Winners Will Be Announced at
BizBash New York Expo & Awards
Wednesday, October 27 at 5 p.m.
Javits Center, New York City Register Now to Be There!
BizBash readers, you chose the finalists, now you choose the winners! Vote now and be there when we announce the winners of the first BizBash New York Readers' Choice Awards at the BizBash New York Expo & Awards on Wednesday, October 27 at the Javits Center.
1. BizBash New York Corporate Event Planner of the Year
BizBash New York Corporate Event Planner of the Year (One vote per category permitted)
This award will be presented to an industry leader who consistently accomplishes the goals of a corporation through organizing, managing, and executing meetings and events.
Share with colleagues and friends by clicking "Campaign for me" after casting your vote!
As the Head of Production and Logistics for Bloomberg's new conference group, Bloomberg Link, Holly has transformed the typical guest experience and launched conferencing into a new era. By recreating an environment that mimics Bloomberg's corporate headquarters - complete with terminals, virtual fish tanks, live broadcasting and a common pantry - Holly has changed the way people experience content and interact with each other and the Bloomberg brand. Forgoing the typical conference centers and hotels, she seeks out venues that provide unique design and inspiration such as The Hammer Museum, the Barbican, and Shanghai World Financial Center. Up next, Hedge Funds 2010 at... the Guggenheim. What else would you expect from someone who worked for Anna Wintour for six years?
Senior Vice President, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Christie's Auction House
Lydia Wickliffe Fenet joined Christie's in September 1999 as a member of the Client Advisory team, responsible for working closely with Christie's top collectors. After a year with the Client Advisory team she moved into the Special Events department, a department tasked with conceptualizing and executing over 400 events a year for Christie's Americas. In 2005 Ms Fenet took over as Director of Special Events where she worked closely with the business development team to create bespoke top client events. In February 2010, Ms. Fenet was promoted to Director of Strategic Partnerships, Senior Vice President tasked with creating a global strategic partnerships program for Christie's.
Ms Fenet became a charity auctioneer for Christie's in 2001. Since that time, Ms Fenet has become one of Christie's most experienced charity auctioneers and travels throughout the United States representing Christie's.
Ms. Fenet graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelors of Arts degree in both Art History and History from Sewanee - The University of the South.
Director, National Event Marketing, Pernod Ricard USA
Ann Fryer manages the creative and strategic direction for events and sponsorships at Pernod Ricard USA, the number two wine and spirits company worldwide. In her role, Ann conceptualizes and executes first-class events for the most iconic spirits brands, including ABSOLUT® VODKA, Jameson® Irish Whiskey, and Malibu®. She works passionately to transform the core values of the brands into unforgettable experiences and has led the industry's most notable flavor and campaign launches. Most recently, she launched ABSOLUT VODKA's latest limited-edition flavor, ABSOLUT BROOKLYN, by transforming a bookstore to replicate the "spirit" of Brooklyn's lifestyle, culture and community.
She is a graduate of Hamilton College and began her event career at US Concepts, a full-service marketing agency, cutting her teeth on the legendary brand, Johnnie Walker. She joined The Absolut Spirits Company in 2005 (acquired by Pernod Ricard in 2008) and now manages all direct-to-consumer events across the company’s vast portfolio.
CMP, Vice President, Corporate Events and Community Relations, AOL
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 management and brand integration, Rachel'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 a goal of always surprising and delighting the audience. An additional area of focus for Rachel is AOL's community relations efforts and promoting the powerful role that the Internet can play in bringing communities together.
Rachel is a past committee chair for the MPI, New York City chapter and is a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP). She has received industry recognition with the Global Paragon Award in 2006, as well as AOL's most coveted employee award in 2010, The Blue Monster, for championing the company's values.
A graduate of Stephens College, Rachel serves on the Stephens College Alumnae Association Board and has been active with the college's New York City Alumnae Club where she resides.
Senior Vice President, Macy's Parade/Entertainment Group
Robin Hall is SVP of Macy's Parade and Entertainment Group. His portfolio
includes the 10-time Emmy Award-winning Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the
Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular, the largest fireworks show in
America, The Macy's Flower Show, which in 2011 will be in 6 major downtown
flagships which include Herald Square, Union Square in SF and State Street
in Chicago, and Glamorama, a fashion show and pop music extravaganza which
raises millions of dollars a year for AIDS research and Children's Health.
Hall also oversees Macy's massive Santaland operations national which
employs nearly a thousand elves (and yes, only one Santa.) Hall is part of
the branded entertainment team which is responsible for identifying new
brand integration and original entertainment opportunities for Macy's.
