The Meetup
Wow, did we have a great Interim Meeting last month! New Orleans did not disappoint as the backdrop for this incredibly well-attended gathering which drew in a final number of 193 people. We embraced the bustling energy that is Bourbon Street and spent the week networking both in and out of the meetings. We held our first ever Women in Weights and Measures breakout session, heard from experts during the NCWM National Price Verification Survey technical session, and discussed all the hot topics during the days of Open Hearings. Thank you to all who spent their week with us and a special thank you to the many guests who tagged along; the opportunity to meet your family and loved ones is a special benefit of these meetings. All we accomplished at the Interim Meeting will culminate in July at our Annual Meeting taking place in Cleveland, Ohio. We will occupy the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel which has a fascinating history involving both mobsters and presidents. Possibly the most well-known story about the Renaissance is that Elliott Ness frequented the hotel, in particular the ballroom where he and his wife would attend galas where they would dance the night away, but Ness also spent over a week questioning Francis Sweeney, a suspect in the Torse murders, in one of the hotel rooms in 1938. You can read more about those details here. The hotel has been visited by countless celebrities including the Beatles and Martin Luther King, Jr. The hotel has a history of haunts and folklore; what more could you expect from a 106-year-old hotel? Take some time to review the history of Cleveland and, in particular, the chronicles which are the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel. How many of us watched The Christmas Story this past Christmas season? Director Bob Clark picked Cleveland for the filming site after having sent his location scouts to over twenty cities in search of the perfect setting. What sealed the deal for Cleveland? The department store’s, Higbee’s, willingness to allow filming within its doors and their willingness to leave displayed Christmas decorations for weeks after the holidays! Higbee’s was the first department store in Cleveland and served as an anchor for Cleveland’s Public Square until it closed in 2002. You might recognize the department store in the opening scene in which Ralphie first spies the Red Ryder BB Gun (the large glowing ‘HIGBEE’ sign in the background), during the parade scene right before Ralphie goes to see Santa, and then the scene inside the store as Ralphie visits Santa.
Elisa Stritt, CMP, CEM Director of Operations NCWM
It just so happens that the Higbee’s building, now home of the Cleveland Visitor’s Center, is directly adjacent to the Renaissance making it impossible to miss and a must-see while in the city. I also recommend visiting the A Christmas Story House and Museum located a quick five-minute drive from downtown. To learn more, I urge you to read the fun history surrounding Cleveland’s role in the movie. Now that you are enticed, let’s get you registered. All meeting details including discounts, early bird deadlines, and a tentative schedule can be found on our website (2024 NCWM Annual Meeting) and while you’re there, check out our plans for next January (2025 NCWM Interim Meeting). Please ensure to register before the early deadline of June 24th and get your hotel reservation handled now! As always, thank you for being the best meeting attendees ever; it is a pleasure to plan for you.
12 NCWM-News
2024 Issue 1
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