Special Events
The social events at IABC’s International Conference help you connect personally and professionally to a global network of communication professionals. This year’s events offer a rich blend of culture, cuisine, entertainment and the opportunity to dig-in and volunteer to help the community.
Saturday, 21 June
Pre-Conference Community Project
(9 a.m. - 2 p.m.)
Join us to clean and green an urban community with Million Trees NYC and the New York Restoration Project
Before the conference gets started, join IABC staff and volunteers for a day of community service in our partnership with Million Trees NYC and the New York Restoration Project. Participants will clean up litter, rake, mulch and plant 1,000 trees supporting the Million Trees NYC initiative to plant a million trees throughout New York City's five boroughs in the next decade. Our team assignment is a New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) property in Manhattan. NYCHA is the largest housing authority in North America providing decent and affordable housing to low-income residents in a safe environment.
Planting trees cleans our air and water, reduces our carbon footprint, and is a great way to give back to the community.
Online registration for this volunteer project will open in late April and will be limited to 150 volunteers. A donation will be requested to cover trees, materials, transportation and lunch.
Walking tour of New York City’s Central Park and Upper West Side (3 p.m.)
If you’re arriving in New York City on Saturday, join fellow attenders for a walking tour of the Upper West Side and Central Park. Meet in the lobby of the New York Hilton, where a historian from The Municipal Art Society of New York will take you on a two-hour walking tour. From the hotel, you will walk past Carnegie Hall and the new Time Warner Center to Central Park. There, you will get an overview of the park’s structure, designed by Calvert Vaux and Jacob Wrey Mould, and see the Literary Walk, Strawberry Field, bridges, fountains and all that the Upper West Side has to offer. Explore Manhattan on your own after the tour or return to the hotel with an IABC/New York chapter volunteer.
Sunday, 22 June
Pre-Conference Workshop (2 - 5 p.m.)
Register online to order your ticket for this additional-fee event. Individual tickets are US$195. Attendance is limited to180.
 Navigating the social media world
People are talking about your brand every day—blogging, podcasting and communicating in virtual worlds. This workshop will cover today’s most popular social media tools and encourage you to become a meaningful participant. You’ll learn to differentiate a wiki from a Wookiee, discover where to uncover blog buzz about your brand, and understand how to build and sustain an online community.
In this session, you will:
- Gain a strategic view of the social media landscape and what it means for corporate communicators
- Learn how to leverage common social media tools both inside and outside your organization
- Participate in hands-on exercises to reinforce your understanding
Aaron Uhrmacher is an award-winning peer media consultant. He has worked with several of the world’s largest companies to create successful social media engagement strategies spanning blogs, podcasts, virtual worlds and everything in between. He was named the 2007 “Young PR Professional of the Year” by PRWeek and was cited as one of its “Top 10 Rising Stars” in 2006.
Opening General Session and Keynote Address (5:20-6:30 p.m.)
 The interconnected world: One Laptop Per Child
One of the foremost futurists of our time, Nicholas Negroponte was among the first to predict the digital revolution. He is a founder of Wired magazine and author of the New York Times best-seller Being Digital, which has been translated into more than 40 languages. Now, Negroponte is the driving force behind the US$100 laptop, a conceptual and technological breakthrough that is expected to transform computing and education worldwide. In this captivating session, Negroponte will discuss his One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) initiative and his goal to revolutionize education by putting a durable, no-frills, Internet-ready computer into the hands of millions of children worldwide. The One Laptop Per Child initiative explores the global benefit of equipping a new generation with access to the technology and communication that many of us take for granted.
Nicholas Negroponte is chairman of One Laptop Per Child and chairman emeritus of the MIT Media Lab, one of the world’s leading interdisciplinary research centers. He has been an adviser to the European Commission and serves on the Technical Advisory Committee to the United States Federal Communications Commission. An angel investor, Negroponte has funded more than 40 start-ups, and served on the boards of companies such as Motorola and Ambient Devices. He is the chairman of the 2B1 foundation, which recently built five schools in rural Cambodia, and he was nominated to the Time magazine list of the100 most influential people of 2007.
The IABC Fellow and the Chairman's Awards, two of the most prestigious awards the association can bestow on a member, will be presented at this session.
Welcome Reception at The Rainbow Room (7:30 - 10 p.m.)