Managing Director, Global Head of Events, AllianceBernstein LP
Ms. Menache joined AllianceBernstein LP (formerly called Sanford C. Bernstein) in 1986 as a sales assistant in the private client group. She was promoted to manager of events in the Marketing department in 1987, was named Principal of Bernstein in 1993, and assumed the title of Director in 1997. In 2005, Ms. Menache was given the mandate to consolidate all events/meetings for the firm globally and now oversees a department of about 20 people. She is responsible for setting the AllianceBernstein meeting standards in all the regional offices. Her team focuses not only on meetings logistics, but also other forms of client communication. The Client Communications Events team plan close to 800 events/conferences/meetings each year, and include internal and external events and can be sales and training meetings, board retreats, client conferences, and incentive events. She obtained her BA from Oberlin College. Her passions include travel, gourmet cooking, entertaining, wines, reading, jogging and going to Broadway shows.
CEM, CMM, CMP, CRP, CSEP, CTE, SMMC, Corporate Coordinator, Morgan Stanley
Since 1998, Clifton Pierre has been a devoted event professional. He utilizes strategic meeting design, planning, delivery and management to ensure programs sync to core objectives, causing continuous business improvement, fueling greater return on investment. He executed meetings and events for well-known hospitality, event production and financial companies.
Clifton is a graduate of the NYU Meetings and Events Management Program, holds a Bachelors of Science in Marketing and seven prestigious industry designations as: Certified Exhibition Manager (CEM), Certified Meeting Manager (CMM), Certified Meeting Professional (CMP), Certified Return on Investment Practitioner (CRP), Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP), Corporate Travel Expert (CTE), and Strategic Meetings Management Certification (SMMC)
Committed to ongoing education, he supports industry best practices via affiliations with leading trade associations and networking sources.
2. BizBash New York Designer of the Year
BizBash New York Event Designer of the Year (One vote per category permitted)
This award will be presented to an individual that effectively communicates the message and goal of corporate and/or nonprofit events through innovative decor.
Share with colleagues and friends by clicking "Campaign for me" after casting your vote!
Director of Experience Design & Founder, EVENTSTYLE
Mark Addison draws on his theatrical background and knack for finding new and unusual elements to craft distinctive experiences for his clients. His award winning creative direction has made EVENTSTYLE the go-to company for fortune 500 companies from Fashion to Finance. Mark's current clients include AVON, Procter & Gamble, Shiseido, the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund and Amway.
Mark's vast experience has made him a sought after voice on design and entertaining. His original content can be found in magazines and online publications. He can be seen in TV appearances on the Today Show, Better TV and FOX News and on his website (www.markaddison.com), in which he shares tricks of the trade and must-have design finds.
David Beahm, founder and president of David Beahm Design, has drawn from experience with New York's top florists and special event designers, as well as formal training in theater, television and grand opera, to become one of New York's top event designers.
Beahm has a broad-based background in the arts; thus, he views event design as a combination of theater and art. Emphasizing style, quality and originality, his creations combine cutting-edge ideas with timeless tradition. He is an expert at incorporating a client’s personal style into their event to create a memorable and unique occasion.
David Beahm Design has staged some of the most talked about corporate and social events both in New York and internationally. New York Magazine has named David one of the top wedding designers in the city and Beahm was recently named to The Knot magazine’s 'Best of…'. BizBash.com named Beahm one of "New York's Top Ten."
With her art and theatrical design background from NYU's Tisch School of Arts, event designer Christine Brower sets herself apart from the rest by creating unique, innovative and imaginative custom designed event decor for her clients. She prides herself in never designing the same event twice so that each client has a unique, one of a kind event experience that they can call their own.
Christine is a sought after industry professional who has been featured in numerous event trade magazines and was named "One to Watch" by Celebrity Parents Magazine. In her spare time, outside of running her award winning company C. Brower & Co Creative Events, Christine likes to spend her time giving back to the event community. She serves on the Board of Directors for ISES and NACE, and has shared her expertise speaking at industry conferences on panel discussions and teaching seminars on design & décor.
Michael heads up the Design + Multimedia department at BKA, where he creates award-winning scenic and lighting designs and oversees all of the graphic, video and décor elements for client meetings and events. His vast knowledge and experience allow him to provide best in class design and technical support as he creates inventive solutions to even the trickiest of event challenges.
Recent achievements include his custom design of an automated set, which revealed Samsung's latest 3-D HD television, and the scenic design for the LG Mobile Worldcup, a high profile press event, which sought to find the fastest texter in the world.
Michael brings an eclectic and exciting perspective to his team. His innovative designs for brands including MasterCard, Quintiles and Samsung, have appeared throughout the US, Europe and Asia.
