DFW NACE

2012 September Member Spotlight – Susan Strauss

admin — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 02:55:05 +0000

Susan Strauss, owner and creative director of Simply Personal, LLC is known nationally for her leadership, vision, and engineer-minded approach to all creative aspects and logistics. Susan graduated from Baylor University in 2000 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Art. With a strong will to succeed at every project and always up for a challenge, she began traveling the world planning corporate destination events and meetings all over the globe. From New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Orlando, Dallas, LA, Prague, London, Paris and Spain to many more, this small town Texas girl could handle just about anything, in any location. Her normal day consisted of managing over 2,000 attendees and 21 staff, therefore; her mastermind of logistics is an art form in itself.

Quick successes and a personal experience led her to explore her passion for paper and design to minister to the stressed out bride. Not satisfied with the invitation options and lack of personality, she pursued her dreams of entrepreneurship and building a creative arts company in 2005 that would service clients in a way that would create true client/business relationships and satisfaction unseen by the industry, thus; Simply Personal was created. Developing the six core commitments (value, service, integrity, innovation, embracing challenges and teamwork) as the foundation to Simply Personal, she has created an organization with the reputation of going above and beyond while keeping the client at the forefront of every decision.

When the economy turned in 2008, Strauss had the forethought and trendsetting experience to see an oncoming need of wedding clients. She began to strategize how to protect high quality products while being able to offer it to brides of all budget types, without sacrificing the personal attention every bride wishes to receive during her invitation process. Susan’s innovation in technology changed the way invitations are ordered by creating a design tool online. In January 2010 the consumer website was launched on a local Dallas/Fort Worth level and in May 2011 simplypersonal.com launched to the retailer market at the National Stationery Show in New York City. Simply Personal currently has nearly 100 dealers & partners in 23 states and 3 countries and growing daily.

Simply LUXE is our Dallas local division of Simply Personal, LLC and proud to call Dallas our home. Visit both our websites:

NATIONAL: www.simplypersonal.com
LOCAL/DFW: www.simply-luxe.com

1) How did you get into the event industry? By Default. I was an art major but planned every event I could get my hands on during my college years at Baylor.

2) If you could change one thing in the world what would it be? It doesn’t have to be anything deep. Eliminating the need to eat Lunch. I find it very annoying to stop in the middle of my day to eat… again!

3) What would be your words of wisdom to anyone wanting to enter the event industry? Establish yourself. Don’t be in a hurry to reach success whether it’s financial success or creative success. That will come naturally if you are true to who you are and let people get to know you.

4) What do you enjoy doing when not working… I get out of the city to the country where I can think, explore, spend time with family and friends and relax. I’m still not sure how to do this when I’m in Dallas.

2012-08 Newsletter: President’s Letter

admin — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 03:44:30 +0000

After months of planning and anticipation it is hard to believe that the 2012 DFW NACE Fundraiser, Color me a Cure is TONIGHT!! I assure you this is one event that you do not want to miss so if you can make it tonight we encourage you to come! Walk-ins are also welcome!! All members and guests are $50.

It is so amazing to see not only our chapter members come forward and help make this event bigger and better each year but to see so many within the events industry take part, either by competing in our tabletop competition, donating to our silent and live auction or by simply attending the event. No part is too small to play in helping us raise money and donate to such an important cause. A thank you goes out to so many…

First I would like to thank Annette Leslie, Director of the Carson Leslie Foundation and Mom to Carson. Getting to know her these past few months has been truly an amazing experience. We are so honored to be hosting this fundraiser and to be able to donate money to such an important cause, to one day rid the world of pediatric cancer. Too many children, like Carson, have to fight for their lives each day when they should be getting to run and play and be kids. We can only hope that our donation will allow Annette to continue her amazing fight to honor her son and to help other kids avoid having to fight the fight.

I also want to extend a big thank you to Jennifer Burns, our Director of Fundraising and the Fundraising committee. This team has met numerous times, focused on their goals and have put together an event that I have no doubt will show off the amazing talent that this city has to offer and raise us a great deal of money for great causes. Thank you each and every one of you for the time and effort you have put in to making tonight an amazing event!

