32 minute read
DESTINATION
COLORADO’S WESTERN CAPITAL
Grand Junction is the ultimate junction for work and play with a gorgeous landscape and superior spaces for groups.
BY JULIE SCHEFF
GRAND JUNCTION IS THE LARGEST city on Colorado’s Western Slope and the county seat of stunning Mesa County, named for its majestic flattop mountains. Two other towns in the county, Palisade and Fruita, also are easily accessible for groups and worthy of exploration. Plus, there are nearly two dozen wineries in the area that can host an assortment of events, a walkable downtown for a mindful moment during a conference at Grand Junction’s Two Rivers Convention Center, numerous bike routes through lush orchards and lavender fields, whitewater rafting and even organized stargazing on the world’s largest flattop mountain, Grand Mesa.
How Big Can You Go?
Two Rivers Convention Center, located in central downtown on the same block as three hotels, is the largest convention center between Denver and Salt Lake City, accommodates groups in excess of 2,000 people, offers three large ballrooms and has more than 23,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space. It is also currently undergoing multimillion dollar renovations.
Avalon Theatre, built in 1923, also is located in downtown Grand Junction but on the other end of Main Street. Restored within the last five years,
BY THE NUMBERS
ACRES OF PUBLIC MULTIUSE LAND: 1.2 MILLION CONVENTION CENTER MEETING SPACE: 23,000 SQUARE FT. ELEVATION (AT HIGHEST POINT) GRAND MESA 11,332 FT. COLORADO NATIONAL MONUMENT 6,640 FT. GRAND JUNCTION 4,586 FT. SLEEPING ROOMS: 3,000
KOKOPELLI TRAIL: 142 MILES FROM GRAND JUNCTION TO MOAB COLORADO RIVERFRONT TRAIL: 28 MILES AND CONNECTS FRUITA, PALISADE AND GRAND JUNCTION
Experience the Area
COLORADO NATIONAL MONUMENT, located in Fruita, has two entrances that are 10-30 minutes from downtown Grand Junction and is a highlight in the county. The 32-square-mile park has monoliths, views of the mesas, red canyons, and wildlife such as eagles and big horn sheep. Rim Rock Drive, a 23-mile route through the park with overlooks and pullouts, is the most popular but rarely crowded.
GRAND MESA is the world’s largest flattop mountain. There are more than 300 lakes and activities to keep groups busy, from fishing and other water sports to winter thrills such as snowmobile tours, snowshoeing and more.
POWDERHORN MOUNTAIN RESORT is 45 minutes from Grand Junction and offers 600 acres of skiable terrain with a new high-speed detachable quad lift. Summer means downhill mountain biking for groups of all abilities with liftserved, marked trails.
LOCAL TASTES are abundant. Visit places like Rooted Gypsy Farms, Kannah Creek Brewing Company, The Produce Peddler, Field to Fork, Bin 707 Food Bar, Colterris, Enstrom Toffee & Confectionery and High Country Orchards and Vineyards, all available for private events.
Six GOLF COURSES, including five public and one private in Grand Junction, are a great option as golfing is a year-round activity here with sunny and blue Colorado skies.
GATEWAY CANYONS, a resort approximately one hour south in Gateway, offers group stargazing and all sorts of activities with the resort’s curator of curiosity, Zebulon Miracle. The night sky in Grand County is a cosmic party of constellations, and attendees will be able to use the resort’s telescope to spot planets and deep space objects such as distant galaxies and nebulas.
The Grand Valley is home to dozens of wineries and vineyards.
there is seating for more than 1,000 attendees and a mezzanine level that has a picturesque and Instagram-worthy view of Grand Junction. There is also a rooftop for events.
Colorado Mesa University Center has in excess of 20,000 square feet of indoor space, including the 8,500-square-foot Meyer Ballroom, six meeting rooms, catering services and more.
