At the heart of the INFORMS Annual Meeting is exchange – the sharing of knowledge, ideas and perspectives that takes place not just during the formal technical program, but informally in hallways, over cups of coffee and at these special events.

INFORMS Membership Meeting & Reception
5:00pm-6:00pm
The INFORMS Board of Directors encourages all members to bring their ideas, opinions and suggestions to this annual membership meeting. Current business and future directions for INFORMS are on the agenda. Wine and cheese will be served.

Junior Faculty INFORMS Group Luncheon
11:30am-1:00pm
All junior faculty are invited to participate. This event gives junior faculty in engineering and business schools the opportunity to discuss career development and exchange ideas. A buffet lunch will be served. Sponsored by University of South Florida, McGill University, Washington University-Saint Louis, Duke University, University of Southern California and Intel Corporation.

INFORMS On-Line Reception
6:00pm-7:00pm
INFORMS On-Line (IOL) invites all meeting attendees to this reception. We’ll celebrate the move of the COIN-OR resources (www.coin-or.org) resources to the INFORMS server. Sponsored by IBM.

Welcome Reception/50th Anniversary Celebration
7:30pm-9:00pm
Exhibit Hall

We’re throwing a party and you’re invited to celebrate the 50th anniversary of TIMS and its flagship journal, Management Science. There will be a giant anniversary cake, fun, food and great music. It’s a party you don’t want to miss. Cash bar, complimentary soft drinks.

Wear Badge For Admission. Your meeting registration fee covers admission to this reception. If your guest would like to accompany you, a guest registration must be purchased. The $50 guest fee also includes the General Reception and continental breakfast Sunday-Tuesday.

Minority Issues Forum Reception
8:00pm-9:00pm
Come meet old friends or make new ones while talking about minority issues and other intellectual issues and opportunities. The reception is sponsored by CenterPoint Energy Entex, Texas A&M University-Industrial Engineering Dept., University of Michigan-Industrial and Operations Engineering Dept., and Northwestern University-Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences Dept.

Women in OR/MS Forum Reception
8:00pm-10:00pm
Everyone interested in encouraging women in the OR/MS profession is invited to this reception. Light hors d’oeuvres and wine will be served. Sponsored by University of Colorado at Boulder, Leeds School of Business.

Student Reception
8:00pm-10:00pm
All students registered for the meeting are encouraged to attend this special reception for an opportunity to socialize and network with other students in your own field as well as those with different specialties and interests. Sponsored by Jeppesen.

Welcome & Awards Ceremony
11:40am-12:30pm
Join the INFORMS Board and Denver Organizing Committee to honor and celebrate the achievements of our colleagues and all they have contributed to the field of OR/MS. The following awards will be presented: INFORMS Prize, George B. Dantzig Dissertation Awards, John von Neumann Theory Prize, Frederick W. Lanchester Prize, INFORMS President's Award, INFORMS Prize for the Teaching of OR/MS Practice, George E. Kimball Medal, George E. Nicholson Student Paper Competition Awards, INFORMS Expository Writing Award and the Bonder Scholarships for Health Care and Applied OR in Military Applications. New for 2004 is the INFORMS Impact Prize to recognize contributions that have had a broad impact on the field.

COIN-OR Users Group Meeting & Bag Lunch
12:00pm-1:15pm
Anyone interested in open-source software tools, open standards, and data and model repositories for OR is encouraged to attend the users meeting of the Computational Infrastructure for OR. This meeting will be the first users meeting under the auspices of the newly formed COIN-OR Foundation, Inc. Bring your own lunch and your ideas. The agenda for the meeting is posted on www.coin-or.org.

CPMS Isolated Practitioner Workshop & Reception
6:00pm-7:00pm
CPMS, The Practice Section of INFORMS, sponsors this workshop on topics of interest to isolated practitioners, the “Lone Rangers” of OR/MS. The 21st workshop in this series will address timely issues that affect the isolated practitioner community. All are welcome to participate in the workshop, discussion and reception. Wine and cheese will be served.

General Reception
Coors Field
7:30pm-9:30pm
Coors Fields is a must-see for anyone visiting Denver – and the perfect venue for our General Reception. You’ll enjoy breathtaking views of both Denver’s “field of dreams” and the Rocky Mountains from the club level of the stadium. Stop in at the elegant Mountain Ranch Club and tour the corporate hospitality suites.

Great food and drink will be served, with everything from ballpark hotdogs to vegetarian tacos. Our thanks to Coors for hosting beer and soda (a cash bar is also available for other beverages).

And don’t miss entertainment by LIZA, a jazz-blues combo featuring the original songs and smooth voice of Liza Oxnard. A Denver-area sensation, Liza has been described as “soulful, sensual and gutsy” with a dynamic stage presence. She’s played with several rock bands on the national touring circuit and performed in some of the country’s top stages.

Wear badge for admission. Buses depart from the Tower building entrance beginning at 7:00pm. Buses will run continuously between the Adam’s Mark and the reception (trip is only 5-10 minutes), with the last bus leaving the reception at 9:45pm.

If your guest would like to accompany you, a guest registration must be purchased (guests will receive a special badge). The $50 guest fee also includes the Welcome Reception and continental breakfast Sunday-Tuesday.

Women in OR/MS Forum Business Meeting & Luncheon
12:30pm-1:30pm
Interested in issues related to women professionals in OR/MS? Come join us for lively conversation at our business meeting.

Academic/Practitioner Interface Luncheon
12:30pm-1:30pm
Don’t miss this opportunity to network with colleagues, both in the practice and academic arenas. INFORMS leaders and practice session speakers will facilitate roundtable discussions focusing on academic-practitioner collaboration. Sit-down luncheon - $25. Ticket required - sign up at the INFORMS registration desk.