1. Association Event Planner of the Year (One vote per category permitted)
This award will be presented to an event planner who works in-house for an association and consistently meets the needs of his or her organization’s goals through organizing, managing, and executing meetings and events.
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C. Nana-Oye Addo-Yobo is Principal of Genius Projects Lab, a consulting firm that develops and implements experiential marketing and new business strategies to help clients reach new heights in branding, audience development, CRM, and sales. She has more than two decades of experience producing experiential marketing strategies and innovative and multi-dimensional events from city-wide festivals and high-profile galas to distinguished lectures and interactive conferences. She has worked for prestigious institutions including the Council on Foreign Relations, Apollo Theater, Columbia University, the Ford Foundation, and Asia Society.
As the former Assistant Director of Special Events with Asia Society, Nana-Oye produced the New York Awards Dinner, Family Benefit, Celebration of Asia Week, and the Diversity Leadership Forum. Once a pilot project, she successfully developed the Diversity Leadership Forum into a full-fledged content and networking-rich conference. Drastically reducing expenses this year, Nana-Oye secured Time Warner as the Forum’s underwriter for two consecutive years and created partnerships with companies such as Boehringer Ingelheim, Citi, HSBC, Marsh & McLennen Companies, MasterCard International, and McDonald’s.
Toby Boshak is the executive director of the Princess Grace Foundation–USA. Over the past 15 years, she has led her team in producing high-profile events including black-tie galas, artistic performances, intimate receptions, and artist discussions. The annual Princess Grace Awards Gala, held in the presence of members of the princely family of Monaco, has consistently raised more than $1 million to support scholarships, apprenticeships, and fellowships for emerging artists in theater, dance, and film. As the foundation looks toward its 30th anniversary in 2012, many events throughout the country are planned to celebrate its support of artists nationwide. Boshak serves on the board of the Association of Fund Raising Professionals (she was a co-chair for National Philanthropy Day) and is a founding member of the event committee for the Doctors Cancer Foundation. She holds a B.A. from Brandeis University and an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School.
As director of special events for the Joe Torre Safe at Home Foundation, Ann Dean produces two signature fund-raisers annually, along with several affiliate events in New York City and Los Angeles.
Each summer season is highlighted by the J.T.S.A.F. Golf Classic, which includes participants such as former President Bill Clinton, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, baseball legend Yogi Berra, and Donald Trump. In the fall, the foundation hosts its annual star-studded gala, which has featured musical performances by award-winning artists such as Norah Jones, James Taylor, Mariah Carey, Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, and most recently, Garth Brooks. The secret to the success of the J.T.S.A.F. gala is that sponsors are guaranteed a celebrity host at each table, making it a most memorable experience.
These events have collectively raised more than $14 million for the Joe Torre Foundation in just under eight years. All funds support educational initiatives aimed at ending the cycle of domestic violence and saving lives through the J.T.S.A.F. Margaret’s Place programs. The Joe Torre Safe at Home Foundation received a coveted Big Apple Award in 2008 and was nominated for the same two years running.
A dedicated event industry professional, Dean is a member of the International Special Events Society’s New York Metro chapter, where she served on the programs committee and regularly attends events hosted by the Association of Fundraising Professionals.
She was instrumental in the formation of the foundation, which she came to after a 16-year career in operations at Merrill Lynch. Dean resides in Bergen County, New Jersey.
As a senior regional event specialist for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Caroline Gould works with committees of donors in New York and New Jersey to host high-end fund-raising events that raise more than $4 million a year for the kids of St. Jude. After interning for St. Jude as a college student, Gould knew her dream job would be to return to the organization and lead an effort to raise significant funds through major events. She considers doing her job to be an honor, and loves knowing that her work serves an organization whose mission is finding cures and saving children!
Gina Rogak has been director of special events at the Whitney since 2007, following eight years at the Guggenheim, where she handled the openings of the Guggenheim Las Vegas Museum, “The Art of the Motorcycle,” Giorgio Armani, and hundreds of other events. With a staff of four, Rogak handles more than 100 internal and external events annually at the Whitney, including the renowned Whitney Fall Gala, which raises more than $2.5 million, and the annual Art Party and Auction. With plans for the new Renzo Piano-designed building in the meatpacking district in full swing, and a Danny Meyer restaurant opening at the Whitney uptown early next year, she and her staff are looking forward to putting together all of the surrounding celebrations and to participating in the Whitney’s bright future. Working with fantastic event sponsors like AOL, Versace, and BCBG has been one of the best parts of her job.
Jim Samalis is privileged to serve as managing director of marketing, communications and events at Robin Hood, the most powerful poverty-fighting organization in the country. Robin Hood finds, funds, and cultivates more than 200 programs that prove they are most effective at making a positive impact on the lives of New Yorkers in need.
Samalis’s involvement in Robin Hood and its annual benefit extends back eight years, to when he produced films and content for the event as a vendor. Prior to joining Robin Hood, he was a creative director for Kaleidoscope Productions, an Omnicom company, as well as FCB San Francisco. His accounts included Robin Hood, Hewlett-Packard, Dockers, Sega, Seagate, Avaya, Toyota, and Bristol-Myers Squibb. Samalis likes to bring a little rock ’n’ roll to everything he does—particularly overseeing the Robin Hood Rocks concert series, which has included Sting’s 60th birthday celebration, the Black Eyed Peas in Central Park, Pearl Jam at the Beacon Theatre, the Jonas Brothers at Hammersmith Ballroom, and Sheryl Crow at Irving Plaza.
During the three years Samalis has been producing the annual benefit, Robin Hood has raised more than $200 million. Performers and entertainers have included Lady Gaga, Stevie Wonder, the Black Eyed Peas, Sting, Aretha Franklin, Tony Bennett, Jon Stewart, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and Brian Williams.
2. Caterer of the Year (Off-Premise)
2. Caterer of the Year (Off-Premise) (One vote per category permitted)
This award will be presented to an individual who works for an off-premise caterer and consistently meets the goals of corporate, association, and nonprofit clients by providing outstanding food and service.
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Brooklyn, New York-born Michael Adasko began his career in the music industry doing event production and A&R for distinguished artists, securing corporate cross-promotions and creating event platforms. His desire to learn about food and hospitality brought him to Italy, where he cooked in traditional kitchens in the rural south and started a blog of recipes for his colleagues back in New York. Seasoned from his culinary experience and beaming with new ideas, he joined Shiraz as a catering manager and has since worked with and wowed a plethora of corporate clients, including Google, Microsoft, Moët Hennessy, Vanity Fair, Tommy Hilfiger, Sotheby’s, Versace, and Crate & Barrel. In addition to his tireless work bringing fashion brands and PR-driven events to life, he is also the preferred caterer for A-list celebrities and private clients throughout New York City, Westchester, and the Hamptons. Adasko’s menus remain ahead of the curve, integrating new food trends and creative plating while honoring American comfort-food classics. Additionally, his signature cocktails have garnered national fanfare and the trust of small-batch and premium liquor brands such as Belvedere Vodka, Patrón, Absolut, and Johnnie Walker.
