FIU Provides Cutting Edge Technology to Meeting Professionals

MIAMI, Fla. (July 7, 2001)--Florida International University and The New World Symphony are teaming up to educate professional meeting and event planners about the latest communications technologies.

The South Florida Chapter of Meeting Professionals International will see a real-time performance by the New World Symphony’s String Quartet, which will be performing in Miami Beach. The audience, however, will be at the Kovens Conference Center in North Miami.

The transmission will showcase the South Florida GigaPoP, a facility operated by FIU that provides high-speed access to Internet 2’s Abilene network to regional universities and educational institutions, as well as Latin America and the Caribbean. Internet2 networks provide users with connections over 100 times faster than today’s commercial Internet, enabling DVD-quality sound and video.

The event will take place Tues., July 15th at 7:30 p.m. at the Kovens Conference Center, 3000 N.E. 151 Street in North Miami.

“This live demonstration shows how organizations, like the New World Symphony and FIU, use Internet2 and audio-visual conferencing technologies as an effective high-quality communications medium for professional, educational and cultural events around the world,” said Julio Ibarra, Director, Research Networking and AMPATH at FIU.

“Professionals from the meetings and hospitality industry are very lucky to be part of this experience at the Kovens Conference Center,” said Ken Samuels, CMP, and Director of Business Development for Meetings, Events & Conference Coordinators, Inc. “The experts have been assembled to teach our industry leaders about the latest developments in video conferencing, web casting and real-time transmission technologies. We are very excited to have formed this educational partnership."

FIU offers more than 180-degree programs, including bachelors and masters degrees in Music, to 32,000 students in South Florida. The University holds the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching’s premiere ranking for research institutions.

- FIU -

New Beginnings

MECC announces the acquisition by founding partner of all outstanding shares. Teri Valls, CMP, Managing Partner of MECC, acquired all outstanding shares of the corporation, positioning her as sole owner of the Corporation.

The acquisition represents the beginning of a comprehensive move to develop a management centralization of the business, allowing for more flexibility, versatility and responsiveness to our client’s diverse needs. MECC will be able to respond quickly to its client’s needs, making it one of the most customer-tailored and responsive firms in the industry today.

For more than five years, MECC has continually excelled in providing the best meeting management services available in the industry. MECC’s experienced professional staff combines many years of experience in management, promotion, public relations and production services of select special events.

MECC is a professional meeting management corporation, which offers their superlative professional services to any institution planning a meeting, from the smallest to the largest.

Now more than ever, our thoughts turn gratefully to those who have made our progress possible. And in this spirit we say, simply but sincerely,

Thank you.

MECC Partner Acquires Majority Interest

MECC’s Founding Partner Acquires All Outstanding Shares
As Part of a Comprehensive Business Development Strategy

Miami – May 14, 1999 – MECC announced today the acquisition by founding partner of all outstanding shares. Teri Valls, CMP, Managing Partner of MECC, acquired all outstanding shares of the corporation, positioning her as sole owner of the Corporation.

"The acquisition represents the beginning of a comprehensive move to develop a management centralization of the business, allowing for more flexibility, versatility and responsiveness to our client’s diverse needs." Said Teri Valls, now President. "Not only will MECC be able to respond more quickly to its client’s needs, the centralization of management translates into increased flexibility and efficiency. MECC will have the quickest turnaround and decision-making time than most organizations engaged in the meeting planning industry, making it the one of the most customer-tailored and responsive firms." Concluded Mrs. Valls.

For more than five years, MECC has continually excelled in providing the best meeting management services available in the industry. MECC’s experienced professional staff combines many years of experience in management, promotion, public relations and production services of select special events.

MECC is a professional meeting management corporation, which offers their superlative professional services to any institution planning a meeting, from the smallest to the largest.

Now more than ever, our thoughts turn gratefully to those who have made our progress possible. And in this spirit we say, simply but sincerely,

Thank you.