President's Message by Angie Kemp, CPCE

NACE has so much in store for you this year; I encourage you to take full advantage of the educational and networking opportunities.

In May we are honored to have Lynne LaFond DeLuca, with Beverly Clarke Enterprises, Wedding Marketing Solutions and Hospitality Training, to keep us updated on the Wedding market.

NACE is celebrating its 50th Anniversary in June. Every NACE chapter in the Nation will be celebrating this event on June 3rd to create a nation wide celebration.

The Napa Valley Grill at Horton Plaza will be hosting our 50th Anniversary celebration on this very special day. There will be a lot of surprises in store for you, somark your calendar as this will be on the FIRST Tuesday of June. You won’t want to miss out on this one!

Be ready to be a team player as we visit The SD Zoo in July. You will have the opportunity to take part in making a child’s dream come true through an amazing community service project that promises to warm your heart and put a smile on your face.

I look forward to our upcoming events and see another “Chapter of the Year” in our future! Your dedication and participation is an essential element to our success – as always, Thank You!

Membership News by Duffy Fainer

Oh boy, it's time for a Spring Membership Drive. If you're interested in joining NACE or know somebody who is, hurry! From April 14 to May 23, you can save $100 on a new membership. It's for new members only. Call or email me for more infomation, or visit Nace to join online! Email me if you have any changes to your contact information, need a namebadge, changing properties, questions, or have issues of concern. See you often in 2008...right?

by: Chris Agrippe, CPCE:

Some of the best benefits of belonging to NACE can only be found at our monthly meetings… and by the end of the night on April 8th; EVERYONE who came to the House of Blues knew the names of over thirty-five of our chapter’s Event Specialists. New members were introduced and business relationships blossomed as we networked our way throughout the well-attended tradeshow and settled into plush lounge and cabaret seating to watch the main event… The Third Annual Iron Florist Competition.

Merrylin Brichmann utilized the amazing atmosphere created by the Delta Room's wall-to-wall Persian rugs and the Music Hall's folk art décor to host a San Diego NACE tradeshow complete with cocktails mixed by the House of Blues' "Bartenders to the Stars."

At 7:15pm our challengers took the stage to “gain the people's ovation and fame forever…” The competition was sponsored by Scott Carlson of Florabundance, one of the nation's premier floral providers, and our own Duffy Fainer Produced and Directed. This year's Iron Florist Contestants were: Patrick Higgins, Frankie Hartwell, Daniel Hansberger, Grace Fox, and Haydee De La Cruz-Weiner.

Duffy and Scott kept the program fun and educational as the seconds ticked down and our florists worked to finish their creations. Hi-Def Videographer husband and wife team Kyle and Kaiya Karges and Photographer Gabriel Hernandez were ever-present and did an amazing job of being in the right spot at the right time to get the best shot.

An evening that showcases the talents of so many members requires a huge commitment and lots of teamwork… and that’s what NACE is all about; a group of professionals joining together to provide Networking and Education, and having a whole lot of fun while they’re doing it!

Our esteemed Judges, Kristin Nigro, William Crandall and Scott Colvin deliberated long and hard, but once again, a "draw" was the best they could come up with. As in previous years, we called upon the auctioneer services of Mike Hogan to help us determine the "peoples choice"

This year’s winner was Patrick Higgins, with his majestic centerpiece and handblown Brasilian Vase. The proceeds benefiting the Survivors Rehabilitation Foundation.

Also, a heart-felt “thanks” and “well-done” to the Stage Crew at the HOB- Scott Munson, Sean Hart, Brett Solomon, Todd Jewell, Zach Young, and Luigi Grossi. These guys were a joy to work with. They provided us with the same level of service that one of their top name bands would receive. It was a real treat to work with them, and to anyone who’s ever been roughed up by a surly bunch of stage-hands, try holding your next awards ceremony at the HOB... you will be amazed at how easy they can make it and much fun you can have!