Society of Government Meeting Professionals: About Us

Latest News Archive

November 10, 2011	OGE's Proposed Expansion on Lobbyist Gift Ban Recently, SGMP's Executive Director and CEO, Charles Sadler, CGMP, CHSC, CHSP was interviewed about the potential expansion of the Lobbyist Gift Ban proposed by the Office of Government Ethics. View the article from Meetings & Conventions here.
November 9, 2011	Veterans Day 2011 On Veterans Day, we honor those who have served, are serving, and will continue to serve the United States of America. We wanted to share the President of the United States of America's honorary message with all of our members.
October 18, 2011	Society of Government Meeting Professionals Officially Charters Chapter in San Antonio The San Antonio Alamo chapter of the Society of Government Meeting Professionals (SGMP) received its charter today at a meeting held at the Crowne Plaza Riverwalk. The chapter is based in San Antonio and now represents government meeting professionals in the city's greater metropolitan area. SGMP national first vice president Rhonda Wise, CGMP, presided over a formal ceremony that concluded with the ceremonial passing of the gavel to new chapter president Marissa Howard of the UT Health Services Center in San Antonio. SGMP executive director & CEO Charles Sadler, CGMP, CHSP, CHSC, read the Official Charter Resolution & Decree to the chapter's charter members and guests. "Despite continuing challenges and budgetary constraints in federal, state and local governments, SGMP continues its national growth today by adding our 33nd chapter," Wise announced. The new chapter's petition for a charter was approved by the organization's national board of directors last month after the group had completed several organizational tasks and reached its membership goals. "All of us are so proud to become an official SGMP chapter and to join three other SGMP chapters in Texas. We look forward to providing real value to both planners and suppliers of government meetings in San Antonio." said Howard. More information on the chapter, which holds monthly meetings and other special events, may be found at www.sgmp.org/chapters/alamo.cfm. SGMP membership is available to federal, state or local government employees and to contract employees who are involved in planning government meetings on a full or part-time basis. Membership is also available to suppliers who provide services or facilities to, or derive income from, these meetings. "We are grateful for the exceptional efforts of all of the leaders who led and worked hard in San Antonio to create a local SGMP presence here for government meeting professionals," said Sadler. This new chapter—the fifth chartering since 2009—represents the continued national expansion of SGMP.
October 17, 2011	SGMP Weighs in on OGE Proposal The Society of Government Meeting Professionals (SGMP) upon review of the Office Of Government Ethics (OGE) proposed changes to ethics rules, effecting participation in widely attended gatherings being eliminated for executive branch employees, finds no benefit in this proposal and is opposed to changes in the current policy. The OGE is proposing to further constrict executive branch rules on gifts from lobbyists and organizations that include corporations and trade associations employing lobbyists. SGMP, (a non-lobbying educational non-profit organization) does not oppose proposals that would eliminate a real source of corruption. The OGE proposal, however, could never provide for a corrective policy for an imagined ethics issue. Unfortunately, it will stifle the exchange of information between government and the private sector, potentially impeding the effective operation of government even more than we see today. Plus, if adopted, these unreasonable rules are likely to never be rolled back once approved and in place, creating a wider operating schism between government and the private sector. Establishing more restrictive rules for gifts to government employees from lobbyists and their employers might be justifiable if there were a history of problems in such interactions and if the proposed remedies related to such problems. The OGE, however, has offered no examples or history to justify its proposal for such a radical demarcation line to be created between "good" government and corporations and trade associations. Current federal gift rules allow government employees to interact with business and other organizations, such as attendance at conferences, trade shows and similar events in which substantive information is disseminated and exchanged. From the vantage point of SGMP, this is government involvement and participation in its most professional and positive form. What can be better for our federal agencies and our economy that includes a face to face understanding of industry needs and relationships, than actively exercising the core function of government? Further information regarding SGMP and its mission to improve the quality of, and promote the cost-effectiveness of government meetings visit us at www.sgmp.org (web) or contact us at headquarters@sgmp.org or by calling 703-549-0892.
