 Total

$7,267.17 TOTAL EXPENSES



INCOME:

$ 530.00 Prepay PayPals (Entry Fees)
$ 25.00 Check (Entry Fee)
$ 100.00 Raffle Tickets (Prepay - PayPal)
$1,051.75 Monies collected day of event (-$43.25 cash used for Pizza - ref above in expenses)

$1,706.75 TOTAL RECEIVED as of 10/02/10


$5,560.42 LOSS

*note – these numbers for LMAR 2010 may change slightly as the last small receipts, etc. are accounted for.

[hobogato]

From that information, you can see that we took a considerable loss on the event, even though our expenditures were considerably less than they were last year.

We also had more speakers, which falls in line with the overall mission of MAAST to emphasize education.

Also, the vendors last year were given a year sponsorship with their vendor fees. While this looks good in the numbers for last year’s event, it amounts to a loss of $250 per vendor in sponsorship fees for the next year (15 x $250 = $3,750).

Another difference this year involved the raffle. Unlike previous years, all board members and the events coordinator were not allowed to participate in the raffle. This seemed only proper as last year many of those involved in planning the event won big in the raffle. (the complete list of prizes and winners for both events are noted in the MAAST sponsorship records that can be viewed at any meeting by prior request)

Also included in the profits for last year were monetary donations requested of our sponsors. This year, we felt that the sponsors should not be pressured to donate more as they had already fulfilled their sponsorship obligations for the year.

Attendance last year was around 120, while this year it was below 50.

[hobogato]

First, the mistakes we made (this is in no way intended to disparage the planners of this event – we must look at what we did to make it better next year):

1. We did not finalize plans with vendors, etc. early enough. We had a board member who was working on this very early on, but he had to move and his leaving and subsequent communication issues with him delayed this process. Also, we really could not finalize things as early as we wanted because a former officer of MAAST laid claim to the previous name for the convention. He claimed that the name had been registered by him (now known to be a falsehood) and threatened legal action if we were to use it. We decided to rename the event rather than potentially infringe on someone’s intellectual rights. This process took time as we wanted to make sure the registration was underway before announcing the new name and finalizing all plans. Needless to say, when you approach a vendor/speaker about an event, it is difficult to get them to commit when you can’t tell them the name of the event.

2. Vendor fees were too high. Even though we were originally charging the same fees as last year, with the current economic situation, many vendors simply could not afford the $250 table fee. In order to increase vendor participation we reduced the fees, this helped bring in the vendors we had in attendance.

3. Admission prices were too high. We also kept the same admission prices as last year. However, just like the vendors, potential attendees were feeling the economic crunch a bit as well.

4. Parking fees. If we keep the same venue next year, we need to work out something with a parking facility if possible.

5. Scheduling issues. The event was scheduled on the same day as the opening of hunting season. This likely cost us some attendees. It also happened to be the same day as the UT vs. OU game. This definitely cost us some attendees as well as at least two vendors.

[hobogato]

Second, circumstances beyond our control:

1. Economic factors. Failure to take this into account and lowering prices probably cost us attendees and vendors.

2. Preconceptions about the event. Many of the vendors and speakers we contacted refused to consider coming because of circumstances at last year’s event. Only two of the vendors who attended last year were willing to return (after some convincing) and many others contacted expressed concern about the previous year’s event. Several speakers agreed to attend / present and then after a day or two to consider and get input from others, they changed their positions and declined to be involved. Individuals associated with other clubs commented that we needed to improve our treatment of speakers. It became very obvious to us very quickly that we needed to make it a priority to change that view of MAAST and the events we hold.

3. Name delay. We could not move forward with the newly named event until we were sure that the new name was legally secured. This process took quite a bit of time and legal assistance, but was necessary to ensure that MAAST would retain ownership of the LMAR name.


4. Very few attendees from other local reef organizations. Sadly, the poor relationship we have with other Texas reef clubs cost us many out of town attendees. All of the bickering and perceived under-handed dealings here that spilled over to other area reef forums has soured MAAST’s image with them. This is one area that we will certainly have to improve if we want a successful large event in San Antonio.

5. Attendance. This is where we need your help…

[hobogato]

Now on to the positives:

We, the BOD, knew that this would be a rebuilding year for MAAST. While strong in finances, we were weak on image, focus, and sponsorship record keeping. This event was no exception. Our goal for this event was to improve our image in the greater reefing community of speakers and vendors.

