Modu-Loc, Toronto

As Regional Sales Manager at Modu-Loc Fence Rentals for over five years, Darren has overseen events all over Ontario, Manitoba, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Modu-Loc Fence Rentals is the leader in crowd control for the special event industry. The Modu-Loc system ensures security, privacy and the image required to meet the needs of any size of event. Modu-Loc 'Fence Guys' are responsible for delivery and installation. They are experienced and have an in-depth understanding of the complexities and demands of event production, enabling them to provide recommendations to maximize optimum crowd control and security. 

www.moduloc.ca

David Beahm Design, NYC

David Beahm is one of America’s top event designers. Known for his inventive work and trademark over-the-top flower creations, he has designed countless weddings for society, high profile and discerning clients, including Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas (referred to by the press as the Wedding of the Century), as well as a host of celebrity and Fortune 500 corporate events. He includes among his diverse corporate client base, such well-known names as: Target, The Discovery Channel, Champagne Perrier-Jouët, Van Cleef & Arpels Jewelry, Victoria’s Secret Beauty, Christian Dior, McDonald's and Louis Vuitton. He has also designed some of the most talked-about parties for New York's top non-profit institutions, including The Whitney, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Hackensack University Medical Center and Lincoln Center, to name a few.

An expert at transforming venues here in the United States, David also designs events for clients around the world. His destinations collection features some of the most luxurious and exclusive properties in the world, setting the stage for any event a client can imagine. Whether they want a beautiful wedding, a fabulous honeymoon or a relaxing corporate retreat, David can make any client’s dream a reality.

David’s insights and designs have been featured in The New York Times, New York Magazine, Style, The Wall Street Journal, Architectural Digest, Town & Country, People, Brides, TheKnot.com, as well as a number of appearances on television and on the web. He is a well-known speaker in the field of luxury weddings, and maintains witty and entertaining repartee on Facebook and Twitter, as well as a full herb and vegetable garden on the 23rd floor of his New York City apartment building.

www.davidbeahm.com

photo of David:Films by Francesco

New York City

With more than 20 years in wedding and event related sales and marketing, Alan Berg is uniquely qualified to help event and wedding professionals achieve their goals. Alan spent 11 years at The Knot, most of them as vice president, overseeing the sales, education and training of the local sales team and local wedding pros around the country.

Alan is the author of the books If Your Website Was Your Employee Would You Fire It?, the mini book Don’t Paint the House and the brand new book Your Attitude for Success. He has a series of DVD presentations and online videos.

He is a business and marketing consultant, an in-demand professional speaker and member of the National Speakers Association, the leading organization for professional speakers. He speaks to thousands of local business professionals every year through webinars and live presentations.

www.alanberg.com

Empire Force Events, NYC

Bernstein is widely recognized as a leader in the events industry and champion of the profession. Her expertise as an Event Producer and New York City Destination Manager positions Empire Force to support the challenging and fast-paced production expectations of the world’s biggest corporations and organizations. She is in her second term on the board of directors for NYC & Company. And in 2007, “Crain's New York Business” named Bernstein one of New York City’s top six meetings/hospitality/entertainment industry leaders in New York City.
www.empireforce.com

Marcy Blum Associates, NYC

At my company, Marcy Blum Associates, we create weddings and other celebrations for special occasions. I launched the company in 1986 after having spent many years in the restaurant and catering business.  Having graduated Performing Arts High School and The Culinary Institute of America, I use my background so that our events are infused with the elegantly theatrical, wonderful and interesting food and wines, and impactful décor.

I have been lucky enough to create the weddings of Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon, Padma Lakshmi and Salman Rushdie, and Colin Hanks and Samantha Bryant as well as those of Billy Joel and Tom Clancy.  Over the years, we  have produced a very exciting 50^th birthday celebration for Donny Deutsch and several of the original marketing events for Comedy Central, as well as events for  Regis and Joy Philbin, members of the Rockefeller family, and many, many, lovely brides, grooms,  corporations, and bar/bat mitzvahs kids.

I have branded myself an “eventiste”, originally somewhat tongue in cheek, because all of the traditional terms for event planners, didn’t quite fit the range of what I do.

