A-Plus was founded by the late Patty Klein and her partner Jay Klein in 1993, born out of the desire to help organizations improve their meetings through strategic planning and budgeting, personalized service and flawless execution.
Over the years, Patty and Jay built a world-class team of 32 professionals with a wide range of experiences and backgrounds. While our team is diverse, one thing we all have in common is our willingness to roll up our sleeves and make the customer experience the best it can be.
Our passion to create exceptional experiences comes from our understanding of the need for your business to deliver on its objectives and get results. We believe in building a strong, strategic partnership with all of our clients.
Patty Klein
Founder
Patty Klein, our founder and inspiration, passed away in September 2018. A-Plus Meetings & Incentives lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world lost an amazing human being. Patty had a unmatched passion for customer service and left a remarkable legacy in A-Plus Meetings & Incentives. Patty had an amazing ability to make each individual feel like they were the most important person in the world and became a dear friend to clients and associates alike.
Keeping her memory alive, every staff member lives by the credo “WWPD”….”What Would Patty Do”? There is no better guide for our company as we move forward.
AWARDS
WBENC Star
Ernst & Young Winning Woman Entrepreneur
Silver Stapler
Jay Klein
COO
Certified Meeting Planner
In addition to his work with clients, Jay oversees production/audio-visual, budgets, billing and general consulting. He has 15 years of experience in meeting planning and 25 years in travel and travel-related businesses. Before founding A-Plus, he was a Senior Engagement Manager for McKinsey & Company. He holds a Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School of Business, as well as a Master of Science in Industrial Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering from the University of Michigan.
Heather Harrington
President
Heather joined A-Plus after 17 years as an A-Plus client, and she brings a fresh perspective to the business. She has spent most of her career in sales and marketing including nearly 18 years at Staples, Inc., as Vice President of Marketing for Staples Business Advantage, where she and her team managed dozens of meetings and events every year. Heather is known for developing strategies that drive growth and create customer engagement, as well as for her leadership and ability to develop high performing teams. Heather received a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Boston College.
John Harden
Controller
John has spent more than 25 years managing financial operations for several meeting management companies, travel management companies and tour operators. Prior positions include Controller for Carlson Travel and Globetrotters in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Vice President of Finance with TraveLeaders in Miami, Florida. In addition to the travel industry, John has held leadership positions with start-up companies in the food service and solar energy industries. He studied Accounting at Northeastern University.