Welcome to our first edition of the new improved NACE Las Vegas Newsletter. As your new Newsletter Editor I am proud to be bringing the membership the news about upcoming and past chapter activites chapter. We are taking submissions for future NACE Las Vegas Newsletters, so if you have any ideas or articles, email James.Filtz@gmail.com.

Regards, 

James Filtz, CPCE Las Vegas NACE Treasurer and Newsletter Editor

Dear NACE Members,

It's been a very energizing and productive start to 2010 for our Las Vegas chapter.  Our student chapter has grown to 26 members since it's inception in 2009.  With Rissa Merkley as president, Donnell Bayot as advisor and their board of dedicated and very talented young professionals, they have been the driving  force that has accomplished so much in a very short time.

Discussions, that began last July in Charlotte, NC at the National Conference, resulted in two great Catersource related events in March.  James Filtz, CPCE for the third year coordinated the Catersource facility bus tours which were a huge success.  Lisa Lynn Backus, CMP, CPCE, orchestrated with the assistance of many of our members, the fabulous closing night gala, "Astronomy Meets Gastronomy".  These events resulted in the chapter raising enough funds to assist in sending 10 of our members to the National Conference in Austin, TX in July.

In looking forward, we have great programs planned for you.  Our August meeting will feature Janine Driver, a noted motivation speaker, at the Mandarin Oriental 

In closing, I would like to express my gratitude to the very special group of talented professionals who have and continue to dedicate many hours of their time to serve on the board.  To our members, through your encouragement to raise the bar in providing educational opportunities and stimulating programs that make NACE an industry leader, thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve you during this time.

Sincerely,

Kathy Baldieri, CPCE

Janine Driver will be our special speaker at the August 10th Luncheon at the Mandarin Oriental. A speaker at the NACE National Conference last year, the Las Vegas Chapter is proud to present this dynamic speaker to the chapter. 

You Say More Than You Think!

How to Use the New Body Language to Get What You Want!

By Janine Driver, AKA Lyin' Tamer 

Do you know how leaders helm of top Fortune 100 companies use their body language and visual image to convey confidence instantly?  When it comes to building business relationships how important is it for you to quickly connect with others while remaining authentically you?  What would it mean to your personal and professional success if you were to radiate even more confidence, poise, and authority then you already have (all in the time it takes to watch a movie or commute to work.

The polished total leader has it and those on their way up the ladder are being sent to weeklong training sessions to find it.  It's an essential pre-requisite for career advancement and it matters just as much as impeccable credentials and an impressive track record.  Let's face it....You Say More Thank You Think!

Nonverbal communication comprises more than 50% of all signals that people send to each other when communicating.  Although it may seem that words are the easiest way to communicate with people, they are not always the most honest or direct.  This is an easy problem to fix - all you have to do is  R.O.A.R.!

Rapport Building: 

Building a strong rapport is critical to generating strong relationships.  Remember: people like people who are like themselves.  A simple way to encourage this thought is to mirror another person's actions.  However, if you are too overt in your mirroring, they may think you are being condescending.  You should mirror their actions while also talking with them in the way that helps them to best understand you.  People process the world in one of three ways, and speaking to them in a manner reflective of their processes helps you to connect better:

Visual (sight): "I see..." 

Auditory (sound): "I hear..." 

Kinesthetic (touch): "I feel..."

For example, when working on a math problem, a visual person would look at the numbers, while an auditory person would count the numbers in their head and a kinesthetic person would use their fingers.  And although 60% of the population represents things visually, one should always keep in mind their intended audience rather than using what seems the most comfortable to them.  

In building rapport, it is also important that you establish positive connotations between yourself and others.  You can do this by changing how you communicate with them, either in method or in location.  This creates the illusion of a greater lapse of time in your relationship and may help alleviate discomfort or stress.  If you are meeting with clients, you do not have to conduct the entire meeting in the same place; move around!  Go to other parts of the office to change scenery and help increase comfort.  Similarly, contact people in different ways - you can email, call, or talk in person.  While each form of communication offers different advantages, combining them may help you gather different information each time.

