EventPros Quoted in Nat'l Mag: Social Conscience Marks Corporate Special Events Today

Check it out:

With top managers eager to burnish their corporate image with a cynical public, many event professionals are adding an altruistic element to the special event programs they create. From local programs to nationwide campaigns, the focus today is on demonstrating the host's sense of social responsibility.

"Community involvement is becoming more prevalent in our corporate culture," according to John Short and Bill Svoboda, owners of Kansas City, Mo.-based EventPros. "Clients are decorating holiday events with toys that are subsequently donated to children's charities, and hosting their employee picnics in conjunction with public fundraising events to ensure their employees are aware of the company's civic commitments."

KCRiverFest Updated, Facebook Page Launched

Friends and fans of KCRiverFest 2010 will be cheered to learn that the main website, www.KCRiverFest.com, has been updated, and a brand spankin' new Facebook page is also a going concern.
Come on by and check out the latest on THE Summer Festival of Kansas City!

Veach Joins EventPros

Sauce fans will be happy to learn that Douglas D. Veach has joined EventPros, Inc. as business development associate.

Douglas is a great guy and will be doing some cool stuff at EP--he will spearhead EventPros’ business development operations as the company continues its growth in Kansas City and expansion to markets outside the Kansas City metro area.

A graduate of the University of Kansas, Veach has worked previously in the real estate and construction industries with success in sales, marketing and management. He was a partner in the construction of two commercial retail centers and previously founded a landscaping firm.

“We’re very excited to welcome Douglas to our team,” said Bill Svoboda, EventPros co-owner. “His strong entrepreneurial background is an ideal match for the EventPros corporate philosophy. Douglas will certainly be a major asset as we look forward to continued growth in our community and beyond.

Svoboda and EventPros co-owner John Short graduated the Kauffman Foundation Fast Trac and Growth Strategies entrepreneurial programs; both are advocates of the Kauffman entrepreneurial philosophies. Since 2002 EventPros, Inc. has grown to five employees.

Award-winning EventPros, Inc. produces corporate special events, trade shows and meetings. Locally, the company produces the KCRiverFest July 4th festival as well as numerous corporate meetings, celebrations and special events. Outside Kansas City EventPros has been recognized for their work planning events in Texas, California, Connecticut and Puerto Rico.

For more information visit www.EventProsInc.com or why not give Douglas a call 816.960.3400.

Welcome aboard, Douglas!

Happy Hollandaise from Bernays Sauce and EventPros

We hope it's been a banner year for you, and if it hasn't here's hoping things turn around in 2010.

In the meantime, being holiday time again, we're proud to present to you our favorite Béarnaise Sauce recipe, courtesy of John Short at EventPros, Inc.

The Best Béarnaise Sauce
Ingredients:
1 lb 4 oz butter 1/8 tsp peppercorns, crushed 1/8 tsp salt 3 Tbsp tarragon vinegar 2 Tbsp cold water 6 egg yolks 1 Tbsp fresh tarragon cayenne pepperlemon juice
Instructions:
Clarify the butter. Keep it warm but not hot.
Combine the peppercorns, salt, and vinegar in a saucepan. Reduce until dry.
Remove from the heat and add the cold water. Transfer the diluted reduction to a stainless steel bowl.
Add the egg yolks and beat well.
Hold the bowl over a hot-water bath and beat the yolks until they are thickened and creamy. Do not overcook them or they will curdle.
Remove the bowl from the heat. Using a ladle, slowly and gradually beat in the warm, clarified butter, adding it drop by drop at first. If it becomes too thick to beat before all the butter is added, beat in a little of the tarragon vinegar.
When all the butter has been added, beat in lemon juice to taste and adjust the seasonings with salt and cayenne. If necessary, thin the sauce with a few drops of warm water.

Variations:
For Hollandaise Sauce delete tarragon and tarragon vinegar - replace each with lemon juice
For Mousseline Sauce fold 1 cup whipped cream into basic Hollandaise Sauce
Other variations: Substitute each for tarragon/tarragon vinegar – Paloise Sauce (fresh mint); Maltaise Sauce (orange juice with orange zest); Mikado Sauce (tangerine juice with tangerine zest); Choron Sauce (1/2 cup diced Roma Tomatoes).

Be creative!

Happy holidays. Stay safe.

December and All That...Larry King Rambling Style

Just a little end of the year housekeeping, Larry King style...you can find your humble editor on Twitter here, follow me for news, tips, personal junk and the outright banal...The Raspberry Dinosaur blog is in the running for funniest blog of the year...Poor Sooners had a rough one, hope Coach Stoops doesn't go to Notre Dame...EventPros has work all the way until Christmas, so not too shabby...we would love to help you plan your 2010 events and PR (we do more than special events, remember?!), just contact us...more soon...until then, have a great week.

Holiday Parties On A Budget Can Be As Simple As A Potluck With A Plan

Has the dreaded down economy put a damper on your company’s holiday cheer? No worries, with an eye on your budget and a little planning you can still turn the dreaded “office potluck” into something festive and hip.

“Lavish, chic corporate holiday parties are one of my favorite events to plan,” said Lisa Holst, a certified meeting planner with EventPros Inc., a Kansas City-based special event and communications services firm. “However, it can be just as fun to transform an office or someone’s home into a fabulous event space.”

“You don’t have to be extravagant to throw a holiday party,” Holst said. “Keeping it simple can be just as nice. Start with designating a planning committee. You will be surprised at who might volunteer and how creative a group of people can get.”

“A successful event, regardless of how much money you spend, should appeal to all five senses (sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing),” she said. “If you can master this it’s sure to be a great time.”

Tips from the EventPro:

What, When and Where
The options are endless. Consider turning that lunchtime potluck into an after work cocktail party or dinner in the office. Look for an associate willing to volunteer their home. Make it cocktails and appetizers, perhaps desserts only; or go big and plan for dinner. You can still do this on a small budget.


The Food
Have your planning committee design the menu by assigning who will bring what. It can still be a “potluck” it just needs to be a “potluck with a plan”. I’ve had great success doing this with friends. A more frugal approach is to work with your local grocery store or favorite restaurant in designing a menu. Don’t be afraid to ask for something different that’s not on their menu.

The Décor
“Keep it simple stupid” is a rule to live by. Simple is classy. There are so many hip, festive things you can do for little to no money. Have your planning committee designate an overall theme and try not to stray from it. Get into your personal décor inventory from home: if everyone has black table cloths, start there. I helped plan an event with friends and we were each responsible for designing our own tables of ten from china to centerpieces. Each table ended up with a different holiday theme from a collection of nutcrackers to a vintage collection of oil lamps as centerpieces, and what a great excuse to use grandma’s real silverware and the fine china that collects dust! Traditional florals such as poinsettias or fresh garland (smells good too) with votive candles or twinkle lights are always a classic. Your local farmers markets are a great place to find these seasonal plants.

The Entertainment
The possibilities are endless. This is a great time for your coworkers to bring out their hidden talents. You never know-- you might have an “American Idol” amongst you or a DJ wanna-be. There are also many cool video games out there like Wii or Playstation. Recently I attended a party and the “Dancing with the Stars” Playstation game was a huge hit. The new “Band Hero” might stir up some excitement as well. Of course, the simple elegance of traditional holiday music from an iPod playing softly in the background also works.

“Holiday fun doesn’t have to be a budget breaker,” Holst said. “And of course, if you have some budget available, look into hiring a professional event planner. You might be surprised at how affordable and indispensable they can be. A planner also affords you the luxury of focusing on the fun instead of worrying about the details.”

For more information, contact Holst at EventPros, Inc. at 816-960-3400 or visit the website at www.EventProsInc.com or on Facebook.

EventPros Partner Quoted in Kansas City Star, Grand Forks Herald Today

EventPros Partner John Short was quoted in not one, but two major metro newspapers today. The Kansas City Star's Business section sourced him in an article about cool places to hold your office holiday party:

“There are lots of really cool, fun places to have events in Kansas City,” said John Short, a partner at EventPros in Kansas City. “Sometimes it actually can be a little less expensive to go to an off-premises location rather than a hotel. Some locations are able to work with you in ways that hotels can’t.”

