MPI Houston Area Chapter

10/07/2026

🎃🦁 DON’T FORGET TO PACK YOUR COSTUME! 🦁🎃

TEC26 isn’t just about what happens in the classroom… the fun keeps going after the sessions wrap! 👀✨

Get ready for two nights of connection, music, food, costumes and FUN:

🎹 WELCOME RECEPTION
📍 Redd’s Piano Lounge
🗓️ Wednesday | 4–8 PM
Come meet the people who are about to make your TEC26 experience unforgettable!

👻🦓 WILD NIGHTS & HALLOWEEN FRIGHTS
📍 Kalahari Event Barn
🗓️ Thursday | 6:30–9:30 PM
Great food. Live music. Halloween fun. And YES… costume prizes! 🏆

Come ready to compete for:
🦁 Best Safari Spirit
🎃 Best Halloween Fright
👯 Best Group Costume
🏆 Best Overall Costume

So start planning that costume, rally your crew, and bring your best safari spirit or Halloween fright! We cannot wait to see what you’ve got up your sleeve! 😉

And if you haven’t registered for TEC26 yet… HURRY! You definitely don’t want to hear about all the fun you missed. 👀

📅 October 28–30, 2026
📍 Kalahari Resort and Conventions Round Rock
🎓 Texas Education Conference (TEC26)

👉 Register now and get ready for an unforgettable week!
🔗 mpitec.org

10/07/2026

🔥 Your TEC26 learning experience just got a whole lot more interesting. 🔥

This October, breakouts at Texas Education Conference (TEC26) are getting a fresh new look - with three unique tracks designed around how YOU want to learn, connect, and grow.

🏝️ OASIS - Take a breath. Focus on wellness, well-being, and the skills that help you manage the stress that comes with working in the meetings and events industry.

🔥 CAMPFIRE - Pull up a seat and join the conversation. From interactive fishbowl discussions to important conversations like human trafficking prevention, these sessions are all about collaboration, connection, and learning from the professionals in the room with you.

🚀 TRAILBLAZERS — Ready for practical takeaways? These classroom-style sessions feature industry leaders sharing real knowledge, strategies, and insights you can take back to work and put into action right away.

And the best part? You don’t have to choose just one! Mix and match tracks throughout the conference to create an experience that’s uniquely yours.

📍 WHAT: Texas Education Conference (TEC26)
📅 WHEN: October 28–30, 2026
📍 WHERE: Kalahari Resorts & Conventions - Round Rock, Texas

Whether you’re looking to recharge, connect, or level up your skills, TEC26 has a breakout session for you.

✨ Haven’t registered yet? What are you waiting for?
👉 Register today at mpitec.org and get ready to find your track!

10/07/2026

🎉 Limited-Time Membership Special: Save 20%! 🎉

Now through October 31, NEW members enjoy 20% off a NEW Preferred or Premier Membership with the MPI Houston Area Chapter using promo code TEC26MPI.

Expand your network, grow your career, and connect with the meetings and events community through valuable education, resources, and events.

🔗 Join today: https://www.mpi.org/membership/join
⏳ Offer ends October 31, 2026
🎟️ Use code: TEC26MPI

Valid for new Preferred and Premier memberships only. Excludes renewals, Essential, Student, and Faculty memberships.

Choose the MPI membership that's right for you. See pricing and benefits.

10/06/2026

✨ Member Spotlight ✨
We’re excited to highlight Andrea Howard, a valued member of our MPI community!

Andrea is with Fort Bend County as Assistant Director of Tourism and is new to Houston, joining us from the Texas Hill Country Chapter. Be sure to check out her spotlight article to learn more about her background, experience, and what inspires her involvement with our organization.

For new members, enjoy 20% off a NEW Preferred or Premier Membership with the MPI Houston Area Chapter using promo code TEC26MPI, now through October 31.

🔗 Join today: https://www.mpi.org/membership/join
🎟️ Use code: TEC26MPI

10/02/2026

🌵 TEC26 doesn’t happen without the people who believe in the meetings industry - and we’re incredibly grateful for our sponsors!

Over the coming days, we’ll be highlighting some of the incredible organizations helping make **Meetings in the Wild** possible. From registration and the venue to swag, networking experiences, and more, our sponsors help us create an experience where Texas meeting professionals can learn, connect, collaborate, and recharge.