He holds an MFA in Lighting and Scenic Design from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University.
Jacques Rosas has been producing art, events and publicity stunts for more than two decades. An artist his entire life he began combining art, design and promotion together with events and publicity stunts to bring attention to issues, a product, celebration and it began while he was a campaign director for Greenpeace. Founding Shop Studios in 1998 he is known for creating unique, artistic and inspiring events, sets and props for national brand launches, editor events and TV shows at his exhibition and event space, TV studios and the full service art production company in New York.
In recent works he built an indoor skate broad park, at his loft, for Tony Hawk, a giant Erupting Volcano for Arm and Hammer and themed events for celebrities like John Stewart and sets for Barbara Walters Most fascinating series on ABC.
Director of Design & Creative Events, Pink Powered by Moss
Debra Roth learned about stretch-fabric from the inside-out. Beginning in the heyday of the 80's performance art movement, Debra combined postmodern dance production with abstract-shaped costumes made of stretch-fabric that she, literally, performed within. 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. almost thirty years ago.
Seeing a viable outlet for her work, Debra 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 the prominence and power of Debra Roth and her Pink Inc. brand, they were recently acquired by Moss, Inc. in order to provide Moss entry into the world of special events. This synergy creates the leading tension fabric structure design and manufacturing company in the world and further solidifies Debra's and Pink's, now Powered by Moss, artistic vision in the event design community.
President and Creative Director of David Stark Design and Production
David Stark is a renowned New York-based event producer as well as President and Creative Director of David Stark Design and Production. This full-service event design and planning firm is celebrated for the innovative, imaginative events it creates for a wide range of high-wattage celebrity clients such as Beyoncé Knowles and Jon Stewart, major corporations such as Target, TBS and Condé Nast, as well as high-visibility fund-raising galas for the nation's most elite not-for-profit organizations including The Museum of Modern Art and The Robin Hood Foundation.
In April 2010, Stark released his newest book David Stark Design; a visually stunning monograph that documents David Stark Design and Production's design philosophies, conceptual process, and breadth of work put forth since the Company's inception in 2005.
Shai Tertner is a designer, event planner, and lifestyle expert with a flawless sense of style and distinct vision. Shai's passion for bringing the elite together in the context of elegant environments, ambiance, delicious food, cocktails, exceptional service and meticulous attention to detail is the reason he started Shiraz Events. It is this passion that sets him apart as an industry leader.
Shai has made a name for himself as one of the most visionary, forward thinking event designers, creating and producing everything from red carpet celebrity events to weeklong pop up press previews, product and magazine launches.
With offices in New York and Miami, Shiraz Events is one of the premier events services in the United States, in addition to being recognized internationally having produced an event in Paris, France during Fashion Week.
Responding to the changing event market in 2010, Bronson van Wyck established a Brand Experience Division with a dedicated team focused on bringing brand messages to life, partnerships, and the event component of integrated social media strategy. Recent projects include the simultaneous retail and online roll outs of Ferragamo's latest fragrance, Christie's Green Auction at Rockefeller Center, the opening of the High Line, and Chanel's Tribeca Film Festival Artists Dinner Series.
In a period of increased need, Bronson, Mimi, and Mary Lynn van Wyck, along with every member of the Van Wyck staff, have also volunteered time, provided pro bono services, and given financial assistance in support of meaningful commitments to public health, education, arts and culture. Recipients have included Global Poverty Project, Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Society of Memorial Sloan Kettering, and Friends of the High Line and the East Harlem School, on whose boards of directors Bronson van Wyck serves.
The Owner and Artistic Director of Celadon and Celery Events, Elizabeth (Bess) Wyrick expresses an articulate aesthetic, a savory appreciation of nature, and an unusual knack for transforming a world from ordinary to majestic. With her expertise as a fashion designer (Bessos), set-designer, and interior designer, she offers an exceptional blend of skills that contribute to events of unrivaled style and sophistication.
Bess is committed to living an ethical and organic lifestyle, she was surprised by the comparative lack of effort behind the "green movement" when she moved here from California. Her work is influenced and strengthened by her study of fashion, farming, interior design, studio art and art history at the University of California at Santa Cruz.
Bess has been inspired by continual experimentation; she has learned that it is possible to respect our planet while we're inventing beautiful products and spaces. The "green movement" inspired Bess to concentrate on wonderful and lush events for her clients without damaging the environment in which we live.
3. BizBash New York Event Caterer of the Year
BizBash New York Event Caterer of the Year (One vote per category permitted)
This award will be presented to an individual caterer that consistently meets the goals of its corporate and/or nonprofit clients by providing outstanding food and service.
Share with colleagues and friends by clicking "Campaign for me" after casting your vote!