Olivier Cheng, co-founder of Olivier Cheng Catering and Events, brings a diverse background of expertise and experience to the world of catering. Using his background in architecture and business, he brings a unique sense of style and creativity to the business—combining his love of both to create a boutique company. His passion to “build” events inspires him to continue in his explorations to offer unique catering experiences. OCC has evolved continuously over the last 10 years and in addition to catering provides international consulting/catering and design services.
In 2005, Mary Giuliani (with husband and business partner Ryan Giuliani) founded Mary Giuliani Catering & Events. She quickly gained a loyal, cultlike following for her signature “minis,” creative food and drink pairings, and innovative tray design. Her clients (including J.Crew, Ralph Lauren, the Tribeca Film Festival, Jerry Seinfeld, Bradley Cooper, and the Rolling Stones) look to Giuliani to “break the rules” of entertaining norms and relish in her unique and whimsical spin on entertaining traditions.
Her playful style has been featured in People, Real Simple, Elle, Glamour, In Style, Good Housekeeping, and Redbook. She was named one of the “50 Most Powerful People” of Fashion Week by The New York Daily News and has appeared on the Today show as an entertaining expert.
She is working on her first book, Can the Waiters Come Dressed As Pilgrims, and wrote a one-woman theater show, If You Can’t Join ’Em, Serve ’Em. Giuliani resides in New York City and Woodstock, New York, with her husband and dogs Stanley and Hudson.
Jim Kirsch developed a passion for food as a child watching his mother, Abigail, teach cooking classes out of the family kitchen. Working both after school and during college, he quickly learned every aspect of the family-run business. With a desire to broaden his knowledge of the culinary industry, Kirsch went on to work in other aspects of the restaurant business, including cooking in various Los Angeles restaurants, managing Bloomingdale’s New York restaurants, and launching the equipment rental division for Design Cuisine, a leading Washington D.C. caterer. In 1988, he rejoined Abigail Kirsch as the company’s director of sales. Since assuming the C.E.O. position in 1994, he has helped the company more than quadruple in size. Today, Kirsch and partner and chef Alison Awerbuch are the driving force behind the firm’s development and expansion.
Paul Neuman is the founder and creative director of Neuman’s, the award-winning catering company recognized for innovative food, extraordinary presentation, and attentive service. For more than 30 years, Neuman has combined his fine-art background and fourth-generation family culinary history to bring a unique vision to Neuman’s.
Winner of the 2009 Catersource ACE Award and New York Metro ISES Tabletop Award, the 2010 New York Metro ISES Chapter Best Corporate Event Award and the 2011 New York Metro ISES Chapter Best Catered Event Award, he has guided the company to growing recognition among his peers. Neuman also helped create the 2011 New York Metro ISES Sustainability Forum and Marketplace, which won an ISES Spirit of Excellence Award.
In 2011, Neuman was recognized by Pencil and the Coalition for the Homeless for his dedication to culinary education for high school students and job readiness for the homeless.
Owner and founder of New York-based Thomas Preti Events to Savor, Thomas Preti is the creative force and personality behind this 24-year-old top catering company. Seeking to formalize his expertise beyond the kitchens of his Tuscan and Sicilian grandmothers, Preti attended the Culinary Institute of America, became executive sous chef at New York’s legendary Plaza hotel, and then packed up his knives in search of a richer experience. With his cousin Michael, he co-founded a catering company that would soon evolve into a business of culinary excellence. Preti brought on his former Plaza assistant banquet chef, Ron Rando, who had helped create and open several restaurants. Thomas Preti has earned a reputation for providing an unparalleled culinary experience by tailoring the needs of each event to match its unique image and style. Culinary passion and exploration, as well as a love of special events, are the driving forces behind the company.
3. Corporate Event Planner of the Year
3. Corporate Event Planner of the Year (One vote per category permitted)
This award will be presented to an individual working in-house at an organization who consistently accomplishes the goals of a company through organizing, managing, and executing meetings and events.
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Denise d’Arbonne is the director of communications and meeting services for PepsiCo, in Purchase, New York. She leads global teams accountable for meeting services, graphic services, trade show operations, and executive and enterprise presentation services.
D’Arbonne is a highly accomplished professional who has the proven ability to develop and direct corporate events and meetings that have been recognized among the industry’s gold standard. She manages, plans, and executes global events that range from elite executive off-sites attended by country leaders, industry thought leaders, and other dignitaries, to extraordinary annual events that recognize and celebrate the company’s frontline associates, who make, move, and sell PepsiCo products—as well as Super Bowl events, the PepsiCo Family Festival, and other company events. From the front line to the executive suite, she has a unique blend of hands-on experience and strategic knowledge to translate business objectives into powerful communications platforms. A collaborative leader with an established track record of working with cross-functional teams and outside agencies, d’Arbonne accomplishes outstanding results grounded in excellence with her teams.
She began her career more than 20 years ago with PepsiCo, which offers the world's largest portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage brands, including 19 different product lines that generate more than $1 billion in annual retail sales each. The divisions of PepsiCo include Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade, Frito-Lay, and Pepsi Cola.
Sara Gorlick, C.M.P., kicked off her corporate event planning career five years ago with a 1,500-person health care summit. After being thrown into the fire of logistics, floor plans, programming, and solving on-site crises, she was hooked. Gorlick went on to learn the hotel side of the business while working in the event department at a hotel in Tel Aviv, Israel. For the last two years, she has been in New York, running LinkShareâ€s biannual symposium, Golden Link Awards, and other various client events, bringing together online retailers and publishers for education, networking, and entertainment.
She passed the Certified Meeting Professional exam in January and plans to keep bringing creativity and renewed energy to corporate events.
Rachel Gross leads AOL’s corporate events and community relations. Her group is responsible for 200 annual events, promotions, and sponsorships, with over half taking place in the New York City marketplace. Responsible for strategic event marketing, budget, and brand integration, Gross’s team works closely with some of the industry’s top vendors to ensure AOL’s brand and message are executed in unique, high-quality activations with the goal of always surprising and delighting the audience.
Portfolio highlights from 2011 include Super Bowl and South by South West sponsorships; activations at Cannes Lion Festival, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, and Advertising Week; and special events with Arianna Huffington and The Huffington Post.
An additional area of focus for Gross is AOL’s community relations efforts and promoting the powerful role the Internet can play in bringing communities together. AOL has a long history of leveraging the power of the Internet to benefit those in need and improve communities, with a focus on children’s safety and health, citizen philanthropy, and online public service advertising. Under Gross’s leadership, AOL has become a corporate partner to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, with over $8 million raised since 2007.
Originally from Fairfax, Virginia, Theresa Lopez moved to New York City during her final semester at George Mason University to begin her internship with David Tutera Inc. After earning her bachelor’s degree in tourism and events management, she accepted a position as an event coordinator at Frost & Sullivan, managing domestic and international corporate events. Looking to branch out to social events, she then joined American Leisure Corporation as an event coordinator, with responsibility for managing, budgeting, and planning more than 200 special events at their largest residential property in Manhattan. After gaining experience in both social and corporate events, she found her true passion was in corporate planning. Now a meeting planner at ExL Pharma, Lopez handles venue sourcing, contract negotiations, and conference planning logistics. She approaches all her events with a positive attitude. Her dedication, reliability, and passion for her work are well known and highly respected among her colleagues and clients.
