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WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 2009
PIPAC Centre on the Lake a class act By CJ HINES newsroom@wcfcourier.com
CEDAR FALLS — In the 1960s, the Cedar Falls Industrial Park consisted of mostly land and one business — Viking Pump. Hoping to entice more businesses, Cedar Falls Utilities donated 40 acres. Between 1970 and 1980, the area expanded from three companies to 15. By the mid-80s, 27 companies had relocated there, but the economy had ground to a stagnant halt. The city couldn’t give the land away. Then-mayor Doug Sharp decided to auction off lots. That, along with the relocation of Highways 58 and 20 and widening of Hudson and Viking roads, generated a renewed enthusiasm for the park. Between 1990 and 2000, the park grew to 110 companies. In the early 2000s, the city continued to offer incentives for businesses to build in the Industrial Park. Around that time Greg and Lea Ann Saul, owners of Professional Insurance Planners and Consultants (PIPAC), felt their business had outgrown its downtown location. The Sauls were looking for a spot to house their expanding insurance business and provide a space to accommodate conferences, conventions and special events, such as weddings. In 2002, they chose a picturesque 5-acre site on the southern end of Prairie Lakes Park. Their dream was to build an architecturally beautiful structure made with contemporary materials, imported furnishings, state-ofthe-art audio-visual equipment and an in-house chef; a place flexible enough to hold private board meetings or a wedding reception for 600 guests. Lea Ann worked with Steve Trost of AHTS Architects and Fred Rose of The Rose Companies, the general contractor. Using a design-build process, which took 14 months from start to finish, PIPAC Centre on the Lake opened in June 2004.
Greg and Lea Ann Saul built PIPAC Centre on the Lake when their business outgrew its downtown location.
Photos by RICK TALBOTT / Courier Staff Photographer
PIPAC Centre on the Lake is described as a “jewel” that has helped put Cedar Falls on the map for a high-quality events facility. “The key to the design-build process and its success was Lea Ann’s courage in dreaming the big dream and pursuing the dream with creativity to make the PIPAC Centre a reality,” said Trost. “It’s a versatile building that accommodates everything from seminars to black-tie affairs. It’s reminiscent of the early century formal gathering spaces with all the technology of today. Most venues don’t combine the versatile function, personality and style with modern amenities. As you drive up to a cascading fountain, you know you’ve arrived.” The 44,000-square-foot building houses PIPAC, a premier wholesaler for Wellmark
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa and Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Dakota. The family-owned business employs 35 people and serves 1,200 agents. Another business, PIPAC Life, covers life insurance, annuities, long-term care and disability. PIPAC Centre’s lower level also houses Cohesion Productions, a high-definition production company, owned by the Saul’s son, Judd. When it initially opened, PIPAC Centre on the Lake also housed Bena’s Restaurant with an inhouse chef; Perfect Events, which handled the hospitality side of business, and a floral studio. The first event that took place was a dinner for everyone who worked
on the building. “It was for anyone, whether they painted or pulled wire or whatever they did, and their spouses. We served steak and shrimp for 650 people, piping hot in 20 minutes. It was an awesome evening. Everyone got a Tshirt that said ‘I built that.’ They were proud to have worked on it,” Lea Ann said. “One thing I tried to do was recognize those who were working in the trenches. We really pushed them but they delivered.” Groundbreaking on the adjacent Wingate Hotel took place in September 2004. “When PIPAC Centre first opened I realized we needed more knowledge on the hospitality business. We hired Morrissey Hospitality of Minneapolis for that,” Lea Ann said. “But it got to be too expensive, and Greg and I decided we needed to stop the bleeding. It was disappointing but we had to make a difficult decision.” In July the following year, the Sauls announced the hospitality side of the business would close. Darin Beck, CEO of Barmuda MMC, stepped in and offered to open his businesses within the Centre. By the end of August 2005, Park Place Hospitality LLC began leasing the PIPAC Centre on the Lake’s upper level. In
October, Beck opened Ferrari’s Ristorante, which occupied the restaurant space formerly known as Bena’s. Since September 2005, Park Place has held 2,578 events, including 161 weddings. One of those weddings — for Greg and Lea Ann’s daughter, Josie — was the culmination of all the Sauls’ hard work and dedication. “Watching her get married here was wonderful. It was great to be able to see the fruits of our labor.” Lea Ann said. The facility’s significance extends beyond the Sauls’ dream. Within the past five years, it has become not only an irreplaceable asset to the Cedar Falls Industrial Park, but also the crowning glory of the Cedar Valley. “The PIPAC Centre on the Lake is a jewel; it puts us on the map. We are able to offer a high-quality event space in our community. The distinctive design and sophistication of the facility are quite obvious. But its location in proximity to our highway system, the beauty of the lake and surrounding area, and the quality of the food, serving staff and event planners set it apart from many other conference centers. We are fortunate to have it here in Cedar Falls,” said Kim Burger, executive director, Cedar Falls Visitors & Tourism Bureau.
