If your company thinks that cutting back on meetings and events is the answer to the economic lull, think again. This temporary cost savings is hardly worth the lost experience. Cyberspace has practically taken over – social networking, video teleconferencing and e-mail seem to be the way we conduct much of our business. But you can’t duplicate the valuable networking that occurs when colleagues come together at the same venue. Use the 2009 Meeting & Event Planner as your guide to the region’s popular venues and services, so that your next function can be a successful one.