Welcome to Meeting Professionals International Washington State Chapter (MPIWSC) WE NEED YOUR HELP NOW Please Write Your Congress Members  Meetings and events are under scrutiny and regulation. Take Action!  It is vital that policymakers, media and your companies/client hear directly from you about the value of meetings, events and incentive travel -- and the serious repercussions that will come from unnecessarily reducing or eliminating their use. Your job and future success may depend on it. To help you communicate about this critical issue, we’ve provided a variety of tools and resources below – with more on the way.  Please click here for more information.   UPCOMING EVENTS MPI International - World Education Congress (WEC) July 11 - 14, 2009 / Salt Lake City For more information please click here Monthly Program:  Surviving the Economic Downturn: Event Industry Panel Discussion July 28, 2009 / Lynnwood Convention Center For more information please click here   CHAPTER NEWS Deadline Extended:  RFP for 2010 MPIWSC Meeting and Event Venues The deadline to submit a proposal to host a 2010 MPIWSC meeting and event has been extended to Wednesday, July 15, 2009.  This is a great marketing opportunity for venues and suppliers throughout the Puget Sound region to showcase their properties and skills to hundreds of the region's most influential meeting professionals. For details and the RFP Response Sheet, please click here. Click here for chapter news.    INDUSTRY NEWS Washington Governor Vetoes Convention Center Money Transfer ...Washington State Gov. Christine Gregoire has vetoed a $22 million transfer from the Washington State Convention and Trade Center account to the state’s general fund. The line-item veto was used on May 19 to strike the item from the state budget. Local tourism officials had lobbied for the governor to veto the transfer. For additional Industry News articles, click here.