Barbara Felt

Nov

10

2011

Event Recap — Jewish Wedding Trends

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Please enjoy the photos in the gallery, below and the podcast of the Jewish Wedding Trends Event!

Thank you to our presenters:

Rabbi Steven Denker and Renee Higer, Executive Director, Temple Emanu El

Eileen Benson from Bridal Consulting by Eileen

and to our sponsors:

Platinum:

Lighting and Sound Design by Something New Entertainment

Learn more about Something New Entertainment in their Platinum Sponsor Spotlight.

Specialty Linens by L’Nique Specialty Linen Rental

Learn more about L’Nique in their Platinum Sponsor Spotlight.

 

Gold:

Specialty Seating Design by Be Seated Chair Rental

Learn more about Be Seated in their Gold Sponsor Spotlight.

 

Silver:

Floral Decor and Chuppah Design by Breathtakers Event Planners and Decorators

Podcast by Rock the House

Hosted at Temple Emanu El

Hightop Tables by Everything Tented

Other:

Photos by Digital Photography by Dale

Food provided by Around DownTown Catering

 

Jun

29

2011

ISES Cleveland Announces New Board of Directors

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ISES Cleveland Announces New Board of Directors

Cleveland, Ohio, June 29, 2011: The Cleveland Chapter of the International Special Events Society (ISES Cleveland), Cleveland’s premier society for event professionals, announced its new board following the Annual Board Retreat on June 28, 2011. The board has a new President, President-Elect, Vice President of Communications, and two new Directors-at-Large, as well as two continuing Vice Presidents and four continuing Directors.  The Immediate Past President will continue to serve in an advisory position.

“As a Founding Director of ISES Cleveland, I applaud the efforts of all involved over the past 4 years  as they raised the bar of professionalism, created more networking opportunities and established positive working relationships with our colleagues in the special events industry,” said ISES Cleveland President, Deborah Smythe Hermann of Ghostlight Productions.  “I look forward to continuing this legacy of success as President and working with this remarkable group of dedicated professionals on the 2011-2012 Board of Directors”

ISES Cleveland’s new Board of Directors is:

President, Deborah Smythe Hermann
Deb is the CEO and Chair Babe of Ghostlight Productions.  Deb formerly served as the President-Elect.

President-Elect, Laura Cahill-Hoffman
Laura is the Coordinator of Community and Media Relations at Lake Health.  Laura formerly served as the Vice President of Communications (2010-2011) and as a Director-at-Large (2008-2010).  She served on the Education and Programs Committee (2008-2009) and the Communications Committee (2009-2011).

Immediate Past President, Matthew Radicelli
Matt is the Founder/Owner of Rock the House Entertainment Group.  Matt formerly served as the President (2010-2011), as the President-Elect (2009-2010), as the Vice President of Membership (2008-2009), and as a Director-at-Large (2007-2008).  He served on the Membership Committee (2007-2009) and on the Communications Committee (2009-2010).

Vice President of Education and Programs, Rachael Fuller
Rachael is the Special Event Facility Manager at the Cleveland Zoological Society.  Rachel continues in her second year as the Vice President of Education and Programs.  Rachael has served on the Education and Programs Committee for four years.

Vice President of Communication, Anna-Jeannine Herman
Anna-Jeannine is the Creative and Talent Director at Something New Entertainment.  Anna-Jeannine formerly served as the Director of Communications (2011), and as a Communication Committee member (2010).

Vice President of Membership, Scott Pickel
Scott is the Owner of Everything Tented.  Scott continues in his second year as the Vice President of Membership.

Director-at-Large, Barbara Felt
Barbara works in Destination Management Services for Positively Cleveland.  Barbara continues in her second year as a Director-at-Large serving on the Membership Committee.

Director-at-Large, Shannon Harris, Cleveland Marriott
Shannon is the Catering Sales Manager at the Cleveland Marriott at Key Center.  Shannon is serving in her first term as a Director-at-Large this year.  Shannon continues to serve in her second year for the Education and Programs Committee.

Director-at-Large, Vincent Iannaggi
Vince is the Director of Business Development for L’Nique Specialty Linen Rental.  Vince is serving in his first term as a Director-at-Large this year.  Vince continues to serve on the Events Committee.

Director-at-Large, Candice Lopez
Candice works in Convention Services for Kalahari Resort.  Candice continues in her third year as a Director-at-Large.  Candice has served on the Education and Program Committee for four years.

Director-at-Large, Jim Lottig
Jim is a Sales Account Executive at Event Source.  Jim continues in his third year as a Director-at-Large.  Jim has served on the Membership Committee since 2007.

Director-at-Large, Mary Frances Ody, Cleveland Airport Marriott
Mary Frances is the Senior Events Manager at the Cleveland Airport Marriott.  Mary Frances continues in her second year as a Director-at-Large serving on the Education and Programs Committee.

About ISES Cleveland: ISES Cleveland is a chapter of the International Special Events Society, a multi-national professional organization dedicated to educate event professionals of all diciplines and to foster creative excellence in the special events industry.  The Mission of ISES is to educate, advance and promote the special events industry and its network of professionals along with related industries.  ISES has more than 6,000 members and 40 chapters worldwide, including in Cleveland, Ohio.  ISES produces the Eventworld convention, the Espirit Awards, and the Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP) certification program.  For more information on ISES Cleveland’s board, or to learn about upcoming networking events and education opportunities, awards, and membership, please visit http://www.ISESCleveland.com.