Director of Fundraising – Jennifer Burns

Table-top co-chairs: Angela Dupont & Russell Wyman

Logistics co-chairs: Lauri Barnabo & Anna Edwards

Auction co-chairs: Abby Fitzpartick & Nicole Targa

Communication chair: Kim Jameson

Pre-event co-chairs: Laura Kelsey & Emily Rembert

Recognition chairs: Jason Sims & Kristie Vento

Committee members: Leigh Stem, Kimberly Rhodes & Kimberly Willis

How to thank the next group…the people and companies that are making tonight night happen! We asked, they accepted and we are so honored to have such an incredible line up of people taking part in the 2012 Color me a Cure DFW NACE fundraiser. Our Tabletop Competitors that are producing tables that you will have to see to believe are:

BRILLIANCE SPONSOR

Simply Personal

GLOW SPONSORS

BBJ Table Fashions / The Garden Gate ~ DFW Events ~ Jacqueline Hill Events ~ M&M, The Special Event Company / Hilton Fort Worth ~ The Wildflower ~ Ultimate Ventures

BLUSH SPONSORS

Bella Flora of Dallas ~ Branching Out Events ~ Cassandra Fine Catering ~ Dr. Delphinium ~ Fauxcades Creative Event Design ~ Fete des Fleurs ~ Hitched Events ~ Mathes & Co ~ Park City Club ~ Red Sole Events ~ Significant Events of Texas ~ Steve Kemble

ORGANIZATIONS

AACWP ~ ABC ~ ISES ~ JWI ~ SWP

Each of the tabletop participants have a group of contributors who are helping them create their tabletop entries. Thank you for your creativity and your dedication to creating amazing works of art. We cannot wait to see who wins!!!!

It is humbling to have so many incredible sponsors who are contributing time, money, products and services and most importantly their support to this great event! A special thanks to Abby Fitzgerald and the team at the Westin Park Central. Abby, we know you spent an incredible amount of time and energy to make this event a success and we thank you. We appreciate all the Westin Park Central is doing to host the event and truly appreciate your generosity more than we can express. It is a fantastic space that is perfect for showcasing all our tabletop competitors and the fabulous rainbow of colors we will see. We also want to thank all our other sponsors who have done so much and will be displaying their talents tonight:

AUCTION SPONSOR: AES: Auction & Event Solutions

BEVERAGE SPONSOR: Republic National Distributing Company

CATERING SPONSORS: Campisi’s Restaurant and Catering ~ Cassie’s Frozen Yogurt ~ Don Ross Nabb Production Companies ~ Edison’s ~ Fancy Cakes by Lauren ~ Lombardi’s Catering ~ MC Events ~ Sambuca / Sambuca 360 ~ Stephen Pyles Caters ~ The Westin Park Central

EVENT SPONSORS: BEYOND ~ Cupcake Vodka ~ Photomadic ~ Pyrotex ~ Republic National Distributing Company ~ Simply Personal ~ Texas Entertainment Company ~ The Mamones

MEDIA SPONSOR: Brides of North Texas – Exclusive Wedding Media Sponsor

Thank you to everyone listed above for all you have done. Words truly cannot express!!!!

I am so proud of the success we have had over the past four years, from THINK PINK back in 2009, which won our first Fundraiser of the Year award at the National Level, to the fantastic HEROES FOR CHILDREN in 2010 and last year’s successful LET US ENTERTAIN YOU benefitting Homes for our Troops, for which we won our second Fundraiser of the Year award. Since 2009 we have donated over $15,000 to deserving charities and the NACE Foundation combined and we have created a solid foundation for our chapter. I have no doubt that tonight’s event is going to be fantastic as Jennifer Burns, our Director of Fundraising and her committee have worked so hard over the past nine months so that we can raise money to donate to the Carson Leslie Foundation and the NACE Foundation this year. We hope to break our attendance goals, raise even more money so that this year we make our biggest donations yet and of course we hope to once again take home the coveted Fundraiser of the Year award when we hit Chicago next July!

If you are coming tonight then we will see you there. If you haven’t registered yet – WALK IN TONIGHT! Bring friends, family, your clients, or anyone who likes to eat, drink and enjoy others. It is going to be a great event and we hope to see you there!

Wendy B Timson, CPCE, CMP
President – DFW Chapter

2012-07 Newsletter – EXPERIENCE First Timer Recap

admin — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 15:44:04 +0000

You know what they say, “You get out what you put in!” Emily and I may not always believe in “what they say”; however, in this case…we totally agree.

Since having joined NACE, we have attended regular chapter meetings, participated on various committees, regularly set up visits with other members to get to know them better and photographed NACE events whenever available. Fast-forward almost three years and our hectic schedule finally accommodated a trip to the NACE Experience Conference, held every summer. I decided to throw my name in the hat for the DFW Chapter Scholarship and low and behold, I won. Incidentally, it is always flattering and exceedingly humbling to win NACE awards considering the field of competition consists of the best and brightest in our industry.

Flattered and humbled, we made our way to New Orleans. Based on having won the full registration scholarship from our chapter, I reviewed the conference program and selected a litany of breakout sessions to attend. Emily had plans to explore the rich culture of the city and arranged to photograph a boudoir session while there so we planned for her to attend the Opening Reception, the Marketplace Expo and the Awards Gala.

