January Bi-Monthly Education Program: "Working with Non-Profits"

 

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Free VIP Pass to the 23rd Annual Partyfest!!

Toys for Tots

I want to start by expressing my deepest gratitude for all of you that donated to the North Texas Food Bank in November.  Our efforts helped provide 9,843 meals for people who would be going hungry this holiday without the food bank.

As we continue into the holiday season, ISES is going to continue to give back by supporting the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation.  You have two opportunities to give this month.  First, register online for the December 13th Happy Hour (happy hour is free) and donate cash.  Second, bring unwrapped toys to the ISES Happy Hour!  We will have a member of the Marine Corps on site to help us collect the toys. 



I know this is a busy time of year for our industry, but I hope you will take a few minutes out of your day to help provide a gift to a child who would not receive one without Toys for Tots.

Sincerely,
Glenn Roush
ISES Director of Philanthropy

Congratulations Damany Daniel!

The SEARCH Foundation awarded Damany Daniel a full education package scholarship to attend The Special Event 2011 in Phoenix!

Congratulations Damany and we are glad to have you representing ISES Dallas at TSE!

ISES Dallas Giving Back To The Community

ISES Dallas members volunteered at the North Texas Food Bank.  They gave their time and energy to helping pack bags that were distributed to families to help them \have a good warm meal during the holidays.

for more pictures click here

Our volunteers included: Yvette Audrain CSEP, CPCE, Glenn Roush, Nick Mallouf, Andy Austin, Nathan White, Marla Watson-Werst CSEP, CTA, Rachel Derman, Ashton Hartner

The Special Event

The event industry has gone through a couple of challenging years. Over the past months, event professionals have been picking themselves up and looking at ways to adapt their businesses to the new economic reality.  The Special Event 2011 is focused on the art of transforming challenge into opportunity by giving event professionals the tools they need to transform themselves and their businesses. Make this year the “Dawn of a New Beginning” by joining the largest gathering of event professionals in the world at The Special Event 2011. Shift into a positive gear and start the year off right:

• Boost your morale and make important business connections by networking with fellow event professionals.
• Be ready to learn by seeing, hearing, tasting and experiencing the fabulous Showcasing Events
• Get invaluable help on how to run your event business as well as the latest trends in design, weddings, & food services in the Professional Event Training Sessions
• Discover thousands of event products and services on the tradeshow floor - perfect for giving your events a complete makeover

click here to see registration options!

ISES Dallas is partnering with the North Texas Food Bank

We at ISES Dallas are committed to helping our local community and are doing our part this month by donating time and food items to the North Texas Food Bank.  We have several ways you can help feed people here locally during the holiday season.  If you want more information on the North Texas Food Bank, click here.

1. When you register you can quickly donate through Regonline while you register for our November 15th program!
2. Bring money or non-perishable food items to the program Monday, November 15th.
3. You can volunteer at the North Texas Food Bank on November 23rd.  Contact our Director of Philanthropy, Glenn Roush for more information!
   

November Bi-Monthly Education Program: So You Think You Can Plan

 

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ISES Dallas wants to hear from you!

We are looking to hear from our members!  We want to hear what value you receive from your involvement with ISES?  What is your favorite thing about ISES Dallas programs, membership, special programs involvement?  Whatever you like about ISES and ISES Dallas let us know and your quote might be selected to be featured on the ISES Dallas website!

Email Ashley Holder with your quote!

Rising Star Scholarships to TSE 2011 Available from SEARCH Foundation

The SEARCH Foundation has teamed up with The Special Event (TSE) to provide each ISES chapter the opportunity to submit one (1) scholarship application for the Full Education Package registration at this year’s TSE conference (events not included) in Phoenix, Arizona January 25-28, 2011.

Contact Yvette Audrain, ISES Dallas President, to obtain an application.  Applications need to be submitted to Yvette no later than November 5, 2010.
 
Each recipient will be nominated and selected by their individual chapter and then approved by SEARCH. This scholarship was made possible by the merging of ISEF (International Special Events Foundation) into the SEARCH Foundation in December 2009. The SEARCH Foundation is committed to fulfilling the continuing education principles established by ISEF and following the ISES mission statement.

“So You Think You Can Plan - Play Stump the Panel”

Do you have a wacky, one-of-a-kind event industry experience or dilemma you want to share with your fellow ISES Members?

Have you ever wondered what your colleagues would do in that same situation?