Yes, it would have been nice to make money on the event. But more importantly, we had to restore the positive image of MAAST in the eyes of other local reef clubs (ongoing), potential vendors and speakers, our sponsors, and the reefing community at large. We also had to return the focus of the event to our mission of education by including more informative sessions. We had five great speakers from all over the country!

Every speaker left San Antonio asking if he/she could come back next year.

The vendors also seemed pleased with their treatment and conditions. One of them even made more in sales at LMAR than he made at any of his three previous events while we only had a third of the attendance of those events.

Many other vendors would have been here had it not been for scheduling conflicts and assured us that they wanted to be on our list for next year.


Now we need your help:

1. If you attended, what could be improved?
2. If you did not attend, what about the event kept you from attending?

Also, please include any and all suggestions for improvement.

[Europhyllia]

If you did not attend, what about the event kept you from attending?
had to stay home due to family emergency but would have loved to attend. Will definitely be there next year! :) I like that you guys are planning for event parking next year

[kkiel02]

I loved the speakers topics. I bought only one frag as my tank is super full right now. Also it was cool to meet the Precision Marine crew especially since one knew my uncle.(small world)

[jrsatx20]

Sorry I had all intentions in going but but the $25 entry fee I couldn't justify at the moment and the $10 dollars in parking

[Kristy]

Thanks Ace for the time you took addressing these issues. I'll add a few thoughts:

1. I liked having it in October... it's a great time to visit San Antonio. Our original plan was to have it Columbus Day weekend (which is actually THIS weekend) as it is a three-day weekend for some. I would consider trying to have it that weekend next year.

2. I thought the Convention Center offered a lot of flexibility for as much or as little space as we might need and it was a beautiful venue. I would definitely consider using it again. Good value for the money.

3. I thought the downtown location was an advantage, but would love to hear from others if you found it a disadvantage, or stayed away because you don't like driving downtown or paying for parking. One idea that Mike and I were kicking around was to offer shuttle service from a central location (Crossroads Mall?) for those who prefer to park for free and ride in the van. Not sure of all the logistics, but we could work on something like this if interest is indicated.

4. No refreshments of any kind if we used the Convention Center again.

5. Loved the speakers and the range of topics. So many of the speakers asked to be invited back again in the future in one capacity or another.

6. We only intended to have three or four speakers but ended up with five because of some scheduling changes. Three with some sort of activity might be perfect or four would allow for more leisure time between the speakers' presentations and more Q&A discussion time without having to rush anyone.

7. I thought the amount spent on the event (cost) was reasonable and one that could have broken even if well attended. I am very curious to hear people's reasons for choosing not to attend (in all sincerity, I don't mean for that to sound sarcastic or snarky). I am particularly interested in responses from folks who would have attended if circumstances were different (such as: different topics, greater number of vendors, etc.) or if attending a conference like this is not what MAAST members are interested in.

My personal goals for this event were:
1. Provide an excellent educational experience for MAAST members. (I believe we did this.)
2. Ensure the speakers have a favorable experience with our organization. (This was my goal because more than one person cautioned me as I was soliciting speakers for our conference that we needed to clean up our image in how we treated our speakers. I have gotten SO MANY positive comments from our speakers that I am certain this goal was met).
3. Establish a MAAST tradition that we can build upon, improve for future conferences in years to come.

[ramsey]

If you did not attend, what about the event kept you from attending?

Time of day. I did not attend (even though I paid to attend) because it started so early and ended early. Since I'm a night person, the hours were a huge inconvenience. It would be really nice of it started at maybe 10AM, and lasted until 9Pm or 10PM. Not sure how feasible this is but I'm sure there are many others like me that didn't want to wake up at the crack of dawn to get downtown when it started. I personally didn't like the idea of having to drive downtown. I also don't believe in paying for parking. :P

I also think there should be more benefits for charter members. For example, why not have a general raffle and a charter member raffle? This may encourage people to become charter members. If nothing else, a discount on tickets would have been nice. Also, I think MAAST sponsors should get some sort of discount on a booth if they want one.

Furthermore, The speakers and topics seemed good, though more variety would have been nice. Instead of an hour long talk, how about more speakers and shorter times? It wouldn't have to be famous people either. I'm sure there's several MAAST members that could do great speeches or even workshops! On that note, having workshops would be awesome. Like "make your own sump", "make your own stand", "fragging corals 101", etc. etc.

