SPIN, the Senior Planners Industry Network, announced today that the group has reached a milestone of 1,500 members worldwide. The group has grown quickly since its inception in October 2008, adding an average of 100 new members per month via word-of-mouth among planners around the world.
To join the free SPIN networking group, members must be full-time planners with at least 10 years of experience, although the group’s average is close to 20 years. SPIN’s membership includes all types of meeting and event planners: corporate, association and third party/independent planners with only one thing in common: their status as industry veterans.
SPIN was founded by Shawna Suckow, a Minnesota-based certified meeting professional with 18 years of planner experience. “I was looking for a way to connect with my senior-level peers in a forum where we could interact and share challenges and opportunities,”
Suckow created the group in October 2008 initially on LinkedIn, sending the invitation to a handful of colleagues to join. As a requirement of joining the free group, members are asked to spread the word to five other senior-level planners. “Our growth has been entirely grassroots, with no advertising,”
In 2009, in response to requests from the group, SPIN began offering Think Tank gatherings in 11 major U.S. cities, where members gather for networking and round table discussions on industry topics. This year, Suckow’s goal is to increase international membership, and begin offering Think Tank gatherings outside the U.S.
To join SPIN’s free, planner-only networking group, senior-level planners must complete a short electronic application confirming their experience level. Visit www.spinplanners.com where the application is located on the SPIN Members Forum page.
For more information about SPIN, please visit www.spinplanners.com.
