Sheila Stampfli, president of Courtesy Associates, a Washington D.C.–based conference and events management firm owned by SmithBucklin, will step down from her position at the end of the year. Stampfli has held the position since 1997 and was...

The Convention Industry Council is partnering with the Professional Convention Management Association, the International Association of Conference Centers, and Content Management Corp. to launch CMP International Study Day—an initiative to help...

Last week, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between ASTM International and the Convention Industry Council’s Accepted Practices Exchange Commission for the development of environmental standards for the meetings and convention industry...

A proposal that calls for stricter enforcement of the Americans With Disabilities Act is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, June 17. The new rules would set more stringent requirements for accessibility in public areas...

The 2008 Financial & Insurance Conference Planners Annual Conference is scheduled for November 9-13 at the Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach in Cancun, Mexico...

Going green and giving back emerged as major themes during Marriott’s 2008 Insurance & Financial Services Customer Forum, held last week. Discussions hit topics from budget cuts (bad) to bottled water (really bad) to community service at...

Six insurance and financial services companies were recently cited as “The World’s Most Ethical Companies” by Ethisphere, a think-tank dedicated to the research and promotion of profitable best practices in global governance, business ethics...

As it works through contract negotiations with its labor unions, The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., has seen several meeting cancellations. Most recently, the Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers, Washington, D.C., canceled...

The economy and gas prices are affecting hotel demand, but are they affecting room rates yet? For every 10 percent increase in gas prices, there is a correlating 0.5 percent decline in hotel demand, said Bjorn Hanson, a hospitality and leisure...

Independent producers are dropping their Series 6 license (the license needed to sell mutual funds and variable annuities) at an alarming rate because of compliance requirements, according to a recent LIMRA International study...