There's more from John and some great tips on planning your party in the article. Click here to read more.

Not satisfied to be in just one major publication, John's Op/Ed in the Grand Forks, ND Herald was also published today. If he gets published one more time, he's scored the hat trick. Wait a second, he's made Bernays Sauce, that counts for something, doesn't it? (He says yes.)

Check out an excerpt of John's Op/Ed here:

The Central Association of Physical Plant Administrators held their annual conference at the Alerus Center and Canad Inns in September. About 250 people attended the roughly four-day-long event.

We wanted to take a minute to praise Grand Forks and a few of the incredible people who represent it.

We could easily write volumes about the level of service we received from each of these groups, but for the sake of brevity, we’ll just mention their names along with a sincere thank you for the tremendous reception we received.

Read the entire piece here.

Congrats John, on preaching the gospel of good events!

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Click here.

Congrats to EventPros

We've done it again, this time scoring a rare honor from a noted educational association:

EventPros, Inc. was honored with the President’s Award at the recent Central Physical Plant Administrators (CAPPA) annual conference in Grand Forks, N.D.

The honor was bestowed for EventPros’ years of exceptional work in producing the regional conference. This marks the first time in CAPPA history that the honor has been conferred upon a conference planner.

Of course, when you have great clients like CAPPA, it makes it all the more flattering!
Read the rest here.

Saucy Fun: Plan Your July 4th in Kansas City!

Tired of the same old, same old July 4th? Then you owe it to yourself to pack up the friends and family and come out to KCRiverFest!

Presented by KCTV/myKSMO TV, the annual KCRiverFest at Richard Berkley Riverfront Park is recognized as the place in Downtown Kansas City to celebrate July 3-4!

Astounding bands (including Julia Othmer, Dan Coyle, The Air Force Shades of Blue Band and many many more,) fantastic food, family activities and breathtaking fireworks make KCRiverFest the natural choice for Independence Day fun.

Sponsored by Friends of the River—Kansas City, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the preservation, enhancement and protection of the Riverfront, KCRiverFest has drawn international recognition as a finalist for Best Fair/Festival by Special Events Magazine.

KCRiverFest hours are Friday July 3: 3-11 p.m.; Saturday July 4: 1-11 p.m. Ticket Info: $6 for adults, Children 5 and under FREE. Advance discount tickets are available online--click here!

KCRiverFest is a celebration of our culture, heritage, nation and all the elements that combine to make America great. Visit www.KCRiverFest.com for details.

Click here for a quick video of last year's festival.

Come on out and join us in KC--July 4 done right!

Béarnaise Sauce Update

John Short of EventPros figures we could all use some simplicity these days, so why not offer an easier, no-hassle Béarnaise Sauce recipe? Thanks John!

Okay, who has time these days to throw together such a challenging sauce? (It’s just a sauce – you still have to prepare something to put it on!) For those of you with lives to live (or hopefully not searching for new or better employment), here is an easier, simpler, and every bit as gratifying way to produce this classic enhancement to many recipes.

Ingredients:
½ cup sliced shallots (as thinly as possible)
1 Tbls. DRY white wine
1 Tbls. white wine vinegar
Juice from ½ fresh squeezed lemon
1 tsp. dried tarragon
1/2 cup sour cream (no light or fat free substitutes)
Salt, Pepper, Cayenne (cayenne optional) to taste

Directions:
Combine the shallots, wine, vinegar, lemon, tarragon, salt, pepper, and cayenne (if desired) in a small heavy saucepan. Slowly cook to a simmer – do not allow to boil. Add sour cream and heat for approximately two minutes over low heat stirring frequently. Serve (great on asparagus, oven roasted potatoes, and even pork or chicken).

KC Event Planners Talk About the State of the Industry

Bernays Saunce mothership EventPros, Inc.'s owners are featured in an interview in Special Events Magazine, where they discuss the state of the Special Events industry and the birth of EventPros, Inc. They also touch on marketing and public relations firms doing special events:

In 2008, for instance, while other event business owners were wringing their hands about tightened budgets, canceled events and the prospect of more bad news to come, Svoboda and Short debuted a communications services department. As Short explains, the duo created the new department to compete directly with marketing and public relations firms that were cutting into EventPros' market share.

