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| BOARD OF DIRECTORS |
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Board meetings are open to all ISES New England members. Active committee involvement is strongly encouraged as a way to strengthen the chapter through personal leadership and, in so doing, raise your and your company's visibility within the organization. The annual installation of new Board members occurs at the June monthly chapter meeting.
2007-2008 ISES New England Board of Directors
President
A.C. Anders
Director of Corporate Sales
Fun Enterprises, Inc.
P.O. Box 34
South Weymouth, MA 02190
Phone: (781) 340-0180
Fax: (781) 340-0193
Email: ac@funent.com
Web: www.funent.com
A.C. Anders has been an active member of ISES for over six years and is thrilled to serve this year as President. It is rumored that she began her event planning career in grade school where she started organizing fun get togethers during recess. Her formal career in event planning and production started in college in 1984 where she worked on student activities and leadership development. A.C. also produced client appreciation functions and employee programs for her family's mechanical contracting business during that same time.
Since 1992 A.C. has been the Director of Corporate Sales for Fun Enterprises, Inc. Fun Enterprises specializes in bringing interactive fun to any event and making the event one that will be remembered long after it has ended. Always eager to lend a hand, A.C. is also an active member of the GBCVB (Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau) and NEHRA (Northeast Human Resource Association). A.C. enjoys traveling, cooking, playing card games, listening to music, and spending time with her family, friends, and her cats Ernie and Lili. For those who are curious, the “A.C.” stands for her given name, Anne-Celeste.
President-Elect
Steven Way
President
ALPS/Advanced Lighting & Production Services, Inc.
65 Teed Drive
Randolph, MA 02368
Phone: (781) 961-3066
Fax: (781) 961-3256
Email: steven_way@alpsweb.com
Web: www.alpsweb.com
Steven Way is the President of ALPS/Advanced Lighting & Production Services, a theatrical and entertainment lighting company he started at age 17 in 1981. Then called BWA Lighting, it began as a “basement business” based out of his parent’s home, providing lighting for local bands and theatres. By the mid-80’s Steven saw a rise in special and theme events come into the region which afforded him the opportunity to do what he enjoyed most: creating and enhancing environments with lighting.
Over the past 25 years, Steven’s role has certainly changed. Instead of focusing lights, he now focuses on overseeing and steering the growth and future of ALPS by listening to and learning from his employees, clients, and other businesses.
Steven decided to join ISES in 2002 in order to connect and network with others in the industry he’s enjoyed so much. Joining the Board of Directors was his next step in gaining more knowledge about and contributing to the success of ISES New England and the special events industry, and he is looking forward to serving as President next year. Steven has been recognized for outstanding performance and contributions by Citizens Bank and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Last year Steven received a Merit Scholarship Award from ISES New England which sent him to Eventworld in Hawaii.
Steven lives in Norwood with his wife Kelly, two boys Nicholas and Christopher, and yellow lab Sandy. He enjoys playing racquetball and just relaxing and building sandcastles on a beach… any beach!
Immediate Past President
Judy Brillhart, PBC, CPFM
Director of Catering
Sheraton Commander Hotel
16 Garden Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
Phone: (617) 234-1362
Fax: (617) 234-1396
Email: judy.brillhart@sheraton.com
Web: www.sheraton.com/commander
Judy Brillhart moved to Boston in 1993 to attend Boston University. During college she worked for the Lyons Group as a bartender at various clubs in the Boston area. After graduating, she worked for a year at the Boston Park Plaza hotel as a concierge and then moved to Las Vegas where she worked as concierge for the Hard Rock Hotel and later for Wolfgang Puck at Ristorante Lupo in the Mandalay Bay Hotel. She began her career at the Sheraton Commander Hotel in 1999 as the Assistant Front Office Manager. Six months later she moved into the position of Catering Manager and was later promoted to the Director of Catering position where she works today.
Judy joined ISES in 2002 hoping to find a group that would meet her needs for professional education while allowing her to grow personally. She immediately joined the Membership Committee and became heavily involved in the chapter. She then went on to serve as the chapter's President-Elect for 2004-2005 and as President from 2005-2007. Judy is honored to serve the region this year in the capacity of Northeast Regional Vice President where she oversees the activities of nine ISES chapters.
About her ISES involvement, Judy states: “It has been a life changing experience that I would not trade for anything! I truly love this industry! What I enjoy the most is that no two days are ever the same!”