Another reason I didn't go was lack of vendors. I read your comments and understand that this was an off year but it seemed like the event didn't have much to offer outside of the speakers. Kid friendly activities would have probably encouraged more people to show up as well. This is just my opinion.

I think it's cool that MAAST has an annual event like this. I wish I would have made it an hope it continues to happen. The biggest reason I didn't go was the hours though. Thanks to everyone that worked hard to put on this event and don't get discouraged! I'm sure next year will be better!

[phrog]

I attended last year and enjoyed the day. This year I could not justify the same cost of attendance with such a small list of vendors-even with lots of speakers. The vendors provide something to do when the current speaker just happens to be covering something that either does not apply to your tank or does not interest you (I know, blasphemy). I look forward to hearing about next year and seeing what MAAST brings to town.

[jroescher]

I liked the Convention Center. It was nicer than I expected. Being next to the RiverWalk is a bonus also. It made for a pleasant lunch. And the options for eating were wide. Had my personal situation been a little different at the time, the wife and I would have stayed the night before to enjoy the RiverWalk and help with setting up. That was my original plan.

I didn't mind the paying to park. Just wasn't expecting it. I should have known about it from the forums but... The 10 hour limit could have been a problem though if I hadn't driven to our other activity. Parking may have even been free with a room.

The weather was excellent.

The speakers were excellent. Fascinating presentations. And very educational. I really enjoyed visiting with the speakers and y'all afterwards. Made for a great evening. I too was told by the speakers that they felt like they were treated like royalty.

After delivering the tank to Austin it was about midnight when I got home. Not complaining, it was a pleasant evening.

Precision Marine doing their demonstrations was a bonus. Seemed popular, a small crowd gathered for it. They also promoted the event and posted a few pictures on Facebook.

Coming from out of town, 8 am meant leaving really early in the morning.

[Europhyllia]

1. I liked having it in October... it's a great time to visit San Antonio. Our original plan was to have it Columbus Day weekend (which is actually THIS weekend) as it is a three-day weekend for some. I would consider trying to have it that weekend next year.
October is nice but since I missed this one I'll say try one in April! so I don't have to wait so long for the next one...


3. I thought the downtown location was an advantage, but would love to hear from others if you found it a disadvantage, or stayed away because you don't like driving downtown or paying for parking. One idea that Mike and I were kicking around was to offer shuttle service from a central location (Crossroads Mall?) for those who prefer to park for free and ride in the van. Not sure of all the logistics, but we could work on something like this if interest is indicated.
I am not a fan of driving or parking downtown but it wouldn't have deterred me from attending. I'm not crazy about shuttle service because I like the flexibility of coming and going on my own schedule rather than depend on the next bus. I think a facility perhaps more on the outskirts with it's own parking would have appealed most to me.


5. Loved the speakers and the range of topics. So many of the speakers asked to be invited back again in the future in one capacity or another.
I liked the speakers and variety.


6. We only intended to have three or four speakers but ended up with five because of some scheduling changes. Three with some sort of activity might be perfect or four would allow for more leisure time between the speakers' presentations and more Q&A discussion time without having to rush anyone.
I don't need big gaps in between speakers. it actually makes it easier for me if I can fit several speakers into a small time span rather than have half an hour downtime in between. Activity sounds fun!


It would be really nice of it started at maybe 10AM, and lasted until 9Pm or 10PM. Not sure how feasible this is but I'm sure there are many others like me that didn't want to wake up at the crack of dawn to get downtown when it started.
9AM was a little early even for me. ;) But I would have been fine with it ending at 6PM


I also think there should be more benefits for charter members. For example, why not have a general raffle and a charter member raffle? This may encourage people to become charter members. If nothing else, a discount on tickets would have been nice. Also, I think MAAST sponsors should get some sort of discount on a booth if they want one.
fine with it either way. Maybe even jsut a little perk like getting one free small raffle ticket or something


On that note, having workshops would be awesome. Like "make your own sump", "make your own stand", "fragging corals 101", etc. etc.
Ramsey did you attend the MAAST Fragging FUNdamentals workshop this year? That was awesome! But I actually like having those as separate meetings (like our monthly meetings) rather than cram everything into one day and have to cover the topics so quickly. I also like having time to really get deeper into a subject so the quickie mass speaker thing would be less appealing to me.

