Patricia Buchanan

    In Orlando “the city beautiful” and surrounding areas, you will find the Orlando NACE, chapter members creating equally “beautiful” events.  It is exciting to speculate about the bright future of our NACE Chapter.  From where it started to where it is heading!  As hospitality professionals with a passion for this challenging industry, our members’ events are unmatched in both large scale wow factor and attention to the smallest detail.  The dedication required to execute these events is both time and energy consuming.  However, our members go above and beyond to make these events unforgettable.

    While historically, it may have been acceptable to ignore other hospitality professionals and instead focus solely on your career, NACE is fast becoming an essential component for professionals wanting to become industry leaders.  You must take the time to become educated, network with other industry professionals and utilize the resources offered by NACE National.  By working together, there are no limits to what we can accomplish for our profession, our employers and ourselves.  The age of the isolated hospitality professional is over.    

    I am honored to be President of the 2012 Orlando Chapter Board and excited to work with our board members this year.  I realize that with full time jobs and families, it is always going to be a sacrifice to devote time and effort to this organization.  I am aware of and grateful for, all the hard work the past boards have done and welcome anyone wanting to get involved.  The first step is simply choosing a path to take.  There are so many opportunities that can accommodate your schedule, you just have to choose a committee to get started!

    We should also think about the future of NACE.  What will it look like in 5 years, 10 years and 20 years?  We have the unique opportunity to mentor our future professionals, our dedicated UCF Orlando NACE student members.  Let us get involved with these students by attending their meetings, networking with them at our meetings and showing them that while this industry is competitive, we also support each other to be successful!

    Finally get excited for the new things to come in 2012…a revised website, new name badges, UCF student involvement in programs, new NACE educational programs and the 2012 Grand Tour Gala as it travels to Bombay, just to name a few.

    Thank you for this opportunity to lead NACE Orland into 2012.  I look forward to an exciting year!!!

What is your ROI of NACE?

Vice- President, Dr. Mary Jo Ross 

  In today’s economy the value of your NACE membership is extremely important to all of its stakeholders:  You, NACE Orlando and its Board.

  Items to look forward to this year include a new website, food alerts, monthly “Welcome to NACE” meet and greets as well as increasing product knowledge of foods and beverages.  When the going gets tough – NACE is there to help.  Get involved this year and let us help you increase your business or extend your career path and build your personal ROI!

Secretary, Aubrey Gregg

  This being my first year on the board I can only say how excited I am to be a part of an organization with impactful industry related educational benefits.  Until my time on the board I was unaware of the many benefits we do receive from being a member of NACE.  So, I am brining those benefits to your attention.  As a member you receive all of the following:

      Outstanding Network Opportunities

      Relevant Educational Services

      More than 40 Chapters Nationwide

      Experience!  Annual Chapter Conference

      Certified Professional Catering Executive Certification

      Online Membership Directory

      NACE e-News Network

      NACE Idea Swaps

      NACE Trends Reports

      Leadership Summits

      Awards Program

      Career Opportunities

      The NACE Advantage Program

To learn more about these benefits and more visit

http://www.nace.net/cs/membership/member_benefits

Programs Chair and Co-Chair

Awny Khashoggie and Robin Simmons

             When the board met in December we made a decision that we want to encourage you to participate at all levels of activities and to provide you with the greatest return on participation as possible.  Our combined success will come from your engagement and feedback on how we can keep you motivated and rewarded.  Please talk to anyone of us and let us know how we are doing.

              We can provide you with the best return if you share your talent with the rest of us in a meeting showcase, membership committee and most of all in attendance and participation in the monthly meetings and educational programs.  When you share your knowledge and share your skills they will get promoted and perfected.  The participation channels are many, we want you to help us promote and shine a light on your company, career, and special skills.

            We are hoping to have a variety of topics that we want to cover, that will include trends and best practices in marketing, sales, wine, spirits, décor and management to list a few. 

Community Service Chair

Cendy Knight

  The NACE Community Service Committee is very excited to get things started this year!

  As a recap, we chose one benefactor last year:  The Ronald McDonald House and fed them dinner on three separate occasions.  It was a great experience for all of those who participated as well as the loving families.

  This year, we are looking for additional committee members to help plan out how you would like to see us help serve Orlando this year.  Our first meeting will be on Thursday, February 9^th at Hello Florida! Office:  3840 Vineland Road/Orlando, FL 32811 from 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm.  Bring your ideas for your favorite charity, or your favorite type of service that you have done in the past!  Please send me an email if you would like to attend:  cknight@hello-florida.com or give me a quick call 407-674-30052.

Communications Director, Jack Edmonds

  As the newly appointed Communications Director for our chapter, I am looking forward to providing our local media with information on our board members, membership, meetings and upcoming events.  I have established contact with the Orlando Sentinel and the Orlando Business Journal, and provided them with releases for their print and electronic arms announcing our newly elected officers.

  As we go forward, I would like to ask the membership’s help with suggesting other media outlets, such as cable, television and local magazines, with which we can place announcements regarding our upcoming meetings and fundraising events.  Living in Gainesville, I do not have a handle on all that Orlando has to offer, as so I need your help in establishing which media I need to be communicating with.  I have extended an invitation to Joe Rassel of The Orland Sentinel to attend one of our upcoming meetings.  I would like to extend invitations to other members of the media, which I believe will be of value in establishing our upcoming public relations efforts.  With this thought in mind, I thank you in advance for any information and assistance you can provide.

Student Chapter Liaison, Jonathan “Jay” Judy

  Since I am new to NACE, I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as a Board Member in the position of Student Liaison to the student chapter of NACE at UCF.  Coming from a background in Culinary Management and Culinary Education, it is my hope that I can be an asset to NACE at UCF, NACE Orlando, and to their constituents.  I look forward to the coming year and to our future collaborative endeavors, both with the Student Chapter and with NACE as a whole.

Fundraising Chair, Lois McGinnis

Happy New Year Everyone…I am very excited to have this opportunity to drive fundraising for Orlando NACE this year.  I have been a long time Marriott Catering Sales Manager at the World Center and NACE member and have had the pleasure of knowing many of you for years.  For the past couple of years I have worked with a number of non-profit organizations and enjoy working with individuals who have a passion for their cause!  This year I am striving to improve NACE’s fundraising activities and awareness of ‘giveback’ to our community.  Together we can create and support events, so you and our members can participate in fundraising for our chapter.  I welcome your ideas and suggestions as we cast way for this 2012 journey.

Cheers!

   Event Professional Director, Ann Taylor

  As many of you know I am relatively new to the Event Industry, yet for the last two years “A Chair Affair” has been in business, I have found that this industry is unlike any I have ever experienced and have grown to genuinely love it.

  Even though I am a rookie to this industry, I realize now, planning events is a true art form and is serious business.  In retrospect, the first event I have ever planned, was when I was six years old.  My own birthday party, yes, as an older toddler I was very ambitious!  I will have to share that story with you some day.

  As an Event Professional for Orlando NACE 2012, I consider myself as your “getaway to the lad of NACE opportunities,” and thrilled to share all my resources!  We all know there is nothing better than showcasing your wares to fellow members and our guests.  I am here to assist you with the doorway to our marketplace.  Our Programs Committee has been hard at work creating exciting new programs to entice and educate our members.  I am looking forward to working with everyone this year and to hearing from you as we create a year of events and meetings that will be talked about for years to come.  Please watch out for our RFP and reply so we can walk with you.