Notice to MLS Vendors & Sponsors

Connection 2007

Event Details

This 3 day event will be from March 28th through March 30th, 2007. This is the 3rd year this event has been held. This will be the second year that RAGFL will host the event.

Location

This year's event will again be held at the Hyatt Pier 66 in Fort Lauderdale Florida.

Hyatt Pier 66
2301 SE 17th Street Causeway
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
954-525-6666

Agenda

Wednesday, March 28th
6:30am- 1:30pmGolf Outing
2:00pm- 6:00pmRegistrationCrystal Marble Foyer
6:30pm- 8:00pmWelcome ReceptionPanorama Ballroom
Thursday, March 29th
7:00am- 5:00pm Registration Crystal Marble Foyer
7:00am- 8:30am Breakfast Crystal Foyer
8:30- 8:45 Welcome Remarks Rick Barkett
Bruce Wolf
8:45- 9:30 What’s Next?  Broker and MLS Survey Results Ann Bailey
9:30- 9:50 Update on the MLS Future PAG Report Gary Thomas
9:50- 10:20 Break
10:20- 11:40 Panel Discussion:  Overlapping Market Disorder Tom Phillips
11:40- 1:00 Lunch
1:00- 2:00 Broker Panel:  Broker Views on Overlapping Market Disorder, Accuracy of MLS Content; rules enforcement; Sold Data on Broker Web Sites; Governance and Ownership of MLS Pat Savani
2:00- 2:15 Break
2:15- 3:25 Breakout Sessions:  Into the Solution
  1. - Legal Session - Attorneys only brainstorm and prioritize the critical challenges they see the organizations they represent face
  2. - Overlapping Market Disorder - The Solutions
  3. - How Can the MLS and Brokerage Organizations Work Together to Out Innovate the Internet Companies? Is there a potential for a real skunk works project here? Is it time to loosen the rules regarding MLS Content?
  4. - Broker Only Breakout - Evolving Relationships with the MLS
  5. - Future of MLS - Discuss the NAR PAG Report Findings; Who Takes the Lead? MLSs or NAR? Can it be implemented?
  6. - MLS Breakout with NAR MLS Policy and/or Legal Staff
  7. - The real role of the MLS and the brokers
  8. - Who’s In Control---Brokers or Agents?
  9. - Risk Management for MLSs Today
  10. - To Be Determined
  11. - To Be Determined
  12. - To Be Determined
ALL NAR Legal Staff will participate in the sessions including the IDX session and the legal session
3:25- 4:35 Breakout Sessions:
  1. - IDX Brainstorming, Common Rules for MLSs to Adopt; Simplifying
  2. - Overlapping Market Disorder - The Solutions
  3. - How Can the MLS and Brokerage Organizations Work Together to Out Innovate the Internet Companies? Is there a potential for a real skunk works project here? Is it time to loosen the rules regarding MLS Content?
  4. - Broker Breakout with NAR legal staff to discuss legal issues (Brokers and their attorneys only may attend this session)
  5. - Future of MLS - Discuss the NAR PAG Report Findings; Who Takes the Lead? MLSs or NAR? Can it be implemented?
  6. - Customer Contact - How to stay in touch: Surveys, Focus Groups
  7. - Transaction Management: Evolving or Dying?
  8. - Combining security with ease of access
  9. - Sold Information Displayed on Web Sites
  10. - MLS Organizations and the political environment (Net Neutrality, state licensing, legislative issues)
  11. - To Be Determined
  12. - To Be Determined
NAR Legal Staff will participate in the sessions including the IDX session and the legal session      
4:50- 5:30 Legal Update- DOJ, FTC, MLSs and Anti-trust Issues Laurie Janik
6:30pm- 8:00pmReceptionPanorama Ballroom
Friday, March 30th
7:30am- 12:00noon Connection 2007 Information Central Crystal Marble Foyer
7:00am- 8:30am Breakfast Crystal Foyer
8:30- 9:00 The Gong Show:  Participants Have Three Minutes to Share The Solution(s) to A Crucial Issue, Challenge or Question.  The most popular topics will be added to the afternoon panel.
9:00- 10:00 Legal Panel - Attorneys Discuss the Challenges for MLSs and Brokers Including Intellectual Property Rights John Rees
10:00- 10:15 Break
10:15- 11:15 The Best of the Gong Show Idols Speak Up - By Audience Vote
11:15- 12:15 The New Age Speaks to the Group - The Y Generation Steps Up: An agent, a homebuyer, a seller and an MLS Staff Member
12:15- 1:30 Lunch
1:30- 2:15 Round Table Discussions with a Variety of Topics; 15 Minutes per Table and Then Change... or Stay if You are Having a Great Time.
2:15- 3:00 Closing Session Speaker: The Way of Tomorrow Jerry Matthews