Kid friendly activities would have probably encouraged more people to show up as well. This is just my opinion.
Oh nice idea!


This year I could not justify the same cost of attendance with such a small list of vendors-even with lots of speakers.
I would have come because of the speakers, the vendors would have just been an added perk, not the main draw for me

[FireWater]

Another reason I didn't go was lack of vendors. I read your comments and understand that this was an off year but it seemed like the event didn't have much to offer outside of the speakers.


I attended last year and enjoyed the day. This year I could not justify the same cost of attendance with such a small list of vendors-even with lots of speakers. The vendors provide something to do when the current speaker just happens to be covering something that either does not apply to your tank or does not interest you (I know, blasphemy). I look forward to hearing about next year and seeing what MAAST brings to town.

I, along with others worked on the Vendor Committee. I can assure you that it was not from a lack of trying that there were that few of vendors. We had several back out at the last minute and several decline for one reason or another. The vendors that did come were rewarded for their efforts and expressed genuine interest in coming back next year. While more vendors might have been nice there was quality product brought in. The main focus was providing a great learning experience and the speakers were varied enough to interest most. I look forward to working on the event for next year along with trying to balance out the feedback and requests to see what we can come up with.

[CoryDude]

Ace, thanks for being so open about the event's expenditures. I'm sorry y'alls hard work is being scrutinized this way.

There were a few things that kept me away this year:
- lack of vendors
- limited topics from the speakers

The issue with the vendors is probably a result of the economy. But, I'll also say that a lot of it has to do with the club members' attitudes. Let's face it, why would a coral vendor drive all the way to SA to sell his/her wares, when they know we can buy the same thing from within our own club for a cheaper price? The same goes for equipment too.

The common complaint I heard from TMAC vendors was that they couldn't even cover their travel costs because they couldn't make enough $$$ in sales during the event. The lack of sales during TMAC probably limited the commercial support for this year's event.

All in all, I think y'all did the best with the hand you were dealt. But, it may be time to get back to basics and do something smaller next year. Maybe hold an event with local sponsors as the main focus instead of going outside of the club. The same with the speakers. Wait for the economy to crank back up, build up the club's reputation, and wait a few years before trying to make a big splash with a larger conference.

[hobogato]

great ideas and input folks, keep em coming!

what are some of the topics you would like to see covered?

[BSJF]

I thought the price was on the high end, but I was willing to pay because I wanted to participate and support the club. Looking back, the price was worth it.

This was one of 3 conferences I went to this week, and it was the best and the cheapest!

The convention center was overkill for the size of turnout that we had, but who would have expected such a small crowd.


How the event was advertised on MAAST made it look unorganized, but I knew the event folks would come through for us and they did.

I wouldn't want more time in between speakers. I had plenty of time to buy and buy and buy from the vendors, even though I didn't NEED anything. They brought some SWEET stuff and it was reasonably priced! I'm glad you had 5 speakers too. Not all topics appeal to everyone, so 5 is better than 4.

An activity over lunchtime would have been nice. Even pizza with the vendors would have been fun!

10-6 would have been a better time.

On the raffle, maybe have one of the nicer prizes for charter members only (the painting would have been cool for this).
And set up a raffle item (a duplicate of something available to all of us) just for event organizers and board members.

I like the idea of giving MAAST sponsors a discount on a booth. More vendors would have been nice.

As for future topics, something on breeding/propagation would be good. ORA, GARF, Doni Marie (Picassos/Snowcassos)...

[allan]

I'm with Lorraine on ticket price. I pay anywhere from $50 to $675 for conference admissions. $30 wasn't that bad.

It would have been nice to have more vendors and next year there will be more due to the positive nature of this year's rally. After last year's, not even sure what really happened last year... But when we faced an uphill battle to garner support from last year's vendors... I think we had a relatively good turn out as we attempt to rebuild our (MAAST) reputation.

Kristy and her team did an excellent job herding cats in an attempt to provide a flawless rally. I would suggest that a continuity book be establish adding these suggestions here so that next year's event can be that much better.

[Bill S]

Ace, the $3,000 plus from TMAC for vendors should not be included in TMAC income. They are misclassified as TMAC income, because they are really "Sponsor Dues".

