ISES Dallas is bringing you a fabulous opportunity to get some expensive legal advice.Nathan J. Breen, partner in the law firm of Howe & Hutton Ltd., will be making a presentation focusing on client and vendor contracts.
Start from proposal to finish with a binding contract
Properly address compensation issues
Use indemnification clauses effectively
Deal with risk management issues and unforeseen events
Huttonand Howe is known as the Law Firm For Meeting Professionals® and is extensively involved with travel, meetings, incentive programs and the hospitality industry.The firm represents and works with for-profit and nonprofit organizations, corporations, associations and independent planners and has pioneered sound practices in the industry.
Nathan Breen earned his undergraduate degree from DePaul University and his Juris Doctor from the John Marshall Law School.He served on the John Marshall Law Review as Executive Lead Articles Editor and extended for a judge on the Circuit Court of Cook County.Concentrating primarily in association intellectual property and internet law, he also maintains a practice in hospitality law, contracts and commercial litigation.
While our clients tend to get lost on what’s pretty or what the hottest trend is, we as event professionals always have to keep our mind on the prize.Making sure that we are clear on our clients’ goals and objectives allows us to build an event around the real purpose of the event as well as manage the expectations of the event so our clients will be happy with the final outcome.
Our speakers, Jim Monroe, CMP, CSEP and Sherry DeLaGarza, CMP, CMM, went over how goals and objectives exist for every type of event and should always be the first thing any event professional tries solidify.
Jim Monroe, CMP, CSEP has 37 years in the meeting and event industry, currently in partnership with Jayna Monroe, his wife of 42 years. When not working, Jim shares his experience and knowledge chairing and speaking at certification classes, industry meetings and seminars and teaching classes at colleges and universities. He has designed events for U.S. presidents, corporations and non-profits, and royalty including a Saudi prince.
He is active in the International Special Events Society and Meeting Professionals International and his book, Art of the Event: Complete Guide to Designing and Decorating Special Events (Wiley 2005), won an Esprit Award from the International Special Event Society for Best Industry Contribution 2006.
Sherry DeLaGarza, CMP, CMM has been a meetings and events professional for over 15 years, planning conferences from 5,000 to 50,000 attendees. She is experienced in successfully bringing together the overall strategic concepts of conferences and meetings to include adult education, event strategies, and budgeting challenges involved in the multiple components of a conference. She currently works for KPMG, LLP as Events and Meetings Manager and was chosen Meeting Planner of the Year for 2007 by the MPI D/FW Chapter.
Ms. DeLaGarza and Mr. Monroe explained goals and objectives don’t just exist in business meeting.Weddings have them as well.Goals for weddings could be to bring two families together and integrate them as one while treating them to a night they will never forget by producing a retro 1940s glam reception.While the design is a huge part, the goal should always be first and foremost in your mind.
After the presentation our attendees participated in a fun activity in which we all were able to showcase our abilities to plan different types of events with different goals and objectives.For example one was a wedding in a small east Texas town with the mother of the bride who wants for the wedding to be the biggest and best wedding in town.Another was for a corporate incentive trip to an island; all with budgets and individual goals.With such a diverse group of event professionals, we were able to integrate décor, transportation, entertainment and food and beverage into the plans to make the scenarios complete.
November Bi-Monthly Educational Program Sponsor Recognition
By: Ashley Holder
Jayna Monroe of J Monroe Designs and Rob Keating of Quest Drape were the gracious chairs who put together the November Bi-Monthly Educational Program for the members and guests of ISES Dallas.
The Dallas Arboretum hosted the program in the beautiful Rosine Hall. Cort Furniture set up two vignettes of furniture during the cocktail hour. Conversations flowed easily over the hor d’ourves and drinks by George Catering and light music provided by a band from Carol Marks Entertainment.
Once cocktail hour had passed we all moved to our seats at the front of the room. The front of the room was dressed with beautiful screen surround by Quest Drape. Each course of the wonderful menu by George Catering was flawlessly served atop rentals from M&M Special Events. Magic Moments Parties & Events proved their creativity yet again by creating not only beautiful centerpieces but made them functional for the activity by using pencils and notepads.
The night was an overwhelming success offering not only a beautiful venue with superb service but taught us what to ask our clients in order to be able to fulfill their goals and objectives properly.
