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Meeting Professionals International (MPI) announced today a new concept for its Opening General Session (OGS) at the MeetDifferent® conference this February. One+ Real Time will replace the traditional OGS lineup as an interactive news style format incorporating multiple sets and delivery styles - including single correspondent commentary, interviews, video segments, and viewpoint discussions. 

MPI will use this unique format to answer the question on everyone´s minds – how to survive and thrive in the midst of today´s economic turmoil.

One+ Real Time will be anchored by personal finance expert and syndicated Chicago Sun Times columnist, Terry Savage. A regular commentator for CNN, CNBC, PBS, and NBC on issues related to investing and financial markets, Savage will field questions and provide insight along with other industry experts throughout the feature stories, viewpoint discussions and interviews. 

Divided into two Feature Stories – “Survival of the Fittest” and “Brave New World” – One+ Real Time will highlight many industry and economic contributors such as Don Reynolds (nationally recognized economic expert), Roger Dow (president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association), Issa Jouaneh (vice president of global meeting solutions for American Express), Mike Gamble (co-founder of SearchWideTM), Walter Akana (a senior-level career consultant and personal branding strategist), and Cindy D´Aoust (senior vice president of Maritz Travel). In “Survival of the Fittest,” Don Reynolds will share his view on how the meeting and event industry will survive the current conditions of the economic downturn and the job market. Followed by a viewpoint conversation about solutions and tactics to weather the industry´s challenges, Mike Gamble and Walter Akana will address the audience´s real time questions. 

Directly after the viewpoint discussion, Roger Dow will discuss the political climate and perception issues impacting the travel and hospitality industries.

Story Two, “Brave New World” will be a discussion on how to thrive during seemingly bleak economic situations.  Referencing newly released data from the MPI/American Express FutureWatch 2009 study, Issa Jouaneh will bring the big picture into focus, analyzing key industry trends and challenges for the year ahead.  Following, a viewpoint discussion will debate how to prepare as professionals and as an industry to meet near future challenges. 

Through the use of the latest technology, One+ Real Time will provide a forum for the OGS audience – attendees will be able to submit topic questions in real-time via text messaging. The event will also be broadcast over the Internet.

For more information, visit MeetDifferent.

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