As a veteran of the industry, I expected the NACE Experience to be your typical association conference. I do not mean that in a bad way at all; it was just that we expected a gathering of very nice, professionals attending recreational events and educational programs with a little networking and trade show expo on the side. At first glance, the conference was lovely and seemed to meet our expectations. We got all the information, education and recreation we expected. There were elements of the conference; however, that we did not immediately recognize but quickly began to appreciate. Ultimately, we discovered that the core of the conference, its true value, existed in elements that we could have never expected having never attended before.

We know from first hand experience that the local members of our DFW NACE chapter are tremendously close. They care for one another, help one another and work to be a positive presence in one another’s lives. At conference, we learned that NACE relationships do not stop there. We witnessed members from chapters around the country who likely see one another but once a year, genuinely engaged and caring about each other. They wanted to know about the happenings in one another’s personal and professional lives. They championed those that were struggling and celebrated those that were prospering. Fundamentally, they represented those things we would want to find in a colleague, associate and friend. Everything we should aspire to be as industry professionals.

So, yeah, we ate, we drank and we learned. Moreover, we witnessed an industry come together for a few days to talk, listen, laugh, cry and return home inspired as much by one another as by the conference. Maybe more.

Click here to view a photo slideshow from EXPERIENCE!

Don & Emily Mamone
2012 DFW Experience Scholarship Recipient (Don)

2012-07 Newsletter: President’s Letter

admin — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 15:30:22 +0000

Notice anything different about the logo at the top of the newsletter? NACE has a new name!

National Association for Catering and Events. One Industy, One Association!

NACE members approved the change to its new name at its Experience! Conference in New Orleans. Pending additional legal and administrative filings, the name will be legally changed by January 1, 2013. “We have members who are caterers, event planners and event professionals,” said Bonnie Fedchock, Executive Director of NACE. “We needed to better communicate to everyone in our industry that we provide education, networking, a professional certification and many resources not only to caterers, but also to the many different kinds of talented professionals who create fantastic events.”

This is an exciting change for our organization and our chapter and we hope that it will encourage many more industry professionals to join NACE. To celebrate the name change and encourage people to join, NACE is offering $100 off new memberships from August 1^st through September 1^st, 2012. For information on how to join, or to pass on the names of any industry colleagues that you think should be a part of NACE, please contact our Director of Membership, Dionicia McCallum at dioncia@dfwnace.com.

Each and every member of this chapter contributes to how strong we are! Did you know that Dallas is the 2^nd largest chapter in the country? Baltimore is the largest with 201 members and Dallas follows with 188, then DC (170), Atlanta, (149) and San Diego (146) rounds out the top 5. We have grown so much over the past three years, not only in size but in strength. Our membership is full of such talented and creative individuals that truly exemplify what NACE is all about and I am humbled and honored each day to serve as your president. YOU ALL ROCK! We encourage each other, support each other and I honestly hope that you all feel like I do, that this is a family that is there in good times, tough times, but always has a lot of fun! What other chapter throws pies and water balloons at their board members?!! Each of you contributes to the strength of this chapter whether you attend the monthly meetings, donate to making them happen, or if you provide donations to our monthly raffles, our fundraising through auction donations or tabletop entries or if you dedicate time to serving on a committee or the board. Anything and everything you do helps make this chapter strong and I think you for that!

Coming off another conference with Dallas winning so many awards (See Dana Carroll’s article) is proof of that strength. It is not often that a chapter is awarded the prestigious Chapter of the Year award two years in a row and it was such an honor for all of us who attended the conference to stand on that stage and accept the award on behalf YOU, the members. To add to that the Fundraiser of the Year award, the Educational Program of the Year award and then have two members of our chapter win the highest honors, Caterer of the Year 2011, Terry Shields, CPCE, CSEP and Event Professional of the Year, Steve Kemble, is a true testament to the incredible membership we have and how strong our chapter is.

Next year it is my hope that more of you will contribute to individual and team award entries on a personal level so that we can cheer you on at conference and watch you bring home your own awards. I have no doubt that we are going to be a strong contender for Chapter of the Year 2012, and the other chapter awards as this year has already been an amazing year for this chapter thanks to each of YOU!

Wendy B. Timson, CPCE, CMP
President – DFW Chapter

2012-07 Newsletter: Caterer of the Year – Terry Shields

admin — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 15:22:27 +0000

The DFW Chapter of NACE is so honored to have the NACE National 2011 Caterer of the Year as one of its most respected members. Terry Shields, CPCE, CSEP has contributed so much to our chapter and has served as a mentor to so many of the past and current leaders of the chapter. Terry has been the Director of Catering at the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek for the past seven years.

