AACCLA's 2011 Mid-Year Meeting Proposals
The American Chambers of Commerce that comprise AACCLA's membership were invited to submit proposals to host the Association's Mid-Year Meeting (MYM) in June 2011. The AACCLA Governing Board will analyze the proposals, make an informed decision, and submit its final selection to the General Assembly for ratification at the June 2010 Mid-Year Meeting in Lima, Peru.
This year, two proposals were received, submitted by AmCham Colombia-Cartagena and AmCham Jamaica.
View the AmCham Colombia-Cartagena Proposal
View the AmCham Jamaica Proposal
In 1999, AACCLA's leadership codified the process by which the host AmCham for the event is selected. As this major annual event has received greater international attention from both the business community and the media in recent years, making the selection process as transparent as possible had become a priority. Proposals are to be judged on the basis of how they adhere to the specified criteria, including:
- The quality of the facilities available.
- Ability to generate sponsors/raise funds for the event.
- Logistics management.
- Personnel dedicated to the event.
- Support from host country political and business leaders.
- Intangibles contributing to the "right" moment to select a country such as a key event in that nation's economic history (e.g., the transfer of the Panama Canal to Panamanian control); timing of elections; an AmCham's anniversary; etc.
- Geographic location (with the understanding that AACCLA would seek to develop a rotation between three geographic sub-regions: Section One – Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic; Section Two – Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, Ecuador, Peru; Section Three – Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, Argentina.). Note that for 2011, the rotation indicates a site in Section Three as a first preference. However, AmChams should note that geographical location is just one of the criteria to be considered in this process.
- In-house meeting planning experience and expertise.
- Other relevant factors.
Because we received multiple proposals, we are requesting that each and every Governing Board member carefully review each proposal. AACCLA Secretariat staff will also carefully review the proposals over the coming weeks. The Governing Board will then vote on which bid to accept and will offer its final selection to the General Assembly for a vote and ratification.