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Taking a Bite Out of the “Big Apple” International Style

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By: Marie K. Fitzpatrick, ABC

When I headed to New York City this summer on vacation, I thought about IABC and its international make up. Why not see about connecting with some Manhattan colleagues? What a great idea that was! A quick LinkedIn search came up with this:

“New York IABC Member Summer Social – Join your fellow New York communicators for drinks, apps, door prizes and more… compliments of New York IABC! We look forward to catching up with old friends and introducing new ones to the great community you’ve helped us create.”

Well, that was an invitation to be taken! The event took place at The Australian NYC, a cool pub filled with sports décor and staff who were all clearly from ‘down under.’ A quick email connected me to the event organizer and then the current President of the chapter. So off I went to experience an New York IABC event.

“It was terrific to meet with a fellow IABCer from Canada albeit completely unexpected. It certainly made for some interesting conversations about the ever challenging quest for new ideas for professional development events, how to attract new members like me and maybe some politics throw into the mix,” said Shelley McKay, a new IABC NY member and originally from South Africa.

My Learning? Next time I plan my vacation, I’m definitely going to put attending an IABC event in the city I’m in on my radar much earlier. But sometimes luck is in a “New York minute” like my luck on LinkedIn that day.