NCRAAO.org

2025 NCRAAO Conference
2025-06-15 - 2025-06-19 | Hilton Garden Inn Manhattan, 410 S 3rd Street, Manhattan, KS, 66502, United States
The 2025 NCRAAO Conference
will be held in Manhattan Kansas, June 15-19, 2025.
Please take a look at President Berg’s welcome message.
The Conference Agenda can be viewed here.
The Education Session Summary can be viewed here.
The Education Session Descriptions can be viewed here.

Registration Information:
The Conference Registration form is now available here.
The Vendor Registration form is now available here.
Vendors – please sign up now because the vendor registration deadline is May 30th.

Hotel Information:

Conference Hotel:
Manhattan Hilton Garden Inn & Convention Center in Manhattan, Kansas.
The room rate will be $124 per night plus taxes and fees.
Other available hotels include:
Fairfield Inn Manhattan: $120 per night.
Holiday Inn Express for $119 per night.

Evening events
are still in the works but may include one or more of the following:
Flint Hills Discovery Center,
Museum of Art + Light,
Midwest Dream Car Collection,
Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art Scavenger Hunt / Tour,
Manhatchet Axe Throwing,
Sunset Zoo,
Wildwood Adventure Park-Ziplining,
Liquid Art Winery & Estate-Tour and tasting,
Aggieville Olympics-Bar Crawl

The pre-conference golf tournament
will be held at Colbert Hills.
The #1 ranked public golf course in Kansas!

2025 NCRAAO Board of Directors Meeting - at conference
2025-06-16 17:08 - 17:47 (America/Chicago) | Hilton Garden Inn Manhattan, 410 S 3rd Street, Manhattan, KS, 66502, United States
MINUTES
NCRAAO CONFERENCE MEETING
McDowell/Tuttle Room
Hilton Garden Inn Manhattan
410 S 3rd Street, Manhattan, KS 66502
Monday, June 16, 2025

President Lisa Berg called the meeting to order at 5:08 p.m.
Roll Call/Introductions:
Iowa: Christy Tinnes, Larry Andreesen, Ray Armel
Kansas: Lisa Berg (President), Robin Knoblauch, Kelly DesLauriers
North Dakota: Deb Kirschenheiter, Don Flaherty (president-elect)
Nebraska: Neal Dethlefs, Amy Peterson, *Michelle Robinson (Past President)
South Dakota: Shannon Rittberger, Joshua Marbach
Secretary: Dixie Saunders
Treasurer: Rownea Gerbracht
Hospitality: Mel Obbink, Ryan Poots, Reed Kinne
Webmaster: *Steve Miner
Also present was IAAO President Donna VanderVries.
(* Denotes virtual attendees)
2025 Kansas Conference Information: President Berg reported a preliminary count of 170 attendees and 16 vendors registered for the Manhattan Conference. She said that all the instructors are lined up to provide a total of sixteen educational sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday. North Dakota will be hosting hospitality in the Big Blue River/Ft. Riley Room.

Hospitality Committee Update: Committee Secretary/Treasurer Kinne reported that the sixteen vendors attending the conference have all paid now, but there were some payment issues due to the fees for vendor set-ups and their registrations for attendance each being handled differently. He said the food in the hospitality room will be paid for by KCAA. Vendor-sponsored cash prizes will be given away during breaks. Vendor proceeds will go to the KCAA first and then be directed to Kansas’ NCRAAO account.
2026 Conference Update: President-Elect Flaherty reported on the NCRAAO Conference to be held August 10-14, 2026, at the Astoria Hotel in Dickinson, North Dakota. The schedule runs a day later than typical with early arrival/golfer hospitality being Monday night, and the NCRAAO Conference Board meeting at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, August 11th. The pre-conference golf tournament will be held on Tuesday afternoon at Bully Pulpit in Medora. The President’s Reception and auction will be that evening in Dickinson. He said there will be 9 hours of educational offerings on Wednesday and Thursday. For entertainment, attendees will be bused to Medora on Wednesday afternoon to tour the Teddy Roosevelt Presidential Library and enjoy a pitchfork steak fondue and The Medora Musical. Thursday’s banquet will include a mystery dinner theater.
Flaherty reported that the 2025 Annual Executive Board Meeting and hotel tour is scheduled for Monday, September 8th at the Astoria Hotel Convention Center in Dickinson. The early arrival date is Saturday, September 6th. Golf at Bully Pulpit and the Annual Directors’ Dinner will be on Sunday, September 7th.
2027 Conference Update: No report was given.
Proposal for Amendment to By-Laws: Members reviewed submitted changes which included defining the executive committee and streamlining the officer elections, successions, and terms. Following discussion, a motion by Knoblauch, second by Andreesen to table the agenda item to allow time for further review. Motion carried.

Other Business: Concerns about vendor payment methods and the need for a new key executor for the bank account were raised. Kinne will continue to work on canceling the Wells Fargo account.

The meeting concluded with a discussion on potential logo changes for the association. Anyone can submit NCRAAO logo ideas until August 15th.

Motion by Rittberger, second by Armel to adjourn at 5:47 p.m. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Dixie Saunders
NCRAAO Secretary

2026 NCRAAO Conference
2026-08-09 08:00 - 2026-08-14 17:00 | Astoria Hotel & Event Center, 363 15th Street West, Dickinson, ND, 58601, United States
The 2026 NCRAAO Conference
August 9, 2026
NCRAAO Board of Directors Meeting
President-Elect Flaherty provided a report on the 2026 Conference, which will be held in Dickinson, ND, at the Astoria Hotel on August 9-14. The room rate is presently $99 per night (the current state rate). All education and the conference banquet will be held at the Astoria Hotel. They are projecting 175-225 attendees. Entertainment will include the President’s Reception at the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora and a showing of the Medora Musical, with a Pitchfork Fondue prior. Tentative banquet entertainment is a mystery dinner theater. The golf outing will be at Bully Pulpit Golf Course.

Hotel Information:

Conference Hotel:
Astoria Hotel & Event Center in Dickinson, ND.

Evening events are still in the works but may include the following:
Entertainment will consist of the President’s Reception at the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora and a showing of the Medora Musical, with a Pitchfork Fondue prior. Tentative banquet entertainment is a mystery dinner theater.

The pre-conference golf tournament
will be held at Bully Pulpit Golf Course.
The #1 ranked public golf course in North Dakota!

2027 NCRAAO Conference
2027-06-15 14:33 | KS
The 2027 NCRAAO Conference
September 30, 2027
NCRAAO Board of Directors Meeting
Webmaster Miner checked with Neumann and confirmed that she accepted the Vice President position and would be her state’s conference chairperson. Wisconsin will be the 2027 host state. No other update was provided.

Hotel Information:

Conference Hotel:
Not determined yet
Other available hotels include:
None Provided

Evening events
Have not been determined yet.

The pre-conference golf tournament
Not determined yet.
