The Miller Tanner difference is our people. That’s why we want to introduce you to our team of superstars that brings our corporate meetings and events to life for our clients. Today, we introduce you to Connie Winter, Production Manager with Miller Tanner Associates. Connie is a master at planning and conducting all media and production details to ensure flawless execution at each and every event.
Meet Connie Winter
Tell us about your current role with MTA – what do you do as Production Manager?
On the front end, I am responsible for procuring equipment and labor for the meeting room set. I work with the client to ascertain their specific needs for the program, advising what works best for each event. I format the presentations and then manage the rehearsal and event once on site. Anything that happens inside the meeting room is my domain. We then upload the final meeting content to the client after the end of the meeting, which includes any changes made during the event.
How long have you been with MTA? This August will mark my 15th year as an associate with Miller Tanner.
What did 
you do before MTA?
I came from a consulting background specializing in business process redesign, employee involvement, and management training. We did presentation skills training as a part of that, which has helped me to assist our clients in my current position.
What is your favorite aspect of your job?
I’m fortunate to work with a fantastic group of colleagues at Miller Tanner. My particular position requires a lot of travel, and I have embraced that over the years. I have kept a list of the countries to which I’ve traveled; this year I marked my 34th country – Japan.
I know the plane hopping, back-to-back travel, and transatlantic phone calls in the middle of the night aren’t for everyone, but I thrive on that. In addition, every meeting is different and presents different challenges. For me, there is nothing more rewarding than successfully meeting every one of those challenges at the end of the day.
What makes Miller Tanner stand out as meeting planning company, in your opinion?
Integrity and execution. There is not one person on the Miller Tanner team who does not have the clients’ best interests at heart, and who will not work tirelessly to ensure the event is a huge success.
What do you enjoy most about where you live?
We are lucky to live in such a beautiful area. Redding, California is bisected by the Sacramento River, and we have miles of river trails for mountain bikers, runners, and walkers. Shasta and Mt. Lassen are both within an hour’s driving distance, and Whiskeytown Lake and Shasta Lake are both within 30 minutes. Redding is a great area for outdoor enthusiasts. I love to play golf, so if I’m not working, that’s where you’ll find me.
What interests do you have outside of your professional pursuits?
This may be hard to believe – but I do love to travel! As I mentioned, I also play golf, and that can be a great mixture. Playing different courses is always fun. I have also recently started drawing – something with which I’ve never had any experience previously and have never taken an art class. However, I’ve found that I love it, and it is very relaxing for me. I can see art classes in my future. I am also a voracious reader which helps on all those long flights!
What’s been your most favorite location for a meeting and why?
Now that is a difficult question! There are several cities that stand out – Monaco and Sydney are both stunningly beautiful settings; Rome and Prague are both fantastic if you’re a history buff; India is both beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. I love museums, and you can’t beat Amsterdam and Paris for that!
What’s your best advice that you would give to a client when it comes to planning their media needs?
Decide on your template as early in the planning process as possible and let us review it with you before sending it to the presenters. Many templates start with the font too small, which does not allow for good viewability in the room. I would also recommend planning a full rehearsal with plenty of time for each presenter to get familiar with the equipment and run through their presentation.
Any trends in media production that you are noticing?
Yes – the old standard for template size, which was 4 x 3 aspect ratio, is rarely used anymore. In fact, it is getting difficult to get screens that size. The new standard is the 16 x 9 aspect ratio, and that is the default for the latest version of PowerPoint.
Since you travel a lot for business, tell us some of your best travel tips.
I always make sure my eBook is fully charged so I can read on the plane. Because of the confidential nature of our clients’ material, we don’t work on the plane – you never know who might be sitting next to you and peeking at your laptop. I have a pashmina in my travel bag that also acts as a blanket – those are rare finds on planes these days! I travel with a TRTL travel pillow – love it. I also pack my own healthy snacks. Carrots, celery, and nuts travel well. I always take at least two charging cables for my phone and iPad. And if I’m traveling internationally, I make sure I’m taking the correct adapters for the country to which I’m traveling.
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