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I know I know...it's a corny play on words.  It's a stretch to make it work but you get the idea.  We recently used L.E.D. lighting to bring life to the holiday season and providing our client with a multitude of settings and stunning visuals. The look is simple and basic however with seasonal lighting and thematic gobo projections, we set the scene for a festive wintery celebration.

We are excited and proud to announce that Robb Thornsberry   has been named as a Finalist for the prestigious Event Solutions Spotlight Award in the Event Producer of the Year   category. You can review his entry profile on the Voting Site at  www.event-solutions.com  beginning December 1, 2010.  Please take some time to check out his profile, see what we have been creating and vote for him!  Remember, you can only vote ONE TIME for each category. The recipient of the Spotlight Award is selected by an industry wide voting process. The Voting Site will be open from December 1, 2010 through January 31, 2011.  Recipients of the Spotlight Awards will be revealed at the Spotlight Awards Event, February 28, 2011 at MEET  Las Vegas .

With less than 30 days left in 2010, I stop and take a moment to reflect back on what has turned out to be a great year for Infinity Events.  A year that has yielded some amazing clients, programs, travel to far away lands and alliances with remarkably talented event and meeting professionals. All of which has led to ending my year with a nomination as a finalist for an Event Solutions Spotlight Award for Event Producer of The Year.  As they say, the nomination alone is an honor however I would be less than truthful if I didn't say it would be a thrill to win.  Therefore, please take a moment to log on and vote using the link that is provided at the end of this post. In the meantime however, below are a few of our events and developments that have taken place throughout the year that have led to this point. ULTIMATE WAVE TAHITI 3D MOVIE PREMIERE FINALIST BID COMPANY FOR AMWAY CHINA GALA IN ANAHEIM We were elated to be invited to bid on the massively large incenti...

Last night, a record 136 MPIOC members and many new and non members gathered at the Hilton Waterfront Resort to kick off the new year and NEW MPIOC for 2010-2011.  Not only was this a record number for a September meeting, we had a record number of planners in the room with a 60% planner to 40% supplier ratio.  This is unprecedented. The enthusiasm was amazing and the speaker was even better featuring  Michele Wierzgac, MS, CMM who spoke on  WRITING A POST CONFERENCE REPORT:  Demonstrating Return On Investment (ROI). So many people to thank for making this night possible but leading the pack is the Hilton Waterfront Resort including Don Chock and his team.  They absolutely stepped up to the plate and completely "knocked it out of the park".  It was such a collaborative effort with Don and his team truly demonstrating what it takes to "put your best foot forward". As they say it takes a village and what a selection of talent we had to choose fr...

INFINITY EVENTS just back from Las Vegas after producing the 50th Birthday Rally for Dominos Pizza.  L.E.D. lighting was widely used to provide many different looks for Plenary sessions, break outs and a gala dinner all in the same ballroom. The gala dinner reflected a global feel as clear acrylic globes uplit in blue LED lighting were used as centerpieces.  Gold spandex linens were used to represent the 50th Anniversary of the company and red spandex chair covers represented the Dominos brand colors.

On June 2, 2010, the MPIOC board of directors was installed at the Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace.  Robb Thornsberry was installed as the 2010-2011 Director of Monthly programs. The board has been hard at work to reinvent MPIOC and make this the best year possible for it's members.  Continue to log onto  www.mpioc.com  to see our progress and the amazing education that we have in store.  In addition to our commitment to advanced education, Robb is on target to take the MPIOC monthly meetings to an entirely different level unlike anything this chapter has experienced! The remainder of the board members are as follows: Position                   President       Robyn Mietkiewicz                           ...

The 2010 Los Angeles BizBash Expo took place on June 9 at the LA Mart downtown.  Robb was moderator for the early AM session: Demystifying RFIs, RFPs, and the Proposal to Win Business Included in the session was an expert panel that consisted of  Charles Massey, Founder and CEO, SYNAXIS Meetings & Events, Inc. ,  Janine Miccuci, Executive Producer, Along Came Mary Events ,  Lenny Talarico, CSEP, Director of Events, MGM MIRAGE Events. Below are a few points that were shared during the presentation: - Definition of RFI's, RFP's and the Proposal process - Are RFI's relevant anymore? - What is expected with an RFI - How to compare "apples to apples" with multiple RFP's - How often are you asked to submit an RFP when there is no chance of winning the business - As a planner, are you required to request a 3 bid minimum - Which is more important when submitting a proposal; creativity or the bottom line Click for Video "The RFP"

