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Welcome to the online version of the ISES Main Event Newsletter. Browse the newsletter using the links to the left, or just scroll down.

ISES Indiana Education Conference

ISES Education Conference

Thursday, November 16, 2006

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Join ISES in December and SAVE!

Join the International Special Events Society in December 2006 ONLINE for only $199!

Get 7 months of membership for the price of 6 AND avoid the $50 application fee!**

This is an incredible savings!

Click here for a Membership Application!

Feel free to contact Anne-Marie Dezelan of the ISES Indiana Chapter at (317) 442-6882...or ISES Headquarters at 1-800-688-ISES (4737) or info@ises.com.

**All ISES Memberships Expire on June 30, 2007

Meeting Recap

This past month’s meeting was held at the chapel on the grounds of Crown Hill Cemetery and the meeting was entitled “Nightmare on Event Street.” As guests arrived they were greeted by an antique hearse provided by Antique Limousine – just to get them in the spirit! As guests entered the chapel they saw a beautiful gothic structure decorated with gorgeous fall linens provided by Chair Covers and Linens and were then treated to a delicious fall themed meal catered by MBP Catering. Each table was given “10 Worst Case Scenarios” to discuss during lunch and then a group discussion amongst the tables took place after lunch. Here are some highlights:

Worst Case Scenarios
1. You are having spinach as part of the meal. There is a food crisis and spinach is not available anywhere in the country – what do you do? As a group, ISES members said that since it is something out of your control, there is nothing you can do but explain to the client that you have their guest’s best health in mind and that you have substituted the salad.

2. Your bride loves peonies and insists on having them on her wedding cake. Ants love peonies even more than your bride does and invite themselves to the reception – what do you do? ISES members said use a dummy cake for display and serve sheet cake from the kitchen.

3. The programs for your client’s annual company meeting have just arrived and their logo is hot pink and the last time you checked it was supposed to be closer to a sophisticated burgundy – what do you do? ISES members said it would depend on how strict the company’s logo standards were, but if there was time, you could reprint the programs. If time did not allow, ditch the program and do the program on power point or some type of other AV method.

4. Your keynote speaker comes down with laryngitis – what do you do? ISES members said it is a good idea to always have a backup speaker in mind that is in the same city just in case. Another good idea was to turn the topic into a roundtable discussion or panel discussion on the topic utilizing guests present at the meeting.

5. Your party is the talk of the town. More people RSVP than the ballroom can hold – what do you do? ISES members said start a waiting list and plan for a larger venue next year! (A good problem to have!)

Upcoming Meetings

• December 14, 2006 (Thursday)
  “Culinary Expertise,” at Hilton Indianapolis Downtown
  Joint Meeting with Meeting Professionals International
• January 24, 2007 (Date has Changed -- Was January 17)
  “I Do -- Weddings with Wow,” at The Indianapolis Museum of Art

Other meetings of Interest:

ISES Cincinnati, Ohio (www.isescincinnati.com)
November 15, 2006 (8:30am – 10:30am)
Topic: Chief Creative Officer of Gloria Nelson Event Design, LLC

ISES Columbus, Ohio (www.isescolumbus.com)
November 15, 2006
Topic: Successful Event Marketing - Tools & Ideas

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The Scoop

Congratulations to Thomas Caterers of Distinction Event Designers Dee Haddad, CSEP and Jennifer McKinney-Seet, CSEP for passing the CSEP (Certified Special Events Professional) exam. The CSEP designation is the hallmark of professional achievement in the special events industry and is earned through education, performance, experience and service to the industry.

Board Member C. Anne Coulter, CSEP, PBC, of Anne Coulter Productions, received her recertification as a CSEP for another six years and also just received her Professional Bridal Consultant designation. Congratulations Anne!

Bruce Livingstone, Director of Catering Sales & Event Services – Conrad Indianapols and past ISES Indiana Board Member will become a Sales Membership Executive for The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club & Spa in Jupiter, Florida (2 hours Southeast of Orlando) effective November 27, 2006. We wish him well.

Longtime ISES member and Downtown Indianapolis fixture Hollywood Bar & Filmworks has closed. We thank them for their commitment to ISES Indiana and wish them continued success at “Hollywood Boulevard Cinema” – the Chicago theater modeled after Hollywood Bar & Filmworks.