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Center is the result of dreaming big ing asset to the Cedar Valley,” Rose said. “What an amazing way to introduce people coming to town. What’s not to like? “I wanted to use the backdrop of the lake and think outside the box of what could be done. Building PIPAC Centre on the Lake has
By CJ HINES newsroom@wcfcourier.com
CEDAR FALLS — Lea Ann Saul grew up in a family where a big part of their faith involved fellowship and hospitality. “We had people from across the country stay with us sometimes for one to six weeks. We shared our home, shared our meals and shared conversation,” Lea Ann said. Her upbringing, combined with an entrepreneurial spirit passed on from her grandfather and father, led to her vision for PIPAC Centre on the Lake. “My dad and grandfather were forward-thinking people, entrepreneurs. My dad saw problems or needs and solved them. In the 1970s he was a pioneer of the hog confinement business and a leader of renewable resources in the ‘80s,” she explained. “Just like Dad, I see problems or needs and solve them.” After marrying Greg Saul, the couple enjoyed traveling and experiencing great places and great service, but both loved coming home to the Cedar Valley. When they founded Professional Insurance Planners and Consultants (PIPAC) in 1981, one of the aspects of their business was bringing in agents for insurance conferences and training. However, area venues were unable to accommodate the number of people, did not have enough restrooms, offered inadequate technology and poor service. “The turning point was several years ago when an organization I belonged to sponsored a doctor/ author from California to speak in Waterloo. The facility we rented was inadequate in many ways. It wasn’t putting our best foot forward, we needed a beautiful place that could hold many people for events and have great service. I thought we could do it,“ said Lea Ann. The city of Cedar Falls was offering incentives for businesses to build in the Industrial Park. What began as an idea to build a facility for business meetings and confer-
Great service, plenty of room and attractive surroundings are part of the hospitality at PIPAC Centre on the Lake. ences mushroomed into a premier place for special events as well. Lea Ann held a series of focus groups with area businesses such as John Deere and UNI to determine the need for such a facility. Receiving positive input, she put together a plan for a new building. “Then I met with three architects. We did what is called design-build, meaning we didn’t have plans; we worked from a conceptual drawing, then plans were drawn up while the building was being started,” said Lea Ann. She worked with Steve Trost of AHTS Architects and Fred Rose of The Rose Companies, the general contractor, to work out details. From start to finish, it took 14 months. “It was very complex with an aggressive schedule, but we met our deadline. Design-build was the only way to successfully get this done with Lea Ann’s vision in mind,” said Rose. “Lea Ann and her designer really drove a tremendous amount of what you see. I give a lot of credit to Lea Ann; she’d never built a building before and I think it turned out wonderfully.” No masonry or brickwork appears on the outside of the 44,000-square-foot structure. The main floor includes the executive boardroom grand ballroom, kitchen and restaurant. The ballroom, which holds approximately
600 people but can be divided into smaller rooms, also includes high-definition televisions, portable bars and dance floors. The boardroom has a high definition video screen that is also a digital dry-erase board. The lower level includes two other conferences rooms and suites for the businesses of PIPAC, PIPAC Life and Cohesion Productions. With the help of the staff at AHTS, Dimensions/Matt Parrot, Fred Rose and Kristi DiCecco, Lea Ann was able to incorporate almost all of her requests for this beautiful architectural facility. Custom features were incorporated into the building: Artistic Ironworks of Des Moines designed the ornate railings from a picture Lea Ann had given them; the art niche located in the rotunda was another feature that she had seen in other great venues around the country; a 500-gallon curved fish tank was created in Florida for the restaurant; the grand ballroom carpet was designed and printed specifically to fit the space; the veranda table and chairs were shipped from China. Unfortunately, after one Iowa winter, the marble fell off in layers and had to be replaced by stained concrete to withstand the weather. “It’s a gateway-type development. It sets the entire tone, it’s in a perfect location and an amaz-
been one of the highlights of my life.” Lea Ann said. “If you’re going to dream, dream big. Why would you do it half way? When you have a beautiful, warm, wonderful place to celebrate events, why shouldn’t it be the best?”
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WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 2009
Park Place, PIPAC partnership flourishes
RICK TALBOTT / Courier Staff Photographer
Ferrari’s Ristorante features a marble bar and 500-gallon aquarium.
