Coronavirus causes cancellation of Minneapolis Convention 2020!

Wow, what a time to be a part of the NAEA Board of Directors. We have had one of the most trying and consuming weeks of all. We have had numerous zoom meetings to discuss the options and consequences of canceling the upcoming conference because of the Corona virus epidemic. Every board member has been there to represent our members and to present the knowledge of their own regions and divisions as this ever changing situation has evolved over the past few weeks and days. We have monitored our members as they have struggled with school closings, travel bans and sickness in their states. The board finally voted unanimously on March 12 to cancel Minneapolis 2020. The announcement was made the following morning via email, social media and the NAEA website. I don't know about everyone else but I feel very sad and have a great sense of loss. I know we made the right decision but we have spent months planning and preparing this conference for everyone and all of that excitement is just "poof" gone. My heart goes out to all of the award winners who will miss their special moment we had planned for and for all of the presenters who had spent hours of preparation and planning. The board and staff will continue to plan how to deliver these awards and honor the awardees. We will also create a plan for delivering materials and some of the sessions to our members virtually. The staff has been working so hard on all of this and continues to focus on how to serve our members. They are all so terrific! Mario Rossero, our brand new Executive Director has been marvelous in his first NAEA crisis and this event has definitely bonded the board to his tireless, inclusive, and visionary leadership. OK.....enough of all that! Let's all look forward to Chicago 2021! I just love the windy city.....NAEA will rock the city in 2021....might be our biggest and best ever! Make a plan!