Where to Lodge and Meet
Grand Junction’s repertoire of hotels with meeting space also assures planners that the community of more than 62,000 in population is used to hosting groups. Clarion Inn Grand Junction is one of the valley’s largest hotels with 15,000 square feet of indoor function space, along with DoubleTree by Hilton Grand Junction with 11,520 square feet of options. Grand Vista Hotel, Holiday Inn & SuitesAirport and Travelodge offer small options in the range of 5,000 square feet of meeting and event space or less.
For meetings at off-site venues, consider The Chateau at Two Rivers Winery that can host groups of up to 225 guests in a limited seating, cocktail-style format utilizing 3,855 square feet of indoor and outdoor space. The French countrystyle building located amongst grapes and wine production facilities also has 10 guest rooms and a catering kitchen.
Situated amongst 21 acres of vines, Wine Country Inn in Palisade is a Victorian-inspired property with 80 guest rooms and the capacity to host a seated dinner for 180 guests in the Vineyard Ballroom. Another option is the Vintner’s House, including two Club Rooms with complete kitchens, living and dining areas and lock-off guest rooms. The smaller Orchard Room is ideal for breakout sessions and small meetings.
Fields and Orchards
Mesa County has a large collection of picturesque fields and orchards for events, ranging from peaches, apples, apricots, plums, cherries, grapes and raspberries to tomatoes, lavender, corn, hops and more.
“Our farm shares space with a craft distillery, so we host a variety of events including nonprofit fundraisers, networking events, client appreciation events, and corporate get-togethers as well as private events for up to 75 people. My farm focuses on everyday uses of lavender, from skin care to aromatherapy to culinary,” says Lisa Proietti, pro-
Two Rivers Convention Center
Bin 707 Palisade Ranch at Gateway Canyons Resort & Spa
prietor of Belli Fiori Lavender in Grand Junction.
Meanwhile, Sage Creations Organic Farm in Palisade grows organic produce on 5 acres and offers classes for up to 24 and farm tours for a maximum of 35. “The best part, in addition to hosting events, our farm is located on the Palisade Fruit & Wine Byway, where you can find agritours, fruit stands, alpaca farms and wineries along the trail to add to any group event or bike or motor along the scenic byway,” suggests owner Paola Legarre.
Palisade River Ranch is one of those facilities and can host groups of up to 150. The property has a mile of riverfront and a 45-acre woodland island accessible for guests. Views of the surrounding Book Cliffs and Grand Mesa are visible from the large deck off the main property, and a gazebo is ideally located between the river and the ranch’s ponds.
The Grand Junction area is truly distinct in Colorado. Elevate any meeting with the beautiful landscapes, fresh-from-the-field products and opportunities, and meaningful spaces.
Get Connected
VISIT GRAND JUNCTION visitgrandjunction.com | 970.244.1480 | visitgj@gjcity.org
DINOSAUR-SIZE EVENTS
In 2018, for the St. Mary’s Medical Center employee appreciation dinner for 500-plus attendees, Two Rivers Convention Center was transformed into Jurassic Park, an homage to nearby dinosaur discoveries. Frequently working in this space, David Wall of Snob Productions was able to recreate incredible parts of the movie with intimate knowledge of Two Rivers and its potential.
“As guests entered the event, they walked through a hallway that had incubators, as if you were walking through a lab with the DNA chambers. Television monitors ran loops of chemistry formulas; it felt like a true working lab,” he says.
Cocktail hour was infused with bones and skeletons before the grand entrance was revealed to the plated dinner. “We used Kabuki with a projection of wooden gates that then dropped, feeling as though the gates disappeared and allowing entrance into the large ballroom.”
No nest egg was left out. Wall’s wife, Gina Bishop, owns Elite Events and designed dinosaur nests for the centerpieces and color coordinated all tables and chairs to mimic the jungle theme of the movie.
Colorado Mesa University’s ballroom is the location of the annual St. Mary’s Hospital Foundation’s gala. Wall notes, “For the 25th anniversary gala, a montage of all the other galas we had done for them in the past including Alice in Wonderland, The Great Gatsby and Bollywood were highlighted with the favorite designs and pieces from each event.”
