Leading Through Change

Alison Hutchinson kept a list of the things she would do when she presided over the Wisconsin chapter of Meeting Professionals International (MPI) for a year.

But Hutchison recognized the need to alter her lofty goals weeks before she took over as MPI Wisconsin’s new president. In April, she added to her list goals designed to lead members through an industry-wide shutdown.

“Six months ago, I had it all planned out. I even knew what I planned to say in my intro letter. But now, with the current situation, my goal is to be a servant leader, be there for members and show that we care,” Hutchinson says.

The 22-year industry veteran focuses on helping members recover and thrive in a new normal. Nationally, MPI began hosting webinars to help members navigate changes brought on by the pandemic. Locally, MPI Wisconsin offers post webinar chats where members share their ideas and experiences navigating the shutdown and reopening.

Hutchinson adds to this momentum by increasing risk management education for MPI Wisconsin members. She draws from her time as an adjunct professor teaching event management at Fox Valley Technical College to lead the chapter’s new educational endeavors.

“I want to increase online educational opportunities,” she says. “We’ve noticed that the post-webinar group

chats encouraged participation from members who normally won’t attend a meeting in person. I want to build upon that.”

Caring and serving others comes naturally for the hospitality-industry professional. Hutchinson explains she comes from a family of nurses, though she knew early on that nursing wasn’t for her. Hutchinson pursued a degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management from the University of Wisconsin-Stout, which led her to the sales side of the meetings and events business. She worked event sales at hotels in Chicago, Green Bay and Neenah, before landing her present position as Group Sales Manager for the Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Being in sales brings a unique perspective to MPI Wisconsin’s lead role. “In sales you need to be in tune with your clients and their lives,” she says. “Sales taught me to be a good listener and helps me respond to members when they tell me what they like about the organization, what they want more of and topics they care about.”

Watching her peers lose their jobs during the pandemic altered the types of connections she makes. Hutchinson helped the chapter add an online job board where planners can post resumes and companies can post job openings for free. “I hope that we can help make employment matches. I want it to be a resource for my colleagues and friends,” she says.

Though the pandemic brought tough challenges to the industry, Hutchinson admits it also ushered in opportunities for growth. Before COVID-19, she says most planners knew virtual events were possible, but few took them on. The virus forced planners to approach meetings differently and Hutchinson expects the lessons learned to persist long after the pandemic passes.

“The coronavirus shutdown pushed planners out of their comfort zone but now they know how to host virtual events. They know how to leap from an in-person meeting to an online one if they need to. They know how to meet virtually and keep attendees engaged,” she says.

COVID-19 changed Hutchinson’s plans for her presidency, but it did not dampen her enthusiasm for the role. She devoted the first part of her presidency to supporting members and leading through change. She will use her remaining term for face-to-face work. “I cannot wait to see my peers in person and give them a big hug,” she says.