Ellie Winkleman began her career in the film industry in 1991, working for 3 Arts Entertainment and Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment. In 1994, she became one of the original employees of industry powerhouse DreamWorks SKG. After eight years managing consumer products in Hollywood, she transitioned to the interactive entertainment industry, working for major video game and online publishers including Activision Inc., GameSpy Industries, and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. In 2002, Winkleman moved headlong into event management with Applause L.L.C. and JKS Events Inc., where she spearheaded events, planning and marketing activities for large corporate and private clients across multiple industry disciplines. She currently serves as director of corporate events and the director of corporate social responsibility for SL Green Realty Corporation, where she manages an annual budget of more than $1 million, covering a broad range of corporate events, meetings, and conferences for management and clients. Winkleman sits on the board of ISES NY Metro chapter, is a member of MPI and COPE, and is also an advisor with the Real Estate Leaders of New York (RELNY). She attended the Harvard Business School Executive Education program for Corporate Social Responsibility.
4. DJ of the Year
4. DJ of the Year (One vote per category permitted)
This award will be presented to an individual that consistently provides outstanding music services or soundtracks for corporate, association, social, or nonprofit events.
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DJ CHEF is the only entertainer who simultaneously DJs and cooks for special events worldwide. He was the subject of an episode of The Party Planner with David Tutera and has been featured on the Food Network’s What's Hot! What's Cool!, the MSNBC Entertainment Hot List, MTV Celebrity Spring Break Style (as a co-host with Lindsay Lohan), and Fuse TV's anniversary party special. DJ CHEF has performed at many high-profile events, including Crate & Barrel's first anniversary celebration in Dubai; an AOL holiday party in Virginia; the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival for amNewYork; a Pepsi corporate event in Purchase, New York; Toronto’s Hot & Spicy Food Festival; Kewadin Summer Fest, with Bret Michaels, Vince Neil, and Meat Loaf, in Michigan; and the Taste of LA at Universal Studios Hollywood.
In the past decade, Danny Estrella has branded himself as a full-service entertainer. You may pass him by while he is playing music at a product launch at Bloomingdales or keeping a crowd going at a gala for a nationwide foundation. As a recommended DJ at venues like the Marriott or Pacha nightclub, and preferred DJ for corporations like P&G, Estrella has a style and approach that are accommodating. He is a musical tailor for any audience. Whether it be a company function in India or a destination wedding in Costa Rica, Estrella is a perfect fit with your other professionals—a refreshing choice for any event.
DJ KevG has been a premiere New York DJ since his early days at Long Island University. What sets the Manhattan native and universal-music aficionado apart from the crowd is his vast knowledge of world music and his knack for blending various genres. His musical influences range from Maxwell and Prince to Bollywood pioneer Bally Sagoo, but make no mistake; there is no typical set for DJ KevG. He possesses the uncanny ability to read a crowd and find the pulse that penetrates and elevates.
Best known for merging diverse beats and creating a fusion of eclectic rhythms, his talent has taken him from rocking college parties to the hottest clubs in Manhattan and the Hamptons to celebrity and corporate events. DJ KevG's Monday night parties at the China Club in NYC, and his Friday and Saturday night sets at Club NV were legendary. His passion for using music as the universal language that engages the masses recently landed him a coveted spot as a DJ for Saturday Night Live’s Season Finale party, spinning for the cast as well as Lady Gaga and Justin Timberlake, and food truck tours with Todd English and Marcus Samuelsson.
A consummate professional and forever eclectic, DJ KevG has become one of the most respected and busiest DJ's in New York, allowing him to feature his talents at the Sony Vaio showcase, as well as upcoming events for The Macy's Culinary Council Thanksgiving & Holiday Cookbook Launch Party, hosted by Culinary Council Chef Emeril Lagasse.
DJ Shaun Pazel epitomizes the quintessential New York life. His vibrant sound, distinctive style, and dynamic personality have led to his spot as one of the city's paramount DJs. Paz's unique musical palette draws from indie rock, dance, hip-hop, classics, and more to electrify and exhilarate. Notable clientele include Paramount Pictures, NBC Universal, Manchester United, Motorola, Swarovski, Hublot, the James Beard Foundation, and CARE.
While he’s still a young man, DJ Willie is also an industry veteran approaching the 13-year mark. The New Jersey native discovered his passion for spinning records at the age of 11, when his brother taught him how to DJ. Like most musically precocious kids, he came into that world by hearing and falling in love with what his older brother and older sister were playing. “I’d borrow from my sister’s collection of Air Supply, Wham!, Blondie, and Madonna records. My brother would have the house and hip-hop music, and my dad would have Latin records,” he says. To no surprise, DJ Willie has played Fox 5, Good Day New York, the Bacardi Tour in the U.S. and Canada in 2011, and Calle 8 in Miami at the Bud Light stage for more than 15,000 people.
5. Entertainment Act of the Year
5. Entertainment Act of the Year (One vote per category permitted)
This award will be presented to an act that consistently provides excellent entertainment for corporate, association, social, or nonprofit events.
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Do you ever feel like you've got all your eggs in one basket, six balls in the air, and 7,000 emails to return? Well gather round the Water Coolers—a New York-based act delivering a high-energy, laugh-out-loud combination of songs and sketch comedy about life and work. This award-winning "comedy group that sings" blends Broadway talent with spot-on material from a team of accomplished comedy writers led by Thomas Michael Allen (an original creator of the Outer Critics Circle Award winner Tony n' Tina's Wedding, the longest-running comedy in New York theater history). In addition to a busy touring schedule, the Water Coolers write and perform consistently superior shows for a roster of dozens of clients that in the last year has included AT&T, Fisher-Price, Aon, Choice Hotels, and I.B.M. (most are repeat clients). They specialize in truly understanding each audience and selecting or developing smart, hilarious material for maximum impact.
Michael Arenella & His Dreamland Orchestra is the world's premier Jazz-Age dance orchestra, steeped in the hot-dance band tradition of the 1920s and early 1930s. Their size ranges from a full dance orchestra to smaller incarnations as they play their "Hot-and-Sweet" music anywhere that fine and eclectic tastes meet.
Michael Arenella, grew up in Georgia with parents who were artists from New York City. Among his formative influences is his life-long obsession with times past. Like his Jazz-Age avatars, he moved from rural America to New York, where he entered music school. Disenchanted, he shortly made his departure from the gloomy conservatory halls and set out to bring his lost music into the daylight. Though his initial audiences were subway commuters, he eventually made his way above ground and founded his Dreamland Orchestra. The dapper frontman did not stop there, deciding to bring all of NYC back in time twice a year with his highly acclaimed Jazz Age Lawn Party: a sultry bi-annual party on Governor’s Island now six years strong.
Orchestrations Inc. provides inspired music and entertainment for corporate and private events. They do the traditional or the traditional with a twist; they create a vibe that allows for ongoing conversation, stops the conversation, or becomes the conversation. “We can salsa-fy Sinatra or blitz Mozart with blues,” says Orchestrations founder Julie Feldman, who brings her passion for music to the company. She also brings a one-of-a-kind background. An accomplished harpist with a degree in music from Columbia University, she has worked as vice president for an entertainment company and in operations and production for such venerable institutions as the New York Philharmonic.