Jason M. Apfelbaum is President & CEO of Chef & Company, LLC, which is NYC's premier corporate and fine dining catering / event company. Chef & Company currently employs over 350 employees & executes over 2000 events a year. Chef & Company operates exclusively at several locations including NASDAQ MarketSite, Stone Rose at The Time Warner Center, The Paley Center for Media, and The American Institute of Architecture & Café 516 located in the worldwide headquarters of Coach Inc.
Mr. Apfelbaum was inducted in 2006 to the Hall of Achievement at the Institute of Culinary Education and in 2008 was honored by City Year as a "Ripples of Hope" honoree.
Mr. Apfelbaum attended the communication school at Ithaca College and currently resides in Westchester with his wife & three children.
Kenney Desmond Barra, a native New Yorker from Long Island, after high school along with a friend purchased and renovated a building in Rocky Point. There they established a restaurant, Alfie's, which Barra eventually became sole owner of and ran successfully for 18 years. In 1991, Barra found a Knights of Columbus building in Wading River that he purchased and transformed into the Country Gardens to accommodate weddings and events. This became the first of three stand-alone facilities comprising today’s East Wind Caterers. In 1993 Barra sold Alfie's and ventured building further on his catering success. In 1995, Barra purchased six adjacent acres for a second venue, the Estate. Seven years later, ground was broken for the biggest project Wading River, NY had ever seen, The Inn at East Wind. It was the realization of a vision to combine luxurious elegance with a myriad of services and amenities. The 11-acre hotel property opened in 2002. In 2006, Barra unveiled the 10,000 square foot Spa at East Wind. Today, East Wind sprawls across 25 private acres with 73,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space and a new restaurant, Desmond's. Mr. Barra is the proud owner of what has become the crown jewel of elegant event locations for weddings, leisure and business in Long Island's Suffolk County.
Olivier Cheng, co-founder of Olivier Cheng Catering and Events, brings a diverse background of expertise and experience to the world of catering. Utilizing 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.
Franca Criniti moved to New York City from Philadelphia in 2001 to pursue her degree at Fordham University. As a college student, Franca took a part-time position at the acclaimed Jean-Georges restaurant; she has been a rising star in the food industry ever since. Franca's first taste of event planning was as in-house Catering Manager for the Union Square Hospitality Group at the Museum of Modern Art. She further developed her skills when she moved to Craft/Craftsteak/Craftbar to serve as their Private Dining Coordinator in 2008. The following year, Franca joined the team at 'wichcraft to launch their dinner service and to help grow their catering business. During her short tenure with 'wichcraft, she has planned a wide array of events—from multiple Fashion Weeks at Bryant Park, to private in-home concerts, to a twelve-hour play on Governors Island. At a young age, Franca Criniti has already established herself as a key player in the world of New York catering.
Director of Sales, Off-Premises Division, Abigail Kirsch
Carl Dean Hedin has over two decades of experience in the catering industry. He has worked with New York's most prestigious institutions, copious fashion houses, and numerous corporate planners. Since 2003, Carl has served as the Director of Sales for the off-premises division of Abigail Kirsch.
For over 35 years, the off-premises division of Abigail Kirsch has been bringing together a unique combination of superior cuisine, professional service and comprehensive event management throughout the New York region. From large film premieres at MoMA and spectacular fêtes at the New York Public Library, to trendy cocktail parties at the IAC Building and intimate dinners at Top of the Rock; the Abigail Kirsch team delivers passionate attention to detail and boundless creativity.
Director of Catering, Bridgewaters, Twenty Four Fifth, The Reach Resort,
Bridgewaters On Location and Bridgewaters To Go for The Glazier Group
A graduate of the Hotel College at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, Kahn-Brocco started her career as a management trainee for The Hyatt Corporation on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.
As her true passion for sales and event planning surfaced, she became an event planner for the landmark Water’s Edge in Long Island City. After several years, she joined the acclaimed events company, The Glazier Group, at their signature venue, Bridgewaters.
At Bridgewaters, Kahn-Brocco grew from a catering sales manager to the Director of Catering for The Glazier Group’s properties. Her many accomplishments include The Glazier Group’s Bridgewaters on Location being chosen by the White House Staff to plan and organize all the food and beverage for the first family during the Republican National Convention in 2004, as well as being selected to be a board member For ISES.
Kahn-Brocco lives in Tenafly, New Jersey with her two children and husband.
