EDUCATION

Conference Program

Sunday, March 8th - 9:00 am  - 10:00 am

GOT ISES? Now What??
Mark Zettler, President, Life O'The Party
Track: Beginner     Location: Treasury

Do we ever really know the value of ISES membership and make use of all it offers? This session offers perspective on why event professionals join and serve this association; plus, valuable tips on how to network; what programs and exclusive offers are available to ISES members; how to be more involved in serving our association; and why involvement is really an opportunity.  Quite simply, networking is marketing YOU to others. You build relationships through this process that are essential to career growth. ISES is a conduit to making and maintaining professional contacts. If you've GOT ISES, you've got career growth.

Session Deliverables:

• Why we join (or might join) the association
• How to add value to an ISES membership
• The art of networking

Catering Trends 2009: A Caterers View of Memorable Events - Presented by NACE
Panel discussion with Joseph Cozza, VP Sales and Marketing, Cipriani; Charles Barrett, Director of Catering Sales, Marriott Marquis; Meredith Barsky, Director of Catering, Pier Sixty and the Lighthouse; James Dale, Director of Catering, Grand Hyatt NY; Bebhinn Gallen, Director of Catering, Ritz Carlton Battery Park
Track: Beginner / Intermediate    Location: Financial One

What are the top catering trends for 2009?
Go inside a caterers mind to see what’s hot and what’s not in the food and beverage world. Expert NACE members will discuss the demand for environmental responsibility of going green, how to create memorable events with creative focused menus, unique food and décor presentations and learn wine service techniques all from a group of catering and event professionals.

Session Deliverables:

• Learn what the Catering food and beverage trends are for 2009
• How to create a memorable event with quality and value
• How going green can apply to your event

Risk Management: Event Security at Your Event
Bill Stanton, Former New York City Police Officer
Track: Beginner/Intermediate Level   Location:Financial Two

This entertaining session tackles serious issues of event security and safety.   When producing an event, scenarios such as vandalism, over-crowding, theft and overall well being of guests need to be taken into consideration.  And, while the odds are slim, we now produce events in a world where we have to take into account the possibility of terrorism.  Security is often the last thing on the client’s mind and a seemingly easy element to cut out of the budget however the event security team is the first place you turn when things go wrong on-site.   This session will discuss the importance of event security choices and will demonstrate how preventative security can be far more cost effective than the cost of an event incident.  Session attendees will learn tips from a nationally recognized security and safety expert about what to look for during pre-event site assessment in order to choose the right security company for the event needs.

Session Deliverables:

• Discuss the difference between seeing something and observing what is actually happening
• Learn how to assess a security / safety situation and react in the most appropriate fashion
• Risk Management is more than a checklist… learn to be not only reactive but also pro-active

APEX...What does This Have to Do With Me?
Rhonda L. Marko CMP CMM DMCP, President & CEO, Destination Nashville
Track: Intermediate / Advanced    Location: Traders

For years we've been hearing about APEX.  Now learn about APEX!  What it is, why we need it, and how APEX helps planners and suppliers increase operational efficiency.  We will focus on time and cost savings; ease of communication; data sharing; enhanced customer service; streamlined systems and processes that decrease duplication of effort.  This session offers a look at how APEX helps develop better educated, more professional employees.

Session Deliverables:

• Information about what APEX is.
• Understanding why event planners and suppliers use APEX.
• Perspective on how you might use APEX in your work.

Sunday, March 8th - 10:15 am - 11:15 pm

Working with DJs – Its More Than Just a Playlist
Matt Bonavita, President, Rhythm In Motion, Inc.
Track: Beginner      Location: Financial Two

The professional Disc Jockey must know the music, know the client, and bring the two together so seamlessly that the Disc Jockey might not be noticed at all. Guests just leave the event in a good mood. The professional Disc Jockey takes as a creed these words from Dick Clark, “Music is the soundtrack of your life.”  A professional D.J. understands music is more than the source of their bread and butter.  A professional D.J. believes music provides the foundation, vibe, mood and groove for any event.  An event planner or client might not understand the impact of music and, therefore, think it does not matter.  In this session, we will explore what to look for when planning music, an element critical to the success of an event.