Whether creating the vibe for Jose Cuervo’s holiday happenings or helping brides think outside the string quartet, Orchestrations keeps a perpetual pulse on the music and entertainment scene—the result: an inspired event.
Grounded Aerial is a dance aerial troupe led by artistic director and choreographer Karen Fuhrman. Fuhrman’s vision of performance encapsulates both ground and sky: A dancer with Pilobolus and principal aerialist in the Off-Broadway troupe De La Guarda, she fuses the styles of both these groups with world-class artistry and discipline to create her own entertainment event performance and experience, which literally ascends to another level. Her troupe—Pilobolus and De La Guarda artists themselves—do this through experiential immediacy and involvement with the audience. For an international software product launch for a Fortune 100 technology company, Grounded Aerial created this kind of experiential immediacy with hip, cutting-edge street performing and aerial dancing. For the largest annual private event in New York City, Grounded Aerial created a multimedia experiential aerial dance with giant screen backdrops, an atmospheric performance for 10,000 guests. Grounded Aerial is not an entertainment act-in-a-box to purchase and produce off the shelf; they are true event performance artists.
Anonymous New York performance artists Gill and Jill Bumby provide “fair and honest appraisals of your appearance” with nothing more than their typewriters and charming wit. It's as simple as it sounds—you stand front and center, and they type you a personalized assessment of how they think you look! What could be easier?
They have appeared at prominent cultural events for clients and brands including W magazine, Wired Magazine, Fiji Water, GQ, Cole Haan, Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, MAC Cosmetics, Art Basel Miami, and Sundance Film Festival, to name a few. They've also been featured in The New York Times, New York magazine's “The Cut,” Elle.com, Vogue Italia, The New York Daily News, V magazine, Time Out, Jezebel, and The Wall Street Journal.
For nearly two decades, Craig Scott Entertainment has supplied great music for events in the New York metropolitan area, employing the finest local musicians. The cornerstone of the company is the Craig Scott Orchestra, which can range in size from nine to 23 pieces. The orchestra features a solid rhythm section and exceptional horns, as well as talented male and female vocalists—often including an amazing “Sinatra specialist.” The recipient of numerous awards, the orchestra has performed for corporations such as Bloomingdale’s, Allianz, Ferrari, and Colgate Palmolive, and has often been asked to bring its versatile sound and energetic performance to New Orleans, Florida, and Newport, Rhode Island.
DJ Mia Moretti and violinist Caitlin Moe met while both performing at the same club on the Lower East Side two years ago. Their act, honed from Moretti's roots DJing in L.A. and then in New York clubs and Moe's classical violin training, has taken them from the runways of New York Fashion Week to opening for Janet Jackson at the Louvre. Together, Moretti and Moe were named Paper magazine's DJ of the Year and have played at Chelsea Clinton's wedding, Chopard's 150th anniversary party and Perez Hilton's "One Night in Austin." The two have just completed their debut track "So Beautiful" (production by Moretti; vocals by Moe), set for iTunes release in the fourth quarter.
The Mirror Men, by Jonathan Nosan for Acroback Productions, have been the highlight of events in New York and around the world for the past 10 years. The BBC, Van Cleef & Arpels, Takashi Murakami, and more than 20 Louis Vuitton galas have incorporated this brilliant blend of fashion, artistry, and light. Whether contorting on a rotating podium or as aerial human disco balls high above guests’ heads, the Mirror Men bring a sparkle to everyone’s eye. The slightest movement creates a sea of luminescence, as 5,000 beams of light radiate from their bodies to fill an intimate space or stadium. They are honored to be nominated and thrilled to be part of so many past and future New York celebrations.
Sophisticated, spontaneous and loads of fun, the Three Waiters is a surprise act featuring three talented and charming opera singers posing as real waiters before taking the guests through a highly amusing Three Tenors-style show. Suitable for any type of audience, this multi-award-winning show of thrilling voices and sophisticated humor continues to surprise and captivate unsuspecting guests all over the world. To date, the Three Waiters have performed nearly 10,000 shows in 77 different countries.
6. Event Designer of the Year
6. Event Designer of the Year (One vote per category permitted)
This award will be presented to an individual event designer who effectively communicates the message or goal of corporate, association, social, and nonprofit events through innovative decor.
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Photo credit: Brian Dorsey.
Known for his inventive work and trademark, over-the-top flowers, David Beahm, founder of david beahm design, has created countless events for discerning society clients, not for profit organizations, as well as high profile Fortune 500 companies. An expert at transforming venues here in the United States, David also designs events for clients around the world. His david beahm destinations collection highlights some of the most luxurious and exclusive properties; setting the stage for any event a client can imagine. He is a speaker in the field of luxury weddings and maintains witty and entertaining repartee on Facebook and Twitter. His pride and joy continues to be a full herb and vegetable garden on the 23rd floor of his New York City apartment building.
Christine Brower is president and lead designer at C. Brower & Co Creative Events, an award-winning event design and production company that specializes in unique, out-of-the-box custom-designed event decor for corporate and social events. She is an accomplished event professional who has received numerous awards for her design and planning talents. She has been featured in Celebrity Parents magazine as “One to Watch” and on MSNBC’s Your Business, and one of her award-winning events received a five-page spread in Munaluchi Bridal magazine. She enjoys giving back to the event community by serving on the ISES New Jersey North board of directors as chapter president and is a sought-after conference speaker.
Brower is fondly referred to by her friends and colleagues as “Brower Power”! She is an unstoppable force on site at events and won’t stop going until the job is perfect. She likes to leave her clients and event attendees with a showstopping “Wow!” every time.
Jes Gordon is an event designer and planner extraordinaire, lending her fun, fresh approach to every celebration undertaken by her namesake company, JesGordon/ProperFun. Her first book, Party Like A Rock Star … The Celebrity Party Planner’s Tips and Tricks for Throwing an Unforgettable Bash, provides everyone, regardless of their budget, with the tools to throw the party of their dreams. Gordon is also featured as the design mentor on Bravo’s Rocco’s Dinner Party, helping chefs create otherworldly dining experiences.
Gordon stumbled into the industry at only 13 years old as an assistant to a floral designer, where she discovered an innate eye for color. By the time she reached her junior year at Bard College, she had a blooming floral business. She went on to open a contemporary art gallery and flower shop in Taos, New Mexico, and then moved to New Orleans to work on set designs for films, including Interview With a Vampire and Dead Man Walking. With a strong base in New York, she has now expanded with a new Los Angeles-based office and continues to work across the globe.
Event designer Jung Lee has built a stellar reputation with unforgettable, convention-eschewing celebrations for a wide range of clients, both corporate and private. Known for smart, unexpected aesthetic choices and simple yet unprecedented engineering feats, Lee cultivates intuitive client relationships, which translate into highly personalized events. Even the subtlest details are considered, and her vision dictates food, music, and service decisions as much as it is does table settings, lighting, room layout, and floral design. Each event builds in a crescendo, with adventures and discovery throughout.
Born in South Korea and raised in New York City, Lee graduated from N.Y.U. and launched and managed high-end food stores before developing residential real estate. Her passion for design, construction, and project management attracted her to the world of events, and this passion keeps her in the forefront of the industry.