NACE Member Since: 1999

DFW NACE BOARD POSITIONS:

Director of Programs
Director of Fundraising
2^nd Vice President
President
Immediate Past President and Treasurer

NACE NATIONAL BOARD POSITIONS: Chapter Presidents Council Chair – National Board Position

NATIONAL COMMITTEE POSITIONS:

National Membership Committee Member (2005 – 2010)
National Investment Committee, Member (2009 – 2012)
National New Chapter Development Committee, Chair (2009 – 2010)
National Certification Committee, Chair (2009 – 2010)
National Awards Committee, Chair (2011 – 2012)

FAVORITE NACE MEMORY (besides being named Caterer of the Year): Being elected as the Chapter President’s Council Chair and having a voice on the National Board

MOST INFLUENTIAL NACE MEMBER: There are so many wonderful members in my NACE family that have influenced what I have done and who I have become!!!

FIRST JOB: McDonald’s

FAVORITE RESTAURANT IN DALLS: Maximo Cocina Mexicana

BEST MEAL EVER – INTERNATIONAL: Tapas at Bin 941 in Vancouver

BEST MEAL EVER – IN US: Tapas at Morrell Wine Bar and Cafe in New York

FAVORITE EVENT PRODUCED: The 2006 Special Event Conference Gala

FAVORITY HOLIDAY TO DECORATE FOR: I never have time to decorate much but it is definitely Christmas

PETS NAMES: Italian Greyhounds

Granite Playing with My Heart (Grant for Short)
Alexandra (Alex for Short)

BEST TIP: Always be Fair

TERRY’S ADVICE TO ALL: Remember when everything else is gone, you only have your standards that represent who you are as a person. Be kind to all living beings, be compassionate towards your fellow man and do what your heart tells you is ethical and right, no matter how hard it may be to do so.

2012-07 Newsletter: EXPERIENCE Awards Recap

admin — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 15:13:24 +0000

Being President of the Dallas Fort Worth Chapter during 2010 and 2011 was an amazing experience. There are so many wonderful memories and while last year’s award ceremony was certainly one of the highlights, this year took my breath away as our chapter was truly blessed this year to receive so many awards for our wonderful efforts in 2011.

The conference started off with the Chapter Presidents Council meeting on Sunday and Dallas was awarded two membership awards. Outstanding Achievement Recruiting the most members during the 2011 fall campaign for chapters with more than 100 members and Outstanding Achievement Recruiting the most members during 2011 for chapter with more than 100 members. Congratulations to the membership committee headed up Jessica Cates. Jessica and her committee successfully won this award all three years of her reign as membership chair.

As the day continued we entered a luncheon to recognize the wonderful leadership from around the country in 2011. Rachel Tamez was appointed to the National President’s List for outstanding achievement and selfless volunteer services during 2011 and we were thrilled to hear her name called. Rachel has worked tirelessly for our chapter as Director of Fundraising in 2010, Director of Programs in 2011 and currently serves as our Director of Community Service. There are not many more people in our chapter that have given their heart and soul like Rachel does on a daily basis. Congratulations and well deserved.

Onto the next set of awards. Oh what a night! Walking into the NACE Awards Gala this year I honestly didn’t think it could top last year. That was all thrown out the window about 20 minutes into the night. Let me just say … repeat repeat!

As we arrived, we were immediately greeted by the Masquerade theme of the night. Everyone had a beautiful mask on to accompany their outfit. It was funny that we all got our masks down the street from the hotel, just as the other 600 attendees, but it didn’t seem like we had the same ones. As cocktail hour continued, we all greeted each other, took pictures and got ready for the doors to open and the awards to begin.

We entered the beautifully decorated room all in black and whites. The centerpieces were incredible. Huge feathers, masks hanging from inside large glass vases, large beaded lampshades; it was breath taking. As we sat down for dinner they presented us with nice rendition of a wedge salad. The next course was a large ribeye steak, but to be honest I couldn’t tell you what else was on the plate. When they started handing out awards I was done paying attention to the food!

They started the presentations with the Chapter awards. As they began talking about the Fundraiser of the Year we held our breath knowing that our fundraiser was amazing. Lead by Lauren Schmidt, our chapter members and guests created such amazing tabletops all honoring our military. Our fundraising project was for Homes for Our Troops. I will never forgot when Army SFC Charles Armstead came to the microphone in his wheelchair with his wife by his side and thanked us for helping him get a home that he could function and live in. So as they read the intro ”Let us Entertain You” we jumped for joy as we knew that DFW NACE had brought home the award for the 3^rd year in a row. How exciting to be recognized for doing something so great year after year.

Next was Education Program of the Year. You guessed it … Dallas Fort Worth won this award. The Education Program of the Year was a Wine Experience held at the Fort Worth Club last year. We were excited to have Monique Studak in the audience as she was our speaker that evening. Congratulations to Rachel Tamez, Director of Programs, the Programs Committee and the Fort Worth Club for putting together such an awesome program.

