MONTEREY, Calif. — There's a noticeable reduction of attendees at the Big Valley Educational Conference, and California and Nevada Credit Union League leaders are blaming bad timing. Approximately 550 volunteers and managers are attending this year's event, down from the usual ranks of around 700.
CCUL CEO Bill Cheney addressed the issue during this morning's general session, saying record GAC attendance hampered Big Valley numbers.
"I know it's GAC, because I've spoken with people who usually attend both," Cheney said. "Usually, GAC is in February, but since this year's event was only 10 days ago, many people couldn't find time for both."
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Big Valley's longstanding venue, Monterey's Portola and Marriott hotels and their joining conference facilities, require reservations two years in advance, so this year's conference was booked before the league realized GAC would be in March.
The economy is also a factor, as bottom line concerns have resulted in travel budget cuts for some. However, Cheney said he's confident attendance will pick up next year.
"We know GAC is moving back to February next year, and hopefully the economy will rebound a bit, so we're anticipating better numbers next year," he said
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