Debra Roth is telling the truth when she says she learned about stretch fabric from the inside out. Beginning in the ’80s, she combined postmodern dance production with abstract-shaped costumes that she literally performed within. And to enhance the theatrical experience, she designed and sewed brightly colored, highly imaginative stretch fabric stage elements—complete environments, all of which became the basis of her business, Pink Inc.
Seeing a viable outlet for her work, Roth entered the special event marketplace, where her innovative stretch fabric structures and unique costumes have become the most sought-after and long-standing decorative design products the industry has known.
Attesting to her prominence in special events, Roth and her Pink Inc. brand were acquired by Moss Inc., and together this synergy has catapulted her and the new Pink—now Powered by Moss—to the top of the event design community.
After receiving a bachelor’s degree from the Rhode Island School of Design, a master’s from the School of Visual Arts, and doing 15 years of event design, David Stark emerges as the founder, president and creative director of David Stark Design & Production. The company’s talented designers, artists, and producers create celebrated private and corporate events worldwide for a broad range of international clientele, and the most prominent brands and individuals in the entertainment, fashion, publishing, arts, media, and consumer products industries.
In April 2010, Stark released David Stark Design (Monacelli Press), a monograph documenting the company’s design philosophies, conceptual processes, and breadth of work since 2005. Previous books include Napkins With a Twist (Artisan) and To Have & To Hold: Magical Wedding Bouquets (Clarkson Potter). Collaborating with West Elm led to holiday collections in 2009 and 2010 and a summer collection in 2011; all were wildly successful and rapidly sold out. Stark resides in Brooklyn, New York.
Ron Wendt, artist and designer, cultivated his inherent love of nature, floral/garden and landscape design early on: as a student of archaeology and anthropology at University of Texas and garden design studies at Oxford University, and as a long-time decorative arts aficionado. In the spring of 2011 Ron received his masters in Garden Design at Columbia University graduating summa cum-laude.
With a keen eye for elegant contemporary and classic design, Ron embarked on his career with a deep love of flowers... their fragrance, texture and color.
Collaborating with business partner and designer Philip MacGregor, Ron Wendt Design was born as the natural extension of Ron’s affinity for fine floral design and the perfect vehicle for his exquisite artistry. Ron Wendt has created environments over the last fifteen years for events for some of New York's prominent galas, and prestigious private and corporate clients.
7. Event Producer of the Year
7. Event Producer of the Year (One vote per category permitted)
This award will be presented to an individual event producer who has demonstrated an exceptional ability to execute all aspects of technical and creative event production on corporate, association, and nonprofit events.
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Reed Baker is the founder and C.E.O. of New York-based Sophist Productions. After graduating summa cum laude from Emory University in 2002, Baker began his career in the entertainment industry as a record and concert producer. Because of his novel approach to shows, Sophist was retained by celebrity clientele, charged with creating interactive environments for their events. Corporate and nonprofit clients soon followed, and Baker has since become a sought-after event producer in many major markets nationally, including New York and Los Angeles. Baker has built Sophist into a business development strategist for all of its clients—employing high technology to engage targeted, captive audiences while concurrently branding, advertising, and, in many cases, fund-raising. With the advent of Sophist’s renowned Text-to-Pledge® program, the company has come to dominate the mobile fund-raising space, generating millions of dollars in donations annually by activating attendee mobile phones at charity events across America.
Lisa Chu began her career at Shoot Digital, producing photo shoots for clients such as LVMH, Ralph Lauren, and Ann Taylor. During that time, she was heavily entrenched in the New York social scene, and agencies such as Noise, Blue Flame, and Buzz Tone Marketing began tapping her keen insight into the nightlife market. She spent two years developing and managing marketing programs for agency clients such as Coca-Cola, Bacardi, Anheuser-Busch, R.J. Reynolds, and Gallo Wines. Chu was a part of the team that created and implemented one of the first and most successful national nightlife ambassador programs for a spirits brand.
She joined Team Epiphany in 2005 to manage and produce all event activations on the Sapporo account. She became an integral part of the team and has helped the agency organize and grow its business. As managing partner and executive producer of events, she is in charge of developing all creative concepts behind event activations and manages a team of five event producers who execute her creative visions. Our event team has been nominated many consecutive years for BizBash Event of the Year Awards. Chu graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology.
Heralding from London, Ryan Jordan specializes in launching, building, and repositioning brands through innovative brand experiences and experiential marketing initiatives.
He recently launched Studio HS, the new creative division of Harrison & Shriftman. Jordan identified the need to create a specialized division within the company that could quickly adapt to the ever-changing consumer landscape and devise cutting-edge, authentic brand experiences that produce real-time results.
In his 12 years in the industry, Jordan has worked with leading brands in the fashion, lifestyle, entertainment, and art sectors, helping define brands such as BlackBerry, Grey Goose, Target, Vevo.com, Sony PlayStation, Smart Car, and Christie’s.
Some of his career highlights include the U.S. launch of www.vevo.com with Lady Gaga, Bono, Mariah Carey, John Mayer, and 50 Cent. This year, he also produced the noted launch event for Christie’s contemporary auction, featuring a 23-foot neon bear and a colossal jack-in-the-box.
As President of State of the Art Enterprises, Leslie Mastin is a dominant force in the New York City event planning scene. Leslie brings an unparalleled level of expertise, dedication, and creativity to every event she produces, consistently exceeding her clients' expectations. A consummate professional, Leslie has earned impeccable credentials in her 20 plus years of experience in the industry.
With a degree in Restaurant and Hotel Management, Leslie has served at some of the finest establishments in New York including The New York Hilton, The St. Regis Hotel, The Grand Hyatt New York, The Mark Hotel, The Regent Wall Street and The Hotel des Bergues in Geneva, Switzerland. While at the Regent Wall Street, Leslie managed the ballroom’s post 9/11 efforts, running a support center for fire fighters, police and rescue workers from ground zero.
Since joining State of the Art in 2003 Leslie has amassed a significant corporate and high-end private client base, including Merck, Alliance Bernstein, and The Achilles Track Club, Teva Pharmaceutical Company, P.Diddy, Tommy Mottola, and Liza Minelli.
J.B. Miller, president and C.E.O. of Empire Entertainment, is an Emmy Award-winning producer with more than 25 years of experience as a producer in the entertainment industry.
Born and raised in New York, Miller began making movies with his brothers Bennett and Teddy in his early teens and has continued producing ever since. Over the years, Miller’s career has included work in concerts, comedy, theater, radio, festivals, television, and motion pictures, as well as event production.
For the past two decades, his New York City- and Tokyo-based company, Empire Entertainment, has provided the platform, team, and resources to marry his passion for producing events and managing creative enterprises with his widely diverse interests.
The result is a prodigious track record of producing thousands of events in more than 65 countries for clients ranging from the White House, Microsoft, and Google to the XIV Dalai Lama and Keep a Child Alive.
Miller believes he has the greatest job on earth and is honored to be nominated by BizBash for Event Producer of the Year.