Observe and Listen

When interacting with others, it is critical that you have an understanding of their body language preferences, or else miscommunications may occur.  For instance, while crossing one's arms is usually an indication of being closed off, disapproving, or uncomfortable, it may simply be a more comfortable position for some to be in.  Similarly, blinking does not always mean that someone is lying or shifty; they might just have dry eyes.  In order to make accurate assessments of body language cues, it is a good idea to find out a person's normal behavior, or baseline.  Even something as simple as small talk can help to show how a person normally acts; since they are in a relaxed environment, there is no need to be defensive, aggressive, or deceptive.  

The areas that are the most important to pay attention to follow the old children's song: head, shoulders, knees and toes.  Someone's head position and facial characteristics, posture, leg spacing, and foot direction are key indicators of body language symbols.  All of these parts work together to give a message of intent, although you should also remember The Bellybutton Rule!  

THE BELLYBUTTON RULE (aka Naval Intelligence):  A person's bellybutton often faces the direction of something or someone that they are interested in, admire, or are focused on.    

As long as the bellybutton is on you when you want it to be, this is a good thing.  When we see parallel bellybuttons, this means that the conversation between the buttons' owners is private, or that they do not want outside attention.  If they are perpendicular, feel free to join in.  Be aware that a wandering navel may be a sign of indifference, a lack of interest, or a desire to leave.  

Baselining is also reflected in how people may process information.  Once a pattern is established in most anything, from conversations to news stories to personalities, we begin to assume that this is the normal behavior or sequence of events.  When a shift in perceptions occurs that deviates from this behavior, we are quick to notice and act on it.  Body language works the same way.

Ask Powerful Questions

Asking the right questions can make all the difference in understanding others and delivering the right message.  For example, a client may tell you that what you are doing is fine, but they are slightly shaking their head while adopting a reserved and enclosed posture.  By asking questions beginning with phrases like "Is there any reason why...", "Maybe I'm wrong here, but..." and "Is there something else..." you can find out more and make sure that everyone is on the same page.

Reach Your Potential

A great way to make sure that your confidence level is high is to speak, think, and act in positives.  By removing negative words from discussion and your thoughts, things become more achievable and realistic.  For example, telling a child "keep your hand off of the stovetop" is more effective than "don't touch the stovetop", as the focus of both statements is on the action, rather than any positive or negative prefixes.  This also can help with telling stories and outlining plans, as it shifts focus away from the task one is trying not to do or on a subject that one does not want to give attention.  

Additionally, removing conditional phrases adds authority and power.  Like Yoda from Star Wars said, "Do or do not, there is no try."  Adding words or phrases like "try" or "consider doing" or "thinking about" distract and delay doing the actual action.  Next time you are given a task, don't try to get it done; do it!  Language like this can also make people skeptical of motives or commitment, and may cast doubt on your actual abilities.

"We'll open a window to unexpected opportunities, success, and abundance.  There's an old saying that I love, 'It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not.'" 

JANINE DRIVER, Speaker, Author, Media Personality

JANINE DRIVER is the founder, president, and lead instructor of the Body Language Institute in Washington, DC, an elite certification program that offers award-winning advanced communications training that help executives, sales people, and other professionals build executive presence, explode their selling skills, and create and deliver business presentations that win new business. Janine and her team of the world's most sought after subject matter experts have helped clients become the total leader, which ultimately led them to win billions of dollars in new business contracts.

Janine is a New York Times Bestselling author, NBC's Today show Body Language Contributor and international communications expert, New York, keynote speaker, and a popular media guest. Janine has made appearances on The Dr. OZ Show, The Rachael Ray Show, and CNN's Larry King Live. She has been quoted in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and in magazines such as Cosmopolitan and Psychology Today. Janine's background includes being a federal law enforcement officer within the United States Department of Justice for fifteen years, where she trained over 60,000 lawyers, judges, and law enforcement officers how to read body language and detect deception. www.bodylanguageinstitute.com 

Janine's book, YOU SAY MORE THAN YOU THINK: The 7-Day Plan on Using the New Body Language to get What You Want! (CROWN) is a New York Times Bestseller and on August 10^th Janine presents concepts from the book that we can use immediately.  Register Today before we sell out.

