State-wide call-to-action to CEOs and Business Leaders
Madison, WI – Wisconsin Department of Tourism Secretary Kelli Trumble, announced the Madison launch of a state-wide economic stimulus initiative called Meetings Mean Business for Wisconsin, Tuesday, May 11th at the Overture Center for the Arts. The announcement was made at the Greater Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau’s (GMCVB) semi-annual Partner Connections event.
The initiative is a joint effort of the state’s Tourism and Commerce Departments, backed by Governor Doyle and contains a message encouraging CEO’s of companies headquartered or with substantial operations in the state, to keep their meetings, conferences, conventions and events within Wisconsin. The Greater Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau is promoting Madison and Dane County for the initiative.
As the key note speaker, Secretary Trumble applauded a number of local companies that continue to hold meetings, conventions and events in the greater Madison area:
* American Family Insurance
* Epic
* First Weber Realtors
* LeMans Corporation
* TREK
The economic impact that these companies create by holding their meetings and events locally contributes to the total tourism expenditure of $1.2 billion for Dane County in 2009.
American Family Insurance, whose world headquarters is located in Madison, is one of those companies keeping meetings within the community. Chairman and CEO, Dave Anderson said, “Technology allows us to hold ‘virtual’ meetings anywhere in the country, saving time and money. However, there are times when face-to-face, interpersonal meetings are essential to maintain strong relationships and achieve business objectives. We like to hold meetings in Madison, such as our annual field management conference, because our community’s high-quality meeting venues, hotels and restaurants provide a great experience for our out-of-town visitors.”
Speaker Rick Stone, Executive Vice President, Chief Brand Strategist, Lindsay, Stone & Briggs Advertising Agency echoed Secretary Trumble’s call-to-action to area companies and businesses. His company currently holds their yearly national/international marketing conference, Brandworks University, at Monona Terrace® Community and Convention Center. The conference, now in its 20th year, brings 400 attendees to Madison from world-renowned companies such as Google, P&G, New Balance, Hershey’s, Coke and from as far away as Amsterdam, South Africa and Hong Kong.
Stone stated “To make Madison a Mecca for brand based marketing was not our original intent 20 years ago when we started the Brandworks conference, but the building of Monona Terrace, the great downtown hotels and restaurants and retailers have helped make that possible, to say nothing of the improvements in the airport and flights here.”
The bottom line of the Meetings Mean Business economic initiative for Wisconsin is that revenue spent within the state stays in the state. This money sustains jobs, lowers taxes and keeps locally owned businesses open.
