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.

2010 Annual Meeting
Chesapeake, VA
Wrap-up

Beautiful and sunny……was the weather at PBA's 2010 Annual Meeting in Chesapeake, VA where a fantastic time was had by all annual meeting attendees! Janet Wenger, Susan Drewery and the Chesapeake Conventions & Tourism planned many enjoyable functions including FAM trips, receptions, dinners and hospitality suites. Our third annual Industry Expo gave the bus manufacturers and industry suppliers an opportunity to showcase their buses and product/services to the numerous bus operators in attendance. The Sales Retreat was a great opportunity for the bus operator member Tour Planners and Travel Suppliers to have one-on-one time to drum up new business opportunities. In addition to the various networking opportunities, there were educational programs and official business during the General Membership Meeting.

The meeting kicked off on Sunday, June 13 with a Pre-FAM of Williamsburg hosted by the Greater Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance.

Monday, June 14 started with a FAM choice of Newport News or Hampton, followed by a Reception at Lawn @ Towne Place in Greenbrier sponsored by Jillian's and Hyatt Place Chesapeake. The attendees had several local restaurants to choose from for a Dine-Around (Surf Rider Restaurant, Passion The Restaurant, Geisha Japanese Steakhouse, and Paradock's East Coast Grille)., and the night concluded with a hospitality suite sponsored by Hilton Garden Inn Chesapeake/Homewood Suites Chesapeake.

Tuesday, June 15, began with breakfast sponsored by Chesapeake Marriott followed by an educational program kicked off by motivational speaker Steve Gilliland. Steve was followed by Just Born Inc. Co-CEO Ross Born who spoke on company branding and provided some treats like PEEPS for the operator attendees, and Clyde Hart, Senior Vice President –Government Affairs for ABA providing important updates from the federal perspective. The Industry Supplier Expo was held outside this year with vendors under a festive tent with music, and coaches parked around the perimeter of the tent. This was an opportunity to eat-and-meet, after which attendees had their choice of the Virginia Beach or Portsmouth FAM. The evening began with a cookout at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens sponsored by the Norfolk Convention & Visitors Bureau, and was followed by the hospitality suite sponsored by Norfolk Convention & Visitors Bureau, Nauticus and Rover Cruises.

Wednesday, June 16 started off with breakfast sponsored by the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Hilton Garden Inn Riverfront, Holiday Inn Express and Suffolk Division of Tourism, followed by the General Membership Meeting with board elections, and presentations from Ken Presley of UMA and Tim Cotter, PA Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The FAM trips for the day included a tour of Chesapeake or Norfolk. A reception and dinner was hosted at the Naval Air Station Ocean, sponsored by the Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau. The evening event gave the attendees an opportunity to meet the members of the Red Rippers. The evening concluded with a hospitality suite sponsored by LAP Management, Inc.

Thursday, June 17 concluded the annual meeting with a breakfast which was sponsored by Chesapeake Conventions & Tourism and the Chesapeake Conference Center, and the Sales Retreat, with a boxed lunch to go sponsored by Richmond Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau, Shenandoah County Tourism, and Fredericksburg Tourism.

PBA would like to thank the many sponsors which helped make this annual meeting possible. We appreciate their commitment to the Association and generous contributions:

Platinum Sponsor

*Prevost Car, Inc.

Gold Sponsor

*ABC Companies

*Daimler Buses North America

GroupConnect – An ABA & OMCA Company

*Motor Coach Industries

*Tropicana Casino & Resort

United Motorcoach Association

*Companies sponsoring Steve Gilliland, motivational speaker

Silver Sponsor

Sackett Cook

Board Meeting Lunch Sponsors

Niagara Tourism & Convention Corporation

Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel

Demo Coaches

ABC Companies

Anderson Bus Sales

Arcola Bus Sales

Daimler Buses North America

Motor Coach Industries, Inc.

Prevost Car (US) Inc.

Stallion Bus Industries

Industry Expo Coach Displays

ABC Companies

Anderson Bus Sales

Arcola Bus Sales

CH Bus Sales

Daimler Buses North America

Motor Coach Industries, Inc.

Prevost Car (US), Inc.

Stallion Bus Industries

Industry Expo Supplier Displays

American Seating

Bergen Auto Upholstery Co., Inc.

Distinctive Systems, Inc.

Easy Bus, Inc.

Elite Application Services

GroupConnect – An ABA and OMCA Company

HMS Company/First Observer Program

Lancer Insurance Company

National Bus Sales

National Seating Company/CVB

National Transportation Insurance Solutions

P.A. Post Agency, LLC

Paradigm Technology Consulting

Perfect Body Co.

REI

Research Underwriters

Sardo Bus & Coach Upholstery

United Motorcoach Association

Sales Retreat Sponsors

Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority – Top 10

Dutch Apple Dinner Theatres – Break

National Aquarium – Top 10

Pennsylvania Laurel Highlands – Top 10

Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism – Notebooks

Prime Outlets Williamsburg – Top 10

The Franklin Institute – Top 10

Toby's Dinner Theatre – Table Stands

Chesapeake Sponsors

Chesapeake Conference Center

Chesapeake Conventions & Tourism

City of Portsmouth Tourism Division

Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refugee

Greater Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance

Fredericksburg Tourism

Hampton Convention & Visitors Bureau

Hilton Garden Inn Chesapeake

Hilton Garden Inn Riverfront

Holiday Inn Express

Homewood Suites Chesapeake

Hyatt Place Chesapeake

Jillian's

LAP Management, Inc.

Marriott Chesapeake

Marshall Hotel & Resorts

Nauticus

Newport News Tourism Development Office

Norfolk Convention & Visitors Bureau

Richmond Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau

Rover Cruises

Shenandoah County Tourism

Suffolk Division of Tourism

Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau

Virginia Tourism Corporation