IT’S NO SECRET THAT WORKING FROM HOME OFFICES HAS BECOME ACCEPTED AND EVEN PREFERRED IN A VARIETY OF INDUSTRIES. WE WONDERED ABOUT WHERE THE ISSUE STANDS IN THE MEETINGS AND EVENTS WORLD, SO WE VISITED FOUR HOME OFFICES AND TALKED TO TWO LONGTIME INDUSTRY PROS, ALL LOCATED IN THE DENVER AND BOULDER AREAS, TO GET THE INSIDE SCOOP.
“Without question, this industry has a supportive position about virtual offices. There are many senior leaders that don’t necessarily live in a place with an office. More and more hoteliers and suppliers are working from home, and in our industry we have whole companies that are virtual with no brick-andmortar,” says Gary Schirmacher, CMP, senior vice president, industry presence and strategic development for Experient, a Maritz Global Events Company.
Schirmacher has been an advocate for telecommuting and virtual offices since 2001, when the company started to offer team members the option. Today, 100 percent of the Experient Sales Network is virtual, and there are seven physical offices across the country. “We have always had a distributed workforce in cities where there is no physical office and virtualized our offices in Atlanta and Denver in 2013, where all staff in those cities now work at home,” he says.
“Let’s face it, when you travel 100 days a year, you are not really reporting regularly to an office anyway—even if that’s your primary address—so offering a home-office environment to those road warriors provides a level of flexibility and efficiency that is appreciated,” Schirmacher shares.
Deb Brannon, owner of Altitude Events in Golden, concurs, “We truly have the perfect industry for someone to work from home. With as much travel as many meeting planners do, it’s nice to be ‘home’ when you are home!” Her home office overlooks a spacious yard where wildlife casually strolls or flies by as she accomplishes tasks and communicates with clients.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Katherine Frost’s office is tucked in a nook of her downtown Denver condominium at The Ritz-Carlton Residences surrounded by windows overlooking the city’s skyline. “I have often thought about renting a space to work in, such as a shared or collaborative workspace environment, but I really enjoy working from home. It does not matter how long I work or how early I start working, the space is always just as I left it,” says Frost, who owns A Frosted Affair. “I have never felt pressured to have an external office space.”
In fact, more and more companies have embraced the work-from-home practice to cut office expenses with the added bonus of seeing productivity improve when employees aren’t spending time around the water cooler and strolling between offices, observes Tracey Rath, global account executive for ConferenceDirect. “Working in a home office environment, there just simply are not as many distractions.”
ConferenceDirect has a fair number of staff stationed at its headquarters and satellite offices to run divisions such as housing, registration and mobile apps, she says, but much of the workforce is located in home offices.
While five of the industry pros we talked to work at home full-time, Amanda Nelson, owner of Centennial-based AKN Events and a meeting planner for the Western Governors Association, just started working at WGA’s downtown Denver office two or three days a week. Nelson packs a lot in during the days spent at home. She says, “It is amazing how much you can get done at 5:30 a.m. before the rest of the working world has begun their day.”
DOOBIE, a boxer/bull mastiff, keeps his owner company on work days at home and sometimes wears a coordinating outfit! Denver’s famous BLUE BEAR sculpture not only peaks into the Colorado Convention Center, it watches over Brannon’s office.
Owner, Altitude Events, LLC, GOLDEN
DEB BRANNON
HOW LONG
Off and on for a total of 9 years
OFFICE MATE
Doobie, a boxer/bull mastiff
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
“There are definitely days where I need to get out and have more social interaction. Occasionally, I will go to a coffee shop to work, just to have a change of scenery. Or I will go to my client’s office and work there to have a face-to-face meeting. I absolutely love working from home, but there are days it is good to change things up!”
TIPS
» Have a space/office that is separate from your normal day-to-day routine. “When I first started working from home, I worked at my dining room table and my computer was always there, so I felt like I needed to work all of the time.”
» Have a door on your office to close when you are done working.
FUNNY STORY
“I was on a conference call with a prospective client, and the UPS delivery man arrived, so my dog Doobie went nuts barking. It ended up being fine, but it was definitely embarrassing! I was glad that the prospective client had a sense of humor!”