For decades, the Rainbow Room has symbolized the glamour and elegance of New York nightlife. On Sunday evening, you’re invited to the 2008 Welcome Reception in this breathtaking venue on the 65th floor of 30 Rockefeller Plaza. Come and enjoy fine food and drink, and the company of fellow attenders from more than 40 countries as you feast on spectacular sunset and evening views of New York City.
This reception is included in your conference registration and includes a hosted bar. The Rainbow Room is within easy walking distance (three blocks) of the New York Hilton.
The Welcome Reception is sponsored by
Monday, 23 June
General Session with IABC's 2008 EXCEL Award Winner (8:30 - 9:30 a.m.)
 Marriott on the Move:
J.W. Marriott, Jr., Chairman and CEO, Marriott International
"Marriott on the Move." The phrase has many meanings. It’s the title of the CEO’s new blog. It’s used by employees to signal continued growth and development—for the company and themselves. It’s become something of a mantra for a company and its leaders who say they will never be satisfied with the status quo.
Learn from a global leader who effectively blends high-tech and high-touch communications to inspire more than 150,000 Marriott employees serving guests around the world. Known throughout the industry for his hands-on management style, J.W. "Bill" Marriott, Jr. has built a highly regarded culture that emphasizes the importance of Marriott’s people and recognizes the value they bring to the organization.
"If you’re in the service business and your name is above the door, it’s important for people to be able to link a face to the name," says Mr. Marriott. "I want our employees to know that there really is a guy named Marriott who cares about them, even if he can only drop by every so often to personally tell them so."
J.W. Marriott, Jr., is regarded as a lodging innovator, as chairman and chief executive officer of Marriott International, Inc., one of the world's largest lodging companies. His leadership spans more than 50 years, and he has taken Marriott from a family restaurant business to a highly respected and successful global lodging company with more than 3,000 properties in 68 countries and territories.
Lunch & Learning (11:50 a.m. - 1:20 p.m.)
Register online to order your ticket for this additional-fee event for US$100, or purchase a Conference & Lunch package or a Conference, Lunch and Gold Quill package.
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Gabatshwane Gumede, 13, from South Africa, is a member of the World's Children's Prize International Child Jury.
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When communication changes the world
In 2000, a small initiative that involved 18,000 children was started in Sweden to promote the cause of children’s rights. In 2008, this project, the World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child, has grown to involve 16 million children in schools across 87 countries, sowing the seeds of democracy, human rights and respect for the environment among the world’s youth.
Join us to learn about this global phenomenon and the unique communication processes that have driven its remarkable growth. You will experience some of the magic that makes the annual prize ceremony one of the most moving events on earth.
The story will be presented by members of the international jury of young people who offer their own personal perspectives as former child soldiers, slaves, refugees and street children. They will be supported by the World’s Children’s ombudsman, Olara Otunnu, who will explain why he, along with Queen Silvia of Sweden, Nelson Mandela, José Ramos-Horta, Joseph Stiglitz, Ken Wilber, Alex Wek, among others, are patrons of what may be the most important communication initiative on the planet.
Senior Communicators Seminar (4:30 - 5:30)
 What matters most: Communicating with the core value systems in people, organizations and entire societies
This seminar will discuss an integral model that identifies eight “DNA-like” value systems at the core of how people make decisions, view their worlds and order their priorities. Popularized as Spiral Dynamics, Canada’s Maclean’s Magazine called it “a theory that explains everything.” The model focuses on how people think instead of what they think, thus uncovering people's motivational drives and why they think the way they do . The process was used to dismantle the apartheid system in South Africa, penetrate religious stereotypes in Palestine, design education systems in Mexico and even address motivational patterns in the U.S. National Football League.
In this session, you will:
- Learn how to identify core value systems in people, organizations, cultures and societies, as well as how to communicate effectively with each group
- Profile your own value system to detect your own communication patterns
- Understand the nature of transformational change through a series of predictable stages and learn how to address people and cultures in each of the stages
Don Edward Beck, Ph.D. is known for his work in large-scale systems change and played a major role in transformations in South Africa, Israel-Palestine and Mexico. He has worked with American and Southwest Airlines, major hospitals, educational systems, and several National Football League teams. Beck wrote a “Sports Values” column for the Dallas Morning News, was named by Enlightenment Magazine as the "Philosopher activist for the 21st Century" and co-authored The Crucible: Forging South Africa's Future and Spiral Dynamics: Mastering Values, Leadership & Change. Beck taught for 20 years at the University of North Texas.
