Danniel Kaczoroski: How to Keep Annual Meetings Fresh

By Katie Scrivano

Wisconsin Meetings (WM) recently spoke with Whitewater- based planner Danniel Kaczoroski, CMP and event supervisor at Generac Power Systems, who is part of a team that plans and produces nearly 100 annual meetings and events.

WM: Tell us more about your role at Generac and the types of events you plan.

DK: I have been with Generac about six years, and was promoted to this role about two years ago.

I plan both internal and external events for the company, including the annual summer company
picnic (which draws 6,000 people and is held at Wisconsin destinations like the upcoming Wisconsin State Fair), and the company’s annual conference (which
is typically held at a destination locale, most recently in Denver).

WM: How do you approach planning a major company event at destination venues from here in Wisconsin?

DK: We always spend a few days doing a site visit beforehand – meeting with catering and venue staff, deciding on transportation and entertainment options and figuring out training rooms. We are likely going to Texas for the first time for our annual conference, and even considering going international. But if a place works, we stick with it.

WM: Planning so many annual events, how do you keep things fresh?

DK: You have to try something new and think outside the box. We always create new t-shirts for our company picnic, and people look forward to finding out the color each year – we’re able to build anticipation with it. We also try to do our due diligence to find new event experiences – we’ve done whirly ball, a battleship game and escape rooms.

WM: What types of challenges do you run into when planning events?

DK: One challenge is planning for food allergies – including preferences like gluten free and keto. We have tried to use big national catering chains in the past, but there’s never enough meat – especially for people avoiding gluten. And because the cost of food is going up, we’re executing a daily head count for food orders.

WM: Have you and your team started used AI tools for planning needs?

DK: Yes! We have not had a copywriter on our team, so we are using AI tools for wording event session descriptions and landing pages. And our team is staying current through certification courses from resources like MPI Global.

WM: What advice do you have for other planners juggling so many events annually?

DK: Make connections everywhere. I once met a contact who does 3D printing on the side and ended up working with him to create centerpieces for the MPI annual gala. There’s also never enough time in the day, so we stay organized using shared spreadsheets and CVENT software that give our full team access, and are exploring other cost-friendly software like Survey Monkey an Greenenvelope for post-event surveys.

WM: How do you balance your workload and avoid the stress of the job?

DK: I recently heard that meeting planning is the fourth most stressful job, so no wonder we feel so stressed out! As a widow and mom of four kids, I finally learned how to ask for help – I was able to hire a coordinator to relieve some of the workload. Burnout is real, and it’s imperative to take personal time and unplug completely to ensure you can be “on” for all of your events.