--- title: "Daily Buzz: Keep Your Meeting Out of the Dark" id: "43856" type: "post" slug: "daily-buzz-keep-your-meeting-out-of-the-dark" published_at: "2018-08-21T22:27:29+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-16T22:39:03+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2018/08/21/daily-buzz-keep-your-meeting-out-of-the-dark/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2018/08/21/daily-buzz-keep-your-meeting-out-of-the-dark.md" excerpt: "Power outages can’t be planned for—or can they? We’ve got tips from planning experts on how to prepare. Also: how ASAE is giving back." taxonomy_category: - "Meetings / Events" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "event planning" - "Meetings" - "Risk Management" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Director" - "Manager" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Daily Buzz: Keep Your Meeting Out of the Dark Not many things can completely derail a meeting—but a power outage that plunges the conference into total darkness, well, that’ll do it. Although power outages usually can’t be planned for, meeting planners should include next-step strategies in their risk-management plans for when the situation does arise. *[Meetings Today talked with (opens in a new tab)](https://www.meetingstoday.com/newsevents/industrynews/industrynewsdetails/articleid/32598/title/reagan-national-power-outage-planner-tips)* Paul Frederick, president of Hospitality Security Advisors, and Brenda Rivers, founder and CEO of Andavo Meetings, Incentives and Consulting and author of *The Meeting & Event Risk Management Guide*, about their tips for how to keep a meeting—and its attendees—under control in the dark. Their number-one recommendation? Talk with the venue before anything goes awry. Frederick suggests working with the venue manager to set up an announcement system, while Rivers says to talk with him or her beforehand to understand the space’s generator lighting capabilities. ### Giving Back at ASAE’s Annual Meeting & Exposition > Signage also doubles as giving back. Display is built from canned goods that will be donated to food bank. [#asae18 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/asae18?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > @ McCormick Place [https://t.co/42zTymzogl (opens in a new tab)](https://t.co/42zTymzogl) > > — Jim Thompson, CAE (@thompiCAE) [August 21, 2018 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/thompiCAE/status/1031895656045203456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **One of the best parts about the ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition**is meeting and learning with new people. Arguably, the next best part is working with those new people to give back. Charity and the ability to make the world a smarter, better place are what drives many nonprofits, and ASAE is doing its part in that mission. One way it’s getting involved: [Some of the meeting’s art and signage was made from cans (opens in a new tab)](https://www.thepowerofa.org/2018/08/asae-attendees-to-aid-chicagos-food-bank-2/) that will be donated to the Greater Chicago Food Depository. The can donation program was done with the help of SmithBucklin, an association management company based in Chicago. ### Other Links of Note **Association consultants can help bring in a new perspective,** but you’ll want to make sure that they click with your organization. The MemberClicks blog outlines the [seven questions to ask before teaming up (opens in a new tab)](http://blog.memberclicks.com/7-questions-for-vetting-an-association-consultant) . **What’s your personal leadership philosophy?** If you don’t have one, you also don’t have a sound leadership plan, [says Quartz (opens in a new tab)](https://qz.com/work/1364155/what-is-a-personal-leadership-philosophy/) . **Establishing a corporate partnership can come with many challenges.** Bruce Rosenthal of *Association Success* explains [the most common solutions (opens in a new tab)](http://associationsuccess.org/article/corporate-partnership-challenges-and-solutions-let-me-count-the-ways) . (LarsHallstrom/iStock/Getty Images Plus) [Jeff Hsin](https://associationsnow.com/author/jeff-hsin/) [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/jeff-hsin/) Tags: [#event planning](https://associationsnow.com/tag/event-planning/) [#Meetings](https://associationsnow.com/tag/meetings/) [#Risk Management](https://associationsnow.com/tag/risk-management/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond the Contract: Building Stronger Destination PartnershipsSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/associations-now-presents-beyond-the-contract-building-stronger-destination-partnerships/) - [VideoMelvin Tennant, CAE, President & CEO of Meet Minneapolis, Welcomes You to Great Ideas 2026September 2, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/02/melvin-tennant-cae-president-ceo-of-meet-minneapolis-welcomes-you-to-great-ideas-2026/) - [VideoASAE TV Daily Recap: Final Day at the 2026 ASAE Annual Meeting & ExpositionAugust 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/08/24/asae-tv-daily-recap-final-day-at-the-2026-asae-annual-meeting-exposition/) - [VideoTerin Bates, MBA, CAE, CX-PRO, Shares Her Experience at the 2026 ASAE Annual Meeting & ExpositionAugust 18, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/08/18/terin-bates-mba-cae-cx-pro-shares-her-experience-at-the-2026-asae-annual-meeting-exposition/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2018%2F08%2F21%2Fdaily-buzz-keep-your-meeting-out-of-the-dark%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !