MPA Mid-Winter Conference

Thursday, January 28
11 AM – MPA/MPS Board Meetings. Presiding: MPA/MPS President Reece Terry, The Daily Corinthian

1 PM – Registration Opens; Vendor Set-ups

3 PM – MPA Education Foundation Board Meeting. Presiding: MPAEF Vice-Chairman Reece Terry, The Daily Corinthian

4 PM – MCFOI Board Meeting. Presiding: MCFOI President Anita Lee, The Sun Herald.

6 PM – MPAEF Benefit Roast Reception

7 PM – MPAEF Benefit Roast. Honoring: Blake Wilson, President, Mississippi Economic Council. Roastmaster: Sid Salter, The Clarion-Ledger.

9 PM – Events conclude for the day

Friday, January 29

8 AM – Registration opens; Continental breakfast available.

8 AM – Governmental Affairs Committee meeting, Wellington’s Restaurant. Committee chairman: Jim Prince, Neshoba Democrat.

9 AM – THE PEP RALLY: General Session. “Mississippi’s Economy and Where We Are Headed.” Keynote speaker: Blake Wilson, Mississippi Economic Council president and CEO.

10 AM – THE FIRST QUARTER: Concurrent Sessions
A) TweenTribune – Online news for kids with a revenue model for newspapers. Coached by Alan Jacobson, TweenTribune.
B) Building Sales Through Co-Op. Coached by Tim Brennan, Multi-Ad Services.

11:30 – Lunch on your own. Try the Hilton’s delicious Wellington Buffet or a number of great restaurants nearby. MPA will provide a list of eateries in the area.

1:00 – THE SECOND QUARTER: Concurrent Sessions
A) Putting Advertisers First with Display Ad Design. Coached by Alan Jacobson, Brass Tacks Design.
B) Turning Newspaper Advertising Around. Coached by Joe Piergrossi, Piergrossi Associates.
C) Web Solutions for Community Newspapers. Coached by Gary Sosniecki, Townnews.com.

2:30 – TIME OUT: Coffee and Cell Phone Break

3 PM – THE THIRD QUARTER – Concurrent sessions from 1:30 repeat

4:30 – TIME OUT: Free Time

6 PM – HALF TIME – Reception at the Renaissance. Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, Ridgeland.

7 PM – Dinner On Your Own. Sample one of the great restaurants at Renaissance or nearby in Ridgeland, Madison or North Jackson. Check out MPA’s list of suggested venues.

9 PM – HALF-TIME ENTERTAINMENT. Hospitality and music back at the Hilton.

Saturday, Jan. 30
8 AM – Registration Opens

8:30 – HALF-TIME HUDDLE: Silver Dollar Breakfast. Share tips and shop talk during our annual idea-exchange. Officiated by: Reece Terry, The Daily Corinthian and Pat Brown, Magee Courier.

10 AM – TIME OUT: Break and checkout
10:15 – THE FOURTH QUARTER: Concurrent Sessions.
A) Video Advertising. Presented by Alan Jacobson, Brass Tacks Design.
B) Out of the Box: Niche Products. Panelists: Lisa Bryant, Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal; Gary Andrews, Yazoo Herald; David Culpepper, Daily Leader.

11:30 TIME OUT: Coffee and Cell Phone Break

12:00 THE END ZONE: BNC-Advertising Luncheon and Awards Program. Cheerleaders: Julie Johnson, The Columbian-Progress and Mark Williams, The Bolivar Commercial.

2 PM – Adjourn