V.P. Programs & Education
Cindy Thorp
Catering Manager
Sheraton Commander Hotel
16 Garden Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
Phone: (617) 234-1362
Fax: (617) 234-1396
Email: cindy.thorp@sheraton.com
Web: www.sheraton.com/commander
Cindy Thorp values her role on the Board of Directors and feels it is a privilege and an honor to be voted in by her colleagues. It is through networking and volunteering that Cindy has gained rewarding friendships, resources, and increased business.
Cindy's career began in 1991 with Costco Wholesale. As Director of Marketing, Cindy introduced Costco's philosophy to the Northeast. In 1995, Cindy approached Marathon Staffing of Boston with a concept to develop an Event and Conference division. Success was immediate as there was only one competitor providing this service in the Boston area. “They didn't see us coming,” was Cindy's favorite quote.
In 2001, the owners of Marathon Staffing retired and Cindy went out on her own. Specialty Staffing Group was born and with much networking and hard work, success soon followed. In 2004, Specialty Staffing Group's name was changed to SSG Events, reflecting the multitude of services they offered including transportation programs, VIP meet and greets, festival and event planning, meeting management, and cruise ground operations led by a professional and experienced staff.
In March of 2007, Cindy joined the staff of the Sheraton Commander Hotel as Catering Manager where she gets to work side by side with fellow ISES New Englander Judy Brillhart. To Cindy, it is a great pleasure to be part of ISES New England!
V.P. Communications
Meredith Roser
Director of Special Events
Brandeis University
415 South Street
MS 122
Waltham, MA 02454
Phone: (781) 736-4143
Fax: (781) 736-8699
Email: mroser@brandeis.edu
Web: www.brandeis.edu
Meredith Roser is excited to serve the ISES New England chapter in her second year as V.P. of Communications. After attending The Special Event conference in 2002, Meredith found that the most valuable part of the conference was networking with ISES members. Upon moving to Boston in early 2005, the first thing she did was join ISES New England and immediately volunteer to work with the Programming and Special Projects committees.
Meredith's work in the events industry began in 1998 when her alma mater, Union College, hired her to fly around the country to plan alumni events. After a whirlwind two years, she decided that traveling almost every week wasn't all it was cracked up to be. This led her to transition to planning fundraising events for a variety of local hospitals in Albany, NY. With a resume of planning some of upstate New York's grandest special events, Meredith made the decision to return to her roots in higher education and move to Boston.
In her position as the Director of Special Events at Brandeis University, Meredith is responsible for planning both on- and off-campus events for donors, alumni, and staff. Her passion for her position and her involvement with ISES make a perfect fit, and each provides her with a new experience every day.
V.P. Membership
Jessica Zirpolo
Owner
Just Your Style Events
11 Donnybrook Road
Brighton, MA 02135
Phone: (617) 782-1080
Fax: (617) 787-2460
Email: jysevents@verizon.net
Jessica Zirpolo began her career in catering as a server in college and went full-time in 2004 with Crazy Chefs Catering where she learned the nuts and bolts of the profession. In May, 2005 Jessica joined Gourmet Caterers where she found new ways to apply her skills in order to better serve her clients. In 2007 Jessica started her own catering and event planning company called Just Your Style Events.
Jessica joined ISES New England in December, 2004. She quickly became involved with the Membership and Programming Committees as well as working on Special Projects. She was proud to be a Merit Scholarship winner in August, 2005 which allowed her to attend Eventworld in Los Angeles. Last year Jessica received the Rising Star Award in recognition of her service to the chapter. This year Jessica is chairing the 2008 Northeast REC planning committee.
After hours, Jessica enjoys spending time with her family and friends, going to new restaurants, shopping, and having fun!
Director of Education
Jack Brotman
Executive Producer
GENERATIONS videostories
351 Newbury Street
Suite 303
Boston, MA 02115
Phone: (617) 232-6223
Fax: (617) 879-2532
Email: jbrotman@rcn.com
Web: www.generationsvideostories.com
Jack Brotman’s event production career started in the fourth grade at P.S. 121 in Brooklyn, New York as a 16mm film projectionist. Throughout high school, Jack did sound and lighting for school plays and concerts.
Jack’s corporate media career started as a soundtrack producer at Envision Corporation in Boston. He programmed multi-image shows and later started producing corporate videos.
Jack now produces videos for corporate events, including motivation and recognition events, fundraisers, and sales meetings.
Expanding creatively into social event videography, Jack co-founded GENERATIONS videostories with his wife Naomi. They produce emotionally expressive stories and photo/video montages of significant family and community events.
In 2007 Jack stepped out from behind the camera to accept the ISES New England Rising Star Award. He is also a proud recipient of one of this year’s ISES New England Merit Scholarship Awards which will send him to Eventworld in Montreal in August.
