History

mic_articles_greyMIC Colorado History

1987 – Scott Friedman invited members of other industry-related associations to chat over breakfast. He invited Presidents and Executive Directors of the other associations.

Scott continued to plan the meeting times for 5 years at a local restaurant.

Scott also helped to organize Round Tables two times a year. The association boards were invited and they all decided upon the subject matter for each table. To be discussed.

1992 – Bob Wendover from NSA took the ball and kept the meetings going about once a quarter.

When a new Colorado Convention Center was opened Scott helped organize a meeting inviting all members to celebrate the opening.

Previous Management Company Rocky Mountain Event Consultants were hired in May 2006 and managed MIC through June 2021. 

November 14, 2000 MIC was Incorporated in the State of Colorado

The current management company, Kinsley Meetings was hired in May 2021 and continues to manage MIC to the present. 

Past Chairs:
2000 – 2002 Karen Garcia
2003 – 2007 Gary Schirmacher
2008 – 2009 Rebecca Dillahunty
2010 – 2011 Ken Williams – (Last 2-year term)
2012 – Nicole Marsh
2013 – Kristin Hutton
2014 – Debbi Beldon
2015 – Debbie Taylor
2016 – Ansley Seymour
2017 – Sidney Stoper
2018 – Dean Savoca
2019 – Todd Seymour
2020 – Jenn Wade CMP
2021 – Kimberly Forte

2022 – Lora Knowlton

2001 MIC Hosted “America’s Hospitality Community on Alert”

2001 MIC Conference was at the Holiday Inn DIA
571 attendees using 11 Association mail lists
200 Trade show exhibitors

We reached out to surrounding states for exhibitors
Chicago and Dallas CVBs have exhibited.

2002 MIC Conference was at the Holiday Inn DIA
533 attendees
Not sure of the number of exhibitors

2003-2004 MIC hosted two APEX City-Wide Discussions

2003 – MIC Conference at the Adam’s Mark Denver
573 Attendees
Appr. 110 trade show exhibitors

2004 MIC Conference at the Colorado Convention Center
544 Attendees
Appr. 100 trade show exhibitors

2005 MIC Conference at Adams Mark
500 plus attendees
100 trade show exhibitors

2006 MIC Conference at Hyatt Regency Conference Center
454 attendees
95 trade show exhibitors

2007 MIC Conference March 21, 2007, at The Holiday Inn DIA
550 attendees
100 Trade Show exhibitors
Additional Exhibitors – 41
Planners – 159
Suppliers not exhibiting –86
Sponsors, speakers, dignitaries, students, volunteers made up the rest of the attendees
Program Link: http://www.fairwaygraphicsllc.com/2007MICProgram.pdf

2008 MIC Conference March 25, 2008, at Adam’s Mark Denver…soon to be Sheraton
595 Attendees
94 Exhibitors – MIC organizations in pavilion area only – 18 US States, Canada, and Puerto Rico
Additional Exhibitors – 103
Planners – 190
Suppliers not exhibiting –91
Sponsors, speakers, dignitaries, students, volunteers made up the rest of the attendees
Program Link: http://www.fairwaygraphicsllc.com/2008MICProgram.pdf

2009 MIC Conference March 18, 2009, at Colorado Convention Center
639 Attendees
118 Exhibitors including 13 MIC organizations – 19 US states and Canada and Puerto Rico (exhibitors limited to this show)
Additional Exhibitors – 117
Planners – 179
Suppliers not exhibiting –75
Sponsors, speakers, students, volunteers made up the rest of the attendees
Program Link: http://www.fairwaygraphicsllc.com/2009MICProgram.pdf

2010 MIC Conference March 17, 2011, at Sheraton Denver Hotel
105 Exhibitors – including 13 MIC organizations – 21 US states and Canada (exhibitors limited to this show)
632 Attendees
Additional Exhibitors – 115
Planners – 177
Suppliers not exhibiting – 95
Sponsors, speakers, dignitaries, students, volunteers made up the rest of the attendees
Program Link: https://mic-colorado.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/2010MICProgram.pdf