At this point, it was hard to contain the excitement in the room. Dallas Fort Worth had won 2 out of 4 Chapter awards. Next up was the industry awards, individual awards and then the coveted Chapter of the Year. They love to make you wait with anticipation. We didn’t mind though as we were already surprised with our two awards. During this break in the presentations, there was a beautiful opera singer. She delighted our eardrums with her voice.

Next up were the coveted individual awards. We were thrilled to nominate Terry Shields, CPCE CSEP for Caterer of the Year and Steve Kemble for Event Professional of the Year. It is truly an honor to just be nominated and when you look at who our chapter members are up against, they are truly some of the best in the industry so who is going to win is always a tough call.

I was beyond excited when they called Steve Kemble, 2011 Event Professional of the Year. Steve has given so much to our industry as a whole. He is an active member of multiple associations, but also is a figurehead to the community. As Steve went up to accept his award, I was humbled to hear how much this meant to him. Steve walks the walk and talks the talk, but in all honesty he has the biggest heart and was so appreciative to be recognized. In Steve’s acceptance speech, he explained how 2011 has been such a year changer for him. His trip to Armenia really opened his eyes. Congratulations Steve! We are so proud of you.

The next award meant so much to all of us. As the 2010 Caterer of the Year was our own Angie Bricker, we were not only looking to capture it again, but nominating Terry Shields, CPCE, CSEP took some convincing as he had been nominated for this award multiple times before. We all wanted him to win so badly as he has given so much to our association and industry as a whole. My heart was pounding when they began reading the nominees and when they read his name “Caterer of the Year, Terry Shield CPCE CSEP” we all jumped for joy. It is hard for me to explain the excitement in the room. It took Terry quite a while to get on stage because every single person wanted to hug him. As he accepted his award, he recounted to audience all that the association has done for him and given him as well as some personal stories. I do not think there was dry eye in the house once Terry was done with his speech. Congratulations Terry, to not only my mentor, but the mentor of so many in the industry. It is so well deserved and we are so proud of you!

In case you have lost count, at this point we were sitting with two chapter awards and two individual awards. I think everyone in the room except us was tired of hearing Dallas Fort Worth announced from the podium.

The night honestly could not get any better! Well ok maybe. It was time for Chapter of the Year. This award is given to the Chapter that has gone above and beyond in all aspects of the year. This includes programs, membership, fundraising, etc. I knew our chances were good, but in the back of my mind I kept thinking “we won this last year and clearly it’s not given to the same chapter as the year prior.” As Kevin Brant CPCE and Greg Cassella CPCE, National Immediate Past President and Current National President, read off all the chapters who were nominated I thought to myself, “wow … all of these chapters are amazing and I look up to so many people in them.” Greg reads “This Chapter that worked hard…” At this point Wendy, Angie and I screamed so loud and were jumping up and down. Greg turned to Kevin and said “Do you want to say it?” Kevin jumped from his spot and said “Congratulations Dallas Fort Worth Chapter of the Year!!” It was the most amazing feeling. All 30 of us piled on the stage. You could see so many people beaming with pride. I myself was so proud of all that we had accomplished in 2011, but more so, I was so proud that our achievements for the past two years had been recognized and for all of the past leaders before me that have worked so hard to make our chapter what it is… the BEST. I am so proud of the future leaders that are being mentored now and have the drive and excitement to continue what so many great leaders have taught us. Wendy Timson CPCE CMP is off to a great start. She is doing a wonderful job leading this chapter now and I can only wait and watch to what is yet to accomplish. Maybe a three-peat?!

Thank you to all of my mentors who I was proud to have stand on the stage that night with me! As I say all the time, I grew up in this industry, in the Dallas chapter of NACE, and am so proud to call this chapter and this organization my family. Congratulations to the 2011 CHAPTER OF THE YEAR. We deserved it!

The rest of the night we had so much fun celebrating together! The band rocked it and we could have stayed and danced all night long!

Thank you again to each and every member of this chapter that contributed to our success in 2011! Thank you to all of the committee members and board members who worked hard and played hard! This will forever be one of the best nights of my life and I was so proud to receive each and every award with Wendy on behalf of the chapter that night!

We are looking forward to 2013 in Chicago! Hope everyone will join us!

Dana M. Carroll, CWC
NACE Dallas Past President

2012-07 Event Professional of the Year – Steve Kemble

admin — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 14:02:04 +0000

Steve Kemble, America’s Sassiest Lifestyle Guru and the recipient of the NACE NATIONAL Event Professional of the Year 2011 Award is a proud member of the DFW Chapter of NACE. We thought you would enjoy learning a little more about the Sassiest member of our chapter.