MY OFFICE
“The view out of my office is North Table Mountain and pine trees; it’s quintessential Colorado, which I love. Our yard is constantly filled with wildlife, such as rabbits, deer, fox and owls. It is nice to take a break from working and enjoy the view and the wildlife, makes it feel more serene.”
CLIENT MEETINGS
“If the weather is nice, I like to take advantage of our back deck where I can meet with my clients and have coffee and maybe even a deer sighting. I live right on a hiking trail, so I’ve also had clients come for a meeting and then we go on a hike.”
Nelson was raised in CHICAGO and was thrilled when her interior designer found a three-piece photo of the city’s skyline.
AMANDA NELSON
Owner, AKN Events & Meeting Planner, Western Governors Association, CENTENNIAL
HOW LONG:
4 years
OFFICE MATE:
Mike, her husband who works in his own home office twice a week
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES:
“It is a great way to transition from being at home full time with your kids to going back to work full time. It takes a while to get used to not being accessible for your family 24/7, but once that transition begins you start to see the shift of not feeling accessible enough for your job.” She adds, “I think that is the balance we all strive to achieve. The work-home balance and being able to give our time to both entities and doing them both well.”
TIPS
» If possible, set up your home office so it can serve a variety of purposes. “My kids also needed a computer area for their homework, and I wanted a room in our house that was built for having coffee talk or a glass of wine at night.”
» Make the space your own, using colors that are appealing. “The words ‘ladies lounge’ came to me early on in the planning process. It was a way to keep my rowdy boys out of the space!”
FUNNY STORY
“It was in the beginning stages of working from home and using video conferencing. I had just been to yoga, and I was still sweating and didn’t realize my video was on. … I have been extremely careful to cover my video screen on my computer since that minor error.”
MY OFFICE
“I have a very close friend who is an interior decorator [Danielle Drohan Interiors], so I called her immediately and said, ‘I am moving my dining room to my current livingroom space, and then making my old dining room into a ladies lounge/office. Help!’” Nelson shares,“She knew immediately that I needed four club chairs as my conversation place. She also knew my love of my hometown, Chicago, and immediately filled the wall with a large three-piece photo of the skyline. Lastly, she knew to put in a very fun chandelier. I love all the new funky lighting pieces, and I think they can transform a room immediately.”
CLIENT MEETINGS
“I never use my office for client meetings, mostly because I am in the suburbs and I do not mind running downtown for meetings whenever needed.”
That VIEW! Frost’s condo/office at The Ritz-Carlton Residences overlooks downtown Denver.
KATHERINE FROST
Owner, A Frosted Affair, DENVER
HOW LONG
4 years
OFFICE MATE
Lily, a black-and-white cat
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
“The challenge of working from home is not being able to collaborate with my team as easily. If we all worked in the same office, then we would be able to talk more freely and in person on a regular basis.” She adds, “The opportunities, though, far outweigh the challenges. Since I live downtown, I am able to walk to meetings instead of driving in for them. I am able to have a quiet space to make phone calls to clients or potential clients and discuss details without having external noises impede my call.”
TIPS
» Create an office space where all work related activities can be held and not interfere with the rest of your home environment.
» Have a window to feel energized from the sunlight outside.
FUNNY STORY
“I have a small, 6-pound cat that needs lots of love and attention when I am on the phone. She sleeps on the sofa behind my desk the rest of the time, but as soon as I hop on a call, she jumps onto my desk and tries to sit on my computer and meows at me until I constantly pet her.”
MY OFFICE
“I have a crisp white desk right in front of a window and love to look outside and see the weather rolling in or planes flying around.” She says, “I like keeping everything neat and tidy because being extremely organized is not only helpful for my events, but it also helps me feel less stressed about work when I clock out for the day and want to watch a little Netflix.”
CLIENT MEETINGS
“The beauty of living in a condo is having access to a shared space with a conference room and not have to worry about where to meet or if there will be enough seating, etc.”
Global memories, two pups and her own ANGEL ART create a colorful backdrop for Wiersma’s home office.
