Warm, welcoming, hospitable greetings from the Western Region Directors!

Enclosed is your registration packet for the upcoming State Directors Conference in beautiful, scenic, luxurious Scottsdale. We’re looking forward to seeing everyone in the Valley of the Sun.

For those of you who have never been to the Phoenix area, it is a great place to visit. Unlike our last location in 2006 (an act very hard to top by the way), the Valley of the Sun is a sprawling metropolis. You can drive for at least an hour without ever leaving developed areas.  Once outside of the city, you’ll truly see the beauty of this great state.  Our hotel – The Renaissance Scottsdale Resort - is near old town Scottsdale where there is activity all of the time. Just outside the resort property is the Borgatta, a world-class shopping and eating experience.  They also have Dolce Spa, an experience you must have while in town.  About 10 minutes south of our hotel (by car) is old-town Scottsdale where you can browse or buy art, buy all of your souvenirs, experience the wild west, grab a bite to eat, get a mid-afternoon refreshment while you sit and watch for the rich and famous, or shop-‘til-you-drop at Scottsdale Fashion Square. 

You are coming to the Valley at an interesting time.  Construction has been underway for over 2 years on our first environmentally friendly mass-transit effort, LIGHT RAIL (those of you from cities with proper mass transit can stop laughing now J).  It’s a big deal for the valley, and we hope that it reduces the congestion on our streets when it debuts later this year.  You’ll see the construction during your ride to the hotel.  This combined with the population and recent real estate boom (or bust, depending on who you talk with) makes for a very interesting place to visit or live.

The Renaissance Scottsdale Resort has a Lincoln Town Car at your beck and call while you stay at the property.  In addition, there will be other transportation options available as you arrive and depart that week (this is a work in progress). 

We are named the Grand Canyon State for being home to one of the world’s seven wonders.  We hope you’ll consider coming out a few days early for the pre-conference trip to see this amazing site.

So, pack your bags (don’t forget your sunscreen!) – We’ll see you in Scottsdale!