Do you want to throw one of your crazy experiences at a Panel of ISES Professionals and see if they can talk their way out of it??

For the November 15^th Bi-Monthly Event Program, we’re asking you ISES members to submit your most ridiculous event experiences.  Then, our Panel will have to come up with their own resolutions to your problem/situation – What would they have done if they were in your shoes?  Submit your story to Emily Mead at emily@significanteventsoftexas.com.  All submissions will remain anonymous.

The Ashley Miller Benefit

 

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CLICK HERE

Business Bootcamp! November Master Series

 PLEASE NOTE NEW DATE!

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!

ADME Awards judges needed.

The Association of Destination Management Executives is looking to find a panel of 4-6 judges to help judge one of their awards categories for the year.  If you are interested, please contact Darcie Wooten of Ultimate Ventures to schedule a date and time.

September Program Sponsor Recap

“A Wedding for All Seasons: An Evening with Sasha Souza”

By Ashley Holder

The Hilton Anatole hosted ISES Dallas and its guests for the September program about wedding design presented by Sasha Souza.   Sasha Souza is the owner of Sasha Souza Events in California and does events all over the world.

VIP guests had the opportunity to go up to Nana to visit in a more intimate environment with Sasha over cocktails.  Once the VIP time was over, everyone headed downstairs to the Wedgwood Room for socializing and to see the entries to the Design Board Competition.  Guests entering into the event walked through the entries from event planners, florists and more.

Stunning pictures of the weddings and dreams weddings were perfectly presented on poster boards.  In the reception area, guests were treated to beautiful ladies dressed in amazing wedding gowns compliments of Triple Play Staffing and The White Gown Showroom respectively.  Elan Make Up showed off their skills with a make up brush by doing the models’ make up for the evening.  CORT Event Furnishings provided luxurious furniture for guests to perch on as they talked to others. 

Finally the doors swung open and guests filed into the ballroom where they were transported to a fairy tale wedding.  The four seasons were represented by groups of tables which were adored with lavish centerpieces varied from beautiful arrangements of roses, calla lilies, and orchids and more provided by Out of the Garden.  Each tabletop testified to how tabletop décor such as china and glassware can carry through with a theme down to the smallest details.  Ducky-Bob’s Event Specialists provided the tabletop items and linens.  The chargers furthered the décor by being customized with removable stick-ons of excerpts from Sasha Souza’s book, Signature Sasha: Magnificent Weddings by Design.  Menu cards, signage and graphic design were all compliments of Orange Spot, Pink Nose.  The focal point to the room however was the stunning cake provided by Frosted Art Bakery.  We all know lighting is what really transforms a room.  Beyond provided all the lighting including uplighting which shifted color throughout the event which morphed the ambience to make it seem like an entirely different room.   Gobos kindly provided by In-Light Gobos used blank wall space to show quotes from Sasha’s book.  Glenn Roush of Roush Productions was our amazing emcee and provided the entertainment for the evening which added a special touch to the program.  The wonderful staff of PSAV made sure we had everything we needed for the sound and visual for the program.   All the photos are compliments of Mallouf Photography. 

Value of Work

Hilton Anatole                                       $10,000

Ducky-Bob’s Event Specialists             $4,446

Out of the Garden                                  $7,500

Orange Spot, Pink Nose                        $2,600

Beyond                                                   $3,920

Roush Productions                                $1,000

Frosted Art Bakery                                $1,000

Mallouf Photography                            $500

Triple Play Staffing                               $750

In-Light Gobos                                      $528

PSAV                                                     $2,745

Total $34,989

Other Donations by: The White Gown Showroom, CORT Event Furnishing, Elan Make Up

"Crossing the Fine Line - Remaining Ethical in Sticky Situations"

By Melanie Goodwin, Program Manager at Ultimate Ventures 

The event industry is rife with ethical gray areas which we encounter every day. The creative, collaborative and interconnected nature of our business can often produce blurry lines that are easy to cross - even when trying to do the right thing. The best way to navigate these issues is to remain aware and recognize delicate situations.

Some of the most common situations which arise in this industry are questions of creative/intellectual property, discounts, and direct contact with vendors.

Doing It Yourself

People are a service company's greatest resource. The majority of a company's budget is often spent on acquiring, keeping, and developing their staff. Therefore, the ideas and work created by staff are the intellectual property of the company and thus also of great value to a company - and thus belong to that company.