I co-authored Wedding Planning for Dummies and The Wedding Kit for Dummies, and have written columns on my particular take on entertaining for The Huffington Post, Town and Country and In Style Weddings. I have been a guest on Oprah, The Today Show, Live with Regis and Kelly and CNBC Reports and am often a speaker at industry conferences in The United States and several times in Japan. I am opinionated, but absolutely recognize that it is the clients’ event, not mine.  I love what I do and every day is a treasure hunt for new ideas.

Marcy Blum Associates
www.marcyblum.com 

DND Group, NYC

Dianne Budion Devitt has an over 25-year track record as an innovative leader and expert in communication through design and directing live experiences. Educator, Consultant, Speaker, Author, Event Producer, Dianne is known for her unique and provocative style blending creativity with inspiration. Her book, "What Color is Your Event? – the Art of Bringing People Together," creatively influences and delivers a message to maximize live communication to gain results through strategic design.

As an Assistant Professor at New York University for nearly 25 years, Dianne teaches courses from event design to event management in both the Undergraduate and Certificate program.  She has received and been nominated for numerous industry awards including one of the “Top 20 Industry Professionals in New York” as well as being the recipient of the NYU “Award for Teaching Excellence.”  Dianne has spoken internationally at conferences in Europe and the UAE as well as domestically.  Dianne is a member of the National Speakers Association, Women in Communications, Meeting Professionals International and International Special Events Society.

www.dndgroup.com

President & Owner, Emergency Rescue EMS

In business for 6 years, Emergency Rescue EMS, under the direction of President & Owner, Shannon Chow, has become the leading provider of onsite paramedics to the event industry in Ontario. The success of this organization in the event industry can be attributed to Shannon’s skills, experience and personality.

Shannon is an accredited International Life Support instructor and teaches through ITLS Ontario and Toronto EMS Education. When not upgrading here own skills or teaching future paramedics, Shannon enjoys speaking at FEO, ISES, Canadian Special Events Expo and Humber College’s Special Event Management Programs. As a specialist in her field, she is often requested by the media and can be found in various magazines, newspapers and on television.

Shannon’s years of medical experience working in Toronto at its many large events results in her ability to custom tailor emergency response plans for any venue or event. Her expertise can be seen through the success of large high profile events such as Children’s Aid Foundation’s Teddy Bear Galas, Virgin Unite Galas, Annual Convention Meeting for various large corporations, The Rogers Cup and many more.

Not only do Shannon and her team have an impressive list of events behind their success: Shannon has also taken the time to nurture her relationships within the industry and therefore is extremely well connected to various event professionals, including coordinators, vendors and event specialists.

Besides her love of medicine and events, Shannon has made it a point to keep as up to date as possible with everything that goes on around her. Recently, she has embraced the likes of social media including Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to keep current with world events, event trends and to promote her company.

www.eracademy.com

Michael Coombs Entertainment, Toronto

As a beat-mixing specialist, accomplished MC and former Radio and Nightclub DJ, Michael Coombs brings a unique set of skills that is lost in Toronto’s Special Event industry. Very few can match his experience and expertise!

From humble beginnings in 1992, working for a small Toronto-based Wedding/ Event DJ company with his high school friend Paul Jones (nicknamed Jester) to wanting a little more exposure, Michael and Paul founded “Worldwide” on the University of Toronto’s Community Radio Station, 89.5 CIUT in 1996. As a Radio and Television Honors graduate from Seneca College, radio was his first love and being on-air was a dream come true.

The exposure from “Worldwide” opened up a world of opportunities, with Michael eventually holding some high-profile night club residencies in Toronto’s downtown core including Powerbar/Envy, Jet, G-spot, Berlin and playing at concerts and record release parties for the likes of International recording artists, Shaggy, Wyclef Jean of the Fugees, Kardinal Offishal, Busta Rhymes and many others.

In 2001 with his marriage to his beautiful wife Marsha, and the arrival of his first daughter, the nightclub lifestyle had lost its allure and Michael left the industry completely. After some time off, he decided that he wanted to start playing again, however did not want to return to the club scene.

Coming full circle, Michael returned to the Toronto Special Event industry and founded “Prodigy Entertainment” in 2002. Since then he has had the opportunity to DJ some of Toronto and Canada’s most high profile Special Events, including the 2009 NHL All-Star Game in Montreal and at the 2010 MLS Cup in Toronto.

