Meeting Professionals International Tennessee Chapter

🏌️‍♂️ Last week, MPI Tennessee hosted our Annual Fundraiser at FIVE Iron Golf in Nashville — and it delivered on every front.

Cocktails, friendly competition, darts, swings, and the kind of real, face-to-face connection that makes our industry what it is. Watching members compete, laugh, and network side by side was a reminder of why we do this: community first.

A huge thank you to everyone who came out, played, and gave back. Your support directly fuels the education, programming, and professional development that MPI TN delivers all year long. 💙

And of course — the competition was fierce because the prizes were good. Congratulations to our winners, who took home:

🚢 4 dinner vouchers for 2 aboard the Nashville Riverboat
🎶 A CMA Fest package — CMA hat + $100 Fleming's gift card
⛳ A dozen Srixon golf balls + Good Good Golf putter & driver cover
🏨 A one-night stay at the Embassy Suites Nashville at Vanderbilt
🍷 6 bottles of wine

To our sponsors, volunteers, and members — thank you for making this one of the best events of the year. Moments like these are what MPI is all about.

📸 Swipe through for a few highlights from the night!

📣 Congratulations to our June Rockstar of the Month, Heike Reagan 🌟

Heike is the owner of Volunteer Balloons in Knoxville, TN, where she creates memorable events through custom balloon décor for grand openings, conferences, galas, and corporate celebrations.

Building relationships and supporting our local events industry is one of her favorite things to do, and she has been chairing our MPI TN Chapter events in Knoxville throughout "Lunch Club" community-building initiatives and sponsoring events with her gorgeous balloon displays.

Thank you Heike!!

Beth Inglish and Tina Gionis are sharing the strategies that have actually worked for building real, lasting business relationships through MPI Tennessee.

From researching the attendee list before you ever walk in the door, to reaching out with a simple "can't wait to meet you" message beforehand, to volunteering in ways that fit your schedule, these are the moves that turn a membership into a career-changing investment.

The biggest takeaway? Show up, lead with curiosity instead of a pitch, and play the long game.

Because the connections you make here have a way of turning into friendships, referrals, and opportunities you never saw coming.

Watch the full video and let us know what resonates.

Build Your Network with MPI | Hosted by Beth Inglish and Tina Gionis Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

Planners, this one is for YOU!

We're bringing you to Chattanooga. Four hotels. Three days. Zero sales pitches. Just a real look at what Chattanooga has to offer your next group. Hosted by MPI TN Chapter and sponsored by DeFoor Properties, the Southeastern Summer Fam Tour is built just for you.

📅 July 28–30, 2026

July 28, 4:30–6:30pm — Kick things off at the Chattanooga Summer Mix Event at St. John's Restaurant. Open to the whole community — planners, suppliers, members and non-members alike. Come network with some of the best in the Southeast. (Included in FAM registration!)

July 29, 8am–5pm — This is the day: the FAM Tour itself, planners only. We're touring properties across the city with yoga, brunch, a painting session, an Aquarium offsite, sound bath meditation, and a silent disco woven in between. Yes, really.

July 30, 8–9am — Wrap it up your way. Grab breakfast and a Create-Your-Own-Adventure attraction pass. Use it that morning or save it for your next trip back.

As our guest: a free night's stay July 28 & 29 at one of our properties, a guided tour with activations along the way, and a bag of takeaways to bring home at the end of it all.

Want to join us? Email our VP of Membership, Beth Inglish, at [email protected] for more details.

Thank you to our friends at the MPI Georgia Chapter and all our sponsors!

⭐ Event suppliers, this is THE event. The one to meet planners actually booking right now. ⭐

On July 28th in Chattanooga, Tennessee, 40+ planners will be mixing it up with suppliers for summer at St. John's Restaurant from 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Join us for drinks and bites while networking with hospitality industry leaders from all over the Southeast from the MPI TN and Georgia Chapters! Then visit our friends from TNT Goods Jewelry and Charm Bar to create something extra special to take home.

This networking event will not disappoint! Because when we meet, we change the world!

Registration link in comments

Something beautiful is growing in Knoxville.

Back in February, we launched a lunch club to bring MPI members and non-members together around a table, one meal at a time. No agenda. No pressure. Just real people in the hospitality industry building real relationships and growing their networks in a way that actually feels good.

The response has been everything we hoped for and more.

A huge thank you to Heike Reagan, Owner of Volunteer Balloons, for stepping up as committee chair and leading this initiative with so much heart. And to Melissa Uden for organizing our most recent gathering at Heartsong in Dollywood, which was an absolutely perfect setting for connection, community, and yes, a little Dolly energy in the room.

What makes this special is the bigger picture. We're connecting hospitality professionals across Knoxville and Chattanooga, building a network with deep roots and strong ties so we can grow together, not just beside each other.

More is coming. A mix event this summer in Knoxville and Chattanooga is on the horizon, and we would love for you to be part of it.

If you want to be connected to these initiatives, drop a comment, send us a message, or reach out directly. The table is open, and there is always room for you.

We’re giving away a $50 Amazon gift card to one randomly selected survey participant. Already filled it out? You’re still in the drawing. And the winner gets a shoutout in our next newsletter!

Real talk: Member feedback isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s our lifeblood. It’s how we know what’s working, what’s not, and where to put our energy. Every response shapes the programming, events, and resources we build for YOU. We genuinely cannot improve without hearing from you, and you have thoughts, we know you do. So make them count.

Take the 2026 MPI Annual Membership and Chapter Satisfaction Survey. A unique link was sent directly to your inbox on Tuesday, July 17th from Timothy Gunn. Look for the subject line: “Your Invitation to MPI’s Annual Satisfaction Survey” from mailto:[email protected].

Survey closes July 21st!

Your voice drives this chapter forward. Thank you for using it.

Come for the networking, leave with a prize:

You can expect: Cocktails, friendly competition, real industry connections, and a genuinely good time.

You can win: (Your chances are very good, trust us)
-4 Dinner vouchers for 2 for the Nashville Riverboat
-CMA Fest and Flemings (CMA hat and $100 Flemings gift card)
-Dozen Srixon golf balls, Good Good Golf putter and driver cover
-One night stay at the Embassy Suites Nashville at Vanderbilt
-6 Bottles of wine

Why it matters: Every ticket supports MPI Tennessee’s mission: education, programming, and meaningful connections for hospitality & event professionals across the state. Come out. Have fun. Help us grow something great.

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW! MPI.org/chapters/tennessee and check out our events page.

Join Memphis area fellow meeting and event professionals for an afternoon of connection, celebration, and skyline views at Beck & Call, the rooftop restaurant atop Hyatt Centric Memphis. Enjoy light bites, signature cocktails, and a karaoke contest, all while taking in one of the best rooftop views in the city.

Whether you're catching up with familiar faces or making new connections, this is the perfect way to spend a summer afternoon with the MPI TN community.

📍 Beck & Call Rooftop at Hyatt Centric Memphis
🗓️ Thursday, August 20, 2026
🕒 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Grab a cocktail, connect and soak in the views. We'll see you on the rooftop!

📌 RSVP link in the comments — see you there!