If a company proposes an excellent event idea, reproducing it without them in order to save money is crossing the line. Taking another company's intellectual property without compensating them in any way is a form of theft. While many escape prosecution, it is still an infringement on the company's rights; without them you would never have thought of that exact idea.    

If one absolutely cannot afford to pay the company to create the event, let them know that their idea is wonderful but it's not within the budget. Most companies will be happy to work to maintain the essence of the event while reducing cost, especially since the pains of the recent recession are so fresh in everyone's minds. Alternatively they may be willing to consent to the use of their idea for a consultation fee compensating them for their time, effort, and creative services.

Going Direct

If the knowledge of a service is learned through an agent, event planner or provider, be certain to book the service through them each and every time. Planners spend a lot of time and money researching, finding and vetting quality providers. Booking someone directly takes advantage of the situation and may jeopardize the vendor's contract with the planner.  This is especially true when dealing with entertainment.

While it may appear to be cheaper to go direct that isn't always the case. Planners and agents often receive volume discount rates that are not available to everyone.  Therefore, even after paying a management fee or commission to the planner the total amount may still be the same as if you booked directly. Even if this isn't the case, the total amount spent may not be much more than a direct booking rate once the value of one's time is factored in. Time is money and if using a third party saves time then it may be the most economical choice in the long run.

And if a vendor is approached by a client who wants to "cut out the middleman" and book directly, they should watch out!  If the client does not respect their planner's time and creativity, chances are they will treat others with the same lack of respect.

In this situation, the vendor should let the client know that their business is valuable, but they must book through the planner who originally referred them. This will protect any long term, repeat business from the planner and maintain the vendor's reputation as a professional and honest provider.

Taking Advantage of Vendors

Especially in this economy, everyone needs the best deal they can get, therefore many clients must request multiple bids, special discounted pricing and complimentary services. Special discounted pricing is generally an accepted practice in this industry for clients who bring high volume, off-season or repeat business. It is fair to request discounted rates and other concessions from a frequently utilized vendor, or if the event is taking place during a slow time (mid-week, off season, etc.) However, demanding that a one time vendor slashes rates drastically or dangling "future business" in order to gain discounts is a sticky situation. If one can contract that future business at the same time it is reasonable to request some discounts. But if the future business is hypothetical, it isn't fair to use it to negotiate volume pricing. Try to insure that the situation is a win-win for everyone by working with quality vendors who will work with you to reduce costs while still making the event profitable for everyone.

The increased presence of "strategic buying" and "purchasing" departments has caused a rise in the number of planners who are required to obtain multiple bids for a service. If required to request multiple bids try to truly consider each company's proposal and give them a fair shot at the business, If possible request only their standard pricing and information for due diligence purposes rather than requesting a detailed, customized quote - especially if there is no real intention of using their services. Nothing stings more than staying up all night to create a customized bid that just ends up unread in someone's recycling bin. Respect a vendor's time and they'll respect your business more; and also be willing to stay up all night for you when you really need it.

Trash Talking the Competition

Momma said it best: "If you can't say something nice don't say anything at all". Trash talking the competition reflects badly on anyone - and can damage relationships in this tightly knit industry. It is one thing to educate clients on "what sets you apart from the competition"; but referring directly to a competitor, insulting them or spreading negative gossip is counterproductive. Plus - the company you trash today may be the company you need a job from tomorrow.

 It's easy to find oneself in an ethical gray area, and we will all make mistakes from time to time. As long as everyone strives to create win-win situations for themselves, vendors and clients a lot of hassle can be avoided.

By remembering another of Momma's sayings: "Always treat others the way you would like to be treated" we will all be less likely to cross the line.

Design Board Competition Winners!

We would first like to say thank you to all the planners and designers who submitted boards:  

Julian Leaver CWP

Joy Cook

Melanie Goodwin DMCP

Amanda Jameson

Yvette Audrain CPCE, CSEP

Marla Watson-Werst CSEP, CTA

Dana Carroll CWC

Stacey Murdoch

Howard Eckhart CSEP, TMF

We had two categories and two amazing winners!

Sasha Souza selected her favorite and awarded Julian Leaver CWP with that award of the evening

The crowd voted and selected Howard Eckhart, CSEP, TMF.

Congratulations to both of you and thank you again to all of our participants!

Partyfest Date Announced!

PARTYFEST Extravaganza is Back at Dallas Market Hall, January 12th.