Michael has shared the stage with Canadian Rock & Roll Legends Jeff Healy and Tom Cochrane, has been

interviewed and mentioned in Toronto Life Magazine, the Globe & Mail, Today’s Bride, Weddingsbells, Wedluxe Magazine and wrote the foreword for Tom Haibeck's best selling book "The Wedding MC". Michael is referred by Toronto’s Top Wedding and Special Event Planners, Wedding Professionals and Venues. Not to mention he was the recipient of the 2007 and the 2008 Canadian Wedding DJ of the Year award at the Canadian Wedding Industry Awards, he won the inaugural 2009 DJ Industry Leadership Award, was the 2009 National President for Canada’s largest DJ Association, the Canadian Professional DJ Association (CPDJA) and is currently serving as the chapter President for ISES – Toronto.

He does not only rely on his experience, Michael is continually learning. Having traveled to the US to study with some of North America’s top DJs, to being actively involved with Toastmasters, to completing the Dale Carnegie Course in Effective Communications, to taking Improv classes with Second City, Michael is always looking to improve his DJ / MC skill-set.

In 2011, Michael changed his company name from Prodigy Entertainment to Michael Coombs Entertainment.

www.michaelcoombs.ca

A Top UK wedding planner who has maintained a first-class wedding and event planning service for more than 25 years, Jane Dayus-Hinch has earned international recognition as a veritable wedding guru. Jane’s expertise is in high demand: she has been a featured guest on numerous international television and radio shows as well as the VIP speaker at various conventions.

Jane’s combined assets – including her vast experience in the field of wedding planning as well as a uniquely unforgettable personality – caught the attention of a top Canadian television company. She was offered a position as the host of a reality TV show called  “Wedding SOS” which features overwhelmed – and sometimes outright clueless – couples in dire need of expert help.

Jane steps in as a fairy godmother and the consummate authority in event organization to help the poor brides and grooms realize their wedding dreams. Through disastrous scenarios and nightmare situations, Jane retains her British wit and composure and keeps the couples in check. With her superhuman ability to grant three wishes, Jane will let nothing – whether it be meddling mothers-in-law or bickering bridesmaids – stop her from organizing the perfect wedding.

Five seasons completed and with over 65 episodes completed, “Wedding SOS” airs on the  SLICE Network in Canada, United States and on SKY1, SKY3, SKY Real Life in the UK.
During her recent trip to Canada, Jane Dayus-Hinch was interviewed by Colleen Oreskovic, the Fashion Editor at the prestigious website TheRingBearer.ca. These interviews can be seen by clicking below:

www.janedayus-hinch.com

Moorshead & Associates, Toronto

ANNE-MARIE ENNS is an award-winning event planner with more than 10 years of experience in event production, event marketing, and sponsorship. Her experience extends to working with large not-for-profits, such as the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research (CANFAR) and The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and with numerous corporations, such as top law firms, financial institutions, advertising agencies, catering companies, and event venues.

On behalf of CANFAR, Anne-Marie was the lead producer for Bloor Street Entertains (BSE). In her three years with BSE, Anne-Marie shaped the event into what it is today, won a national event industry award for exceptional fundraising and logistics achievements and more than doubled the size of the event’s operating budget. Anne-Marie’s other experience extends to incentive travel, conference and tradeshow planning, catering, and event venue sales.

In addition to event management consulting, Anne-Marie provides clients with digital PR and event marketing services: SEO, alternative marketing, web 2.0 strategy, social media marketing, and online brand management. She has taught at Seneca College, instructing post-graduate students in the Event and Exhibit Design program.

CEO, The Mint Agency/Mint Events, Toronto

Jordan Fogle founded The Mint Agency and Mint Lifestyle Events Inc. in 2004.  Fogle has extensive experience in marketing & communications as well as event planning and event production. Beginning his career in advertising at Communiqué, Fogle later acquired The Mandell Entertainment Group which specialized in private and large corporate event production and execution.  Fogle has produced many successful Toronto International Film Festival events and has worked on large campaigns for Google, RBC, Ford, Porsche, Bell and Rogers to name a few.

