It adds up: meetings and conventions bring economic impact home.

• Author: Clevenger, Jody
• Position: ADVICE / MEETINGS

OK, HERE'S A RIDDLE FOR you--what do the following have in common? A letter carrier, an egg artist and the Rotary District Governor ... any ideas? Well, these particular individuals all reside in the same city, but that's not the answer.

Give up? This unlikely group is responsible for adding more than a million dollars to the local economy in Muncie and Delaware County Did they win the lottery, gain an inheritance or rob a bank? No, to all of these. What did these folks do, you ask? They talked to people.

These Muncie residents spoke to their peers in groups that they belong to about coming to Muncie for their conference, trade show and convention.

Jim Tharp, a local letter career, spoke to colleagues who are members of the Indiana Association of Letter Carriers about bringing the group's annual conference to Muncie.

Wilma Evans, a local businesswoman and egg artist, spoke to other artists and art suppliers from the all over the world about bringing the East Central Indiana Egg Art Show to Muncie.

Martin Limbird, a local Rotarian and the 2005-2006 Rotary District Governor, spoke to other Rotarians from all over the state of Indiana about bringing their convention to Muncie. By encouraging their colleagues in professional, hobby and civic organizations these individuals have made a sizable economic impact in their community

Now there is an ambiguous phrase: economic impact. Most every industry uses it--to justify tax breaks for new business, to validate commercial growth, to quantify a victory in the political world. Cited quite frequently in the tourism and hospitality industries, it is used to measure financial impact via taxes generated and employment created and/or maintained as a result of a special event. Let's simplify it even more.

Your city has a three-day convention for the Indiana Association of Widget Manufacturers. This event brings 100 people to your community on a Wednesday morning, with attendees spending the night in a local hotel on Wednesday and Thursday...