April 2016 New Member Lunch Spotlight
Welcome to our New Member Lunch spotlight! Each month, a guest from the Board of Directors will be joining us at the new member lunch (NML) to introduce themselves and tell us a little bit about their role and background. This month, we’re joined by Megan FitzPatrick, CPSM, Communications Co-Director of SMPS Chicago!
In advance of this month’s NML, here’s a little bit about Megan:
Where do you work and what’s your role?
I work at Lochner, doing regional marketing efforts for our Midwestern offices.
Why did you join SMPS Chicago?
I joined to meet and learn from people in similar roles. I was brand new to the industry in 2002 and was looking for colleagues and education.
How has SMPS been beneficial to you, your firm, and/or your career?
I have met some fantastic and phenomenal people through SMPS. Those folks definitely set the bar very high on how to be great marketers. SMPS has helped me work to put my firm’s best foot forward and challenge myself to take advantage of opportunities to learn.
How can a new member of SMPS get the most out of their membership?
One thing I can suggest is to keep an open mind on those you meet and programs you attend. We all need to make sure our “bubbles” are not too small.
What was the most fun event you attended for SMPS?
Several holiday events have been a total blast. It’s great to be in a pure fun environment with my SMPS friends near the end of the year.
What do you do to kick back and relax?
I am blessed to have a husband who is an amazing cook. So relaxing is often related to drinks and home-cooked foods. We are also fortunate to be able to travel. We don’t overschedule our trips to make sure we can relax.
What is your favorite musical group/performer?
I cannot say I have one favorite but I gravitate towards groups or artists with a Celtic connection, whether that be traditional Irish music new and old or contemporary Irish or Scottish artists.
What is the most interesting place you’ve visited?
Bali is the most interesting place. The culture, the food, language and the people are completely unique to Bali. There is beauty in the simplest of food presentations, daily offerings, as well as magnificent impact of the temples, rice paddies in the sunset, and ceremonial dances and performances.
Name the most famous person you’ve had a face to face encounter with (“brush with greatness”)?
Bill Clinton
If you could spend 15 minutes with any living person, who would it be and why?
This is a tough one to answer. On the condition my husband can come along, I would like to have 15 minutes with retired Munster Rugby and Irish Rugby Lock and Captain Paul O’Connell. I am hooked on rugby now, the number one sport in our house. Rugby World Cup was this past fall and Paul was a fixture in rugby in Ireland for the last 15 years.
