REGISTRATION EQUITABLE LIFE S LEADERS CONFERENCE CHICAGO A DESTINATION AND A CONFERENCE TO REMEMBER!

Transcription

1 REGISTRATION EQUITABLE LIFE S LEADERS CONFERENCE CHICAGO A DESTINATION AND A CONFERENCE TO REMEMBER!

2 CHICAGO Tallest building in America. Best restaurant in America. Best theater in America. The list goes on. Not only is Chicago racking up world-class accolades, but you just won t find a friendlier, more livable big city. It s this truly unique mix of global attractions and local charm that make Chicago second to none! Registration is only available online. This registration booklet will give the information you require to be able to register. By accepting this invitation to attend you acknowledge: You are expected to attend all business meetings and events Your guest can only be a spouse or life partner No children are allowed onsite/at our conference or at any events The conference is a taxable benefit. A tax slip will be issued for the taxable portion of this conference for you and your spouse/life partner This invitation is not transferrable / no cash value in lieu of attendance BY MARCH 14 TH 1. Online registration to be completed. Please note that the registration site will close at the end of the day March 14 th. If you have registered earlier than this date, you are able to go back into your registration and make changes should you need to. 2. Air travel to be booked. You are responsible for booking your own flights, please ensure that your flights are booked by this date. See the travel information section in this booklet for more details. All travel allowances are based on economy. Once your online registration has been completed, you will be sent an confirming your registration information. Please contact Joan Lesyk should there be any changes to your information or if you have any questions. Joan Lesyk Manager, Meetings & Incentives Equitable Life of Canada Telephone: or Toll Free: ext Fax: jlesyk@equitable.ca

3 IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER Canadians entering the United States by air are required to have a passport valid for 6 months beyond your date of departure into the United States. If you do not have a valid passport, please ensure that you apply for one immediately. You will be denied entry into the United States if you do not have a valid passport. For other nationalities, please contact your local consulate for clarification. CONFERENCE INFORMATION Delegates and invited guests Since the purpose of the Conference is to provide a business and networking environment for qualifiers, only spouses or life partners can accompany the delegate. No assistants, colleagues, business associates, friends, children or other relatives are allowed to attend. Should you bring a guest who does not meet this criteria, Equitable Life reserves the right to decline a delegate s attendance at conference. Children Because of tax consequences, children are not permitted at our conference OR on the premises at the conference. Name badges A name badge for you and your spouse/life partner will be provided in your registration package and is your identification for all events. Wearing your badge will help you become acquainted with the other Leaders Conference guests. Taxable benefit Attendance at our conference is a taxable benefit. The benefit is a function of the actual costs for a delegate/spouse and is reduced by the extent of the formal business content on our agenda and other items. Please note: As part of the CLHIA guidelines, please ensure that you notify clients that you have received commissions for the sale of insurance-based products and may receive bonuses, invitations to conferences or other incentives. Equitable Life reserves the right to determine in its sole and absolute discretion, which advisors it will invite to the conference and if an advisor s invitation should be cancelled, regardless of the advisor satisfying the qualification criteria. The refusal or cancellation of an invitation may be for any reason whatsoever, including without limitation, compliance or conduct review or investigation, outstanding debt obligations, poor persistency prior to, during or following the qualifying period, producer agreement not in good standing, non compliance with legislation or Equitable Life rules and standards of ethics and conduct, or it would, in Equitable Life s sole and absolute discretion, be inappropriate for the advisor to attend the conference.

4 CONFERENCE INFORMATION Hotel RADISSON BLU AQUA 221 North Columbus Drive Chicago, Illinois Telephone: Fax: An architectural landmark in and of itself, the Radisson Blu Aqua is a premier Chicago hotel with the distinction of being the first Radisson Blu Hotel in the United States. This stunning hotel s optimal location in Chicago places it within walking distance of the city s most popular attractions, including Millennium Park, North Michigan Avenue, Navy Pier and the Chicago lakefront. Guest room features include: high speed internet, flat-panel television, in-room safe and coffee machine and week day delivery of USA Today. The hotel offers an outdoor (seasonal) and indoor pool and complimentary access to the health club. Extending your stay at the Radisson Blu Aqua Our Conference rate of $209 US per night plus applicable taxes will be available to you three (3) days before and three (3) days after your conference dates. Complete the online registration and we will arrange the hotel booking for you. Please note that extended bookings are based on availability at time of registration. Thursday, May 22 nd - Check-in & registration Our Registration Desk will be open at 11:00 am. Please stop by for your registration package. We will be located on the main level of the hotel. A credit card imprint for personal charges such as mini bar, phone calls, etc, will be required at check-in. Check-in / check-out time Check-in time is 3:00 pm and check-out time is noon. Equitable Life of Canada hospitality desk and staff We will be located on the main level of the hotel and our staff will be happy to assist you regarding Company-hosted activities, general inquiries, etc. Please see Joan Lesyk or Johanne Heroux should you require assistance.

