Jeff Herne

I doubt the dust will ever settle on this matter, but here's what I know... We had 150 rooms in the Hilton block. Everyone knew that going in. If you didn't, a simple Google search of the hotel would clearly demonstrate how many rooms were physically in the building. We reserved 20 of those rooms from that block. No one pressured me to do anything (no one ever does). I extended those rooms to the head judges (because they need to be there), a couple of out-of-town staffers, the board President (because we are obligated to, so don't start on me on this topic. It's IPMS SOP), and two people (whom I do not know personally) with medical/mobility issues. These were people I felt needed to be onsite for a variety of reasons. For that, I take full responsibility. At 2am on Saturday night, all of the rooms I had allocated from the block were in place, a total of 18. This means that EVERYONE that was on that list was accounted for. The two rooms that remained were released and returned to the general block. At 2am when I went to bed, we had 132 rooms in the block that were available. I KNEW people were going to be upset (they ALWAYS ARE), but we still had 88% of our rooms. We also had 100% of our Home2Suites rooms and 100% of our Clarion rooms. At 6am CST, I receive a PM from an IPMS member (not the hotel) who tells me, "Rooms are sold out at the Hilton and people are bragging about it on the chat groups". Of course, this person won't name names, but I stumble out of bed, go to my computer and log in, and boom... less than 5 rooms left at 0600. So I sit on my hands waiting for someone who's not a minimum-wage employee to call me back. At 0915, I get a call from the front desk manager. She explains to me... "We had several people who called and said that they were part of the organizers and needed a room before the block opened." They got rooms... Now, you can say, "how could that happen?". Well, first off, the hotel doesn't give two hoots about us, they want to sell rooms. Add to that, someone calling at 4am, getting the overnight desk person, knowing that there is in fact a block, and giving them a song-and-dance to get a room. Happened multiple times according the mgr. Second thing - rack rating. We didn't get ALL of the rooms in the Hilton - we got a block. People as early as July of 2023 were calling up, reserving a room at FULL PRICE, then once the codes hit, called back and applied the codes to their full-price reservations. Illegal? Nope. Unethical? Yup. This, I am told, happened with more than TWO DOZEN reservations, some of which had multiple rooms in their own little blocks. Either way, 125 rooms disappeared between 2am and 6am on Saturday the 6th. Hotel doesn't care, they're happy the block sold out. They'll give me a list of the guests that are in the block, but will not provide with me the timestamps of when those reservations were made, or if they rack-rated their reservations. Can I pursue it? Sure. Should I? What's it going to accomplish? Nothing, because technically, no rules were broken. In fact, there's people out there who are PROUD of the fact that some of us have "gamed the game". Sickening, because the only one who catches Hell for it is me. I will address three other things that have been thrown in my face since the 6th.... #1: I did NOT give these rooms to my IPMS buddies. By and large, I TOLERATE 98% of the membership of IPMS/USA, and I can count on ONE HAND individuals within IPMS that I would actually go out on a limb for and circumvent the rules. None of those people are at the Hilton. Add to that, I don't have ENOUGH FRIENDS IN THE FIRST PLACE to fill 125 rooms, IPMS or not. #2: I stood up in front of the entire membership in San Marcos and assured people that this wouldn't happen. Guess what? It did. I can't control people who decide to cheat. Does anyone honestly think that I would willingly put myself in the crosshairs of a bunch of angry people over an issue such as this? #3: The hotel reservation system is clunky and not