“These companies were handling events, but they didn't even like doing it — they were just doing it because their clients needed it,” Short says. “Because they weren't making any extra money on events, they weren't hiring us to do them. They were just doing the events themselves, and not doing a very good job.”

With its new division, EventPros is able not only to sell clients on the strength of its event-production capabilities but to add value by offering marketing and communication services such as Web development, scriptwriting and video production. Short adds, “It speaks to our fiscal responsibility that we were able to bring in-house a lot of services we were farming out.”

Read the rest here.

“Nobody Wants to Be Perceived as the Next A.I.G.”

UPDATE (Feb. 28, 2009): Click here for the latest perpetuation of the "AIG Effect."

As our last post revealed, the well-publicized actions of a minority of companies has sent shockwaves throughout the travel and meeting industry, potentially affecting millions of jobs. Rather than risk a public relations backlash, many companies are cutting back or eliminating their travel and meetings.

An article in the New York Times sums it up:

According to a survey released last month that was conducted by the industry trade group Meeting Professionals International and American Express, 7 percent of business meetings already scheduled for 2009 have been canceled. And attendance is expected to be down by about 5 percent at those meetings that are still being held, the survey found.

While anecdotal reports indicate that few industries have been spared, a large number of the canceled events appear to be in industries hit hardest by the recession: banking, mortgage lending, credit cards, housing construction and renovation.

Reasons behind the cancellations vary. In some cases, image — not wanting to appear to be spending lavishly in a recession — is the impetus.

“We’ve received notices of cancellation along with a check for the full amount,” said Steven Rudner, a hotel industry lawyer. “Nobody wants to be perceived as the next A.I.G.”

[…] One conference planner, who did not wish to be identified because of continuing hotel negotiations, canceled a two-day seminar a month before it was scheduled to take place when only 16 delegates had registered. The event had drawn an average of 125 people in years past. The organization refunded registration fees for the handful who had signed up, and offered a credit toward a future event to offset the expense of canceling their flights.

[…] Canceling an event is not cheap. Costs can run into six figures, starting with the hotel’s cancellation fees and including any planned entertainment and functions planned outside the hotel.

Holding a conference with a drastically reduced head count is not much better, though. Typical contracts include clauses that require the host to compensate the hotel for the difference between the number of guest rooms held for the group and those actually filled.

As a rule, hotels would rather have fewer guests than receive a cancellation check, because conferences usually generate revenue from purchases like minibar snacks or fitness center passes.

Obviously, the lavish spending of AIG executives and other PR missteps such as the Big Three Automaker private plane debacle has the public angry and companies gun-shy about meeting and incentive travel.

Kansas City special event professionals Bill Svoboda and John Short believe that trend will exacerbate the problem. They own EventPros, Inc., a leading special event and communications firm in Kansas City and have more than fifty years of special event experience between them.

“Unfortunately right now everyone has the perception that all conferences are lavish junkets,” said Short. “That perception factor leads to the bottom dropping out of the industry.”

“The business community as a whole has been at one big party the past decade,” Svoboda said. “Well, the party’s over and we have one huge hangover.”

Svoboda believes that events and conferences became more lavish partially because employers wanted to reward performance and felt a need to “top themselves” each succeeding year.

“You want to reward performance, it builds every year,” he said. “But you often have poor communications in a company—departments have different perceptions of what is appropriate, and that can get out of hand quickly.”

“And then because of the public’s perception, all the meetings go away,” Short added. “Unfortunately the spotlight goes on the people who misbehave or are insensitive to the current economic situation and in the mind of the public that perception becomes the reality.”

Short believes the Keep America Meeting strategy of educating the public about the real need for business travel and meetings—as well as the jobs lost when travel and meetings are cut—is the best way to calm the public fervor fueled by sensational news reports.

Svoboda agrees that there is a perception problem, and that companies should employ a third party to review their public activities.

