i recently had the pleasure of joining one of my clients on a site tour of the pga national resort and among so many things about the resort that motivated me to write about it, one stood out above the rest. as i arrived and spent my day at the resort i noticed how "inviting" it was to groups of all types and sizes. from the incredible staff to the beautiful open stylized lobby this resort invites you in and lets you know that you will have one of the most comfortable and memorable experiences.

the "ease of use" starts from its close proximity to palm beach international airport (pbi) serviced by just about every airline out there. the resort was a twenty minute drive from pbi. as you drive up to the resort you are reminded of where you are, the land of the palm tree and some of the finest golf in the u.s. the entrance to pga national is lined with palm trees and signage that indicates that you are at the home of the pga's honda classic, played on one of their five championship golf courses. you are welcomed into the resort's newest jewel, its recently renovated lobby. one could not help to see how comfortable it is to conduct business in the lobby's various networking area's along with a sharply stylized bar that truly promotes those after conference hour conversations.

with 39,000 sq ft of meeting space and a beautiful outdoor pavilion all centrally located in a "wing" of the resort separate from the accommodations at the other end of the building, a world class spa, five golf courses on premises nice enough for the pros to play on, ten minutes from the atlantic ocean and the shopping, the resort invites you to come meet efficiently and play wonderfully. the pga national resort really does show itself as a terrific destination to meet and play all in one. call me, mike dileone, to learn more about my experience at pga: 678-466-6974.

wow! if you're meeting in chicago and you're looking for a unique meeting space, look no further than the trump international chicago hotel. aside from having 20,000 square feet of meeting space, the trump also offers a unique small space on the terrace that fits up to 150 people during a buyout event.

the terrace doesn't usually open up until 2:30 pm which is the perfect time in the summer to get a nice shade. the terrace is surrounded by the stunning decor of the city's scene from the 16th floor and the view reaches as far as lake michigan where the navy pier fireworks are beautifully displayed on wednesdays and saturdays.

the hinton+grusich team was able to experience the terrace after being invited by our friendly sales team at the trump. it was the perfect location to have a business gathering as we were able to converse in the serene atmosphere of the 16th floor. although we were in the busy center of chicago, the terrace offered an escape from the traffic and crowds by lifting us just a little bit closer to the clouds. unfortunately our feet did have to touch the ground again but it was an experience worth sharing with all of our clients.

please call your hinton+grusich representative to find out how you can take advantage of this wonderful space or feel free to contact me, leidida ocon for more details: 312-372-2200.

i attended the 2010 cesse (council of engineering  and scientific society executives) annual meeting in pittsburgh july 13-16. this year's theme of "lean and green: doing better with less" challenged us during the education tracks to apply these important values to improve business processes and add value to associations/societies and their members.

thanks to penny pina, cmp, of the american mathematical society, i had the pleasure of participating on a panel in the planner/supplier family feud session...it was greatly attended by both planners and suppliers and they each cheered their team on as they attempted to answer industry related questions....the suppliers jumped out to a strong lead and then when the points tripled for correct answers, the planners came up from behind with a win....yeah!

hinton+grusich was a monetary sponsor for the meeting this year and was joined by many other industry colleages in bringing great educational tracks and sessions that supported training and sharing expertise, food and beverage social events that enhanced networking and collaboration among fellow scientific and engineering society members, and even a little time to enjoy the "city of champions".

cesse understands the importance of education at all levels so in addition to their fantastic plenary sessions, they offered tracks for membership, public affairs, publications, marketing and communications, information technology, human resources, finance&administration, education&training, meetings & exhibits, deputy director, co/customer service and the ceo/general management. if the ceo attended, they could bring their meeting planner for free, yes, you read that right, free!

rich in history plus rich in meeting space and service is a simple - yet accurate - description of my experience at the baltimore's tremonts, historic venue and all suite hotel.  centrally located in downtown "charm city" baltimore on historic charles street, between the tourist/historic district and inner harbor, it's superb location offers the best of both worlds!  i walked to many attractions including free museums and great restaurants... all very nearby.

magnificent grandeur exemplifies the incredible event space this hotel boasts.   a sky walk that includes a "history wall" leads you to it's 45,000 sq feet of space (19 rooms) and you have to see each room to appreciate it's own uniqueness. there are steinway pianos, tiffany windows, an impressive wrought iron staircase, pipe organs, and fresh flowers throughout. their marble floors and walls shine like new, and the incredible details (from floor to ceiling) reminded me of the newport mansions in rhode island.  from a library, to a chapel to truly magnificent grandeur and custom china ware, it's no wonder they host so many weddings and high end social events.

this 37 story hotel is one of the tallest buildings on the east coast; their 303 guestrooms are very spacious and with marbled countered kitchenettes.  they are currently renovating guestrooms (discreetly so not to interfere with business) and will be completed by next march.  despite being historic, the guestrooms and meeting space have the technology today's traveler requires and the renovated rooms will all have ipod docking stations and flat screen televisions as a standard.  very nice suites with cedar closets, cardio equipment and very tastefully done offer a very nice room product for your vip guests.

this european style hotel is magnificently maintained and has all services and features you would expect: fitness and business centers, outdoor pool, great cuisine at their bar and grille (plus a ny style deli market) ...and so much more.   what topped it all?   the staff and service that was gracious - and always ready with a smile.