GPUG Summit 2011: Getting there

This week marks the beginning of the Great Plains User Group (GPUG) Summit (twitter: #gpsummit), live from the Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. I have to admit, this is my first Summit and I am not quite sure what to expect, though I am excited to meet up with a number of industry colleagues who will be attending: Kim Peterson, MVPs Mark Polino, Frank Hamelly, and Leslie Vail, Bob McAdam (twitter: @4mcadam), Jon Rivers (twitter: @jon_rivers), and the list goes on and on...

Also, this Summit marks the first time I will venture out in public without my sidekick, David Musgrave. Unfortunately, David could not make it to the Summit, but he will be delivering something never attempted at a major GP conference - a live presentation from Perth, Australia of the Support Debugging Tool, this upcoming Friday, November 11, 2011.

My flight was straight forward and uneventful from Atlanta, Georgia to Las Vegas, Nevada, in a 4 1/2 hour trip, which put me on the ground at roughly 6:40 PM PT. Upon arrival at the Caesars Palace, I checked in and quickly went up to my room in The Forum tower.

Caesars Palace Check In Lobby

The hotel casino is one of the largest venues of its kind on the Las Vegas strip and is known for hosting some of the biggest events in town. This time around, Dynamic Communities is hosting the GP Partner Connections (twitter: #GPCC), AX User Group summit (twitter: #axsummit), the CRM User Group summit (twitter: #crmsummit), the NAV summit (twitter: #navug), and the GP User Group summit (twitter: #gpsummit).

Summit Registration sign

As you can tell, a busy week by all accounts. I found Andy Hafer and team holding a meeting behind some dividers in the registration room, but just said hi and off I went to the #GPCC room. The following is a picture of the GPUG registration booth at the Octavius Conference Center.

GPUG Regustration booth

For more pictures, visit the The Dynamics GP Blogster on Facebook.
Out of the registration area on my way to the GPCC room, I came across the Rockton Software team. As usual, it's great seeing Mark and Kelli - wait... they seem to be everywhere! I ask them where I could find someone - anyone!

Rockton Software - from left to right: Mark Rockwell, Kelli Sexton and Jenn Shoemer

Next, on the way to the GPCC room, I came across the creme de la creme of the GPUG summit: Bob McAdam, Andy Snook, Mark Polino and wife Dara Polino. A quick hello had me off to the GPCC room.

From left to right: Bob McAdam (Tribridge), Andy Snook (FastPath), MVP Mark Polino (IBIS), Dara Polino

Finally in the GPCC room! The meetings had apparently concluded for the day, but I was able to catch up with some partners and Microsoft fellows: Brian Roney, Chad Sogge, and Pam Misialek. I also had a chance to shot a few pics with friends Sheila Jefferson-Russ, MVP Leslie Vail, Craig Klapman (Mekorma), Zubin Gidwani (QFactor Consulting), and David Eichner.

Pam Misialek (Microsoft), Sheila Jefferson-Russ

Craig Klapman (Mekorma), John Lowther, MVP Leslie Vail, Zubin Gidwani 

Kim Peterson (GPUG) and I

Since I got there at the tail end of the first day, everyone was ready to go to get some fresh air and walk around the strip. Pam (Microsoft) was particularly interested on the Bellagio Fountains water and light show, which is perhaps, one of the signature shows and landmarks in Las Vegas. The water and light show is carefully choreographed to the serenity of classic music.

Caesars Palace from the Bellagio Fountains

Bellagio Fountains

Tomorrow is my first training session on Drill-Down Builder and Navigation List Builder. The change of timezone is clearly affecting my mind so I will go get some sleep for now.

Until next post!

MG.-
Mariano Gomez, MVP
IntellPartners, LLC
http://www.IntellPartners.com/