Catering industry professionals will gather July 14-17 in Charleston, S.C., for the NACE 2002 Educational Conference.

In addition to specialized education tracks aimed at restaurant, club and off-premise caterers, the conference will feature opening keynote speaker Colin Cowie. The founder of event and interior design company Colin Cowie Lifestyle, with offices in Los Angeles and New York, Cowie has designed and produced events for Elton John, Jerry Seinfeld, Kelsey Grammer, Lisa Kudrow and Hugh Hefner, among other celebrities. Cowie has also written several books on events and lifestyle, and has designed numerous china collections.

Performance strategist John Alston will deliver the closing keynote address. Alston is the author of two books and founder of American Institute for Stress Management.

CONTACT NACE, 5565 Sterrett Place, Suite 328, Columbia, MD 21044; 410/997-9055; www.nace.net