By CJ HINES newsroom @wcfcourier.com
CEDAR FALLS — Darin Beck remembers the day he heard the hospitality business within the PIPAC Centre on the Lake was closing. It was in 2005. “We were opening Soho on July 11 and got word that Bena’s (former restaurant) had closed and the event facilities would go dark. The center was too important. I got in my car and drove out to PIPAC and talked to Lea Ann. I said ‘We should talk. Anything we can do to keep the facility alive I’d be glad to help out.’ We talked and struck a deal and then I helped them stave off questions people were having,” said Beck, CEO of Barmuda MMC and Park Place Hospitality LLC. By the end of August, Park Place Hospitality LLC began leasing the PIPAC Centre on the Lake’s upper level. In October, Beck opened Ferrari’s Ristorante, which occupied the restaurant space formerly known as Bena’s. “Darin stepped up to the plate and said ‘I can’t see this place closing.’ He has a lot of experience and a talent pool to draw people from,” said Lea Ann Saul.
While the entire building, PIPAC Centre on the Lake, is owned by Greg and Lea Ann Saul and is home to Saul Management Companies, Beck handles Park Place, the events management side of business. Since September 2005, Park Place has held 2,578 events, including 161 weddings and 568 businesses and organizations. The partnership continues to flourish — the event center is already booked into 2011 for weddings. “This is the most significant gathering facility in Black Hawk County. I stand in awe of the amount of investment the Sauls have made; we’re fortunate that we can be part of it,” Beck said. The 24,000-square-foot event facility includes an executive boardroom with state-of-theart audio-visual equipment, including three large Sony projection systems; a ballroom with seating for up to 600 people, suitable for large conventions, general business meetings, wedding receptions and other events; rotunda, grand terrace and veranda. Valet parking also is available. The grand ballroom also can be divided into smaller spaces and arranged for banquets, classrooms, conferences or other ways to accommodate
The restaurant is developing a new menu with high-end food offerings and a larger menu of value-priced offerings. individual needs. Each ballroom has access to the veranda. A 30-foot-high domed ceiling and Tuscany influences greet people in the rotunda area, which can be used for cocktail receptions, silent auctions or wedding receiving lines. The 7,000 square foot circular grand terrace can be equipped with portable bars and is a perfect location for wedding ceremonies and other social events. The covered veranda, featuring Tuscan columns and custommade wrought iron railings, overlooks Prairie Lakes and the De Neui Gardens and can easily seat 70 people. A lower level conference room, which can accommodate 15 to 25 people, is equipped with audiovisual and project capabilities, a whiteboard and kitchenette. Ferrari’s Ristorante has a
See PARK PLACE page 5
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RICK TALBOTT / Courier Staff Photographer
Guests at PIPAC Centre on the Lake can enjoy the Tuscany influenceddesign, domed ceilings, views and broad veranda while attending such events as banquets, wedding and anniversary receptions and other gatherings.
PARK PLACE From page 4 lounge with a marble bar, 500gallon aquarium and contemporary furnishings. The menu includes steak, seafood and authentic Italian. Each Thursday is Date Night, designed for
couples, features a special meal each week. Andrew Ungs, who started working at Bena’s, is the newest executive chef. “The focus right now for Ferrari’s is developing a new menu, including some high-end food offerings and a much larger menu of value-priced offerings,” Beck said. “Our chefs are certified and culinary competition winners, both on the state
and national level. Ferraris’ has also been recognized for the second year for the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence.” “We’re successful here but that’s because (The Sauls) have helped us be successful. We have never worked with people who are as meticulous about the facility. They are fantastic landlords; we are lucky to have them,” Beck said.