Morgan Steele Connacher is a senior project manager with Fourth Wall Events, an event design and production company that caters to high-end corporate and social clientele. Connacher is responsible for the planning and execution of corporate events both domestically and internationally, specializing in incentive programs that envelop guests in an once-in-a-lifetime experience, using dramatic scenic creations, custom decor, entertainment, and more to touch all of the senses. Her most recent corporate incentive event was at the Grand Wailea in Maui for 1,000 guests from all over the globe. A member of ISES since 2004, Connacher is now serving her fourth term on the board of directors for the New York Metro Chapter. In June 2011, she received the first-ever Emerging Leader Award presented by ISES New York Metro.
8. PR Professional of the Year
8. PR Professional of the Year (One vote per category permitted)
This award will be presented to an individual who effectively communicates a client’s message or goal through public relations campaigns.
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Sean F. Cassidy, president of DKC, joined the company in 1992. With nearly 20 years of experience in the business, he has developed expertise in corporate, media, health care, and legal public relations, as well as crisis management.
Named a partner in 1996, Cassidy built DKC’s health care practice into one of the nation’s largest and most reputable providers of public relations services to hospitals and health-related not-for-profit organizations.
Cassidy assumed the role of president in January 2004, overseeing all of the company’s day-to-day client service operations and senior management teams while leading several of the company’s largest accounts.
During his tenure as president, the firm has been named the Holmes Report’s “Consumer Agency of the Year,” while experiencing a 40 percent growth in overall revenue. Cassidy was named one of the “Most Influential New Yorkers” by New York magazine, as well as one of PR Week’s “40 Under 40.”
Cassidy holds a bachelor of arts degree in American history from Tufts University.
After graduating from college, Valerie Chiam started her professional career in high-tech marketing, working for companies such as Nortel Networks. After spending four years in this field, she relocated to New York City to begin a career in fashion. Chiam was brought onto the PR team at Harrison & Shriftman as an account executive and worked her way up to eventually supervise more than 10 accounts. Her accounts included Holt Renfrew, Cynthia Rowley, MNG by Mango, Anne Fontaine, and Zadig et Voltaire.
After three years at H&S, she joined Team Epiphany as its PR director. She oversees brand development and media strategies, and supervises the implementation of media and public relations programs for Team Epiphany’s PR retainer and marketing clients. Chiam heads a department of PR account managers who work on accounts such as Heineken, Hennessy, Moët & Chandon, SENA, Journelle, and Procter & Gamble.
Tastemaker and lifestyle and public relations expert Elizabeth Harrison co-founded Harrison & Shriftman in 1995. The full-service public relations agency specializes in public relations, marketing, and events, and has dedicated press, marketing, event production, and celebrity services departments. The agency has a global presence, with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and London.
Known for setting the benchmark for press-worthy events, Harrison & Shriftman redefined the industry by marrying celebrities and tastemakers with brands, bringing them advocacy, press, and prestige. Over the years, Harrison has worked closely with world-class brands including BlackBerry, Juicy Couture, Jimmy Choo, Mercedes-Benz, W Hotels, and Grey Goose Vodka. Such brands have relied on her expertise and that of her Los Angeles-based business partner Lara Shriftman.
Harrison & Shriftman’s impressive client list continues to expand to include clients such as Baume & Mercier, Christie’s, Crumbs Bake Shop, JW Marriott, Ian Schrager’s Public, SLS Hotels, Sony Ericsson, and Pepsi. Personally, Harrison is an active supporter of numerous charitable organizations. She has served on the board of Love Heals the Alison Gertz Foundation for AIDS Education for more than 10 years and is a member of the Step-Up Women’s Network’s Luminary Circle.
James LaForce is a highly regarded media and communications consultant. From his headquarters in New York City, he represents some of the world’s best-known brands. For example, LaForce has been instrumental in promoting Target’s groundbreaking collaborations with fashion designers such as Alexander McQueen and Luella Bartley. Over the years, LaForce has also guided and shaped media campaigns for Gianfranco Ferrè, Yves Saint Laurent, Karl Lagerfeld, Perry Ellis, Banana Republic, Jimmy Choo, Liberty of London, Tracy Reese, Rebecca Taylor, and Swarovski. With a nimble approach, he blends his business savvy with an insatiable interest in the trends and personalities of the ever-changing media landscape. LaForce was raised in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and studied English literature and writing at Columbia University. For five years, he was mentored by the legendary fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert, often credited with putting American fashion on the global map. As his career in communications developed, with a number of multiyear stints at top PR firms, he managed programs for a range of prominent brands, from consumer packaged goods to fashion and luxury products.
Originally from Canada, Norah Lawlor began her career producing fashion shows, bringing the hottest Canadian talent to New York, which fired her ambitions to build her career in public relations. After moving to New York City in the 1990s, she initially handled PR on the New York nightlife scene, which evolved into a brief stint as a columnist.
Building on these experiences, she launched Lawlor Media Group Inc., which takes an innovative approach to generating buzz and media interest for her clientele, which includes many familiar to the New York and Hamptons elite, in the social and society scene. Today, Lawlor’s business has metamorphosed, providing strategic PR consulting and campaign implementation for a roster of national and international luxury lifestyle clients, encompassing real estate, hospitality, charitable organizations, fashion, travel, health and beauty, television, movie premieres, and authors, plus celebrities and high-profile personalities.
Brad Zeifman, Principal of SHADOW PR, is a seasoned media relations professional specializing in entertainment, celebrity, special events, luxury products and services, business and hospitality. Zeifman, who thinks like a reporter, has a results-oriented approach to publicity and an unrivaled track record of success – he understands that a well-crafted pitch produces the best media results. Zeifman solidified himself as one of the industry’s key innovators and business leaders with the opening of SHADOW PR in 2007 with partner, Lisette Sand-Freedman. Together, in less than 5 years, they have built a bi-coastal agency that represents an impressive roster of high-profile clients.
Zeifman has executed countless campaign launches, organized hundreds of events and helped communicate numerous brands’ narratives through a 360-degree multi-media approach. SHADOW has grown to a staff of 25, maintaining offices in both New York and Los Angeles, and currently represent: A|X Armani Exchange, NBC, Gap, DavidBartonGym, American Eagle, 77 kids, aerie, French Connection, SVEDKA Vodka, Superdry USA, Dior Beauty, The Butter Group, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, The Light Group, EMM Group and Southern Hospitality as well as many other well-known companies.
9. Social Event Planner of the Year
9. Social Event Planner of the Year (One vote per category permitted)
This award will be presented to an industry leader who consistently meets the needs of social clients through organizing, managing, and executing events such as weddings, bar or bat mitzvahs, private dinner parties, and so forth.
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For 20 years, Annette Babich has brought her experience and expertise to the event industry. She has served on the Long Island Music Hall of Fame, was vice president of the Garden City Historical Society, was a graduate of New York University’s Stern School of Business, and has returned there as an adjunct professor.
Babich has appeared in a number of publications, including Vanity Fair, Quest, Time Out New York, Modern Bride, The Knot, Wedding Bells, Distinction, Esquire, The New York Times, and Newsday. She appears in the book City Wedding, by Joan Hamburg, and has been featured on the Japanese television news show segment “Oh My New York.”
