Blog

Hello ISES Dallas!

Wow, spring has sprung, and we have a lot going for sure.
This month we have a great program on the Reality of Being a Reality Star. So
many of us have been involved in both good and bad portrayals of our industry
on reality television, and we want to explore how the industry is working
together to create and maintain our standards, while having some fun with the
camera. We have brought together the professionals who have experienced it
first hand, and boy do they have some great stories to tell. To top it all off,
we have Actress and Reality Television star LeeAnne Locken of She’s Got The
Look, Big Rich Texas and most recently on ABC’ s new hit GCB, moderating and
adding her special sense of humor on the subject.

We will also be talking to everyone about becoming part of a
committee. There are so many to choose from, and can fit your time schedule and
volunteer time. If you want to plan an ISES event, write for the newsletter,
work on the website, help find new member opportunities – we want you! Come help
us grow and evolve with the industry. We cannot do it without you!

Have a great month and see you Monday at ISES Presents: The
Reality of Reality TV and Our Industry!

Warm Regards,
Marla L. Watson CSEP, CTA
President, ISES Dallas Chapter

Ever wonder what goes on the three days prior to the start
of The Special Event or EventWorld? Well I’m about to give you a little insight.

Every January prior to the start of The Special Event, ISES
holds its Bi-Annual Leadership Meetings. The first day is considered ISES
International Board Day, where the International Officers and the Board of Governors
hold one of their four in-face board meetings. The second day is the ISES
International Committee Day, where each of the International Committees meets
to discuss what they have accomplished in the last six months and to look ahead
at the next six months. The third day I consider to be the most important for
our chapter. Why? This day is the ISES Chapter Leadership Day.

On this day, Chapter Boards, along with the International
Board of Governors (BOG), Regional Vice-Presidents (RVP) and ISES Headquarters Staff
meet to discuss different ways to help make each chapter run to its fullest
potential. The morning started with a welcome from Terry Singleton, CSEP who
introduced us to our guest speaker for the morning, Holly Duckworth. Holly’s
topic was “Speed Leadership” and spoke on how we can recruit and retain not
only our board members but our regular members as well and how to keep them
engaged in this hurried, fast-paced world we live in. After this session, we
started dividing up into groups. The current Presidents and President-Elects
went in one room while all other board members went in another. I sat in the
room with all board members where Tom McCurrie and Meghan Miller, both with
ISES Headquarters, went into more detail on the affinity programs which ISES
offers to its members, and many other ISES resources.
During lunch you had the opportunity to attend a session on
the Spirit of Excellence Awards (SOE) or just enjoy some networking. The
afternoon sessions are, in my opinion, the meat of the ISES Chapter Leaders
Day. During these sessions, everyone is separated and attends their Position
Specific Roundtables (communication, membership, and programs/education) prior
to the Regional Breakouts. The roundtables are open to all chapter leaders, not
just the VP’s, and is where everyone shares best practices and get advice on any
opportunities they might have. They also learn what the International Committee
is working on for the remainder of the year for that particular committee. In
the Regional Breakouts, each chapter talks about its accomplishments and some
of its challenges. As RVP I had the honor of leading the Southeast Regional
Breakout. After the Regional Breakouts, we all attend the ISES Leaders Update.
At this update, each of the International Committee Chairs gets up and talks
about what that committee has been working on and what they are continuing to
work on over the next six months. When I spoke about the Southeast Region, I stated
that Dallas was looking forward to having everyone come this August as we host ISES Eventworld.
I also had to honor of announcing that the Southeast Region had a new chapter –
ISES Coastal South Carolina.

The very last thing for the day is the ISES Leadership
Reception. Here at the Leadership Reception you will meet many of the past ISES
leaders. During the Leadership Reception ISES Headquarters recognizes all
members who have been members of ISES for 10-20+ years. Several of our own ISES
Dallas members received their 10+ year pin. See if you can spot them at the
next ISES Presents Educational Program.

As you can see, your ISES Dallas Chapter leaders attend
these meetings so they can learn new ways to help our chapter strive for
excellence and offer help to other chapters so they can strive as well. Do you
have or know someone else who has what it takes to serve on the local ISES
Dallas Board? If so, then be on the lookout for the Call for Nominations coming
out soon.

Raye-Dawn Acheson

Each year that I attend the ISES Leadership meetings I have a
whole list of objectives to accomplish!
As time has passed and my involvement on an International level has
increased, I find that those objectives are not only even more important to me
than ever before but to a point they are part of my duty as a member of the
International Board of Governors.  I
strive to network with as many members as possible, set an example for others
by attending as many leadership and educational sessions as I can and always
agree to help assist or facilitate a session in any way that I can.