5 CONFERENCE INFORMATION Phone calls Making direct long distance calls from your room can be expensive. To reduce your costs, we recommend you use a calling card or you may also want to have U.S. roaming added to your cellphone to reduce roaming charges while in Chicago. Dietary and medical requirements Specific requirements are to be listed in your online registration so that we can ensure that your individual needs are addressed. Time zone While in Chicago, watches and clocks should be set 1 hour behind Toronto time or 2 hours ahead of Vancouver time. Climate Late May temperatures: Daytime highs average 22C and evening lows average 13C. Internet Wireless internet is included in the room rate at the hotel. Gratuities Equitable Life of Canada has provided all gratuities in conjunction with planned group functions. For personal expenses, we suggest a 15% gratuity. Valuables Any valuables should be kept in your hand luggage during travel, and while not in use, stored in the room safe or hotel safe located at the hotel lobby. Do not leave valuables in your hotel room unattended. Equitable Life is not responsible for any loss. Questions and changes If you have any questions or reason to alter your reservations prior to May 20 th, please contact: Joan Lesyk Manager, Meetings & Incentives Equitable Life of Canada Telephone: or Toll Free: ext Fax: jlesyk@equitable.ca If you need to reach Joan Lesyk after May 19 th, please call: The Radisson Blu Aqua at and ask to be connected to her room to leave a voic or call/text Joan s cell phone at

6 TRAVel INFORMATION (Please read carefully) Booking flights For travel to Chicago, you will be booking your own flights. You are able to book through your personal travel agency, the internet or airline points. We have allotted a per person travel allowance from each city based on current average economy for travel on Leaders Conference dates. Should you wish to book outside of these dates, you may find the fares higher and those costs will be your responsibility. If you book with airline points, you will be reimbursed the cost of actual economy flights from your city at the time of booking. Reimbursements cover economy air only and do not include upgrades, lounge access, meals, preferred seating, etc... Payment When booking your flights, you will be required to use your own credit card. Once you have booked your flights, please forward a copy of the itinerary/invoice to Joan Lesyk at Equitable Life for reimbursement. We will reimburse you for the total amount of your invoice up to the maximum of your allotted travel allowance only. Cancellation If you have booked your flights but can no longer attend the conference, the total reimbursement amount is to be returned to Equitable Life. The airline ticket(s) remain your property. Arrival dates When booking your flights, please note that cocktails are scheduled to begin at 7:00 pm on Thursday, May 22. Please refer to the program summary section in this booklet for a general outline of the conference and dress code. Chicago transfers Transfers from Chicago s O Hare or Midway International Airport to The Radisson Blu Aqua and return to the airport have not been pre-arranged. An allowance of $ Canadian dollars will be added to your flight reimbursement to cover the taxi fair and gratuity. When travelling back to the airport, we suggest that you speak to the bellmen and pre-arrange a transfer for your desired departure time. The average taxi fare one way is $45.00 USD. Transfer time is approximately 30 minutes. Documentation Canadians entering the United States by air are required to have a passport valid for 6 months beyond your date of departure into the United States. If you do not have a valid passport, please ensure that you apply for one immediately. You will be denied entry into the United States if you do not have a valid passport. For other nationalities, please contact your local consulate for clarification.

