Dear Fellow NACE Members & Colleagues, 

Happy Spring to all of you, though as I sit here writing this, it looks as if winter has once again found its way back into the area, with lots of snow falling at the lake. But that’s springtime in Northern Nevada!

I want to start by thanking everyone who participated in our Second Annual Table Top and Confectioner’s Competition last month at the Reno Ballroom. My hat’s off to all of you! What an amazing job you did, and I was in awe of every one of the designs displayed.  I also want to thank all those who came out to support the event (despite the snowy weather), the NACE Board members for all their hard work, our judges, vendors, our speaker, Kristjian Gavin, and the Food Bank of Northern Nevada. Thank you so very much for helping to make this such a successful event for our chapter. We could not have done this without each and every one of you.  By your support, you not only contributed to the growth of our chapter and local event professionals, but you also allowed us to give a cash donation to the Food Bank of Northern Nevada, that provided roughly 5,500 meals back the community! For pictures and details about the participants and winners, please visit our website at www.renotahoenace.net. The winner information is also listed a little farther down on the newsletter.We will be doing this event again next year!   

The Membership Campaign and discount for new members is also in full swing and ends on May 21st! If you know someone who has been waiting to join, now’s the time!  $100 off AND a $25 gift certificate towards the NACE Store, the best promotion our national office has offered yet! 

Now you’re probably asking yourself, “Why should I join NACE, What’s in it for me and my business?”  Here’s just a small sample of what NACE membership brings to the table:

• Outstanding networking opportunities and an instant national network of over 4,000 catering and event professionals who are experts in their fields  
• Local chapter networking and educational programming
• The Certified Professional Catering Executive (CPCE) designation
• NACE e-News Network where you won’t miss an event! Stay up-to-date on the latest NACE events and news with our regular monthly e-news, featuring educational opportunities and industry news and events.
• Career Opportunities through the NACE job board, where you can post your resume or find your next position to advance your career. 
• NACE members will receive a complimentary subscription to catersource Magazine, published by Catersource Magazine, Conference & Tradeshow.
• Access to the NACE Advantage Program with such companies as Staples, Fed Ex Shipping, and Amazon.com have some excellent values.

I could go on and on, but to be blunt, the event business has changed and it no longer comes in the same “nicely wrapped packages” as it did before. It is still there, but to capture it and most importantly, to thrive in these economic times, we all have to look at better and different ways of doing business than we have before, essentially re-inventing ourselves and way we approach our businesses and ourselves as professionals. Being a member of NACE helps you do that by assisting you to build your professional network, and giving you the tools and training to grow both personally and professionally.  Now… that’s a benefit that you cannot put a price on. You can’t afford not to join.  For more information, please contact our Membership Chair, Lisa Deleon at 775/ 586-6227 or via email at lisa@trexp.com.

Also coming up very soon is the NACE “Experience!” 2010 National Conference being held at the Hilton Austin Downtown, in Austin, TX, July 25 – 28, 2010. The National convention is a huge networking and educational opportunity! If you have always wanted to attend, now is your chance! Reno has been chosen to host the Experience! 2011 Conference, so we would like to get as many attendees from the Reno-Tahoe area as possible. Conference information can be found on the National Website: www.nace.net

In closing, I want to thank to all of our members and colleagues who continue to support our growing chapter. It’s going to be a great year for the Reno-Tahoe NACE Chapter.  Look forward to seeing you all at our next event.

My Best,

Robin Eissinger ~ Reno-Tahoe NACE Chapter President