The 23rd Annual Partyfest Exhibition and Tradeshow is a spectacular one-day event showcasing over 200 of D/FW’s Top Party & Event Suppliers. For additional information visit http://applauseproductions.com/partyfest-tradeshow

Date: Wednesday, January 12th, 2011

Time: 10am-11am Exhibitor Orientation/Networking, 11am-4pm Tradeshow Hours, 11am-4pm Silent Auction benefitting YMCA, 12am-3pm Educational Seminars

Place: Dallas Market Hall – Dallas , TX 2200 N. Stemmons Frwy. (I35) at Market Center Blvd.

Recycle your old cell phones for the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.

 ISES Dallas is partnering with Ultimate Ventures to collect

old cellphones which will be recycled.  For each cell phone received

a monetary donation will be made to the 

Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.

We will be collecting old phones at the September 20th Program at the Hilton Anatole.

If you are unable to join us at the meeting please, 

contact Ultimate Ventures at 972.732.8433 to make other arrangements.

Need Another Reason to Recycle Your Old Cell Phone? 

It Helps the Environment!

Improper disposal of cell phones is a serious threat to our environment. Every cell phone contains no less that
eight hazardous materials, and disposing them in a landfill allows these substances to leach into groundwater and soil. In fact, just one cell phone can pollute up to 35,000 gallons of water. In 2010 alone, more than 130 million cell phones will be discarded. Through this program, old cell phones are given new life; they are refurbished and made available to others in need.

Brian Acheson CSEP joins The Special Event Company as Director of Operations

The Special Event Company (TSEC), based in Research Triangle Park, NC is delighted to announce the appointment of event industry leader, Brian Acheson CSEP, as a Company Director, overseeing event operations and production.

Brian joins the company today from Dallas, TX, where he has developed a strong client base through VIP Events, which will continue to operate under The Special Event Company umbrella.

Brian has over 25 years event experience, producing major award winning programs throughout the USA, and will oversee TSEC’s event management team in day-to-day operations.

His standing in the event community is reinforced by his previous positions as an 8 year Officer of the industry non-profit SEARCH Foundation and Dallas President of the International Special Events Society (ISES). He currently serves as the ISES International Secretary.

CEO Sally Webb, CSEP stated “We are delighted to have Brian join as a full time member of our team after working as a project manager with us for the past few years.  His knowledge and experience will be a great asset to our company, securing us even more as one of the region’s leading meetings and events producer.”

Acheson stated, “Joining the expanding organization of The Special Event Company as a Company Director is a great fit for VIP Events, and enables me to bring my production and logistics expertise to TSEC, while providing greater resources for our current client base.” 

Brian has moved from Dallas with his wife, Raye-Dawn who is Regional Vice President of the ISES Southeast Region, and their son, Jordan. 

The Annual General Meeting held at ISES Eventworld!

At this year’s general meeting where The ISES Spirit of Excellence awards program takes place, chapters and members from all over the world were acknowledged for their extraordinary efforts, performance, and outstanding contributions to the association. Many awards were given out on this day, but we were most proud of our neighbors from the New Orleans Chapter for winning the Chapter Membership Retention Award. Many of us who have been around long enough remember going to New Orleans to help get their chapter going, and how, since then we have all become very close friends. It’s always a joy to see them on an International level like Eventworld, and it’s even sweeter to see this chapter grow and excel after all the city has been through. Other highlights were the Austin Chapter from right down the road winning for Special Projects. The same award your Dallas Chapter won last year. Thanks Austin, for keeping it in the Great State of Texas. This year’s region of the year was won by the Northeast Region, an honor held by our Southeast Region the year before.

This years leadership Awards were given to Andy Callin for Volunteer of the Year, Zanine Adams and Richard Foulkes received the Mettle Attitude which is given to the ISES volunteer who is always willing to help and who gets the job done even under trying circumstances, and Dennis J. Telischak, CSEP was presented Robert J. Graves award for striving and reaching new heights, with the vision to see past the obstacles and the determination never to look back. This year the award was extra special as Robert J. Graves was on hand to present the award.

 

Each year the big award is the Chapter of the Year Award which went to Minneapolis – St. Paul Chapter. It is designed to recognize the ISES chapter each year that exemplifies outstanding achievement in the key areas of chapter management, activities, and membership growth. This chapter symbolizes the excellence to which other chapters may aspire. The judging is based upon: Communications, Special Projects, Chapter Administration, Member Retention, Chapter Growth, CSEP Enrollments, CSEP exam participants, Programming and Education.

