WEDNESDAY | Catersource

The 2014 Conference & Tradeshow brings you brand new speakers with brand new topics. You'll visit the hundreds of vendors and exciting Xperience Stage sessions on the Tradeshow floor on Wednesday morning, then head back to the hotel for the final sessions of the Conference. View the outline below for the education lineup for Wednesday, March 26, 2014.

CONFERENCE SESSIONS

9:30am — 2:30pm	Catersource & Event-Solutions Tradeshow Las Vegas Convention Center Top product and service providers will be on the tradeshow floor to show you the hottest items on the market, plus you’ll find new ideas, show specials, special demo stages, drawings and giveaways, and tons of inspiration! Click here for more information about all the areas and activities at the Tradeshow.
3:00pm — 4:00pm	The Art of Kathy G. and Company. Dazzling Design and Extraordinary Cuisine - Part 1 Kathy G. Mezrano, Founder/President and Jason Mezrano, Corporate Executive Chef, Kathy G. and Company, Birmingham, AL Google Kathy G. and Company and you will find glowing reviews filled with words like awesome, inspired, amazing, delicious, professional and hassle-free. Dr. Robert E. Witt, former President of the University of Alabama says, “Simply stated, you are the best.” Watch as Kathy and her team build several amazing tables, demonstrate design techniques and tips, then complete the look with Jason’s noteworthy menu suggestions.
3:00pm — 4:00pm	Build a Modern Selling Strategy and Improve Performance Meryl Snow, Catersource Consultant and Owner, Feastivities Events, Philadelphia, PA Known to many as the “Queen of Sales and Marketing”, Meryl dives into a fast moving, content packed, interactive class focusing on sales strategies and techniques that will increase your margins and build brand loyalty. Discover planning sales techniques that work, understand how to position yourself as the expert, acquire techniques for uncovering hidden opportunities and how to provide your clients with the kinds of solutions they really want. Learn these skills and start using them today to bring your sales performance to a whole new level.
3:00pm — 4:00pm	Education Crafted for Building a Successful Catering Company. All Systems on Go – Part 6 Bill Hansen, CEO, Bill Hansen Catering, Miami, FL and Bill Pannhoff, Owner, B & B Catering & Events, Spring Lake, NC Good businesses rely on layers upon layers of good systems. Quit winging it and trying to do your best, but failing or being inconsistent. Bill and Bill will share templates for forms and systems that will change your company from haphazard to consistently running smoothly. Get examples of a sound policy and procedure manual, catering contracts, BEO’s and production forms, employee job descriptions and their list of the top ten forms you must use to be profitable and grow your company.
3:00pm — 4:00pm	Orchestrating the Perfectly Organized Event Presented by ICA Robin Selden, Executive Chef/Managing Partner and Jeffrey Selden, Managing Partner, Marcia Selden Catering & Event Planning, Stamford, CT Learn the secrets to making your events run like a well-oiled machine. This talented team at Marcia Selden Catering knows how to execute the perfectly planned event using their signature Party Plans. Every minute of every event is planned to perfection. Every staff person knows where they need to be and what they need to do…behind the scenes and on the floor. Produce events with less stress and more consistency using their tried and true system.
3:00pm — 4:00pm	The Psychology of Color and Styled Shoots Presented by WIPA Laura Grier, Owner/Photographer/Travel Blogger, Beautiful Day Photography, Marina Del Rey, CA
3:00pm — 4:00pm	Extending the Life of Your Event with 365 Marketing Trevor Lynn, Marketing Manager, Social Tables, Washington, DC
3:00pm — 4:00pm	The Creativity of Brands Presented by ISES Robert Wright, Managing Director, Davies Tanner, Kent, United Kingdom
4:15pm — 5:15pm	The Art of Kathy G. and Company. Dazzling Design and Extraordinary Cuisine - Part 2 Kathy G. Mezrano, Founder/President and Jason Mezrano, Corporate Executive Chef, Kathy G. and Company, Birmingham, AL But wait there’s more! If the first hour got your creative juices flowing stick around for part 2. Watch as Kathy and Jason present sixty more idea-packed minutes focusing on versatile and affordable, but visually stunning designs and flavor-packed creative menus.
4:15pm — 5:15pm	There is No Money for Second Place. Closing the Sale Meryl Snow, Catersource Consultant and Owner, Feastivities Events, Philadelphia, PA So often after a meeting with a client, you think you nailed it just to learn the following week that the event went to the competition. What happened? You were out sold! Mastering the selling process and learning how to resolve objections are just a couple of the topics Meryl will address. Whether you are a seasoned sales pro or an inexperienced beginner this sales closing workshop will give you a new toolbox for increased sales and not only meeting, but exceeding your sales goals.
4:15pm — 5:15pm	Education Crafted for Building a Successful Catering Company. Going Home with an Action Plan – Part 7 Bill Hansen, CEO, Bill Hansen Catering, Miami, FL and Bill Pannhoff, Owner, B & B Catering & Events, Spring Lake, NC If nothing ever changes, nothing ever gets better. You’re going home armed with a plethora of new information and ideas, but you need an action plan to get the ball rolling. This class will review the key components from the previous sessions that will make you and your company more productive and more profitable, answer tough questions you will face as a caterer and conclude with a time for Q & A.
4:15pm — 5:15pm	Venue Contracts…The ABCs of Writing a Winning RFP Warren Dietel, President/Owner, Puff ‘n Stuff Events and Catering, Orlando, FL If you want to grow your company by leaps and bounds, an exclusive contract at a private or public venue might be the answer. Most venues will ask potential contractors to submit an RFP when seeking out new vendors. Understanding how to put your company in the best light and outshine the competition during this process will give you the competitive edge. Join Warren as he shares an actual RFP submitted by Puff ‘n Stuff for a Performing Arts Center contract and learn how to write a winning RFP, negotiate the contract and launch your new partnership with the venue.
4:15pm — 5:15pm	Unique Encounters That Enhance Brand Relevance Presented by WIPA Bess Wyrick, Owner, Artistic Director, Celadon and Celery, New York, NY
4:15pm — 5:15pm	The Art of Hotel Negotiating Presented by ISES Judy Brillhart, CSEP, PBC, Director of Catering, Sheraton Commander Hotel, Cambridge, MA
4:15pm — 5:15pm	Lights, Camera, Clients! How to Use Video Marketing to Build Your Business Alison Howard, Owner/Executive Director, Alison Howard Events, San Diego, CA
5:30pm — 6:30pm	CLOSING SESSION Refreshed, Inspired and Excited! Mastering the Catering and Events Industry Bite by Bite Peter Callahan, Owner/Creative Director, Peter Callahan Catering, New York, NY Blending an impeccable and demanding palate, a keen eye for design and a creative need to be always fresh and original are key elements to the success of Peter Callahan Catering. Known to the discerning client as a culinary design studio, Peter and his talented team focus on producing experiential events and products never seen before for a clientele who has seen it all. In addition to many appearances on TV, Peter is also a Contributing Editor for Martha Stewart Weddings and has twice been named by Modern Bride Magazine as an industry ”Trendsetter.” Learn from a true catering & event visionary the upcoming industry trends, how to turn your everyday experiences into extraordinary events and why innovation is an essential element to your success. Leave this session and the Catersource and Event Solutions Conference armed with more knowledge, more inspiration and more motivation than you can imagine possible.

Schedule subject to change.