©2010 Body Language Institute, LLC.  All rights reserved.

Five students from the student chapter attended Experience! 2010 in Austin, Texas. It was a wonderful experience and each of the students learned new things. Meeting students from other student chapters, learning what they did to become a successful and strong student chapter and creating lasting relationships with the future of the catering industry was amazing. We would like to the NACE chapter as a whole for being so supportive of us in our first year as a chapter and we are looking forward to sharing with you everything we learned at Experience! 

The student chapter is ready to get into full swing for the fall semester. We will be attending classes and promoting NACE to grow membership rates and grow the student chapter as a whole to make it as strong and the best it can be. If any member has any contacts at the local universities that you think their class would benefit from the student chapter, we would appreciate any input you have.

We are also excited to announce that the student chapter will be helping to host the September meeting at Canyon Gate. We are all working very hard on the theme and are thrilled to be able to do this event. So, put your 1^st day of school clothes on and come to the event on September 8^th, 2010 at Canyon Gate! We look forward to seeing you there.

Each educational and catersource scholarship winner was asked to share their thoughts on the 2010 conference. You TOO can win a scholarship to the Educational Conference in Reno next year. For more details see any Executive Board member.

From Donnell Bayot

Attending the NACE Experience 2010 Conference was an eye-opener. For me, NACE is very much a part of my family, particularly now. At the conference, I got to continue to build my relationships with my fellow Las Vegas NACE members as well as meet other members from across the country.

At the CPC meeting on Sunday, I was shocked to discover that the NACE Las Vegas leadership selected me to receive an appointment to the President's List. It was a great honor for which I am very grateful for.

I was particularly proud of the participation of the Student Chapter. They were professional in every way and represented the Chapter well. They were the only student chapter to donate to the Foundation and got their name splashed on the big screen.

In addition to the educational sessions, I learnt a lot from the student and chapter leadership breakouts. I gained a lot of valuable knowledge that I plan to put into use in my role as Education Chair for the Chapter. Personally, I enjoyed the networking and  social time most as it allowed me an opportunity to reinforce my connection with my NACE friends and build new friendships with exciting individuals all across the country.

For those who attended the conference with me, I would like to remind you "that we've got spirit!"

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From Tim Lam

As a first time attendee at the NACE Experience conference, I found the experience to be educational and filled with opportunities to network and mingle. For me, I treasured the time to get to know my fellow Las Vegas members and also enjoyed making new contacts with other chapter members as well as the NACE national leadership. Being in the hospitality industry, everyone was most congenial and outgoing.

I took back with me many ideas to implement. The educational sessions were programmed to appeal to both caterers and event/industry professionals. I attended breakout sessions that dealt with everything from sales techniques to general business and personal improvement skills. The general sessions were spectacular learning experiences. One lunch was a learning and tasting event on organic food while another was a design experience with live demonstration and discussion.

As Program Co-Chair for the Chapter, I got to see how a large scale NACE event is put together and received valuable input both directly and indirectly from members as to their desires. I plan to put some of the ideas into action for future Chapter meetings.

I felt that the conference was a good use of my time. I truly enjoyed getting to know fellow Chapter members on a more personal basis, meeting fellow NACE enthusiasts around the country and the many varied learning opportunities throughout the conference. I cannot recommend more highly to my fellow members to attend the next conference in Reno.

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From Annie Kang-Drachen, CPCE

After missing Experience 2009, it was a blessing to be able to make it this year.  On a personal level, conference has been the source to recharge my batteries, and it was long overdue.  I enjoyed the camaraderie of the Las Vegas Chapter and reconnecting with old friends.  

The opening night at the Driskill Hotel was a great way to kick off the conference.  The Austin Chapter of ISES sponsored this event and proved to be an amazing collaboration between two event organizations.  The opening general session, moderated by Marc Summers was very informative.  The current economic climate has everyone wondering when we will get back to normal.  I think the consensus is that we have to redefine "normal".  Who would have thought that an economist would have stolen the show?  I could have attended a whole session with leading economist Anirban Basu.  

