The first time I sat on the AMPT was for the 2005 meeting in Atlanta. The one time that the AMPT gets to meet in person is at the previous AM - so on the last day in Hollywood ('04) I remember being in a conversation that involved some great visioning about the '05 meeting. As we were discussing the schedule, several folks wondered aloud if we might move a program - don't remember which - opposite the Exhibit Hall. The thought was...there's all this time, why not use it? And, truthfully, that was how I felt, too. 
Here's a different perspective from today's guest blogger, Leanna Laskey (hint: she's the one on the left in the pic):
For the past three years, I have enjoyed attending the AFA Annual Meeting as both a graduate and professional member, and this year will be my first as an associate member. Coming from a career in higher education, I recently opted to join the team at
OrgSync, a company that provides an online organization management tool for campuses to easily organize, assess, track, and manage students and student organizations.
At previous meetings, I always had viewed the Exhibitor’s Hall as a hot spot for freebies. I learned after my first Annual Meeting the importance of leaving some extra room in the suitcase for all the pens, stress balls, and random desk objects I would find in the Exhibitor’s Hall.
As an associate member myself now, I am excited to see the Association and the Annual Meeting from a different viewpoint. One thing that AFA members should know about associate members is that we aren’t there just to give away free stuff (but don’t worry- we’ll still have the freebies!). We are actually there because we believe that our product is relevant to your job and we want to share that with you.
Please stop by the
OrgSync booth in
Denver—I can’t wait to see all my fellow AFAers!
Back to my rookie year in '05: We did not program against the Exhibit Hall and we never will. I get it now. That year, as a newbie to the AMPT I really began to learn and understand the value of our associate members. I learned that the very least we can do is provide those members a block of time where they are on center stage. They do so very much for our Association, and so very much for our work. I've never been in the market for new services during the AM, but I do visit the Exhibit Hall - simply to say thank you to each exhibitor for being there. I hope that you'll so the same.
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