September 29, 2011	Meeting Industry Responds to Justice Department Report The CEO of the Convention Industry Council (CIC) responds in editorial to the recent Justice Department Report about government meetings. As a member of CIC, SGMP wants to provide all of our members with the message ... details
August 25, 2011	Fiscal Year 2012 Federal Per Diem Rates Announced The new government per diem rates, effective October 1, 2011, have been released by GSA and are now available on the Per Diem section of GSA's website. Select "2012" from the dropdown box above the map of the United States in order to see FY 12 rates. For FY 2012, ADR data indicate that the lodging industry has not returned to the ADR peaks realized prior to 2008. While some NSAs are showing signs of recovery, others have remained flat or continued to decrease below FY 2011 levels. Overall, the NSA rates are similar to FY 2011 as most rates did not increase or decrease more than $5. The six M&IE tiers will remain the same for FY 2012. GSA establishes the per diem rates for the lower 48 continental United States (CONUS), which are the maximum allowances that federal employees are reimbursed for expenses incurred while on official travel. Direct contact information to ask questions to GSA is below. The CONUS per diem rate for an area is actually three allowances: the lodging allowance, the meals allowance and the incidental expense allowance. Most of the CONUS (approximately 2600 counties) are covered by the standard CONUS per diem rate of $123 ($77 lodging, $46 meals and incidental expenses). In fiscal year (FY) 2012, there continue to be about 400 Non-Standard Areas (NSAs) that have per diem rates higher than the standard CONUS rate. Since FY 2005, NSA rates have been based on Average Daily Rate (ADR) data from the lodging industry, which GSA obtains through a contract with a leading provider of lodging industry data. For more about how per diem rates are determined, visit Factors Influencing Lodging Rates. The ADR is a widely accepted lodging-industry measure based upon a property's room rental revenue divided by the number of rooms rented as reported by the hotel property to the contractor. This calculation provides us with the average rate that rooms rent in a given area. As in previous years, GSA still uses: Only "fire safe" properties; GSA is required by law to use only properties that are certified as being in compliance with the Hotel & Motel Fire Safety Act of 1990. Properties that fall within the mid-price range; this range includes all properties from the lowest to the highest of the mid-price, upper and upper-upscale properties in an area. Data from the prior 12-month period; for FY 2012, this is from April 2010 through March 2011. Business travel week data (Monday through Thursday). Agencies are reminded that the Federal Travel Regulation allows for actual expense reimbursement when per diem rates are insufficient to meet necessary expenses. Please see FTR §301-11.300 through 306 for more information. Is your agency or organization interested in learning how GSA sets per diem rates? Contact GSA at (202) 208-7642 or jill.denning@gsa.gov for more information.
August 16, 2011	National Celebrate Services Day In collaboration with industry partners including CIC and ACOM, SGMP encourages members to participate in National Celebrate Cervices Day. Convention and event services managers team up with meeting planners to produce successful events every day. But one day a year, members of the Association for Convention Operations Management (ACOM) celebrate their professional commitment and the camaraderie of their services colleagues. On August 25, 2011, services managers will gather at dozens of member-hosted events across North America through ACOM's second annual National Celebrate Services Day. These networking receptions and events celebrate the vital role services managers play to meeting planners in the overall success of meetings and events. So that day, week or month, reach out to your hotel, convention center or CVB service managers who have made a positive impact on the success of your events and give them a shout out! Learn more about ACOM and National Celebrate Services Day at www.acomonline.org.
July 7, 2011	IRS Announces Increased Mileage Reimbursement The Internal Revenue Service announced on June 23, 2011 that effective July 1, 2011, taxpayers may use new optional standard rates to calculate the deductible costs of operatiing an automobile for business and other purposes. The rate increased from 51 cents per mile for the first months of 2011 to 55.5 cents per mile. It is thought that due to the increase in gas prices, the IRS adjusted their optional rates for the second half of 2011. SGMP members should account for this additional cost in their travel budgets. For more details, please review Announcement 2011-40 from the IRS.
