Meeting of the Minds: Like many partners in the event world, Britt Whifield and Clint Paton met on the job. The two worked on the League of Chicago Theatres' annual gala in 2005, but in different capacities: Whitfield was a sales rep for Jewell Events Catering, while Paton's floral company, A.Vision, handled the decor. The pair then found themselves working side-by-side on more events, and over time, developed a "unique synergy," according to Paton. "We fed off each other from day one," Whitfield says.
Whitfield launched her own event planning and destination management firm, Revel Global Events, in early 2008. "After being in the events industry for so long, I figured it was time to try things on my own," she says. In October, she added in-house production division Revel Decor, turning to Paton to head it up. "The cohesion we can now provide our clients—taking event planning and production from the very beginning—will make the biggest difference in their experience."
Customer Service: Revel Decor's repertoire includes lighting, floral, furniture, multimedia, fabric, and custom-designed decor pieces. The company consulted with Chicago-based Vosges Haut-Chocolate on its new special-events division, and planned client-appreciation parties for international office furniture manufacturer Teknion, which has its U.S. headquarters in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey. Teknion client experience manager Michelle Phillips says, "As a corporate event planner, it is nice to find a company that instills such a sense of confidence that you never worry about the final outcome—you just look forward to it."
Growth Model: The company recently moved into a former post office building in the Ukranian Village neighborhood. The new space is large enough to hold offices and Revel's design and production inventory, as well as a tasting area where caterers can set up meet-and-greets. Whitfield adds, "We want everyone—from our clients to every last guest—to be entertained when we host an event. I want to tell people, 'Don't worry about the logistics, we've got it covered.'"