Book Signing with Padma Lakshmi (6:30 - 7:30 p.m.)
Meet Padma Lakshmi, actress, award-winning author and host of Bravo TV’s Top Chef at a book signing of her latest cookbook entitled Tangy, Tart, Hot & Sweet: A World of Recipes for Everyday.
The signing will take place outside the Grand Ballroom.
Gold Quill Awards Gala Dinner (7:30 - 10:30 p.m.)
Register online to order your ticket for this event for US$175, or purchase the Conference, Lunch & Gold Quill package. The ticket is the full cost of the three-course dinner and IABC does not make a profit from ticket sales. Dress for this event is black-tie optional.
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Recognizing international communication excellence: Gold Quill Award winners take center stage
The 2008 Gold Quill Awards ceremony celebrates the achievements of the communication profession’s brightest stars from around the world. The Gold Quill Awards are a mark of global distinction, the highest level of professional acknowledgment within business communication today. At this year’s gala, the stars of business communication will be saluted by stars of Broadway and television.
Join emcee Padma Lakshmi, actress, award-winning author and host of Bravo TV’s Top Chef, and Gold Quill Chair Jeffrey Ory, ABC, APR, in recognizing IABC’s 2008 Gold Quill Award winners during this inspiring and fun-filled event.
This year’s Gold Quill Awards gala will feature live performances from the cast of Forbidden Broadway, New York’s wickedly successful, longest-running musical comedy revue and winner of the 2006 Tony Award for Excellence in the Theatre. |
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The 2008 Gold Quill Awards program is sponsored by
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Tuesday, 24 JunE
General Session (8:30 - 9:30 a.m.)
 Music as the universal language
In this captivating presentation, Scottish percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie will lead you through an extraordinary exploration of music and language. Playing with sensitivity and emotion informed by a deep connection to sound, Glennie will illustrate music as a form of communication that conveys emotions, ideas, attitudes and perceptions. As the first person in musical history to sustain a flourishing career as a solo percussionist, Glennie continually redefines the goals and expectations of instruments. Through her musical expression, you will learn to listen with no biases or barriers, to experiment in the face of risks and to persevere with purpose and ambition.
Dame Evelyn Glennie has commissioned 143 new works for solo percussion, performs up to 100 concerts a year, personally owns more than 1,800 instruments and is the recipient of two Grammy Awards. Undeterred when she became profoundly deaf at the age of 12, Glennie was awarded a place at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where she later became a fellow. She is the subject of the documentary Touch the Sound, which explores her unconventional approach to percussion, and is the recipient of more than 15 honorary doctorates from universities. Glennie was named an Officer of the British Empire in 1993, which was extended to Dame Commander of the British Empire in 2007, for her service to music.
Research Foundation Luncheon & Seminar (11:30 a.m. - 1:05 p.m.)
Register online to order your ticket for this additional-fee event for US$175, or purchase a Conference & Lunch package or a Conference, Lunch and Gold Quill Package. Part of this fee is donated to furthering the work of the IABC Research Foundation.
 Of frogs and princes: How top-rated companies win hearts and minds
In this session, Charles Fombrun, Ph.D., describes the results of extensive original consumer research conducted in 25 countries. This research proves that corporate communication plays a key role in building enduring corporate reputations. Using examples and insights from these international findings, Fombrun describes the winning systems and practices that the world’s most respected companies are developing and institutionalizing to achieve and maintain their pre-eminence.
Charles Fombrun, Ph.D., is founder and CEO of Reputation Institute, a research and advisory firm headquartered in New York with offices and affiliates in over 20 countries. Fombrun is a former professor of management at New York University’s Stern School of Business and taught extensively at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. He is the author of numerous articles and books, including Essentials of Corporate Communication and Fame & Fortune (both with Cees B.M. van Riel), and his best-selling Reputation: Realizing Value from Corporate Image.
Afternoon Seminar (4:15 - 5:45 p.m.)
 Transferring your energy: Communicating for greater connection, influence and persuasion
We all long to connect, have greater organizational influence and have our voices matter. In this unique session, Joe Williams will present solid, practical and powerful tools to give you more confidence in your ability to persuade others, deal with resistance and operate from a platform of leadership. The Amici String Quartet will join Williams to demonstrate this session’s concepts through music and illustrate how to transfer your energy and create greater connections within your team, with your management and with other audiences.
