Meeting Information

Quick Nav

Meeting/Event Information

The Pivot Panel

April 13, 2021 | 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Add to Calendar

Denver Botanic Gardens : Mitchell Hall | 909 York Street
Denver, CO 80206
Venue Website
Directions

NACE Denver presents a panel of local event industry business owners!

Join us on April 13th for a catered lunch and with this one-of-a-kind panel to learn and discuss where we've been, where we're headed, and where we're going. Our panelists include a Wedding Planner, Venue, Catering, & Event Vendor and Producer.

With special guest and moderator, Maggie Glass with Aren't We Lucky Consulting

Tickets
Member - In Person : $30
Guest - In Person : $35
Member - Virtual : $15
Guest - Virtual : $20

Moderator : Maggie Glass, Aren't We lucky Consulting

I've always loved putting on a show.

When I was little, you’d find me starting clubs and ‘businesses’ to entertain my family and neighbors. I attended the University of Denver and received my degree in Theatre Arts.

In between starting a family, I worked for the Denver Center of Performing Arts, Central City Opera, and the historic Brown Palace Hotel and some of Denver’s most sought-after venues. I realized how much I loved hosting events – it was just like putting on a play: the in-the-moment, living, intoxicating…

I parlayed that experience into Venue General Manager positions, and since then I’ve been opening & managing various venues in the Denver market, including the Highlands Ranch Mansion, the Lakehouse at Cherry Creek, the Falls Event Center, Parkside Mansion, Realm Denver, and more.

I started receiving inquiries to help other venues, and realized my true passion: private event venue consulting & management. And that’s how Aren’t We Lucky Consulting was born. We specialize in helping venues just like yours in building short-term and long-term plans to generate and sustain profitability. I love to dig in, get excited about the brand, build pricing, build budgets, build operations plans, audit staffing plans, generate marketing/sales plans, and more. I love the small details, the big picture, and everything in between!

The very best part, for me, is the time I get to spend with my family. As a consultant, I can lend my time to these venues I am passionate about and still have time to turn up the volume, grab some glow sticks, and cut a rug hosting living-room raves with my husband and three sons. It’s truly the best of both worlds – aren’t we lucky?!

OUR PANEL

Aimee Palifroni, CPCE

Co-Owner and COO, Even Better INC.

Aimee's Bio:

Prisma Events was created in 2009 from a place of love, passion, and a little bit of crazy. Owner Aimee Palifroni has been in the hospitality industry for over 20 years and has curated hundreds of weddings. In the midst of a pandemic and a desire to keep the dreams alive, Prisma Events and Sweetly Paired came up with a master plan to survive and these two powerhouse teams joined forces to launch Even Better INC in 2020. Their team is small so that they can provide focused, personal attention to each of their clients. With a background ranging from hotels, restaurants, catering, and venues, Aimee's brimming with experience and her "addiction to hospitality" shines bright through each of her events.

Aimee has been in Colorado since 1989. She met her husband here and both her kids are now natives. She grew up fascinated by watching her mother throw lavish dinner parties and over time, realized she had learned an important skill - hospitality. While her dad kept waiting for her to get a "real job", sheI kept finding herself being pulled to working in restaurants which led to venues and then to hotels and eventually to realize her calling as an event planner. Now she's got the best of both worlds and she can satisfy her need for organization, passion for planning, desire to be creative, oh and she gets to be the boss. She has been a member of NACE Denver since just about its inception and currently serves as the Vice President of Programs. Aimee recently earned her CPCE through NACE National and is proud to show off her new designation.

What you'll get to experience is a bubbly mom of 2 (who will remind you to drink water), a little sarcasm (ok, sometimes a lot), and bouts of very loud laughing (some think it's one of her best qualities). She'll offer you wine or a beer when you meet and probably reference her husband at least once, and make sure you know how truly excited she is that you get to work together. She absolutely loves that this is her job even though it never feels like "work" and she'd be nothing without the stellar teams of event professionals that she lovingly calls her "friendors". Aimee offers an honest approach to wedding planning with a side of "we're definitely going to be friends when this is over".

Jeff Libby

Owner/Product Specialist,

MiHi Entertainment

Jeff's Bio:

MiHi Entertainment started as a photo booth company in 2015, but over the years we've added products and services based on the feedback of our clients. At this time, MiHi has expanded into photo/video activations, virtual live streaming for weddings, conferences, and meetings, virtual reality, and even virtual event planning and production.

Karen Tucker, CPCE

Owner/Business Development, Relish Catering and Events

Karen's Bio:

Karen Tucker, CPCE has been in the catering and hospitality industry for over 20 years. Karen along with her husband, Brett, are the owners of Relish Catering & Events. In addition to owning Relish Catering & Events, Karen currently serves as Secretary on the NACE National Board.

Prior to moving to Colorado in 2015, Karen was born and raised in Dallas, Texas then moved to Austin to attend the University of Texas where she started her career in hospitality. Working with full event production companies, country clubs, and caterers she grew a vast knowledge of the events industry and found her true passion in the food and beverage sector of the industry. Through years of hard work and determination, Karen grew as a leader of her team, continued to learn from her peers and mentors, and now loves the opportunity to share her knowledge with others.

Karen & Brett live in Lakewood, CO with their sons Gannon and Andrew that are both juniors in high school, and Will, their oldest when he is home from college. When Karen is not working or attending events you can find her cheering on Gannon and the Lakewood Tigers football team, traveling to discover new places (as well as some old favorites), and enjoying time with her friends patio sitting, usually with a glass of wine and some cheese.

Stephanie (Walter) Helzer

Event Specialist at Ironworks

Stephanie's Bio:

Stephanie Helzer is the Director of Sales and Marketing at Mile High Station and Ironworks, both historic event venues in the heart of Denver, CO. She loves helping people see their visions for their event come to life, creating marketing campaigns, and the challenge of sales. She has spent the majority of her career in sales in various industries. Gaining experiences in areas such as; medical devices, alcohol beverage industry, and the hospitality industry. While sales and marketing are her primary job functions by day, Stephanie also enjoys camping and spending time with her family.