This year, vendors did not get a "free" year of MAAST sponsorship like they did at TMAC.

[Europhyllia]

[COLOR=black]
An activity over lunchtime would have been nice. Even pizza with the vendors would have been fun!


I like that idea. I would go to events like these by myself and killing an hour can be boring when you're just trotting around the mall by yourself...

[Mr Cob]

Ace, the $3,000 plus from TMAC for vendors should not be included in TMAC income. They are misclassified as TMAC income, because they are really "Sponsor Dues".

This year, vendors did not get a "free" year of MAAST sponsorship like they did at TMAC.

Good point Bill.

[Mr Cob]

I had planned to make the event but was unable to attend because of our recent move. Was sooooo bummed about it!

It does not surprise me that there wasn't any profit this year. Last year apparently wasn’t a profit for the club either. Not only was LMAR similar to a first year event it was worse because we had to play cleanup from last year. MAAST got a very bad name for itself after TMAC. Some folks won't even do business with MAAST because of it.

As a volunteer to help with LMAR I think it was horrible that we had to pay for legal support in finalizing a new name since Steve threatened MAAST if we as a club used the TMAC name. What we create for the club becomes the property of the club. Not one person should be permitted to retain ownership of any material created or time dedicated to MAAST. I don’t volunteer my time to MAAST and then say that I own whatever I created for MAAST and MAAST can’t use it unless I’m a part of it! That’s crazy and our bylaws should be updated to prevent this from happening again.

But I guess it worked out because we were able to address the event under a new name and our brand recognition has improved with “happy thoughts” when people mention L*MAR.

Fact is...MAAST restored it's name with many vendors, sponsors, speakers and anyone who attended LMAR. It was costly but well worth it. I can only hope that the event continues and prospers for many years to come. I think we now have a solid foundation to build upon and it can only get better with each year.

[Bill S]

Good point Bill.

That makes last year a $2400+ loss, versus a $5500+ loss this year.

[Mr Cob]

I personally would like to see the event again next year and the efforts to start at the first of the year versus a few months in advance. The legal parts of throwing this event this year definitely set us back coming out of the gates late. If it is another loss next year then we should consider something less extravagant for the future.

[alton]

For everyone who donated there time once again I appreciate it very much because I had a great time. I got there a little after 8am and left after 6pm and it just seemed like the day flew.

[stoneroller]

Let us not forget that in the eyes of many including mine -- TMAC was a resounding success. Ya'll may have had behind the scene issues many of us knew nothing about -- how speakers were treated? vendors didn't want to come back? why those issues are aired here is beyond me...

Off the top of my head:

Vendors (atleast some) don't necessarily come to these events to make short term profits but to build a long-term relationship with potential future clients and associations and hand out business cards. It's about name recognition/advertising as well (same goes for some speakers truthfully). For example, I see a calcium reactor in my future... the fact that I met the folks at PM and learned a few things about their product and business, my inclination is to buy a PM reactor. If I were to entertain an online coral purchase I'll check out ReefKoi and Steel City before such... If I have time the next trip thru Ft. Worth, I'll be making a stop at Fish2morrow. No doubt it ain't solely about how profitable a particular event is. I'm sure it helps though...

I personally didn't like the location or the parking fee (I should have guessed). If it's in San Antonio I probably wouldn't like the location where ever that might be but that's just me cause I prefer NB, SM, or even Buda! Regardless, I traveled and I enjoyed the event from start to finish. My impression from the thread so far is it seems SA is a done deal for next year. If this rally is a "Lonestar" scale event and MAAST is a "south Texas" org (not just SA), other locations should be considered. Other clubs should be encouraged to participate not just attend. A partnership with ARC on a future event is critical, in many ways.

Suggestions:

More time between speakers for vendor interaction. Let's say you had 150 or more attendees then there would have been a major bottleneck at the vendor tables -- people waiting with magnifying glasses to check out the corals or other products (ok maybe just me). A bottleneck would be offset with more time to spend in the vendor hall and of course more vendors. Where were the LFS esp. MAAST sponsors? Some of these stores could have made a special purchase (coral, hardware, etc) for the event and showed it off; what they didn't sell could be taken back to their stores. These businesses need to be brought on board now. Some vendors could be enticed if MAAST had a centerstage vendor display (shallow acrylic, hyper actinics, viewing boxes, zeroedge flow thru) or something more low key. Vendors would vie for the chance to rent or bid; few shipping costs for them. Second tier displays could also be rented. In one or two events, these could pay for themselves.