Fogle was also the co-founder of Lobby Bar and Lounge located in the heart of Yorkville in Toronto and is the current co-founder and co-proprietor of Brassaii Restaurant & Lounge, located in the stylish King West district.

www.themintagency.com

JessGo, Toronto

Jessica Gorlicky is a mainstay on Toronto’s trendy art scene. Her urban chique style and live, colourful creations have resonated with city socialites and hipsters for the past decade. They’ve brought her art to the walls of fashionable restaurants, the runways of retail powerhouses and the spotlight of some of the most publicized events of the year. Jessica is not just an artist, she is a bundle of creativity, bursting with innovative ideas to express her zest for life.It was only a matter of time before Jessica turned art into a spectacle. Travelling across Canada as a live painter, Jessica was inspired to start a series of YouTube videos titled Art In Motion, bringing the energy of the stage onto the street. Her videos, which show her painting a live portrait in minutes on the subway, in alleyways, on the beach and even on the aisles of a moving plane, have gone viral, garnering thousands of hits.Just as she is unique, the artist ensures that her creations are indeed one of a kind as well.From the time she started painting professionally at the age of 23, Jessica has made sure that every piece she has created is as unique as she is. 

One of Jessica’s most memorable experiences as a painter happened in the fall of 2011 when she was selected by Cirque Du Soleil to entertain special guests before the critically acclaimed show “Totem.” As a result, Jessica put on 77 unforgettable shows in the Tapis Rouge VIP tent for crowds of up to 350 people.

Some other opportunities and highlights from 2011 are: Coca- Cola, L’Oreal Fashion Week 2011, Norman Felix Gallery, Lululemon, Nuit Blanche, Soho Gallery Montreal, CP24’s live federal election show, City TV’s Breakfast Television and Sotheby’s Art Auction. The next large exhibit is March 29th, 2012 at House of Moments Gallery, 388 Carlaw, Toronto, Ont. Followed by a stop in Vancouver for a group exhibit on May 4th, 2012. Jessica then travels to Montreal for a solo exhibit onMay 17th, 2012 and comes back to Toronto for a solo summer show at Twist Gallery in June 2012.

www.jessgo.com

Absolute Tent & Event Services, Toronto

Paul Kenyon is owner and founder of the Absolute group of companies that has supplied the film and event industries for 14 years. Paul served as the president of the Canadian Rental Association (CRA) and CPAT – the Commercial Production Association of Toronto. After graduating from McMaster University, Paul first worked in international finance for a US ‘baby Bell”. Thereafter, he became a Film Location Manager to the motion picture industry. “It was like putting on a gigantic special event everyday of my life,” says Paul, “so the transition came naturally”.

In 1997 he opened Absolute Location Support Services which soon became Canada’s largest and busiest film location equipment suppliers.  Paul offers a rare insight into the issue of saving money on equipment costs when producing special events.

www.absolute.to

POP Kollaborative, Canada

Kenneth Kristoffersen CSEP, CEM, is the President/Creative Director of POP Kollaborative, with Western and Eastern Canadian Offices. He is the Past – President of the International Special Events Society (ISES) – Calgary and has sat on the International Relations and Education Committees for ISES – International. He has held appointments to the National Advisory Panel for Canadian Event Perspective, and the International Advisory Board for Special Events Magazine. He is a keynote speaker at international conferences, past instructor of events at post-secondary institutions, and an author of magazine articles. Ken has inspired his team to many national and international awards and has been honoured with the Canadian Event Producer of the Year award twice and the Canadian Spirit of the Industry Award (Lifetime Achievement Award). In 2011 he received the Steve Kemble International Leadership Award and the Event Professional of the Year Award, Canada’s highest honour for an event professional.

www.pophasawebsite.com

3L Productions, Toronto

Gino has over thirty years of experience in event production, stage management, sound reinforcement, lighting and custom staging. Gino mastered the art of performance and entertainment while touring with one of Canada's top rock entertainment bands of the late 1970s and 80s.

In 1985, Gino created 3L Productions with two other members of the band. 3L Productions is a supplier of sound, lighting, staging and multi-media for festivals, special events, corporate functions, concerts and tradeshows. 3L Sound and Lighting offers a sophisticated, professional Audio, Video, Lighting and Staging package with a well spoken and obliging crew of technicians to ensure your corporate meeting or annual sales meeting, looks and sounds terrific and is accomplished with style and ease.

