Today is the day!  ISES Indiana Chapter membership drive starts today.  

Apply today until the 31st of October and your $50 application fee will be waived. When signing up - select the Indiana Chapter and membership type, put in the promo code INDY50 and you are all set.  

ISES Indiana is more than a membership.  Become a part of ISES and you will gain investment in both the personal and professional worlds.  

ISES Indiana delivers in 4 distinct categories:

Learn: Stay on top of trends and develop a better understanding in all aspects of our industry through ISES Indiana’s educational programs.  Whether it’s a program on design trends, learning how to more efficiently run your business, or even discussing what’s new in Indy, get ready to be more powerful through ISES LEARNS.

Connect: Let’s face it, it is all about who you know!  Get connected and build powerful business relationship and friendships with your fellow ISES Indiana members.  Our Chapter wants to ensure you meet the “right” people to include in your network and expand your sphere of influence.  Connections = Dividends… and we all like more money!

Recognition: You are awesome!  You know it, and now it’s time to show the world.  Submit for a local PACE award or national ESPRIT award, have a booth at Flaunt, or even sponsor a meeting.  Whatever it is, at ISES Indiana, we like showoffs and recognizing the talented individuals and companies within the event industry!

Care: Nothing brings a group closer than coming together for a good cause.  When you are an ISES member you are not just part of a network of hard working professionals, but also part of a compassionate group of friends.  ISES Indiana participates in at least two charity events each year.  In April 2013, our chapter participated in the Best Buddies Friendship Walk, a wonderful cause for youth and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  Whether benefiting the city or for a charitable organization, we like warm fuzzy feelings and would love for you to join us in spreading the love!

Join Today! 

 Click picture above for video!

The Ritz Charles was established in 1985 and provides innovative and upscale event services to central Indiana.  Casey Lazzara, Event Sales Associate, was kind enough to introduce us to the Garden Pavilion - the location of our ISES October Luncheon. Open year around, its permanent glass structure provides a 360 degree view of the amazingly beautiful gardens, fountains and wooded surroundings.  The Garden Pavilion can hold 350 sit-down, 250 with dance floor, and 500 stand up reception.  

Below is a little teaser interview from Casey Lazzara to learn more about her and her position at the Ritz Charles:

1. What is your title at the Ritz Charles?

Event Sales Associate (I handle all of our Outside Sales/Venues)

2. What does sort of events does the Ritz host and what makes is different than other venues?

We host a lot of corporate events, wedding receptions, fundraisers, bar/bat mitzvahs, fashion shows, birthday parties, etc. Ritz Charles has a very strong team and we work very closely together. We are committed to make each and every event personal, from the moment the guest walks into the building for their initial consultation, to the moment the last guest steps out of the building the day of their event.   

3. What lead you to event planning and how long have you been in the field?

Ritz Charles is a family business and I have been working with them for 9 years now. Truly, I was not planning on working in this industry, but one thing lead to another and I became passionate about what I do.

4. What is your most memorable event you got the opportunity to work on? Why?

My most memorable event was my sister’s wedding reception, which was held at the Central Library downtown, September 2013. There is nothing better than being able to play such a huge role on the biggest day of someone’s life, especially for one of my siblings. It was super rewarding and such an honor. I am currently planning my brother’s wedding reception which will be taking place this November in the Garden Pavilion, looking forward to another memorable experience.

5. What is one thing people do not know about you?

My love for sports! I love water skiing, playing tennis, running and doing yoga. And I enjoy cheering on my favorite teams, Notre Dame, Colts and Pacers.  

6. If you were not in the event industry, what would be your dream job? 

My dream job would be a News Anchor/Reporter, preferably for The Today Show.

7. Anything else you would like us readers to know about you?

I graduated from Ball State University in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Fashion Merchandising/Design. Someday I would love to open my own clothing store. 

Get the chance to meet Casey Lazzara and see the stunning Garden Pavilion located at the Ritz Charles at our October 28th luncheon.  Hope to see you there!

Porch Light

Kathleen is Porch Light’s business and marketing expert, in pursuit of her entrepreneurial dream. She grew up in California where she worked for 14 years in the jewelry industry managing marketing campaigns. She earned a degree in Economics from USC, and in May 2014 she earned her MBA from the Kelley School of Business with an emphasis in Marketing and Entrepreneurship.

Racing brought Kathleen to the Hoosier state when she and her husband Charlie Kimball moved here to race in the Indycar series. They currently live in downtown Indianapolis with their two dogs Taj and Lilah. Kathleen loves exploring the culinary footprint of every city she travels to on the racing circuit. She is also involved with the Indy Family Foundation. In May 2013 Kathleen successfully spearheaded the first annual “Festival on Main” event for the foundation.

In her free time Kathleen loves to cook, bake and play outdoors. If it’s a rainy day you’ll catch her shopping (she can’t resist a good sale), or watching one of her favorite cooking shows.

