[Alex Csank]

Alfisti,

I am happy to create the first post in this thread.

I would like to start a thread devoted to National Converntion planning. Currently, there are about six threads with similar concepts, but none of them is devoted to general future convention planning. Why not start here?

Please post all convention ideas and experiences which would assist planners right here.

 

[conedriver]

First, thanks to Simon for creating the AROC forum.

Regarding convention planning; I suggest creating a standardized convention evaluation form. This could have ratings and comments for all of the activities that make up a convention, and results could be saved from year to year eliminating the need to rely on individual's memories. How about:

Convention Website
Advance registration
Check in registration
Board meeting
Vendor rooms
Art exhibit
Tech inspection
Parking lot space
Trailor / RV parking
Special activities (Boat cruise, Museum visit, Tunnel tour, etc.)
Tech sessions
Time Trial
Autocross
Rally
Concours
Banquet
Awards lunch
Trophies
Convention hotel & facilities

Alfisti,

I am happy to create the first post in this thread.

I would like to start a thread devoted to National Converntion planning. Currently, there are about six threads with similar concepts, but none of them is devoted to general future convention planning. Why not start here?

Please post all convention ideas and experiences which would assist planners right here.

 

[Editor_Reid]

I would like to start a thread devoted to National Convention planning. Currently, there are about six threads with similar concepts, but none of them is devoted to general future convention planning. Why not start here? Please post all convention ideas and experiences which would assist planners right here.

As the Chairman of the 2009 Convention, scheduled for July 14-19 in Portland, Oregon, I welcome this thread and will watch it for ideas and guidance.

Reid Trummel
Alfa Romeo Owners of Oregon

 

[Nicola]

Woo Hoo!!!

This is great!
I suggested to the AROC board that they appoint (anoint?) a Director specifically for this purpose, but this forum may actually prove to be a better venue onto which the attendees, and potential attendees can provide feedback.
First off - I congratulate our southern brethren for being awarded the 2009 convention, and I am sure the NWARC will attend in force, as they did in 2000. It's really a lot more fun attending conventions than it is to host them. AMHIK
With BShorey now on the board, it is intuitive that he will be directing you Orygun planners to his "secret" website which contains hugely gigantic informative data for you to utilize in your planning.
Also valuable however is to take advantage of the comments of multi-convention-goers and active participants (beginning with George and Dee - Conedrivers both), such as will be commenting on this thread).
For all the planning and help the committee receives from National, in the end, it is the attendees/participants that make a successful convention. AMHIK
Good luck with your work Reid. You are blessed with an enthusiastic, experienced and large membership in Oregon that will make your job easier - (Having a couple of AROC board members doesn't hurt)!!
Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help.

 

[Editor_Reid]

Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help.

Please contact me off-list at [email protected]. Thanks.

 

[Pat Braden]

I have a far from complete table, maybe spread sheet is a clearer indication for some of you, from the beginning year of the convention, where it was held, what race track was used, some attendance figures for the latest conventions, who spoke at the convention, awards given, anything else that was memorable about the convention, including weather.

Anyone that has weather, attendance figures, speakers, honorary memberships granted etc. who wants to share and add to the list, contact me off list at [email protected].

I'm guessing Brian's "secret" website, well it's not too "secret" anymore except for the address, now is it; contains money issues which I'm not tracking and really not interested in. I'm looking for the common thread of what makes people attend where and why beyond the die-hards that go to every convention.

 

[peglegtom]

I Plan to Attend!

This would be my first AROC convention, but because it is close (approximaely 90 miles) and currently have at least one "driver" Alfa, I am looking forward to this convention! My current driver is a 164Q which I really enjoy, but I would hope to have at least one of my Duetto's in a drivable condition by that time. My goal (if not actuality) is that my wife can drive the 164 down and I would bring the Duetto. But if not, how many activities are available if I just bring the 164Q?

I would really appreciate a schedule of activities that are open to the various vintages as soon as possible.

Thanks!

 

[Editor_Reid]

I would really appreciate a schedule of activities that are open to the various vintages as soon as possible.