I cannot begin to describe to you the feeling of sitting in a
board of governors meeting, surrounded by many of my friends that I have known
for most, if not all of my ISES career.
As an entity of one, we discuss not only the day to day needs of our
association but also the future of our association.  To have a voice among these people that share
the same passion for ISES is amazing.  We
share our ideas and our thoughts, and we challenge each other to consider both
sides of an issue in order to come up with a common voice that meets our goals.

At this stage of my career, it is even more important for me to
give back to an industry that has given me so much.  By means of accomplishing this, I am always
willing to serve in any capacity that I can with ISES.  The Leadership meetings are very critical for
the chapter leadership to take a “pulse” on where they are half way through
their year.  It is meant to inspire you,
to energize you and to keep you or set you back on track.  It gives our leaders the opportunity to make
adjustments that will make them better leaders and therefore make their chapter
a stronger chapter.  As a group, you can
discuss best practices and share ideas for programs and events that have been
successful and those that have been not so successful.  You have the opportunity to bond with other
leaders that are going through the same challenges and opportunities that you
are and once you share that bond, those people become life-long friends.  Those people are the ones that you long to
see every time you return to ISES Leadership or to ISES Eventworld.  These bonds of shared friendship never break
and therefore will always be there when you need it!  This is the International Special Event
Society!

Terry Shields, C.S.E.P.
Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek.

We all know that the recent economic decline had a powerful impact on 2011 weddings and the trend of understated weddings are continuing into 2012.

In 2012, Brides are bringing the focus back to their personalities and embracing an intimate feel by limiting their guest list to close friends and family and staying close to the following trends:

Going Green
A Bride’s creativity can shine through repurposing items for centerpieces, using local flowers for arrangements or produce for catering or simply delivering unique video Save the Dates online. Even small touches like donating to a favorite charity in lieu of favors or registering for eco-friendly honeymoons can allow a couple to embrace the Green trend without having to hug a tree.

Vintage Theme
Coupling with the Going Green trend, Brides are showing their something old by bringing back old-Hollywood style and touches from the 60s, 70s and 80s.
Brides will want to hit the thrift and antique stores to give an “aged” feel to their furniture and décor. They will also recreate family traditions or incorporate old family wedding photos into their reception decorations.

Think Outside the Church
To increase the uniqueness of their nuptials, the Bride and Groom are moving out of the traditional setting for their ceremony and reception. A museum, park or warehouse not only expresses the individuality of the couple, it also reduces decorating costs by taking advantage of the surroundings and ambiance of the space.
Trends are ever-changing, but one remains the same – the wedding should focus on the individual interests of the Bride and Groom, after all that is what it is all about.

Hello Dear Members,

I hope you are well and enjoying this holiday season. I cannot believe that December is already here. Next thing you know, it will be summer again!

We are extremely excited about the upcoming December Happy Hour & Membership Drive at the old Downtown Post Office. Our own VP of Membership Damany Daniel, and his team of merry elves have planned a lovely holiday soiree that will not only be the Happy Hour of the month, but will benefit Toys For Tots. The Membership Drive goes all thru the month of December, and details can be found on the website. We look forward to meeting all of our new friends and spending time with the old and dear!

The Education Committee is working hard on some amazing programs for next year. Our “Technovation” series will continue as we explore how to take the event industry to the next level and beyond. It is so much fun watching everyone learn, and grow as event techies! 

How exciting that we continue to “Come Together” in so many ways! Remember, we want to make ISES Dallas not only educational, but to really help you and your company expand your horizons.

Thank you again for being a part of ISES Dallas Chapter. It is our honor to work for you, and your company. If you or someone on your team wants to be a part of a committee, task force or just to volunteer – please let us know. You, our members, are our most important concern and we want to be there for you every step of your journey.

I hope your holiday season is Bright, Profitable and above all else – Happy! Have a great month.

Warm Regards,

Marla Watson, CSEP, CTA


PeaPod Group, LLC


ISES Dallas Chapter President

What happens when you mix pyro, live music and event industry professionals?  A Super Bowl of fun and excitement hosted by our friends at NACE. ISES Dallas members donned our jerseys and team spirit and supported NACE at its Big Event at Cowboys Stadium!  But don’t take our word for it…take a look through the lens of Don Mamone Photography who captured the true spirit of this amazing event!  Cowboy hats off to NACE, Dallas Cowboys Stadium and NACE partners/sponsors for an amazing industry event!  Thanks, NACE!

