For the past 15 years, Christine McClintock has been an integral part of something CQ Partners prides itself on – we make doing business with us easy. She’s always there for her team, the company, and for our members. As manager of meetings and events, Christine sees to it that everyone is getting the most out of what CQ has to offer, no matter what city they’re in. See how Christine’s experience and attention to detail helps her make CQ events like Reconnect the best they can be for both our members and employees.
Employee Spotlight Q&A:
1. How long have you been working for CQ Partners?
I originally came to CQ Partners (formerly AHAA, then Consult YHN) in 2009. Since then, there have been a few instances where I’ve left for a period of time, but I’ve always come back to CQ. In 2011, I had my daughter, Emma, so I took some time off and then I came back. Then a while later, I took a leave of absence when my father become very sick. Every time I left, I missed everyone at CQ Partners. There were changes each time I was away, but it was always what I came back to.
2. What is your role at CQ Partners?
My current role is Manager, Meetings & Events. I oversee all our member-facing meetings, for which we have about 17 this quarter alone, including things like Power Groups and recruiting meetings. I also have a large part in our annual event, Reconnect. In addition to these, I help with customer experience. I used to hold a different role within this team, so I still have members that come directly to me if they need something, which I’m always willing to help with.
3. Tell us about your background!
I went to college for two years and during that time, I really wanted to get into travel and see the world. A friend of mine worked for TWA and got me a job where I worked as a stewardess for about a year. Then, I moved over to the TWA group department in Philadelphia. We planned all of the tour groups throughout India, Asia, and Hawaii. It was a lot of fun! I got to see the world and I felt very lucky. After that, I worked for AAA Travel Agency in their corporate department and I organized their larger companies, travel hotels, meetings, and other things like that. I’ve always been in this kind of role.
4. What is your favorite part of your job?
I love being involved in picking the venues for meetings. I get to investigate new cities that I haven’t been to, or a new hotel that’s really eye-catching. I enjoy getting to do the menus as well – we do breakfast, lunch and then I plan a nice, off-site, dinner for the group. It’s always fun planning activities for the customers and our account managers. I’ve been to a couple of our national sales meetings, and it’s been interesting to see what everyone likes to do after sitting in intense meetings from nine to five. It’s always nice to get out and actually have fun. That’s probably the best part of my job in addition to the fact that I work with a wonderful team. My team is amazing, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything.
5. What are some of the values that drive your work?
A huge value in my work life, as well as personal, is attention to detail. I am very organized, and I very rarely screw things up. I also pride myself on being really creative on a budget. I always have to be aware of our budget for our events, especially Reconnect. We have really big ideas, and I have to come up with things that are not as expensive, but still deliver an impact that will resonate with attendees. I also believe that teamwork and having a passion for your job is important.
6. Tell us about a memorable experience or opportunity you’ve had while working for CQ Partners.
Prior to Reconnect ’24, I have never attended Reconnect or any of our prior conventions, so getting to attend this past Reconnect really stood out to me. I was in awe of the presenters and our branding all over the resort. You don’t really know what it’s going to look like until you get there and you see the big picture. After years of helping with these events, it was nice to see how it all comes together and witness everyone’s role.
7. How do you stay motivated in and out of work?
Inside of work, I would say that the people I work with keep me going. I love going into the office on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Our group is close and we like chatting with each other, and whoever might need something – everyone is there to help.
Outside of work, I’ve been walking with the same group of women for over 10 years. We leave at five o’clock in the morning, and we do three miles every morning. Not everyone makes it every day, but I try to make it at least three to four times a week. They are an amazing support group. It was especially important to keep me going during the COVID-19 pandemic. Everyone is from different walks of life, but we’ve been there for each other for babies, divorces, marriages, and everything else in life. Having a group of women behind you is truly motivating.
8. What’s something you love to do outside of work?
I have five kids, so I devote my entire life to them. I have two in college that are 21 years old and I also have a 12 year old, so there is a wide spectrum of ages and activities. My two college kids are still really involved in sports. My daughter plays field hockey and lacrosse for college and my son plays club baseball. My 12 year old does everything. She’s into lacrosse, field hockey, basketball and summer activities. If I’m not on the sideline cheering for my kids, we are at our place down at the beach. We go down there on the weekends, even if it’s in the winter. I also have a big dog – his name is Louis. He is a 160-pound Newfoundland, and he goes everywhere with us. Everybody loves Louis, he’s like the mayor in my neighborhood! My husband is great too. We’ve been married for over 30 years.
