April 8, 2015: White House Social Secretary May Leave Post, How to Measure Your Event Marketing Strategy, Lexus Expands Culinary Marketing Program

1. WHITE HOUSE SOCIAL SECRETARY MAY LEAVE POST: White House Social Secretary Jeremy Bernard is planning to resign his post to pursue other opportunities, according to a news report. Politico: “As the person who orchestrates every event at 1600 Pennsylvania, Bernard is not only a powerful member of the staff, he’s also one of the most affable and connected social secretaries the job has ever seen. As the first man to hold to the post, Bernard — who is openly gay — broke barriers when he started four years ago. He was neither pedigreed executive assistant nor spotlight-stealing attention hound.” http://politi.co/1FAWj81

2. HOW TO MEASURE YOUR EVENT MARKETING STRATEGY: Tools exist for people to measure whether it’s worth it to attend, sponsor, or exhibit at events, although too few people are using them. Harvard Business Review: “It’s far from moneyball when it comes to event marketing. Three of five marketers use no tools to measure event ROI, and most companies plan and execute events without specific business objectives. Yet, after sales force costs, events are the biggest line item in many marketing budgets, especially for B2B firms. So consider what more productive event spending means for the bottom line. Technology to do this exists, and it has implications for what managers can do before, during, and after the events they sponsor or attend.” http://bit.ly/1GSwWAw

3. LEXUS EXPANDS CULINARY MARKETING PROGRAM: Lexus has named three new members to its roster of culinary professionals who participate in marketing initiatives and programming at Lexus-sponsored food and wine events. They new Lexus Culinary Masters are: Dominique Crenn, chef/owner of San Francisco's Atelier Crenn; Stephanie Izard, chef/partner of Chicago's Girl & the Goat and Little Goat; and Carlton McCoy, master sommelier/wine director of Aspen's the Little Nell. Press release: “For their inaugural events, Michelin-starred chef Crenn and James Beard Award-winning chef Izard will partner on a joint Lexus demo at this year's Pebble Beach Food & Wine, April 9–12 in Pebble Beach, Calif. … McCoy will host a wine seminar and serve as a team leader in the Lexus-sponsored Bottega Gran Fondo cycling event, taking place April 25–26 in Napa Valley.” http://prn.to/1CUekgH

* LOCAL NEWS *

AUSTIN:  Sustainable Food Center will present the Sustainable Food Changemaker award at its Farm to Plate event on May 14 at Barr Mansion. The honorees are the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation and Suzanne Santos, the center’s farmers’ market director for more than a decade.

BOSTON:  David Barton Gym is now open in the Park Plaza Hotel. The gym has resistance-based classes and a cycling studio; the hotel itself has 50,480 square feet of meeting space.

David Punch, the owner of Sycamore, will open a new Asian restaurant in Newton Centre this summer. The 20-seat spot will have a tiny kitchen at its center, and will serve dumplings, noodle soups, rice bowls, and other fare. Boston Globe: http://bit.ly/19Yoz9g

CHICAGO:  Despite a PR mishap last year, TechWeek has drawn several sponsors for its June 22-28 run in Chicago. Microsoft has not renewed it sponsorship, but companies such as Cisco, Gogo, and Zebra Technologies will sponsor. Crain’s Chicago Business: http://bit.ly/1yTo3jq

Trigger is now open in Irving Park. The 3,600-square-foot loft can hold receptions for 150 guests; it also houses a recording studio, a kitchen, and a space designed for photo shoots.

LAS VEGAS:  Wynn and Encore have partnered with the Meeting Planners International Foundation to launch a scholarship for professional meeting planners to join MPI’s 18,000-plus member professional network. Wynn has committed $75,000 to MPI that will cover two new scholarship recipients each month over the next three years.

LOS ANGELES:  Fun 4 Events now has the exclusive Southern California rights to the Nail Photo and Artwork Studio system to create branded nail art for event guests.

Local event listings from Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  The Broward Performing Arts Foundation raised more than $250,000 at its annual benefit March 28. Singer Sarah McLachlan performed at the event.

NEW YORK:  Hill Country Brooklyn will host its second “Brisket Sessions” event on April 13. LinkedIn executive editor Dan Roth will interview New York Times Magazine editor in chief Jake Silverstein on a number of subjects, from the magazine’s rebranding to his thoughts on the city’s barbecue scene.

The ninth annual Adcolor Industry Conference and Awards will take place in New York for the first time, September 16-19 at Pier Sixty. The awards honor the achievements of diverse groups in the advertising, marketing, PR, media and entertainment industries.

ISES New York Metro will hold its next event April 22 at Sunset Terrace at Chelsea Piers. The event will feature the presentation of  the 14th annual Michael Cerbelli’s: the Hot List.

Local event listings from Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork

SAN FRANCISCO:  The 43rd Muir Beach Volunteer Fireman’s Barbecue will take place on May 24 at Santos Meadows on Muir Woods Road. The benefit will offer live entertainment, raffle prizes, and activities for kids.

Napa Valley-based Family Coppola Resorts has announced Myriam Kournaf as the new managing director of its luxury hotel group, which counts five luxury hotels located in Southern Italy and Central and South America.

TORONTO:  The Rogers Cup professional tennis tournament will take place at Rexall Centre August 8-16. Private suites are available at Centre Court for entertaining clients and colleagues.

WASHINGTON, D.C.:  The eighth annual DC Design House, which benefits Children’s National Health System, is open April 11-May 10. Chef Bryan Voltaggio will cater preview day and night events.

YOUR NEWS: What are you doing? Tell us: [email protected]. 

JOB BOARD: Post a job or find a job: http://jobs.bizbash.com

With contributions from Jenny Berg in Chicago, Alesandra Dubin in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, and Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, Jill Menze, and Anna Sekula in New York.

BizBash Daily is the must-read digest of event industry news from BizBash.com.

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