GPUG Summit 2012 Seattle: Day -1

The past two days have been officially Optional Instructor Led training sessions at GPUG Summit 2012 Seattle. So the Washington State Convention Center (WSCC) has been buzzing with people attending a number of classes across all Microsoft Dynamics product lines.

Now that I am settled in, it was time to head over to the register for the Summit event and catch up with friends. Registrations were being conducted at The Conference Center. Over the next 3 days, The Conference Center will host over 550 attendees to the GPUG Summit.

The Conference Center, home of the GPUG Summit

It's always great to see a friendly (and I might add, beautiful) face after a long day of traveling. Liz Hallen, Director of Member Relations with Dynamic Communities was at the registration booth with a big smile, ready to welcome and sign up all attendees to the Summit. However, I was not that lucky - no, not that kind of lucky.



Liz Hallen

As logistics would have it, MVPs and speakers had to register over at the WSCC building, on the 4th level. After some clear directions frolm Liz, I crossed over to the WSCC and up the escalators to the 4th level. On the way up, I came across MVP Leslie Vail, who has confectioned a brand new multi-color GPUG rhinestone cape.



MVP Leslie Vail and her new GPUG cape

After grabbing my badge and Summit package, I took a peek into the Expo hall to see how things were progressing. Clearly, there was some work left to be done, but exhibitors and WSCC crew were hard at work to complete the booths and get all the walls and electric outlets finished.



The Expo Center

Construction Crew still working on booths

I had a moment of downtime and headed over to Tully's Coffee (on Level 4 of the WSCC) to grab a triple espresso and one of their delicious pastries. Tully's Coffee is a specialty coffee retailer and wholesaler based here in Seattle. Its stores serve specialty coffees, espresso, baked goods, pastries, and coffee-related supplies. It also has overseas licensing agreements in Japan and South Korea where its brand name is used for Tully's coffee houses in those countries. Tully's Coffee is well known for once following an expansion strategy of opening stores adjacent to the opposing coffee giant Starbucks, also based in Seattle. There's a running joke in Seattle that the easiest way to find a Tully's is to stand in front of a Starbucks and turn around - for the record, there's a Starbucks inside of the WSCC as well, so I guess the joke is in fact, well, a fact.

I went back to my room to drop off a few things and off I went to the GPUG Summit Speakers meeting, which was being held at The Conference Center at 5:00 PM PST. I had a chance to meet up with fellow blogger and co-presenter Jon Rivers (twitter: @jon_rivers). Jon and I will be presenting the session GEN05 Where Should You Turn for Answers: The Power of Social Media, running on Friday, October 19 at 11:00 AM.

Me and co-presenter Jon Rivers

The speakers meeting was attended by very familiar faces from Microsoft and the Microsoft Dynamics GP community at large. Among some of the attendees: Microsoft's Kevin Racer, Theresa Nistler; community blogger Gloria Braunschweig; and Microsoft Dynamics GP user, Susan Moore.

Speakers Meeting at The Conference Center

The Microsoft Dynamics GP MVP community is well represented at the GPUG Summit. At the speakers meeting I had a chance to catch up with newly minted MVP John Lowther; old friend of many battles, MVP Frank Hamelly; the always personable and funny man, MVP Mark Polino; and the goddess of HR/Payroll and presentation mentor, MVP Leslie Vail.

MVPs Frank Hamelly, Mariano Gomez, John Lowther, Mark Polino, and Leslie Vail

It was time to head over to Expo Hall. It never ceases to amaze me how these behemoth empty spaces can be transformed so quickly into a magnificent places for gathering and technology display, in such as short time. In fact, the carpet was laid down earlier in the afternoon.

In roaming around the Expo, I came across Microsoft Dynamics GP MVP Charles Allen, from BKD Technologies. Charles will be presenting a number of sessions around SQL Server Reporting Services, SQL Server Analysis Services and the new SQL Server 2012 Power View functionality. Charles also adds to the Microsoft Dynamics GP MVP representation at the Summit.



MVPs Charles Allen and Mariano Gomez

I also had a chance to talk to Jeff Soelberg at length over at Fastpath, Inc. and snap a picture of their booth. Fastpath is a leading ISV in security, audit and compliance solutions specializing in access certification and segregation of duties reviews and monitoring. They provide solutions for the Microsoft Dynamics GP and AX platforms.

Fastpath Booth at Expo Center

It was certainly time to get back to my hotel room to get some rest. Somehow, Kim Peterson managed to convince me volunteer me for another session which I will be carrying out tomorrow. Please stay tuned for more details of the Summit.

Until next post!

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