www.bizbashlaexpo.com I am happy to announce that for the second year in a row, I will be speaking/moderating a panel at the BizBash Expo on June 9 at the LA Mart, downtown Los Angeles. The deadline to register has been extended to May 17. The topic is Demystifying RFIs, RFPs, and the Proposal to Win Business Hear from a panel of experts as they uncover the mysteries behind great proposal writing. Learn how to decipher proposals to avoid surprises down the road. You'll leave this session with greater confidence to tackle your next RFI, RFP, or proposal. Moderator: Robb Thornsberry, President and Owner, Infinity Events Panelists: Charles Massey, Founder and CEO, SYNAXIS Meetings & Events, Inc. Janine Miccuci, Executive Producer, Along Came Mary Events Lenny Talarico, CSEP, Director of Events, MGM MIRAGE Events 9:15 - 10 a.m.

An article was just published in the recent Meeting News Magazine discussing the recent law signed by Obama in March, establishing a national convention and visitors bureau dubbed the Corporation for Travel Promotion.  This act will not likely take shape for at least 2 years. Up until now, the U.S. has never really promoted tourism on a national level for one can only assume they felt it wasn't necessary.  However many other countries are light years ahead in touting their tourism offerings such as Australian Tourism, Canadian Tourism Commission and Visit Britain just to name a few. This is a first step in what can be a very large boost to the meetings and tourism industries in the U.S. See article below: April 23, 2010 By Jay Boehmer Set into law by the stroke of President Barack Obama's pen in March, the Travel Promotion Act will begin to take shape in the coming months with the establishment of a national convention and visitors bureau and the enactment of that entit...

What to do when you've done it all?  Need to spice up the same ole same ole?  Need to make sure your limited budget can deliver an impact?  GO TO EXTREMES! Below is an entertainment concept that you just don't see everyday.  What better way to ensure your event is memorable and have your guests talking about it for months to come than to give them something they've never seen before. AeroTek AeroTek is an outdoor, aerial and stilt movement spectacle. Featuring five acrobats on stilts rolling into backbends, splits, and a myriad of sculptural forms, AeroTek stretches one's perception of the human body. Strutting and dancing, suspended and flying the performers’ pincer-like metal legs slice the air as they spin and swim like fencers in a seas, barely missing each other in their fervent exploration of their metal home. Shedding layers of armor, the acrobats slowly transform from superhuman warriors to fragile nymphs balancing high above the audience, ha...

Members of the Orange County chapter of Meeting Professionals International reverted back to their childhood as they relived some of their childhood fantasies at the Discovery Science Center in an effort to raise funds for their continued educational programs. Once inside, all the guests recieved a photo passport (courtesy of Four Quick Clicks) and were then escorted to the Cube Terrace where they stepped into a jungle explorerer fantasy where they enjoyed cocktails and a "hot" performance from a fire performer (Courtesy of Background Productions). Once inside, guests were encouraged to bid the night away on a large selection of silent auction items while enjoying delicious comfort foods (courtesy of Colettes Catering). It was a circus inside, actually to be more specific, it was a Carnival of the Mind where unique Carnival like characters roamed the floor and strolling tables (courtesy of Talented Tables) showcased auction items. After a well balanced meal of grilled che...

I just secured some amazing entertainment for the MPIOC fundraiser on March 3 at the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana. Make sure you register now if you have not already done so.

IEi President Robb Thornsberry is the chairperson for the upcoming MPIOC Fundraiser "Childhood Dreams" at the Discovery Science Museum on March 3. This event is specifically designed for MPI members to come prepared to play and have a good time. Guests will experience 3 different Childhood fantasies, Jungle Explorer, Carnival of the mind and Sports Allstar. A silent auction is planned with amazing packages and products up for bid. Decor to be provided by Cort Event Furnishings and Absolutely Fabulous, lighting provided by Shine Lighting, entertainment to be provided by Background Productions and catering provided by Collettes Catering. For more information log onto the MPIOC website.

Attended by dignitaries and superstars of the surfing industry, a capacity crowd of about 500 came out for the world premiere of 3-D Imax surf film The Ultimate Wave Tahiti at the California Science Center produced by Infinity Events . The film’s stars, Kelly Slater and Raimana Van Bastolaer, served as hosts for a guest list of surf industry executives, athletes, and media.