“When you’re not doing business as usual as we are now its important to have a third party take a snapshot (of what you’re doing) to keep you out of hot water,” Svoboda said. “This would have made a huge difference in AIG and the Big Three.”

“It’s too bad this (AIG Effect) occurred, because many of these events and conferences are part of incentives for the ‘little guys’ who make their goals,” Svoboda said. “Not only do they suffer for the actions of a very few, but industry employees also are at risk of losing their jobs.”

“It’s overcompensation,” he said. “The pendulum is swinging too far in the opposite direction.”

“You see news reports that show events being held in Las Vegas, for example, as if that were bad. Las Vegas is a top meeting and convention location,” Svoboda said. “You can do a conference in Vegas inexpensively. Flights are cheaper, there’s lots of reasonably-priced meeting space. But because it’s Vegas, people freak out.”

Dollars and Cents

Besides the “AIG Effect,” there’s also the matter of dollars and cents.

In an announcement on MeetingsNet.com, it was announced that the “high-profile launch of Reed Travel Exhibitions’ first U.S. conference—the Americas Incentive Business Travel & Meetings Exhibition—will be delayed at least a year.”

According to RTE Meetings and Incentive Events Group Exhibition Director Paul Kennedy, the “global economy is the reason for the cancellation of the Baltimore event, which expected to attract more than 400 VIP buyers and 250 exhibitors.”

“We have decided to delay the launch until 2011 or 2012 because of the macroeconomic climate," Kennedy told the Australian meetings magazine Conference & Incentive Travel. "We look forward to staging this event in Baltimore, but later. I am very sure about the health of the meetings industry, and I am very sure about the health of our portfolio, but this would be a bad time for such a major investment."

Frequent business traveler and trade show exhibitor Brian H., a manufacturing marketing executive in the Midwest, said he has seen changes in business travel and conferences recently.

“I spend at least twenty-five percent of my time on the road,” he said. “I see trends where sales conferences and training have been canceled in favor of webinars, conference calls or incorporation of training into downtime during trade shows.”

Looking Ahead and Staying in the Game

Pros like Svoboda and Short believe that now is the time for companies to step up to the plate with reasonable, well-considered meetings and events. In fact, they believe that companies that do not continue to expand revenue streams and invest in employee growth and training will suffer.

“Long-term, this situation will weed out weak businesses,” Svoboda said. “And someone will need to fill that void. A long-term growth strategy is key. The American economy thrives on growth, and companies that cut back completely are ultimately self-defeating.”

Both are optimistic that companies that focus on their current clients—finding ways to help them through the tough economic situation—will prevail.

“You have to help your clients stay in the game,” Short said. “If you do that, you will be rewarded when times get better. That’s why we will continue to work with our standing clients, even with reduced budgets.”

Echoing that perspective, marketing executive Brian H. says now is the time for companies to be planning for the recovery.

“Smart companies are going to be thinking far enough ahead to position themselves to grow when things improve. The ones who are retracting will suffer—they won’t be ready to run when the economy recovers.”

Sunny San Diego and The Special Event

Your humble Bernays Sauce editor here--just checking in to report that San Diego was sunny and fun, but alas, the Special Event Gala Award for KCRiverFest eluded our grasp.

Just getting nominated was a great honor for EventPros, producers of the event. KCRiverFest was in the rarified air of top three fairs/festivals in the world as recognized by the "bible" of the special events industry, Special Event Magazine.

We also attended some great seminars which may turn into a posting or two here on the Sauce.

Anyway, trophy or no, it's good to be back.

Will KCRiverFest Bring Home the Gold?

EventPros to Represent KCRiverFest and Kansas City in San Diego

Kansas Citians know that KCRiverFest is a great July 4th festival and the event’s producers hope judges for an international award think it’s the best festival in the world.

“We’re very excited to be in the final three for the international Special Event Gala Award,” said Bill Svoboda, co-owner of EventPros, Inc., KCRiverFest’s producers. “We view this as an award not only for KCRiverFest and EventPros, but for Kansas City as well. Whether we bring home the trophy or not, we’re proud this event brings tourist dollars and positive recognition to Kansas City.” Svoboda, co-owner John Short and colleague Alex Greenwood will journey to San Diego for the gala awards ceremony Jan. 30.