user-friendly. I'm sorry, but I don't design the websites for Hilton Hotels. I also have NO IDEA how technically adept each of you are. Some had no trouble whatsoever, some of you couldn't manage to click a hyperlink. When the phone numbers went live, lines were busy, you couldn't get in. In the interests of being fair to ALL of IPMS, the email was sent to 6000 people, and posted on social media. Some of you got the email early...a few minutes, some got your email late. We factored in ISP delays with a bulk email and decided that 5 minutes lead time was sufficient. In short, we had hundreds, probably a thousand or more, people vying for a limited number of rooms in Phase 1. Try booking Taylor Swift tickets for your grandkids online...300,000 tickets at 9 shows selling out in 5 minutes at an average price of $1600... we're insignificant in the grand scheme of things. I'm putting 40-50 hours a week fixing these issues, on top of doing everything else I have to do like running a company, being a husband, father, and dog-wrangler. I've added new hotel blocks, I'm negotiating with the Embassy Suites for Phase 2, and I'm trying my best to respond to ALL your personal emails, the accusations, the condolences, and the questions from people who need help in finding a place to stay in Madison. If any of these things don't meet with your approval or expectations, well, those of you who know me, will know what I'd LIKE to, and will eventually, say. In the interests of completing the mission and putting together what I hope is a great national convention, I'll keep my mouth shut for now. For those of you who have chosen to make this personal - well, that's not going unnoticed, either. Telling me you're coming by my house in July to "s**t on your lawn" because you didn't get a hotel room is simply not worthy of a reply. To those of you who have messaged and called with words of support and encouragement, I cannot thank you enough. To the two individuals who sent me care packages, you've made your way onto a very short list of people that I will do anything for, and I am beyond words. Thank you. The hardest part of this process (hosting a National convention) is not the physical work involved. I have an AMAZING team of people building the Madison Nats. The hardest part of putting together a national convention is dealing with the people who attend it. The vast majority are wonderful, but the handful of idiots that cause 98% of the problems, well.... I now understand why most chapters don't do more than one convention per generation. In short, I'm not taking s**t from anyone, period. If I screw up and I deserve it, that's another issue altogether and I'll take my lumps. I am not like my predecessors. I wear my heart on my sleeve, I tell it like it is, and I firmly believe that (to quote Spock) "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few". In the end, it is my job to make sure that you ALL have a good time, whether I like you or not. Whether YOU like me or not is irrelevant, provided that you understand that I am busting my ass, and my team is busting theirs, to make sure Madison lives up to the hype. IF you have a hotel issue, message me directly via email - info@scalecolors.com or PM me through the IPMS Facebook groups. There is another Mission Brief coming out this week, you will receive a PDF link via Wild Apricot, and it will posted on the IPMS social media outlets as well. It will include the show schedule, list of vendors (to date), seminar list and schedule (to date), and current hotel availability and upcoming blocks that are opening. It will also include pre-registration information - what to expect, tours, banquet, trophy sponsorships, etc. If you choose to email or message me simply to give me a hard time or tell me how "unprofessional" I am, just be aware that those notes get passed on to the E-board for review. Thank you all, the good, the bad, the ugly, and you sci-fi and car guys, too... (I'm joking, I love you guys) for your time. Jeff Herne