For a complete list of he ISES Spirit of Excellence awards winners go to: http://www.ises.com/portals/0/pdfs/SOE_and_AGM_Award_Winners_List_2010.pdf

Get involved in helping our chapter win Spirit of Excellence awards by contacting Melanie Goodwin, Director of SOE’s at: Melanie@uvdmc.com 

Brooks Kendall

ISES Dallas Past President

Program RFP

We are looking for vendors to sponsor our bi-monthly Educational Programs, Power Lunches and Master Series. Sponsors have the opportunity to showcase their services at ISES events! Each sponsor will have their logo appear on the invitations that are sent to the entire membership as well as on the ISES Dallas website and be acknowledged during the program. Priority is given to ISES members, but is not required. Please contact Michael Cheever at Programs@isesdallas.com with any questions.

Deadline for submissions is Friday, September 3, 2010. This RFP form will also be available on the weekly Byte newsletter for future submissions if you are unable to commit at this time.

The Monday evening Educational Programs have attendance from 70 to 120 guests. Power Lunches and Master Series are generally less than 50 people. Please be as flexible as possible in checking dates you are available and let us know the full range of services you offer. Additional space is provided in order for you to make comments.

Make sure to look at the Miscellaneous option for opportunities to donate raffle prizes and silent auction items (benefiting the Linda Thornton CSEP Scholarship Fund).

Thanks for your support of the ISES Dallas Chapter and we look forward to a year full of successful Educational Programs!

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DK3SHYB

NACE DFW Superhero Fundraiser 2010

 ISES Dallas is sponsoring a table at the NACE Superhero Fundraiser 2010, please help us support this great cause!

The National Association of Catering Executives (NACE) Dallas / Fort Worth Chapter is hosting its annual fundraiser on Wednesday, September 1, 2010 at Union Station.  Kimberly Schlegel Whitman will be the guest emcee and judge for this year’s fundraiser and tabletop competition. In addition to the tabletop competition, there will be food, entertainment, and a silent auction.  Funds from this event will benefit Heroes for Children, the Foundation of NACE and the DFW chapter’s educational programming.

I would like to extend this invitation for you to attend this year's event. It is only $50/person to attend, and all you have to do is click on the link below to register!

http://guest.cvent.com/d/ydqf8z/1Q


Thank you in advance for your support and I hope to see you on September 1st! And don't forget to pass on to anyone else that you think should not miss out on this wonderful event!  We’d love to have ISES’ support especially since you have a table.  Thank you!

For more information about NACE & the fundraising event, you can visit our website at www.dfwnace.com <http://www.dfwnace.com>  or our Facebook at www.facebook/dfwnacefundraiser <http://www.facebook/dfwnacefundraiser>
For more information about this year's beneficiary, Heroes for Children, please visit their website at www.heroesforchildren.com <http://www.heroesforchildren.com>

Are you a member of ISES? If not....why not?

 

By Jason Logan

President-Elect, ISES Orlando

As the new year of ISES begins, our chapter is faced with new opportunities, but also considerable challenges.  The biggest challenge we face right now is membership retention.  I don’t believe that this problem solely belongs to ISES Orlando.  It seems to be a recurring challenge for many other association chapters as well. 

Looking back over the past couple of years, I tried to figure out what the overarching factor was in why our chapter membership numbers have been decreasing.  While the economy is an obvious reason for many event professionals to leave their memberships behind, I wanted to dig deeper and look at our own chapter. 

For the past 3 years, our board of directors has conducted the “No Member Left Behind” survey to see how we could best serve the membership.  We heard what the membership was saying and we tried to implement their needs and wants into our chapter meetings. Education and networking were the two most popular requests as a result of our survey last year.  So, our programs and education team worked hard to deliver an equal portion of both education and networking in our programming. 

Problem solved?  Hardly.

While we were paying attention and giving our members what they want, it seems to have not created the overall impact that we were hoping for:  to keep existing members and to gain new ones.