Owner and Founder of New York based Thomas Preti Events to Savor, Tom Preti is the creative force and personality behind this 23 year old, top catering company. Seeking to formalize his expertise beyond the kitchens of his Tuscan and Sicilian grandmothers', Tom attended Culinary Institute of America, became Executive Sous Chef at New York's legendary Plaza Hotel then packed up his knives in search of a richer experience. With his cousin Michael, Tom co-founded a catering company and found their niche. Tom brought on his former Plaza Assistant Banquet Chef, Ron Rando, who had helped create and open several restaurants. Tom has earned a reputation for providing an unparalleled culinary experience by tailoring the needs of each event to match their unique image and style. Tom continues to travel the world on culinary learning journeys and experiments with alternative cuisines in order to bring back fresh ideas and concepts.
In the over two decades since Carla founded Creative Edge Parties in her studio apartment, Carla has learned how best to bring the finest food along with visionary design to the plates of New York's most discriminating clientele. On any given night, Carla can be found exceeding the expectations of clients such as: Beyonce, Alicia Keyes, Mariska Hargitay, Jay Z, Bon Jovi and Calvin Klein
Carla has an endless well of ideas for making any event distinctive and memorable and she has never met a challenge she cannot overcome with flair. Her years of experience have earned her a loyal following, and the love and trust of everyone with whom she has worked.
Carla has been featured in Gotham Magazine, Martha Stewart Weddings, New York Magazine and Brides. In 2008, she was the recipient of Modern Brides, Trend Setter Award.
Ken is the President of Robbins Wolfe Eventeurs, the firm co-founded in 1987 with partners Christopher Robbins and Paula Wolfe. The Company, now part of CulinArt Inc., continues to play a lead role in social, educational, corporate and not-for-profit catering in NYC, on Long Island's famed Gold Coast/North Shore and in the Hamptons. Robbins Wolfe Eventeurs has been featured on numerous television shows and in life style/entertaining publications.
Ken enjoys long term professional relationships, some approaching 20 years, with prominent organizations as diverse as the Juilliard School, the Academy of Arts and Letters, Literacy Partners, the Mount Sinai Medical Center, Southampton Hospital and the Hampton Classic Horse Show. He is a friend to many of his social clients, who have come to rely on his advice and sound judgment as he assists, over the years and across generations, with their significant life events.
4. BizBash New York Event Producer of the Year
BizBash New York Event Producer of the Year (One vote per category permitted)
This award will be presented to an individual that has demonstrated an exceptional ability to execute all aspects of technical and creative corporate event production and entertainment.
Share with colleagues and friends by clicking "Campaign for me" after casting your vote!
After graduating Summa cum Laude from Emory University, Reed Baker began his career in the entertainment industry in 2002 as an artist, record producer, and concert producer. Because of his novel approach to concert production, Baker was pursued by celebrity clientele, eager to have Sophist create interactive, entertaining, audiovisual environments for their events. Music industry, corporate, and non-profit clients followed shortly thereafter and Baker has since become a sought after event producer in the New York area, using Branded Entertainment to make Sophist a trusted strategic marketing partner to all of its clients: employing high-technology to engage targeted, captive audiences while concurrently branding, advertising, and fundraising. With the advent of Sophist’s renowned Text-to-Pledge™ program, Sophist has come to dominate the mobile fundraising market, raising millions of dollars annually by activating attendee mobile phones at charity events across America.
David Bowen is an award-winning event producer with more than 15 years of experience in the industry. With a history of producing events for Hearst Magazines, Susan Magrino Agency, Lisa Lori Communications, and now his own firm, David has delivered spectacular and memorable events to A-list celebrities, media moguls, retailers, non-profit organizations, heads of state, and members of royalty.
Signature events include the James Beard Foundation Awards; the launch of O, The Oprah Magazine; the IPO event for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia; three cross country tours with Liz Claiborne featuring Tim Gunn; the opening of Chef Daniel Boulud's flagship Restaurant Daniel; and numerous gala events for New York City Opera and the Museum for African Art.
Part brand builder, fundraiser, and showman, David and his team at Bowen & Company are known for their flawless execution, strategic thinking, and trademark enthusiasm.
What started as not much more than a laptop and an idea in a third-floor Soho walkup apartment has blossomed into a thriving, cutting-edge creative agency. Fostering an entrepreneurial streak, Maneesh K. Goyal zeroed in on his expertise with details, logistics and an irrepressible penchant for entertaining. The result was the birth of the eponymous MKG, an experiential marketing and branding agency that specializes in creating customized live activations for a vast array of brands. The company, now a full-time team of 25 with offices in NYC and LA, is a partner with some of the biggest brands in the world, including Delta Air Lines, Coca-Cola, Ralph Lauren and MTV Networks. Maneesh is uniquely involved with the continued growth of the agency including the development of MKGive, a program with which the agency volunteers and financially supports a number of non-profits including the American Cancer Society and the New York Restoration Project.
