Minnesota B&B Blog » Annual Conference http://www.minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/blog Bed and Breakfast Association of Minnesota Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:57:24 +0000 en hourly 1 New President Elected at the 2011 Minnesota B&B Conference http://www.minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/blog/2011/05/new-president-elected-at-the-2011-minnesota-bb-conference/ http://www.minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/blog/2011/05/new-president-elected-at-the-2011-minnesota-bb-conference/#comments Fri, 13 May 2011 15:20:29 +0000 bct http://www.minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/blog/?p=1771 Stillwater-The Minnesota Bed and Breakfast Association annual conference was held this this year in Stillwater (April 27th). The venue was the historical Water Street Inn in downtown Stillwater. Bed and Breakfast owners throughout the state of Minnesota attended.  One highlight of the conference was an Internet Marketing workshop taught by Jeff Logan of Avelient.

At this year’s annual conference the MBBA elected a new President, Shannon McKeeth of New Ulm (Bingham Hall Bed and Breakfast), Vice President David Vipond of Duluth (Ollcot House Bed & Breakfast), Secretary Carol Eggert of Lanesboro, (Hillcrest Hideaway Bed & Breakfast), and Treasurer Zig Gudrais of  Red Wing (Candlelight Inn). Along with these new board positions, the MBBA hired a new Executive Director, Kim Janke of New Ulm.

According to McKeeth, “The overall message of the gathering was to continue to improve the B & B industry with new methods of social marketing (twitter, Face Book, blog, website updates, google analysis, etc.) These skills are necessary to keep ahead of the marketing curve. The trend is that in a sluggish economy vacationing close to home is popular, practical, and safe. This certainly points to B & B opportunities.

The Minnesota Bed and Breakfast Association is a non-profit organization whose aim is promoting the state’s Quality Assured member inns as well as offering support, networking and education for innkeepers. Organized in 1985 with 12 members, the Association now has 91 members The Assocaition sponsors a conference annually, Aspiring Innkeepers workshops and other Association programs to discuss member’s needs. A guidebook is available online to download or by mail from www.minnesotabb.org.

 

]]> http://www.minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/blog/2011/05/new-president-elected-at-the-2011-minnesota-bb-conference/feed/ 0 Innkeeper Conference in Minneapolis sprouts Green Journey and Encouragement to Bed & Breakfast industry http://www.minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/blog/2010/04/innkeeper-conference-in-minneapolis-sprouts-green-journey-and-encouragement-to-bed-breakfast-industry/ http://www.minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/blog/2010/04/innkeeper-conference-in-minneapolis-sprouts-green-journey-and-encouragement-to-bed-breakfast-industry/#comments Sun, 25 Apr 2010 11:36:43 +0000 bct http://www.minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/blog/?p=1397 Minneapolis -The Minnesota Bed and Breakfast Association annual conference was held this past weekend in Minneapolis (April 18-20).  The event attended by Bed and Breakfast owners throughout Minnesota. Barbara Young, from Grand Marais’s Poplar Creek Guesthouse B & B and the Association’s President chaired the conference. Highlighting the conference was speakers from as far away as New Jersey (Jay Karen CEO from Professional Association of Innkeepers International), Washington (Jeff Logan Vice President from Inside Out Solutions) and Texas (Sara Shusta from bedandbreakfast.com) and as close as St Paul (John Edman director of Explore Minnesota Tourism).

According to Young, “The overall message of the gathering was that occupancy is improving and will continue to improve for the B & B industry and methods of social marketing (twitter, Face book, blogs etc.) are necessary to keep ahead of the curve.  The trend is that in a sluggish economy vacationing close to home is popular, practical and safe. This certainly points to B & B opportunities.”

The conference featured workshops promoting packaging with trails and birding; methods of adding value to inn’s offerings and diversification of small business. Additional workshop leaders included a pastry chef; a photography business owner; a health department expert; an energy resource consultant; a marketing guru and a bird guide.

Green Journey the Association’s new green self-certification program was  “kicked-off” at the conference. This unique program – the first Green Lodging certification program in Minnesota -  awards from one up to five green leaves for varying degrees of sustainability for member owners of B&Bs. Innkeepers will be encouraged to keep making green improvements to their property in practical ways to improve their rating.

