I’ve attended a few of these and they’re not “lavish” at all. We usually stayed at chain motels (the cheap paces filled up first) and ate mostly at the local dives. We had to pay an entrance fee and pay for our own hotel and meals and there were corporate sponsored/paid events like golf but to say it was lavish was be a major exaggeration.
I don’t think people understand how low key these things actually are. DMA and postal people are about as boring as they come. I tried to start a riot and nobody wanted to join.
Seriously, it was a great way to get familiar with the latest and greatest innovations and discuss the future with actual people that are most familiar with the industry.
But I can understand why people would prejudge, especially since the USPS is in such dire straits.
Newnhdad: You must have been pretty far down the food chain if you had to pay for your chain motel and meals at local dives. People in the Jeff Neely class don’t even have to pay for their rumba dancing lessons. Of course these meet-ups are essential because they provide an opportunity to “get familiar with the latest and greatest innovations and discuss the future with actual people that are most familiar with the industry.” Meetings like this probably explain why the USPS is so efficient and innovative.