Late last year, the Special Events Magazine Advisory Board released the list of entries nominated to receive a Gala Award, the most prestigious prize in the special events industry. EventPros, Inc. received the nomination for their work producing KCRiverFest, Kansas City’s annual Independence Day festival. EventPros produces KCRiverFest on behalf of Friends of the River—Kansas City.

"We had nearly 400 entries, a 20 percent increase over last year," says Special Events editor Lisa Hurley. "The competition was fierce." This year’s competition drew entries in 35 categories from Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, England, Germany, Spain, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and the United States. Nominated entries went through three rounds of judging. The Gala Awards will be presented Jan. 30 at a black-tie gala ceremony.

As finalists for the Best Fair/Festival, EventPros/KCRiverFest is in competition with events in Sacramento, California and Harrisburg, N.C. Last year’s winner in this category was Marketing and More of Munich, Germany for “Mini United 2007,” a three-day car festival in Zandvoort, Netherlands.

“EventPros is the premier event planning company in Kansas City, and their nomination to receive a Gala Award from Special Events Magazine is a testament to the quality of their work,” said Chris Gutierrez, KCRiverFest chairperson. “KCRiverFest has become Kansas City’s Riverfront tradition and Friends of the River-KC is pleased to be working with EventPros on this event through 2011.”

The 2008 KCRiverFest, presented by KCTV 5/myKSMO, was the first produced by EventPros. Shortly after the successful festival, EventPros accepted a three-year contract to produce the acclaimed festival.

“We’re very proud of our team, as well as the leaders and volunteers of Friends of the River,” added John Short, EventPros co-owner. “It’s an honor to work with them on this growing event, and we’re looking forward to making KCRiverFest 2009 an even bigger success.” The EventPros team producing KCRiverFest includes Svoboda, Short, Greenwood and Lisa Holst, along with a host of professional staff and volunteers.

Major sponsors for KCRiverFest included KCTV 5/myKSMO, the Port Authority of Kansas City, Isle of Capri Casino, Neighborhood Tourism Development Fund, EventPros, Inc., Time Warner Cable, Cumulus Radio, Urban Times Magazine, Radio Disney, Burns & McDonnell, Hertz, King Hershey Attorneys at Law, Clarkson Construction, Liberty RV and BlueCross BlueShield of Kansas City.

For more information on The Special Event show, visit thespecialeventshow.com. For more on the magazine, visit specialevents.com.

Friends of the River-Kansas City (FOR-KC) is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to celebrate the heritage and to promote the development of the Kansas City riverfront through education, community outreach, volunteer commitment and fundraising.

Founded in 2001, EventPros, Inc. specializes in all facets of event planning and production of any size and budget, including large-scale community festivals. The firm recently introduced extensive image management, marketing and communications consulting services. EventPros also performs functions for events, conferences and parties including theme development, food and beverage design, transportation and tours, talent sourcing and on-site event management. Visit http://www.eventprosinc.com or call 816.960.3400 for more information.

EventPros Garners KC Small Business Honor

We just found out that our firm, EventPros, is among the 2009 KC Small Business Magazine "25 Under 25" businesses in Kanasas City. We are very excited, especially on the heels of our nomination for the International Gala Award for KCRiverFest (we find out if we won that one Jan. 30 in San Diego).

Who says good things don't happen these days?

So...if you want some award-winning communications and special event services, give us a shout. We'd love to work with you.

KCRiverFest 2008 Named Finalist for Best International Festival

Kansas City’s EventPros Honored with Nomination
(KANSAS CITY)—KCRiverFest has been named a finalist for an international special event award.

The Special Events Magazine Advisory Board released the list of entries nominated to receive a Gala Award, the most prestigious prize in the special events industry. EventPros, Inc., a Kansas City special events and communications company, received the nomination for their work producing KCRiverFest, Kansas City’s annual Independence Day festival. EventPros produces KCRiverFest on behalf of Friends of the River—Kansas City.

