11.06.08 3:51 PM
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Partners With Exquisite Design Studio
Jodi Lenet
As senior director of special events for the Metropolitan Washington, D.C., chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Jodi Lenet plans annual events such as the National Great Strides Walk in May and the Breath of Life Gala , which raised $3,470,000 this past Saturday. Prior to joining the foundation four years ago, Lenet served as meetings assistant at the CNS Consulting Group.Catering : "Ridgewells is a tremendous supporter of the foundation—it works with us on most of our events. Susan Lacz, the president of Ridgewells, is a generous partner of the chapter. The company offers first-class service and accommodates every request. Actually, it recently won the International ISES Award of Excellence for the 2007 Breath of Life Gala. It is a huge part of our success and in keeping our expense ratio under 9 percent.”Audiovisual Production : “IEP has been a partner of the foundation for years, and continues to support the gala and work with the chapter to ensure the best cost and best service. It, too, is a big part of our success and keeps our expense ratio under 9 percent.”
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Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
10.02.08 12:48 PM
PNC Counts on Main Event Caterers
Kim Alexander
As corporate events manager for the PNC Financial Services Group, Kim Alexander oversees briefings, financial seminars, client entertainment, and employee incentives in the D.C. area; this summer, she planned a pre-performance party for a Crosby, Stills, & Nash show at the Wolf Trap Foundation in Virginia. Alexander has worked at PNC for three years, before which she was a promotion manager for Giant Food. Decor : “I have learned so much from working with Alison Bates Fisher, an event designer at Main Event Caterers . She has been my right hand and the magical force that makes my job so easy. From chocolate and Champagne receptions to the more formal V.I.P. parties, their presentations and unparalleled service impresses our clients every time. She coordinates every element from menu to floral to linens—each aligning with the theme. She even remembers to bring CDs to complete the ambiance for alfresco dinner receptions. And best of all, she stays within budget.”MORE >>
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PNC Financial Services Group , Crosby Stills & Nash
09.09.08 9:00 AM
Hebrew Home Heads to the Ritz-Carlton
Robin Lerner
Robin Lerner is the director of special events and membership services for the Charles E. Smith Life Communities, which include the Hebrew Home of Greater Washington, the largest assisted-living facility in Maryland. Lerner plans five big fund-raisers, a large board meeting, and roughly eight smaller board-related events in the D.C. area annually. Prior to joining the staff nine and a half years ago, she planned conferences and trade shows for an association management company. Lerner has been in the event planning industry for more than 20 years. Decor : "We’ve worked with Capital Decor and Events for the last three or four years. They’re amazing—not just at florals, but with the entire decor and helping to theme the entire event. Kelly Jenkins is very creative and listens well. We come to him with a vague theme in mind and he comes up with these totally amazing ideas. He’ll give us a laundry list of a million things to do, then lets us pick and choose—and doesn’t get offended when we want to tweak something. He has a fabulous, funky warehouse—you think you’re totally lost when you get there. There’s a huge amount of stuff, and you can get such great ideas from walking around."
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Charles E. Smith Life Communities , Hebrew Home of Greater Washington
08.01.08 2:10 PM
Abeleda Brings Freeman, Moffa Photography to American Heart Association
Desirée Abeleda Photo: Courtesy of Desirée Abeleda
Desirée Abeleda recently started at the American Heart Association as assistant manager for one of the organization's major fundraisers, Heart’s Delight Wine Tasting and Auction, an annual event hosting business, medical, and political leaders for a weekend of food and wine. Until last month, Abeleda worked in the meetings and conferences department at the American Political Science Association, a role she held for a year and a half. Abeleda works out of the American Heart Association’s Arlington office.Audiovisual Services: “[At the APSA] I really enjoyed working with Terry Arnold of AVW, which is now part of Freeman . Some of our attendees were less experienced with using audiovisual equipment, but Terry and his team knew our audience so well that they were prepared to assist in any way they could. Sometimes our room [agendas] changed with only a few weeks notice before the conference, and Terry’s team was nothing but helpful and accommodating. We also worked with Jennifer Manigross at Freeman, who, in addition to producing anything and everything we could imagine, even remembered little things like my supervisor’s birthday.”
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American Political Science Association , American Heart Association
07.03.08 10:45 AM
Whitman Walker Clinic Relies on Event Emissary
Mike Wilkinson Photo: Courtesy of Mike Wilkinson
Mike Wilkinson is the associate director of special events for the Whitman Walker Clinic, a community-based health organization focusing on the Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender community. While his office plans events such as Capital Pride and the AIDS Walk, Mike’s primary responsibilities include the clinic’s four largest annual fund-raisers: a spring gala , a cocktail reception for the legal community, a fashion show with Saks Fifth Avenue, and an art auction. Before starting at the clinic in November 2006, Mike worked in special events for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.Production : “We work with Jenna Mack of Event Emissary on our spring gala because it’s such a large event; we need someone to help guide us through the complexity of it. She has great ideas for event design. She allows us to focus on raising money, but at the same time, keeps us really involved with the design and makes sure the donors are happy.”