I began to dig even deeper into the situation.  I asked leaders of other ISES chapters what they were noticing in their own memberships.  I read articles about membership attrition and the reasons why people join, and then leave organizations.  One of the articles that I came across was a blog post from Jeffery Saltzman.  He seemed to have a lead on the subject.  Here is an excerpt from his blog…

The notion that people join organizations and leave bosses tends to be an overly simplistic depiction of the complexities of why people join and leave organizations. After years and years of research and literally hundreds of articles and books published on the topic, there is no mystery regarding what people around the world want out of a job experience or a career. And while you can spend your time searching and highlighting the minutia that indicates differences, perhaps driven by your research design, the bottom line is that people at work, humans, are more the same than we are different, and I don’t care if we are talking about generational differences, gender, ethnicity or perceived geographic differences. And while there are as many ways to state it as there are researchers to describe it, the fundamental underlying characteristics of what people want include:

- A clear and compelling message or reason regarding what the organization is about, why it exists, what it stands for, what it hopes to accomplish and knowledge of how each individual person within it can support it in a meaningful fashion. In other words, give me a compelling reason for belonging; make it desirable for me to join up.

- Performance enablement – providing individuals within the organization what’s needed to accomplish their tasks in a way that creates pride. Align those tasks to the compelling message. In other words, make me feel like what I do is important in the organization’s mission.  Additionally important to enablement is:

- Working for a management team that is effective, trustworthy, ethical (warning: people’s definition of ethics is dependent on their role in the organization), makes individuals feel valued and accepted, and puts sensible business processes in place, positioning the organization well within its markets and industry, whatever those may be.   

- Create a sense of future – give me compelling reasons to stick around such as:

· Fair and respectful treatment – the equity equation – you get out what you consider to be fair for what you put in, covering pay, benefits, recognition, rewards and advancement as well as being treated in a respectful and dignified fashion

·        The ability to stay current in your skills and to develop new skills.

I know that each event professional sits down at the end of the year and analyzes his or her expenses and determines what stays and what goes.  That is part of being a responsible business owner.  The question of how much your membership brings you value is surely part of the analysis.  But the true value of your ISES membership is what you put into the organization. 

While attending EventWorld a few years ago, one of the attendees made a statement that has remained with me ever since.  It occurred during a discussion between two very well respected event professionals. They were talking about the economy and how it had affected their business over the past year.  One of them said that he might not be able to afford to renew membership in the coming year. The conversation volleyed back and forth for a few minutes. The other professional made the final statement by saying…”You say you may not be able to afford your membership this year… well I am in the same boat as you are, and I can’t afford not to have my membership”. 

This struck me right between the eyes.  That statement was so true for me as well.  I am a small business owner and I struggle just like anyone else.  I thought about the $399.00 a year that I spend on my membership.  I thought about the $420.00 I spend annually on monthly meetings, plus all of the other expenses I put forth to attend industry conferences.  I thought about the countless hours I dedicate to this chapter by being on the board of directors, and thought, man that is a lot of money that could go back into the bottom line.  I started to agree with the guy who was debating on not renewing.  But then, I started to think about what this chapter is about, and what this organization is all about…

Vision

Dedicated and Educated to Deliver Creative Excellence and Professionalism in Special Events.

Mission

The Mission of ISES is to educate, advance and promote the special events industry and its network of professionals along with related industries.

To that end, we strive to…

- Uphold the integrity of the special events profession to the general public through our "Principles of Professional Conduct and Ethics"

- Acquire and disseminate useful business information

- Foster a spirit of cooperation among its members and other special events professionals, and…

- Cultivate high standards of business practices.

There it was.  Nowhere did it say I was guaranteed business from other ISES members.  Nowhere does it say that my market share would increase due to my membership.  What it does say in a nutshell, is that I will be a better Special Event Professional and I will do my job ethically and with integrity.

Some people may not think that is enough to join an organization like ISES, but membership does have its privileges.  Here are just some of the things you get from becoming an ISES member…

Membership in ISES will entitle you to member benefits and Internet access to ISES resources that non-members don't get.

• Chapter Membership

·        Professional Development and Education

·        Subscription to Special Events Magazine

·        Unlimited use of ISES' Online, Downloadable Membership Directory

·        A listing on ISES' website and website content dedicated to the consumer to find you!

·        Special Member Discounts and Access to Affinity Programs

The Affinity Programs include discounts from these companies:

·        The Wall Street Journal

·        Staples

·        Shaker Group Inc.

·        Quicken

·        Microsoft Office Live Small Business

·        Franklin Covey

·        FedEx Kinko’s

·        Budget Truck Rental

·        Alamo

·        Adobe

The perks listed above are all great reasons to join ISES.   We have all heard the stories of how the FedEx Kinko’s discounts basically pays for most member’s memberships for the year.  It truly is that great of a discount!