👏 WHO: Meeting & event professionals, hospitality partners, industry suppliers, and future industry leaders
📅 WHEN: October 28–30, 2026
📍 WHERE: Kalahari Resort & Convention Center | Round Rock, TX
🌵 WHAT: Three days of education, networking, inspiration, and a little adventure—all designed specifically for the Texas meetings and events community.
💡 WHY: Because our industry is stronger when we learn from each other, build meaningful relationships, and invest in the people who make great events happen.

To all of our current sponsors: THANK YOU! Your support helps bring TEC26 to life, and we’re excited to celebrate you along the way. 🧡

And if your organization would like to get involved, connect with meeting professionals across Texas, and put your brand in the middle of the action, there are still sponsorship opportunities available!

👉 Interested in sponsoring TEC26? Visit mpitec.org/sponsors to explore the opportunities.

We’ll see you in the wild! 🐾🌵

10/02/2026

🎟️ PLANNERS, THIS ONE’S FOR YOU! 🎟️

What if your TEC26 registration could be FREE?! 👀🔥

We’re giving planners a chance to have their TEC26 registration refunded — and all you have to do is register, check your badge, and be in the room when we draw the winner!

Here’s the scoop:

📌 WHAT: A chance to have your TEC26 registration refunded!
📅 WHEN: Friday, October 30 - during the Closing General Session
📍 WHERE: Kalahari Resort & Convention Center in Round Rock
🎯 WHY: Because we want to celebrate YOU and the planners who make this industry happen!

Register today, find your raffle ticket in your badge, and whatever you do… DON’T MISS THE CLOSING GENERAL SESSION!

You’ve got to be present to win. 👀🎟️

Ready to take your chance? Register for TEC26 and let’s see if your ticket is the lucky one! 🦁✨

10/02/2026

09/29/2026

🎉 TEC26 is ONE MONTH AWAY!

Don’t just hear about it from other people—experience it for yourself! Join us at Kalahari Resorts & Conventions for TEC26, where connection, learning, and a great experience come together.

📅 When: Oct 28-30
📍 Where: Kalahari Resorts - Round Rock
👥 Who: You + the Texas Meetings & Event Industry Community

Don’t miss out. Be there, experience it firsthand, and make your own TEC26 memories.

👉 Register now: mpitec.org

See you at TEC26!

09/24/2026

🔥 FRIDAY AT TEC26? You’re going to want to be in the General Sessions.

Two keynote speakers. Two very different perspectives. We start with a bang and end with a bang... One powerful day of learning, connection, and inspiration.

🎤 MICHAEL DOMINGUEZ
Hospitality sales & leadership expert | President & CEO, ALHI
With more than 30 years in the hospitality industry—including senior leadership with MGM Resorts International—Michael knows what happens on BOTH sides of the negotiation table.
His keynote will tackle a question every meeting professional has asked: How do you ask a hotel for what you want—and actually get it?
Walk away with practical strategies for asking for concessions, understanding what matters to hotels, communicating your value, and building stronger partnerships.

🎤 MATT KOVATCHIS
Certified Coach | Keynote Speaker | Advocate for Self-Compassion & Emotional Intelligence
Matt’s story is one of achievement, burnout, healing, and finding a more meaningful definition of success. After leaving a successful career in corporate banking, he turned his experience into a mission to help others navigate self-compassion, emotional intelligence, and mental health.
His message is honest, relatable, and deeply human—and you’ll leave with real tools you can take with you long after the conference ends.

✨ WHO: Meeting & event professionals, hospitality partners, industry leaders & emerging professionals
📅 WHEN: October 28–30, 2026
📍 WHERE: Kalahari Resorts - Round Rock, TX
🎯 WHY: Three days of education, connection, inspiration, CEUs, and a little Meetings in the Wild adventure.
🔥 FRIDAY: Two keynote experiences designed to make you think differently, negotiate smarter, and lead with greater intention.

TEC26 isn’t just another conference. It’s where Texas event professionals come together to learn, collaborate, recharge - and leave better than they arrived.

If you haven’t registered yet… what are you waiting for? 🌵🔥

🎟️ Register now at mpitec.org

09/23/2026

Join MPI today. We're offering 40% off for two days only–September 22 and 23! Join us now to unlock a world of networking, professional development, and endless opportunities.

Use code FLASH26.

www.mpi.org/flash26