Lead event manager for 1500 attended internal corporate meeting for F5 Networks for three years. Event spanned three days with pre-day (travel day for international emplyees), arrival day evening reception, two days of general sessions and breakout workshops and a closing evening event. 

 

I led a team of three logistics managers, two lead event registration managers and an onsite team of 15. Responsible for venue contract & negotiation, hotel room blocks and registration (both online website and check in at venue), overall planning & logistics (timeline, budget, pre-planning/event documentation, speaker management/breakout allocation, space plan, food and beverage, production,print and signage, shipping, transportation, giveaways, evening event (entertainment, food & beverage, design).

 

Key accomplishments

As an annual program held at the beginning of a new fiscal year, this was the first event for many new employees who had a challenging time connecting with longtime employees given the growth from smaller start up to larger software company. We suggested adjusting the program from breakouts to assigned small groups with speakers changing rooms rather than attendees. This allowed new employees to integrate with tenured mentors, increase interaction, engagement and retention. The restructure added a soft accountability and allowed for deeper group discussions and on exit surveys, earned high marks.

 

We also adjusted the program format - previously, the pre-event opening reception was an invite only for those employees who's performance from the year prior gave qualified them for the company's incentive event held in the ensuing year. Despite the logistical challenges, we felt that there was no key pre-event that brought all attendees together and "reset" their minds for the coming program over the two days to follow; moreover, there was a missed opportunity for those who did not qualify to be inspired to achieve their targets for the ensuing year.

 

Our program revision allowed for a welcome reception on the evening of the arrival day and a closing event with the incentive recipients acknoweldged in front of the entire audience. It was a way to being and end on high notes and thread a meaningful and inspiring conversaton in between.

 

Lastly, the CMO of the organization had promised attendees a champagne toast if sales forecasts and projections were met. Our team was able to arrange service of 1500 individual champagne bottles to all attendees for one collective opening - "pop" in a room with designed with glass mirrors and chandeliers on the ceiling.