FAQ
When and where will the conference be held?
This year’s conference will be held June 21–24, 2009, in New
Orleans, LA. Conference activities will take place in both the
New Orleans Marriott and the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel. Meeting
room assignments will be provided closer to the conference.
How do I get a
hotel room for the conference?
This
year’s conference activities will take place at two hotels, the
New Orleans Marriott and the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel. For
your convenience, both hotels are located on Canal Street and
are directly across the street from each other.
AGA has reserved a block of rooms at the New Orleans Marriott and the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel to accommodate PDC attendees. The AGA room rate is $120 per night (plus tax) for single and double occupancy. Rates are only guaranteed until May 29, 2009, or until the block is sold out. We encourage you to make your hotel reservations early, for the best price and availability.
· To make a reservation, please call your preferred hotel at 800.228.9290 (Marriott) or 888.627.7033 (Sheraton) and mention you are attending the “AGA PDC” to receive the discounted rate.
What
should I wear?
Business casual attire is appropriate for all conference
activities. Since meeting room temperatures vary, we recommend
that you dress in layers and bring a sweater or jacket to the
sessions. Attire for the President’s Reception on Wednesday,
June 24 is “Mardi Gras” festive, so bring your masks, feather
boas and party hats and Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez!
How can
I register for the conference?
There are three ways to register for the conference:
· Click here to register online with a credit card.
· You may also register by fax or mail. Print the registration form.
What is my AGA member ID
number? What is my password?
Your LOGIN is your MEMBER ID NUMBER, and your PASSWORD is
your first initial and last name (no spaces). If you do not have
this information, please contact
Rica Muhammad at
800.AGA.7211, ext. 303.
What is included in my
registration package?
Your conference registration includes entrance to all
education sessions and the Exhibit Hall, breakfasts, refreshment
breaks, luncheons, receptions, a registration tote bag and the
ability to earn CPE hours.
Can I register to attend just the Exhibit Hall?
Sorry, AGA does not offer “Exhibit Hall Only” registration.
How will I know that AGA has received my registration form?
Confirmations will be e-mailed to the address provided on your
registration form (or faxed/mailed if no e-mail address is
provided) within five to 10 business days after receipt of your
registration and payment (or purchase order).
If you do not receive confirmation within three weeks of submitting your Registration Form with payment, contact your accounting office to confirm the form was actually sent and then e-mail Jennifer Varua for further research.
If I cancel my conference registration, is my hotel room
automatically canceled and vice versa?
No. These are independent of each other, and you need to cancel
each separately. As a reminder, the hotel will charge a penalty
for all reservations not canceled at least two weeks before the
scheduled arrival date.
Can I get a refund if I need to cancel my registration?
Refunds, less a $50 processing fee per registrant, will be
granted for cancellations received in writing at the AGA
National Office by June 5, 2009. Refunds will not be granted for
cancellation after this date. “No-shows” are responsible for
full conference payment.
Please e-mail your cancellation request to Jennifer Varua or fax to 703.684.6933.
If I am unable to attend
the conference, can I send someone in my place?
Yes. If you are unable to attend the conference and have
already registered, you may designate another person to take
your place. Complete a registration form for the new attendee
and indicate the name of the individual that is being replaced.
Membership status is not transferable. Additional fees may be
required based on the replacement's membership status.
Substitutions must be made in writing. Please e-mail Jennifer Varua or send a fax to 703.684.6933.
How can I get a receipt
for my registration?
Your confirmation letter serves as your official receipt. If
you need another form of documentation, please contact Jennifer
Varua at 800.AGA.7211, ext. 322.
How can I see who is
registered for the conference?
Approximately two weeks before the conference all registered
attendees will receive an e-mail providing a link to the
registrant list. The roster will also be updated about two weeks
after the conference. If you did not include your e-mail address
on your registration form, please contact Jennifer Varua by
phone at 800.AGA.7211, ext. 322.
Registration lists are provided as a service for conference attendees, offering a convenient way to network with colleagues. The data provided in these lists may not be harvested, sold to others, incorporated into a database, used to generate mailing lists, or employed for any promotional purpose.
If a luncheon, reception
or refreshment break is not sponsored, does that mean it will
not be provided?
No. All of the meals and food and beverage events included
in your registration package will be provided regardless of
whether the meal/break has been sponsored.
What should I do if I
have a special dietary request?
AGA selects lunch menus we hope everyone will enjoy. We
realize that some individuals have dietary restrictions and food
allergies. AGA has made arrangements to offer a vegetarian meal
at lunch for individuals who are unable eat the entrée selection
for that day.
Please be sure
to indicate on your registration form if you have any food
allergies or dietary restrictions. Attendees who have special
dietary restrictions that prevent them from eating the standard
entrée selection will be provided with a vegetarian meal based
as closely as possible on their specific dietary needs.
Due to the large number of attendees, substitutions to the
vegetarian meal or the standard conference meal may not be
possible. Please make alternative meal arrangements if you
have several food allergies or very specific dietary
restrictions, as our food and beverage options may not meet your
needs.
AGA will do its best to accommodate all dietary requests. However, because the focus is on food allergies, we cannot always guarantee requests such as low-fat, low-salt, low-carb, sugar-free, etc.
How can I get a copy of a speaker’s PowerPoint presentation? Any presentations made available to us will be posted on our website. Approximately two weeks before the conference, all registered attendees will receive an e-mail providing a link to the conference PowerPoint presentations. This page will be updated on an ongoing basis to include new presentations as they are received. Please remember that not all speakers use PowerPoint and/or do not provide copies of their presentation to AGA.
Contact Us
Still
have questions? We are here to help!
If you have additional questions, please
contact
Jennifer Varua at
800.AGA.7211, ext. 322. You may also contact
Maria Lucas at ext. 308.