June 16, 2011	SGMP Celebrates at 2011 NEC Now viewable in flash video on the SGMP homepage are highlights from the 2011 SGMP National Education Conference in Norfolk, Virginia, held June 8-11, 2011. Nearly 1,000 government meeting professionals travelled to Norfolk for three days of education, resources, and networking. SGMP would like to thank all of our sponsors, members, and leaders for yet another successful conference. We look forward to seeing all of you again in May of 2012 in New Orleans, Louisiana!
May 24, 2011	SGMP's 2011 NEC is SOLD OUT! The 29th annual SGMP National Education Conference (NEC) in Norfolk, Virginia, on June 8-11, 2011, has sold out. We have reached the maximum physical capacity for registered participants. We cannot allow any additional registrations or exceptions. We have more registered planner attendees than our recent NEC average. We have reserved all available exhibit booth space. There will be no on-site registration. There will be no waiting list. We look forward to connecting with our members at another great conference next month.
May 18, 2011	New England Chapter Chartered The New England chapter of the Society of Government Meeting Professionals (SGMP) received its charter today at a meeting held at The Westin Boston Waterfront...details
May 2, 2011	Interest Group Status for San Antonio Alamo Approved SGMP now has a formally-approved Interest Group in San Antonio, Texas. The San Antonio Alamo Interest Group is now working toward earning official chapter status by June 30th. Once chartered, this group will be based out of San Antonio and will represent SGMP in the greater San Antonio area...details
May 2, 2011	Chapter Status for New England Chapter Approved On May 18, 2011, SGMP will formally present a charter in Boston to our 32nd chapter. The New England chapter will be based out of Boston and will represent SGMP in all New England states...details
April 26, 2011	Change in National Terrorism Advisory System The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has updated the reporting of credible threats of terrorist attacks in the United States. Instead of using the color coded system first put into place in 2002, credible threats will now fit into one of two categories, along with details for the alert. Threats will either be categorized as Elevated if there is no specific information about timing or location, or Imminent if the threat is believed to be occurring very soon. Overview of New System Sample of New Alert (PDF) Frequently Asked Questions SGMP Members should always review and be prepared to respond to Elevated and Imminent threats as they impact their travel, security, and meetings. This new method of delivery of vital information about potential domestic terrorism threats should lead to more efficient and effective responses.
April 6, 2011	Comprehensive All Member Survey SGMP is now engaging all of our members in the first comprehensive member survey in three years. The anonymous survey was sent via email and responses are due by 4/20/11. We have found that it can be completed in about 15 minutes. The system saves your answers, so you can exit and return to it multiple times, if you like. We want to understand today's members' diverse needs and be enabled to provide a better membership experience to each of you. Your input is important! Questions: contact Lisa at lisa.silverman@sgmp.org.
March 23, 2011	GSA Releases Increased Per Diem Rates The General Services Administration (GSA) recently released FTR Bulletin 11-06 which provided increased government per diem rates in five of the most expensive metropolitan locations. Federal employees on travel in San Bernadino County, CA (Barstow, Ontario, Victorville), San Francisco County, CA (San Francisco), New York/Bronx/Kings/Queens/Richmond Counties, NY (all five New York City burrows), Dauphin County, PA (Hershey and Harrisburg), and Hunt County, TX will be eligible for these new rates as of April 1, 2011. Additionally, as a part of this bulletin, two new counties were added to the government travel per diem list, Lafayette County, MS and Caroline County, VA. For questions about federal per diem rates or the GSA, please visit their website at www.gsa.gov SGMP members should note that these are federal government travel per diem guidelines, which apply to employees of the federal government who are involved in government business that requires travel. For SGMP members who are state employees, please visit your state's travel administration for per diem rates for your government travel.
