NACE Tabletop WOW is scheduled for April 15, 2009 at The Westin Book Cadillac Hotel in Detroit , MI.

For those not familiar with this design competition, Detroit NACE members join to create teams building a table vignette showcasing design excellence, trends and their take on overall presentation. We look forward to your inspiration in creating a dream event for weddings, showers, bat/bar mitzvahs or whatever your creative mind wants to bring to the table!

NACE Tabletop WOW

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

The Westin Book Cadillac Hotel

6 PM – 9 PM

Heavy Hors d’ Oeuvres, Cash Bar, & Complimentary Signature Drink

NACE Members: $30, Non-Members $40

Register online at www.detroitnace.net

After April 13^th and at the door $5 late fee will be added!

Enter your design inspirations by April 10, 2009 

How to enter:

Any Detroit NACE member in good standing can be the lead designer of a table vignette. The lead designer can recruit anyone (NACE and non-NACE members) to join their team and create their tabletop design. You must enter by April 10, 2009! NACE members can be a part of many entries – and also submit more than one entry! (Given space is available)

1. Email Lindsay Simms at Lindsay.Simms@gmail.com before April 10, 2009
2. Include the lead designer’s name, company and any team members names
3. Give your table design a name. Please do not include any information in the title that may identify the design team members or lead designer! Judging is anonymous!

Rules of entry:

• Each entry will receive one 60” round table – or you may choose to bring your own
• Your entire design must fit into an imaginary 10’ X 10’ square
• Your design must accommodate 6 guests
• You may not hang anything from the venue’s ceiling
• Electricity can be arranged (two weeks notice required), Contact Lindsay Simms (see below)
• Tables do not need to be functional – we will not be requiring guests to sit at these tables, but history has proven that some guests do!
• Late entries will be accepted on a first come first serve basis – pending availability. We recommend you enter ASAP! 

Judging: 3 Awards will be presented

Judges’ Choice Award

Judging based on above rules criteria including design implementation, interpretation of your own theme, creativity, and execution of design elements. Designs will be judged privately, 30 minutes before doors are open to guests.  Therefore all tables must be complete by 5:30pm SHARP!

Fundraising Favorite Award

Guests are encouraged to bring their dollars & vote for their favorite design; $1 = 1 vote

Vote often, more money = more votes! All money raised goes to Detroit NACE Scholarship fund!

You Be the Judge Award

Each attendee will receive a ballot when they register.  YOU BE THE JUDGE and vote for your favorite Tabletop WOW design!

If you have any questions, feel free to email:

Lindsay Simms, Programs Chair – Lindsay.Simms@gmail.com

Susan Keels, first Vice President - skeels@RoyalParkHotel.Net

Welcome to Spring! As we celebrate the beginning of a new season, many of us are glad to have winter behind us. Spring brings with it a feeling of hope and optimism for better times ahead. It’s a great time to reinvent ourselves and take stock of where we are and where we are headed. This is the time to ask ‘what am I doing to create the change I desire?’

There is a lot to report this month but I’m going to keep it brief:
First, NACE is offering an incredible deal for the next two months to help build our membership. There has never been a less expensive time to join NACE so if you’ve been talking to people about joining, please direct them to the NACE.net website and use promo code SC09. Make sure they are selecting Greater Detroit as their Chapter so they show up on our membership list. This code will save $100 off the regular price of joining. Our chapter is growing. So far, we’ve added 9 new members since last fall. We will be introducing them at next month’s Table Top Wow event on April 15th at the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel.

Speaking of Table Top Wow – you can get as creative as you would like. This year you can pick any theme you’d like so there should be lots of variety when the room is complete. This event requires two things to be successful: 1. We need people to sign up for tables. Non-NACE designers can partner with a NACE member to show off their style. 2. No event can be successful without guest participation so, please encourage everyone you talk to to sign up for this annual event. We are looking to have at least a dozen tables to showcase.

Lastly, I’d like to thank all the people that worked on this month’s fundraiser “Shamrock’s and Shenanigans’.” Thanks to the hard work of our fund raising chair, Colleen Galacz, we raised over $3000. A portion of this money will be benefiting our charity partner Lighthouse of Oakland County. Nearly 90 people attended this fantastic event.

There is an excitement in the air about NACE and the value membership brings to our personal and professional lives. The leaders in our industry understand member participation in our professional organization is more important than ever. NACE is the place to network and learn about what is happening in the catering and event world. It is also the place where lifelong friendships are formed.