NACE Member Since: 1993

NACE NATIONAL PARTICIPATION:

National Board of Directors 2010
NACE Foundation Board

WHAT IS STEVE UP TO: In addition to event planning, Steve continues to work to expand his brand Steve Kemble, America’s Sassiest Lifestyle Guru. He appears daily on the Gene & Julie Show on KVIL, 103.7, is the “Entertainment Guru” on abc Channel 8 Daybreak Show with Ron Corning, appears on FOX Good Day as ‘Stylin Steve’, writes every other week for US Weekly Fashion Police and writes the Power Couple article every month for GrandLuxe magazine.

FAVORITE VACATION DESTINATION: Cabo San Lucas

COOLEST EVENT YOU HAVE EVER BEEN A PART OF: The event I produced last summer in Armenia. Armenia is the second poorest economy in the world according to Forbes and it is the place where I met the happiest people in my life! This event changed my life on so many levels both personally and professionally and in a word, that’s “COOL”!

FAVORITE DESIGNER: Versace

NICEST CELEBRITY YOU HAVE EVER MET: I interviewed Nicole Kidman on the red carpet shortly after her divorce from Tom Cruise and she was so nice! However, I do regret not asking her the one question about Tom Cruise that everyone wants answered (yep, ‘that’ question!).

HOW MANY PAIRS OF SHOES DO YOU HAVE: Over 100! Before you judge, let’s remember there are 365 days in a year, so that’s not too many-right?

ONE PIECE OF CLOTHING YOU WOULD SAVE IN A CLOSET FIRE: Any of the vintage Versace jackets I purchased from Elton John to support his AIDS Foundation (I have 9).

FAVORITE NACE MEMORY: The Region 4 (of which Dallas/Fort Worth was a part of) hospitality suite we produced in Chicago for the 1993 Conference! Amazing memories (and I honestly think we had some much fun this is when they said “no more hospitality suites”…oops!)

MOST INFLUENTIAL NACE MEMBER TO YOU: Gayle Skelton, she encouraged me to join NACE!

FAVORITE HOLIDAY TO DECORATE FOR: Easter, I just love pastels!

STEVE’S ADVICE TO ALL: Join NACE or other industry organizations. This will provide you with an excellent opportunity to meet people in the industry, and have a serious discussion with them about your career goals. As we all know it is not the glamour job many perceive it to be, yet it is the most rewarding and fulfilling career I honestly believe is out there!

2012-07 Newsletter: EXPERIENCE Wedding Brunch Recap

admin — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 15:01:30 +0000

Wow it is hard to believe that another NACE Experience has come and gone. Without a doubt New Orleans was a blast and we all had such a great time seeing our NACE family members who came in from all over the country and it was of course fun meeting new NACE members and getting to spend time with people in our chapter outside of our monthly meetings.

This year the conference committee decided to bring back the Wedding Brunch. Guest speakers from across the United States spoke about what they are seeing in there market. The speakers were, Beverly Church, New Orleans; Danielle Couick, CPCE, Washington, DC; Nico Cervantes, Los Angeles; and P.J. Acosta, Chicago. Their varied locations and broad experience helped give us an idea of the trends from East to West and North to South. Coming from different areas they all had a little twist of something different but they all agreed that the color brown was fading out and purple was making a strong presence.

In New Orleans, the simple garden to table look and feeling at home has taken center stage. In DC, Danielle added that in addition to garden to table, vintage accents and incorporating family heirlooms and personal pieces were a big part of the design of weddings. Having that dining room feel gives guests a comfort level and makes them feel they are guests in your home. This is reflected often not only in the décor but in the menu selection as well. Food displays featuring vintage china, and a variety of family favorites helps bring a personal touch to the menu.

There were so many ideas presented from incorporating walls to make smaller areas within a space t using varying chairs at one table that gave insight into what different areas of the country are focusing on.

One of the last key points that Nico from California stated is that he felt that lighting is taking a strong step forward, in the coming months for weddings. More than ever before he felt that using lighting to create a unique look and a constantly changing feel for events was going to be more of a focus than every before.

We learned a lot and look forward to seeing some trends leave and new ones come our way.

Matthew Crowe
Co-Director of Programs

2012-07 Newsletter: EXPERIENCE Opening Session Recap

admin — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 14:53:40 +0000

So you know the meaning of a rather common word to many of us in the industry; deja vu - the experience of thinking that a new situation had occurred before; or an experience that causes you to remember something. In fact if I were to say “teal blue and chocolate” to pretty much any of you, it would automatically bring up multiple weddings of the not too distant past.

Well I ask you, have you heard of “Vuja De”?

Me either, at least not until sitting with our fellow chapter members in the Opening Session of the 2012 NACE Experience conference, listening to Simon T. Bailey. And let me tell you I plan to Vuja De everyday that I can and here is why….

