EVENT: American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Annual Convention

2008 MEETING (JULY 19-22): After record-setting numbers in 2006 and 2007, lower numbers at the 2008 convention disappointed AVMA organizers.

CHALLENGE: "Unfortunately, our 2008 annual convention in New Orleans came at the time of an unstable U.S. economy," said David Little, director of AVMA's convention and meeting planning division. "Our attendees are primarily small business owners, so leaving their practice and attending the convention would have created a financial hardship for them in an uncertain time."

In addition to holding out for a better economic climate in 2009, members' decision not to attend may have been influenced by the conference's "family-friendly" feel. Typically, families come along with business owners, and the event is often tied to a family vacation.

"With airlines struggling, the high cost and uncertainty of air travel, and the overall stress of coordinating a family of four's cross-country trip," Little said, "I believe a number of our members decided to forego the meeting and will choose to take part in a local, state, or regional alternative."

INITIATIVE: AVMA launched a new, modified educational program for its 2008 annual convention. The association moved from four 90-minute educational time blocks to eight 50-minute sessions. Under the past schedule, organizers included a 30-minute break between the 90-minute sessions in both the morning and afternoon. "The shift to the shortened educational programming was a win in terms of attendee comfort and their ability to concentrate on the materials being presented," Little said. "Ninety minutes to stay focused is a long time - too long."

While attention spans fared well, exhibit hall traffic may have suffered. The new 50-minute educational program structure included only 10-minute "passing" periods throughout the day, with no set breaks.

"The thought was, if attendees want to visit the exhibit hall, they will make an effort and carve out time to do so," Little said. "I'm not sure our theory was substantiated."

The association is looking for ways to create "Exhibit Hall only" time without taking away from the overall educational programming.

TREND: The demographics of AVMA's annual convention attendees reflect a larger change within the veterinary profession: There are more women and younger practitioners. "You look around and no longer see experienced men dominating the landscape of our meeting," Little said.

The demographic shift has led the association to reinvent certain aspects of the meeting to better appeal to the attendees. AVMA has added a comic night to showcase up-and-coming comedians, along with a concert held one evening during the convention. In 2008, the band Lifehouse filled the ballroom with an enthusiastic crowd. The association also remains committed to standard offerings such as child-care services, a mother's lounge, and optional city tours.