Meeting Guest Speakers

joseph · #1 02/02/2006, 09:04 AM

Let's talk about guest speakers for future meetings. Who would you like to see speak at a meeting? What topics ar you interested in hearing about? Make some suggestions and we will see what we can do about getting some guest speakers lined up for future meetings.

PelagicMagic · #2 02/02/2006, 10:11 AM

someone from caribsea to talk about reactor media, someone to talk about ozone and someone from kent or similar company to talk about iodine

Bennihanna · #3 02/02/2006, 10:13 AM

Russel from Oceans Blend could talk about fungia and blasto prop.

joseph · #4 02/02/2006, 10:25 AM

OceansBlend was on my list of people to contact since they are in Orlando. I'll ask him about the lps propagation.
I was trying to think of companies located in our general area - FL/GA since they are more likely to attend a meeting to give a presentation. Carib-Sea is in Fort Pierce, FL and Kent is in Acworth, Georgia. Great suggestions so far.

Bennihanna · #5 02/02/2006, 10:35 AM

Somebody from ORA would be sweet.

sea devil · #6 02/02/2006, 10:53 AM

I'll be talking to Russell Friday when he drops off OB. Also working with my sales people, trying to get some of them above mentioned, ie. Kent, Caribsea. Then only thing ORA has to talk about is their rebuilding after Hurricane damage. Trying to get a world nenown speaker. If I land this guy, it won't be announced until day before meeting.

PelagicMagic · #7 02/02/2006, 10:54 AM

I would like to know more about different Iodine supplements, ie: kent tech 1 which is time released, lugol solution etc, all different. Oceans blend has an iodine supplement also which I would like to learn more about and learn more about oceans blend in general, great company with great products. I would like to lean what they have planned for the future products. It would be great if oceans blend made reactor media.. ORA would be really great if they came to a meeting

robwsup · #8 02/02/2006, 02:10 PM

Calfo would be cool, not sure what his fee is these days.

Bennihanna · #9 02/02/2006, 02:22 PM

I can ask him he lives on that other forum we dare not mention.

mpdharley · #10 02/02/2006, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by robwsup
Calfo would be cool, not sure what his fee is these days.

That does bring up a point. We will be limited in the speakers we can get. I would suspect that most of the non-company affiliated speakers have a fee. If we want to start getting speakers like that, not only will we have to start charging membership fees we would also need to start doing other things to generate money (50/50 split on frag auctions, etc).

Once we start that process, we should become a more formal club, in that we elect officers, including a treasurer.

Another option might be to 'tag along' with some of the other larger clubs in the area (Orlando, Tampa, Atlanta, etc). We may be able to pay a "club fee" to attend some of their meetings with professional speakers. Car pooling might also be arranged.

Thoughts, opinions (perhaps start another thread)?

Mike

Grayout · #11 02/02/2006, 03:17 PM

I've spoken with Anthony Calfo in the past regarding this issue. He was very interested in our club and would be very willing to speak. We could decide on a particular topic or have an open discussion with questions.

The only thing he requires is air fare (he doesn't care if it's coach) and lodging. I could house him at my inn www.peaceandplentyinn.com for free. I would like to have him speak at the new Guana/Tolomato state park. If you haven't seen the facility, it is absolutely beautiful. It's located in-between Ponte Vedra and St. Aug on the beach.

They have a conference room with overhead projectors that we could use. If you all would like a tour of behind the scenes, I'm sure they could accommodate you as well.

I'm sure that Anthony's schedule is quite full, so a date in the future would have to be set.

Just let me know if you all are interested and I will follow up.

mpdharley · #12 02/02/2006, 05:13 PM

Clay,

That would be outstanding! I would definitely help with the airfare. Let's bring it up at our next meeting and start planning for it (assuming everyone agrees) and see when we could get on his schedule.

Grayout · #13 02/02/2006, 05:22 PM

Sounds good. Just let me know if anyone else is interested. It would be a bummer if he showed and not many people came.

robwsup · #14 02/02/2006, 05:31 PM

I'll help with the airfare. It would be nice if we could do it on Sunday, so the LFS owners could all come. Saturday's (at least for me) seem to be my biggest sales days and my, "I gotta ask Rob, or I ain't buying nothin" days.

joseph · #15 02/02/2006, 06:12 PM

Clay - See if you can find out if he is interested and what month he would be available and roughly what the airfare cost would be. I don't mind having a Sunday meeting if that works better for everyone that month. That is generous of you to offer to provide accomodations for him at your inn.

Grayout · #16 02/02/2006, 06:14 PM

I'll let him know and I'll get back to you all.

mpdharley · #17 02/02/2006, 06:52 PM

I'm also up for a Sunday meeting.

mikeatjac · #18 02/02/2006, 08:29 PM

Ditto

mecold · #19 02/02/2006, 08:33 PM

Ditto on a sunday meeting. I would not be opposed to adding to the collection for airfare.

TheFishManiac · #20 02/02/2006, 08:35 PM

i agree with the sunday idea..

mikeatjac · #21 02/02/2006, 08:39 PM

i am in on the airfare.

Bennihanna · #22 02/02/2006, 08:58 PM

I will help with airfare too. Anthony is the man!

Grayout · #23 02/02/2006, 08:59 PM

I too am on board for Sunday meetings. Saturday tends to be very busy at the inn. Also the 3-6 meeting time just doesn't allow me to make most meetings.

I would like to second the suggestion Mike had regarding the club's structure. If the club continues to increase in size and popularity, we need to move toward a formal structure.

An elected board with a budget would enable more events requiring upfront money. Also, we could use our budget to purchase testing equipment that may be out of the reach of most aquarists. It may be time to reach out to other larger clubs in our area. I'm sure members of ORCA would be interested in our Calfo guest speaker idea.

mikeatjac · #24 02/02/2006, 09:13 PM

Clay that is a great idea. I have been able to take advantage of some of the equipment that the local universities have but it is getting harder. Not much $ if we all go in together.

Grayout · #25 02/02/2006, 09:28 PM

We could house the testing equipment at one of the participating LFS. A member could request a piece of equipment, sign it out (possibly with a deposit of some sort) and then return it to the same location after an alloted time period.

I'm thinking about top of the line digital PAR meters, Phosphate meters, Calcium meters, ORP meters, PH meters etc Eventually, we could also compile a library of the best reef keeping books as well.

I'm sure one of the LFS on here would be interested in participating.