The venue Crowne Plaza in Brooklyn Center was in fact chosen partially based on its green initiatives. According to Pam Thorsen, the Association’s director, “We were impressed with their recycling, their energy savings and their willingness to work with us in not serving bottled water for example.”

Many of the vendors at the event also were offering practical “green” solutions to innkeeper’s needs.”

According to Young, “This was of one of our finest conferences.  Through our workshops and vendors, we gained even more knowledge on improving and promoting  our businesses and how we as innkeepers can better work together to improve all our businesses. In addition, I think I can speak for all who attended this year’s conference, we certainly had a great time.”

The Minnesota Bed and Breakfast Association is a non-profit organization whose aim is promoting the state’s Quality Assured member inns as well as offering support, networking and education for innkeepers. Organized in 1985 with 12 members, the Association now has 115 members The Association sponsors a conference annually, webinars at least monthly and is planning regional workshops promoting Green Journey, other Association programs and to discuss members needs.  A guidebook is available online to download or by mail from www.minnesotabb.org.

]]> http://www.minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/blog/2010/04/innkeeper-conference-in-minneapolis-sprouts-green-journey-and-encouragement-to-bed-breakfast-industry/feed/ 0 Count down to BIG Innspiration in the Mini-Apple http://www.minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/blog/2010/04/count-down-to-big-innspiration-in-the-mini-apple/ http://www.minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/blog/2010/04/count-down-to-big-innspiration-in-the-mini-apple/#comments Sat, 03 Apr 2010 13:00:26 +0000 Pam Thorsen http://www.minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/blog/?p=1377 Innkeepers will be gathering at the MBBA annual conference and annual meeting April 18-20 at the Crown Plaza in Brooklyn Park. Highlights this year include Jay Karen as keynote from Professional Association of Innkeepers International (PAII).Also exciting will be the kickoff of the organization’s Green Journey. Classes range from The Art of the Tart to Social Networking made Simple and The Power of Reviews. As always great food and this year’s  entertainment is innkeeper talent Kevin Knox from Nicolin Mansion and his band.     As one innkeeper says, “there is quite simply no better value for my marketing dollar than the annual MBBA conference.”  Vendors expected include Deneen Pottery, bedandbreakfast.com,  Inside Out Solutions, Rustic Ridge Hospitality, My Pillow, Out of The Box Dates, Gilcrest & Soames, Comphy Sheets,  and Nordic Ware and more.

]]> http://www.minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/blog/2010/04/count-down-to-big-innspiration-in-the-mini-apple/feed/ 0 2008 MBBA Conference to be Held in Red Wing, MN http://www.minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/blog/2007/11/2008-mbba-conference-to-be-held-in-red-wing-mn/ http://www.minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/blog/2007/11/2008-mbba-conference-to-be-held-in-red-wing-mn/#comments Wed, 14 Nov 2007 14:24:20 +0000 bct http://elwha2.insideout.com/minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/blog/?p=505 ]]> MARK YOUR CALENDAR! April 20-22, 2008
Red Wing WOW
Inndulge and Soar
The three Bs, green, green, green and a mean marketing machine!

The 2008 MBBA Conference will be held in Red Wing, MN so be sure to save the dates.

>

]]> http://www.minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/blog/2007/11/2008-mbba-conference-to-be-held-in-red-wing-mn/feed/ 0 Excitement from MBBA Conference Continues http://www.minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/blog/2007/04/excitement-from-mbba-conference-continues/ http://www.minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/blog/2007/04/excitement-from-mbba-conference-continues/#comments Tue, 01 May 2007 01:16:43 +0000 bct http://elwha2.insideout.com/minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/blog/?p=586 And on that note (song bird, of course!) we had some guests today at The Bohemian, http://www.the-bohemian.com, who enjoyed the birding at Flandrau State Park, situated partially in the city limits of New Ulm. Heidi shared that she and her husband John choose New Ulm because there are three State Parks in the area (http://www.dnr.state.mn.us) and they were delighted to see and hear a plethera of birds, including a mature eagle. I saw one gliding down Broadway Street last week! There have been 158 species recorded within the Park. With the new partnership launched at the MBBA convention this week, I think all the B & B’s are excited to offer our guests another opportunity to experience! For a copy of “The Minnesota River Valley Birding Trail” call the New Ulm Visitor Center at 651.739.9332. One might even bump into our welcoming Mayor (look for the flower in his lapel) a Narren, or perhaps a Concord Singer. As a member of the Bed and Breakfast industry, and a home town girl, it was with delightful astonishment that I was simultaniously able to be entertained as a tourism professional and also be filled with a sense of pride as I watched the community I grew up in offer such a fine ‘Willkom’men’. >