But what it all boils down to for me is this:  my company would not be where it is today if it hadn’t been for my involvement in ISES.  The people that I have met, the contacts that I have made locally and out of state, and the places I had the opportunity to perform have all come because of my affiliation with this prestigious and valuable organization. 

Whether you are an existing member, new member, or someone sitting on the fence, I challenge you to do this.  Give ISES a try and get involved.  Join a committee.  Become a chapter leader.  Write an article for our newsletter.  Network at our meetings.  Sponsor a product or service for one of our events.  These are the best ways to get what you are looking for out of your ISES Membership.  I hope to see your name on our membership roster this year!

August Power Lunch. Design 101: It's so much more than floral

click here to register

My New Extended Family by Ashley Holder

Upon entering into this industry just over five years ago, I realized that it was pure insanity. Our clients are demanding, the hours are long and hard; the physical, mental and emotional toll from some events is completely draining. I have found myself trying to explain to people about my job, my industry and what it’s like and yet they never quite get it.

Eventworld is like being with your family who understand you. They know the history; they know the ups and downs and the pressures involved. We are able to come together to not only support each other in times of hardship through our own personal efforts but through organizations like SEARCH. SEARCH is the foundation that assists event professionals in times of personal and professional crisis (such as the hardships felt by professionals in New Orleans after Katrina, or someone who has suffered a severe illness and needs help with medical bills) Recently they have expanded their efforts to include educating event professionals by giving scholarships to attend conferences like Eventworld. We celebrate each others achievements through award programs like the Esprits.

Sometimes we as professionals come across problems and we try to fix it on our own because feel embarrassed that we don’t know the answers. Eventworld allows you to talk to other salespeople, production managers, planners and business owners, who at some point, have been in the same situation. Why go through things alone and try to reinvent the wheel? These people aren’t competitors; they are colleagues and sounding boards.

If you were unable to go to Eventworld this year, try to make The Special Event or Eventworld next year. Between conferences, you can get the same feedback and support through the ISES Community. It’s a little bit like Facebook for ISES members where we can talk about our businesses, events and new ideas with other event professionals.

I said last week to a few people, it was like pushing the reset button to my soul and the more I look back on the experience the more I realize how true that that statement is for me.

The ISES Beat by Vince Corona

Hairspray proclaims “You can’t stop the beat,” and when ISES members from around the world met in Baltimore for Eventworld 2010, you couldn’t stop the ISES beat; not that you would ever want to! What a week of learning, meeting and fun!

As this was my first Eventworld, I went in with the anticipation of learning something different and meeting new people. Wow, did I ever underestimate my experience. The learning journey led me to some wonderful paths. Educational sessions, led by ISES members and industry experts, offered a variety of topics, which were divided on four tracks:

1. Business Applications: Sessions concentrated on the business owner and how to effectively run a business

2. Topical Trends Track: Topics concentrated on how become more effective event professionals with sessions ranging from Social Media to Entertainment to Design Trends

3. Event Practices: Focused on practical tools ranging from handling RFP’s to Building Relations with Non-Profit Clients

4. Event Boot Camp: Sessions geared toward the emerging Special Event Professional

The seminars were great, but the added bonuses were the discussions after the sessions with your new “ISES Friends” and how the topics related to your business or Chapter. Some of the best ideas came from others as they shared their experiences.

One thing particularly interesting was the contrast between the new ways of doing business and the old. Social Media ranked not one, but two seminars which helped to bring into focus not only what Social Media can do for your company but what the huge impact it is having on how your customers are doing business. The Social Media sessions were followed with the ancient art of Creative Writing and the importance of this craft when submitting proposals. It really demonstrated that no matter how much our business practices are changing, some things are important to maintain; such as, writing the perfect opening paragraph in a proposal designed to grab your client’s attention and hold onto it until the winning the bid!

The Eventworld experience certainly wasn’t limited to the formal sessions inside meeting rooms. The learning and friendships grew at evening events which allowed the social sides in all of us to come out. Whether it was the formal ISES Connections Lunge or informal gatherings with new friends, the connections to others and their experiences were amazing. Being able to connect and follow professionals across the world was a bonus beneficial both as an ISES Board Member and in my own business.

My Eventworld experience can be best summed up with “me and us”. The me part was how much I learned that will make me a more effective professional. The us part included all the ideas I picked up that will make the ISES Dallas a better chapter. If this is not something you have experienced before, I would highly recommend that you find your way connect to this great ISES (event)World next year in St. Louis!

