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Planner’sPerspective

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Shaun Barker
Associate Director
Shingo Prize
Utah State University, College of Business
Logan, Utah

Describe your event.

The 18th Annual Shingo Prize Conference and Award Ceremonies were held at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center in Covington. This was a weeklong event designed to award excellence in manufacturing, and it consisted of workshops, plant tours, keynote presentations, an off-site event, and an awards banquet. There were approximately 400 people in attendance at the event.

Why did you decide to host the meeting in Covington?
Covington works very well for our event because of its location. It’s a one-stop flight for many of our attendees, who come primarily from the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Covington also offers a good assortment of off-site events.

What did your attendees seem to enjoy the most?
I think the activity that surprised and delighted our attendees the most was the riverboat dinner and cruise that we took them on. We had entertainment onboard along with a great dinner. We also had a person onboard that talked about the sights we were seeing along the way. This was a great event and definitely gave our attendees a feel for the area that they were visiting. They also enjoyed the river walk and being close to the downtown area.

Was anybody particularly helpful?
The staff members at both hotels and the convention center were some of the best that have served us, not to mention the price was also extremely competitive. We had room blocks at the Cincinnati Marriott at RiverCenter and the Embassy Suites Cincinnati RiverCenter. The Northern Kentucky CVB oversaw the website for hotel room registration, and the hotels worked well with each other to accommodate our needs.

Did you incorporate any interesting excursions into the agenda?
During this event, we offer tours of the Lean manufacturing facility for our attendees. We used Accent on Cincinnati for coach services. They were always on time, and the drivers were excellent. This was the second time that we have used their services, and there will likely be a third.

What local suppliers did you utilize?
The catering for the event was provided by Masterpiece Creation, and the audiovisual was provided by MAC Productions. Both of these companies are top-notch. The food was excellent, and the presentation was detailed. Our audiovisual charge for the entire conference was one of our lowest, and the quality was superb.

How does Covington compare to other cities where you have hosted meetings?
We have been in many locations over the last 19 years and Covington is a favorite.

Would you return?
Yes, we will likely return for a third time.

Do you have any advice for other planners who might bring a meeting to Covington?
If you are looking for a meeting location with atmosphere, service and great facilities, you need to check out this location. I am confident that your group will be pleasantly surprised. I recommend this location and the services mentioned without reservation.