As I write this in late March (very late if you believe the JSHAP folks), we are still wrapping things up from the 2023 Annual Meeting. In some ways it seems like it just ended and in others it seems a long time ago. I guess that is just the cycle of things. At any rate, I am already starting to look towards Nashville. The last time the Annual Meeting was held in Nashville was 2001. We were at the Nashville Renaissance Hotel downtown. I remember that because I got into a taxi from the airport and the driver asked where I was going. I told him the Renaissance downtown and he told me, in a very heavy Tennessee accent (and remember, I am from the south, so I speak southern) that there was no such hotel. After much back and forth, I finally showed him the copy of the hotel confirmation to which he replied, “Oh, you mean the ReNAYzance!”
Anyway, by all accounts, it seems we had a very successful meeting at the Gaylord Rockies. Attendance was up from 2022 at 956 total attendees. International attendance also increased, as did the number of technical tables. Student attendance had declined from pre-pandemic numbers but was similar to 2022. The comments I have received and the survey responses I have seen, have overwhelmingly been positive. Historically, complaints usually fall into 3 categories: meeting room temperature, audiovisual issues, or bad food. This year, it seems attendees were mostly happy with all three.
From what I observed, any issues with the room temperature or seating were addressed quickly and satisfactorily. This year, as last year, we used a third-party audiovisual company. I have to say, from my interaction with them, it was the most positive experience we have had in a long time. They had plenty of staff on site to accomplish set up in a timely manner, the equipment was high quality, and any issues that arose (which they always do – it is technology you know, and Gremlins are real) were addressed promptly and effectively.
As far as the food goes, I have heard more positive comments this year than I have heard in a long time. I challenged the chefs before the meeting ever started that if they were going to do a pork dish, it had better be cooked to the correct temperature, served warm, and not dried out. Personally, I was very pleased with the job they did.
All-in-all, most attendees were very happy with the venue and the content. It was a nice facility layout from a staff perspective in that basically all our meeting space was on one floor and near the registration desk. Although the Gaylord is a big property, once you got to the convention area, it was all very compact and easy to navigate.
If there was a negative comment, it had to do with the isolation of the facility. A few folks mentioned that they preferred a venue with more off-site opportunities. On the other hand, however, I heard just as many comments praising the location because it encouraged and facilitated the interaction with our colleagues. That opportunity to network and spend time with old friends is really why a lot of us come to the meeting. At least it always ranks as one of the best aspects of the Annual Meeting.
Although it was considered one of the best meetings, it did not come cheap. I still have not received the final invoices but as with everything else, prices keep going up. You might ask, why did we go with an outside audiovisual company for instance? Well, the hotel wanted over $150,000 to handle the AV for our meeting. We got it done for less than half of that (which was still more than we have ever paid in the past). Somebody asked me why there was no coffee on the afternoon breaks. I made that decision as an attempt to control food and beverage costs. By the time the hotel adds on the service charge (25%) and taxes, that 8-ounce cup of hot, brown water costs $9.75. The hot tea is even worse. It costs the same, and you have to make it yourself! I made several other decisions to try to keep costs down and I hope those did not negatively impact your meeting experience. We do our best to bring you a high-quality continuing education experience while trying to keep registration fees reasonable.
So, thanks for all the work of the Program Planning Committee under Dr Bill Hollis’s direction. They put together a very nice, scientific and challenging program that built on the foundation laid down by other program chairs in previous meetings. In addition, thanks to the hotel staff and audiovisual team for their hard work to make it all functional and enjoyable. Most of all, I want to thank the cadre of AASV staff (Sue, Abbey, and Sherrie) and friends (Lee, Dave, Joel, Miranda, Kay, Lance, Karen, Emily, and Rhea) who gave up their personal time to come out and work long hours for little pay. We could not have done it without them. Most of all though, you showing up with a positive attitude and eagerness to learn and interact are what it is all about. We would not do it without you. Thanks for attending, and I look forward to seeing everyone in Nashville at the Gaylord Opryland in 2024.
Harry Snelson, DVM
Executive Director