Ahhh, enjoying the long warm summer days with 50 - 60 degrees....uh what happened in July? Thank God we get to enjoy some warmer August weather before welcoming the fall colors. Can you believe...it was just one short year ago that we were cheering on the 2008 Olympics?  And...mostly we were all scrambling to welcome the DNC into our fabulous city of Denver.  My how much can "change" in a year!

  Several of us just returned from Charlotte, NC, attending the annual NACE Experience! conference. We have lots to share - but let me direct you to the NACE national website for the all new NACE TV at www.nace.net. Check it out for yourselves and see what we experienced!

Our next team building and networking event is just around the corner at The Curtis Hotel. We have had record breaking attendance (90-130) at our past few events!  It promises to be a lot of fun and I hope to see you there in September.  You can pre-registered now at www.nacedenver.com.

I want to encourage all of you to get involved in your Denver NACE Chapter for 2010, and consider running for a Board Officer, perhaps raise your hand and become a Director or join a Committee.  We need your enthusiasm, so just don't sit there...GET INVOLVED!

See you soon!

Monica

Everything you wanted to know, but... 

Captured by Kevin Becker, Allee Photography

Our Monthly Networking Luncheon & Program for July was held at the Oxford Hotel and catered by McCormicks. The event was spectacularly well-attended; those that arrived at the start time of 11:00 a.m. felt like latecomers, and could find their way by the buzz of voices down the hallway in the direction of the Grand Ballroom. Networking was already well underway!

The catering was fabulous. The salad course consisted of hearts of romaine and marinated cucumbers with sliced button mushrooms, Roma tomatoes and herb white balsamic vinaigrette. Even the diehards in the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association couldn’t have resisted the entrée, a toasted hazelnut-crusted mahi-mahi with garden vegetables, finished with a mango miso broth. Finally McCormick’s sealed our culinary love affair with a fresh fruit and pastry cream tartlet, and coffee for those in the mood.

Our program began with the ever-effervescent Sidney Stoper introducing our emcee for the panel discussion: Rachel Benedick, vice president of sales and services for Visit Denver (aka The Convention & Visitors Bureau). As the person who brought the Democratic National Convention to Denver, Rachel was well chosen to introduce our panelists (all experts in their field) and to moderate our panel discussion.

Our panelists included Julie Abels, senior director of conferences for the Leadership and Learning Center; John Kerns, events manager for the Downtown Denver Partnership; event planners Lisa Cook and Leslie Williams, co-owners of Affair with Flair; and event planner CC Dick, co-owner (with Paige Goodson) of the Colorado Wedding Company.

The discussion covered topics ranging from the current pace of bookings this year and outlook for the future, to how to handle cancellations and be creative in the face of customer demands for discounts. While most planners and venues are reporting somewhat lower event levels than last year, there seems to be a tendency to book later and negotiate more. The general economic situation can open the door to requests for discounts that would be unexpected in a more robust economic environment. Lisa mentioned certain creative alternatives in her own events, like suggesting the limited use of floral arrangements and using food as a centerpiece. Rather than discounting, Leslie offers up complimentary services and maintains her prices. The question of discounting is a sensitive one for sure, and Rachel freely admitted that Visit Denver is actively offering discounts to lure convention business in an increasingly competitive environment. Rachel asked panelists about the top factors and priorities that influence event planning professionals. Topping the list was timely response, and the importance of realizing that our own performance and representation to our clients was only as good as the poorest link in our professional chain. Timely proposals to clients require timely feedback and information from industry colleagues, and it’s not just losing an event that a caterer (or a florist, or a venue, or a photographer) is risking if they fail to respond; it’s the trust and credibility that they need to maintain their relationship with the event planner. Julie shared a great personal story that emphasized the need to be “properly represented” which could only be properly appreciated if you were there (a good reason to be sure to attend our monthly functions). In response to the question of whether phone or email contact was preferable, the panelists’ general consensus was email, with occasional exceptions.

An audience member asked for examples of how venues or companies had gone above and beyond to keep their planners loyal. Again, timeliness was a big issue, but on occasion there were often specific demands that might fall outside the purview of a venue; CC mentioned a client request for extra valet parking staff to be on duty at specific times, something that hotel management often has little control over, but something that might be a make-it-or-break-it issue with a customer.

Our panel discussion went overtime and it was clear there were some unanswered questions in the audience, but the overall message was loud and clear: when times are tough, listen to your customer, be creative, discount if you have to, but above all, make sure your service quality is exceptional.

