Special Events magazine has revealed the names of its 2016 honorees for two significant awards. Kelly Murphy (at left) will receive the 2016 Gala Award for Lifetime Achievement, while Joann Roth-Oseary will receive the Richard Carbotti Gala Award, which honors the spirit of volunteerism for special events. Photo by Mark Murphy.
With her husband Bob DeFriest, Murphy founded Panache Party Rentals in Pompano Beach, Fla., in 1992. In 2007, they sold the company to Classic Party Rentals, with Murphy staying on in management. She is a longtime supporter of Share Our Strength, which helps feed needy children via its "Taste of the Nation" events.
​Roth-Oseary (at left) is the founder and president of Los Angeles-based Someone's in the Kitchen catering. With a staff of 35 full-time and 150 part-time employees, she has propelled Someone’s in the Kitchen to become a consistent member of the top 100 women owned business in Los Angeles for the last 10 years.
In addition to her business career, Roth-Oseary has been a tireless supporter of AIDS Project Los Angeles, the Fred Jordan Mission, the Dome Village, Homeless USA, the Jewish Home for the Aging, L.A.'s Best, and the SEARCH Foundation, which benefits event professionals in need. Her commitment to philanthropy has been have been noted with honors from the City of Hope, the Mayor of Los Angeles, and the Governor of California.
The Gala Awards will be presented on Jan. 14 at a black-tie celebration at The Special Event 2016.
For a complete list of Gala Award nominees, click here.
