The Queen City Set to Provide the Royal Treatment to TOCA Members in 2018
By Den Gardner, Executive Director
Les Nessman (at left) and the entire WKRP radio crew.
Les Nessman, famous on-air personality for the fictitious television series “WKRP in Cincinnati” in the late 1970s and early 1980s (yes, I know some of you young professionals weren’t born yet), said it best about our exciting news of the 2018 meeting coming to Cincy.
Simply put, his sign-off phrase after each broadcast was: “This is Les Nessman saying good day, and may the good news be yours.”
Although you may not have watched WKRP even if you were alive and well during that hey-day of serial television, one thing is clear: It is good news for TOCA as we visit our third city in Ohio in our 29 years of annual meetings. First it was Columbus in 1993, second Cleveland in 1998 and now 20 years later back in Ohio.
The Queen City promises to give TOCA members the royal treatment. First, mark May 1-3, 2018, on your calendar. TOCA members will be at the historic Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza.
After our second largest meeting ever in Tampa last year, the pressure is on to bring an event to Cincinnati that meets the expectations of its members from professional development to tours to award ceremonies and much more.
The theme of the meeting is still in development. Our TOCA Program Committee of Lacy Ravencraft, Marisa Palmieri, Jon Kiger, Joe Shooner and others are developing a top-notch program.
TOCA thanks Global Prairie for handling the 2018 logo and awards program for 2018. We also appreciate GP for taking on the commitment of creating a theme for the annual get-together and staging/managing the logistics for the award program. We will have more information for you at the GIE+EXPO annual TOCA breakfast regarding the 2018 meeting.
The meeting itself will take on a familiar look for members. There is the traditional board meeting on Tuesday, May 1, in the afternoon. An optional meet and greet reception will be held Tuesday evening and first-timers to the TOCA meeting will be treated to an evening dinner, courtesy of Ewing and Focal Point Communications. The format following Tuesday evening is:
- Wednesday morning – meeting begins, recognition of scholarship, internship, Plant Health Writer of the Year, Environmental Communicator of the Year. and educational program
- Wednesday afternoon – tour or golf
- Wednesday evening – opening night reception, silent auction
- Thursday all day – breakfast committee meetings, workshops, seminars, business meeting
- Thursday evening – Award reception/dinner
- Friday – Home at leisure
Wednesday afternoon will feature our usual Green Industry tour. Among the areas 
being considered include the Great American Ball Park (home of the Cincinnati Reds), plus Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum. The nonprofit garden cemetery and arboretum is the fourth largest cemetery in the United States and is recognized as a U.S. National Historic Landmark.
Says TOCA program committee member Joe Shooner of Focal Point Communications in Cincinnati: “It sounds odd, but it’s actually a really popular spot. The area is beautiful.”
For those interested in the annual golf outing, two courses are under consideration: Aston Oaks and Devou Park (actually across the river in Covington, Kentucky). More details to come on the selection for this event.
The Wednesday night reception will feature our second annual TOCA Foundation Silent Auction. After the great success in our first year in Tampa, we are excited to offer this great event again. Last year’s auction brought in more than $4,000.
Thursday presents more professional development throughout the day. The annual awards dinner and presentation of the best communications work of TOCA will conclude the activities in the evening.
The 2018 agenda will be more complete by the TOCA breakfast at GIE+EXPO in late October. Watch the TOCA website for more information in the meantime.
See you in Cincinnati in 2018!