"We had nearly 400 entries, a 20 percent increase over last year," says Special Events editor Lisa Hurley. "The competition was fierce." This year’s competition drew entries in 35 categories from Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, England, Germany, Spain, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and the United States.

Nominated entries went through three rounds of judging. The Special Events Magazine Advisory Board will select the winners during The Special Event 2009 Conference, Jan. 27-30 in San Diego, Calif. The Gala Awards will handed out on Jan. 30 at a black-tie gala ceremony.

As finalists for the Best Fair/Festival, EventPros/KCRiverFest is in competition with events in Sacramento, California and Harrisburg, N.C. Last year’s winner in this category was Marketing and More of Munich, Germany for “Mini United 2007,” a three-day festival in Zandvoort, Netherlands.

“EventPros is the premier event planning company in Kansas City, and their nomination to receive a Gala Award from Special Events Magazine is a testament to the quality of their work,” said Chris Gutierrez, KCRiverFest chairperson. “KCRiverFest has become Kansas City’s Riverfront tradition and Friends of the River-KC is pleased to be working with EventPros on this event through 2011.”

The 2008 KCRiverFest was the first produced by EventPros. Shortly after the successful festival, EventPros accepted a three-year contract to produce the acclaimed festival.

“We are very excited and humbled to be a finalist for this international award. We see this not only as an honor for our work producing KCRiverFest, but as a strong indication of the quality and importance of this festival to our community. We are also gratified to bring international attention to this unique Kansas City event,” said John Short and Bill Svoboda, owners of EventPros.

“We’re very proud of our team, as well as the leaders and volunteers of Friends of the River,” Svoboda and Short added. “It’s an honor to work with them on this growing event, and look forward to making KCRiverFest 2009 an even bigger success.” The EventPros team producing KCRiverFest includes Lisa Holst and Alex Greenwood, along with a host of professional staff and volunteers.

Major sponsors for KCRiverFest included KCTV 5/myKSMO, the Port Authority of Kansas City, Isle of Capri Casino, Neighborhood Tourism Development Fund, EventPros, Inc., Time Warner Cable, Cumulus Radio, Urban Times Magazine, Radio Disney, Burns & McDonnell, Hertz, King Hershey Attorneys at Law, Clarkson Construction and BlueCross BlueShield of Kansas City.

For more information on The Special Event show, visit thespecialeventshow.com. For more on the magazine, visit specialevents.com

Friends of the River-Kansas City (FOR-KC) is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to celebrate the heritage and to promote the development of the Kansas City riverfront through education, community outreach, volunteer commitment and fundraising.

Founded in 2001, EventPros, Inc. specializes in all facets of event planning and production of any size and budget, including large-scale community festivals. The firm recently introduced extensive image management, marketing and communications consulting services. EventPros also performs functions for events, conferences and parties including theme development, food and beverage design, transportation and tours, talent sourcing and on-site event management. Visit http://www.eventprosinc.com or call 816.960.3400 for more information.

Tooting Our Own Horn...and Yours

The Kansas City Business Journal did a fantastic piece on the Bernays Sauce parent company, EventPros, Inc.

Just goes to show you what a good public relations pro can do for your business--no matter what the size. If your story is compelling and you pitch it right, good things can happen!

Here's an excerpt, followed by a link to the complete story.

When you listen to the clients of EventPros Inc. talk about the company’s owners, it’s easy to envision the two men as something straight from DC Comics, the letter S emblazoned on their chest, faster than a speeding bullet and always able to save the day.

Example one: Setup was complete for KCRiverFest in the summer when a microburst hit the evening before the event. Half of the tents were destroyed, the stage lighting was blown off, and debris littered the park. The day of the event, the two men and their team were up before dawn and set everything back up in five hours, in time to open that afternoon.

Example two: The HNTB Cos. 2002 holiday party was in danger after parting ways with another event planner just two weeks before the event. The day of the party, EventPros showed up unexpectedly and unannounced, spent two hours with the group and saved the party.

“They were wonderful. They were our heroes,” said Amy Rempel, an executive assistant for Scott Smith, CEO of HNTB.