I’m looking forward to seeing many of my friends in April at the super fantastic Table Top Wow event!

Todd Lloyd
President, National Association of Catering Executives, Greater Detroit Chapter

NACE Fundraising Event Update
“Sham-ROCKS & Shenanigans”
Royal Park Hotel
March 18, 2009
7-10pm

Irish Eyes Were Smiling

Detroit-NACE’s Sham-ROCKS! & Shenanigans a smashing success!

March 18, 2009 - NACE members converged on the regal Royal Park Hotel the night after St. Patrick’s Day for fun and festivities. The celebration was an excuse to gather for a great cause: Raising funds for Lighthouse of Oakland County, an organization dedicated to providing inspiration and support for people as they move from crisis to self-sufficiency.

“Sham-ROCKS & Shenanigans” went off with a gigantic bang of Irish fun and frolicking. The room was full of good cheer and lots of good luck. From the fabulous “Irish” raffle items to the unbelievable silent auction prizes, everyone in attendance was surely impressed by the generosity of their fellow members.

Other prizes included a Thanksgiving Day feast from the Royal Park Hotel, handmade jewelry from Kathleen Reid, A Family Portrait Session, and a great deal more. One lucky winner event took home $500 in cold, hard cash!

The outstanding Irish acoustic band “A Company of Strangers” filled the room with their Gaelic musical enchantment as SKYY vodka filled the martini glasses with luscious drink. There was even a surprise visit from a giant leprechaun!

As with all of our NACE events, many members contributed their talents to making the décor truly unforgettable. The room was perfectly appointed with beautiful green and gold linens from Affordable Elegance. The centerpieces were cleverly done (as always) by Blumz…by JR Designs that incorporated everything from greens to potatoes! Zingerman’s Bakehouse designed an amazing cake to correspond with the theme. The event’s logo and announcements came from Jeannine Gray of GRAYMATTERS.

The entire Detroit NACE board would like to extend many thanks to all of those who attended in support of NACE and Lighthouse of Oakland County. A special thanks to Sue Keels, Allison McGinnis, and Sue Jarvis for their help in making this event happen. This event would not have been a success without their time and efforts -thanks, Ladies!

Colleen M Galacz
Affordable Elegance Chair Covers & Linens

Welcome our newest NACE members:

Jessica Clum from The Town Host Events by Crystal Gardens
Jamie Honce from Jamie Honce Productions
Sue Jarvis from Aristocat Limousine & Luxury Coach Service, Inc.
Ravi Mandava from Priya Restaurant
Patricia Reddig from Limelite360 Events
The Townsend Hotel
Antoinette Whaley from Coach Insignia

1. If you have any tips and/or trends that would be of value to your clients or other industry professionals, I'd like to post those on our blog to keep people coming back to it. Even if it's just a link to an article or something that you thought was helpful - send that to me along with a couple of sentences about why it stood out to you and why you want to share it.

2. I want to spotlight your business on our NACE blog.. and you should want to be spotlighted (spotlit?), too... it will help your search engine results and traffic to your own website if you do either #1 or #2 (and more so if you do both!)

Here are the things I need for the spotlight:

Where do you work/what is your position?
How long have you been in the business?
What do you love about it?
How long have you been a NACE member?
How has NACE helped you along your journey?
What advice would you have for someone looking to hire a company that offers what you do?
What are 10 things people might not know about you and/or your company?

Responsibilities:

The Finalizations and Logistics Technician is responsible for finalizing all orders and making arrangements for local services (deliveries, installs, etc).  This individual also assists the Detroit Sales Manager with sales and oversees the Local Install Team.  Other duties as assigned.

Requirements:

• Must have proven sales experience.
• Must possess above-average organizational skills and problem solving skills.
• Must have the ability to be flexible on shifts, including weekends.
• Must possess superior customer service skills.
• Experience within the event industry preferred.
• Must be a proven self-motivator, with self-guided disciplines.
• Must have the ability to work with little to no supervision, along with the ability to work within a team environment. Must have the ability to work in a fast-paced, high pressure environment.
• Must possess above-average computer skills.

All qualified applicants should e-mail a resume, along with salary requirements, to Kristen@linenhero.com.

MPE Event Productions, Inc. has a Great Career Opportunity for a Great Floral Designer.

Experienced Event Floral Designers can send their resume to mark@mpeevents.com