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Whitman Walker Clinic
06.12.08 3:38 PM
National Rehabilitation Hospital Picks Windows Catering
Leslie Concha Photo: Jim Tetro Photography
As the special events coordinator for the National Rehabilitation Hospital in D.C., Leslie Concha plans around 25 events a year, ranging from black-tie galas and donor appreciation dinners to golf tournaments and medical conferences. She is currently working on the hospital’s November annual Gala Victory Awards, which recognizes individuals who overcome physical adversity (past honorees have included Stevie Wonder, Bob Woodruff, and Senator Tim Johnson). Concha has been with the NRH for five years, before which she worked for the Sister to Sister: Everyone Has a Heart Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to heart disease prevention in women. Catering : “Cynthia and Mario Andrade at Windows Catering Company are a great team and always expand our ideas for creative menu selections, table linens, and venue selection. Windows is great for corporate lunches or large events. For our annual gala, we work with an embassy and tie the theme around the country’s heritage; a few years ago, the [wife of the ambassador we were working with] was very specific about every detail and sent her personal chef to Windows to teach their chefs to cook the traditional dishes. Windows made every accommodation the embassy requested, and the ambassador and his wife were very pleased.”
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National Rehabilitation Hospital
05.22.08 2:30 PM
Girl Scouts Rely on Ridgewells
Jan Verhage Photo: Courtesy of GSCNA
Jan Verhage has been the executive director of the Girl Scout Council of the Nation’s Capital for the past 21 years and has been with the organization for almost 40. Since the council has no in-house event staff, Jan and her team of managers plan all fund-raisers, retreats, meetings, and other events. This week, she put together their annual Gold Awards (the highest award for Girl Scouts) at Saks Fifth Avenue , as well as a 100-person Board dinner reunion at the council president's home.Catering: “When you work with great vendors and can rely on them to make the event a success, you don’t have to spend all day worrying. Our primary vendor for the vast majority of our events is Ridgewells in Bethesda, owned by Susan Lacz. It's a full-service firm that does the most fabulous food you’d ever eat in your life. One of the wonderful things they've done for us over the years is at our Camp C.E.O., which involves senior executives and teen girls spending a week at one of our resident camps in Virginia. The most popular night at camp is when Ridgewells comes down and Susan works with the girls to plan and design a formal dinner party, with fresh flower centerpieces, music, table conversation topics, and more, all planned by the girls. It’s a piece of giving back that’s just not common; it’s exceptional. A mother told me that when her daughter got back from camp, she decided to plan a formal party for her father’s birthday—with flowers, place cards, the whole nine yards. Ridgewells teaches them the art and importance of beautiful party planning."
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Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital
05.08.08 2:32 PM
Goodwill of Greater Washington Counts on Showcall
Brendan Hurley
Brendan Hurley is the senior vice president of marketing and communications for the Goodwill of Greater Washington, a charitable organization that collects donated clothing and provides employment services to the disadvantaged. He is currently planning the annual “Fashion of Goodwill,” a Paris-themed runway show and benefit at the French Embassy in September. Hurley previously worked at Clear Channel Radio, where he coordinated marketing events for the station.Catering: “Geppetto Catering in Riverdale, Maryland. They are not a mass production house, so you generally deal directly with the principal, Josh Carin. He is not just a great caterer, but he is also very philanthropic—which says a lot about his character."Decor: “A Vista Events has always done a good job for us. Hargrove is another good company. At Hargrove’s warehouse, you feel like you’re backstage at Disney World—it’s amazing. However, if money is a real concern, A Vista is a little more reasonably priced.”
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Goodwill of Greater Washington
04.24.08 1:38 PM
Capital Area Food Bank Turns to A Vista Events
Jana Richardson
Jana Richardson is the special events manager for the Capital Area Food Bank, the largest nonprofit hunger and nutrition education resource in the D.C. metro area. The food bank distributes 20 million pounds of food annually, and Richardson produces roughly 15 of the organization's larger food drives annually. She also produces the annual Blue Jeans Ball , its biggest fund-raising event. Richardson has been with the Food Bank for two years, before which she was an event manager for Hecht’s, a division of the May Department Stores Company. Venue: “We’ve held the Blue Jeans Ball at the Marriott Wardman Park for the past four years. They have really accommodated us as the event continues to grow. We have about 30 restaurants that participate, [and] Marriott is so generous to allow us to bring restaurants into their hotel, because many hotels do not allow outside chefs or restaurants to serve as the main caterer of the event. This year was nice because we were able to use [the Marriott's] new Stone's Throw Restaurant and chef John Payne as part of the restaurant and chef lineup.”
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Capital Area Food Bank , Blue Jeans Ball
04.11.08 11:09 AM
The Heritage Foundation Turns to Nouveau Fleur
Emily Sankot Kayrish
Emily Sankot Kayrish is the assistant director of special events for the Heritage Foundation, a nonprofit public policy research institution based on Capitol Hill. Kayrish is responsible for planning donor-related and policy-based events across the country, ranging from luncheons and receptions to multiday conferences and conventions. She handles roughly 85 events a year. In her five years at the foundation she has coordinated speakers ranging from President Bush and Condoleezza Rice to the cast and creators of Fox’s 24 .Venues: "I have worked with dozens of great venues around the country, but in Washington, D.C., my hands-down favorite venue is the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center . I have done roughly 20 events there in my time at Heritage, and it is always a wonderful experience. The entire Reagan Center team is great, from Leslie Atkinson in the sales department to my event manager, Courtney Coyle, to Alex Morillo, who is the greatest banquet captain on the planet. They go above and beyond to ensure that every detail is taken care of. One year my keynote speaker was in a wheelchair, and to ensure that we got him into the appropriate handicapped parking spot in the garage, my event manager spent an hour walking up and down the parking garage to write up directions and a map to guide him to the right location."
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Heritage Foundation