Indianapolis Museum of Art general admission will be free beginning in 2007.

Please send interesting member news, achievements, job changes, etc. to ISES VP of Communications, Dave Strantz dave@innovativei.com.

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Member Spotlight
Bruce Livingstone

Bruce Livingstone
Director of Catering Sales & Event Services
Conrad Indianapolis

Bruce landed in Indianapolis a little more than 6 years ago to become the opening Director of Catering at the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown. Coming to the Midwest from Southern California was an easy decision, as he wanted to move closer to his East coast roots, and as Bruce said, “for what I paid for my house in Broad Ripple, I couldn’t buy a one-bedroom condo in Southern California.” He had been the Assistant Director of Conference Services at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel.

In Bruce’s personal life, his love for disadvantaged kids has given him many hours of happiness. Bruce currently mentors 11 children from several different programs and has been a foster parent to several of them as well. The common denominator for all the kids is the fact that there is no father in their lives; whether the dad is in jail, no longer alive or just “deadbeats.” Bruce has said that he spends way too much money on all the kids, “but hey, everyone has something!”

Bruce jumped over to the Conrad last December to be their opening Director of Catering Sales & Event Services. The Conrad opened in March to a full house for the NCAA Final Four Tournament. “It’s been quite a ride. I don’t think I knew exactly what I bargained for, but I still don’t regret it for a minute!”

Bruce has most recently accepted a position with The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club & Spa in Jupiter, Florida and will be moving from Indianapolis in early November. The position is in Real Estate selling million dollar homes, fractional ownership and golf club membership for the Club & Spa. The decision has been very bitter/sweet for him as he has made so many great friends in Indy that he will miss dearly.

Bruce credits much of his success in Indianapolis to joining ISES when he moved here in 2000. “The business and personal contacts I have made through ISES made it an easy transition to sell at some of the nicest hotels in Indy.” Bruce also says that “ISES is like life, you get out of it what you put into it!”

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ISES Indiana Annual Book Drive

We are seeking donations of gently used, industry related, books for the annual Book Fair at the ISES Indiana Education Conference on November 16. For each book donated (and accepted) you will receive an entry in a drawing to win one free monthly chapter meeting lunch. Books can be dropped off between 9am-4:30pm Monday-Friday at the offices of Thomas Caterers of Distinction, 4440 N. Keystone Ave, Indianapolis, or you can bring them to one of the upcoming monthly ISES luncheons. Please be sure to leave your contact information with the books. If you have any questions, please email Jennifer McKinney-Seet at jennifer@thomascaterers.com.

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Board Member Spotlight

Lee Johnson, Indiana Sales Manager for Chair Covers and Linens has been a part of the events industry for almost twenty years. Thanks to some incredible mentors throughout the years, Lee has had the opportunity to work in special events in many different areas. Starting at the Drake Hotel in Chicago, Illinois (right after graduating from college at Miami University and Echols International Hotel School) was one of the most exciting and interesting jobs she has ever had the chance to experience. “As you move up the ladder in a five star hotel, you really learn what it takes to make even the pickiest clients comfortable and happy.”

This experience has certainly held her in good stead as she worked for a small caterer in Chicago and then had the great fortune to train with one of the top wedding planners in California. After soaking up as much as she could, it was time to open her own business as a planner here in Indianapolis and join ISES. Many years later she decided to utilize all of that knowledge and her family background in sales to work for Chair Covers & Linens as a regional sales representative. Of course, the ISES membership moved right along with the job change and she continues to enjoy working with fellow ISES members on many interesting and creative projects. Lee has been with ISES Indiana for six years now and is currently serving on the Board of Directors as a Director at Large for Programming. She has also worked on the exciting Education Conference this year, as well as PACE awards several years ago.

Lee has been married to Michael Johnson, also a sales representative for Chair Covers & Linens, for three years. They have three teenagers between them. Jessica is seventeen, Nick is sixteen and Ben is fourteen. Thinking of their upcoming shared college years makes Lee and Michael cringe with thoughts of the bills, pride for the young people they are becoming, and excitement for the potential solitude it will provide!

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