By Brandi McGrath Kong, Director of Communications & Conferences

Planning a convention is both rewarding and challenging for Sertoma staff and leadership, offering a wealth of lessons that transcend mere event logistics. From navigating diverse member expectations to mastering the art of seamless coordination, there are many factors that go into making each decision. Through our journey of organizing regional conventions the past two years, Jason and I have gained invaluable insights into effective communication, strategic problem-solving, and the importance of flexibility in the face of unexpected twists. Today, we want to share a few key lessons we’ve learned, some things we have found are going well, and how our members can help moving forward.

What’s Going Well…

• Consistent education is key. Creating a consistent educational experience was one of the chief reasons the Board of Directors elected to bring regional convention planning to the staff level. The International Education Committee has been tasked with creating and developing an educational agenda that spans the International Conference and seven Regional Conventions. Our feedback from these events have consistently shown that the work of this team, along with that of our trainers and facilitators, has been overwhelmingly successful and well received.
• The shortened schedule has worked well. It has helped keep costs somewhat manageable during rising hotel and food prices, while also allowing Sertomans to spend less time away from home, work and their families. There are always going to be a few people who would choose different days of the week or elect for a longer (or even shorter) event, but our survey feedback has demonstrated that people like the current format for the most part. While there may be little tweaks that need to be made to the schedule on occasion, we think we have found a sweet spot in days and length.
• We are committed to making decisions that prioritize the overall improvement of our organization. Sertoma staff and leadership are charged with making choices that have the entire membership in mind. We continue to do our best to fully consider the diverse needs, preferences and opinions of our attendees. It can be so easy to get caught up in personal preference or what’s comfortable, but I applaud our Regional Directors and international officers in working with our staff to make decisions based on data, measurable feedback and an unbiased perspective. They are great volunteers to collaborate with in the planning process and truly have the future of Sertoma in mind.
   

What We’re Still Working On…

• Work still needs to be done on hospitality suites. What that exactly looks like varies by region, but that is where we will continue to rely on the expertise of the seven Regional Directors and their volunteers. Our goal is to keep this predominantly member-led to keep costs manageable and ensure the experience caters to what attendees in each region need and prefer. If staff gets involved, all food and drinks would be ordered through the hotel and budgeted into the registration cost, likely raising the cost to attend.
• Communicate, communicate and then communicate some more. Members and staff alike are still navigating this ever-changing process. While HQ has made a concerted effort to communicate and will continue to do so through our publications, social media, and blog posts, there is always room for more. Between staff and our international leadership, we continue to strive to help Sertomans understand how the process works, who is “responsible” for what, and the role the regional director plays in decision making. We feel like we have done a pretty good job in communicating a lot of this information already, but we still are not reaching everyone. If you are reading this and think the information might be useful for your members, please share with your fellow Sertomans on your club social media or at your next club meeting.
• Regional details vary. There are still those little nuances that make each regional unique. We continue to hone our knowledge of intricacies so that we can honor old traditions and build new ones. We are appreciative of the many Sertomans who have taken the time to explain the backstory behind the memorial service traditions, the history of region-specific awards, the role of preferred regional sponsorships and so much more. I’ll be the first to admit that we’re still learning, and I appreciate the patience, help and grace that has been afforded by so many of you as we learn.

How You Can Help…

• Celebrate the Sertoma of today and the future! Sertoma has a strong history steeped in success and tradition. We love that about our organization, but we also realize that times are different now. In a post-COVID world where the average age of our membership is on the rise, the way our clubs operate have changed. The same is true for the international organization. There are a multitude of routes the conventions can take, but they must make logistical, strategic, and fiscal sense for where the organization and its members are in 2025 and beyond. We must be forward-thinking as the state of events and service organizations change, and we invite our members to join us in this journey.
• Embrace all Sertomans. Our mission is Service to Mankind – all mankind. The same is true for Regional Conventions. It is important that Sertoma as an organization does its best to avoid unintentional exclusionary activities or practices. There are times when we have first-time attendees who don’t know how things work, people who miss out on our communications, or organizations that have not always had a presence at meetings. Their opinions and feedback is as needed as that of our long-time attendees. It’s always nice to see old friends, but please help us in welcoming newcomers and building new friendships. Peer-to-peer relationships are so essential to the convention experience, and that is something only you all as Sertomans can provide. I can tell you from firsthand experience, y’all do it very well!

• You can have a say in the process! Each step of the planning process is made with the feedback of members in mind. We work closely with your elected Regional Directors and many volunteers on everything from host city and hotel selection to schedule and volunteer assignments. Sertomans are given the chance to provide feedback in post-event surveys. Regional directors are available to Sertomans who want to share their constructive comments personally. You can also reach out to staff. Please don’t wait to be asked; speak up if there is something we need to know. Every constructive opinion truly is considered, and while we cannot make every single change that comes up, we do our best to balance them against other feedback and opportunities to put forth the best experience possible.

Sertoma is currently in the process of preplanning activities for the 2025 Regional Conventions. If you have any feedback to share that was not already included a previous event survey, please reach out to your Regional Director, Jason or myself. We’d love to hear from you!