Jack joined ISES in 2006 and serves on the Education Committee. He produced the opening and closing videos for the 2007 ISES Heart and Soul Awards. Jack is excited to be serving on the Board and to make a contribution to the New England special event community.
Director of Programs
Julia Helene Clapper
Vice President of Sales & Marketing
VDA Productions
63 Inner Belt Road
Somerville, MA 02143
Phone: (617) 628-1200 x24
Fax: (617) 628-1424
Email: julia@vdaproductions.com
Web: www.vdaproductions.com
Having first joined the ISES family in September, 2005, Julia Helene Clapper is thrilled to further prove her unwavering commitment to the ISES team by accepting the role of Director of Programs for the ISES New England Board of Directors. Since she first commenced her membership with ISES, Julia has exponentially grown her involvement with ISES by also being an active member of the ISES Programming, Education, and Communications Committees.
With a decade of sales and marketing experience in the corporate telecommunications arena, Julia holds a victorious track record of developing high performance teams and high growth businesses. As Vice President of Sales & Marketing for VDA Productions, Julia is responsible for the company’s go-to market strategy and for establishing, managing, and driving the sales and channel organization and programs, as well as strategic corporate, customer, and industry trade marketing initiatives.
An innovative sales and marketing leader, Julia is a graduate of the College of Saint Rose with a degree in Business Marketing and Computer Information Systems. She is also a member of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Transportation and Workforce Development Committees and was on the Committee for the 2006 Big Sister Association’s “Big in Boston” event, further demonstrating her commitment to the growth of the business economy.
Julia was acknowledged by the Boston Business Journal as a “Woman on the Move” in 2006 and was recently honored to appear in both the Manchester Who’s Who and Global Who’s Who registries for top USA Sales and Marketing Executives.
Director of Membership
Katie Gold
Group & Events Coordinator
LTI Worldwide
32 Bow Street
Everett, MA 02149
Phone: (617) 381-0600
Fax: (617) 351-0180
Email: katieEgold@gmail.com
Web: http://www.ltilimo.com
While attending the University of New Hampshire, Katie Gold majored in Tourism Planning and Development and gained a passion for event planning. Katie acquired her first event planning experience by doing an independent study project as an event planner for the Isles of Shoals Steamship Company. A year later she did an internship at Boston Event Works where she created their first wedding department.
Katie went on to work as an Event Manager at Echelon Events where she was responsible for event development, management, and logistics for corporate clients. Katie now serves as Group & Events Coordinator for LTI Worldwide, a limousine service located in Everett.
Katie joined ISES New England in January, 2007 and immediately joined the Programming Committee. She later decided to get involved in the Membership Committee to get others involved in this great organization.
Katie is a proud recipient of the 2007 ISES New England Merit Scholarship Award which sponsors her attendance at Eventworld in Montreal this August.
Katie lives in Boston and is a huge Red Sox and Patriots fan. During her free time she enjoys being with her family and friends, traveling, shopping, and playing in a women’s softball league.
Director of Special Projects
Alison Rose
Catering Sales Manager
Legal Sea Foods Catering/The Exchange Conference Center
212 Northern Avenue
Boston, MA 02210
Phone: (617) 530-9455
Fax: (617) 790-1910
Email: arose@legalseafoods.com
Web: www.exchangeconferencecenter.com
After graduating from the Rochester Institute of Technology in upstate New York, Alison Rose began her professional career at the Marriott Thruway Hotel. Working her way around the catering department, Alison began as an administrative assistant, then moved to banquet manager, and finally into sales. Being an alum of RIT brings many opportunities, and in 2002 Alison moved to Portland, Maine to become Conference Services Manager at the historic Eastland Park Hotel.
In 2005 Alison made another move and landed in Boston where she joined Legal Sea Foods as its Catering Sales Manager. Being new to the city and in need of making business connections, Alison joined ISES and gradually increased her activity within the chapter. Getting involved with ISES over the past year has helped her connect with new vendors as well as make new friends.
Alison lives in Rockland, Massachusetts. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, camping, gardening, shopping, and traveling.
Director of Communications
David Sweeney
Sales Manager
Boston Café and Catering
325 New Boston Street, Unit 15
Woburn, MA 01801
Phone: (781) 938-9300
Fax: (781) 937-9833
Email: davidfsweeney@yahoo.com
Web: www.bostoncater.com
David Sweeney was raised in Rhode Island and attended Catholic University in Washington, DC, graduating in 1985. While in DC, David gained exposure to numerous political event productions through volunteer work in his senator’s office. David fell in love with the excitement and drama of these productions on Capitol Hill and in the grand hotels of Washington.