Cara Kleinhaut launched Caravents in 2001, after seven years as in-house event producer at Sony Music in New York. Caravents has been the recipient of numerous industry awards from Bizbash, The Special Event and ISES. Sought out by prominent brands, PR firms, entertainment studios and publishing houses, Caravents offers clients exceptional value by combining expertise in event management and design with broadcast quality video production and graphics services.
Joan Jeanne is the President of VizzaV Events with her office on Staten Island. Joan Jeanne is the event producer for The 2010 Staten Island Dance Oscars Non Profit Fundraiser for Women of the World.Inc. VizzaV Events proudly offers every client her personal expertise along with years of professional references. She and her husband operate a music production company, which offers music and entertainment to clients in the metropolitan area, and New Jersey Whether you know her as Joan or Jeanne, Ms. Lamberti's professional reputation is impeccable and she is always striving for excellence in whatever the project. Presently, Joan Jeanne lives on Staten Island with her husband Tommy and her son John.
Director of Public Relations & Events, Guys From Queens Network
Demetra Stacey was born and raised in Queens, New York. After graduating Benjamin Cardozo High School's dance program she immediately pursued her dreams of Public Relations and Event Planning at New York City's Fashion Institute of Technology. She began interning at a huge PR & Event firm, where she learned to master the ropes of the media world and eventually became an executive on major accounts. Often asked to guest lecture at FIT's Event 101 class, she discovered her real love was to produce events. Past events include Conde Nast, Clear Channel & Lucky Shops. She then joined The New York Hall of Science as Event Producer coordinating private and corporate events with huge success. Demetra Stacey now owns a PR & Event company, is head of PR & Events for Guys From Queens Network and started her own show with her sister Eleni called 'Sweet & Vicious'. After their first two shows 'S&V' was featured on iTunes for 'New & Noteworthy'. Demetra Stacey Public Relations & Events shows no sign of slowing down and has exciting events and projects planned for 2011.
Producer + Manager, Production Services, Barkley Kalpak Associates (BKA)
Give him a brand, and he'll immerse himself into it, and in no time he clearly understands the objectives clients are looking to achieve.
He's a big picture guy, but doesn't let a detail slip by. Whether it's orchestrating the shutdown of 11th Avenue for live demonstrations of brands including Mercedes-Benz and Lexus during a world congress, or overseeing the simultaneous worldwide launch of a new brand for a major player in the Bio-Pharma industry, clients are confident with Adam in the lead.
Before joining BKA, he worked with MTV Networks on the Video Music Awards, Fashionably Loud and VH1's Big in '03 Awards. He's tech savvy, knows what's new and fresh, and his proven expertise, versatile skills and calm demeanor have made him popular with clients such as Google, Quintiles, and Samsung.
Adam studied at the Tisch School for the Arts and graduated from New York University's Gallatin School.
Steven Tanzman has had articles published in many trade publications and 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 have been with the finest facilities in the Northeast including: The Pleasantdale Chateau, Helmsley Palace (Now the New York Palace), Tappan Hill, World Yacht, 24 Fifth Avenue Ballroom, The Tides Estate, Fountainhead of New Rochelle and Lyndhurst Castle.
While still as a sales manager in early 2003, Steven Tanzman expanded his catering experience and created "Yacht Events LLC.," specializing in event planning for both social and corporate clients. Although New York \ New Jersey is not lacking in this area, what sets his company apart from all others is that the staff of Yacht Events are all former caterers representing the client's best interests.
Mark Veeder, EQ's Executive Creative Director, has designed and produced cutting-edge, multi-dimensional interactive marketing experiences and events for clients around the globe including the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council, Mercedes-Benz, Dyson, The Academy Awards, Bulgari, Nickelodeon, Samsung, Condé Nast, Martha Stewart Omnimedia, and Sony.
He is the company's creative visionary whose artistic expression and problem-solving production capabilities are the foundation for EQ's success in creating branded environments that communicate a unique marketing point of view and leave a lasting and compelling impression on guests.
Mark is an ardent cook who entertains regularly at his upstate New York home, which has been featured in House Beautiful, Metropolitan Home, The New York Times, and Country Living. Also an avid gardener, he has developed and patented a new, green-flowering Echinacea, Echinacea Purpurea 'Green Envy'™, representing a breakthrough in horticulture with a green flower, a rare and novel occurrence.
For more than a decade, Carrie has produced some of New York City's highest-profile charitable events, product launches and corporate gatherings. Working with celebrities, business leaders and key influencers on the red carpet and behind-the-scenes, she uses events to help clients build awareness, raise funds and leave audiences raving.