2011 MIC Conference March 16, 2011, at Colorado Convention Center
107 Exhibitors – 23 US States, Canada, and Puerto Rico plus 13 MIC Orgs (exhibitors limited to this show)
748 Attendees
Additional Exhibitors -140
Planners – 235
Suppliers not exhibiting – 112
Sponsors, speakers, dignitaries, students, volunteers made up the rest of the attendees
Program Link: http://www.fairwaygraphicsllc.com/2011MICProgram.pdf

2012 MIC Conference March 8, 2012, at Colorado Convention Center
823 Attendees
112 Exhibitors – 23 US States, Canada, and Puerto Rico plus 13 MIC Org exhibitors
Exhibitors – 112 from 23 US states along with Canada and Puerto Rico – Not including 13 MIC Orgs
Colorado Convention Center (exhibitors limited to this show)
Additional Exhibitors – 165
Planners – 235
Suppliers not exhibiting – 108
Sponsors, speakers, , dignitaries, students, volunteers made up the rest of the attendees
Program Link: http://www.fairwaygraphicsllc.com/2012MICProgram.pdf

2013 MIC Conference March 27, 2013, at Colorado Convention Center
Attendees – 955
Exhibitors – 112 from 23 US states along with Canada and Puerto Rico – Not including 13 MIC Orgs (exhibitors limited to this show)
Colorado Convention Center
Additional Exhibitors – 208
Planners – 314
Suppliers not exhibiting – 113
Sponsors, speakers, students, volunteers made up the rest of the attendees
Program Link: http://www.fairwaygraphicsllc.com/MIC/2013MICProgram.pdf

2014 MIC Conference March 12, 2014, at Colorado Convention Center
Attendees – 960
Exhibitors – 126 booths from 24 US states along with Canada and Puerto Rico – Not including 13 MIC Orgs (exhibitors are limited to this Show)
Additional Exhibitors – 200
Planners – 300
Suppliers not exhibiting – 157
Sponsors, speakers, dignitaries, students, volunteers made up the rest of the attendees
Program Link: http://www.fairwaygraphicsllc.com/MIC/2014_MIC_Day_of_%20Program.pdf

2015 MIC Conference March 18, 2015, at Colorado Convention Center
Attendees – 1160
Exhibitors – 106 booths from 24 US states along with Canada and Puerto Rico – Exhibitor count does not include additional space by Exhibitors for Islands and Double booths and does not include the 13 MIC Orgs (exhibitors are limited to this Show)
Additional Exhibitors – 200
Planners – 360
Suppliers not exhibiting – 197
Sponsors, speakers, dignitaries, students, volunteers made up the rest of the attendees
Program Link: https://mic-colorado.org/MIC-Conference/2015_MIC_Program_web.pdf

2016 MIC Conference March 17, 2016, at Colorado Convention Center
Attendees – 1175
Exhibitors – 130 booths from 24 US states along with Canada and Puerto Rico – Exhibitor count does not include additional space by Exhibitors for Islands and Double booths and does not include the 13 MIC Orgs (exhibitors are limited to this Show)
Additional Exhibitors – 211
Planners – 413
Suppliers not exhibiting – 167
Sponsors, speakers, dignitaries, students, volunteers made up the rest of the attendees
Program Link: https://mic-colorado.org/MIC-Conference/2016_MIC_Program_web.pdf

2017 MIC Conference March 14 and March 15, 2017, at Colorado Convention Center
Attendees – 1206
Exhibitors – 130 booths from 24 US states along with Canada and Puerto Rico – Exhibitor count does not include additional space by Exhibitors for Islands and Double booths and does not include the 13 MIC Orgs (exhibitors are limited to this Show)
Additional Exhibitors – 237
Planners – 424
Suppliers not exhibiting – 173
Sponsors, speakers, dignitaries, students, volunteers made up the rest of the attendees
Program Link: https://mic-colorado.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/2017_MIC_Program.v2.pdf

