Friday, January 10, 2025
By Judy Philips, Director of Communications
On January 8, 2025, the Dallas-Fort Worth Chapter of the National Association for Catering and Events (DFW NACE) hosted its first SOLD OUT brunch of the year at the Lorenzo Hotel in Dallas. The event kicked off with networking at 11:00 AM, followed by a delicious brunch and an educational session led by Tara Melvin, Founder of Signature Concepts LLC.
Tara’s presentation, “The Transition Blueprint: From Weddings to Corporate Events,” was both insightful and engaging. She fostered an open and welcoming atmosphere, encouraging questions during and after her talk. Tara outlined ten actionable steps to help professionals pivot their businesses toward corporate events. Key takeaways included understanding corporate clients’ needs, refining communication with industry-specific terminology, and building systems tailored to corporate engagements. Attendees left motivated and equipped to expand their services, with our President Lauren Eck, sharing, “Her insights were not only practical but also inspiring, and the feedback from attendees has been overwhelmingly positive. We’re grateful to Tara for sharing her expertise and look forward to seeing the impact of her advice within our community.”
A heartfelt thank-you to the incredible sponsors who made the 2025 DFW NACE January brunch a success! The MacMeekens beautifully captured the event through photography, while the Lorenzo Hotel Tapestry Collection by Hilton, provided a stunning venue and exceptional catering. Gardenia Event Decor added elegance with centerpieces of white blooms and vibrant blue accents, and Magnify Coffee Catering delighted guests with a variety of coffee options—my personal favorite being their iced Americano. The audio-visual support did not miss a beat and was provided by Target Productions.
The day also featured a warm welcome from 2025 President Lauren Eck, updates on the upcoming service project with Feed My Starving Children shared by Community Service Chair Vanessa Alston, and the announcement of the 6-pack meeting deal with a happy hour add-on from Co-Directors of Membership, Ashley Scott and Sir J Starks.
Additionally, Chris Harmon, CPCE (The Honorable) Past President, announced the save-the-date for the highly anticipated March 4th (Fat Tuesday) Award Gala. He also reminded members that self-nominated awards will open on Monday, January 13—look out for more details in the upcoming email!
The event concluded with a raffle, where our very own NACE member, Cindy Ray, won two prizes! Congratulations, Cindy—what a great way to start the new year!
Special thanks to Al DeBerry, Managing Director at the Lorenzo Hotel, for generously gifting two copies of his latest book, “The Life of a Hotelier: The GM Years – Stories Behind the Scenes and Life Lessons Along the Way.”
DFW NACE continues to offer valuable networking and educational opportunities. We can’t wait to see you in February!
View More Photos Here: January Meeting on Facebook