A Sea of Possibilities Conference Recap
The 2023 MnCCC Annual Conference was recently held June 5-8, 2023, and there was truly A Sea of Possibilities! The four-day conference was filled with informative breakout sessions, collaboration, resource sharing, networking, and user group meetings. We kicked off conference week with the vendor show, and attendees had the chance to connect with vendors and learn about resources available to them, while playing the traffic builder game for chances to win prizes. We also held our Awards Banquet and recognized the work of many user groups and committee officers that volunteer their time and are actively involved in the MnCCC membership. It is their support and dedication that helps fulfill MnCCC's mission and continued success. Finally, our conference went off with a bang with an energetic performance by the Universal Artist Movement and with acrobatic entertainment provided by Stomping Ground Studio.
Stomping Ground Studio acrobat pictured above.
Universal Artist Movement pictured above.
The Vendor Show
Our vendors and sponsors helped make this conference possible, and we are grateful for their support in participating in our vendor show! It was a chance for vendors to showcase their resources and services, connect with Minnesota county staff, and embrace this year's conference theme. Attendees got a chance to play "O-C-E-A-N", - a modified version of bingo - enter their names to win raffle prizes, and submit their vote for the best-dressed booth. The winner of the best-dressed booth, (drumroll please...) was Accelebrate! As part of their winning prize, MnCCC will be donating $250 to Tech for Success, a nonprofit organization dedicated to digital equity. Stay tuned for a special feature on Accelebrate in the MnCCC Spotlight!
About Tech for Success
Mission Statement: Minnesota Tech for Success creates digital equity for students by partnering with schools and educational organizations to provide technology access, engaging STEM programming, and IT workforce development in underserved communities.
Organizations like Tech for Success equip students with necessary resources and training in technology, strengthening their skill sets, and leading them to impactful careers. Each year, we select an organization whose mission and vision align with our values, and Tech for Success continues to be an organization we believe in. MnCCC is thrilled to support an organization that provides these opportunities to Minnesota's future leaders. Thank you for the work you all do to make access to education more equitable and accessible, along with your responsible recycling of technology.
Dan Whitman Golf Tournament
This year's Dan Whitman Legacy Golf Tournament held a special place in our hearts as we remembered Dan's lasting impact on our organization. Dan served on the MnCCC board for 10+ years! He made a strong impact in helping local governments accomplish more through his time with MnCCC. We are grateful for Dan's dedication and commitment to counties collaborating together. Here is Dan's spotlight feature and a blast from the past: mnccc.gov/blog/mnccc-spotlight-dan-whitman
MnCCC Award Recipients
Every year, MnCCC recognizes two members that go above and beyond supporting the mission of MnCCC and exhibiting leadership that surpasses our expectations. This year we are thrilled to announce our award recipients!
Member of the Year - Jason McCaslin, Fillmore County
Techie of the Year - Cheryl Brame, Clay County
Silent Auction
There was no better way to bring people together than with some exciting silent auction baskets, and due to popular demand, we will be bringing this event back next year! MnCCC raised $1,260 that will be donated to Tech for Success including the donation on behalf of Accelebrate.
Summer Camp
We officially kicked off MnCCC Summer Camp in partnership with LinkedIn Learning! To celebrate MnCCC's new training program, we introduced this 3-month challenge to promote the thousands of professional development opportunities that are available to you through MnCCC! To add to the competition, we will be giving away prizes to winners in 3 categories, and it's not too late to sign up! If you would like to participate, please register here: mnccc.gov/summercamp
Election of New User Group Officers
Congratulations to our newly elected officers! We are grateful for your user group involvement and volunteer work. Your support helps propel the initiatives of MnCCC forward. We look forward to a great year of helping Minnesota counties thrive in providing public service. Thank you!
That's a Wrap!
Thank you to all our members, presenters, vendors, and sponsors for making the 2023 Annual Conference a huge success. We hope to see you next year! Be sure to mark your calendars!