My other favorite breakout session was with Neen James.  When I entered the room, the first thing I heard was a high pitchy Aussie accent.  My first instinct was to run because I didn't think I could handle an hour and fifteen minutes listening to her voice.  I stayed and really enjoyed the seminar.  Neen provided insightful information on building a professional network through strategic alliances.  I think the one great take away for me was learning and embracing to be a "connector" in order to grow my network.  

I was looking forward to the awards gala and it didn't disappoint.  Carrie Key put Las Vegas on the map again this year, taking home a personal award, continuing the legacy that Michele Polci started years ago.  The highlight of the conference was when Lisa Lynn Backus was announced as one of the George Zell Spirit Award winners.  Speechless?  Not a word to describe LLB, but overcome with emotion, she was definitely speechless.  

There were some obvious missteps with the conference, but it took a great deal of dedication, passion and drive from everyone who produced the conference.  It is the same dedication, passion and drive that the board of the Las Vegas Chapter endures each month to produce monthly meetings.  

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From Patsy Dolan

First off, I would like to thank the Las Vegas NACE Chapter for the scholarship to attend Experience 2010 in Austin, TX.  What a remarkable "Experience"!

The Opening General Session:  Industry Summit was very interesting.  Sometimes the General Sessions apply mainly to Caterers and not to the Event Professionals.  I felt this was very educational for both sides.  The speakers were excellent, especially Mr. Basu!

I attended the Event Professionals Meeting, which really makes you realize that all of us run into the same obstacles with our businesses - customer service and quality of product.

The Culinary Experience was one of my most favorite.  I thought it was great the way the chefs incorporated local products into their menus and it was very interesting to hear from the local ranchers, farmers and cheese makers, as well as the beekeeper.  

Re-Creating Your Sales Presence in the Special Event Industry was a perfect seminar for me as that is exactly what we are trying to do at Somers Furniture.  We are in the process of repositioning ourselves in the Special Event and Convention Industries and this gave me several more ideas.  This seminar, the $0 Marketing Plan and the Doing Business in Tough Times session was very helpful in that we are recreating ourselves.

Nadia Bilchick was an excellent speaker and very interesting.  The only thing I would suggest is to have the Concurrent Workshop Sessions first thing in the morning and then have the Closing General Session.  

All in all, I felt the Austin Chapter did a great job with the Sessions.  The food lines were long and slow and I don't think it was a good idea to have the larger breakfast between the closing and break-out sessions on the last day.  But all in all, kudos to Austin, they did a great job!

From Tara Cox

Experience! 2010 was a fantastic opportunity to truly understand what NACE can do for the event profession. Networking was my number one goal and I was impressed by the amount of time allotted for this activity. I met incredible people from other chapters that I look forward to working with in the future. I am also delighted that I was able to build stronger relationships with those in the Las Vegas chapter. When I wasn't networking, I greatly enjoyed attending the general sessions and educational breakouts. The sessions were organized and informative. Each speaker was knowledgeable in their topic and pleased to share their ideas and experiences in the industry. My most memorable educational session was "Today's Bridal Marketing Strategy is Tomorrow's Success," taught by David Katz and Aymee Brace of Brides.com Magazines. I learned that although social networks and internet searches are extremely valuable, brides are still picking up magazines and books for ideas and vendor searches. I was also reminder how important social networking is. Brides want to know about your personal life.

Thank you NACE for this invaluable opportunity to attend Experience! 2010. I couldn't imagine missing next year's event in Reno.

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From Rissa Merkley Gunderson

While sitting in the airport waiting to return to Las Vegas, Annie Kang-Drachen CPCE said, "You never forget your first Experience! Conference."  Austin was my first conference and I'm sure it will not be forgotten!  I attended excellent seminars by experts from around the country.  I ate more food than should be allowed in a 4 day time period.  I learned about sustainable food and products, the economic future of business and how to create phenomenal design.  Most importantly, I met amazing people and developed professional and personal relationships with leaders in our industry.  Spending time in downtown Austin with other Student Chapter members was a great way to see the city and get new ideas to implement in our chapter.