VISIT CO.MEETINGSMAGS.COM FOR THE FULL STORY, INCLUDING TWO ADDITIONAL HOME OFFICE INSIGHTS FROM TRACEY RATH AND GARY SCHIRMACHER.
Co-Host, Boost Power Radio, ENGLEWOOD Founder, CampExperience Network &
BETSY WIERSMA
HOW LONG
21 years in various cities
OFFICE MATES
Oreo, a maltzu, and Finn, a cavanese
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
“I love that I can immediately be productive by just walking downstairs and jumping into action. The bad news is it is hard to stop working when I can just get one more thing done and am not leaving to drive home.” She adds, “Good news is I love my dogs. Bad news is needy or barking dogs in my lap or causing a ruckus when I am on professional video calls or worse yet, recording videos.”
TIPS
» Hire someone to help set up your office space. “I have rock star productivity because I hired the Closet Factory in Centennial to custom design my workspace. They took a bland downstairs room and built in the desk and storage of my dreams.”
» Decorate with colors, fabrics and features that make it feel like a sanctuary and a visionary place.
» When on video calls, make sure to be all business on the upper half but it’s perfectly okay to be casual on the lower half (yoga pants!).
FUNNY STORY
“I record interviews with women around the world from my office. Many times, I have to encourage my family not to enjoy their home or to be quiet and peaceful.”
MY OFFICE
“I work in the basement with just two small windows, thus enters the yellow and orange paint and all of the photography from around the world. I have my own art and collected treasures from my global adventures.”
CLIENT MEETINGS
“I meet up in my lovely great room kitchen with our cappuccino machine and a nice table for working. I also have clients over to my craft room to do art for extra-special connecting.”
COLORADO’S POWER COUPLES
These experienced meeting makers are impacting the industry as individuals and business owners, and just happen to be married!
BY BETH BUEHLER | PHOTOS BY TATE CARLSON
IF YOU SPEND MUCH TIME in Colorado’s meetings and events industry, you without a doubt will run across the Kinsleys, Templetons, Nagys and Savocas. Thinking of these four duos, as well as the Horiis and Muellers who were featured in prior issues as our people profiles, we started wondering if it is common to be a couple working in the same industry and what it takes to mix work and marriage.
The consensus among the first four is that it’s a bit unusual. “In talking to friends in the industry, there are not many of us that are couples. For those that meet in the industry, usually one of them seems to leave the industry after they get married,” says Steve Kinsley, who co-owns and operates Kinsley Meetings, founded by his wife, Allison. “We often hear, ‘Oh, I could never work with my spouse!’” Allison confirms.
The most common question the Templetons receive is: “How do you work together 24/7? My spouse and I would kill each other if we did!” The couple owns and operates Rocky Mountain Event Consultants and Fairway Graphics, businesses they established before marriage. Freddie says, “The industry and managing events and boards can be stressful with deadlines, details and duty of care, but being on the same team makes it less overwhelming during the tough times. We both look to each other at events for different strengths and talents and have confidence in each other.”
Ingrid Nagy observes that there are married couples who are in the industry together, but it’s more uncommon to own a business together. “It is difficult to find a partner who loves this industry as much as you do. I always say it takes a certain gene to love this crazy 24/7 business, and finding a like-minded individual can be tough.”
While the Savocas are the only couple out of the four that work for separate entities, the long hours and nutty schedules that are the hospitality industry norm are definitely shared and can be rough, acknowledges Heather. “We have always enjoyed it because we respect each other’s talents and understand each other’s business so well.”
Taken at By Design Collective Warehouse
INGRID & CADE NAGY
Owners, By Design Collective
HOW THEY MET:
“I interviewed Cade! I was working for our catering company when it was a small start-up, and we needed a chef. Ingrid notes, “Let’s just say he got the job … times two!”
CAREERS:
Cade and Ingrid both joined Paul’s Catering as employees in 1996 and had the opportunity to purchase the company in 2002, renaming it Catering by Design two years later.
Ingrid began working in restaurants as soon as she was old enough to work, earned a degree in foods merchandising and joined the catering industry as a server in 1991 following college graduation. “I never realized at the time that I could make a career doing catering!”
