Recipient of ISES DC scholarship

The Special Event – New Orleans, LA – January 11-15, 2010

Sir Andrew Larris – Andy Kushner Entertainment, Inc.

I was fortunate enough to receive the ISES DC scholarship to attend The
Special Event this year in New Orleans. I was able to experience the
leadership conference, educational seminars, and networking events. In all
honesty, if it weren’t for this scholarship that was so generously granted
by ISES DC, I would not have been able to attend this conference. It was an
invaluable experience and I am so appreciative that I was able to
participate.

Monday began with the Leadership Conference on Monday, where everyone who is
on his or her chapter’s respective Board of Directors was invited. We
discussed the state of the industry as a whole and within our individual
regions, and I have to say that the state of the DC Chapter is fantastic.
Here in the Greater Washington DC area we put on some of the best events
anywhere and we certainly have the strongest chapter in the world!

Tuesday through Friday featured educational seminars and panels with topics
ranging from successful social media marketing to trends in the events
industry inspired by Hollywood to a panel of 130 years of experience in the
special events world. Four of the ISES DC members were presenters with Andy
Kushner, Mike Ostrow, Karen Bridges and Janet Flowers leading panels and
seminars. The evenings were full of great networking events from a party at
Mardi Gras World where all of the floats for the Mardi Gras parade are made
and held to an event at Pat O’Brien’s on Bourbon Street sponsored by the
Orlando chapter of ISES. Thursday night featured a fundraiser for The SEARCH
Foundation, which was produced by Sasha Souza. Between the tickets sales, on
site donations, a silent auction, and a “create your own cologne or perfume”
bar we raised a total of more than $112,000!!

The week ended on Friday with the annual Awards Gala. There were quite a few
representatives from the DC chapter who were nominated for awards. Nominees
included Patti Weiner and Taylor Strimple of Plan-It Parties, Cara Weiss of
Save the Date, and Julie Shanklin of Syzygy Event Productions. The winners
from ISES DC were Janet Flowers of Janet Flowers Wedding & Event Designs,
Alysha DiGiorgio and Vincent DiGiorgio of Digital Lightning, and Kelley
Gillespie of GEM Events. Congratulations to the DC Chapter for having 6
finalists and 3 winners in these international awards!!

I would highly recommend that everyone apply for these scholarships as they
are offered. Attending conferences like EventWorld and The Special Event are
chances to network, learn, and create relationships with the best event
professionals in the world. With EventWorld taking place in Baltimore this
August, it would be a mistake to not take advantage of this opportunity. See
you all at the Marriott Waterfront August 5-7!!