The MAAST mission was not prominently displayed. Begin work on a vendor booth display for MAAST. Promote MAAST and it's upcoming activities at events around the state and at select national/international events. Build the reputation and renew relationships...

Need lunch suggestions for those not familiar with the area; I didn't see that in the bag of goodies but maybe I missed it.

The date was a surprise. A little more than a month before the event, the announcement of L*MAR was made. A "Save the Date" announcement should be made six months ahead of time. Consider sending an announcement thru email to all members registered with MAAST and ask state clubs to do the same AND thru social media/marketing. If it ain't allowed in the by-laws, then change it. You can't simply rely on a forum announcement to garner interest as many members may not keep up with the homepage or calendar; my favorites link to MAAST is not the homepage.

Don't put a list of RSVPs on the forums. http://www.maast.org/calendar.php?do=getinfo&e=28&c=1 To a vendor, that means maybe a tops of 25 will attend; maybe 50. Probably not necessary and likely didn't help...

For 25-30 bucks registration, iced tea is a must from about 10 to two. It doesn't have to be all day. BTW, thanks for the soda run! The catering companies make a killing and there's no way around that unless you have a location that allows F&B from the outside. Such a location would allow members to participate in another way; you have to engage your membership so that they commit to helping, attending, spreading the word, etc. Which reminds me.... Maybe I missed it but there wasn't a call for volunteers. People like to help and be a part of something.

A panel! A future event could have a panel of experts to talk about state of the art/cutting edge reefing. As an example, Murray did an excellent job on the pros and cons of carbon dosing; perhaps a moderated session would have led to an "over the top" debate and discussion. Surely there'll be something new and exciting next year. Do LEDs grow coral or just sell coral?!? Granted some speakers may not be amenable to such but the true experts will, guaranteed.

So it wasn't all of the top of my head... I had the day off!

HTH, Kevin

[Europhyllia]

I really like the New Braunfels meeting location suggestion!

I see many advantages with that:
* touristy enough for out-of-towners to enjoy the whole weekend there
* easy free parking
* reasonable commute from many major cities

[roscozman]

1. If you attended, what could be improved?

I did attend L*MAR and the overall experience was great. Observations:

1. October is a great time of year and the vendors had nothing but great things to say about San Antonio during this time of year.

2. Vendors - I think the vendors that were there were great and had some unique merchandise to suit everyone's liking. I do wish there were more vendors to visit with and ask questions thought the day.

3. Facility was very nice. Maybe something on the north side of San Antonio since a lot of members are on the north side and this would help on the parking situation.

4. Parking - I ended up parking at the hotel but had to pay twice. Eve paid when she arrived for set up in the morning, then we had to pay again after dropping her off and returning later in the day. Some people might have to leave and want to come back and this will just add to the days expenses.

5. Admission - I do think the $30 fee was on the high side. We paid $60 and I arrived at 1:30pm after our children had soccer games and was only there a half of day. This is a big chunk when you consider more than one person attending from a family.

6. Speakers - I was only able to see two speakers and thought they were great. I do like the idea of a "how to" workshop. How about building a reactor and raffling it off at the end to one person who attended the workshop. I also like the idea of a panel discussion. This can also include some MAAST members.

Overall, L*MAR went great and everyone involved did a fantastic job. From the surface, it may appear from the low attendance and few vendors that this was not a successful event. However, the BOD and coordinators had many obstacles to overcome from last years event and did the best that they could with what they had to work with.

[Regric25]

If you did not attend, what about the event kept you from attending?

I am flat broke!

[hobogato]

by the way, i should mention this now...

we will be forming a much larger LMAR committee next year and starting on this much earlier. if you would like to be involved in the planning or working at this event next year, please post here or let a me or eve(pennies2cents) know by pm so we can start putting a list of volunteers together.

lots of great ideas here, we really need to incorporate as many of them as possible next year!

[Neptune@gabesfish]

As a sponsor if I am welcome I would like to help with next years event..

[hobogato]

absolutely! we would love to have our sponsors involved more

[Pennies2Cents]

As a sponsor if I am welcome I would like to help with next years event..

