ISPA BOARD
OF DIRECTORS
I’M SURE WE’VE ALL HEARD OR EVEN SAID THE SAYING,
“WHEN LIFE HANDS YOU LEMONS, MAKE LEMONADE.”
While there have been times over the past three months I would’ve preferred to throw those
lemons in disgust, I have to say that ISPA has been busy making lemonade. The most recent
example of this was the tough but exciting news to move the annual ISPA Conference & Expo
to May 10-12, 2021. Moving a conference of this size is no easy task. From securing hotel room
blocks to finding enough conference space and everything in between, this was a big mountain
to climb. And to complicate things a bit more, it wasn’t just this one Conference that we had to
do this for: it was actually for the next three years of ISPA Conferences!
While I appreciate the amount of work and thought that went into this decision as Chairman,
I’m even more thankful for this decision as an ISPA member. If you are like me, your
resort’s or spa’s travel budgets have been reduced to zero. Given the economic circumstances,
attending Conference in 2020 would not have been a reality for me. Even if attending were
feasible, it’s hard to imagine leaving Blue Harbor for a week at such a critical time when we’re
rethinking prices, menus, compensation and more.
Now that the ISPA Conference & Expo has moved to May 2021, there will be plenty of time
for ISPA members to rebuild their sales and travel budgets. This will also give spa directors
more time to fully understand the long-term impact of the pandemic before seeking out the
products and ideas at Conference that are most relevant. Many long-term members have highlighted
how crucial the 2008 and 2009 ISPA Conference & Expo were to their survival during the
Great Recession, and I know that we will all feel the same about the 2021 Conference & Expo.
The countdown has officially begun for May 2021! I cannot wait to see you all in Phoenix
and enjoy some well-deserved lemonade together. Shine on!
—GARRETT MERSBERGER, CHAIRMAN
2 PULSE ■ JUNE 2020