7 TRAVel INFORMATION (Please read carefully) Travel allowance Costs have been determined using current average economy fares, ie. West Jet, Air Canada Tango, Porter, Delta, American and airlines offering the best connection options on our conference dates flying into O Hare and Midway International Airports. Please note that airfares vary greatly over a period of time. The following travel allowance applies until March 14 th. If you book after this date and fares are higher than your travel allowance, this additional cost will be your responsibility. You will be reimbursed for your baggage fees if applicable (1 bag per person). Maximum travel allowance per person Departing City Travel Allowance Departing City Travel Allowance Departing City Travel Allowance Calgary $ 675 Montreal $ 650 Vancouver $ 650 Edmonton $ 600 Ottawa $ 600 Winnipeg $ 700 Halifax $ 825 Saskatoon $ 650 Kitchener $ 300 Toronto & area $ 475 Insurance and medical coverage Travel insurance is always advisable. As each person s needs differ and insurance coverage varies greatly, it is your responsibility to ensure that you have appropriate and sufficient coverage for all your travel needs and this is at your own expense. Airport check-in All delegates are requested to check-in at the airport at least ninety minutes prior to departure when travelling to the United States. Boarding may be denied if check-in is less than one hour prior to flight departure. Please confirm at check-in that your luggage has been checked right through to Chicago. Never pack your travel documents including passport or other valuables with checked luggage. Always carry them with you when travelling. Please remember you are required to have a passport valid for 6 months beyond your date of entry into the United States. Luggage identification and restrictions It is an airline recommendation that all luggage have a name tag on the outside, including carry-on luggage. This will ensure correct delivery to your hotel room. It is also recommended that you place a business card or other means of identification inside each piece of luggage. Checked luggage Airlines vary in regards to their checked luggage allowances. Place any cutting or piercing items in your checked baggage (razors, nail files, tweezers etc). All liquids must be packed in your checked baggage and not with you. For further information regarding luggage restrictions, number of allowed pieces of luggage and weight allowances, please check with your airline. Carry-on Size allowance can vary with each airline. It is suggested that you check your airline s website for details. You may only carry liquids under 100ml each in your carry-on. If you exceed this, the item may be taken from you. Pack medications, prescriptions with a label matching the passenger s name and spare glasses in your carry-on, not in your checked luggage.

8 EXPense INFORMATION Conference expenses Equitable Life is responsible for conference expenses for you and your spouse/life partner which include: economy class airfare; cash allowance for airport transfers into and out of Chicago; hotel room and tax; all meals, beginning with dinner on May 22 ending with breakfast on May 25; all gratuities for group functions, including bellmen and maids; group networking/social activities on conference dates only. Personal expenses The hotel will maintain an incidental account to cover your personal expenses that are not included in this conference. A credit card imprint will be required upon check-in to guarantee your incidentals. Personal items such as additional meals, mini-bar, room service, lounge and poolside charges, boutique purchases, laundry, in-house movies, telephone charges, internet and personal gratuities etc. are to be billed to your personal incidental account and taken care of upon check-out. Travel expenses A travel expense form will be included in your welcome package. You will receive this upon your arrival at the hotel and it will cover your ground transportation costs to and from your home airport. Following the conference, forward your travel expense form to Joan Lesyk at Equitable Life. Remember to attach all receipts as we cannot make alowances where receipts are not available. Delegates may claim $.46/km to and from their local airport and a parking allowance of $20/day during the conference period only. Any additional travel expenses, food, beverages at airports, costs to enter airline lounges or overnights near your home are your own personal expense.

9 PROGRAM SUMMARY & SUGGesTed DRESS Dress code The following summary outlines our program to help you plan your wardrobe. Casual: Shorts, dockers, t-shirts, golf shirts, capris, casual skirt or dress Business casual: Slacks/dockers, golf shirt, collared shirt, skirt, blouse, summer dress, dress capris (no jeans; and no sandals for men) Formal: Dress for Friday, May 23 rd : For men tuxedo / suit and tie Women formal cocktail dress Theme dress: Dress for Saturday, May 24 th : We go back in time to the Roaring Twenties! Gentlemen, feel free to dress in your Alphonse Capone finery and ladies like flappers. A few accessories will be available to you to give you that finishing touch! Please note that while in Chicago in late May, the temperature can be cooler by the water. We suggest you pack a sweater and jacket for your comfort. Daily schedule event dress Thursday, May 22 nd All day Arrivals and registration Casual Evening Welcome reception & dinner Business casual Friday, May 23 rd Morning Business sessions Business casual Afternoon Time at leisure Casual Evening Awards dinner & dance Formal Saturday, May 24 th All day Time at leisure Casual Evening Dinner at 1920 s Themed dress Chicago Speakeasy Sunday, May 25 th All Day Breakfast and departures Casual