A Multidisciplinary Educational Focus by Jim Monroe, CSE

(Jim is a new member of the ISES Educational Council)

Imagine going into a seminar and listening to a master designer discuss her discipline.

Now imagine going into a seminar and listening to a master designer discuss her discipline and how it relates to your discipline.  That is how Paul Creighton, CSEP, Director of the ISES Education Council, envisions future educational offerings throughout ISES.

At our recent Eventworld and the preceding leadership sessions the ISES Board of Governors continued to make good on their 2008/2009 commitment to focus on education.  Education has been clearly established as critical to the future of ISES and the Education Council has determined that the interrelationship between our many disciplines is critical to our body of knowledge.

The educational offerings at the 2010 Eventworld were designed to begin this process, aiming to address various topics at the intermediate or advanced level while offering an emersion experience “Boot Camp” for event professionals with 3 years or less experience. 

My personal experience with the classes found that 75 % achieved the goal of providing advanced level information useful to the master level participant. For example, in the business track that I followed there was valuable information regarding current special event insurance offerings and equally valuable legal advice regarding structuring event contracts.  This is the first time in the eight event conferences which I have attended that there were this many master level presentations.  Most conference presentations are given at the 101 level, as there is a huge turnover each year with the largest number of attendees being 1^st or 2^nd timers.

Perhaps the most interesting, and certainly two of the best attended, sessions were the professional roundtables.  One, “Birds of a Feather” was made up of special event professionals from the same disciplines discussing current issues, trends and best practices for 1 1/.2 hours.  The other “Topic Focused” was made up of 30 tables labeled with different issues, topics or challenges; for example: “Design Trends”, “Stretching the Dollar” and “Strategic Relationships.”  Each attendee was allowed 25 minutes at each of three topic tables of their choosing.  This was perhaps the session that was most true to the goal of multidisciplinary interaction.  I found the interplay informative and inspiring.

The goals of the Education Council may not have been met equally well across the board, but in general the positive impact of those goals made this one of the best educational offerings in my experience at the conferences I have attended.

In closing I have to mention that having been away from the community of event conferences for a couple of years I was reminded of how invigorating the experience is.  Sharing some concentrated time together with fellow professionals from multiple disciplines and different places inspires creativity and boosts one’s energy level!

September Program "A Wedding for All Seasons: An Evening with Sasha Souza"

 Attention: 

There have been changes to the rooms. 

The VIP Reception will be in Nana.

Cocktail Reception will be in the foyer in front of Wedgwood

Program will be in Wedgwood.

Register by clicking here!

Also check out the ISES Design Board Competition.

Get Involved! Get on a Committee!

Look through the committees and find one that works for you.  If you want more information or you want to sign up email the person listed.

Membership Committee is responsible for developing and cultivating value added member only benefits.  It is also responsible for  encouraging event professionals to join ISES and current members to get involved and retain their membership.
Contact Justin Atkinson for more information.


Communications Committee is responsible for the marketing, advertising and chapter communications, including newsletters, social media, web and print advertising.  The committee also is responsible for spreading the word about ISES throughout the event industry and to the general public, the website, and more.
Contact Ashley Holder for more information.


Programs is responsible for the logistics of each of the meetings that ISES Dallas presents, including locations, rentals, caterers, décor, and more. 
Contact Vince Corona for more information.

Education is responsible for developing the education for each of the meetings that ISES Dallas presents that will appeal to the full membership.  The committee works to educate members in business matters, event trends and issues as well as educates the members based on the Certified Special Event Professional (CSEP) test.
Contact Kristen Dickson CSEP for more information.


Spirit of Excellence (SOE) Committee is responsible for the ISES Dallas entries to for the SOE's.  The Chapter Spirit of Excellence Awards recognize ISES chapters that excel in chapter communications, administration, membership retention, and growth programs.
Contact Melanie Goodwin for more information.

Philanthropy Committee is responsible of finding ways for ISES Dallas to give back to the community at large.  The committee is responsible to find causes to raise money for during chapter meetings as well as causes for the Special Projects Committee to partner with.
Contact Glenn Roush for more information.

Special Projects Committee is responsible for planning and executing special projects for ISES Dallas.  Special projects include but aren't limited to Texas Star Awards, Partyfest, the programs and projects that ISES Dallas does as part of their philanthropic efforts. 

Contact Tamara Harris CWC for more information.

Finance Committee is responsible for maintaining the ISES Dallas financial records. 
Contact Nick Mallouf for more information.