Cade officially started as catering chef in 1996 but had already been a chef in a variety of jobs, mainly in Atlanta. “I don’t know that I had considered catering as a profession prior to getting this job, but it has opened my eyes to opportunities, and I’m working to ensure that catering chefs are put on the map as quality culinarians.”
KEEPING IT SUCCESSFUL AND FUN:
Ingrid: “We have learned that we each have strengths to contribute. I am not creative, and Cade can’t balance a checkbook. We found that if we stay in our own lanes, then we are successful. … Seriously though, it’s not all rainbows and unicorns. We’ve had our moments, but we both realize when it is time to cave to the other; it’s about letting go sometimes.”
Cade: “As a married couple, it has been important for us to be able to work together yet have separate spaces and roles; we both have jobs that we need to do. We both understand the demands of work on our time, and we know and understand when one or the other must work late or long hours. We take it seriously, but we don’t so far that we aren’t having fun.”
WHAT DO YOU ADMIRE MOST ABOUT YOUR SPOUSE?
Ingrid: “Cade is so creative. He has an amazing ability to think of the impossible and find a way to make it happen. He is an incredible chef and an excellent mentor to his culinary team. And he is a damn fine photographer, too, which has served us well to capture images of our work.”
Cade: “I truly admire Ingrid’s 110 percent dedication to the industry. She has a love and passion for events and is an exceptional leader. Our company is successful because of her business acumen, and she has transcended her industry involvement to an international level as a leader on the board of ILEA.”
SEPARATING WORK FROM HOME LIFE:
Ingrid: “We drive separate cars daily, and this commute gives us time to decompress in our own space. Typically, by the time we each get home, we’ve had time to work through issues in our heads. When I get home, I want to talk about work, but Cade is careful to point out we can talk about it at work.”
Cade: “I have no issue turning off this switch when I get home. Ingrid struggles with it a bit, but we try to find a balance so that it isn’t work all the time.”
CHILDREN/FAMILY:
Ingrid: “We have two great kids (15 and 18), who both have worked with the company on a part-time or seasonal basis. Our son was put to work in the warehouse during the summers starting when he was 14, sweeping and breaking down boxes. Now they both work at events, but we keep the younger one in the kitchen for plate up.” Cade: “If they love it and want to join us when they are older, then great. But they will have to start at the bottom and learn the business from the ground up if they have any intention of taking it over. And if they go a completely different path, we are fine with that, too.”
TIPS FROM THE NAGYS
Remember you both have individual identities and strengths to bring to the table. Whenever possible, maintain your own space (like separate offices) so that you aren’t bumping into each other all the time. Most importantly, keep it fun. Remember, we throw events for a living. It is long and stressful work, but we make people happy. If you can love it together, it is a bonus!
PROUDEST MOMENTS:
Ingrid: “We catered and produced an event in Las Vegas at the Cosmopolitan Hotel for Catersource Conference. The hotel had just opened, and we were executing the first event in the space. We had a slight space issue to accommodate 1,800 guests and adequate serving areas. As a solution, we drained the pool, carpeted it and used it as a space for a food station. Of all the creative ideas we’ve had, I think this was one of my favorites.”
Cade: “A couple of years ago, we had the opportunity to cater an event in Dallas. About seven hours after the trucks left with food and décor, we got a call that one of the trucks had overturned near Amarillo due to high winds. The teamwork that it took to assess the damage, rework the party, recreate the menu items and get the party to Dallas and set on time 36 hours later was amazing.”
STEVE & ALLISON KINSLEY
Owners, Kinsley Meetings
HOW THEY MET:
In 1985, Allison was the associate director of conferences for the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association in Washington, D.C., and Steve was a conference services manager at The Broadmoor. Allison brought a group to The Broadmoor, and Steve was her conference services manager. After five months and only five meetings in person, Allison moved to Colorado Springs. They have been married for 32 years.
