[Carl Meyer]

I am trying to determine my travel arrangements for Nashville and looking to see how much of Friday I want to be there. Does anyone have an idea on what the Breakout sessions would be for Friday?

I am truly looking if I can travel home on Friday or if I travel on Saturday.

Thanks

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Carl Meyer
Forge Resources Group
Dekalb IL
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[David Musgrave]

Hi Carl

I don’t know the exact sessions or schedule yet, but I will let you know my thoughts.

I have often been scheduled as a speaker on last day and have had people come to me and say “I would love to come to your session, but scheduled my flights too early.”.

If you are going to schedule the time to come to Summit and pay the registration and flights etc., I think it is madness to leave before the end of the conference. One more night at the hotel would be the only cost to leave the next day and this way you make sure you can get to every session and maybe even have a meal and socialize with the other attendees before you leave. The networking you do at Summit is often more valuable than the sessions.

I will get of the soapbox now, but as I always say….

Everyone is entitled to my opinion. 🙂

David

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David Musgrave MVP, GPUG All-Star

Managing Director
Winthrop Development Consultants

Perth, Western Australia

http://www.winthropdc.com
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[Phil Camp]

Carl,
I agree with David. but having said that, you might check to see what the latest flight out is.  Summit is usually over in the late afternoon, so night flight would work for you.

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Phil Camp
Director of Information/Controller
Hopkinsville Milling Co.
Hopkinsville, KY 42240
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[Steve Erbach]

Carl,

I’ve been on the programming committee for Summit, and I can tell you that the sessions to be presented at the October Summit aren’t finalized until mid-August. Session ideas are submitted through the end of April; then the programming committee goes to work selecting only the freshest fruits and vegetables… I mean, the most intriguing topics for Summit!

You can get an idea of the types of things you’ll see on the schedule for Nashville by looking at the schedule from Tampa.

I have to say that the committee cannot plan, say, to have all the good stuff on Wednesday and Thursday, and just the fluff and reruns on Friday. Summit is as long as it is — with pre-conference training beginning on Sunday  fer cry-yi! — because there are many, many good sessions and they can’t all fit in on Wednesday and Thursday.

I’m with David 100% on this one: if you’ve paid for the registration, hotel, and flight, don’t shortchange yourself by leaving early on Friday. Take in the whole thing to the end.

Last year there were 40 sessions on Friday that had not been on the schedule earlier in the week. In addition, there were 11 repeat sessions, too, in case you had to pass them by on Wednesday or Thursday. Again, don’t shortchange yourself!

For whatever it’s worth, every Summit I’ve attended (Nashville will be my fourth) I’ve brought my wife along to make a vacation out of it. Last year (and this year!) we arrived on the Saturday before so that we can settle in and I can be rested for any pre-conference training on Sunday.

Summit is worth the extra time. Yes, you need to pay for an extra night in a hotel to stay all the way through Friday… but then you can pick your departure on Saturday free of the pressures of trying to squeeze in an extra session before your plan leaves on Friday.

Sincerely,

——————————
“Sparkly” Steve Erbach – Business Analyst & MS Dynamics Platform Administrator
WOW Logistics Company – Appleton, WI
VP for Communication, GPUG WI (Milwaukee) Chapter
Co-Chair, GPUG WI (Green Bay) Chapter
GP 2016 (16.00.0439) / MR 2012 CU15
Blog: https://www.gpug.com/blogs/steve-erbach
Twitter: @serbach
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Welcome to Dynamics!
You do not have permission.
Call Steve. (hat tip: Lou Spevack)
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[Steve Erbach]

Besides, if you leave Friday afternoon/evening, where do you put your luggage after you check out of your room at 11:00? Do you schlep it around with you to lunch and to your afternoon sessions on Friday? Save yourself the aggravation! Stay an extra night!

Regards,

——————————
“Sparkly” Steve Erbach – Business Analyst & MS Dynamics Platform Administrator
WOW Logistics Company – Appleton, WI
VP for Communication, GPUG WI (Milwaukee) Chapter
Co-Chair, GPUG WI (Green Bay) Chapter
GP 2016 (16.00.0439) / MR 2012 CU15
Blog: https://www.gpug.com/blogs/steve-erbach
Twitter: @serbach
——————————
Welcome to Dynamics!
You do not have permission.
Call Steve. (hat tip: Lou Spevack)
——————————
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[Bert Green]

I totally agree with all of the points so far. It is way to early to know what sessions will be available yet. I am not getting there as early as Steve is, but I will be staying Friday night and flying back on Saturday. It helps me to be able to concentrate of the Friday sessions and not worrying about getting to the airport, etc.

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Bert Green
GP Developer/GP Administrator
Berger Transfer & Storage, Inc.
Saint Paul MN
GP2015/MR CU11
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[Cheryl Wright]

Steve,
in all the GPUG Conferences I have attended, if you check out of the hotel on the last day, the Registration hall always had a place for you to check in your luggage while you attend classes before catching a flight so that you were not having it in tow with you throughout the day.
Has that changed for this year and not being offered??

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Cheryl Wright
Flat Rock Bagging
Flat Rock MI
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[Steve Erbach]

Cheryl,

I was hyperbolizing for effect! I have not yet flown out on Friday at any Summit I’ve attended… so I hadn’t heard about the luggage check area. It’s nice that the host hotel provides such a service, though.

