What's New

A joint effort of the US Naval Academy, Academy Leadership and the Harvard Business Review, the Summit attracted senior executives and policymakers from the public, priv ate, military and non-profit sectors for networking, professional education and policy advancement.

New to the Summit was the Leadership Excellence Awards, sponsored by both Harvard Business Review and the United States Naval Academy's Stockdale Center for Ethical Leadership. This award will recognized six individuals from Pesico/Frito Lay, Procter & Gamble, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Tenet Healthcare for achievement in ethical leadership, developing people and delivering consistent results.

Tom Stewart, Managing Director and Editor of Harvard Business Review stated after the Summit that ‘Sally and her team are terrific’ ! Planning for the 08 Summit is underway for July 17–19.

“We were looking for an event producer who could partner with us and take the creativity and excellence of our events to the next level,” said Suzanne Labroad, Director of Recognition Events. “Sally and her team at SEC offer us a quality of service and innovation that we have not seen before. We are thrilled to have them on board.”

The first of the Hendrick-SEC partnership’s collaborations was a three-day recognition event for more than 600 employees held at the Charlotte Convention Center. With more than 137 awards, dinner and entertainment on the program, second-to-second coordination was necessary to achieve success, and SEC delivered.

With limited transportation and event services support on such a small island, charter planes were needed to bring guests in from Athens on a shuttle service. However, with Greece experiencing record heat for the week of the congress, charter planes could only carry to 50% capacity providing huge logistical challenges to bring attendees both on and off the island.

In addition to general congress session, individual countries had their own meetings and social events around the island. The combination of the extreme heat with air conditioning failing to cope gave major challenges in relocating events at short notice.

The Special Event Company team worked a 20 hour day for 10 days to ensure a successful program for our client.

A three-day event held each fall at Duke University in Durham, NC attracts more than 300 business leaders and policy experts. Highlights included a rare, behind-the-scenes viewing of a Duke Men’s Basketball practice with Coach Mike Krzyzewski, who shares his leadership and coaching philosophy with attendees each year.

“Our partnership with Coach K, the men’s basketball program at Duke University and its Fuqua School of Business is one of our most rewarding annual collaborations,” said Sally Webb “We are very pleased that we will be working together through at least 2009, and look forward to many more successful years together.”

AEP was created by Special Event Company and Sally Webb chaired the day-long series of seminars, breakout groups and networking sessions, hosted by the University of Southern California. The Special Event Show which runs directly after AEP, refunded AEP fees to attendees who also registered for the Show’s educational pack.

The second Academic Event Professional Conference will be held in Atlanta on January 14, 2008 at Georgia State University. Visit www.academic-planner.com for more information and registration.

The Chancellor of the Duke University Health System hosted the group, whose purpose in visiting was to learn about the development of the DUHS and discuss a strategic alliance with Duke in support of the challenges facing China’s health care system.

Among the delegation were professors from Peking University Hospitals, Beijing Cancer Hospital, and directors from the Chinese Ministry of Health. Program highlights included meetings with an extensive array of DUHS executives as well as presentations, educational visits and events at leading healthcare, pharmaceutical and biotech companies across Research Triangle Park.

The delegation had a little time away from business during a weekend visit to Asheville and the historic Biltmore Estate.

With the exquisite property and its interiors taking center stage, The Special Event Company created a lively, interactive series of events that offered elegant ambience without providing traditional event décor, including ‘live furniture’ inspired by the property’s actual designs such as a Georgian chair, a live zebra rug and a live human lamp. The furniture was choreographed to move and interact with guests, reinforcing key brand messages that great design is infused with life and exudes personality.

The event, to launch SEC’s US Headquarters in Durham, NC was produced with the help of industry colleagues Designs by Sean, Mitchell’s Catering, American Audio Video, Special Event Rentals and BK Design, won Best Event Entertainment, Best ISES Event Team and Best Catering/Buffet Designs.

The team transformed the historic art deco Carolina Theatre into a magical venue for performance, fine food and mingling, moving over 200 guests from reception area to theatre seating to stage for an innovative and revealing balcony performance by Grammy Award-winning vocalist Nnenna Freelon.

The outdoor family fun day attracted more than 850 guests who enjoyed themselves despite appalling weather for several days leading to the event that could have dampened the celebration, but the extensive array of activities ensured its success.

Visitors enjoyed live music, clowns, and numerous entertainers including one of NC’s best loved beach bands The Shades, and Marvelless Mark, a renowned personality, in various guises including Austin Powers. Activities were staged around the site throughout the day with competitions that encouraged 250 family groups to visit the 12 open houses on the development. Servers dressed in traditional Carolinian outfits provided food and drinks throughout the day, which ended with dancing and a fantastic fireworks display.

The event honored nine area chefs who have brought national acclaim to Durham for their culinary art, entrepreneurial spirit, passion and creativity. A sell-out crowd of nearly 450 community leaders gathered in Bay 7 of the new American Tobacco complex. SEC transformed the space utilizing special lighting and an attention-grabbing stage settings and props. Documentary-style tribute films were shown during a luncheon of recipes selected and created by the honoree chefs.

DC&VB and SEC are now working together to produce the 2008 Tribute Luncheon honoring ‘Bull Durham’ movie producer and former head of Universal Pictures, Thom Mount at the renown Cameron Indoor Stadium in April 2008.