While event production seems to be part of her DNA, Carrie was actually pursuing a career in consumer marketing until a chance meeting on an airplane changed her course. After accepting an account executive position at a boutique fashion & entertainment PR firm, she found herself at the center of New York's event scene -- and she was hooked.
She quickly made the leap to event production, keeping her passion for marketing and PR at the heart of her strategic approach. Celebrated by clients and colleagues for her unmatched energy and ease on the event floor, Carrie has a true understanding of what makes great events click.
Lisa Wainer has been an event planner for eight years, starting her own company in 2008. Her first foray into event planning came at Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City (BBBS) where she worked with the Young Professionals Committee to produce several fundraising events throughout the year.
Lisa then became the Director of Special Events at the YMCA of Greater New York in 2004 and planned the most successful annual gala in the organization's history, The Dodge Dinner. To build on her non-profit work and gain more corporate experience, Lisa left the YMCA in 2008 to pursue an event planning opportunity at Paint the Town Red. There she experienced the many facets of planning a variety of corporate events including countrywide conferences, product launches, and award shows production, while continuing to work with non-profit clients. Now in its second year, LW Events planned events for the YMCA as well as for the Anne Frank Center USA.
Born and raised in the UK, Tom decided that the weather and lack of any hills over 3,000 feet were not suited to his temperament. At the age of 17, he drove off to Egypt in a VW Micro Bus. After spending the next 5 years ski bumming, Tom found his true vocation working as the back end of a pantomime cow for a Kerry Gold Butter stunt.
This inspired Tom who then spent the last 20 years creating extraordinary brand experiences (the French kiss of marcom) for clients like Virgin Mobile, Yves Saint Laurent, Moet Hennessey, Johnnie Walker, XM Satellite Radio, Nintendo, Swatch, Dell, Coca-Cola, Renault, Toyota, and Bass.
In 2005, Tom founded Mother's Experience Group, which has been responsible for the production of Virgin Mobile's FreeFest, the Lady Gaga Monster Ball Tour, the Target Standard Spectacular, and J&J's Beijing Olympic activation, among many other experiences.
Tom spends the rest of his time with his children and their mother, his dog, his friends, fast things, and beer.
Founder and President, M. Young Communications, Inc.
Melanie Young and her firm, M. Young Communications, have produced many of the city's (and country's) top food and wine events. She was one of the first to produce the highly successful "chef's tasting" reception format for organizations including SHARE, Bon Appétit magazine, City Harvest, Central Park Conservancy and Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Melanie launched and managed the James Beard Foundation Awards, New York Restaurant Week "prix- fixe lunches", Taste of Times Square and Dine Around Downtown.
Currently, her firm produces events for an international clientele that includes: the Italian Trade Commission's "Italian Wine Week", The Italian Wine Masters, Georges Duboeuf and several regions of Spain. Melanie has mentored many other event producers who have become successful in their own ventures. She serves as Vice President of the prestigious Les Dames d'Escoffier and is launching The Connected Table, culinary and social media activities for people who enjoy wine and food.
5. BizBash New York Association/Nonprofit Event Planner of the Year
BizBash New York Association/Nonprofit Event Planner of the Year (One vote per category permitted)
This award will be presented to an individual who consistently meets the goals of his or her organization through organizing, managing, and executing meetings and events.
Share with colleagues and friends by clicking "Campaign for me" after casting your vote!
Assistant Director of Special Events, Asia Society
C. Nana-Oye Addo-Yobo is Assistant Director of Special Events at Asia Society; producing affordable high-end events to raise funds to support its mission. Adding a new twist to Asia Society's Annual Dinner she organized live interviews conducted by Daljit Dhaliwal with honorees Pete Peterson, Joan Ganz Cooney, Nicholas Kristof, Sheryl WuDunn, and Smita Parekh; branded AllThingsArtAsia, a gala celebrating Asia Week in NYC; and solicited underwriters for the Diversity Leadership Forum, a national conference. Prior to Asia Society, Nana-Oye was an experiential marketing consultant. Clients included the Columbia University Art Initiative's Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative celebration; Community Impact at Columbia University; the Ford Foundation; Junior Achievement of New York; The White House Project's EPIC Awards honoring Geena Davis, Anita Hill, Rod Lurie, and others and a gala for Michele Bachelet, President of Chile (aired on C-Span). Previously, Nana-Oye was the Manager of Special Events for the Apollo Theater.