As part of your team, our commitment to you is to work side by side and meticulously design a high impact presentation that exceeds expectations and effectively communicates the message and mood that you want to convey. Gino & his team have been proud members of various industry organizations including ISES & FEO.

www.3lsound.com

READY2SPARK, Toronto

As Chad Borenz of Event Solutions puts it, “The world of marketing is changing, and Lara is one of the ones changing it!”. A strategic thinker and a pioneering force in the branding, marketing and social media revolution, Lara has been featured in a multitude of international media outlets and was most recently honored by BizBash magazine with the title, Industry Innovator.  With over 15 years as a Brand Consultant for multinationals like Cadbury-Adams, Unilever and Scotts, Lara brings ‘Big Brand Thinking’ to small business through her consultancy, READY2SPARK®. 

In addition to being the Chief Brand Storyteller for her company, Lara also founded #eventprofs, a thriving online community that was featured in The Twitter Book by Tim O’Reilly and Hear Me Roar, a community for business women in events. Her marketing blog holds the title as the event industry’s highest ranked independent blog.

The culmination of Lara’s passion and experience has heralded leadership posts on numerous Advisory Boards, a monthly column for an international magazine and recognition with three National Awards for dedication, spirit and leadership. She is also a sought after speaker, delivering her messages to audiences around the world. Client by client, article by article and keynote by keynote, Lara is sparking a fundamental shift in the way that event companies do business.

www.ready2spark.com

Design2Decor, Toronto

Lauded as one of Canada’s most renowned event designers, Paras Mehta is the creative force behind Design2Decor Inc. creating spectacular, highly stylized, social and corporate events each year from coast to coast for the most discerning of clientele.

With a career that began only eight years ago, Paras has garnered the respect of the Canadian events industry.  He was awarded his first Canadian Event Industry Star Award at the age of 24 and a year later at age 25, was named ‘Event Designer of the Year’ by the Canadian Wedding Industry –one of the highest achievements in wedding design in Canada.

Paras is a highly sought after designer known for his creativity, attention to detail, and innovative approach to design.  His ability to conceptualize space in harmony with his client’s desires has made him the top choice for a host of corporations, organizations, foundations, top-tier hotels and resorts, event planners, and brides.  More recently, Paras’s work has captured the attention of Bollywood celebrities and royalty.

As a graduate of the Wedding Planners Institute of Canada and Canadian Institute of Floral Design, Paras continues to be at the forefront of the Canadian event design industry as a judge in national awards programs and speaker at national industry conferences.  Paras’s work can be found in leading international media:  WedLuxe Magazine, Style Me Pretty, RingBearer.ca, Wedding Chicks, South Asian Bride Magazine, BizBash, and Grace Ormonde Wedding Style.

Paras’s highly anticipated first book debuts in the autumn of 2012.

Moorshead & Associates, Toronto

Alexandra Moorshead is a leading event professional and strategic fundraiser. As principal consultant of Moorshead & Associates, an event management firm specializing in event production, revenue development, and event marketing, Alexandra offers more than 10 years of experience as producer of some of Canada’s most respected community events and fundraisers. Her solid track record with leaders in the not-for-profit sector has led to contracts with The Word On The Street, Canadian Stage Company, The Leacock Foundation, Canadian Cancer Society, Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, Multiple Sclerosis Society, and the United Way among many other highly regarded organizations.
Alexandra holds certifications in event management and fundraising and has earned many awards for her clients. Her expertise in the areas of sponsorship and project management has led to her being invited to speak at conferences in Canada and the US.

Yellow House Events, Toronto

Grail Noble is the founder and CEO of Yellow House Events, an event marketing company based in the Distillery District in Toronto. Recently named #41 on the Profit "Top-200-fastest-growing-companies-in Canada" list, Yellow House does business all over North America and the Caribbean.  Grail has also recently been named to the W100 – a list of the top 100 female entrepreneurs in Canada and is recognized as running the third-fastest-growing company owned by a woman in Canada. 

She has spent 20 years in the events marketing industry and has launched products across the globe. She built her career working on the client side with Molson, the NBA and YTV before launching her own event company 8 years ago. Her clients span many sectors, with a specialty in high tech, including RIM, TELUS, Virgin, AT&T, Sprint, Mobilicity and Siemens. Some of her other clients include REVLON, MasterCard, FootJoy and Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. 