Program Value George Catering Food 60/person Alcohol 15/person Staff 2300/event
Well I made it back from 2009 Southeast Regional Education Conference (REC) and I'm still full of excitement and impressions from this conference.
2009 Southeast Regional Education Conference (REC) was hosted by Greater Triangle North Carolina ISES Chapter in Raleigh and organized by their members. At this conference ISES members from our region were able to participate in helpful, informative and extremely well produced seminars, panel discussions, and roundtables. In addition we were amazed by the new downtown Raleigh Convention Center. The state of the art $235 million dollar convention center featured 150,000 sq. ft. exhibit hall of contiguous space, a 32,617 sq. ft. ballroom, an additional 32,601 sq. ft. of meeting room space with 20 rooms in all and a one of a kind 9,284 sq. ft. L.E.D. “shimmer wall”. The convention center has been featured in multiple national publications and is one of the busiest booked facilities for 2009, 2010, and beyond in the country.
Our host hotel, the new Raleigh Marriott City Center was attached to the Convention Center. This four-star hotel was the perfect property for our group.
Each session had a big audience and there were a lot of questions at the end of each presentation. It was very nice to see the passion and knowledge of our speakers and members. I have to say that it was one of the best Regional education conferences I've ever been to!
The success of the REC would not have been possible without the over twenty-five sponsors and contributors who put on a flawless production. The conference schedule which was packed full of incredible expert speakers and interesting helpful topics. Our host chapter was a great organization and amazing members. I want to say here once more 'thank you' to everyone involved.
January is almost here (can you believe it) which means that The Special Event Conference is just around the corner! As we prepare to jet off (or caravan into) the Big Easy, I've been thinking about my last conference experience, at EventWorld in San Francisco. It was the first conference I've been to since attending The Special Event in Dallas, and I had such a good experience that I now consider myself "a conference junkie."
As Director of Education for the ISES Dallas Chapter, I very strongly believe in Continuing Education as a tool to strengthen my expertise and skill level as an event professional. While in San Francisco, I had several tangible "a-ha!" moments that I have been able to use in my business this fall.
One of the sessions I attended was "Setting Client Expectations," with Dale Harmon from Plants Alive in DC. One of the most interesting things that he does from the very first meeting is to interview the client. He always asks, "Where have you done business before? Have you ever hired a caterer/florist/prop company?" This way, you not only get an idea for their frame of reference and budget level, you also get a gauge from their past vendors on what it is like to work with them as clients. We also talked as a group about how to control communication levels, especially with social clients; one firm has had great success with telling their clients, "We'd like to talk with you each week/month on the phone at this designated time," which not only gives you internal deadlines, but also gives them an opportunity to gather their questions and know exactly when they will be able to reach you. Loved it!
I also attended "5 Things to Know About Event Design" with David Merrell, AOO Events in LA. David is brilliant at creating truly stunning event atmospheres in three major ways: First, he "puts all of his eggs in one basket" by concentrating on focal points, which create maximum impact. The second method is lighting; the events that he creates out of lighting alone are truly spectacular. The third method is by designing to the space and making it look like the décor within was meant to be there-he mentioned that especially with corporate clients, many of them are still willing to spend money, but it can in no way look "over the top" or irresponsible.
One of the other sessions I attended was on Event Insurance, which made me first want to hightail it to the next insurance agent I saw and give him all my money. We learned a lot about how very dangerous our business can be and how easily we can be sued. We learned about occurrence policies, workers comp, property coverage and the difference between general liability and professional liability. If you do not have insurance, I highly, highly recommend that you arrange a meeting with a company who specializes in the special event industry. It is not very expensive and can make a world of difference.
Great news for CSEP candidates and CSEP”s that are recertifying! The International Committee of Recertification is working very diligently to make it all easier. We are currently in the process of making both processes smoother.
For the current CSEP in the pipeline we are working to make sure the process is smooth and consistent. We are also working on making sure the questions are consistent and correct.
For the CSEP that is renewing, we are making it much easier and consistent with your value in the community and what you are doing for the special event industry. Points will be measured with what you actually do. We have spent a lot of time ensuring this is correct and measurable for you! We look forward to a lot more CSEP exam takers!
