SGMP San Francisco

About Us

The Society of Government Meeting Professionals (SGMP) was established in October, 1981 in Washington D.C, by a group of government employees who wanted to improve negotiations between government agencies and the hospitality industry to facilitate conducting cost-effective, efficient government meetings. Visionary Sam Gilmore founded the organization which has grown to be a 3,000 member, nation-wide network of meeting professionals. There are now 27 SGMP chapters across the United States.
The San Francisco Bay Area Chapter was started in 1986 by Jerry Faulkner, Bruce Orinstein, Ron Claussen and others who saw the need for a West coast chapter of SGMP. This Northern California chapter spans the wine country to Monterey, San Francisco and the East Bay, the Peninsula, with members in the areas of Bakersfield, Long Beach and Salt Lake City.
Soon after San Francisco was chartered, the Sacramento Capitol Chapter was established to address the needs of State of California agencies in the Central California Valley.
The most recent chapters are the Greater Los Angeles Chapter, the Crossroads of America Chapter in Indianapolis, and in 1997 the latest chapter in Minneapolis/St Paul.
See the listing of Chapter Presidents for a chapter near you.

To expand the knowledge and professionalism of government and contract planners and suppliers through formal educational programs
To improve communication, understanding and cooperation between planners and suppliers through regular meetings, discussions and conferences
To aid planners in locating and evaluating commercial meeting facilities and support services by operating a communications link
To provide guidance and advice to planners on all phases of planning, executing, and evaluating government meetings
To provide guidance and advice to suppliers serving government market of the latest travel and other government regulations