Below is a little teaser interview from Kathleen Kimball:

1.        What does your company do and what makes is different than others like it?

   Porch Light does public relations, media relations, and marketing.  What makes us different is we look at the company from the whole picture and can offer efficient, cost-effective solutions for businesses.  Also, there is only three of us, and we are all owners so when we work with clients they know we understand the struggles of running a business.  

   2.       What lead you to marketing and how long have you been in the field?

   I started working for my father’s jewelry store at the age of 14, and after graduating from undergrad started working for him full time and took over the marketing.  I after I moved to Indy, I decided to go back to school to get my MBA in Marketing and Entrepreneurship.  I was introduced to my business partners Myranda and Jennifer and Porch Light was born. 

   3.       What is your most memorable project you got the opportunity to work on? Why?

   I helped to build an online platform for a small homemade candy shop to sell her delicious candies online.  It was so much fun to work on something where she had almost no constraints. The project was fun and whimsical, and has been able to build an additional revenue stream.  And her fudge is the best I’ve tasted.  Check it out, www.natescandycar.com

   4.       What is one thing people do not know about you?

   When I am lucky enough to order a dish at a restaurant with surprising or different flavors I will taste it and re-taste it in little bites until I’ve figured out the flavors and then go home and try and re-create it.  

   5.       If you were not in marketing, what would be your dream job?

   Working as a sous-chef for some incredible chef.  Learning how they make food that continually surprises diners.  

Get the chance to see Kathleen Kimball speak at our October 28th luncheon at the Ritz Charles.  Hope to see you there!

Bucher Photographs

An Indiana native, Chris Bucher is a commercial photographer, artist and author whose work is extremely diverse. His commercial photographs are seen in magazines, advertisements, and websites throughout the country, as well as having work featured in the Communication Arts Photo Annual in 2009. As a photographic artist, his work has won significant awards, most prominently, 4 gold medals in the National Art Museum of Sport’s Annual Art Competition. He has had recent solo shows at Prairie Gallery, Dayton Visual Art Center and the Athenaeum Gallery, and images displayed at a variety of NAMOS shows, the London Photographic Association and countless others. Chris has written two educational books about photography, Lighting Photo Workshop and Black & White Photo Workshop. 

Chris graduated from and has taught photography at Indiana University's Indianapolis Campus. He started his photo career in Phoenix over 20 years ago after spending college summers in Washington D.C., working at Georgetown University. He and his wife Jennifer live in downtown Indianapolis with their Belgian Shepherd, George. Chris is an avid mountain biker and enjoys the automobile scene in Indianapolis. They both love to travel and really love visiting local, dog friendly brew pubs. 

Below is a little teaser interview from Chris Bucher:

1.        What does your company do and what makes is different than others like it?

I am a commercial and corporate photographer. I take a lot of photos that no one ever really thinks about, but that a lot of people see. I believe that the thing that separates me most is the ability to flexible and to create great imagery for my clients in virtually any situation, from small events to national ad campaigns, and from standing in knee deep mud to being in a CEO's office

2.    What lead you to photography and how long have you been in the field?

I was drawn the immediacy of the photograph when I was even in High School Art classes. I loved the whole process right from the beginning and quickly eschewed other artistic avenues. I have been taking photos since High School, and was even making money at it in College. I started as a full time photographer (actually starting as a commercial photo assistant) nearly 21 years ago.

3.       What is your most memorable shoot? Why?

I have a lot of memorable shoots and have had the opportunity to work with a lot of amazing people--from CEO's to custodians--because everyone has some story to tell. One of my favorites was an assignment do a photograph of Indy Car driver Josef Newgarden. The whole big production shoot was scuttled because of extremely dangerous weather and the client was devastated. I was able to convince them (Josef's cars' sponsor for that race) that we could do something equally cool, but totally different than what the original plan was the following day. The Creative Director and I were totally on the same page, and Josef and the team bought in as well and the final images were far closer to the true vision of the client than the original plan. One particular image from the shoot won a huge international award that just returned from hanging in a museum. There are 3 large art prints that I created and framed in steel, one at CFH Racing, one at the Client's HQ, and the one that came back from the museum is mine and will hang in my new office.

4.    What is one thing people do not know about you?

My favorite camera fits in my pocket and it isn't my phone. I am really a big point and shoot camera geek more than all the big professional gear.

5.     If you were not a photographer, what would be your dream job?

My dream job would be to race cars.

6.     Anything else you would like us readers to know about you?

I still get pretty tense before photo shoots. I like to go through everything in my head many times to make sure things are going to go well, and if there might be a problem, I want to make sure that I have contingency and back up plans. And then in a lot of cases once we get going with the shoot, it all goes out the window and find something even cooler than what we had originally planned on.

Hope to see you on October 28th at the Ritz Charles for our monthly luncheon!