Carolyn Bender has been providing Southern hospitality and New York style to clients around Westchester, surrounding areas, and New York City for 10 years. It all began when she went to help a friend with a dinner party. A self-taught but natural-born cook, something clicked—and a catering business began.
A natural stylist (and secret fashionista), Bender has a dynamic and caring touch, which is what led her to a foray in complete event planning.
Offering a full array of services, she can facilitate events both extravagant and intimate. Her level of hospitality, attention to detail, impeccable service, fabulous food, and great Southern desserts are what have earned her a devoted following of clients and continue to garner rave reviews. It is all this that has established her as a highly in-demand event planner in the area.
Carolyn Bender Catering and Custom Events, which began with humble Southern roots and a little New York flair, has turned into a thriving enterprise. It has continued to grow and delight through the years, astonishing both clients and their guests.
Marcy Blum Associates creates weddings and other celebrations for special occasions. Marcy Blum launched the company in 1986, after having spent many years in the restaurant and catering business.
Having graduated from the High School of Performing Arts and the Culinary Institute of America, she uses her background to infuse events with the elegantly theatrical, wonderful and interesting food and wines, and impactful decor.
Blum has been lucky enough to create the weddings of Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon, Padma Lakshmi and Salman Rushdie, and Colin Hanks and Samantha Bryant, as well as those of Billy Joel and Tom Clancy. Over the years, they have produced a very exciting 50th birthday celebration for Donny Deutsch and several of the original marketing events for Comedy Central, as well as events for Regis and Joy Philbin, members of the Rockefeller family, and many, many, lovely brides, grooms, corporations, and bar and bat mitzvahed kids.
Samantha Goldberg is an acclaimed celebrity event designer, television personality, and celebrity spokesperson. She has operated Samantha Goldberg & Co. / Gold Events L.L.C. for more than two decades. Goldberg has been noted as a lead personality/designer on Style Network’s Whose Wedding Is It Anyway? and Married Away for more than eight seasons. She has also been the spokesperson for many well-known brands, such as Hilton Family of Hotels, Hilton’s Web site Guestiquette, Party City, and Bloomingdale’s Registry.
Goldberg is recognized as a noted source for industry information and as a global trendsetter. Her design ideas have been featured in more than 90 countries and more than 1,500 media outlets. She is best described by her peers as one who is most charismatic, a tireless bundle of energy, and who truly stands behind what an open-door policy means today.
She is the founder and president of Dream Team, a national nonprofit formed in 2006 that provides assistance with marital celebrations for those who have gone through various hardships. She regularly gives back to her peers with certification courses that educate some of the best and brightest in the industry today.
Goldberg is based in the New York metropolitan area.
As owner of Elegant Occasions, JoAnn Gregoli began her career as a corporate event planner 20 years ago. The business has afforded her the opportunity to raise her six children and set her hours, so she can live up to the term “super mom.” She believes her greatest accomplishment was assisting couples who lost their wedding venues due to the destruction of the World Trade Center. With the help of The Knot, Brides Magazine, and New York City venues, she was able to relocate and assist hundreds of couples. "Being invited to those weddings and seeing the love that came after tragedy was fulfilling and rewarding," Gregoli says. Her company expanded into the destination field about 10 years ago, specializing in Europe and the Caribbean. Her favorite type of wedding? "I love the logistical challenge of a tented wedding that also allows the couple and me to be most creative. I love taking the empty canvas of a tent and painting the vision of the client’s dreams with lighting, flowers, decor, and more," she says. She enjoys taking the ordinary and making it extraordinary.
Tina LaMorte is the founder of Oh So Fabulous. Tina started this successful event planning business in 2003, after leaving the constraints of the corporate world of advertising. Tina is a celebrated event designer who is regularly published in wedding publications such as NJ Bride, The Knot NJ and NY, Contemporary Bride, and Brides NJ and NY. She has also received recognition in Inside Weddings, Grace Ormonde Wedding Style, Bride and Bloom, and the Wall Street Journal.
Tina has demonstrated her creative talents on-air with News 12 NJ, and ABC Action News 6 in Philadelphia.
Oh So Fabulous was featured on TV’s Platinum Weddings, Whose Wedding is it Anyway?, A Wedding Story, and a pilot for Wedding Central. Nominated as an Editor’s Choice Award winner for The Knot and Brides’ Magazine, Oh So Fabulous exemplifies elegance and perfection.
Debra Morris, founder and president of Eventsful Inc., has been one of the country's leading wedding and event planners for almost 20 years. Morris started her career at Windows of the World, where she was director of catering for nearly seven years. After moving to a few other New York staples, she was asked to privately plan some events for one of her previous clients—and thus, Eventsful was born.
Eventsful was founded in 1993 and has been booming since, solely on word of mouth. Morris is known for her eye for detail and innovative ideas. The Evenstful team has established an impeccable reputation for creating personalized events, based on the qualities of each unique client and party. Eventsful plans and manages more than 50 events per year, from spectacular private social events to special corporate galas, intimate private dinner parties to creative nonprofit fund-raisers. Morris and her team pride themselves on their success while maintaining discretion for their clients and flying under the radar. From coast to coast, the Eventsful team has been lucky enough to work with some of the most wonderful and loyal clients. The Eventsful team was recently honored to have been interviewed by New York Wedding Guide, offering advice to New York brides from an insider’s point of view.
Shawn Rabideau, founder of Shawn Rabideau Events & Design, has created private events for such clients as Kenneth Cole, Paige Davis, Bethenny Frankel, Jennifer Lopez, Star Jones, and Barbara Walters. Rabideau is best known for his appearances on Bravo TV’s hit reality series Bethenny Ever After and Bethenny Getting Married?. He has also appeared on ABC’s Good Morning America, the Style Network’s Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?, ABC’s The View, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and the Today show. He is a featured expert and contributor to Celebrations.com, as well as AOL’s PopEater, Bridal Guide, Bride & Bloom, DailyCandy.com, Martha Stewart Weddings, The New York Times, and many others.
Harriette Rose Katz, founder and president of Harriette Rose Katz Events/Gourmet Advisory Services, has been one of the country’s leading wedding and event planners for more than 30 years. Katz founded her company in 1978, and what began as a solo practice has grown into a significant business with senior partners, a full-time staff, and nonstop events. She is known within and outside the event planning industry as a trendsetter and is one of the most respected event designers in the country today. Katz and her team have established an impeccable reputation for creating signature events that translate into unforgettable memories.
Gourmet Advisory Services has designed and managed more than 5,000 events, from the most exquisite private social events and gala fund-raisers, to Fortune 500 conferences, to the openings of luxury residential towers, grand celebrity-studded weddings and intimate dinner parties. Katz’s talents have been showcased at the most prestigious and exclusive venues, including the Pierre Hotel, the Plaza hotel, the Metropolitan Club, the St. Regis Hotel, the Rainbow Room, Radio City Music Hall, the Mandarin Oriental New York, Cipriani, the Waldorf-Astoria, and the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach.
With more than 10 years of event experience in all points of the special event spectrum, Nick Yarmac joined David Beahm Design in fall of 2008 to build its event services division, evolving DBD into a full-service design, production, and planning firm. Since then, he has overseen a varied and eclectic mix of events and celebrations—from black-tie affairs at the Plaza to a seersuckered wedding celebration in Savannah, Georgia.