Gentlemen, Attached is mission brief for the 2024 Nats, outlining pertinent information for hotels, seminars, tours, etc. This will be cross-posted on all other IPMS-affiliated platforms, Facebook, Nats2024.com website, and of course, here in the forums. Herne sends. EDIT - We used the incorrect list of speakers and seminars in the PDF file. I am correcting the list (it was a combination of last year's speakers, AND this years) and will re-upload the file. Sorry to any member who read the document and learned they were giving a seminar! ***EDIT*** - new document posted below. JH IPMS 2024 Madison_Mission Briefv2.pdf

Gentlemen, Attached is mission brief for the 2024 Nats, outlining pertinent information for hotels, seminars, tours, etc. This will be cross-posted on all other IPMS affiliated platforms, Facebook, Nats2024.com website, and of course, here in the forums. Herne sends. EDIT - We used the incorrect list of guest speakers and seminars. I am correcting the version file (v2) and will re-upload. All other information is correct. I apologize to any member who read it and learned they were doing a seminar! ***EDIT*** - The document below accurately reflects the proper seminar/speaker list for 2024. IPMS 2024 Madison_Mission Briefv2.pdf

Sometime between Halloween and Thanksgiving, we will release a statement here, on the IPMS/USA Facebook group, the IPMS/USA forums, and via IPMS/USA Wild Apricot email system (to current IPMS/USA members) that includes ALL of the pertinent data for all of the hotels currently under contract. This includes room rates, amenities, parking, distance to the venue, and whether or not you get a chocolate mint on your pillow each night. In this release, we will include the "GO LIVE" date and time for the blocks, which will ALL happen simultaneously. It is our hope that this will give folks enough time to research where they want to stay, the costs involved, and make an educated decision. Hopefully, this will prevent the mad rush of stupidity that happens when the hotel blocks have opened in the past and everyone goes full-on stupid for the hotel closest to the venue. Now - There is a brand-new hotel currently under construction right next to the Monona Terrace Hilton. It is currently scheduled to be open in early 2024. IF this hotel opens on schedule, then we instantly add another 200 rooms that are within walking distance (less than 200 meters) from the convention center. We have this hotel contracted under contingency, meaning, we are not contractually bound if the hotel does not open on schedule. This poses several problems for the Madison team... First - if this hotel opens AFTER our block date is released, and it is NOT included in the initial block release, then people are going to cancel reservations at other hotels to move to this one, and this causes issues with the block contracts for those hotels that are being cancelled. Second - we are in constant communication with the new hotel's parent company to get confirmation of an official "go live" date from them. It is our hope that their "go live" date will fall INSIDE our own "go live" window and we can add this new hotel to the list already under contract. That is why, for now, our own "GO LIVE" window is still not locked in.

As you are all well aware, one of the goals of the Madison team is to place an emphasis on Group Builds, Display-Only, and SIGs. If our diabolical master plan (cue the ominous music) comes to fruition, we intend to have a dedicated space specifically for the above-mentioned categories. At present, this department is being led by Don Schmitz, with Chris Cortez working in conjunction on club table displays. I have also reached out to Paul Cotcher, he's expressed some interest in helping in this department. One of the themes of the show is D-Day: 80 Years. We have already joined forces with two powerhouse modeling podcasts, the Model Geeks and the Plastic Posse Podcast, to host the D-Day Group Build. The Geeks will host D-Day: In the Air, and the Posse will host D:Day: On the Ground. Both will combine forces in one large display at Madison. In addition, the group that did the B-17 Group Build at San Marcos is already working on a 4'x8' 1/48th P-47 Fighter Base diorama, which will be donated to the EAA Museum at Oshkosh after the convention is complete. This opens up opportunities for not only aircraft modelers, but for armor modelers, figure modelers, and diorama builders, to be involved. We also have a "Women in Aviation" Group Build starting up, and a B-25 Group Build. Some of these group builds may choose to be Category 750 entries, some may choose to be open to all modelers and located in the display-only section of the convention facility. If you would like to organize a group build, either for Category 750 or display-only, please reach out to me so I can connect you with the appropriate staff members. We will be posting links to each specific group build project's Facebook group, along with each group's point of contact, if you wish to sign on with one. We will also be developing a dedicated page within the Nats website to include this information. As we move further along, we will introduce a PDF that outlines how we anticipate all of this coming together. So, get busy, you only have 49 weeks left!!

I do not have specific dates. It will be late fall, early winter, so, prepare for sometime between Halloween and Thanksgiving.

Hotels have been contracted with initial blocks. We are working with Destination Madison, our control point organization, and establishing a rollout and all of the pertinent information. This information will be released later this fall, after which time we will open blocks for hotel reservations. There will be MULTIPLE options for convention attendees. Options will range from 5-star accommodations downtown for those who don't care how much they spend, to budget-oriented facilities a short driving distance from the convention center. If you try to book a hotel at any of these facilities prior to the block-dates opening, you will be charged whatever the market rate is for that time frame. In other words, you will not get the IPMS rate. You are, of course, welcome to book your rooms outside of the block-rate window, but that's on you. And I will address this rumor directly - we are NOT already sold out. We haven't booked a single room under the auspices of IPMS/USA, as of 7/28/23, in any of the five hotels we currently have under contract.

