LEARN, CONNECT, & THRIVE
at UVAMC 2024 in Sunny San Diego, CA!

Meet Our Keynote Speaker for UVAMC Day One

Mimi Brown, CSP

CEO, AMP Up Success

Mimi Brown, CSP (Certified Speaking Professional), dazzles audiences worldwide with her compelling presence and mastery in communication and leadership. Over the past 20 years, she has launched diverse businesses and fine-tuned her speaking and strategic skills, making her a sought-after figure on the international stage.

As the CEO of AMP Up Success, Mimi devises programs that captivate industry leaders from McDonald’s to Coca-Cola, weaving cutting-edge leadership and communication strategies into the fabric of corporate settings. Her tenure as a three-time President of the National Speakers Association of Michigan underscores her broad influence, far beyond just entrepreneurial realms.

Her engaging media appearances, from a spirited stint on “The Biggest Loser” to her dynamic role as a TV and media personality, showcase her tongue-in-cheek wit and draw audiences with her radiant energy. An accomplished author, Mimi has been recognized as one of the Women Business Owners Who ROCK, and her vibrant speaking engagements have garnered her the accolade of Michigan Meetings and Events Magazine’s Best Speaker of 2020.

When the applause fades and the stage lights dim, Mimi’s limitless enthusiasm comes to life. Whether sharing a laugh with her lively niece, Aly, releasing stress in a kickboxing session, or chasing the perfect golf swing, Mimi Brown doesn’t just embrace life; she ignites it with her sassy humor and an unstoppable zest.

UVAMC Day One Keynote Session – Skyrocket Your Sales: The Keys to Unlocking Your Earning Potential

Whether you’re a seasoned sales pro or just getting started in the industry, you know that every sales conversation is critical and unique – but did you know there are proven principles and techniques you can use to close more deals and make more money?

In this high-energy keynote, sales and communication expert Mimi Brown will show you how to level up your sales skills and unleash your potential. She’ll share what she learned as a top corporate salesperson at a firm of 350 and as the founder of her own successful company, including:

The one deciding factor that always trumps price, and how to master it
Tricks to shift your mindset and overcome sales blocks
The single most important question you MUST ask when a client reaches out
How to use the third-party story technique to gain rapport and connection
The five secrets to overcoming the toughest sales objections

Session presented by Mimi Brown, CSP

Meet Our Keynote Speaker for UVAMC Day Two

Jim Spellos

President, Meeting U.

Jim Spellos is the President of Meeting U. whose mission for over 20 years is to help people become more productive and comfortable with technology.

In 2022, Meeting Professionals International included Jim on their most influential list in the hospitality industry in honor of their 50th anniversary celebration. In 2021, Glisser named Jim one of the most influential people in virtual events.

He was a faculty member at New York University for 25 years receiving both their award for Teaching Excellence and their Outstanding Service Award. In 2015, Jim was named one of the Meeting Industry’s trendsetters by Meetings Today magazine.

Jim is on the Board of Directors for Rock and Wrap It Up, an anti-poverty, anti-hunger organization which recovers excess food from concerts, sports, and other events. Jim co-created their Whole Earth Calculator app. He also speaks about food recovery and sustainability to groups around the country. In 2018 & 2019, BizBash named Jim one of their top 500 people in events for his work in sustainability.

Jim is an accomplished musician and songwriter who released his first solo album, Stroke of Genius in 2020.

He has a certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutritional Studies, is a certified Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine’s Food for Life Instructor, and supports Plant Powered Metro New York in educating people about a healthy diet and lifestyle, which helped save his own life.

Day Two Keynote Session – Everything You Need to Know About Artificial Intelligence…But Didn’t Know to Ask

It’s been over a year that ChatGPT and the desktop AI revolution became an every day reality. Generative Artificial Intelligence’s impact has been enormous to all industries, including venues and the hospitality industry. While many are still fearful that AI will replace the need for some workers, perhaps even some meeting planners, most organizations are beginning to see that is not the case. Attend this session to learn how to most effectively use AI and to keep up the various updates and changes that will impact your career now and moving forward.

After participating in this session, the learner will be able to:

Identify 30+ AI tools that can support your work
Review and discuss with your peers the impact of AI and other technologies on the future of the profession
Understand the latest AI trends and tools available to our industry

Session Presented by Jim Spellos

AI’s Top 40: Navigating the New Wave of Business Tools

Curious about how AI can help your business hit the high notes of efficiency and cost-saving? “AI’s Top 40” charts a course through over 40 AI tools, to show you the latest practical tools. From creating eye-catching visuals to streamlining social media to a host of other innovative solutions, this session tunes into the tools that will save you time and money. Whether you’ve been playing with AI tools for the past year or just starting out, this Top 40 will be sure to be in your heavy rotation.