Vuja De is when “you’ve never seen it” but you intend to flip the status quo and create it. It is more than a moment it is a “movement”. By simply “shifting from average to brilliant” each one of us take a step in to the vuja de movement. Simon T. Bailey not only kept our attention, he refreshed our spirits, and gave us the three principals to help make our own Vuja De movement here in Dallas Fort Worth… and he had the cutest giggle-laugh that kept popping up when we least expected it.

While this article cannot come close to giving justice to having been at conference and seen Simon speak in person, I will try to share the principals of the Vuja De movement as well as a few wonderful quotes he shared with us. The first and probably my favorite is “a job is what your paid to do a memorable experience is what your made to do”. I think this one touched me the most as Director of Membership for our chapter I have had the opportunity to visit with many of you and have heard how many wonderful and amazing experiences each of our members have made happen for their clients and guests. Simon put it simply when he said “if you don’t “love what you do” then fire yourself immediately”, and we in this industry know this love and passion for what we do, all to well.

The principles are:

Principle 1: How do I begin to see differently?
(To answers this you need to know who you are and why you are here.)
Principle 2: How do I begin to empower “Me, Incorporated”?
Principle 3: How do I begin to ignite a fresh vision?

So “Oh Brilliant One”, (which is what Simon told us we should each be calling ourselves every day), can you answer the principle questions above?

I challenge you, if – like me – you do not have all of the answers yet, then over the next 90 days let’s find our answers. Lets look hard at ourselves and take note that “it’s not who you are that holds you back, it’s who you think you are not that holds you back”. Let’s “release the need to be right” and embrace the Vuja De movement by creating brilliant moments, one moment at a time.

Dionicia McCallum, CWP
Director of Membership

12 Things Successful People Do Differently

admin — Fri, 18 May 2012 15:32:55 +0000

I recently came across a blog spot that I believe offers great insight and perspective on many different areas of life. We often forget that we do haves lives outside of our events. One of the many different blog entries that I stuck out to me was “12 Things Successful People Do Differently”. I hope that it helps you become more successful in either your personal or professional life. For the entire article feel free to visit www.marcandangel.com

12 Things Successful People Do Differently

1. Create and pursue S.M.A.R.T. goals.

Successful people are objective. They have realistic targets in mind. They know what they are looking for and why they are fighting for it.

S.M.A.R.T. goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely.

When you identify S.M.A.R.T. goals that are truly important to you, you become motivated to figure out ways to attain them. You develop the necessary attitude, abilities, and skills. You can achieve almost any goal you set if you plan your steps wisely and establish a time frame that allows you to carry out those steps. Goals that once seemed far away and out of reach eventually move closer and become attainable, not because your goals shrink, but because you grow and expand to match them.

2. They take decisive and immediate action.

Sadly, very few people ever live to become the success story they dream about. And there’s one simple reason why:

They never take action!

The acquisition of knowledge doesn’t mean you’re growing. Growing happens when what you know changes how you live. So many people live in a complete daze. Actually, they don’t ‘live.’ They simply ‘get by’ because they never take the necessary action to make things happen – to seek their dreams.

It doesn’t matter if you have a genius IQ and a PhD in Quantum Physics, you can’t change anything or make any sort of real-world progress without taking action. There’s a huge difference between knowing how to do something and actually doing it. Knowledge and intelligence are both useless without action. It’s as simple as that.

3. They focus on being productive, not being busy.

In his book, The 4-Hour Workweek, Tim Ferris says, “Slow down and remember this: Most things make no difference. Being busy is often a form of mental laziness – lazy thinking and indiscriminate action.” This is Ferris’ way of saying “work smarter, not harder,” which happens to be one of the most prevalent modern day personal development clichés. But like most clichés, there’s a great deal of truth to it, and few people actually adhere to it.

Just take a quick look around. The busy outnumber the productive by a wide margin.

Busy people are rushing all over the place, and running late half of the time. They’re heading to work, conferences, meetings, social engagements, etc. They barely have enough free time for family get-togethers and they rarely get enough sleep. Yet, business emails are shooting out of their smart phones like machine gun bullets, and their daily planner is jammed to the brim with obligations.

Their busy schedule gives them an elevated sense of importance. But it’s all an illusion. They’re like hamsters running on a wheel.

The solution: Slow down. Breathe. Review your commitments and goals. Put first things first. Do one thing at a time. Start now. Take a short break in two hours. Repeat.

4. They make logical, informed decisions.

Sometimes we do things that are permanently foolish simply because we are temporarily upset or excited.

Although emotional ‘gut instincts’ are effective in certain fleeting situations, when it comes to generating long-term, sustained growth in any area of life, emotional decisions often lead a person astray. Decisions driven by heavy emotion typically contain minimal amounts of conscious thought, and are primarily based on momentary feelings instead of mindful awareness.