Most definitely Gabe. :) Ace is right, we would LOVE to have our sponsors involved in all of our events.

[Pennies2Cents]

by the way, i should mention this now...

we will be forming a much larger LMAR committee next year and starting on this much earlier. if you would like to be involved in the planning or working at this event next year, please post here or let a me or eve(pennies2cents) know by pm so we can start putting a list of volunteers together.

lots of great ideas here, we really need to incorporate as many of them as possible next year!

Ditto! :)

[Mr Cob]

As a sponsor if I am welcome I would like to help with next years event..

That's awesome Gabe! I think having sponsors as part of the whole process could definitely help improve the event....the same for any of our meetings.

[jroescher]

Concerning the comments about time between speakers, they were given specific time slots. Not all stuck to the schedule. That created the short times between speakers. Some more than others.

[stoneroller]

I'll be next to volunteer.

[FireWater]

by the way, i should mention this now...

we will be forming a much larger LMAR committee next year and starting on this much earlier. if you would like to be involved in the planning or working at this event next year, please post here or let a me or eve(pennies2cents) know by pm so we can start putting a list of volunteers together.

lots of great ideas here, we really need to incorporate as many of them as possible next year!

I am not sure a larger committee would be needed and could also add to the confusion. We plan to start much earlier and that would alleviate most of the problems. The groundwork was done this year and if we add as many ideas, opinions, and positive planning from what we learned this go around then it would work. I feel if we add too many people to each committee then it would be detrimental to the final outcome. If the whole event were broke down further to where more items were taken care of individually and reported back to a group instead of one person being in charge of too much seems logical.

[FireWater]

Where were the LFS esp. MAAST sponsors? Some of these stores could have made a special purchase (coral, hardware, etc) for the event and showed it off; what they didn't sell could be taken back to their stores. These businesses need to be brought on board now.

Every current sponsor was contacted by e-mail and/or verbal. Some chose to participate by donating miscellaneous items needed.

[BIGBIRD123]

Post edited for content.

Sincerely,

MAAST Moderating Crew

[Big_Pun]

drop it all ready and just back off there is no need to make a big deal of this. we know where money went and as long as it was in nobodies pocket there shouldn't be an issue. this issue of what happen last year compared to year doesn't matter how taking into effect that the economy is not that great and people do not or companies have extra money to spend. next instead of bashing the conference we are trying to move on and make it better for next year. do everyone a favor and stop stirring the pot steve. help the club or just leave.

[jrsatx20]

if we are non profit why do we have to recoup the money. the money is for the members and that is what was spent at this conference, money on the members.

[Big_Pun]

if we are non profit why do we have to recoup the money. the money is for the members and that is what was spent at this conference, money on the members.

thank you Ruben exactly what I was just thinking.

[BIGBIRD123]

Then they need to quit making it personal...Chris, we got thrown under the bus for a couple of board member allegations of missing gift certs that were proven to be false and now we are going to say a loss of 6k is just...chalk it up to experiences learned? Half of MAAST's finances are gone in less than 6 months...what an education...

[ErikH]

Can we keep this thread on track and talk about why people went and why people didn't rather than bicker and fight amongst each other about the expenses? Start another thread, or talk to the BOD elsewhere about monetary concerns? So much animosity for such a small site. The money is recurring, and will build up again due to membership monies brought in yearly. So what if half of it is gone, if we cannot recoup that this year, then maybe there won't be a LMAR next year. No big deal. It's not like the site went bankrupt over it, or will with yearly expenditures, we just need to either not have a conference next year, or trim the fat. :) Life's too short to fight with each other, call each other out, or rehash the same arguments in every single thread. It seems like the more the BoD posts, the more fights are incited. Inciting is a violation of MAAST bylaws, and should no longer be tolerated in ANY thread, let alone ones where polite honest feedback is being asked for.

I was unable to go, had trees to trim, and a truck to (try to) fix. Still working on that stupid thing! :D

[cbianco]

Steve,

This will be your one and only warning, keep this thread on topic. Your demeanor towards our club will no longer be accepted, either publicly or privately.

Please keep your opinions to yourself.

Christopher

[roscozman]

Still at it huh bird??

[Kristy]

Well this is certainly going to help with the image of professionalism we were striving for.