All activities are open to all attendees and all Alfas. Some involve extra cost of course, and cars entered in the time trials and autocross must pass a tech inspection, but you will have MANY opportunities to enjoy driving your Alfa - of any vintage - in the company of other Alfa enthusiasts!

 

[amico]

Alex,
Thanks. I hope the thread does lead to the exchange of useful information. I am absolutely astounded that reasonably accurate "official" stats. are not readily available. The CAROC board spent a lot of time trying to agree on an attendance figure upon which to base committment for the various activities for the Chicago convention in 2008.. To George's point, it would be a great help to subsequent hosting chapters to know the good/bad/ugly relative to each activity. The information would make it easier for the planners and more enjoyable for the attendees. As such, please fell free to share your thoughts.
Thanks!
Tony

 

[conedriver]

Convention evaluations.

I posted a list and comments in the "2008 convention suggestions" thread, Cheryl has a spreadsheet with her comments and information, and there are certainly others who will contibute.

Next; who will be caretaker? (or, should this be an official AROC function?), how will input be handled and should there be periodic public viewing on the BB? Certainly initial convention comments / reflections will elicit more comments, but the evaluations must be limited (or summarized) to prevent the list from becoming too unwieldy.

I have a far from complete table, maybe spread sheet is a clearer indication for some of you, from the beginning year of the convention, where it was held, what race track was used, some attendance figures for the latest conventions, who spoke at the convention, awards given, anything else that was memorable about the convention, including weather.

Anyone that has weather, attendance figures, speakers, honorary memberships granted etc. who wants to share and add to the list, contact me off list at [email protected].

I'm guessing Brian's "secret" website, well it's not too "secret" anymore except for the address, now is it; contains money issues which I'm not tracking and really not interested in. I'm looking for the common thread of what makes people attend where and why beyond the die-hards that go to every convention.

 

[Nicola]

Might need to break this into two threads - one for Chicagoland and one for Portland???

 

[Alex Csank]

Actually, what I think would be more useful than breaking it up into more threads is to keep this thread limited to general convention planning issues. There should be a 2008, a 2009 and eventually a 2010 thread which will deal specifically with each of those conventions. This thread should only have generic information for convention planning purposes.

 

[Pat Braden]

Actually, what I think would be more useful than breaking it up into more threads is to keep this thread limited to general convention planning issues. There should be a 2008, a 2009 and eventually a 2010 thread which will deal specifically with each of those conventions. This thread should only have generic information for convention planning purposes.

I agree. While memories are nice and some of them have warranted and valuable information, the thread could quickly degrade into something else or easily be hijacked.

A miscellaneous thought for future or current convention planners; while overall attendance figures are wonderful, they don't tell us a lot about the variables, so if there is time, a simple analysis of attendance by region would be helpful. How many are coming from how far based on location of the convention. The Detroit Group found that they had very low attendance from their own state where there are plenty of Alfisti. A surprise to them.

One possible reason, the fear of being hooked in to more than being able to enjoy the activities.

 

[Zunige]

...
Next; who will be caretaker? (or, should this be an official AROC function?), how will input be handled and should there be periodic public viewing on the BB? Certainly initial convention comments / reflections will elicit more comments, but the evaluations must be limited (or summarized) to prevent the list from becoming too unwieldy.

I think that it would be best if this is put together by those of us who are on the BB. I say this because I feel that we can get a lot discussed and accomplished on the BB. This would really be helpful to all AROC members who are on the BB (organizers of events, included, of course) and then we could also submit the results to the BoD. In general, I think it would be great for those of us who have the desire and enthusiasm to do this, rather than assigning a task to the AROC Board. This doesn't mean that once it is done it wouldn't be "official" - we would certainly want the BoD to review it and approve it.

I would suggest that we form a small group of BB members to put this together, and publish the spreadsheet. I find that taking the lead with a small group is very effective. I'll volunteer to take on any roll or help in any way I can...

Best regards,

 

[Alex Csank]

Link to the AROC Convention Planning Guide:

http://www.aroc-usa.org/community/conventionmanual.pdf

 

[conedriver]

This is a great conversation...

We already have considerable information for conducting an AROC convention:

The Convention planning guidelines (with link posted by Alex) provide a comprehensive format for planning.

