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(Editor’s Note: The 19th annual TOCA meeting is all set for May 6-8 in Minneapolis. You’ll want to get in on Tuesday night, May 6, if you plan to participate in Wednesday morning’s activities. The following article, with some minor edits, ran in the last issue of TOCA Talk. It’s the perfect summary of the meeting for those of you who are planning to come to Minnesota for the meeting.)
I came here from the West coast. Exploring, I guess. I learned later about the tradition of exploration in this northern wilderness. French trappers and voyageurs paddled the state’s waterways before roads. Modern polar explorers tested resolve as kids in their frozen Minnesota backyards. Those explorers, like all who live here, share this in common: we endure winter and celebrate spring.
This spring, May 6 - 8, we welcome you to Minneapolis to celebrate the 19th annual meeting of the Turf and Ornamental Communicators Association (TOCA) at the Radisson Hotel in Downtown Minneapolis.
Why Minneapolis?
Visitors say we’re nice. They call it “Minnesota Nice.” We offer something to drink multiple times. We file fewer civil lawsuits than any other state. We use few confrontational verbs. And we rarely share personal preferences. All the better because this is about you, right?
Our theme this year is ‘Exploring Perspectives’. Your perspectives. Your colleague’s perspectives. Your industry peer’s perspectives. Learning from each other and invited presenters, we’ll explore issues and perspectives that will help us be better professional communicators.
Come for walleye, stay for the education.
Wednesday
If you’re a golfer, you’ll want to arrive in time early Wednesday morning to play the Hazeltine National Golf Course, site of the 2007 PGA Championship and previous site of a U.S. Open, U.S. Amateur and other major events. If you’d rather soak in the best of Minneapolis, join us Wednesday morning for a tour of the renovated Mill District and internationally acclaimed Guthrie Theater overlooking the Mississippi River. You’ll get a bald eagle’s perspective of the city, great food and leave knowing more than most locals.
If you leave WiFi range for more than two days you’re already behind on social media trends, including blogging and podcasting. Chuck Zimmerman, president of ZimmComm New Media, will get us up-to-the-hour info on social media His presentation will be interactive and kicks off the professional development portion of the meeting on Wednesday.
We addressed the sometimes blurred line between journalism and public relations in Savannah and we’ll continue that dialogue during a panel discussion. Look for your favorite journalist or PR professional sharing the do’s and don’ts of working with each other. This popular session was a staple for many years at TOCA meetings. We’re bringing it back! This panel discussion will end the professional development part of the day.
In the evening, you can look for a casual opening night reception and meal at the hotel. The opening reception and dinner Wednesday night is conveniently located at the Radisson, a perfect launching pad for a night out in the city, if you so choose.
Thursday
Ever have a conflict at work, shake your head and mutter, ‘That generation just doesn’t get it?’ Whether you’re a Boomer, GenXer or Millennial, exploring how you can use similarities and differences among generations to be more effective at work is crucial to productivity and sanity. Thursday’s workshop will be led by Steve Drake, CEO of Drake and Company, and will be followed by a Q&A of multi-generational panelists.
After the TOCA business meeting Thursday, we’ll explore the Walker Art Center Sculpture Garden and learn about agronomic challenges and what the deal is with that giant spoon and cherry.
Let’s not forget about the hardware. The meeting continues Thursday night with the TOCA Awards Reception Banquet, immediately followed by the turf-funk sounds of TOCA’s own ‘Little Chicago’.
Please see registration and hotel forms in this issue. We look forward to seeing you in Minnesota in May.
On behalf of this year’s program committee, including Debbie Clayton, Felicia Gillham, Shandra Wendorff, Andie Belfry and Den Gardner, come explore perspectives and see how we celebrate spring.
19th TOCA Meeting – Minneapolis, MN. – 2008
‘Minneapolis: Exploring Perspectives’ – Radisson Plaza Hotel, Minneapolis
Tuesday, May 6
2:00 p.m. – Board Meeting, followed by Board dinner at 6 p.m.
Wednesday, May 7
8:00 a.m. – Golf at Hazeltine National Golf Club, Chaska, MN
(Sponsored by Briggs & Stratton Yard Power Products Group)
9:00 a.m. – City Outing and Lunch – ‘Minneapolis: A River Runs Through It Tour’
(Guthrie Theater/Mill City/Gold Medal Park/Stone Arch Bridge)
(Program sponsored by Jacobsen)
3:00 p.m. – Welcome: Ed Hiscock, Board President; Den Gardner, Exec. Director
3:15 p.m. – Chuck Zimmerman is the President and co-owner, of ZimmComm New Media,
a company that has pioneered using new media tools (blogging and podcasting)
for various types of internal and external marketing purposes like public relations
and audience communications. Chuck will speak on Blogging and Podcasting.
(Sponsored by Ewing Irrigation and PBI Gordon)
4:15 p.m. – Break (Sponsored by Dow AgroSciences)
4:45 p.m. – Panel discussion on Relationship Dynamics Between PR and the Media
5:45 p.m. – Adjourn
6:15 p.m. – Opening Night Reception/Dinner – Radisson Plaza Hotel (Norway Room)
(Sponsored by Syngenta, RISE and TruGreen ChemLawn)
Thursday, May 8
(Morning breakfast and meeting sponsored by John Deere)
8:00 a.m. – Breakfast
9:00 a.m. – Generational Issues – Steve Drake, owner, Drake & Company (Sponsored
by Swanson Russell Associates and Phoenix Environmental Care)
10:30 a.m. – BREAK (Sponsored by Dow AgroSciences)
10:45 a.m. – Generational Issues Panel of TOCA members
(Afternoon lunch and meeting sponsored by Toro)
12:00 p.m. – Lunch
1:00 p.m. – Remarks by Board President Ed Hiscock
1:15 p.m. – Business Meeting
•
Election of board, scholarship winners announced, other appropriate business
2:15 p.m. – Environmental Communicator of the Year Award (Sponsored by Project EverGreen)
2:30 p.m. – Break for Minneapolis Sculpture Garden Tour
3:00 p.m. – Board Busses for a Guided Tour of Loring Park/Garden, Minneapolis Sculpture Garden.
While touring the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden we will be accompanied by a tour guide
as well as representative of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board maintenance team.
(Sponsored by BASF)
6:00 p.m. – Return to Radisson Plaza Hotel
7:00 p.m. – Syngenta Reception/Syngenta Awards Banquet – Radisson Plaza Hotel
9:30 p.m. – Post-Banquet Event – featuring Little Chicago Band and special TOCA performers
11:00 p.m. – Post-post-Banquet Event – PSB to see official unofficial outing spot
Friday, May 4
Informal breakfast on own – head for home at leisure
Click here to download the registration form for the annual conference Exploring Perspectives in Minneapolis.
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