Attending Experience!  helped me to cultivate relationships with members of our own chapter and see what a powerhouse Las Vegas is on the National level--it was very exciting to watch Lisa Lynn Backus and Carrie Key accept awards at the closing gala!  I am proud to be a member of NACE and can't wait for Reno Experience! 2011!

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From Lisa Lynn Backus, CMP, CPCE

This was the sixth NACE national educational conference I have attended and it just gets better every year.  I wish that every Las Vegas Chapter member will experience the Experience!

Each year means something new to me.  The first couple of years I was amazed at the amount of education I was able to absorb until my head was full.  The next couple of years I focused on the décor, food displays and design elements.  The last couple of years have been my best ever as I have gotten to participate on the National level.  

I have spent the last year and this year on the planning committee for this 2010 conference and future experience city site selection.  Our committee is pleased to report we have chosen cities up to Experience 2013!   This year the committee got to see a substantial increase in attendance with approximately 500 people and almost half of them first-time attendees.   We shortened the conference by a day and altered the schedule of events to create a profitable conference.

Also, I am honored to say I had the opportunity to assist in proctoring the CPCE exam in Austin.  Hopefully, NACE will have 13 new CPCEs.

Additionally, I was one the Las Vegas Chapter Delegates responsible for representing you, the member, and electing your NACE national board. We are thrilled to announce the following: 

Greg Casella, CPCE President  

Lisa Hopkins, CPCE, CMP 1^st Vice-President

Cliff Schamber, CPCE, CMP 2^nd Vice-President

Linwood Campbell, CPCE Secretary/Treasurer 

Joe Mahoney, CPCE Event Professional 

Lastly, it was a privilege to receive the George Zell Spirit of NACE award!

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From Angela Roberts, CMP, CPCE

This was my first ever NACE conference and I really did not know what to expect, I have heard stories, but I wanted to experience them for myself.  So off I was with 19 other NACE Las Vegas Chapter members to Austin, TX.  The two most important items I brought back to Vegas with a new found appreciation of NACE and 18 stronger friendships.  These two items are priceless and I would recommend everyone should attend at least one Conference in their lifetime.  Yes, I am the President of the ISES Las Vegas Chapter and I would like to personally thank each of the NACE Las Vegas Chapter members that attended the Conference for allowing me to hang out with ya'll for five fun filled days.  I am looking forward to the future of building stronger relationships.

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From Traci McMaster

Experience! 2010 was quite the experience, no pun intended. Being able to attend national conference this year as a member of the student chapter executive board was truly an honor. 

Attending sessions with professionals within the wedding and event industry opened my eyes to things I never knew before and helped me realize there was so much out there that I wanted to learn about. Everything from Indian weddings all the way to advertising and marketing helped refresh my memory from what I had learned in school. 

Majoring in Strategic Communication at the University of Kansas I learned every aspect of the advertising, public relations and marketing of business. Being able to sit in sessions and hear from other people about events, advertising and marketing that are doing the things in their professional jobs was inspiring. 

Experience! 2010 also opened my eyes to the relationships that each person has with people from other cities and states. This is a huge part of the catering industry; having those relationships, building them to be the best they can be and maintaining them is something I will make a priority within my career as an event professional. Thank you NACE Las Vegas for always being mentors and professionals that the student chapter can always look up to. I have learned so much from you and other professionals within the NACE community.

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From Jacqueline Johnston

I am so thankful I had the opportunity to attend Experience! 2010 with such a wonderful group of people. I especially enjoyed getting to know my chapter members while experiencing the exciting city of Austin. At the conference I attended some amazing sessions on marketing, décor, and networking. My favorite session was Tabletop Design with Robin Brockelsby of Creative Coverings, where we had to design a tablescape in fifteen minutes. It was also great to attend the Student Chapter breakout session and get to know how other student chapters from around the country work. We are taking a few of the ideas we learned from this session and implementing them in our own student chapter. I left Austin with new friends, fresh design concepts, the latest in marketing strategies, and 11.25 credits towards my CPCE. It was a great learning experience to be surrounded and educated by the top professionals in my industry. With the tools I learned at conference, I am motivated to grow my business through my NACE membership. I am looking forward to Experience! 2011 in Reno, Nevada!