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2008 Educational Conference for Shoppers--Our 5-Year Anniversary!Friday, July 18 - Sunday, July 20, 2008 Pittsburgh, PA Westin Hotel Guest Room Rate: $119 Save $50.00 by registering on or before June 18th! Register Now!  If you've never been to an MSPA Annual Educational Conference for Shoppers, 2008 is the time to go! We'll celebrate the 5th Anniversary of the Educational Conference for Shoppers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania! The program for the 2008 Conference will be full of exciting and informative sessions, sure to make you a more productive shopper! You'll get tips on how to make your shop scheduling as efficient as possible to maximize your income! You'll hear from key schedulers, company owners, and other shoppers who will share their best ideas! Located halfway between New York City and Chicago, Pittsburgh is within a two-hour flight or a day's drive of more than 70 percent of the U.S. population. Only two miles in diameter, Downtown Pittsburgh's size makes it easy to walk to retail stores, theatres, and restaurants. The city's diverse ethnic heritage inspires and influences the flavors found at a wide range of restaurants from casual to five-star. Cultural highlights include the always interesting Andy Warhol Museum, the Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History, and live theatre, dance and music at five theaters in the city's Cultural District. Across the river from Downtown are Station Square and the South Side, where the night life never stops. The summer's hottest concerts are held at the Chevrolet Amphitheatre and the new SouthSide Works is worth a visit with its coffeehouses, excellent shopping, eateries and 10-screen cinema. In 2008, Pittsburgh will be celebrating its 250th anniversary and many events are planned to coincide with the celebration. In addition, several historical and beautification projects will be completed in time for the Conference…adding additional reasons to visit this unique city with a breathtaking skyline, sparkling clean rivers and magnificent architecture. While there are many shoppers who have yet to attend their first MSPA Educational Conference for Shoppers, there are some who have been to every one! And those who have attended all 5 will receive special recognition at the Saturday night banquet, which will be a great anniversary celebration! So, make your plans now to attend. Program Highlights Our program will feature a mix of professional speakers, mystery shopping company executives and owners, and others with expertise that you will want to hear! In addition to shopping-specific sessions, we'll hear the following programs that are sure to both entertain you and give you the tools you need to be on top of your shops!  Business Etiquette and NetiquetteColleen Rickenbacher, CMP, CSEP, CPC Saturday, July 19, 2008 9am - 9:50am Have you ever wondered what would happen if you just picked up your dining partner's napkin or drank his coffee? How are your communication skills with cell phones, Blackberrys and E-Mails? Do you work a room to your best advantage or do you go to just eat and drink? First impressions of dress, exchanging business cards, shaking hands and proper introductions - all can and will make the difference. Learn tips and these important differences to set you apart from your competition. Colleen will lead you through a fun and entertaining etiquette crash course with great interaction and experience immediate changes to all day-to-day activities. The Virtual Office: Working from Home Colleen Rickenbacher, CMP, CSEP, CPC Saturday, July 19, 2008 10:30am - 11:20am Are you considering moving to a home office or are you already there? No matter your status, some rules and guidelines still apply. Do you have a location for your office and not the kitchen table? Do you have the funds to make this move? The discipline to work on your own? Will you miss the break room socializing? You need to consider all the options and changes that will happen with a virtual/home office set-up. Join Colleen, who has been conducting business from a home office for almost 20 years, to learn all the tips and do's and don'ts.  Theater Of The MindRobert Priest Awards Banquet The "Theater Of The Mind" show is a thought provoking entertainment event. The show is a skilled blend of mind reading and thoughtful comedy, an act alive with action, laughs, and mental challenges. Robert Priest uses the entertaining thoughts of his audience to make the audience members the stars of the show. Audiences are amazed as he seems to pull words and thoughts from their minds - information he could not possibly have any way of knowing before hand. It's smart, full of mystery, sophisticated, and fun. Prepare yourselves to experience the world of Extra Sensory Perception, live on stage.  Scambusting! Stop the Crooks and Protect YourselfCathy Stucker Sunday, July 20, 2008 10:45am - 11:35am Think you know all about mystery shopping scams? "Get rich as a shopper," or "cash this check and wire the proceeds to Canada," schemes are not mystery shopping. They not only harm their victims but the mystery shopping industry and all of us, too. But they are just part of the story. Discover new scams and security threats—such as phishing, pharming and sniffing—that can catch even the most savvy shoppers unaware. Learn how these scams work and what you can do to protect yourself and other shoppers from the bad guys, as well as keeping your computer safe from prying eyes. Registration Click here to register now. Early-bird rate of $175 increases to $225 after June 18! Accommodations The Westin Pittsburgh 1000 Penn Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15222 412-281-3700 Click here to reserve your room online from the MSPA block. The Westin Hotel is located in the heart of compact, safe and walkable downtown Pittsburgh where you will find a sizzling mix of culture, shopping, nightlife and restaurants. Pittsburgh ranks as one of the safest cities in the nation. The Westin Hotel is offering a special rate for Educational Conference attendees of $119 per night (single/double/triple/quad) plus 14% tax. Cut-off date for reservations at the discounted rate is Monday, June 23. Reservations received after June 23, will be filled on a space available basis. Discounted rates will be honored 2 days prior/2 days after Conference dates. To make reservations, contact the hotel directly at 412-281-3700 and be sure to identify that you will be attending the MSPA Annual Educational Conference for Shoppers to receive the special guaranteed rate. Airport and Transportation  Pittsburgh International Airport is rated among the top airports in the U.S. The airport is served by over two dozen air carriers. American Airlines is offering discounted fares to Pittsburgh International Airport from July 13 - July 23, 2008. To book your reservation on American Airlines, American Eagle and AmericanConnection, call the Meeting Services Desk at 1-800-433-1790 ($10 additional fee will apply) or book directly on-line at www.aa.com (no additional fee). After selecting your flight(s), under the "Enter Passenger Details" tab, go to the "AA.com Discount Code" field and enter A8978AJ. Simply click on www.aa.com to book your flights. Click here for program schedule and details. 
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