Need I remind anyone that there were complaints in March of how could we possibly charge a $5 admission fee to the frag swap (to cover the community center and the meal served) given the growing bank account balance? The BOD stated very clearly that they were planning for expenses that were coming and wanted to spend MAAST money on educational activities this year. That is exactly what has happened, so nothing inconsistent or irresponsible has occurred.

[BIGBIRD123]

Please keep your posts on topic.

Thanks,

Christopher and MAAST Moderating Crew

[Kristy]

Now, back to the purpose of this thread....

I had been kicking around a fun idea for a conference but I'm not sure if members would be interested, so now is as good a time as any to ask!

Would anyone be interested in attending a conference at sea? Take L*MAR to "el mar"? I know there would be several speakers interested in joining us if we did one of those Caribbean cruises out of Galveston, have a different presenter each night after dinner and spend our days pursuing what we please.

Just a thought... not necessarily associated with any particular time frame.

[FireWater]

Sounds kind of fun Kristy. Talk about one heck of a collection trip.

[tebstan]

Would anyone be interested in attending a conference at sea?

Heck yeah!

Would need to do some budgeting to attend, but I would definitely try to make it.

[Europhyllia]

Kristy, I would love it!
But I would probably feel very guilty for abandoning my family for a conference at sea...

[Kristy]

Oh but you should BRING the family for a vacation, then just slip away for the after dinner presentation...

[jrsatx20]

would this be a 7 night or 5 night cruise.

[ErikH]

Ok, now I need everyone's computers to simultaneously break at the same time. 1-2-3 BREAK!

Any luck? :D

A year in advance would be nice, as well as a discounted group rate. They should also knock off a chunk of change for paying early. ;)

I vote for Bora Bora, but yeah, that's a 2 year in advance kind of thing, lol!

[BSJF]

Might be interested in the sea, but I'm so unpredictable!

[Mr Cob]

Might be interested in the sea, but I'm so unpredictable!


what BSJF said. For the sea and I'm also unpredictable....just check my tank history...lol

[Big_Pun]

that would be cool to take a cruise, I'm in.

the convention center was great, very large. parking stinks down town but o-well. is there any way to make an event like this free for charter member and then charge non members a fee to attend but use that as payment to become charter members . almost like a charter member drive, just an idea. I wish more people could have gone just for the great speakers.

[hobogato]

ok, steve, the statement about the vendors receiving free sponsorship last year was something you told me about before the event, so i guess you changed that at some point in planning. if that is the case, then i stand corrected.

as far as the bank account, like others have said, this is a non profit organization and the money is well accounted for. we will build our account back up thru membership drives and sponsorship drives.

if you would like to help by making other suggestions on how to build it back up, please participate in the following discussion:
http://www.maast.org/showthread.php?62791-MAAST-bank-account&p=788973#post788973
after all, you are here to help maast...

now, back on topic...

the idea of a cruise is interesting, but i dont know how the logistics would work out since i have never been on a cruise...

we have lots of great ideas pouring in about making LMAR a great event next year, so keep them coming!

[pepper]

Txmike and I did not attend because October is the worst month to try to get us for anything. We are in charge of our cub scout pack and October is popcorn month. We will be selling popcorn every weekend in October with the exception of one--and that is our son's birthday. We would have loved to attend, but if it is always in October, then we will most likely not be able to be there. A cruise is probably also out of the question for us--we would love to, but the finances and time off from work probably won't be possible.

[tony]

my only criticism is that i believe it would attract more people in the san marcos/new braunfels area. i didnt go and this is partly why, i hate going downtown and dealing with parking. i also believe it is imperative to get other clubs involved.

[CoryDude]

my only criticism is that i believe it would attract more people in the san marcos/new braunfels area. i didnt go and this is partly why, i hate going downtown and dealing with parking. i also believe it is imperative to get other clubs involved.

Exactly, move it a little further north to get the Austin crowd involved. See if you could work out something with ARC to share the event. I know they're a bit smaller club, but it could benefit us both.

Also, how about making the event and entertainment experience also? How about a live band in the evening? Maybe the last few hours could be spent rocking away to some cool tunes, so it's not so much of a fish nerd convention? That could help pull some of the night birds (no pun intended) into the fray.

But, we need to really try and get the local stores involved. I'd say give them a free table (or include it in the annual sponsorship dues they pay). Because they in turn could help the larger suppliers like Seachem, Tunze, etc involved.