March 21, 2011	SGMP Elects 2011-2013 National Board of Directors We are pleased to announce the national election results and congratulate our new national leaders. Please see our press release for all details.
February 17, 2011	New SGMP Logos and Branding As members may have already noticed, SGMP premiered two new logos this month. In order to create a cohesive set of modern logos, we are excited to launch a new logo for the Gilmer Institute of Trustees. And to honor the 30th anniversary of our Society, a temporary commemorative SGMP logo has also been developed. You will now see both logos proudly featured, in addition to the standard SGMP logo and the existing CGMP logo, in support of the SGMP brand.
January 28, 2011	NEC Attendee Registration Now Available We are pleased to announce that attendee registration is now available on our conference website for the 2011 SGMP National Education Conference (NEC) in Norfolk, VA, on June 8-11. ... details
January 28, 2011	SGMP Formally Recognizes New England Interest Group At the Joint Leadership Meeting in Norfolk, VA, the SGMP National Board approved the formation of a formal interest group in the New England area. This puts the New England group one step closer to chartering our 32nd chapter. ... details
December 12, 2010	'Meeting Planner' Named One of 2011's 50 Best Careers U.S. News & World Report has published its list of the 50 best careers in 2011 - and "meeting planner" once again is on it. According to the weekly newsmagazine's Dec. 6 report, the employment of meeting and convention planners is expected to grow faster than the average for all professionals over the next decade thanks to the growing importance of meetings to American and global companies and government meetings and contracts. Because the recession has coused a contraction of the meetings industry in the last two years, U.S. News said today's meeting planners have to be "tougher," "willing to negotiate for lower costs and better perks," and "willing to face tough questions on budgets and return on investment." Despite the recession-fueled challenges, however, U.S. News concluded that "most organizations recognize the value of the face-to-face meeting - as not just a perk but an imperative for companies that have greater global reaches."
December 5, 2010	2011 NEC National Charity Announced We are very proud to announce the selection of the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program (VWWP) as the national charity for the 2011 NEC in Norfolk - a city with a rich military and naval history. It is a couse and a program to which we are all connected simply by being American. For more information on the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program, visit www.wearevirginiaveterans.org
October 29, 2010	SGMP Open House In honor of the Society of Government Meeting Professionals and its 2010 celebration of Gilmer-Founders Day, SGMP hosted an open house this afternoon at 908 King Street in Alexandria, Virginia.
September 13, 2010	How To Submit a Request for Review of FY 2011 Per Diem Rates details SGMP outlines this process for our members to address GSA by providing the steps you will need to take and the tips and resources you will want to use.
September 13, 2010	Rates for FY 2011 Represent Another Swing of the Per Diem Pendulum… details The General Services Administration (GSA) has released its new per diem rates. The rates become effective on October 1st. Per diem is the allowance provided to government employees for lodging (excluding taxes), meals and incidental expenses incurred while on official government travel.
September 1, 2010	Welcome to SGMP’s Newly Redesigned Website! We are proud to improve the delivery of the message of SGMP through this newly redesigned website. Our website now integrates our association management system, so all members can access members only information, register for events, renew their membership, and more.
August 30, 2010	New GSA Per Diem Rates Announced The new government per diem rates have just been released by GSA. The new rates are effective October 1, 2010.
August 20, 2010	CGMP Returns to Washington, DC SGMP is thrilled to announce we are accepting registrations for our CGMP course on September 25-28, 2010 in Washington, DC. We will post information about the host location, as it becomes available.
July 31, 2010	CGMP Comes to Norfolk, VA This summer, we are proud to continue to offer the Certified Government Meeting Professional (CGMP) course and exam in cities around the country. On August 23-26, 2010, the Norfolk Waterside Marriott is hosting the last CGMP course of the summer series.