Read the rest of the story here.

Contact us today to discuss your public relations and special event needs.

Who knows? Maybe someday soon the media will publish something about your company to toot about!

KCRiverFest 2008 Success Nets Three-Year Commitment for EventPros

Just tooting our own horn a bit...--Editor


(KANSAS CITY)—Production management of the next three KCRiverFests has been awarded to EventPros, a leading Kansas City event planning, production and communications firm.

“As producers of KCRiverFest 2008, EventPros cut costs, negotiated contracts with vendors and initiated a very successful media plan. They worked with Friends of the River –Kansas City to successfully reinvigorate the festival—putting it on a firm footing to continue for years to come.” said Chris Gutierrez, KCRiverFest Chairman. “We are very excited about the prospect of working with EventPros to make each succeeding KCRiverFest bigger and better.”

“EventPros is honored to accept this unprecedented offer from Friends of the River,” said Bill Svoboda and John Short, owners of EventPros. “It’s gratifying that our work has been embraced by this great organization. We are very proud to be their partner in making KCRiverFest not only the Fourth of July destination of choice, but ultimately the premier annual festival in Kansas City.”

This year’s KCRiverfest attracted more than 35,000 visitors July 3 and 4 to Richard L. Berkley Riverfront Park. It featured local bands, entertainers, food and a variety of exhibit booths. The festival culminated in an 18-minute high altitude fireworks display broadcast live by presenting sponsor KCTV 5. More information is available at www.KCRiverFest.com. Information about next year’s event will be added to the site soon.

“Under the direction of Festival Chairman Chris Gutierrez, the EventPros team is already developing some exciting ideas that will make 2009’s Fourth of July more memorable for the entire community,” Svoboda added. “The Port Authority of Kansas City has made Berkley Park into a fantastic community resource, and KCRiverFest is a great way to show it off. The sky’s the limit for our next festival.”

Founded in 2001, EventPros, Inc. specializes in all facets of event planning and production of any size and budget, including large-scale community festivals. The firm recently introduced extensive public relations, marketing and communications consulting services tailored for midsized to small businesses and organizations. EventPros also performs functions for events, conferences and parties including theme development, food and beverage design, transportation and tours, talent sourcing and on-site event management. Visit http://www.eventprosinc.com or call 816.960.3400 for more information.

The Best Béarnaise Sauce

Okay, I know that some of you may have tripped over this site by accident looking for the best Béarnaise Sauce recipe ever; so I consulted my colleague John Short over at EventPros. Here's his favorite. Enjoy!

Béarnaise Sauce

Ingredients:
1 lb 4 oz butter 1/8 tsp peppercorns, crushed 1/8 tsp salt 3 Tbsp tarragon vinegar 2 Tbsp cold water 6 egg yolks 1 Tbsp fresh tarragon cayenne pepperlemon juice

Instructions:
Clarify the butter. Keep it warm but not hot.
Combine the peppercorns, salt, and vinegar in a saucepan. Reduce until dry.
Remove from the heat and add the cold water. Transfer the diluted reduction to a stainless steel bowl.
Add the egg yolks and beat well.
Hold the bowl over a hot-water bath and beat the yolks until they are thickened and creamy. Do not overcook them or they will curdle.
Remove the bowl from the heat. Using a ladle, slowly and gradually beat in the warm, clarified butter, adding it drop by drop at first. If it becomes too thick to beat before all the butter is added, beat in a little of the tarragon vinegar.
When all the butter has been added, beat in lemon juice to taste and adjust the seasonings with salt and cayenne. If necessary, thin the sauce with a few drops of warm water.

Variations:
For Hollandaise Sauce delete tarragon and tarragon vinegar - replace each with lemon juice
For Mousseline Sauce fold 1 cup whipped cream into basic Hollandaise Sauce

Other variations:
Substitute each for tarragon/tarragon vinegar – Paloise Sauce (fresh mint); Maltaise Sauce (orange juice with orange zest); Mikado Sauce (tangerine juice with tangerine zest); Choron Sauce (1/2 cup diced Roma Tomatoes).

Be creative!