Working throughout the city, up and down the East Coast, in Chicago and Detroit, and out in Los Angeles, Yarmac has produced events featuring Elton John, Harry Connick Jr., and Donna Summer. When not guiding brides and grooms down the aisle, corporate clients such as Louis Vuitton and Victoria’s Secret keep him busy.
He studied at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and graduated with a degree in hotel, restaurant, and travel administration.
10. Venue Manager of the Year
10. Venue Manager of the Year (One vote per category permitted)
This award will be presented to an individual working in-house as a venue manager who consistently meets the goals of corporate, association, and nonprofit clients by providing an outstanding event space and a high level of service.
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After four years in the cushy world of product marketing at Google, Stephanie took the leap into special events due to a desire to roll up her sleeves and see the fruits of her labor come to life. She quickly proved herself to be a Skylight Group star, and in her two years there, learned from the ground up, quickly rising to the position of Director of all four Skylight spaces. The fast-paced world of events is perhaps a non-traditional choice for a Jamaican history major from Yale, but as countless clients will attest, Stephanie Blake is a welcome addition to the industry.
Jaclyn Gorman is director of events for Apella, Event Space at Alexandria Center, a new state-of-the-art venue in New York City. Apella opened in October 2010, and Gorman has been intimately involved in all the sales, marketing, and public relations efforts since its launch. She leads the event sales team on behalf of Backal Management Group and works directly with corporate and social clients with the overall planning of their events. She has valuable experience within the event industry, having previously held the positions of director of events at Gramercy Park Hotel and catering sales manager for Cipriani at the Rainbow Room, where she was also the exclusive catering contact for events at Top of the Rock. Gorman graduated from Tulane University’s A.B. Freeman School of Business.
Emily Gould, a graduate of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, has been of member of the Metronome Hospitality Group for close to 11 years. Earning a degree in nutrition and minors in math, sociology, and business gave her a great understanding of the hospitality industry and the necessary tools to begin her career in New York City. After starting at Metronome booking some of the company’s smaller events, her responsibilities grew exponentially. Currently, she is the banquet director for Crimson, Lexicon, Providence New York, and Providence Atlantic City venues. Booking and managing events for 50 to 1,000 guests, ranging from corporate clients to fund0raisers, red carpets, weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, and personal events, she keeps a busy schedule. Gould truly has a passion for this industry and is always trying to improve and to provide the best for her clients and guests.
Ayman Kamel, executive general manager at Frames Bowling Lounge, is a leading expert in the hospitality industry, with more than 15 years of experience and achievements recognized throughout New York City, from running his own restaurant (Napoli) to serving as area director of operations at the Cheesecake Factory, where he implemented numerous great ideas, such as curbside order pickup and 365-day outdoor seating, to name two. He joined Big Bowl L.L.C. in late 2007 to launch the new high-end Frames concept, which within one year became one of the most reputable venues for luxurious corporate events and private parties in New York. He was also mentioned in various newspapers and magazines, such as The New York Times, Crain’s, The New York Post, and Time Out New York.
For Bruce A. Kurtz, a senior in college, the opportunity to work at the legendary Tavern on the Green was so coveted that when general manager Bruce Axler told him, “If you want to work here, you’ll have to lose the name; I’m the only Bruce around here!”—Allan Kurtz was born in 1983!
In 2003, Kurtz became managing director of a fledgling business known as Gotham Hall, which he is proud to call home.
There were detours: Sheraton Meadowlands catering director for five years, three years at Water’s Edge, and a seven-year return to Tavern as catering director and then managing director.
The married father of two boys, Kurtz resides on Long Island and in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. He is an active member of the prestigious NYC & Co. restaurant committee, the Central Park Precinct Community Council, and the advisory board of Fairleigh Dickinson University, from which he graduated.
Michael Lotwich has recruited a roster of consummate hospitality professionals to quickly grow Sentry Centers from a start-up to New York's largest operator of dedicated conference centers. In less than two years, under his leadership, Sentry has more than doubled its revenues and served the majority of New York's Fortune 500 Companies. Lotwich is the director of fund-raising and membership for NACE New York and has introduced Sentry's participation in charities including City Harvest and Nourishing NYC.
Felix Parache is the venue manager for Amnesia NYC, now nominated in the “Next Top 50” by Nightclub & Bar magazine. Parache started with a medical background combined with trade show experience. That background has allowed him to usher in a new level of employee management and customer service, much needed in the nightlife industry. Parache is recognized for going the distance to achieve and surpass every expectation of the client. With him at the helm, Amnesia NYC is set to surpass the $5 million revenue mark, combined with top nationwide sales of focused brands, with virtually no employee turnover. Parache now owns his own consulting company, 18 North, which he uses to help bars and nightclubs open on time and under budget or return to profitability.
With more than 12 years of off-premise catering, venue, and event management experience, Lee Anne Rees uses her creative expertise as the catering sales director for Restaurant Associates at 10 on the Park at Time Warner Center. Rees’s responsibilities include the marketing, booking, planning, and execution of special events at 10 on the Park. Among her career highlights at Restaurant Associates are the annual Platinum Week dinner for B.A.S.F. and MoMA’s opening dinner for the “WACK!” exhibition. Prior to her role with the company, Rees was instrumental in the opening of Twelve Atlantic Station in Atlanta, Georgia. She is also highly credited with driving event sales in her roles at Novare Events, Bold American Catering, and Swissôtel. Rees’s event planning and sales skills do not stop at Restaurant Associates. She also proudly donates her time to New York Cares and Search and Care.
BB King Blues Club / Highline Ballroom / Blue Note
Jessica Rothstein Berman grew up knowing she wanted to be involved in the special event industry. Since starting her career in hotel catering, she has been involved in special event and venue management for more than 17 years. As director of sales for the B.B. King Blues Club, the Highline Ballroom, and the Blue Note, she specializes in providing conception-to-completion event services by working closely with her sales, operations, and culinary teams. Berman has cultivated long-term relationships resulting in repeat, referral, and new business. She personally oversees more than 350 event per year, ranging from concerts, fund-raisers, and group dinners to product launches and bar mitzvahs.
Extremely active in the hospitality community, Berman is a member of H.S.M.A.I., ISES, NYC & Co., and MPI. Additionally, she is on the board of the National Law Enforcement & Firefighters Children’s Foundation.
Steven Tanzman has published articles in many trade publications and has been quoted as “one of the leading consultants in the hospitality industry” by Catering Trends magazine. His consulting experience and career accomplishments as director of catering and director of sales and marketing include the finest facilities in the Northeast, among them the Pleasantdale Chateau, Helmsley Palace/New York Palace, Tappan Hill, World Yacht, 24 Fifth Avenue Ballroom, the Tides Estate, Fountainhead of New Rochelle, and Lyndhurst Castle.
In early 2003, Tanzman expanded his catering experience and created Yacht Events L.L.C., specializing in event planning for both social and corporate clients aboard private yachts in New York Harbor. To capitalize on those spectacular views, he has added exclusive wedding production at the spectacular Governor’s Island Beach.
Tanzman always rises to the challenge, whether it’s a private yacht that comes to you or coordinating vendors and rentals on an island accessible only by ferry!
