Speaker Information Center
APWA INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS & EXPOSITION
SPEAKER INFORMATION CENTER
Speaker selection for the APWA Congress is conducted through a Call for Presentations process. The Call for Presentations for the 2012 Congress is closed. If you wish to submit a proposal for 2013, visit: www.apwa.net/conferences/cfp. The information below is for only those individuals whose presentations have been selected for the 2012 Congress.
Welcome - 2012 Congress Speakers!
This is your one-stop center for learning about APWA and the Congress audience and for finding out what your responsibilities are as an APWA Congress Speaker. Please read all of the information presented in each of the links below and submit the requested forms by the stated deadlines.We very much appreciate your efforts in preparing your presentation and would like to assist you in any way we can. If you should have any questions, please e-mail APWA's Professional Development staff at speakerinfo@apwa.net or call Karen Wilson (kwilson@apwa.net), Sr. Manager of Continuing Education, (816) 595-5210 or Heather DelaCruz (hdelacruz@apwa.net), Professional Development Coordinator, (816) 595-5215.
Visit the APWA Congress Website for a complete look at all of the education programming and special events that will occur at the 2012 Congress. Also, check out the description and learning objectives for your presentation. Simply click on "ATTENDEES" then click on "Education." You may search for your sessions by date or by subject category.
Speaker Checklist and Important Deadlines
| Deadline Dates | |
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Beginning March 19 |
Register using the online registration form or use the fax form. Speakers must use a special promo code when registering. To obtain the code, email speakerinfo@apwa.net. |
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Beginning May 1 |
Submit Handouts. See the instructions for submitting handouts online (below).
Upload handouts to: ftp://education:education@ftp.apwa.net |
| May 15 | If you need an Internet connection for your presentation, please notify us by May 15, 2012. |
| June 15 | Submit Online Audiovisual Equipment Request Form (Remember APWA will provide the LCD projector, but you must bring your own laptop computer.) |
| June 15 | Submit Online Permission to Record Form. Just check "Yes" or "No," and complete the contact and session information. |
| July 2 | Early Bird (discounted registration) deadline. Register using the Online Registration Form or use the fax form. |
| July 23 | Hotel reservation deadline (to get discounted conference rate) Go Online to make your reservations! |
Speaker Responsibilities
APWA audiences come to Congress expecting a professional level of exchange and to be able to take home with them information that will help their agencies provide improved public works services to their communities. The four most deadly sins noted on evaluations from prior Congresses are: (1) The speaker didn't have a handout. (2) I couldn't read the slides. (3) One speaker took so much time that the others were not able give their full presentations. (4) The presentation was a "sales pitch" for a particular product or service. So, these are the primary requirements we ask of you as you prepare for your presentation:- Handouts: You are required to provide attendees with handouts. APWA will post your handouts online for download by participants. See handout guidelines below.
- Congress Online Library: All speakers must review and complete the Permission to Record form to indicate whether or not you grant APWA permission to include your presentation audio and handouts on the Congress Online Library.
- Audio-Visual Requirements: Review the Tips on Using PowerPoint Slides and Other Visuals to make sure your visuals can be seen by your audience. Online Audiovisual Equipment Request Form - Submit by June 15, 2012.
- Internet Connection: submit the Online Audiovisual Equipment Request Form to notify APWA by May 15, 2012. Session room assignments will be based on internet needs, so we will need this information early.
- Coordinate With Other Speakers: If there are other speakers in your session, be sure to coordinate with them in advance to make sure that all of your presentations will fit into the assigned timeframe. If you do not have the contact information for the individuals you will be co-presenting with, please contact Karen Wilson or Heather DelaCruz at speakerinfo@apwa.net. We also recommend that you meet with the other speakers prior to your session to load all of your presentations on to one laptop computer to save set up time at the beginning of your session.
- No Sales Pitches Please! Selling from the podium can create conflict of interest problems for APWA. Presentations at APWA programs should never be advertisements for your products or services. If a product comparison is part of your presentation, disclose your financial interest in your product or service and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of competing products fairly. On each session's evaluation form, there will be a question asking for a Agree/Disagree ranking on whether the presentation was objective or an infomercial. If a majority of responders think a speaker from a specific company offered a sales pitch instead of objective education, this information will be shared with future Congress proposal review committees. APWA recognizes that public works suppliers and consulting firms are a valuable source of cutting edge information for our audience. However, we encourage all session submitters to include the end user perspective in their presentations. Public works professionals like to hear from each other on lessons learned and ideas for the future. APWA must maintain its credibility with all of its public works agency and corporate members.
