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APCUG Reports
July-September 2007

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APCUG May Co-Host Eastern U.S. Events
By Ira Wilsker,
APCUG Board of Directors,
iwilsker@apcug.net

One item that has been brought to the APCUG leadership on several occasions is the need to resume holding an APCUG event somewhere in the eastern half of the United States. Long time APCUG members may remember the APCUG events held in conjunction with COMDEX in Chicago and Atlanta, and the events held in conjunction with PCExpo in New York City. Many user group leaders found that attending an eastern APCUG event was more cost and time effective than the other APCUG annual event in Las Vegas.

In order to help meet the unsatisfied need for an eastern event, I was given the responsibility by the President of APCUG to either find an existing event in which we could participate, or to come up with a free standing event to complement the existing Las Vegas event, but in an eastern location.

Discussions have been held with a few existing events about coordinating APCUG participation, and one is now very promising.

On June second and third of this year, initial conversations took place between myself, representatives and leadership of Florida’s FACUG, and other members of the APCUG boards, about possibly co-sponsoring the March, 2008, FACUG event. This event, which has not yet been finalized, may be held in the Orlando or Tampa areas. We hope that holding the event at a popular destination location would attract participants and attendees from a wide geographic area. A quick review of airfares indicated that flights to the Orlando area in March 2008, being the off-season in that popular destination, were reasonable from major eastern and midwestern airports. A March event may also provide a pleasant respite from cold weather to those coming from the north.

A final agreement between APCUG and FACUG has not yet been reached as of this writing, but progress is being made. On the assumption that discussions are fruitful, look forward to a joint announcement from the two groups in the near future providing details of this event. It is hoped that the synergistic cooperation of the two groups can provide for an outstanding and well attended conference, with geographically diverse participants.

In addition to a Florida conference, there are also attempts underway to hold another conference somewhere in the northeast or north central US, with discussions currently centering on the NY, NJ, and PA region. User groups in that area have expressed great interest in again holding an event somewhere in that region, and APCUG is trying to satisfy that need.

I host a small volunteer committee of APCUG leaders, and will need additional help in order to plan these exciting new events. If you or your group would consider assisting in coordinating an event with APCUG, please contact me at iwilsker@apcug.net.