August 27th is the deadline to submit your "Intent to Run" form for our upcoming election. Contact any of the following NACE members for assistance or Q & A: Lindsey Brown at 303.228.8131 / lindsey.brown@centerplate.com or Adriane Hodder at 303.913.7294 / adriane@starprousa.com or Tamara Wilkinson at 800.640.0279 / tamara@linenhero.com.

Just a reminder to RSVP for our next upcoming event on Thursday, Sept. 10 at The Curtis Hotel.  Go to our website for more information and to RSVP online.

A warm welcome to our newest members...

Aimee	Ankenbauer	Hilton Garden Inn Denver Tech Center
Tabitha	Hernandez	Emily Griffith Opportunity School (Student)
Mark	Paquette	Events Unwrapped

Meet Kevin and Betty Kay Becker!

Allée Photography is the husband and wife team of Kevin and Betty Kay Becker. Kevin and Betty Kay were both born and raised in Pueblo and graduated from the University of Southern Colorado (now CSU Pueblo). Kevin started early in the hospitality industry, working just about every position imaginable during high school and college in the family-owned Best Western Town House. He put aside an early passion for photography to pursue masters degrees in business and international management, followed later by a 25-year career in international finance that took them to North Carolina, Florida, Germany and The Netherlands. They returned to southern Colorado five years ago to care for aging mothers and turn their passion for photography and art into a full-time business.

With the business based in Denver, and Kevin and Betty Kay resident in southern Colorado, their business keeps them constantly on the road. Weddings make up most of the photography business, and a policy of "no travel charges in Colorado" has allowed them to shoot in a wide variety of venues, primarily in Denver, Colorado Springs and the mountains.

Allée Photography is a member of the Professional Photographers of America (PPA), and Kevin is one of just 37 photographers in the state to carry the CPP credential, as a Certified Professional Photographer approved by the board of the PPA. They are also members of WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International), the DWF (Digital Wedding Forum), and the BBB (Better Business Bureau). In addition to the being among the newest members of NACE, Kevin and Betty Kay are members of the Southern Colorado chapter of HSMAI, (Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International) and ISES (International Special Event Society). Volunteer work is important to them; they are active supporters of the Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep Foundation, which provides professional, cost-free, hospital-based bereavement photography for families suffering the loss of a child, and have done over a dozen sessions in hospitals in Colorado Springs and Pueblo over the past year. Kevin is the one of 20 certified trainers for Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep, which now has over 6,000 members, and has conducted training sessions for professional photographers across the nation.

When it comes to their wedding business their philosophy is simple: provide the best experience and product possible. Allée Photography does only one wedding per weekend and always attends the rehearsal. Knowing the wedding party and family ahead of time, and by name, makes everyone feel comfortable and helps the wedding day go more smoothly. Their goal is to know couples as people first and clients second. Their style is fashion-oriented yet journalistic (a blend they have aptly coined "Fashion Journalism") and they were pleased to learn that one of their images will grace the cover of Wedding Sites and Services magazine for three months beginning October 2009. A newly upgraded artbook collection offers the finest quality albums and artbooks available from manufacturers in the US and Europe.

Kevin and Betty Kay are excited to be members of NACE and look forward to the opportunity to participate in education and programs over the coming year.

The Denver Chapter of NACE is the talk of the town and we have grown to a fabulous membership base in our first year as a recognized chapter.  Most of the current Board and Committee members have been hard at work laying the foundation for the past 2+ years with successful and dynamic monthly events, and cultivating a diverse catering association. Our 2010 Board Elections are just around the corner and we are now soliciting nominations from all members to get involved in the future of your Denver NACE Chapter!  Many of you have the desire to get involved, now is your opportunity. Interested in becoming a Board Officer, Director or participating on a committee? Nominations are now being accepted for all positions, with the elections taking place in September and October.

Classified Ad

Just one year old, growing organization looking for leadership and participation in diverse field of catering and event suppliers on all levels. NACE is looking for a few good people with the following qualifications: creative, over-achiever, master of time management, Get’er Dun initiative, team leader, motivator, life of the party, loves to collaborate and network.  If you think you have some of these qualities, then get involved by becoming a committee chair or joining the 2010 Denver NACE Board

Have questions…need more info? Please contact any of the Nominating Committee members:

Lindsey Brown @ lindsey.brown@centerplate.com

Adriane Hodder @ adriane@starprousa.com

Tamara Wilkinson @ tamara@linenhero.com

Monica Cheeks @ monica.cheeks@hyatt.com

Mari Bradley @ mbradley@ucar.com