CAREERS:
The Kinsleys moved to Denver from San Francisco, and Allison was working remotely for a health care association. The association was put up for sale, and she was out of a job. Steve was working in sales at Keystone Resort, and received a call from a customer asking if he knew anyone that could help with two association meetings annually and Kinsley Meetings was born in 1995. He continued working at Keystone and then Hotel Teatro before joining Kinsley Meetings in 1999.
KEEPING IT SUCCESSFUL AND FUN:
“We are aware that we are very lucky to be able to do what we do together. There are days where there is stress, but for the most part we work on different areas of business operations and together on strategy and long-term planning,” Steve says. “We also have a great team, and they keep it fun.”
WHAT DO YOU ADMIRE MOST ABOUT YOUR SPOUSE?
Steve: “Allison has a great ability to see the big picture, both with our customers and their needs as well as with our team. She is a quiet leader and has a tenacity about her (in a good way).”
Allison: “Steve is the best relationship-builder I know. He takes time to talk with people, will meet for lunch or for informational interviews and then thinks through how he can connect people in his network to their best advantage.”
SEPARATING WORK FROM HOME LIFE:
“You don’t. We just call it life. When our kids were at home, they would call us out every now and then at the dinner table, but it was not often,” Allison notes. Taken at Halcyon
TIPS FROM THE KINSLEYS
Don’t take each other too seriously and have fun. Enjoy each other, and also take breaks from each other. Remember that your personal relationship is more important than the working relationship. If work threatens the personal side, stop working together.
CHILDREN/FAMILY:
“Our kids have chosen very different paths for themselves. They ‘worked’ for us when they were young, stuffing badges, reading lists and even on-site, but their interests and strengths have pulled them to different careers. Our daughter is a scientist, and our son is an engineer and ensign in the Navy,” says Steve.
PROUDEST MOMENTS:
Steve: “Our proudest project by far is our children!”
Allison: “I agree! An extension of that is the culture we’ve built at Kinsley Meetings. Without being a traditional mom-and-pop shop, there is the feeling of being part of a family among our staff.”
FREDDIE & KEITH TEMPLETON
Owners, Rocky Mountain Event Consultants & Fairway Graphics
HOW THEY MET:
Keith and Freddie met on a blind date in 1998, fell in love and married within 10 months.
CAREERS:
In 1996, Freddie started her dream company, Rocky Mountain Event Consultants, LLC. Keith worked 20 years in graphics and printing before starting his own company, Fairway Graphics, LLC in 1997.
The Templetons equally manage RMEC and the company’s current clients, Meeting Professionals International Rocky Mountain Chapter (MPIRMC) and Meetings Industry Council of Colorado (MIC).
KEEPING IT SUCCESSFUL AND FUN:
The Templetons recommend being best friends, through good times and bad, and having each other’s backs no matter what. “We would rather be together … working, playing and laughing or spending quality time with friends and family,” says Keith.
Freddie: “First and foremost, his love and loyalty to me and our business. Keith is tenacious no matter what task he is given and has the amazing ability to effectively use both the right and left sides of his brain.”
Keith: “For Freddie’s compassion and love for me and others while being a fierce taskmaster in customer service, sales and board management.”
SEPARATING WORK FROM HOME LIFE:
“The biggest challenge is turning off work as owners. In the slower months of business, taking an afternoon off to play golf or just walk hand-in-hand enjoying life and being with kids and grandkids is our biggest joy,” notes Keith.
Taken at Colorado Convention Center
CHILDREN/FAMILY:
“Whether volunteering with name tags, registration, stuffing packets or just attending an event, we always have their support. Our kids may not take over our company in the years to come, but we always know they have our backs with anything we ask of them and vice versa,” Freddie says.
PROUDEST MOMENTS:
“We are proud to say we have amazing friends in the industry that continue to believe and trust in us. Our industry friends have supported us through fundraisers for my breast cancer journey in 2008 and helped rally with us when Keith’s mom was given one month to live five days before the MIC Conference in 2012,” Freddie explains. “Without the support and trust from our industry friends, we would not be as successful as we are today.”