The best advice here is simple: Don’t let your emotions trump your intelligence. Slow down and think things through before you make any life-changing decisions.

5. They avoid the trap of trying to make things perfect.

Many of us are perfectionists in our own right. We set high bars for ourselves and put our best foot forward. We dedicate copious amounts of time and attention to our work to maintain our high personal standards. Our passion for excellence drives us to run the extra mile, never stopping, never relenting. And this dedication towards perfection undoubtedly helps us achieve results… So long as we don’t get carried away.

But what happens when we do get carried away with perfectionism?

We become disgruntled and discouraged when we fail to meet the (impossibly high) standards we set for ourselves, making us reluctant to take on new challenges or even finish tasks we’ve already started. Our insistence on dotting every ‘I’ and crossing every ‘T’ breeds inefficiency, causing major delays, stress overload and subpar results.

Remember, the real world doesn’t reward perfectionists. It rewards people who get things done. And the only way to get things done is to be imperfect 99% of the time.

6. They work outside of their comfort zone.

The number one thing we persistently see holding smart people back is their own reluctance to accept an opportunity simply because they don’t think they’re ready. In other words, they feel uncomfortable and believe they require additional knowledge, skill, experience, etc. before they can aptly partake in the opportunity. Sadly, this is the kind of thinking that stifles personal growth and success.

The truth is nobody ever feels 100% ready when an opportunity arises. Because most great opportunities in life force us to grow emotionally and intellectually. They force us to stretch ourselves and our comfort zones, which means we won’t feel totally comfortable at first. And when we don’t feel comfortable, we don’t feel ready.

Significant moments of opportunity for personal growth and success will come and go throughout your lifetime. If you are looking to make positive changes and new breakthroughs in your life, you will need to embrace these moments of opportunity even though you will never feel 100% ready for them.

7. They keep things simple.

Leonardo da Vinci once said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Nothing could be closer to the truth. Here in the 21st century, where information moves at the speed of light and opportunities for innovation seem endless, we have an abundant array of choices when it comes to designing our lives and careers. But sadly, an abundance of choice often leads to complication, confusion and inaction.

The solution is to simplify. If you’re selling a product line, keep it simple. And if you’re trying to make a decision about something in your life, don’t waste all your time evaluating every last detail of every possible option. Choose something that you think will work and give it a shot. If it doesn’t work out, learn what you can from the experience, choose something else and keep pressing forward.

8. They focus on making small, continuous improvements.

Henry Ford once said, “Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small pieces.” The same concept configured as a question: How do you eat an elephant? Answer: One bite at a time. This philosophy holds true for achieving your biggest goals. Making small, positive changes – eating a little healthier, exercising a little, creating some small productive habits, for example – is an amazing way to get excited about life and slowly reach the level of success you aspire to.

And if you start small, you don’t need a lot of motivation to get started either. The simple act of getting started and doing something will give you the momentum you need, and soon you’ll find yourself in a positive spiral of changes – one building on the other.

9. They measure and track their progress.

Successful people are not only working in their job/business, they are also working on it. They step back and assess their progress regularly. They track themselves against their goals and clearly know what needs to be done to excel and accelerate.

The proper approach is to figure out what your number one goal is and then track the things that directly relate to achieving that goal. Take some time right now to identify your number one goal, identify the most important things for you to keep track of, and then begin tracking them immediately. On a weekly basis, plug the numbers into a spreadsheet and use the data to create weekly or monthly trend graphs so you can visualize your progress. Then fine-tune your actions to get those trends to grow in your favor.

10. They maintain a positive outlook as they learn from their mistakes.

Successful people concentrate on the positives – they look for the silver lining in every situation. They know that it is their positivity that will take them to greatness. If you want to be successful, you need to have a positive outlook toward life. Life will test you again and again. If you give in to internal negativity, you will never be able to achieve the marks you have targeted.

11. They spend time with the right people.

Successful people associate with people who are likeminded, focused, and supportive. They socialize with people who create energy when they enter the room versus those who create energy when they leave. They reach out to connected, influential individuals who are right for their dreams and goals.

You are the sum of the people you spend the most time with. If you hang with the wrong people, they will negatively affect you. But if you hang with the right people, you will become far more capable and successful than you ever could have been alone.

12. They maintain balance in their life.

If you ask most people to summarize what they want out of life they’ll shout out a list of things like: ‘fall in love,’ ‘make money,’ ‘spend time with family,’ ‘find happiness,’ ‘achieve goals,’ etc. But sadly, a lot of people don’t balance their life properly to achieve these things.

When you let your work life (or social life, family life, etc.) consume you, and all your energy is focused in that area, it’s extremely easy to lose your balance. While drive and focus are important, if you’re going to get things done right, and be truly successful, you need to balance the various dimensions of your life.