Session Deliverables:

• How to evaluate a company’s resume and references.
• What to look for when matching a company to a particular type of event.
• Realistic expectations about costs, skills, and experience when hiring a D.J.
• How to build a relationship with a D.J. for your event and stay within your budget.

Event Opportunities within the Faith Based Community
Vicky Johnson, Principal, holy matrimony; Joi Thomas, New York Psalmist Baptist Church
Track: Intermediate        Location: Traders

In this changing economic climate, event planners may find new revenue opportunities in the faith based community. Many places of worship across the country serve several thousand people and host professionally planned conferences, concerts, plays, large scale weddings, CD recording sessions, galas, and symposiums.  The faith based community has dramatically ramped up the scope of their events and can benefit from the technical expertise of professional event planners. This presentation will highlight event planning opportunities and nuances of effective, long term, profitable relationships within the faith based community.

Session Deliverables:

• Information about opportunities for revenue within the faith based community.
• Description of the scope of events produce regularly by the faith based community.
• Understanding of the hierarchy and chain of command within the faith based community.

How You Can Gain A Competitive Edge By Partnering With A Destination Management Company - Presented by ADME
Rachael Dworsky DMCP, Briggs INC; Karl Heitz DMCP, The Arrangers; Kara Pigeon DMCP, Signature Destination Management; Stuart Weiser DMCP, Empire Force Events
Track: Intermediate         Location: Financial One

What is a DMC? A professional services company possessing extensive local knowledge, expertise and resources, specializing in the design and implementation of events, activities, tours, transportation and program logistics.

Why Chose a DMC? A Destination Management Company represents YOU and your goals and objectives to the service partners in the city where you are holding your program. You benefit from our local products, service quality and reliability.  We negotiate on your behalf.   We design a program to meet the needs of your attendees.  We plan and execute programs that that meet industry guidelines in terms of safety and insurance.  We provide one invoice capturing all program elements. We train our staff and our service partners to offer the highest level of service.

Session Deliverables:

• How Clients can vet DMCs to find the most advantageous partnership in each market
• How DMCs work locally to leverage expertise and pricing for your benefit
• How best to be a vendor/partner with your local DMCs
• How Hotels can avail themselves of the advantages DMCs can offer them

Start Your Engines! Events with Cars
James Gingell, Senior Program Manager, Event Solutions International
Track: Beginner / Intermediate   Location: Treasury

Learn about all aspects of running an automotive ride and drive event.  We will discuss the types of events, location considerations, drive route creation, vehicle fleet management, drive day logistics, and international considerations.  

Session Deliverables

• Understand the scope, scale, and requirements of automotive ride and drive events.
• Highlight of automotive specific considerations to plan for on an automotive event.
• Learn the advantages of collaborating with a specialized automotive ride and drive event management team.

Break - 11:15 - 11:45

Sunday, March 8th - 11:45 am - 12:45 pm

Ordinary to Extraordinary
David Stark, President & Creative Director, David Stark Design and Production
Track: Intermediate / Advanced        Location: Financial One

New York’s renowned event planner and designer, David Stark of David Stark Design and Production, will inspire you with a visual tour and discussion of his firm’s most public and celebrated projects.  Pushing the boundaries of “eco-friendly” entertaining, branding, and fundraising into the realm of cutting edge installation art, Stark focuses on high profile events for organizations and companies as diverse as the Robin Hood Foundation, Target, and The Tate Museum and leads a discussion on the importance of conceptual thinking in the planning and design process. The end result?  A multifaceted marketing platform that is as innovative as it is effective.

Session Deliverables:

• Get inspired by using everyday materials as a transformation décor and branding experience
• Open the mind’s eye to varying and innovative approaches to “eco-entertaining” that break the expected molds
• Inspire, learn and innovate from the history of art instead of branding and marketing textbooks.

The Facts of Light: An Event Professionals Guide to Understanding Lighting
Steven Way, President, ALPS /Advanced Lighting & Production Services
Track: Beginner    Location: Treasury

This engaging and informative session is for event professionals who want a better understanding of event lighting and tools to communicate effectively with their lighting vendor and clients -all without having to become a lighting expert!   Explore what a lighting vendor needs to know from you in order to produce lighting to support the concept, vision, and goals of your event.   Learn basic differences between lighting fixture types and their effects, new technologies for you to consider, basic lighting/technical terminology, limitations and options to think about when working in different venue types (ballrooms vs. tents), why power/electrical needs are important to know, the advantages and liabilities of using atmospherics (fog/haze/pyrotechnics), and much more.

