National Event Company Relocates To Lakeland And Comments On Future Goals For Polk County

Online, April 2, 2010 (Newswire.com) - GenX Media Group, LLC announced today that as part of its corporate relocation to Central Florida, it has selected Polk County as its new home.

Christina Wellman, Executive Director at GenX Media Group, LLC stated, "We have conducted market research of the surrounding areas for the past year and the outcome of this fiscal research responded with an advantage for our industry in Lakeland. With its centralized location and quick highway access, Lakeland seemed the ideal choice to begin a new challenge for growth in our industry." The Bartow native couldn't be more pleased.

The company which has managed meetings and conventions for the arts and entertainment industry across the country with focus on clients in major markets such as New York, Chicago, Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles seeks to create a new niche for Polk County in the meetings and conventions market. "Our objective is to benchmark the meeting management practices of Central Florida, particularly the small meetings and conferences that companies and local government continuously strive to control. The need to manage small meetings and identify savings opportunities for those clients whether on or off-site is the forward path we are presenting. We want to partner with Polk County businesses to produce results for everyone making the county a viable player in the meetings and conventions industry. Too many opportunities slip through our fingers when we have every right to play host. The Peabody (Orlando) will be finishing up a $450 Million expansion and renovation this fall. The very fact that this property sees a need to prepare for increase and expansion in such a state of economic downturn is indicative of the surge destined for Central Florida. With such projects as the SunRail and Florida's Speed Rail on the horizon, Polk is poised for extreme economical growth in the next 5 years and I would like to see our county position itself to seize a piece of the action."

When questioned on the reception of GenX Media Group's presence in Lakeland, Wellman responded, "Polk County lacks a networking platform for creative and marketing services. Somehow these companies have been conditioned to compete in a negative way. In larger markets, such as Texas or DC, there are competitor companies interwoven to secure business for and within the regional market. Granted it's a utilitarian point of view, but in the long run, in the big picture - that alliance works. Everyone brings something different to the table and I have always enjoyed teaming up with another event management firm to guarantee the client the biggest success achievable. You have to give as a company and exceed your client's expectations. The cash value of your services must extend beyond the bottom line and some of the work on which I have collaborated recently has been hugely disappointing overall. I have been told that this is the status quo but it seems lacking and, in my book, unacceptable as a concept. I hope that we (Polk) are able to change this."

Coming from agricultural roots stemming from 5 generations of Floridians, she continues, "I remember the cooperatives over the years that have helped to grow Polk County as one of the agricultural leaders in the state, perhaps even the country. It is that united effort toward (a goal) that helped to set us apart, while preserving a heritage." With mentors such as George Aguel, Senior VP of Walt Disney World Parks and Resorts in Orlando, Kraft Foods CEO, Irene Rosenfield, and the late Jim Rohn, Wellman explains, "You watch. You learn. And take copious notes. Eventually, you find a way to make it better. Maybe not better. But you add your own twist opening it up for the next generation to take it by the reins. After all, these are the great ones. They have seen the ups and downs and have pioneered their way through the thick and thin which is how GenX (Media Group) came about. Generation X has been one of the most productive and innovative generations since the industrial age. We have achieved that balance between the old and the new without losing respect for the ones who have plowed through and taken the beatings. At the end of the day I am aware of the fact that I am standing on the shoulders of those who have gone before me."

Revisiting her main focus of agriculture she continues, "I remember in my childhood and teen years going to the University of Florida with my mother for the various citrus and agricultural summits and entertaining myself by drawing up logistical outlines to make Polk County the centerpoint for these events. Granted at that time, we were sadly limited on meeting space and sleeping rooms, but the idea grew into a career of convention and meeting management for the arts and entertainment industry across the country. Now, I would like that idea to be realized in a place I call Home. The skills and focus translate well to any industry and for any company. In order to be recognized as a competitor in the meetings and conventions market, we need to apply the best practices which will include getting our Polk business partners on the same page and bringing them together. We are an agricultural leader as well as holding a strong position in healthcare management and medical fields and with our centralized position in Florida we are able to provide 'edutainment' at its best. Our goal is now to focus on behavioral and demographic marketing to bring in the necessary clientele. Personally, I think they are already here. They just do not think of us (Polk) as a viable candidate. GenX wants to create a kind of engagement between those who have the vision and those who can make it happen. It becomes a collaborative effort for all parties to synergize toward a goal for the greater good and advance it to the next level. Walt Disney was once quoted as saying, 'You can dream, create, design, and build the most wonderful place in the world, but it requires people to make the dream a reality.'"

Though nondisclosure agreements restrict Wellman from naming GenX clients, she hints of upcoming projects that include "inexpensive yet innovative ideas that have saved clients thousands while repositioning them in a challenging market as a leader and forward thinker. Event marketing is a known niche in your larger markets, but relatively new to Polk County. This creates an opportunistic challenge that is welcomed. We are constantly seeking out opportunities to offer better service and greater value to our clients in the marketplace and we are driven by a standard of excellence in everything we do. Our unique system streamlines the event management and marketing process and we partner with you to expand your own marketing and public relations capabilities in all aspects of strategy and execution. The end result: more bang for your buck. We help to eliminate unnecessary costs and allow you to focus every dollar of your marketing and advertising budget on achieving results. GenX brings far more to the table than your standard event management or convention services. We provide the synergistic medium necessary to enhance marketing and educational platforms that are already in place to seamlessly integrate without uprooting what made a company great in the beginning."