It’s been a great year so far in ISES and we’re already off to an amazing start.  Eventworld is behind us and as I’m sure you already know, we’re bringing it to Dallas next year!  As your board , you should know that we’ve got some amazing things in store for you all and are looking forward to making this year the best ISES Dallas has ever had!  Speaking of “best years,” your membership committee is really excited about some of the things we have coming up and I wanted to take a moment and fill you in so you can get as excited as we are…well, almost as excited anyway.

 As a committee, we’ve decided that this year is going to be all about “engagement.”  We know that several of you have been members for years and this year we want to help you get the most out of your membership.  One of the first things you’ll see will be a survey so we can get to know you better.  Don’t worry we’re not going to get all intrusive and ask you about your pets, it will just be a bunch of basic questions so we can have a sense for who the awesome people are that make up our chapter.   We’ll be working with the communications and programs committees to get this out to you soon.  We’ll also be hosting semi regular “ISES Field Trips” which will be super informal get-togethers for ISES members.  These won’t be official ISES meetings at all, but an opportunity to hang out with each other while experiencing all the great things that DFW has to offer.

 In addition, we’ll be launching some new things to help you get to know each other better and to enable our student members to learn more from you.  First up will be the ISES Ambassador’s program where students will connect new members with those of us who have been around for a while.  We’ll also be looking to you to help our students by providing guidance through our soon to be started mentoring program and are going to connect with more students by going out to schools around DFW to talk with them about ISES and how to get involved in the industry and then providing them with scholarships to take care of their ISES membership. 

 As you can see, we have a lot planned for this year and are really excited to be serving you as your membership committee.  We want this to be a place where you not only get great programming and learn how to be the best event professionals possible, but also create some great relationships and amazing friendships with the people that make up our phenomenal chapter.  If there’s ever anything we can do for you, or any suggestions you have for how to serve you better, please don’t hesitate to contact us and let us know at membership@isesdallas.com.  Here’s to a great year as we “come together” as a chapter and take ISES Dallas to the next level. 

 J. Damany Daniel

VP Membership 2011/2012

Hello Dear Members!
I hope you are well and enjoying the end of the Summer. It’s still hot, but you can almost feel Fall in the air! Many of your fellow members have just returned from EventWorld 2011 in St. Louis. It was a great week of education, networking and build relationships with folks from all over the world.
ISES Dallas Chapter was on the brain as it was announced that the EventWorld 2012 would be held in Big D! ISES was started right here in Dallas 25 years ago, and so where better to host the 25th Anniversary. The Dallas Fort Worth Metorplex will be host to hundreds of event professionals from around the world. As the committee starts to work on the project, we know many of you will be called on to help make this amazing event even more special. Because we all know Big D knows how to throw a party – RockSTAR style!
Our Chapter was also honored with an Honorable Mention from the Spirit of Excellence Committee for Excellence in Communications. Congratulations to Ashley Holder, our past Vice President of Communications, and her committee for all their hard work last year!
The week is never complete without the amazing ESPRIT Awards program. Several of your fellow Dallas members were nominated for awards, and many came home with the awards!
Congratulations to our members & their categories!
Best Event for a Non-Profit Organization ($75,000 – $200,000)

DCHC 10th Anniversary Donor Dinner
Brian Acheson, CSEP
The Special Event Company
www.specialeventco.com
Best Social Event (non-wedding) (Over $75,000)

Beach Party Birthday Bash
James Monroe, CSEP, CMP
Jayna Monroe, CSEP
J MONROE DESIGNS
www.jcmonroe.com
AND
Carol Marks
Carol Marks Music, Inc.
www.carolmarksmusic.com
Best Entertainment Production ($25,000 – $75,000)

ArtPrize 2010
Debbie Meyers, CSEP
BRAVO! Productions Entertainment, Inc.
www.bravoentertainment.com
AND
Alexandra Sliva
New Century Dance Company
www.newcenturydancecompany.com
Best ISES Team Effort (Under $75,000)
Wine Pairing Dinner

Brian Acheson, CSEP
The Special Event Company
www.specialeventco.com

We also want to send out a HUGE Congratulations to our friends at DFW NACE. They really took home the gold this year winning almost every award at the National Convention! We are so proud of Dana Carroll, CWC and her entire board for an amazing showing for the Dallas Industry! You guys Rock!
DFW NACE took home:
Community Service Project of the Year

Educational Program of the Year for
“Sauces: Things that make you go Yum!”