Session Deliverables:

• Gain a stronger understanding of different lighting fixtures/effects, their uses and basic industry terminology.
• Offer a more knowledgeable thought process by considering logistics at the beginning - electrical, rigging, space, safety, time limitations and options.
• Improve communication between you and your lighting/technical vendor, as well as increase your ability to enhance the event experience for your client.

An Introduction to the CSEP Process
Kevin White, Director of Production, Empire Force Events
Track: Beginner    Location: Traders

Certification is a professional development goal sought out by many in a variety of professions.  In the event profession, the CSEP (Certified Special Events Professional) stands as the most comprehensive of the certifications.  However the process towards CSEP certification can seem confusing or overwhelming.  This session will walk attendees through the benefits of certification as well as answer many questions about the process and knowledge-base needed for certification.

Session Deliverables:

• What is CSEP?
• What is the process of applying and sitting through the exam
• The benefits of becoming a CSEP

The SPECTRUM of Success
Mark Wells, Vice President of Creative Services, Hello Florida
Track: Advanced        Location: Financial Two

This seminar will deliver a fresh perspective on setting up your business for growth, getting more out of what you have and breaking down barriers.  In one hour’s time you will leave energized and prepared to grow your business through innovations of tried and true methodology.  Come find out how these methods have helped to quadruple an event production business, to the sum of millions of dollars, in the last three years.

Session Deliverables:

• Learn what it takes to create exponential success
• Walk away with the “SPECTRUM” road map that will help you develop greater sales and a stronger company.
• Learn how to position your business in the market for greater profit

Sunday, March 8th - 1:00 pm - 2:30

General Session Keynote - Lunch
Tim Sanders
Saving the World at Work: What Companies and Individuals can to do to go Beyond Making a Profit to Making a Difference
Location: Main Stage

There is a revolution going on in the business world where companies will compete based on social innovations. Consumers, talent and investors are gravitating to companies that achieve high levels of social responsibility towards people, communities and the environment. The key for companies to thrive during this new era of business is to innovate how it does business and achieve high level of employee participation. Companies leading the revolution include: Google, SAS Institute, Aveda, Patagonia, Interface, General Electric and Wal-Mart.

Tim's Keynote has an empowering message: A single employee can change the culture of an entire organization. A single employee can band together with like-minded coworkers and create a powerful group for good.

Session Deliverables:

• Improve the quality of life of all employees and workers
• Connect with local host communities and strengthen them
• Reduce individual and company environmental footprint

Sunday, March 8th - 2:45 pm - 3:45 pm

Flourishing in a Tough Economy:  Strategies for Advancing Your Event Business Now
Kelley Gillespie, President, GEM Events; Lori Hill, President, lori hill event productions
Track:  Beginner / Intermediate   Location: Treasury

What are you doing RIGHT NOW to increase your business?  The country’s current economic downturn presses event planners to develop practical strategies for success.  This presentation will focus on marketing and business branding tactics, plans for using industry resource, and networking practices.  An interactive group discussion will provide an opportunity for attendees to share best practices and great ideas.

Session Deliverables:

• Embracing new marketing strategies
• Creating new networking tactics
• Exploring new industry partnerships

Entertainment 2009: An Insider’s View to trends, tips and solutions - Presented by IACEP
Panel Discussion with Jeff Kalpak, Barkley Kalpak Associates; Danny Bergold, Empire Force Events;Craig Neier, Craig Neier Associates; Carmen Tomassetti, CTO World Entertainment Production 
Track: Intermediate/Advanced Level   Location:Financial One

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from IACEP members who are top industry insiders on how to make entertainment work for you, right now!  The panel will discuss how to apply global and business trends to your entrainment choices.  They will also provide tips on how to get the most out of your entertainment.  If you are budget conscious you might even learn what acts that you can book tomorrow!

Session Deliverables:

• How to get the most of your entertainment
• Tips on how to book the right entertainment for your event
• Economic Solutions. How to book acts that meet within your budget

London 2012 - The Greatest Event on Earth,
Robert Wright, Managing Director, Davies Tanner
Track: Intermediate   Location: Traders

This highly visual presentation outlines how London is working with the UK events community to ensure the industry both delivers a spectacular event, and creates its own legacy from the 2012 Olympic Games. The session focuses specifically on which PR techniques have been used and how the media have been engaged to provide City and Country wide support for the events industry.

