The Meetup
Elisa Stritt, CAE Director of Operations NCWM
Our 109th Annual Meeting was in downtown Cleveland, Ohio at the newly renovated Hotel Cleveland. The fresh property was incredible for the most well-attended meeting since 2000. We had 284 attendees from all over the United States, plus several from Canada and Nigeria. We had a great turnout of first-time attendees, many of whom were from the Buckeye State, up to Mr. Richard Suiter, who attended his 35th annual meeting. The feedback from the post-meeting survey indicated Cleveland was a pleasant surprise with much to do and see. Downtown is incredibly walkable, with picturesque views of Lake Erie and historical sights like Public Square and the Fountain of Eternal Life. Filming for the latest Superman movie happened while we were there; maybe we can catch the movie together next July in Reno! For our Tuesday morning General Session, members of the Northeast Ohio Honor Guard opened the session for keynote speakers Brian Baldridge, Director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture, Dr. Laurie Locasio, NIST Director, Ms. Josie Montoney-Crawford, Assistant Director of Public Policy at NASDA, and NCWM Chair Gene Robertson, from the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce. We concluded the week with a private event at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. We spent hours touring the seven levels of rock and roll memorabilia. The highlight for many was the jam sessions from those musically inclined or the after- hours party on the 14th floor… I heard it was fun!
The next stop for NCWM is Charleston, South Carolina for the 2025 Interim Meeting. We will take over the Francis Marion Hotel. We were at this same property for the 2013 and 2019 Interim Meetings and look forward to returning. The next annual meeting will be in Reno, Nevada, where we will stay on the famous Row of Reno at the Silver Legacy. Reservations and registrations are now open, so secure your spot today! You can see all future meeting locations and dates on our website, with two recent additions. The 2026 Annual Meeting will be at the Marriott Old City in Philadelphia. It will be familiar to many of you as it was the home of our 100th Annual Meeting in 2015 (previously the Sheraton Society Hill). The year 2026 means a lot to the city of Philly as it is the 250th Anniversary of America! We are excited to announce the 2027 Interim Meeting will be in Redondo Beach, California! These meetings have phenomenal locations and will be an excellent opportunity to bring an additional colleague or the fam! I am currently planning for the 2028 Interim Meeting and the 2027 Annual Meeting, which will land in the southern region. Check the Meetings page periodically for updates!
8 NCWM-News
2024 Issue 3
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