Tony, they're formulated for airbrushing. You'll be disappointed if you try to hand-brush them. Jeff

They're a hard-polymer acrylic...once cured, they behave just like an enamel.

I only sell direct...it's me... drop me a line and I'll get you set up.

Here are the emails for the 2024 National team members. If you have a question that pertains to their department, please email them directly. If you have general questions, you may post here or email our new PAO, Alan Zais. Alan will be the "Public Affairs Officer" for the 2024 Nats team. Thank you. Contest Coordinator: Mark Miller - Nats.contest2024@gmail.com Vendor Coordinator: Bob Clift – nats.vendors2024@gmail.com Seminar Coordinator: Stephen Gilbert – nats.seminars2024@gmail.com Tour Coordinator: Jeff Barrette – nats.tours2024@gmail.com Volunteer Coordinator: Jon Kreuger – nats.volunteers2024@gmail.com Registrar: Marek Rogal – nats.registrar2024@gmail.com Public Affairs Coordinator: Alan Zais – nats.publicaffairs2024@gmail.com Club Table Coordinator: Chris Cortez - clubs.nats2024@gmail.com Raffle Coordinator: Jeremy Olsen - nats.raffle2024@gmail.com Show Chairman: Jeff Herne – info@scalecolors.com (use only in the event of an extinction-level event)

lol, this is funny... There's this guy...after Testor's Acryl naval colors went away...he started his own paint company, specializing in WW2 naval colors. He shows up at Nats every year, he's one of the "OG" camo guys who was doing camo research back in the 80s and 90s at National Archives. I think he's doing a seminar on USN color and camo doctrine at San Marcos this year ...and he's an IPMS member... Hmmm...I wonder who it could be? At any rate - here's his website.... www.scalecolors.com

Please do ME, the 2024 Nats Team, and the E-board a HUGE favor by NOT calling the 2024 Nationals venue asking for information. It is NOT their job, nor is it their responsibility, to satisfy your personal need to have information ahead of everyone else. The venue has already contacted me directly asking for the phone calls to cease. No IPMS member should be contacting the venue and demanding free parking and lower hotel rates, neither of which are the venue's responsibility. I have instructed the Monona Terrace staff and my personal POC (Point of Contact) to not field calls from anyone within IPMS EXCEPT for the 24 Nationals team and the Executive board. This behavior is unacceptable. All it does is convolute the process and spread rumors, false information, and outright fabrications pertaining to the '24 Nats, which I am already having to deal with, and we aren't even past San Marcos yet. We are more than one year out from Madison, so there are LOTS of things that haven't even been discussed yet. The Monona Terrace staff only knows what I and the E-board have told them thus far pertaining to the convention. They know nothing of the floorplan, or the menu, or the schedule of events, because none of those items have been addressed yet. The sole purpose of this forum is to address questions you have. There's already a list of things we can and cannot answer at this time. Please show the team a little trust and respect and let them do their jobs instead of running around responding to half-truths and rumors. If you have LEGITIMATE questions for the venue, such as handicapped accessibility or things of that nature, we will be HAPPY to convey those questions to them in our regularly scheduled meetings. But PLEASE, bring your questions to US, not the venue. (EDIT - This situation today, over the weekend, and then the personal attacks from IPMS members already accusing us of not doing our jobs, has put me in a not-so-friendly state of mind.) Jeff Herne 2024 IPMS National Convention Chairman IPMS/USA Region 5 Coordinator.

You got some time Mark, figure out a way!! Hope to see you in Madison. Jeff

In truth, this space was supposed to be for the 2024 Nats so we could begin to address the venue change and other issues relating to that.