Message from the 2013 ARP Conference Organizing Committee
Mike Furr
The members of the local organizing committee (myself, Will Fleeson, Kathleen McKee, Jana Spain, and Dustin Wood) were very happy to welcome everyone to North Carolina for the 2013 ARP conference. The editors of P (Erik and Jon) asked for a brief summary of the conference from the local host’s perspective, providing a bit of insight into the planning process.
Our committee began working almost immediately after the 2011 conference in Riverside, and our first goal was to find the best location in the region. We wanted a city that would be an easy and affordable travel destination, that would have great hotels and a vibrant downtown area, and that would offer plenty of food (and drink) options. Among several possibilities, Charlotte emerged as the clear choice, with the Marriott emerging as the ideal downtown hotel, and with the Mint Museum emerging as a perfect location for the gala dinner.
We then negotiated contracts with the hotel and with vendors for the gala dinner. There were many issues to consider, including guest room rates, the number of “confirmed” guest rooms, availability of conference spaces, and food and beverage minimums. Resolving such issues requires a careful balance between the vendors’ needs/preferences, ARP’s financial liability, and the desire for an enjoyable, affordable, and comfortable conference.
As the program began to take shape, we coordinated with Jess Tracy and Oz Ayduk (chairs of the program committee) to make sure that conference spaces could handle the number of sessions, types of sessions, number of posters, and so on. As the conference grew even closer, we also worked with the hotel to arrange menus for meals and breaks.
By the time the conference started, our work was mostly done. Aside from managing the registration desk and occasionally touching base with hotel staff, we were free to enjoy the conference along with everyone else!
To be sure, many people contributed to the success of the conference. We’d like to thank the program committee for putting together a fantastic set of presentations and posters – Oz Ayduk, Jess Tracy, Brent Donnellan, Chris Fraley, Iris Mauss, and Vivian Zayas. We’d also like to thank Max Barranti and Kelly Miskewicz, grad students in Wake Forest’s Psychology Department who did a great job at the registration desk. We are very grateful for generous support from Wake Forest University, Wake Forest’s Psychology Department, High Point University, Hogan Assessments, and Elsevier – their support contributed greatly to the conference’s success. Finally, we’d like to thank all of you who attended the conference and made it so fascinating, informative, and fun. We look forward to seeing you all again in 2015.