Session Deliverables:

• How major events can benefit both the industry and individual event businesses
• How PR can be used to harness the media and add value to an event business or brand
• How the events industry can create its own unique major events proposition      

Designing WOW Events on a Budget
Gary Jones CSEP, Gary Jones Presents...
Track: Beginner/Intermediate   Location: Financial Two

Events can be so personal, which makes it hard to be budget friendly. Do you want to WOW your clients and their guests by putting together design elements within a tight budget? If you answered yes, then attend this session and learn fabulous tips and new events ideas that Gary uses to help his clients say WOW

Session Deliverables:

• You will obtain creative ideas to help sell to your clients who are on a budget in today’s economy
• You will learn the hottest design trends
• Learn how to infuse new life into those old props

Sunday, March 8th - 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Production Modes for Creative, Efficient Events in the New Economy
Guy Smith, Partner, Design One Corp; Christien Methot, Founder, Design One Corp
Track: Intermediate   Location: Financial Two

Two lighting design veterans in the event world explain how high-end events are created.  This session will cover "how" from conceptualizing, to organizing, and execution, while always aiming to maximize "bang for the buck".  This look at events and skills the event planner should develop also will review pitfalls and common mistakes planners make with venues, vendors, designers, and clients.  Group discussion, questions and answers will close the session.

Session Deliverables:

• Improved ability to engage in a productive dialogue with the lighting vendor.
• Information about technical skills and objectives required for a successful event in all environments.
• Eliminate mystery about how methods designers and producers.

The Art of Creating a Menu
Michael Wurster, ICON Restaurant at W New York
Track: Advanced Level   Location: Financial One

When a score is composed, it is either too fast or too slow and there becomes a change in melody that will excite and calm the senses as it progresses to its climax - the same applies for the food that sits right in front of you. When we start to create a menu, we use the five senses of taste - Umami, Salt, Sour, Bitter and Sweet - allocated on your palate with the Sweet and Salt located at the front of your tongue, the Bitter Sense towards the back, the Sour on the sides and the Umami in the center of your palate. In this session, you will learn how to create the perfect menu for your event using these senses along with the proper food textures and techniques.

Session Deliverables:

• Create a series of menu items based on textures, flavors and in season products
• Menu development and the importance of a fully developed dish
• Learn how to think about every element that makes up a finished dish

Show Me The Money! - Realistic budgets to basic Contracting
Phyl Monroe CMP, Senior Events Manager, Wolters Kluwer Corporate Legal Services
Track: Beginner     Location: Treasury

Creating a realistic budget that leads to a good contract can be a daunting process. Understanding what both sides need can reduce stress and provide ROI! In this session, we break down the process and show you how the pieces fit together.  You will see real examples of simple budgets and how minor manipulations can make drastic changes.  Then we will show you where to look in your contracts to make sure you are contracting what you budgeted. 

Session Deliverables:

• Create a simple budget
• Learn what questions a planner or supplier might ask before the contract phase
• Understand the components and terms of a contract

Business Basics… Starting and Running your own event or wedding planning business
Jill Moran CSEP, Owner/President, jsmoran Special Event Planning and Management
Track: Beginner / Intermediate     Location: Traders

Join Jill Moran, CSEP as she shares her knowledge of starting and running a successful event or wedding planning business. She will offer tips on finding your niche market, choosing smart ways to market your business, getting help when you need it, promoting your events creatively, setting up your business in a financial sound way and weathering changing economic conditions

Session Deliverables:

• Basics of starting and running a business including ideas on marketing, securing professional support and setting up an office/business without taking on undo financial risk
• Determine the challenges and solutions for finding clients and new business in a changing economic market
• Ideas on creating a business that set you out from your competition

Sunday, March 8th - 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Monday, March 9th - 9:00 am - 10:00 am

Automate Your Life for Success
Carmen Tomassetti, CEO, CTO Worldwide
Track: Beginner / Intermediate   Location:  Treasury

This session teaches individuals how to work smart rather than hard, using modern technology readily available to help people live more productive lives. Many people feel they don't have time to learn new technology and think they simply can't keep up with the rapid rate of change.  Packed with easy to understand tools that will dazzle the audience with "ah ha" moments, this session will leave them with a sense of empowerment and tools to make their lives more productive.