David started working in the hospitality industry in Boston in 1992 after earning a Culinary Arts degree from Johnson and Wales University. His first job in Boston was at the Ritz Carlton on the main line of the kitchen. Over the last 15 years David has progressed through various hotels in Boston, gaining experience in all aspects of the meeting and events industry. David currently works as Sales Manager for Boston Café and Catering in Woburn.
David has a great passion for the events industry and for the people who are involved in this dynamic and exciting field. David has been involved with ISES since 2004 and with NACE and MPI for the last two years. David sat for the CMP exam this past January.
David has lived in Lynnfield for the past 10 years with his partner of 12 years. They have two active boys, ages 9 and 10.
Director of Volunteers and Students
Amy Ruth Zediana
Director of Operations
Perfect Parties USA
119R Foster Street
Building 4, Floor 2
Peabody, MA 01960
Phone: (800) 275-0185
Fax: (781) 231-7954
Email: amyz@perfectpartiesusa.com
Web: www.perfectpartiesusa.com
Amy Ruth Zediana has belonged to ISES for only one year, yet she has already jumped in as Director of Volunteers and Students. She comes to ISES as a graduate of Merrimack College, having double majored in Business Management and French. A three-time recipient of the Merrimack L.E.A.D. Award, Amy found her way into the events industry during college through her extensive involvement in student activities. Her proudest moment at Merrimack was performing the National Anthem at her graduation ceremony.
Amy began her career as a Corporate Concierge and Meeting Planner with Tillinger’s Concierge in 2004. In 2005 she accepted the role of Director of Operations at Perfect Parties USA, where she currently works. Amy continues to expand her knowledge of the events industry in an effort to obtain her CSEP designation.
Outside of her busy work schedule, Amy enjoys singing, traveling, cooking, dancing, and spending time with family and friends.
Director-at-Large
John Zucco
Account Executive
Entertainment Specialists
60 State Street
Suite 700
Boston, MA 02109
Phone: (800) 540-8157
Fax: (508) 238-5544
Email: jzucco@entertainmentspecialists.com
Web: www.entertainmentspecialists.com
John Zucco has been involved in the entertainment field since 1975. After receiving his associates degree from Mass Bay Community College, he attended Boston State College to pursue a career as an elementary school teacher. But as fate would have it, he decided to grow his hair long, join a rock band, and never look back.
Making the transition to weddings and special events in the early 90’s, John became involved with several event industry networking organizations including ISES in the mid-90’s. John was named the NACE New England 2003 “Affiliate of the Year” and earned a spot on the NACE National President’s List in 2004. Contributing his talents just as vigorously with ISES, John was honored to receive the ISES New England Heart and Soul President’s Award in 2007.
John has been involved as both an entertainer and event producer for companies such as Microsoft, Compaq, Avaya, IBM, Houghton Mifflin, Gillette, Dunkin’ Donuts, Boston Beer Works, Fidelity Investments, Commonwealth Financial, Prudential Financial, Liberty Mutual, Bain & Company, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, Millennium Pharmaceuticals, and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. He performed for events at the 2004 Democratic National Convention and has appeared as a guest DJ on TV’s elimiDATE. John also appears frequently on Kiss 108’s “Matty In The Morning” show in Boston as guitarist and bandleader for Matty’s house band The Flounders.
John currently lives in Hanson, MA with his wife Dianna and sons Alex and Eric.
Executive Director
Sherri L. Oken, CAE
Owner
The Association Advantage LLC
591 North Avenue
Suite 3-2
Wakefield, MA 01880
Phone: (781) 245-4511
Fax: (781) 245-6487
Email: ises.newengland@verizon.net
Web: www.isesnewengland.com
Sherri L. Oken, CAE, founded The Association Advantage LLC in 1992, a company offering customized management and creative services to trade associations and professional societies. Before forming The Association Advantage, Sherri was Director of Public Affairs, Membership, and Education for the Builders Association of Greater Boston, an association affiliated with the National Association of Home Builders.
Sherri has extensive experience in just about every area of association management, for a wide variety of associations. Prior to her work with associations, she was a professional educator involved in teaching and counseling students, and in directing student support programs in secondary schools and universities. Sherri has also worked as a marketing and public relations consultant.
Sherri, her husband Reid, and two lively cats live in a circa-1880 house in Wakefield, MA which they have been remodeling (themselves) for several years. They dream of the day it will be done so they can resume their weekend warrior activities of rollerblading, biking, canoeing, and hiking. Sherri's other interests include music, gardening, jewelry making, all kinds of dancing, reading, and cooking really good food.
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