The AROC Concours guidelines and the Competition code outline the nuts and bolts of conducting these events.

And now...ta da...we have the beginnings of a scheme to evaluate what has gone before so planners of future conventions can hopefully respond as they plan the next iterations of traditional activities (and maybe some surprises).

I second Enrique Zunige to put this information together; he is a dyed-in-the-wool Alfisti who brings a thoughtfull perspective to the world of Alfa Romeo in the U.S. Further, he has an IT background that should allow him to create a scheme to gather, compile, and present the information.

My suggestion for ground rules: Be truthfull, offer constructive suggestions, and be nice (no flame wars).

I think that it would be best if this is put together by those of us who are on the BB. I say this because I feel that we can get a lot discussed and accomplished on the BB. This would really be helpful to all AROC members who are on the BB (organizers of events, included, of course) and then we could also submit the results to the BoD. In general, I think it would be great for those of us who have the desire and enthusiasm to do this, rather than assigning a task to the AROC Board. This doesn't mean that once it is done it wouldn't be "official" - we would certainly want the BoD to review it and approve it.

I would suggest that we form a small group of BB members to put this together, and publish the spreadsheet. I find that taking the lead with a small group is very effective. I'll volunteer to take on any roll or help in any way I can...

Best regards,

 

[amico]

I stand with George. The information should be sincere/honest with the intent to strengthen future convention experience by drawing on what has worked well, what needs to be improved and what needs to be avoided. Thus, it allows the participants to become a constructive part of the process. Please participate and share you thougths and experience.
I know for a fact that the CAROC board is appreciative of all the information offered by Motor City by virtue of their experience and is open to all other positive feedback. Thanks,

 

[Pat Braden]

The AROC Concours guidelines and the Competition code outline the nuts and bolts of conducting these events.

The above are two of the big time consumers that cause the most anguish and despair in the process of trying to be fair and get things done in a timely manner. I can certainly speak to the concours guidelines as can Peter Pleitner and a few others who were involved in the judging in Detroit. There are some very knowledgeable judges who will decline judging simply because of the pressure and the "fly by the seat of your pants" decisions that seem to arise and have to be dealt with at every convention.

I will mention though, it was not just Detroit, with or without Arno's new concours guidelines manual, it is and has always been a daunting task, which has not necessarily improved over the last 20 to 30 years. There is never enough time to tick off everything on the list on every car and there's always the discussion of how to be fair when they lump car categories together to be judged that do not belong together to save time and because of a shortage of knowledgeable judges. In the 30 or so years Pat judged that was the norm not the exception. I've heard many complaints over the years about the system and Detroit was no exception with some very vocal and disappointed judges who let others know the system needs to be fixed.

My best advice on this one, figure out a way to pre-judge some of the cars on things that will not change from Saturdays inspection to Sundays or whatever days you pick; allow triple the time that you think it will take using the current rules/manual in place; don't attempt to do the Concours judging Sunday morning and expect the results to be announced at the luncheon --- too many last minute issues to be resolved and not enough time to tally the categories, let alone inspect the cars.

I'll let someone else who is more knowledgeable talk about the inherent and what seem to be consistent problems with the competition code being applied fairly to all across the board. Brian can certainly speak to this and Russ Neely, as I recall, who wrote the current competition code or updated what had been established by John Hoard. All three guys are excellent sources for input and information.

 

[Nicola]

Concours Judging

Another thing that might help would be an entry on the registration form that would enable convention attendees to indicate both their willingness to be a judge and also the model of their expertise. NWARC had a heck of a time getting enough people to be judges let alone were familiar with the category they were going to judge. That was just one more thing the already harried concours planning volunteers had to worry about right up until the a.m. of the concours.
Alternatively National (Arno?) or recent host chapters might be able to provide a list of the people who judged their concours. Then the host (Chicago/Portland) could query interest as the registrations come in.

 

[OldSpi101]

well, this is my very first posting on the Alfa BB and the subject matter is what caught my eye. I see that our 2009 Chair is "attending" the discussion..a handy thing. I guess that we all know that Joel Edinburg has developed an "AROC Convention Planning" document..a good place to start. I suspect that there are many more details that could come from this Forum however.