On Thursday, January 29, BizBash celebrated five veteran event and meeting professionals in the New York area. The ceremony, held at Urbo, drew more than 300 guests, where Alan Liebensohn, Daniele Menache, J.B. Miller, Gina Rogak, and Karen Shackman were inducted into the BizBash Hall of Fame. Chosen by the BizBash executive committee for their work, accomplishments, and contributions to the industry, the honorees join a distinguished group of industry professionals; the full list of BizBash Hall of Fame inductees can be found here.
Alan Liebensohn
Show director, New York International Automobile Show
Before becoming the director of one of the country's largest and most influential exhibitions, Liebensohn honed his skills in the trade show and exhibition management field, working with the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, G.E.M. Communications, and as an independent conference and meeting consultant. An active member of several professional associations, he also brings more than 30 years of event and hospitality facility management expertise to the Javits Center's customer advisory board and the NYC & Company trade shows committee.
Daniele Menache
Managing director & global head of events, AllianceBernstein L.P.
Menache first joined investment management and research firm AllianceBernstein in 1986 and worked her way up the ranks, assuming the title of director in 1997. Responsible for setting the company's meeting standards in all regional and international offices, she oversees a team that plans nearly 600 gatherings each year, including internal and external training meetings, partners' retreats, client conferences, and incentive events. Menache has been recognized by her peers in the industry, earning awards from national organizations, and serves on numerous advisory boards and design committees, such as the Council of Protocol Executives and Financial & Insurance Conference Planners.
J.B. Miller
President & C.E.O., Empire Entertainment
Miller has more than two decades of experience as a producer in the entertainment industry and since founding Empire Entertainment in 1993 has overseen the production of countless corporate, nonprofit, and private events in countries around the world. That includes the Time 100 gala, the White House's United Nations General Assembly reception, the Webby Awards, and events for Spotify, Viacom, Google, and Microsoft; in 1998 he received an Emmy for his work on feature documentary The Cruise. An extensive traveler, Miller has also served on the boards of Reel Works Teen Filmmaking and Keep a Child Alive as well as on the performing arts advisory committee of the Japan Society.
Gina Rogak
Director of special events, Whitney Museum of American Art
For 22 years Rogak has orchestrated events for major art institutions, including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and the Jewish Museum. As the director of special events for the Whitney Museum of American Art, she is responsible for signature fund-raisers such as the Whitney gala and the Art Party and has helped raise millions of dollars for the organization. This year Rogak is leading the team that's organizing two weeks of opening events to celebrate the Whitney's new Renzo Piano-designed building as well as developing a rental program for the museum's new home in the meatpacking district.
Karen Shackman
Founder & president, Shackman Associates New York
Born and raised in South Africa, Shackman worked as a paralegal in the immigration/entertainment field before moving to the hospitality industry and later fine-tuning her understanding of the incentive and event world at a destination management company. In 1990, she established Shackman Associates New York as a full-service destination management and event company and has grown it into a business with sales and marketing offices around the world.