TIPS FROM THE TEMPLETONS
Respect, love and encourage each other always. Treat everyone you come across with the same ideals, lift others up as much as possible and don’t burn bridges. Never forget that we are all equal and have different talents and expertise to give and receive from others.
Taken at Halcyon
DEAN & HEATHER SAVOCA
Owner, Savoca Performance Group Associate Director of Sales, ACCESS Colorado TIPS FROM THE
HOW THEY MET:
Dean started working for Maritz in 1992, while Heather began her career in hotel catering and sales around then. Not long after, she started in sales for PGI, a destination management company (DMC).
Both grew up in Illinois, and their paths crossed in 1997 at a large citywide conference for a large technology client in Houston. “I was in sales with Maritz and Heather was in sales with PGI, the DMC partner for the convention. I was actually Heather’s client!” Dean says. “We met dispatching motor coaches together at the Houston downtown Hyatt. I felt lightheaded when I met her. … I don’t know if it was the bus fumes or her beauty. I joke with Heather that every time I smell bus fumes it reminds me of her.”
CAREERS:
Heather: “I’ve been in the DMC business most of my career. I recently worked for a nonprofit, Tennyson Center for Children, for four years. I just joined ACCESS Colorado [a DMC] to manage the Gaylord Rockies account as associate director of sales.”
Dean: “After 12 years with Maritz and a local DMC, I got a master’s degree in organizational performance and change and became a board-certified executive coach. I started Savoca Performance Group in 2004 and do keynote speaking, management training, facilitation and executive coaching, mostly with hospitality industry organizations.”
Heather: “I admire the significant positive impact Dean has on the industry organizations he works with. I often hear rave reviews from industry colleagues who work with Dean and hear him speak.” She adds, “He truly feels that our collaboration and ability to all work together will enhance this industry and gives a lot of time back to the industry and business community.”
Dean: “Heather has a fascinating combination of a deep compassion for people, a gift for making people feel comfortable, and a drive to get things done. Not only does she accomplish so much, but she does it in a classy style that demonstrates her genuine love of people and a heart for service and hospitality.”
SEPARATING WORK FROM HOME LIFE:
Heather: “We are able to turn off work when we’re together. People are often surprised at how little we know about the details of the other’s schedule.”
Dean: “Like other couples, we’re sensitive to when we need to stop the shop talk and focus on the family.” He adds, “We are always planning something, with all the event planning in our backgrounds, how can we not? Vacations, family activities and going to the mountains to hike, camp, bike, snowshoe or ski … we always have something to look forward to outside of work.”
CHILDREN/FAMILY:
Dean: “Our two daughters are 16 and 13, so they’re still a little young, but our oldest daughter is working at a restaurant. She’s pretty entrepreneurial and did ask me the other day about taking over my business. I told her she could buy it from me, and she said she prefers to just have ‘a family pass down.’”
PROUDEST MOMENTS:
Dean: “Heather went to University of Colorado, and I worked in Colorado with Maritz, and it was our dream to live here, work in the industry and raise our family. We hadn’t been married long when we jumped at the chance to pack up and move from Texas. We opened a new office for a Colorado DMC from the ground up, settled into the Colorado rhythm of city and mountains, and started having kids. It’s truly been a dream come true for me to work in my favorite industry in my favorite place with my favorite person.”
Heather: “One of those DMC projects we did together was the 2004 Meeting Professionals International World Education Congress final night reception at Red Rocks for 3,000 guests. Oh yeah, and we did it with a new baby!”
SAVOCAS
Help each other out. Work out who has the kids. Use your event planning skills to manage the household. Sometimes we have to drive separate cars to the same event. “Yes, honey” seems to work well.
GET CONNECTED
ACCESS COLORADO accessdmc.com | 303.862.6149
BY DESIGN COLLECTIVE bydesign-collective.com | 303.781.5335
MIC OF COLORADO mic-colorado.org
MPI ROCKY MOUNTAIN CHAPTER mpirmc.org
KINSLEY MEETINGS kinsleymeetings.com | 303.798.3664
SAVOCA PERFORMANCE GROUP savocaperformancegroup.com 303.333.3038
