Being in the hospitality and tourism business, disasters can strike anywhere and it does affect everyone.   This Forbes article provides the details on how to donate, what you can do to help out the hurricane victims and what to look out for with scammers.   Let's all pitch in to help those affected. I personally donated to the American Red Cross and just scheduled my appointment to give blood.    Read the article here

The hospitality industry is trying to figure out what appeals to millennial business travelers or (MBT's).  I really liked this article because each hotel has thought very creatively about what a MBT would like or want in their hotel room.  I took it one step further and interviewed a millennial and asked her what is the most appealing of all from what the hotels presented in this article..  This is what she said:   

CitizenM hotels scored big time with this millennial, everything they listed was very appealing to her.   Elements Hotels also hit 100% on this millennials list and the only item on Holiday Inn's list was the long communal tables in the lobby with outlets and wireless device charges.  Of course she said "we always want free wi-fi".   Well, you heard it here, it's a very random sampling but straight from the millennials mouth!   Article

As a meeting professional you plan meetings of all sizes and it's always helpful to use new ideas when planning smaller meetings.   Recently, Meetingselect published a list of the top 7 Trends for planning smaller meetings.   The article mentions:  location, technology and being mindful, see how you can incorporate these ideas into your next retreat.   Read the entire article here.  

The Wisconsin Department of Tourism just released the Top 5 Brunch spots in Wisconsin, read the article and use this as an opportunity to see the State while you dine at these fabulous brunch spots!  Bon Appetit!    

A recent article in Event MB talked about many options planners have for attendee badges. Technology has changed the traditional paper badge and now we have NFC, Face scanning  and Biometrics.  Read about options for badges at your next conference here.   

It's called Vertical Farming and it might be coming to a convention center or hotel near you soon.   It's a sustainable delicious way to feed the world plus indoor farms use 95% less water than traditional dirt farms.   We all love fresh produce what a great way to take it from wall to table for your attendees at your next conference.   Read the entire article here. 

Having lived in Milwaukee all of my life, sometimes you take these items for granted like Lake Michigan and the Ethnic Festivals but they certainly make Milwaukee stand out.   The people are also amazing, everyone is willing to help you or provide directions, if needed.   Milwaukee is a great place to live!   Read the article here

This is a great article about all the new development going on in Milwaukee and the vibe of a city with bigger and better things to come.   Read the article

As meeting professionals, it's all about numbers:  budgets, attendance and hotel room pick up.  This article provides five important ROI metrics that every event professional should consider.  It will help quantify what your attendees are saying (social media and polling), where they are going (tracking in rooms) and how they are engaging during the meeting (gamification).   You can read the entire article here.