Contact: VP of Communications, Anna-Jeannine Herman
Something New Entertainment
330-253-2900
aj9@SomethingNewEntertainment.com

Oct

18

2010

Meet the ISES Cleveland Board: Barbara Felt, Positively Cleveland

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Barbara Felt is a Business Development Representative for Positively Cleveland (formerly the Convention and Visitors Bureau) which promotes the CLE+ region to business and leisure travelers, and food and travel writers.  She works with Attraction, Convention Service, and Restaurant members of the organization. She has been with Positively Cleveland for 11 years and is looking forward to her new role as a Director for the Cleveland chapter of ISES and to serving on the membership committee.

Aug

14

2010

Culinary Trends: From Garden to Table — August 10, 2010 at the Cleveland Airport Mariott Hotel’s AMP 150

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International Special Events Society Cleveland (ISES Cleveland) members and friends were the guests of the Cleveland Airport Marriott this past Tuesday evening for a delicious presentation of some of the hotel’s new posh eats from the on-site restaurant and lounge, AMP 150.
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Executive Chef Ellis Cooley photo by Anna-Jeannine Herman

Over the course of the hour, guests enjoyed a small sampling of the restaurant’s fresh fare (including sliced heirloom tomatoes with aioli on toast, sweet beet salad with goat cheese, sausage stuffed peppers skewered with tomatoes, corn pudding with scallops and more) as Executive Chef Ellis Cooley discussed the restaurant’s efforts to support the garden to table movement – not only by buying local as much as possible, but by actually growing vegetables in an impressively-sizeable garden right on-site at the hotel.

This past season, Chef Cooley oversaw the clearing of a large strip of overgrown weeds, brush, and grasses along the back of the Cleveland Airport Marriott’s parking lot.  He replaced the useless vegetation with 40 cubic yards of topsoil (that translates to about 4 dump trucks full) and then started planting!

Though he deliberately chose plants well-suited to the area’s climate, he was unprepared for the success of the first year’s crop; nearly every seed planted has produced a plant, and the once-weedy patch is now overflowing with corn, squash, fennel, several types of peppers from mild to unbearably spicy, tomatoes, and more.  The kitchen has its hands full with the habanero crop, and there is no shortage of fresh vegetables.

In addition to the restaurant’s efforts to grow their own vegetables, strong consideration is given to local farmers over larger suppliers.  Whenever possible, Chef Cooley chooses to keep it simple, fresh and local.

The swearing in of the new board by Chapter President Matt Radicelli. Photo by Anna-Jeannine Herman

After a tour of the gardens, Chapter President Matt Radicelli (Founder, Rock the House Entertainment Group, Inc.) swore in the new year’s board members, including President-Elect Deb Hermann (Chairbabe/CEO, Ghostlight Productions), Vice President of Membership, Scott Pickel (Owner, Everything Tented), Vice President of Education and Programs, Rachael Fuller (Special Event Coordinator Cleveland Zoological Society), Vice President of Communications Laura Cahill (Coordinator, Community and Media Relations Lake Health), and Directors Jim Lottig (Senior Account Representative, Event Source), Candice Lopez (Conference Services, Kalahari Resort), Katrina Marshall (Special Events and Communications Coordinator, Cleveland Food Bank), Barbara Felt (Business Development Representative, Positively Cleveland), and our hostess Mary Frances Ody (Senior Event Manager, Cleveland Airport Marriott).
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Other attendees included Jennifer Thomas (100th Bomb Group Restaurant & Banquet Facility), Aable Rents Director of Business Development Zane Gloer, Facility Rental Associate Brian Hurtt along with Julie Anderson and Paula Coakley from the Cleveland Botanical Garden, Catering Sales Manager Shannon Harris, Jeff Alley, Renee Domaratz, and Bob Megazzini from the Cleveland Marriott at Key Center, COSE (Council of Smaller Enterprises) Event Manager Heather Dodosh and Katie Stevenson, Bob Javorsky (Rentals Event Sales Lasting Impressions Events), Brenda Kucinski (Event Director, Artistic Events by Catan Fashions), Disc Jockey/Designer Anna-Jeannine Herman and Justin Herman of Something New Entertainment, and of course the rest of the team from the Cleveland Airport Marriott, including Catering Sales Manager Michelle Hodous, Sales Coordinator Heather Double, and Sonja Scully.
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Chef Ellis CooleyMeet the Chef:
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With his simple, straightforward and ingredient driven culinary style, Ellis Cooley combines a lifelong passion for cooking and over ten years spent working in some of the world’s top kitchens under many celebrated chefs. Ellis started his career in Atlanta, his hometown, but quickly found the desire to travel and work under a wider variety of top chefs. His journeys took him through South Florida, Spain, France and Austria before settling down in NYC. Once in New York, his culinary prowess was recognized and he was selected to open the ultra modern Hotel on Rivington on Manhattan’s lower east side. After a very successful opening, Ellis focused on larger properties and landed himself the job of restaurant chef at the New York Palace hotel in midtown Manhattan. After his time in New York, and with his sights set on warmer climates, he sold his winter coats and moved to Miami where he did consulting work for private condominiums.
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When the opportunity presented itself to move to Cleveland and open a farm to table restaurant he jumped at it…and bought back those old winter coats. “What better place than Cleveland to work alongside so many up and coming chefs and be surrounded by farms.” Ellis is excited to be in a city with such heart and love of good food along with having such a diverse and engaged population. He truly believes there is no better food scene in the country than right here in Cleveland.“I love to show our guests the variety of wonderful dishes we can make for them through our tasting menus.  I get really excited when the wait staff brings back an order for them! I like to go out and introduce myself to the table and find out a little bit about what they’re interested in. Then I go back to the kitchen and put together a dining experience they won’t forget!”
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-Chef Ellis Cooley