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WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 2009
Park Place delivers fairy tale weddings BY CJ HINES newsroom@wcfcourier.com
CEDAR FALLS — A young girl’s imagined wedding has a fairytale quality — an altar set on a beautiful veranda overlooking a lake, flickering candles, twinkling lights, spectacular decorations in favorite colors, a staircase descending into a garden, heavenly music, a gorgeous day and, of course, her Prince Charming. While Park Place can’t guarantee the weather or provide brides with the men of their dreams, they can pretty much cover everything else — fairy-tale included. The first wedding that took place at the facility even included fireworks at the exact moment the couple said “I do.” Other amenities have included chocolate fountains, elegant sit-down dinners and more. Since September 2005, Park Place has held 161 weddings, each one involving hundreds of details. It’s no problem for Park Place, which assigns a personal event coordinator to each couple, who handles everything from the initial planning to the “I do” and beyond. “The event coordinator at Park Place has several roles to play, but the most important one is to see that the bride’s wishes are met for the most important day of her life. That person is a
‘go-between’ between the bride and the staff here at Park Place, such as communicating needs to the banquet and kitchen staff, AV technician and management and making sure it all happens according to plan,” said Bridget Bryson, sales and marketing manager, Park Place. In addition to working with and booking outside vendors, such as photographers, bands, cakes and florists, the coordinator also has a hands-on role with details including setting up centerpieces, tying chair ties, setting special linens and place cards. “Many times, the coordinator will go far and above to make sure the bride can have what she dreams of for her special day,” Bryson said. “The coordinator is here before the wedding to make sure everything is in place and is a personal contact for the wedding party as well as making sure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes. When the wedding party is late, or a sudden change occurs, the coordinator makes sure any changes are communicated to all the staff and that the event keeps running smoothly.” Even when circumstances change, such as a change in event coordinator, wedding plans, such as those for Josh Anderson and Laura Bynum, go on as planned. “They didn’t miss a beat. When the manager spoke to Laura to tell her our planner left, Laura asked
Photos by RICK TALBOTT / Courier Staff Photographer
Park Place has hosted 161 weddings, involving hundreds of details. Personal event coordinators work with bridal couples to make sure everything is planned and goes smoothly. if there was still a record of our decisions and intentions, which there were. We were living in the Quad City area and we didn’t want to make another trek home. Jen, our new planner, was very professional and understanding. She really took the ball and ran with it,” said Josh Anderson, formerly of Cedar Falls, who married Laura Bynum last October. The Andersons chose the grand terrace for their wedding ceremony, but couples can also choose from the ballroom, veranda or lawn. Wedding ceremony package includes a portable audiovisual system, microphone and stand, water service, aisle runner, dressing rooms and refreshments for the bridal party. Additional services include a bridal arch,
Elegant, curvaceous wrought iron railings provide settings for wedding photographs. fabrics, candles, lights and other decorations. “The facility was elegant and beautiful. We took a step up in our budget to get a great place like
this, but it was worth it. Everything was so well organized and a great place to take pictures that will be with us for the rest of our lives,” Anderson said.
Sauls’ daughter has a wedding to remember at PIPAC Centre By BETHANY PINT bethany.pint@wcfcourier.com
CEDAR FALLS — PIPAC Centre on the Lake was the perfect setting for Josie Saul and Josh Petersen’s June 13 wedding. Planning the wedding took 15 months and Josie said she was looking forward to “having a good time with my family and friends and ... everybody that decided to share the day with us.” The couple said their “I do’s”
on the 7,000-square-foot openair Grand Terrace on the center’s east side. Stainless steel outdoor urns were filled to overflowing with lime -green sweet potato vines and fuchsia Wave petunias. Cylinder vases containing ivory pillar candles embedded in sand lined the hot pink aisle runner.De Neui Gardens and Prairie Lakes served as a picturesque backdrop for the 5 p.m. After the ceremony, the bride
and groom ushered their guests into the three-ballroom reception area. White, cream and antique gold Chinese silk fabric was draped from the ceiling to create a tent, enhancing the elegant, intimate atmosphere. The approximately 245 guests sat on hot pink cerise lamour satin chair cushions, enjoying the cuisine created by Chefs Andrew Ungs and Chris Graham, including lobster bisque, maca-
damia nut-encrusted Mahi Mahi stuffed with lobster and crab, and beef tenderloin medallions served with an asparagus bundle and garlic mashed potatoes. The 4-foot tall coconut, carrot and almond cake, baked and decorated by Glorious Desserts in Des Moines, included white fondant with lime green and hot pink fondant accents. White, silver and green glass balls separated each of the cake’s four tiers. After dinner, guests were invit-
ed out onto the veranda to enjoy a three-piece ensemble, a limegreen margarita luge and cigars. Guests polished off their dinner with fruit and cheese and were invited back into the ballroom, which had been transformed into a nightclub. A Starbucks coffee bar and heavy hors d’oeuvres were offered. As dusk fell, guests once again streamed out onto the veranda to view a 15-minute fireworks celebration by J&M Displays.
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PIPAC Centre on the Lake businesses PIPAC Centre on the Lake 1521 Technology Parkway Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613 Phone: 319-277-8541 http://www.pipaccentre.com PIPAC (Professional Insurance Planners and Consultants) 1521 Technology Parkway, Suite A Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613 319-277-8541 800-765-1710 Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday http://www.pipac.com PIPAC Life 1521 Technology Parkway, Suite A Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613 319-277-8541 800-765-1710 Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday http://www.pipaclife.com/
Cohesion Productions 1521 Technology Parkway Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613 319-859-3222 Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday http://www.cohesionproductions. com/ Park Place 1521 Technology Parkway, Suite B Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613 319-277-1255 Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday Ferrari’s Ristorante 319-277-1385 Open 11 a.m. Monday through Friday, 4 p.m. Saturday, closed Sundays http://www.barmuda.com
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