Annual Meeting

Each year, usually mid-June, the Association conducts its major business and educational meeting which is devoted to learning, communication of ideas, social interaction and recreation. Annual Meeting has, as its tradition, the involvement of supplier and bus operator members and the families of both. A key characteristic of the yearly event is its informality and relaxed atmosphere.

 

2008 Annual Meeting Wrap-Up

 

 

A fantastic time was had by all attendees!  The weather was beautiful……Heather Colache and the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority planned many enjoyable functions including a golf tournament, FAM trips, receptions, dinners and hospitality suites.  This year PBA offered our bus manufacturers and industry suppliers an opportunity to showcase their buses/services to our numerous bus operators in attendance during an Industry Supplier Expo, and brought back the Sales Retreat for the Tour Planners and Travel Suppliers. In addition to the various networking opportunities, there were educational opportunities and official business during the General Membership Meeting.

 

The meeting kicked off on Tuesday afternoon with the annual golf tournament at the Atlantic City Country Club, followed by a Welcome Reception at Bally's/Caesars Bikini Beach Bar. The attendees had several local restaurants to choose from for a Dine-Around, and the night concluded with a hospitality suite sponsored by the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority and the musical spinning of Mitch from Melanie Rice Entertainment.

 

Wednesday morning began with breakfast sponsored by the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority and Palladin Tour & Travel and featured an educational program offered by Steve Gilliland, Tim Cotter of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and representatives from Lancer Insurance and Research Underwriters., followed by the Industry Supplier Expo at the Convention Center, after which attendees had their choice of The Land and Sea FAM Tour or The Ring 'em Up Tour.  The evening began with a reception at Hard Rock Café and dinner at Trump Taj Mahal, followed by a fun-filled hospitality suite sponsored by Tropicana Casino and Resort featuring The Pamela Betti Band.

 

Thursday morning started off with breakfast sponsored by the City of Ocean City, NJ followed by presentations from Peter Pantuso of ABA and David Louck of the PA PUC. Great Escape Tours & Mid Atlantic Center for the Arts sponsored a FAM for the tour planners to Cape May.  A reception was hosted at The Continental followed by a hospitality suite sponsored by the Southern Shore Regional DMO.  

 

Friday closed the meeting with a breakfast  sponsored by Tropicana Casino and Resort, the morning session of the Sales Retreat, lunch sponsored by the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority, and concluded with the afternoon session of the Sales Retreat.

 

PBA would like to thank the many sponsors which helped make the meeting possible.  We appreciate their commitment to the Association.

Education Program Lancer Insurance Company Research Underwriters   Golf Holes Motor Coach Industries Prevost Sardo Bus & Coach Upholstery   Demo Buses ABC Companies Arcola Bus Sales Daimler Buses North America Motor Coach Industries, Inc. Prevost Car (US) Inc.   Bus Displays ABC Companies Arcola Bus Sales Daimler Buses North America Motor Coach Industries, Inc. Prevost Car (US), Inc.   Industry Supplier Displays ABA Insurance Aesys Inc. Bergen Auto Upholstery Co., Inc. Frank Crystal and Company IBP Industries Integrity Security Systems Lancer Insurance Company Perfect Body Co. Premier Tourism Marketing Research Underwriters Sackett Cook & Associates/TIB Sardo Bus & Coach Upholstery Shore Funding LTD Transit Tix, LLC TransSched Systems, LLC

Sales Retreat ABA – Coffee Break Best Western Hotel & Conference Center Baltimore – Notebooks Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre Sands Bethworks –Table Stands Toby's Dinner Theatre UMA Atlantic City Sponsors Absecon Lighthouse Atlantic City Ambassaors Atlantic City Aquarium Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority Atlantic City Cruises Atlantic City Outlets, The Walk Atlantic City Trolley Tours Atlantic County Utilities Authority, Wind Energy Farm Caesars Atlantic City Carmine’s Designer Fragrance & Co Flying Cloud Café Great Escape Tours Hard Rock Café, Atlantic City Harrah’s Entertainment & Bally’s Atlantic City Historic Smithville, Colonial Inn Lucy The Elephant Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts Noyes Museum of Art Ocean City, NJ “America’s Greatest Family Resort” Palladin Tours & Travel Pier Shops at Caesars Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Southern Shore Tourism South Jersey Transportation Authority Starr Restaurant Organization Steel Pier Tropicana Casino and Resort Trump Casino Resorts