Super-bright
LCD finds home in downtown Chicago conference center
 Would
it surprise you to find a world-class downtown conference center designed
specifically with corporate training in mind? One preferred over local
hotels by clients such as Quaker Oats, Sara Lee, Blue Cross/Blue Shield,
Amoco, and Inland Steel?
"Due to the nature of
today's business environment," says John Potterton, Director of
the Summit Executive Centre at 205 North Michigan, Chicago, "there's
a need to educate employees continuously. But it can be hard to find
meeting space designed with training in mind." In offering their
facility for rental, the Centre competes directly with downtown hotels,
but Potterton feels they have an advantage in understanding the needs
of the professional trainers they cater to. The Centre, formerly KPMG's
Center for Leadership Development, provides meeting space, equipment,
and meals, lacking only the sleeping rooms that a hotel might provide.
 "Because
of who we are and what we need to accomplish," says Potterton,
"everything we do in this facility has to be done very well. That
goes from the audio/visual down to food and beverage to the distraction-free
environment that we provide. We look at ourselves as in the business
of adult learning. If we can enhance the adult learner’s experience,
then we’re doing our job."
The audio/visual, of course,
has become more and more important to adult learning in recent years.
A large portion of the training conducted at the center is computer-based;
thus good computer projection systems are critical. For this reason,
the Center purchased a super-bright 3M MP-8650 projector from United
Visual last year. "We’d been looking for something for many
years," says Potterton, "that an instructor could use throughout
the day, with the lights on. Doug Carnell was aware of this need, but
had to keep telling us to be patient, that the technology was changing.
When he brought us this new 3M projector, we were finally there."
One challenge Potterton faces
is the size of the facility and the demand for its a/v systems. The
space includes two rooms with rear projection. United has fitted the
3M to serve one of these rooms, a Sony graphics projector the other.
But with 13 other meeting rooms also needing computer projection, the
3M is moved frequently. "The portability of it is wonderful,"
Potterton says. "We can just take it from one room to the next
without a major setup issue."
For more information about
Summit Executive Centre, please e-mail Potterton at jpotterton@compuserve.com.
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