To show support for the New York special event industry in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, Special Events Magazine publisher Lisa Vested hosted a gala dinner on Nov. 12 at the W Hotel.
“Our dinner was a fun event, but it also had several important business benefits,” Vested said. “The soft economy and the fears following Sept. 11 are threatening our industry. We wanted to get out in front and show our support for New York—-a vital event market—-and for our business as a whole.”
The guests were:
Marcy Blum
, president of Marcy Blum & Associates, New York, specialty wedding producer, co-author of "Weddings for Dummies” and contributor to Special Events Magazine’s sister publication Modern Bride;
Leslie Mastin
, catering director at the Regent Wall Street Hotel, New York;
Matthew David Hopkins
, president of New York-based Matthew David Environments for Entertaining and a member of the Special Events Magazine Advisory Board;
Jaclyn Bernstein
, principal of New York-based event production/DMC Empire Force Events and member of the Special Events Magazine Advisory Board;
David Adler
and Richard Aaron, CSEP, CMP, principals of New York-based BizBash.com, an Internet portal for event production and ideas for the New York metro event community;
Barbara, Steve
and Michael Davis, owners of Spring Valley, N.Y.-based Cloth Connection, a leading linen rental firm;
Larry Green
, president of International Event Products of Lodi, N.J, offering tabletop and event equipment sales; and
Robby Levy
, principal with Sherman Specialty Products of Freeport, N.Y., supplier of event supplies.
Along with Vested, Special Events Magazine staff in attendance were Diane McGee, head of advertising sales in the eastern region, and executives Tim Andrews, Jeff Reinhardt and Kerry J. Smith of Special Events Magazine parent company Primedia Business Magazines & Media.
The dinner took place during the International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show at Javits Center.
Reaction to the evening has been “smashing,” Vested said. “It was gratifying to see both new friendships and business alliances forming. I lost count of how many business cards changed hands. Several guests thanked us for taking the lead on promoting our industry—a role that Special Events Magazine has been proud to play for the last 20 years.”
