Executive Director Program

SLDO/DRI Town Hall

Join us for an open and engaging town hall conversation with DRI Chief Executive Officer Dean Martinez. Together, we’ll discuss shared priorities, emerging challenges, and opportunities for collaboration across the defense bar. Attendees are encouraged to bring questions, share perspectives, and engage in a candid dialogue about what lies ahead. You’ll leave with a clearer sense of where things are headed and how your SLDO/NDO fits into the broader defense community.

Speaker
Dean Martinez (CEO), DRI, Chicago, IL

Behind the Ballroom Doors: How Sales, Events & Catering Really Work (and How to Work with Them)

Ever feel like you’re negotiating with three different hotels inside one building? Join a candid, behind-the-scenes conversation with hotel department leaders as they break down how their departments actually function, where priorities align, and where internal tensions can arise. You’ll gain practical insight into who controls what, how contracts are structured, how concessions are evaluated, and why certain "simple" requests aren’t always simple.

Designed specifically with executive directors in mind, this session will cover:

• How hotel sales, events, and catering collaborate behind the scenes
• What each department is measured on and why that matters to your negotiation
• Smart ways to negotiate rates, F&B minimums, upgrades, and concessions
• Common pressure points and how to avoid them
• How to build long-term partnerships that benefit both your organization and the hotel

You’ll gain a clearer understanding of hotel economics, practical negotiation strategies, and the confidence to advocate for your organization while preserving strong relationships.

Speakers
Sara Buzzannco (Director, Global Accounts), Conference Direct
Jon Davenhall (General Manager), Grand Hyatt, Washington, DC
Frances Goss (Director of Events), Grand Hyatt, Washington, DC
Barbara Puckett (Associate Director of Sales), Grand Hyatt, Washington, DC

Strategy That Sticks: From Retreat to Results

In this candid, dual-perspective panel, Mike Weston, who successfully led multiple SLDO strategic planning processes, sits down with an Executive Director who has carried plans across the finish line and into action. Together, they will unpack what makes a planning session meaningful, how to design the right process, what volunteer leaders actually want from it, and how to ensure the plan does not gather dust once the retreat ends.

If you are heading into a strategic planning cycle or trying to breathe life into an existing plan, this session will give you practical guidance from leaders who have done both sides of the work.

Speaker
Mike Weston, Lederer Weston Craig P.L.C.

Reassessing Membership Value: A Work-in-Progress Case Study

Many associations are wrestling with the same membership questions: What do members value now? Are current benefits aligned with today’s needs? How should recruitment, engagement, and technology evolve?

Join Lynette Pitt as she dives into a practical work-in-progress case study from NCADA’s membership growth project, including why the effort began, how the organization is using consultant expertise and support for research and strategy development. We will review what has been completed so far and highlight next steps.

Rather than presenting a finished plan or final results, this session will offer candid observations, discussion prompts, and early lessons from the process.

Speaker
Lynette Pitt of the North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys