Know Before You Go

Tips to Prepare for the Annual Conference & Expo

• Make your travel and lodging arrangements. 
• Download the mobile app from your app store by searching for OASBO Events.
• Plot out your conference schedule by adding items to your My Agenda:
  • Education Sessions
  • Key exhibitors you want to connect with
• Review Ohio Ethics Rules regarding gifts and giveaways.
• Familiarize yourself with the Greater Columbus Convention Center.
• Review the latest Convention Center COVID-19 safety protocols.

• A First-Timers Webinar will be held in early April providing you with tips on how to make the most of your conference experience.
• Sign up for First-Timers Orientation & Breakfast on April 17.
• Request an Ambassador who can act as your conference buddy and help you navigate onsite and beyond!

• Business cards for networking.
• Electronics and chargers.
• Reusable water bottle: There will be water coolers available for you to refill your bottles.
• Comfortable shoes: You'll be on the move and on your feet throughout the days and evenings.
• Variety of clothing: The daytime events are business casual attire, but evening events are very casual, so pack both kinds of outfits! Please note the event spaces and meeting room temperatures vary, so it's best to bring a sweater or a light jacket.
• Umbrella or other rain gear.

• Tax Exempt Forms
  • If you are tax exempt from your hotel room charges, you will need to have both the state and city tax exempt forms when you arrive at check-in. If you do not have both forms, hotel accounting teams will not be able to check you out as tax exempt. Please note that the school district or company must be paying for these rooms in order for the reservation to be tax exempt. 
• Billing
  • Hotels cannot accept checks as a form of payment. They can only accept credit cards at check-in or a credit card authorization form that is completed prior to check-in. If you need to fill out a credit card authorization before check-in, please contact the billing department of your selected hotel.
• Names on Reservations
  • If the school district has multiple reservations and has different people checking in for each room, please reach out to your hotel’s billing department in advance so they can add each individual name to the reservation. 

• The week prior to the conference, registrants will receive an email from postmaster@american-tradeshow.com, and exhibitors received an email from noreply@swoogo.com or with a QR code that you'll scan at the registration desk to have your badge printed.
• You can print the email off and bring with you, or pull up the email on your phone to scan the QR code.
• If you forget the code, you can simply enter your name at the kiosk onsite to print your badge! 
• Click here to see an example of the email you will receive.

• Head to the south end of the convention center to the registration area outside Room A110-112 to print your name badge, and to collect your lanyard and conference registration items.
• Review the daily email in your inbox for updates, schedule changes, and highlights, as well as instructions on how to evaluate sessions and access your credits.
• Take the opportunity to meet new people and expand your network! OASBO has a wonderful, welcoming community of members. Step out of your comfort zone and try to introduce yourself to at least three new people a day!
• Attend EVERYTHING you can to get the most out of your experience: general sessions, education sessions, networking and food events, and the expo hall.
• Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn and use #OASBO24 to share your experiences with others.

• Professional members will vote to approve the minutes from the 2023 Business Meeting, to approve the slate of candidates for the OASBO Board and OASBO Foundation Trustees, and to approve proposed updates to the OASBO Constitution & Bylaws. These materials will be linked here prior to the votes.

• If you haven’t finished adding your codes to the mobile app or conference website, to receive your educational credits, you only have five days after the conference to do so!
• Log into your My CPIM site on the Treasurer of State's website to register any CPIM password codes you have to earn CPIM credit
• Fill out the post-conference survey to help shape our future conferences.
• Stay connected on our online networking community, collaborate.

• OASBO will follow all federal, state, local, and venue health and safety mandates and requirements for the conference.
• Coronavirus resources:
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • US Dept of Labor
  • Ohio Dept of Health
  • Franklin County Public Health
  • Greater Columbus Convention Center 
• For your personal safety, when outside of the convention center, we recommend that you remove your name badge when you are walking around the city, and walk in groups if possible.