Session Deliverables:

• Introduce the concept of working smart vs. working hard
• Discuss what currently is done with information and introduce what can be done
• Demonstrate readily available technology an individual can implement easily

Essential Fundraising Event Tips that Transcend Troubled Times
Mary Fiore, President, Mary Fiore & Co.; Toby Boshak, Executive Director, Princess Grace Foundation; Pamela Mohr, Director of Distinguished Events, American Cancer Society; Stephanie Thomas, President, Susan Ulin Associates; Ny Whitaker, President, Ny Whitaker Inc
Track: Intermediate          Location: Financial One

This distinguished panel of the NY Metro area's leading fundraising event specialists, representing some of the most well-known and successful non-profit events in our area, will share their knowledge and expertise on making fund raising events work during troubled economic times.

Session Deliverables:

• Learn ways in which non-profit organizations are planning to reach their goals in 2009
• Learn time-tested fundraising practices to continue to follow to produce succesfull fundraisers now, and moving forward
• Give an overview of their signature events for their respective charities, and how they were impacted in 2008

What I Really Need to Know About Branding  - It's More Than Just a Logo!
Jim Moran, Managing Partner, CO-OP Branding; Paul Newman, Creative Director/Partner, CO-OP Branding
Track: Intermediate / Advanced   Location:  Financial Two

Explore a word often used but so often misunderstood.  Branding is not just your logo.  It's the ability to communicate a unique and compelling story about your business, your product or you.  Our talk is an engaging and interactive overview with practical everyday examples, audience participation and steps every attendee will need to know about their brand.

Session Deliverables:

• De-mystify the term branding and bring clarity to what it means to have a brand
• Present practical and fun applications of branding
• Present tools on how to evaluate your own brand

How to Green Your Business Operations While Helping Others
Lori Hill, President, lori hill event productions, inc.
Track:  Intermediate    Location: Traders

Nearly half the average US carbon dioxide emissions come from industry and business and up to 90% of what is thrown away could be reclaimed, reused or recycled. Learn how to conduct business operations that protect the Earth and save money.  We'll discuss the basic tenets of the green business movement and the importance of sustainability, social justice and buying local.  Learn strategies for becoming a green business and how to market your company as a green entity.    

Session Deliverables:

• Gain perspective on why we all need to green our business operations and understand the concept of people, planet, and profit
• Learn specific methods for greening business operations
• Find out about organizations to join to (a) network with other green businesses and (b) learn more about going green and (c) market your company as a green business

Monday, March 9th - 10:15 am - 12:15 pm

General Session Keynote - State of the Industry
Moderated by David Carey, Group President, Conde Nast; Panelist include: Margaret Pederson, Amirex, Chairman of the International Association of Exhibits and Events; Joel Dolci, Dolci Management and More, CEO New York Society of Association Executives; Kathleen DeLuca, CMP, CSEP, Events Plus, Inc., Preseident -Elect International Special Events Society.
Location:  Ballroom, 3rd Floor, Main Stage

The special events industry has evolved exponentially since ISES was first founded in 1987.  Our struggles to gain recognition and credibility as professionals have been compounded by challenges faced in the last several years, including most recently the startling state of the global economy.  These challenges have had a direct impact on the success of events and those individuals and companies associated with the production of events.  

This keynote panel discussion will focus on the future and what we can, together as an industry, do to successfully overcome these challenges.  Have we seen signs of economic recovery yet?  And if so, how do we, as an industry, capitalize on those signs?  Are we doing enough as an industry to implement metrics that measure Return on Investment and thus justify the role of events in business success?  How can Suppliers and Planners better work together to convey the message to clients that there is value in investing in quality management and production?  What long term relevance do trends such as “going green,” corporate social responsibility and virtual meetings have for events?  And what role can professional associations play in the advancement of the special events industry as a whole?  More so now than ever, it is essential that we come together as an industry to evaluate not only the current state of the industry but strategically discuss the next steps of our evolution as an industry.

SKILL LEVELS

The following skill level ratings may assist you in deciding which sessions are the best fit for your individual needs:
• Basic
• Intermediate
• Advanced