You'll discover how to:
- Transfer your energy—a new way to think about your personal communication with others
- Be more effective in influencing and persuading others at all levels
- Deal effectively with conflict and resistance
Joe Williams is CEO of Joe Williams Communications, Inc., a 22-year-old leading research, strategic planning and training firm. The firm conducts research and training for companies such as McGraw-Hill, General Dynamics, MTS Allstream (Canada), Butterfield Bank (Bermuda), Northeast Utilities, Sabre, National City, the Susan G. Komen Foundation and ChevronTexaco, among others. Known for his Dialogue in the Desert Workshops, Williams holds 12 Gold Quill Awards and more than 100 national awards for his work.
Networking Reception (5:45 - 6:45 p.m.)
Catch up with friends, make new career connections and meet face-to-face with representatives from companies who can bring innovation to your programs and workplace. This reception offers hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar and time to unwind after a full day of educational sessions.
This reception is included in your conference registration.
Dine-Around (7:30 p.m.)
East Side, West Side and all around the town.
Join a NY/IABC chapter member for one of the most popular conference networking events and venture into New York City neighborhoods for great food in the company of fellow conference attenders.
Whether you take a city stroll, taxi or subway, you can dine at a wide range of restaurants selected to suit every palate and wallet. Review the restaurants in the Dine-Around Guide and then visit the Big Apple Dine-Around table by the IABC Registration area and make your restaurant selection. Then, all you need to do is arrive on Tuesday evening and meet your host and dining group! Your NY/IABC host will help the group get to the restaurant and direct you back to your hotel later. All costs for the Dine-Around (transportation, food, beverage and entertainment) will be paid by attenders and are not included in the conference fee.
Wednesday, 25 June
Closing General Session (9:30 - 10:45 a.m.)
 Are you ready for the Google world?
In his new book Meatball Sundae, Seth Godin explores the concept of a meatball sundae as the unfortunate result of mixing two good ideas. The meatballs are the commodities that many businesses are built on or the things we need. The sundae toppings are social networks, Google, blogs and new marketing that get people excited. Many organizations make the mistake of mixing them by slapping new marketing onto the old, with unsavory results.
Godin will outline 14 trends that are changing businesses forever. He will discuss how the new marketing landscape represents nothing short of an industrial revolution and highlight the organizations, brands and products that are taking this new world by storm. By the end of the session, you will look at the world we live in very differently—the new rules create new winners (and losers) and there's no time to waste.
Seth Godin is a best-selling author, entrepreneur and agent of change. As author of nine international best-sellers, Godin has revolutionized the way people think about marketing, change and work. He is responsible for many words in the marketer's vocabulary, including permission marketing, ideaviruses, purple cows, the dip and sneezers. His irrepressible speaking style and no-holds-barred blog have helped him create a large global following. Godin was founder and CEO of Yoyodyne, the industry's leading interactive direct marketing company, which Yahoo! acquired in late 1998. He holds an MBA from Stanford University, and was called the "Ultimate Entrepreneur for the Information Age" by Business Week.
Post-Conference Workshop (11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.)
Register online to order your ticket for this additional-fee event. Individual tickets are US$295. Participants will receive a boxed lunch.
 Better brainstorming for bigger ideas—and how to sell those ideas to decision makers
To be a better communicator, you need to constantly generate bright ideas—and then you need to sell those ideas to your boss, clients and other decision makers. In part one of this post-conference workshop, you’ll discover tips and tools for effective, energetic brainstorming—whether with a team or by yourself. In part two, you’ll explore how to turn managers and clients into decision making partners.
Attenders will learn:
- Powerful tools to jumpstart idea generation and encourage smarter brainstorming
- Ways to get inside the heads and hearts of decision makers
- Strategies for dealing with (and even welcoming) objections
Sam Harrison has more than 20 years of highly successful experience in creative communication, including brand communication, product innovation, promotions, direct marketing, event marketing, brand licensing, affinity marketing and consumer catalogs. He is the author of two books, Ideaspotting: Where to Find Your Next Great Idea and Zing! Five Steps and 101 Tips for Creativity on Command.
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