Program of the Year for Cocktail Pairing

And the most exciting award of the night…

2010 CHAPTER OF THE YEAR!
Angie Bricker, Immediate Past President, was awarded the 2010 Caterer of the Year Award and Wendy B. Timson, CPCE CMP of Wolfgang Puck Catering was awarded Best Off-Premise Event $25,000 – $75,000!

We are so excited for all the winners and nominees and look forward to seeing what you have planned for this year. Well that’s all for this month, but thank you for your support of ISES. If there is anything your board can do for you, please let us know!
Warmly,
Marla L. Watson, CSEP
ISES Dallas Chapter President 2011-2012

ISES Power Lunch

Make It or Break It Communication

July 27, 2011

Recap by Melanie Goodwin, CMP, DMCP

Proper communication is essential for any business or professional. The right messages can make your business flourish, and the wrong ones can spell disaster for your image. Last Wednesday Beth Landsberg of Red Strategies discussed the potential pitfalls and benefits of communication – especially via social media and email. Using real examples from her own experience as well as the audience members’ experiences we explored the damage that can be done if you don’t have a communication plan and remain aware of the messaging  surrounding your brand.

Some of the points she emphasized included:

When in Doubt – Don’t: Don’t post it, e-mail it or say it if you think it could be construed negatively or be misunderstood.

Keep It Positive: If your messaging is negative, people will associate you and your with negativity.

Don’t Be Overly Casual: Even if the person you are communicating with has a very casual style and tone in their speech or typing don’t “sink to their level”. Always err on the side of caution and be a little more formal than they are. They may be “testing” you to see if you will throw professionalism aside, and if you do you will fail the test!

Deleting Won’t Save You: Anything you put on the web STAYS on the web. Nothing you post on social media sites or send in an email is ever truly erased, even if you delete it immediately. It lives on a server somewhere in cyberspace and can legally be retrieved by the courts up to seven years after being posted.

Thank you to everyone who attended the Power Lunch and to our wonderful sponsors: Creative Cuisine, Mallouf Photography, Red Strategies and Scottish Rite Cathedral.

ISES Industry Olympics

This spring the Dallas Chapter hosted its 6^th Annual Industry Olympix.

The Industry Olympics is an annual event which brings local hospitality industry organizations together for an evening of fun and competition.  Each organization has a team and they battle the other organizations for the championship title.

We decided the Dallas Zoo would be a perfect place to host the event and themed everything around it – from the décor to the team challenges. Teams paid a nominal fee to register and select a mascot from a list of zoo animals. Their registration fee was donated to the zoo in order to sponsor their mascot animal. Teams really got into the spirit of things and many wore costumes based on their mascots.

Environmentally friendly, upscale safari décor adorned the open air pavilion. A mixture of animal print and burlap linens added color and texture to the room. In order to keep the animal prints from overpowering the look they were paired with neutral khaki and brown linens which balanced the look. Reusable potted plants and lanterns served as “green” centerpieces which can, and have been reused multiple times. Bamboo table runners and leather lounge seating completed the look and added more neutral touches of brown and white. Finally, animal themed statues and plush toys brought a bit of whimsy to the space.

The competition was an “Amazing Race” style challenge consisting of multiple clues, riddles and challenges which led teams on a quest all over the zoo! Each challenge was animal themed and tied into its surroundings. This format allowed guests to see most of the zoo and get up close with some of its furry, feathery and scaly residents.

Guests who weren’t assigned to a team were able to follow the competition, explore the zoo at their leisure or play carnival games at the pavilion such as “whack-a-mole”. Our very own “ostrich jockey” posed with guests for humorous pictures!

This year’s event was a huge success. Thank you to all who attended and to our generous sponsors: Astounding Sounds, Amusement Masters, Cloth Connection, Dallas Zoo, iEntertainment, K&S Photography, LiveWire, Significant Events of Texas, and Ultimate Ventures.

If you would like to participate in next year’s event then sign up for our newsletter and we’ll notify you when it’s time to register!

It’s been a week since the annual ISES Dallas board retreat out at The Leaning Star Event Ranch, and we are still reeling from the energy in the group and the great ideas that literally flew across the boardroom tables.  And as if we didn’t work hard enough in the boardroom, we talked about the new year in the pool, at dinner, at breakfast and even while we fed the amazing longhorns.

We have prepared a very exciting slate of activities, initiatives and improvements for the chapter that will bring added benefit to our members like never before. We can’t wait to implement all of our exciting ideas.