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Home of the Certified Professional Geologist


AIPG-Northeast Needs YOU!
The 2004 Annual Meeting
Gideon Putnam Hotel, Saratoga Springs, New York

The past history of AIPG annual meetings has demonstrated that their success strongly depends on the participation of the local chapter. So, in a nutshell, the section needs your participation to make the Annual Meeting a success. Now is the time to propose your ideas for events to enhance the annual meeting. Better yet, volunteer to chair or participate in one of the committees, discussed below, that will be critical to the success of the meeting. To get some perspective on what is involved in organizing the annual meeting, you may want to review AIPG's annual meeting manual, available for downloading from the AIPG-National web site (www.aipg.org - log in under "members" and look for "Manual - Annual Meetings").

Following below is a list of the general committees needed for the annual meeting, along with a summary of the requirements. As appropriate, there is a reference to additional, specific information found in the AIPG Manual for Annual Meetings ("Manual"). As additional background information for the 2004 meeting we have available the program and field trip guidebook from the 1991 Association of American State Geologists (AASG) annual meeting, which was also held in Saratoga Springs. Many of the AASG social events and field trips may continue to have appeal to geologists and spouses alike for the 2004 annual meeting. Please review the committee requirements below, consider your personal and professional skills, and volunteer!

1. Programs (Manual, p. 15-16)
The program committee will be chaired by Bob Blauvelt. He will be responsible for developing a professional program. There are specific requirements for professional sessions at every annual meeting, which I have summarized on an Excel spreadsheet. The balance of the meeting is organized around, or parallel to the mandatory events. The programs committee is also responsible for coordination keynote speakers.

2. Registration (Manual, p. 10)
The registration committee will be chaired by Sam Gowan and the principal task of the registration committee is to prepare a registration form, track the registrants, and compile the attendance for the various functions.

3. Short Courses (Manual, p. 17)
The Short Courses will be chaired by Craig Werle. The Manual's philosophy is that the target market is mainly annual meeting delegates and a local audience. Carefully chosen, short courses at the 2004 meeting may reach not only the historical target market, but also those geologists (and others) needing continuing education to satisfy the regulatory requirements of nearby states (Connecticut and Massachusetts, for example, with their LEP and LSP programs). In this manner the annual meeting can also serve to introduce AIPG to non-member geologists.

4. Field Trips (including guidebook - Manual, p. 18)
The Field Trips will be chaired by Lance Mead. Saratoga Springs is ideally situated for field trips, geologic and otherwise. The Gideon Putnam Hotel is located within Spa State Park, the home of a variety of mineral springs and geysers. The hotel will also be the staging point for field trips farther afield, for instance to the Adirondacks. Tentatively, we have a guidebook planned, which would also serve as a volume incorporating the other proceedings of the conference (short course notes, advertising, etc.). Interested parties should be willing to manage that aspect of the conference as well.

Some successful previous field trips used by the AASG included:
· Petrified Gardens
· Saratoga Mineral Springs
· Barton Garnet Mine and Lake George
· Paleozoic Geology of the Albany Area
· Adirondack Geology-Lake Placid, Whiteface Mountain, Fort Ticonderoga

Other potential field trips include:
· Howe Caverns
· Wollastonite mining operation

And of course, we're open to other suggestions as well.

5. Social Program & Spouse Activities - Manual, p. 18)
This will be chaired by Dean Herrick. All work and no play…so we'll need a dynamic program of social events and spouse activities. Some events that worked well for AASG included a night at the harness races, a dinner cruise on Lake George, and mineral baths. Some previous, popular events were: · Tour of Historic Saratoga · Empire State Plaza-view from the tower; tour and shopping in Albany area · Lake George dinner cruise · Hospitality suites by advertisers · Saratoga Battlefield · Saratoga Raceway-harness racing · Mineral baths

6. Exhibits (Manual, p. 13)
The Exhibits will be chaired by Jim Rickert. The committees responsibilities include identifying potential exhibitors (poster sessions, advertisers), organize display space and booths with the conference center, and coordinate with exhibitors in person.

7. Finances (Manual, p. 5-6)
This will be chiared by Dan St. Germain and he will prepare and manage the annual meeting budget. Manage contracts with the conference center and any other parties as needed. Determine local transportation needs (bus tours, etc.)

8. Publicity (Manual, p. 8)
Contact potential participants (professional attendees, advertisers, exhibitors). Prepare advertising copy for suitable trade publications. Ensure that AIPG promotional materials are prominently displayed at the meeting. Promote the event on the AIPG and NE-AIPG web sites.

9. Advertising and Sponsorship (Manual, p. 11-12)
This committee will be chaired by Dennis McGrath . Annual meetings such as this cannot support themselves only through registration fees, and hence corporate sponsorship is essential to the financial success of the meeting. We need to identify potential sponsors early, and the more the better. Does your employer sponsor such events? In return they will receive great publicity at the meeting, on the web site, and in our various print media (NE-AIPG newsletter, TPG, and the proceedings volume).

Contact Bob Stewart, General Chairman for the 2004 AIPG Annual Meeting.