2018 MIC Conference March 13 and March 14, 2018, at Colorado Convention Center
Attendees – 1209
Exhibitors – 130 booths from 24 US states along with Canada and Puerto Rico – Exhibitor count does not include additional space by Exhibitors for Islands and Double booths and does not include the 13 MIC Orgs (exhibitors are limited to this Show)
Additional Exhibitors – 196
Planners – 424
Suppliers not exhibiting – 134
Sponsors, speakers, dignitaries, students, volunteers made up the rest of the attendees
Program Link: https://mic-colorado.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/MIC_2018_Program_web.pdf

2019 MIC Conference March 12 and March 13, 2019, at Colorado Convention Center
Attendees – 1,117 Registered – Cyclone Bomb Storm in Denver
Exhibitors – 135 booths from 24 US states along with Canada – Exhibitor count does not include additional space by Exhibitors for Islands and Double booths and does not include the 13 MIC Orgs (exhibitors limited to this Show)
Additional Exhibitors – 201
Planners – 362
Suppliers not exhibiting – 156
Sponsors, speakers, dignitaries, students, volunteers made up the rest of the attendees
Program Link: https://mic-colorado.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/2019_MIC_Program_WEB.pdf

2020 MIC Conference March 10 and March 11, 2020, at Colorado Convention Center
Attendees – 1072 COVID-19 just hit Colorado – The last Conference at Colorado Convention Center before the Colorado shutdown
Exhibitors – 122 booths from 24 US states along with Canada – Exhibitor count does not include additional space by Exhibitors for Islands and Double booths and does not include the 13 MIC Orgs (exhibitors are limited to this Show – new layout, larger booths fewer booth opportunities)
Additional Exhibitors – 164
Planners – 333
Suppliers not exhibiting – 109
Sponsors, speakers, dignitaries, students, volunteers made up the rest of the attendees
Program Link: https://mic-colorado.org/events/past-events/2020-2/

2021 MIC Conference June 2, 2021, at Colorado Convention Center
Attendees – 442 (In-Person & Virtual)
Exhibitors – 81 booths from 20 US states along with one international (Finland) Canada – Exhibitor count does not include additional space by Exhibitors for Islands and Double booths and does not include the 13 MIC Orgs 
Additional Exhibitors – 110
Planners – 163
Suppliers not exhibiting – 14
Sponsors, speakers, unemployed from the industry, virtual attendees, students, volunteers made up the rest of the attendees
Program Link:https://mic-colorado.org/events/mic-2021/

2022 MIC Conference March 1-2, 2022, at Colorado Convention Center
Attendees – 663 (In-Person)
Exhibitors – 87 booths – Exhibitor count does not include additional space by Exhibitors for Islands and Double booths and does not include the 13 MIC Orgs 
Additional Exhibitors – 303
Planners – 183
Suppliers not exhibiting – 72
Sponsors, speakers, unemployed from the industry, virtual attendees, students, volunteers made up the rest of the attendees
Program Link:https://mic-colorado.org/events/mic-2022/

The MIC committee chair, vice-chair, secretary, and treasurer all serve for 1 year. Every association has a representative at each monthly meeting.

Until 2016, NSA had always provided the program chair. The committee was first made up of most of the Association presidents and now for several years some of the associations have appointed a member of their board other than the president to represent them at the monthly meetings.

The Associations that belong to MIC- Colorado are:

  • Christian Meetings & Conventions Association (CMCA)
  • Colorado Festivals and Events Association (CFEA)
  • Colorado Society of Association Executives (CSAE)
  • Global Business Travel Association (GBTA)
  • Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI)
  • International Association of Exhibitions & Events (IAEE)
  • Meeting Professionals International Rocky Mountain Chapter(MPI)
  • National Association for Catering and Events (NACE)
  • National Speakers Association Colorado (NSA/Colorado)
  • Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA)
  • Society of Government Meeting Professionals (SGMP)
  • VISIT DENVER