Grail loves what she does, believes in the power of getting face-to-face and in creating not just events, but full brand immersions.

www.yellowhouseevents.com 

Beyond the Box Inc., Toronto

Bob Presner comes from both the business and creative side of movies where he worked as a producer, completion guarantor, production manager and assistant director on feature films, television series, documentaries and commercials. Bob is former President of Film Finances Canada where he was responsible for the successful completion and delivery of more than $200,000,000 worth of production each year. He has been involved in productions productions helmed by such talents as David Cronenberg, Atom Egoyan, Tony Scott, Sir Richard Attenborough and Denis Arcand. Today, Bob is the President of Beyond the Box, a Toronto-based company that runs creativity and team-building workshops for international corporations, federal and provincial government ministries, as well as not-for-profit organizations. Some of their clients include MAstercard, Bombardier, Pfizer, Audi, Canon, Chubb, RBC, Rogers, TD Financial, Kellogg's, Astral Media, Bell and The Rotman School of Management.

www.beyondthebox.ca

Beyond the Box Inc., Toronto

Lola Rasminsky has built three successful arts-based enterprises: a corporate training company – Beyond the Box; a thriving arts school – the Avenue Road Arts School; and a remarkable charitable organization – Arts for Children and Youth. Armed with a M.A. in Philosophy and training as a music educator, Lola is interested in the theory that connects arts education with the skills needed to be a leader who can ‘think differently’. In 2006, Lola received the RBC Canadian Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the Trailblazer Category. In 2007, she was given the Toronto Mayor’s Arts Award. In 2008, she was honoured with the Order of Canada for her contribution to arts education. In 2009, she received the Canadian Urban Institute’s Local Hero Award. She currently sits as a Board Member of the Ontario Trillium Foundation and the Toronto Community Foundation.

www.beyondthebox.ca

MS Productions, Edmonton

Milena Santoro – author, speaker, award-winning, certified meeting and special events professional who has earned many accolades managing events for corporations, international associations, social clients and not-for-profit agencies. She is the Creative President and CEO of MS Productions Inc., a full service international event production, design and destination management company with offices in Canada and Europe. Milena has been planning events for over 20 years and has natural ability to create, design and produce experiential events. With her background in hospitality and culinary arts, floral and interior design, she is able to translate her client’s ideas into reality. She is an entrepreneur who has planned hundreds of weddings and events both locally and internationally. MS Production is based in Edmonton Alberta, Canada, with offices in Calgary, Vancouver and Rome, Italy. Milena continues to be very active in the wedding and events industry.

A former President-Elect and current President for the Greater Edmonton Meeting Professionals International (MPI) Chapter, a founding board member and VP of Education and Events for the Green Meetings Industry Council (GMIC) Canada Chapter, a Director at Large and Chair of Events for the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) Edmonton Chapter, a founding board member of MPI’s Global Emerging Leaders Mentor Program. Milena is also an active member with the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers (CAPS), Professional Conference Management Association (PCMA), International Special Events Society (ISES) – a founding board member of Edmonton Chapter and VP of Education, Association of Bridal Consultants (ABC).

Education has been a passion and focus for Milena. She is constantly helping to mold the future of our industry as a speaker, educator, facilitator and partner who believes collaboration, knowledge exchange and mentoring are the fundamental components to nurture and grow the industry of weddings and events.

Milena she has been a contributing editor and quoted in various industry magazines, a self-published author of: Two Rings, The Ultimate Wedding Organizer, used by Trista Rehn and Ryan Sutter of the Bachelorette, seen in Martha Stewart magazines, gifted on the Caroline Rhea show, sold on the Shopping Channel, sold on Amazon and Chapters/Indigo.

www.milenasantoro.com

Lawrence J Shryane Productions, Toronto

With over twenty-four years of experience in live event production, staging, Producing, Stage Design, Lawrence has extensive national and international touring experience as a Stage manager, Production Manager and Tour manager working with many International recording artists. Raised in London, England and now living in Toronto, Canada he has also lived in Vancouver and Los Angeles, California. He attended The London School of Dramatic Arts, studying Theatre and stagecraft. 