]]> http://www.minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/blog/2007/04/excitement-from-mbba-conference-continues/feed/ 0 New Ulm Hosts B&B Association Annual Meeting http://www.minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/blog/2007/04/new-ulm-hosts-bb-association-annual-meeting/ http://www.minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/blog/2007/04/new-ulm-hosts-bb-association-annual-meeting/#comments Sat, 28 Apr 2007 20:30:08 +0000 bct http://elwha2.insideout.com/minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/blog/?p=587 New Ulm was the host city to this year’s Minnesota Bed and Breakfasts Association’s annual meeting – held April 22 -April 25. According to Suzanne Tweten, President of the Association, “the city treated us royally, the city was a great venue and what entertainment! The welcoming address by New Ulm Mayor Joel Albrecht was the first time we have ever been greeted by a town mayor at any of our conferences. The hospitality New Ulm showed us was truly outstanding.”

This year’s conference was attended by 84 bed and breakfasts hosts and venders representing 42 bed and breakfasts from throughout Minnesota. The industry venders came from throughout the country. Among the new initiates announced at the conference was a planned collaborative birding program with the Minnesota Office of Tourism. Conference attendees also agreed to continue their partnerships with other associations and groups including Renewing the Countryside through their Green Routes program and the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota.

New Officers elected were:

Vice President (president elect), Barbara Young- Poplar Creek Guesthouse

Treasurer, Gary Sonnenberg – Auf Deutsch Strasse

Secretary, Deb Middelstadt- Heritage House Bed and Breakfast

Regional Representatives Elected to the Board were:
Arrowhead: Alan Fink -Mathew S. Burrows
Mary Grover – Solglimt on the Water
Heartland: Florian Ledermann – Cedar Rose Inn
Jill Ward-Pillar Inn
Metro: Debbie Wallace -Ticknor Hill
Lindsey Lein -Bluff Creek
Southern: Zig Gudrais- Candlelight Inn
Shannon McKeeth- Bingham Hall

Suzanne Tweten from Log House & Homestead on Spirit Lake, will continue as president, fulfilling her term of office until April of 2009.

Click-on New Ulm Journal, to see their article on the conference. “Hospitality abounds at Bed and Breakfast conference.”

.
>

]]> http://www.minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/blog/2007/04/new-ulm-hosts-bb-association-annual-meeting/feed/ 0 2007 Minnesota Bed & Breakfast Association Conference http://www.minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/blog/2006/09/2007-minnesota-bed-breakfast-association-conference/ http://www.minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/blog/2006/09/2007-minnesota-bed-breakfast-association-conference/#comments Fri, 29 Sep 2006 13:56:03 +0000 bct http://elwha2.insideout.com/minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/blog/?p=689 Plan to Attend THE 2007 MBBA Bed and Breakfast CONFERENCE on April 22-24 in New Ulm, Minnesota. There will be outstanding speakers, break-out workshops, entertainment, an industry trade show, and lots of time for networking.

The New Ulm Innkeepers have packed this conference with value and fun! Call for additional information or to get registered early: 651-438-7499

>

]]> http://www.minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/blog/2006/09/2007-minnesota-bed-breakfast-association-conference/feed/ 0 2007 Minnesota Bed & Breakfast Association Conference http://www.minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/blog/2006/07/2007-minnesota-bed-breakfast-association-conference-2/ http://www.minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/blog/2006/07/2007-minnesota-bed-breakfast-association-conference-2/#comments Sun, 09 Jul 2006 19:38:18 +0000 bct http://elwha2.insideout.com/minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/blog/?p=762 ]]> THE 2007 MBBA CONFERENCE

April 22-24 New Ulm, MN
The New Ulm Innkeepers Can Give You Details,
Call Them for More Information at (651) 438-7499

Minnesota Bed and Breakfast Association
620 Ramsey Street
Hastings MN 55033
Call: 651-438-7499
Fax: 651.437.4129
E-mail: info@minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org

>

]]> http://www.minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/blog/2006/07/2007-minnesota-bed-breakfast-association-conference-2/feed/ 0