DFW NACE

Tell us about your business or the work you do. Everything we do begins with character and authenticity. Our purpose is to create first-class musical experiences for our clients and community, with charm, character, and class!

How long have you been a NACE member? On the board? I have been a member of NACE for one year and a board member for 2 months!

What is your personal motto? Do what you feel in your heart to be right, for you will be criticized for it anyway.

What is your guilty pleasure? Coffee and Star Wars.

Which actor or actress would play you in the movie about your life? JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT

What does true leadership mean to you? Leadership is the ability to communicate another persons’ self-worth and value so clearly, that they come to start believing it in their selves.

What is in the trunk of your car right now? Jumper cables, a microphone, and a roll of gaff tape.

Tell us about your business or the work you do. I am the owner and principal planner at Shamica & Co. Event Planning and Deisgn. We specialize in high end weddings and events.

How long have you been a NACE member? I am in my second year with NACE. On the board? 2022 is my first year on the board.

What is your personal motto? My personal motto is “Do everything with grace and gratitude.”

What is your guilty pleasure? My gulity pleasure is sneaking away for some self care and a long day at the spa.

Which actor or actress would play you in the movie about your life? Janelle Monae

What does true leadership mean to you? True leadership to me means leading by example, don’t ask someone to do something you are not willing to do. Give grace where it is needed and be firm when it applies.

What is in the trunk of your car right now? In the trunk of my car right now are several sets of dumbell weights for the new fitness journey I have embarked upon.

Tell us about your business or the work you do. I founded Amy Karp Photography over 15 years ago and specialize in weddings, portraits and commercial photography. I am so very fortunate to be able to document my client’s best days and I’ve been able to do that over 450 times in my career. I am Dallas-based but also have a passport and my camera takes me to many amazing places around the globe. 

How long have you been a NACE member? On the board? I have been a NACE member since 2019 and this is my first year on the board as the Education Chair. 

What is your personal motto? Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today.

What is your guilty pleasure? It has to be reality TV — I have it on as background noise when working from home a lot. 

Which actor or actress would play you in the movie about your life? Amy Pohler … not because we have he same name but because she’s got amazing comedic timing and I’ve been watching her since the Upright Citizens Brigade.

What does true leadership mean to you? Leading with kindness and compassion and always willing to step up for any task no matter how big or small. 

What is in the trunk of your car right now? A giant bag with nightstands and lighting equipment … its huge and takes up almost the entire back of the car. I could easily get inside and zip up comfortably if I needed to 😉

Tell us about your business or the work you do. Pyrotex is the oldest Texas-based professional firework company, also offering indoor pyro and special effects.  I server as Chief Marketing Officer, Haz-Mat Driver, and lead Pyrotechnician, but also one of the Co-Owners of the company.  

How long have you been a NACE Member? Years On the Board? 10 years, 1.5 months

What is your Personal Motto?  You have the freedom of choice, not the freedom of consequence

What is your guilty pleasure? Netflix!  Mostly law enforcement shows, but I’m currently catching up on Ozark and the new season of Project Runway

Which actor or actress would play you in the movie about your life? Well, Paris Hilton played me already…”Paige Edwards” (my maiden name) in the movie House of Wax, but people used to say that I looked like Nicole Kidman…so I’d go with her!

What does true leadership mean to you? True leadership is raising the people around you up so high that they reach a point where you are no longer qualified to lead them.

What is in the trunk of your car right now? My trade show booth stuff because January and February are bridal show season, so no point in taking it out; a hammer, gloves, and cooler for our Dancing on a Cloud effect; and a measuring wheel for site visits…I’m sure there is some kid stuff back there too!

Tell us about your business or the work you do.

I run Illumination Fireworks, a fireworks and special effects company, and Ultimate Confetti, which is a division of Illumination Fireworks.  Ultimate Confetti.com is the go to place for everything that is confetti, we sell Nationally and Internationally via our website.    We are based in Carrollton Texas. 

How long have you been a NACE member? On the board?

I believe I have been a member for 15 years??  On the board for 6.

What is your personal motto?

I find that I say “Onward and Upward” often, just trying to focus on the positive and what is next. 

What is your guilty pleasure?

Chardonnay

Which actor or actress would play you in the movie about your life?

I would love it if either Jennifer Gardner or Jennifer Lawrence would play me, not because their name is Jennifer :). They could portray me as a tall bad-ass.   

What does true leadership mean to you?

Communication and leading by example

What is in the trunk of your car right now?

Bottled Water, you never know when you might be thirsty.

Tell us about your business or the work you do. My husband and I own FunkyTown Donuts and FunkyTown Donuts & Drafts in Fort Worth. As of March, I accepted a position as the Events & Hospitality Manager at TX Whiskey Ranch, also in Fort Worth.

How long have you been a NACE member? On the board? I have been a NACE member for 8 years, and on the board for 7 years.

What is your personal motto? You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. 

What is your guilty pleasure?   Soooo, I have a few!  An extra dirty martini with Tito’s & blue cheese stuffed olives (no vermouth), TX Bourbon Pecan Old Fashioned, a glass of wine, charcuterie board (I could have this as my meal every day)….and, probably binge watching a Netflix series or documentary.

Which actor or actress would play you in the movie about your life?  Oh, gosh – I have no idea!  Maybe Jennifer Lawrence? She’s been in a lot of great movies and seems to have a funny personality – she also grew up with two brothers who made her tough which got her into sports.  That’s how I grew up and it made me a strong and independent woman. 

What does true leadership mean to you?   When thinking about being a true leader, I think about a past boss I had – she wasn’t afraid to roll up her sleeves and jump in with her team. She was always there to help, to listen and provided great advice. She was never too busy to listen to her staff and answered every question/concern with confidence. She respected her team and in return, they respected her. I learned a lot from her and strive to be the best that I can be, as a leader to my team.   

What is in the trunk of your car right now?  An Easter Bunny costume. Haha!!  I was the Easter Bunny this year to help create some-sort of normalcy for the kiddos and their families that came by FunkyTown Donuts for a special treat that day.  This just reminded me that I need to give that back to its owner.  🙂  

Tell us about your business or the work you do.

I own Painting with a Twist in Rockwall and Garland and I am also the Director of Catering for Chef Kent Rathbun. 

How long have you been a NACE member? On the board?

I’ve been a NACE member 8 years now and this is my sixth year on the Board! 

What is your personal motto?

What goes around comes around, treat everyone the way you’d expect to be treated in return. 

What is your guilty pleasure?

I love the spa, like a really nice and unfortunately expensive spa day! 

Which actor or actress would play you in the movie about your life?

Hmm, what a fun question! I WISH it was Tina Fey, but it would probably be Melissa Joan Hart! 

What does true leadership mean to you?

I love trying to ensure all of my friends and peers feel like they know I am always behaving or acting for the greater good. I am always wanting them to succeed and for all of us as an industry to rise together! I think that I do this with my own actions every day and hope my peers feel the same. 

What is in the trunk of your car right now?

Oh, a foldable wagon of course! You never know when you’ll need that bad boy!