- If You Must Cancel: Information about your presentation has been included in marketing materials prepared to announce this conference. Registrants expect and look forward to your presentation. If at any time you become unable to honor your commitment to participate, please notify Karen Wilson (816) 595-5210 or Heather DelaCruz (816) 595-5215 or at speakerinfo@apwa.net. You will be asked to recruit a replacement speaker to assume your commitment.
Handout Guidelines
You are required to provide attendees with handouts for your presentation. However, APWA will NOT be duplicating your handouts in paper for distribution onsite. APWA continues its efforts toward implementing a "greener" Congress. Visit the Green/Sustainability page for a full explanation of APWA's goals for making the 2012 International Congress & Exposition a more "green-responsible" event.) Please carefully review the steps below for how we'll be handling the issue of handouts to meet our "green" goals.
PRIOR TO CONGRESS: Beginning May 1, 2012, speakers may begin submitting their handouts in electronic format to APWA. (See instructions below for uploading your handouts to the APWA ftp site.) Once APWA receives these documents, we will link them for download from the APWA Congress website. Whether you submit your handouts in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint format, APWA will convert the documents to the PDF prior to posting them on the web. Participants may download these documents on an as-needed-basis either prior to attending Congress or after they return home.
DURING CONGRESS: If you do not submit your handouts to APWA prior to Congress, we ask that you bring a copy with you to Congress via a USB plug or a CD-ROM so that we may access the files electronically and immediately post them to the website.
AFTER CONGRESS: APWA will leave access to the handouts on the website for a period of time so that participants may download them after they return home.
Instructions for submitting speaker handouts:
- Name your file using your session database code and last name (i.e. 7204 Smith).
- Go to: ftp://education:education@ftp.apwa.net
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Depending on your version of Internet Explorer, you may have to enable the FTP Folder view.
- Click on the “Page” pull down menu, select Open FTP Site in Internet Explorer --or-
- Click on the “Tools” pull down menu, select Internet Option, Advanced, Enable FTP
- If prompted for a username and password, enter “education” for both fields.
- Double click to open the “Congress 2012” folder.
- Drag and drop your handout file(s) into the folder.
- Once your files appear in the window, you’re done! Just close the window.
- If you have trouble using the ftp site, you may attach your handouts in an email to speakerinfo@apwa.net.
Audiovisual Guidelines
Most speakers at Congress use PowerPoint slides in their presentations. APWA will provide an LCD projector as standard equipment in each session room, BUT - you must bring your own laptop computer. APWA will not supply laptop computers for speakers. Please review Tips on Using PowerPoint Slides and Other Visual Aids. The Online Audiovisual Equipment Request Form must be submitted by June 15, 2012 however, if you need internet connection for your presentation, you must notify APWA by May 15, 2012.Congress Online Library
APWA, in partnership with Digitell, Inc., plans to produce an Online Library that includes live audio recordings and handout materials of the education sessions at the 2012 APWA International Congress & Exposition. APWA requests permission to include your presentation(s) in the Online Library. Please click on the Permission to Record form below for a full explanation of this option.- Permission to Record Form. Please submit the online Permission to Record from by June 15, 2012.
Registering for Congress
Speakers must use a special promo code when registering. To obtain the code, email speakerinfo@apwa.net.
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Speakers attending only on the day of their presentation receive a complimentary registration. A badge listing the day that you are speaking will be issued to you onsite at the Congress Registration Desk. Click on the confirmation link found in the initial speaker email sent to you from APWA. Select one-day in the attendance section.
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Speakers attending the entire conference must register and pay the full member or nonmember registration fee. APWA does not apply single-day compensation against Full registration fees. Register using the online registration form or use the fax form.
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Speakers attending one extra day in addition to the day they are presenting must register for the extra day only and pay using the "Daily Registration-One Day" section on the form. Register using the online registration form or use the fax form.
Travel/Lodging Arrangements
APWA does not reimburse travel expenses or make lodging arrangements for speakers of concurrent technical and professional education sessions. You are responsible for making your own travel arrangements and covering the expenses connected with your travel to APWA's Congress. Information about airline and hotels is available on the Congress website. Please make your hotel reservations early, as premium hotel space goes quickly. To make your hotel reservations online, click here.Congress Fact Sheet
Check out the APWA Congress Fact Sheet. It will provide you with background information about the purpose of Congress, the types of public works professionals who attend Congress, and the average range of attendance at Congress sessions.
If You Have Questions
If you should have any questions, please feel free to contact the Professional Development Department at APWA. Your primary points of contact will be either Karen Wilson or Heather DelaCruz.Karen Wilson, Sr. Manager of Continuing Education
Direct phone line: (816) 595-5210
E-mail: kwilson@apwa.net or speakerinfo@apwa.net
Heather DelaCruz, Professional Development Coordinator
Direct phone line: (816) 595-5215
E-mail: hdelacruz@apwa.net or speakerinfo@apwa.net