Date and Location

The 2007 REL Midwest Research to Action Forum will be held beginning at noon (registration begins at 10 a.m.) on Wednesday, January 24, 2007, to 2:30 p.m. Thursday, January 25, 2007, at the Crowne Plaza Chicago O’Hare, 5440 N. River Road, Rosemont, Illinois. The hotel telephone number is 847-671-6350. The hotel fax number is 847-671-5406.

Registration

Attendance at the Research to Action Forum is by invitation only. Space is limited, and your timely registration will ensure a spot for you. There is no registration fee. Please register online or fax your completed registration form to Mary Edith Malin at 319-248-0222.

Reimbursement

Reimbursements will be made according to the Travel Policies guidelines. Please review the guidelines before your trip. Requests for reimbursement that do not adhere to these Travel Policies will not be honored. View the Travel Policies and Reimbursement Form.

Lodging

REL Midwest will cover the cost of one night’s lodging on January 24, 2007. However, participants are responsible for making their hotel reservation and any cancellations.

There are limited resources to subsidize lodging the evening of January 23, 2007.

Check-in time at the hotel is 3 p.m. If you arrive before then, you may leave your luggage with the hotel bellman until check-in time. Check-out time is at noon, and you may leave your luggage with the hotel bellman until the forum has concluded.

For more information, visit the Crowne Plaza Hotel website.

Transportation

We will subsidize total transportation costs up to $350 per person. Ride sharing with others is strongly encouraged. If you are driving, we will reimburse for the cost of a rental car and gas or for mileage at the federal per diem rate if you are driving your personal car. If you are flying, reservations must be made prior to January 4, 2007, to ensure reasonable rates.

Ground Transportation

The Crowne Plaza Chicago O’Hare is located 1.5 miles from Chicago O’Hare International Airport. The Crowne Plaza Hotel provides complimentary daily transportation every 15 minutes to and from the airport. For the hotel shuttle, go to the airport baggage claim and look for signs for the Shuttle Bus Center. The Crowne Plaza shuttle will be at the Shuttle Bus Center at Door 2. If you have waited for the shuttle more than 15 minutes and it has not arrived, please call the Crowne Plaza Hotel at 847-671-6350 to request a shuttle.

For those of you arriving at Midway Airport, Omega Shuttle offers a one-way shuttle trip to Chicago O’Hare Airport for $16. Please call them at least 24 hours in advance at 773-483-6634 to make a reservation and for pick-up and drop-off locations. Once at Chicago O’Hare Airport, call the Crowne Plaza for the complimentary shuttle. Should you choose to take another form of transportation, REL Midwest will only reimburse you if you are still within your total allotment of $350 for travel. You will need to prepay for the Omega Shuttle; your shuttle receipt is required when you turn in your reimbursement form.

Directions

Crowne Plaza Chicago O’Hare is located one mile from I-90 and I-294, three blocks south of Kennedy Expressway. Exit River Road South off of Kennedy Expressway.

Map of area

Parking

Surface parking at the hotel is $10 daily and will be covered by REL Midwest during the forum hours of 10 a.m. January 24 to 5 p.m. January 25.

Meals

All meals are provided, beginning with lunch on January 24 through lunch on January 25. When registering, please indicate which meals you will be present for. If you indicate you will be present for a meal and your plans change, please let Mary Edith Malin know by Monday, January 15, so we may eliminate unnecessary expenditures. Either send an e-mail to maryedith@westwinded.com or call toll-free 877-354-9378, ext. 114.

Attire

Business casual attire is recommended. We recommend bringing a sweater or jacket as room temperatures and personal comfort may vary.

Questions?

For questions about registration or meeting logistics, contact Mary Edith Malin (maryedith@westwinded.com or 877-354-9378, ext. 114).