RTOHQ: The Magazine, Summer 2018

The biggest changes that Ive experienced have been the number of attendees at convention There used to be many smaller dealers and now many of them have been bought up by larger companies and franchises Where there were once ten companies for example now there may only be one That has been the biggest change Summer 2018 25 we had a Southern Belle theme and everyone wore big gowns There were so many wonderful times and I think it was really memorable for the members which was important to me APRO afforded Shelley many opportunities beyond event planning and enabled her to further her professional career through certifications and awards She became a Certified Meeting Professional in 1994 and through various studies The most enjoyable part of my job has honestly been the people those Ive worked with as well as the members I have made wonderful friends and classes was able to maintain that certification through the years Shelley was also very active in the Texas Society of Association Executives TSAE winning Association Executive of the Year in 2016 After 30 years Shelley has certainly been privy to many changes in the industry The biggest chang es that Ive experienced have been the number of attendees at convention There used to be many smaller dealers and now many of them have been bought up by larger companies and franchises Where there were once ten companies for example now there may only be one That has been the biggest change The future will definitely be full of new adventures for Shelley as she retires from APRO this summer on her 30th work anniversary Her immediate plans include spending more time with her grandchildren and also traveling I love to spend time with my family and I travel with a group of girlfriends and go camping with Sisters On The Fly a nationwide organization of women who love to camp in glammed up often vintage RVs Sisters On The Fly was started by two sisters who loved to fly fish and everyone wanted to join in Now we go glamping There are no men no kids no pets and we have more fun than anyone Its a lot of fun As is the running theme in Shelleys life her family is most important and she intends on spending as much time as possible with her husband of 48 years their four children and four grandchildren who range in age from 6 18 My oldest grandson just graduated from high school Its unbelievable how fast the time goes Yes time flies Thank you Shelley for all the good times and your 30 years of dedication and service