Jessica Aviles, CMP, is the events coordinator for New York Law School,
one of the oldest independent law schools in the United States. In
2002, Jessica established the Law School's first Office of Events
Management, and she has worked continuously to streamline event
operations and logistics, and improve the quality and polish of the
School's events and activities. She coordinates hundreds of events
annually, including integration of academic classes and examinations
with dozens of prestigious guest speakers, workshops and colloquia,
social and professional events for alumni and other legal professionals,
student activities, and guests of the Law School as diverse as extras
for movie shoots and "graduates" of a neighboring daycare center.
Jessica is a graduate of Pace University, and from 1995 to 2002 she
managed the Special Events Office in the New York Campus. Jessica has
approximately 15 years in the events industry, including completion of
the New York University Meeting, Conference & Event Management Program
in 2007. Jessica proudly earned Certified Meeting Professional (CMP)
designation in 2007. She is also a member of Meeting Professionals
International.
As Vice President of Development at amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, Gregory Boroff oversees a full calendar of domestic and international events that raise more than $15 million annually. These include the renowned Cinema Against AIDS events, as well as the newly launched Inspiration series. As Senior Vice President of External Relations at Food Bank For New York City, Gregory helped raise more than $60 million to help fight hunger and spearheaded the creation of nationally recognized campaigns including the Food Network-New York City Food & Wine Festival, Time Out for Hunger, and the Can-Do Awards Dinner. He also spent 10 years organizing high-profile special events in the for-profit sector. Gregory graduated magna cum laude from City College of New York and is certified as an association executive (CAE) by the American Society of Association Executives and as a fundraising executive (CFRE) by the Association of Fundraising Professionals.
Elizabeth (Beth) Irving is the Special Events Manager for Autism Speaks' national headquarters in New York City. She joined the organization in February of 2007, and is responsible for managing high-profile events including black-tie galas, concerts and celebrity golf tournaments. Beth's most notable achievement while with the organization has been producing one of the highlight's on New York City's social calendar: Autism Speaks to Wall Street – Celebrity Chef Gala, each fall. The 2010 gala raised $1.6 million for autism research, advocacy and awareness. Beth's department is responsible for raising over $4 million for the organization each year.
Prior to Autism Speaks, Beth joined Living Lands & Waters, a non profit environmental organization managing their events and public relations throughout the country. Before beginning her career in the non-profit sector, she worked in events and public relations at both Clifford Public Relations in New York City and Susan Davis International in Washington, DC. Beth is looking forward to her upcoming nuptials in December 2010. She resides in Stamford, CT.
Emily has produced the prestigious One Show for the One Club since 2005. A part of the team conceptualizing the annual ceremony at the Lincoln Center, she also manages the international and domestic judging sessions, involving advertising creatives from around the world.
Emily works to build the creative community of art directors and copywriters by developing in-house exhibitions, showcasing New York talent and hosting informal agency lunches in the city and other key locations throughout the United States.
Emily's own creative streak took root as a student at Georgia State University, where she helped launch the school's first alternative magazine, the Urbanite. She developed her event planning skills by showcasing local bands at intimate popular venues throughout Atlanta, promoting both the magazine and the school.
Manager of Patron Events, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra
Serena Jain joined New Jersey Symphony Orchestra in 2009 as Manager of Patron Events. In this position, she is responsible for managing all of the special events for the NJSO's Development Department, including large scale fundraising galas, donor stewardship events, corporate events, dinners and receptions. Serena found her niche in the world of special events at the Boys & Girls Club of Trenton, where she began in this field by running fundraising and publicity events. Serena is a graduate of North Carolina State University and holds a bachelor's degree in communications. She has also completed event management certification from George Washington University. Serena's passions include travel, hiking, beaches, cooking, reading and the arts. She enjoys spending her time creating mosaics and pen and ink art pieces.
Co-founder and Executive Director, The Chocolate Factory Theater
Sheila is a co-founder and Executive Director of The Chocolate Factory Theater, a leading incubator for experimental performance based in Queens, NYC. She has committed over 25 years to work in the non-profit community and to the arts, and has been recognized for her work with a fellowship from the United Way of New York City's Non-Profit Leadership Institute, by the New York State Assembly, New York City Council, and other business and community groups. In addition, she is the brainchild behind The Taste of LIC, an annual event that draws over 1000 visitors to Long Island City to taste the cuisine of over four dozen local establishments while raising funds to support The Chocolate Factory Theater's ongoing programming. In 2010, the Honorable Jimmy Van Bramer of the NYC Council MC'd the festivities.
Director of Special Events, Whitney Museum of American Art
Gina Rogak has been director of Special Events at the Whitney since 2007, following 8 years at the Guggenheim, where she handled the openings of the Guggenheim Las Vegas Museums, the Art of the Motorcyle, Giorgio Armani and hundreds of other events. With a staff of 4, Gina 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, Gina 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.