His credits include: Director of Production for Virgin Festivals Canada National Tour from 2006-2008, OZ Fest (Calgary) 2009, Earth Hour 2008-2010, Edgefest from 2008-Present, Wakestock 2009- Present, Rogers Picnic 2007-2008, Tragically Hip Festival Canada Day 2011-Present

He has also Produced live events for AEG Live, Goldenvoice Canada LTD, Live Nation, Bacardi, Virgin Mobile, Microsoft, HP, Intel, Molson’s, Labatt’s, IBM, Coca Cola, Fashion Cares, Teddy Bear affair and many more.

www.lawrencejproductions.com

STAR Security, Toronto

M.D. Stevens is a Senior Supervisor and Training Coordinator for Star Security Inc. He has over 20 years experience in the Event Security field.

M.D. has extensive experience in all types of events ranging from Personal Protection details to events as large as the 2003 SARS concert at Downsview Park.

M.D. is a certified trainer in Crisis Management, Tactical Communications, Use of Force & Restraints and Defensive Tactics.
He has been an active trainer since 1997.

In addition he has had considerable involvement in the development and implementation of Standing Orders and Policy & Procedure for the leading Event Security company in southern Ontario.

Lavish Wedding Planning & Design, Calgary

MARY SWAFFIELD is the President, Designer, and Lead Planner of Lavish. In addition to her studies in Event Management at Mount Royal University, she graduated from the prestigious Interlochen Arts Academy in the USA and also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Classical Music Performance from the University of Calgary. Prior to starting Lavish, she worked as a Musician, a Program Coordinator, an Instructor, a Marketing Assistant and various other positions which she now credits for her diverse organizational skills and design aesthetic.

In 2011 Lavish was awarded the coveted STAR Award by the Canadian Special Event Industry for best Theme Decor. In July 2011 Mary will begin a 2-year term on the Board of Directors for the Calgary Chapter of ISES (International Special Events Society). She is a member of ISES, CBA (Calgary Bridal Association), and is a Certified Wedding Coordinator through the WPIC (Wedding Planners Institute of Canada). Her work is frequently published on wedding blogs and in magazines, and her services are in high demand, with couples often booking her 12 – 24 months prior to their wedding and in some cases, before they officially become engaged.

Mary credits her success to her passion for the industry, her tireless work ethic, and an old-fashioned love of all things romantic! She finds design inspiration wherever she is – online (various fashion and design blogs), through interior design, in nature, art, and music. Her biggest inspiration are her clients – she loves getting to know their love stories: finding unique and modern ways to incorporate each love story and each couple’s personality into their wedding. Her clients appreciate her fierce negotiating skills, her dedication to making the planning experience a positive one for all, her quirky sense of humor, her love of all things wedding, and her commitment to providing each and every couple with an unforgettable experience.

When Mary is not busy planning weddings, she enjoys spending time with her husband Ian and her three young children, Luci, Lili and Cohen. She loves attending concerts, reading, swimming, reality TV, shopping, and enjoying the amazing restaurants and art galleries in and around Calgary. She also loves socializing – she is the organizer behind monthly get-togethers for the Calgary Wedding Industry, as well as bi-weekly pub nights with her closest girl friends

lavishweddingdesign.com

Editor, canadianspecialevents.com

Stacy Wyatt has spent the last 15 years running Canada’s leading industry resource; canadianspecialevents.com. As editor of the online destination site and as managing partner at national event marketing group she has dedicated her entire career to building bridges between planners and suppliers & building programs that support the growth and development of the Canadian event industry.

Stacy has been involved in productions across Canada and around the world. She has produced everything from galas to conference, trade show and tail gate parties and everything in between. It is that sold foundation in planning and executing that gave her the background to launch the Canadian Event Industry Awards, a national program recognizing outstanding achievements in the special event industry. A program that has presents what has become the most prestigious award in the Canadian industry.

In addition to her professional network Stacy has devoted hundreds of hours to volunteer positions for several industry boards and publications. She was a founding board member of the Canadian Special Event Society and has held numerous positions on the ISES Vancouver board including Communications, and Membership.  She has been the recipient of several ISES Esprit Awards, and in 2009 was honored by her peers with a Visionary Award for her role in the development and legacy building in the Canadian special event industry. Today Stacy sits an editorial advisor for Speaking of Impact, the magazine of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers, is a member of ISES Toronto, MPI Winnipeg and is the Chair of Communications the ISES Canada National Board.

Stacy is devoted to the special events industry and her passion is evident in everything she does. She is constantly searching out new suppliers, new ideas and coming up with creative ways that she can help planners and suppliers make their jobs, event and careers successful.