For me, I would find it a bit much to deal with check-out and luggage and still get to breakfast and the morning sessions. Far better, IMHYDAO (In My Humble Yet Deadly Accurate Opinion… to which you are always entitled!), to stay that extra night and get a decent departure time on Saturday.

Regards,

——————————
“Sparkly” Steve Erbach – Business Analyst & MS Dynamics Platform Administrator
WOW Logistics Company – Appleton, WI
VP for Communication, GPUG WI (Milwaukee) Chapter
Co-Chair, GPUG WI (Green Bay) Chapter
GP 2016 (16.00.0439) / MR 2012 CU15
Blog: https://www.gpug.com/blogs/steve-erbach
Twitter: @serbach
——————————
Welcome to Dynamics!
You do not have permission.
Call Steve. (hat tip: Lou Spevack)
——————————
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[Stephanie Rasmussen]

There is a Chris Stapleton, Brothers Osborne, Brent Cobb concert at the Bridgestone Arena on 10/13 that might convince some to stay over night.

General pre-sale starts at 10am Central today! 

Hey, when in Nashville…

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Stephanie Rasmussen
EthoTech, Inc.
Piney Flats TN
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[Kristen Hosman]

Stephanie I got tickets to the Saturday show for Chris Stapleton.  Super excited!

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Kristen Hosman
Accounting Manager
PlatinumCode
Pine CO
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[Lisa Sawdey]

Carl
If you have no other outside commitments I suggest leaving late Friday evening or Saturday. The last day sessions are just as valuable as all the other days – it isn’t a fluff day!   If you do have to check out early there is a luggage holding area at GPUG on Friday so you do not have to carry your luggage around all day.

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Lisa Sawdey
Controller
Afgritech LLC
Watertown NY
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[Kathy Kim]

Now that I travel more frequently in a work capacity, I like to get home on Friday.  However, there are always sessions that I really want to attend on Friday.  The last session ends at 3:30, so it’s usually possible to take a later flight on Friday if you don’t want to stay the extra night.  Of course, I am able to fly nonstop to Phoenix from most cities.  Having been to Nashville recently, the airport is easy to navigate and it’s only about 15 minutes from the hotel.  As others have mentioned, there’s usually an area for conference attendees to check baggage, but if not, there is always the bell desk at your hotel.  That said, if you haven’t attended before, you may find the networking on Friday night beneficial.  I find that by Friday, I am too exhausted for any additional advanced networking opportunities.  🙂

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Kathy Kim
Director of Finance
Donor Network of Arizona
Phoenix AZ
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[Kristen Hosman]

If you absolutely need to be home on Friday then try to take the latest flight possible.  The hotel can hold your bags otherwise in the past there has been something setup near the sessions where your bags can be stored for the afternoon.  In the past I’ve missed some sessions I’ve wanted to attend because I left mid day.  Like Steve said sessions aren’t final until late summer so if I were you I would plan on staying Friday.  I got smart this year and booked Sunday through Sunday.  🙂

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Kristen Hosman
Accounting Manager
PlatinumCode
Pine CO
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[Steve Erbach]

Kathy,

I’m with you on the exhaustion! In Tampa I saw the final song & dance routine that the GPUG staff performed in the lobby of the Convention Center… but I was so pooped I just kind of slouched over to the Marriott to recover from the humidity!

So, are you leaving Friday night again?

Regards,

——————————
“Sparkly” Steve Erbach – Business Analyst & MS Dynamics Platform Administrator
WOW Logistics Company – Appleton, WI
VP for Communication, GPUG WI (Milwaukee) Chapter
Co-Chair, GPUG WI (Green Bay) Chapter
GP 2016 (16.00.0439) / MR 2012 CU15
Blog: https://www.gpug.com/blogs/steve-erbach
Twitter: @serbach
——————————
Welcome to Dynamics!
You do not have permission.
Call Steve. (hat tip: Lou Spevack)
——————————
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[Carl Meyer]

Thanks Everyone,
Yeah I am trying to be home Friday evening for my nephew’s football game.   Then trying to balance driving vs flying to Nashville.  It is about an 8 hour drive to Nashville from home.  By the time one waits at the airport and Transportation to and from the airports, I am trying to decide what method is best.

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Carl Meyer
Forge Resources Group
Dekalb IL
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[Kathy Kim]

Hi Steve – I am leaving on Friday.  I have a 5:35 flight which is a little tighter for getting to the airport than I like, but it is the only nonstop flight home.  I should still be able to get to the airport an hour and 15 minutes to an hour and a half before the flight once the final session ends with a little luggage planning and Uber.  🙂  I DO recommend that people stay to the last session if they can, particularly if it’s their first Summit.   Steve, as you know well, they will find that there is more content than time as it is.  

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Kathy Kim
Director of Finance
Donor Network of Arizona
Phoenix AZ
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[Steve Erbach]

Kathy,

What was it that Bob McAdam said should be the goal for Summit? Something like, “Leave full and leave exhausted,” … something along those lines! 

Regards,

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“Sparkly” Steve Erbach – Business Analyst & MS Dynamics Platform Administrator
WOW Logistics Company – Appleton, WI
VP for Communication, GPUG WI (Milwaukee) Chapter
Co-Chair, GPUG WI (Green Bay) Chapter
GP 2016 (16.00.0439) / MR 2012 CU15
Blog: https://www.gpug.com/blogs/steve-erbach
Twitter: @serbach
——————————
Welcome to Dynamics!
You do not have permission.
Call Steve. (hat tip: Lou Spevack)
——————————
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