New York-based Ogilvy Public Relations has named event specialist Melody Leeds senior vice president. Call 212/884-4052; Web site: www.ogilvypr.com. Minturn, Colo.-based Amarc, publisher of The Guide to Unique Venues and uniquevenues.com, has hired Chuck Salem as vice president of marketing and business development. Call 800/933-3500, 970/827-5500; Web site: www.uniquevenues.com. Los Angeles-based Extraordinary Events has named Gus Moser vice president of the western region, based out of the newly reopened Las Vegas office. Call 702/990-3568; Web site: www.extraordinaryevents.com. Brooke Baumkirchner has been named manager of the Meeting Connection program at the Hyatt Regency San Diego. Call 800/233-1234, 619/232-1234; Web site: www.sandiego.regency.hyatt.com. Deer Park, N.Y.-based Chez-zam Entertainment Group has named Marcia A.M. Brooks director of the southeast region, coordinating its satellite office in Fort Myers, Fla. Call 800/733-6848, 941/694-5040; Web site: www.chezzam.com. Lewisville, N.C.-based Quantum Events has hired Vernon West as director of marketing. Also, Julie Hudnell and Debbie Gulick have been named event coordinators. Call 877/669-1763, 336/945-9288; Web site: www.quantum events.com. LGH Design Group, an event design and production company in Indianapolis, has added April Perkins to its design team. Call 317/423-3590. Ray Gonzalez has been named director of event management and services for the Pasadena Conference Center, a division of the Pasadena Center Operating Co. in Pasadena, Calif. Call 626/795-9311. Stephen Cunningham has been appointed director of catering and conference services for The Orchid at Mauna Lani in Kohala Coast, Hawaii. Call 800/845-9905, 808/885-2000; Web site: www.orchid-maunalani.com.
L. Gene Huddleson II of LGH Design Group has moved his offices to 212 W. 10th St., Suite 325A, Indianapolis, IN 46202. The new phone number is 317/423-3590. Event management company Event Architects has moved to 920 N. Franklin St., Suite 305, Chicago, IL 60610. The phone number remains 312/879-0186. Web site: www.eventbuilding.com.
Good Gracious! Events of Los Angeles has announced the formation of Good Gracious! Weddings, a division specializing in home weddings. The phone number is 323/954-2277.
Pretty enough to eat, these cakes are actually an artful assemblage of small, wedge-shaped paper boxes perfect for truffles, trinkets and other party favors. Adorning each piece are organza flowers or a figurine made of Capodimonte porcelain, Murano glass or resin. The cakes come in a variety of shapes, are trimmed with imported Italian lace and consist of eight to 150 pieces. For more information, contact Fantasy, a Mississauga, Ontario-based party favors company, at 905/568-0160 or via e-mail at [email protected].
Wichita, Kan.-based Pioneer Balloon Co. has unveiled its Wedding Ideas Shop, an online site for wedding specialists looking to enliven their events with the latest in balloon decor. The site enables visitors to check out the Idea of the Month, find a local professional balloon artist or use the search engine for decor ideas. For more information, visit http://weddings.qualatex.com or call 316/685-2266.
In partnership with Fairfax, Va.-based communications company Aelix, Event411 has introduced a wireless messaging service for event planners and their staffs. Using Web-based meeting- and event-planning software PremierPlanner, the wireless attendee management system WAM allows planners to communicate with staff and vendors, sending meeting notifications, schedule changes, task assignments and personalized agendas via any wireless device, the Marina del Rey, Calif.-based company says. For more information, visit Event411 on the Web at www.event411.com or call 310/574-9000.
Before planning an event, I always gather together my design team for a brainstorming session where people can freely associate ideas for a particular theme or space. Then we boil the ideas down to the essence of a theme so we can integrate all aspects working with the musicians, the lighting company, the caterer thus creating a more powerful impact.
