The Alumni of the Month feature of the Alumni Affairs web site showcases alumni who are doing interesting and exciting things, or who have made exceptional contributions to their chosen field of profession.

Christy Bareijsza (B.A. ’97), founder and CEO of The Red Carpet Events, is one of the most sought-after event planners in the New York metropolitan area. She has been responsible for detailed party planning and venue consultation since 1999. Ms. Bareijsza is known in the industry for her constant creativity, fresh ideas and commitment to surpass client expectations. She has created a multitude of memorable events for a long list of corporate and celebrity clients, including IMG World, Brooks Brothers, Bombardier Flex Jet, American Express’ Departures Magazine, Brown-Forman, and many radio and television personalities.

As a former Vice President of Corporate Events for one of North America’s top financial firms, Ms. Bareijsza gained vast experience in negotiations, event and sports management, hospitality, and audio/visual and venue consultation. In addition to her degree from Hofstra University, she enhanced her academic background with a Certification in Meeting Management designation (CMM), CIC Certified Meeting Professional designation (CMP), and a degree in meeting and event management from New York University.

What was your favorite class, who was your favorite professor, or what is your fondest memory of Hofstra?
My favorite course at Hofstra was Art History, which was taught by Dr. Cohen. With his guidance and wisdom, I have managed to utilize my knowledge of historical artwork in the most unique situations in business as well as personal conversations. In addition, it was one of the courses that experienced history, creativity and culture on a daily basis.

The fondest memory I have of Hofstra was being part of the Hofstra University Kickline (now called the Dance Team) and ranking nationally at the Universal Dance Association (UDA) Championships in Walt Disney World. We were considered an underdog and successfully placed in the top five, bringing an overwhelming sense of Hofstra Pride back to the campus.

What was your first job after graduating from Hofstra, and what was the most valuable thing you learned there? What is your field of specialty, and how did you come to work in the industry?
After graduation, I had a very short stint at JP Morgan Chase. While employed there, I learned about the event planning profession as well as the basic tools I would need to flourish in this fledgling industry. Realizing that I did not have the experience to apply for an event planning position, I gained the drive to obtain a post- graduate certification at NYU in the field of meeting and special events management, and eventually secured a position as a meeting planner with a fast-track promotion to vice president and head of the meetings and conferences department for numerous Fortune 500 companies. During my tenure in the corporate world, I founded The Red Carpet Events in 2001 as a part-time venture that grew into full time employment in 2005. Maintaining survival in a “frivolous” industry during a recession became far more difficult than the pressure of producing the event itself. But, in retrospect, the complicated environment ignited the drive in me to succeed strategically through any type of adversity while continuing to acquire top quality clients and producing memorable meetings, conferences and events.

What advice would you give current Hofstra students?
Living in the moment is key, especially since tomorrow is never promised. Education isn’t necessarily about textbook studies; rather, it’s more about life experiences combined with the learned knowledge that truly molds you for the future.

In one word, how would you describe Hofstra?
Memorable.

How has your degree helped you?
Obtaining a Bachelors degree in Liberal Arts with an emphasis on dance, history and art history has allowed a variety of knowledge in culture and the classical arts as well as the ability to expand my interests far beyond just one main focus. This particular learning environment allowed me to have variety in my own professional opportunities with the understanding that I don’t ever have to settle on one concentration.

What has been your favorite event to work on?
The most breathtaking event was for A&E Television Networks, which took place on Ellis Island. Their subsidiary, The History Channel, was premiering the documentary The Story Of America, and my company produced the seated dinner for 125 guests in the Great Hall. The location was where a majority of the guests’ ancestors patiently waited to receive their immigration papers over a century prior. The arched ceilings were donned with blue stars, and pin spots perfectly illuminated each table’s centerpiece while the Statue of Liberty stood proud in the southern view competing with the New York City skyline to the north. The gasps and tears of pride as each guest entered the room will always be the most memorable part of the evening, making this my most favorite event.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Where do you see your career progressing to in the future?
So much can change in a single year; I can’t even imagine the experiences that will happen in the next decade. What I do hope for is the ability to evolve my career even further by taking the expert role in a variety of different television, book and media opportunities and further sharing the passion, dedication and love I have for this profession.

We understand that turning your events BlueGreen all in one brush stroke may seem overwhelming. Here are 10 easy tips you can apply to any meeting to make it more environmentally responsible suggested by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency:

Put it in writing. Establish an environmental statement or policy for the meeting, and get buy in for it from the meeting host organization’s management. Share the policy with suppliers, delegates and speakers. You’ll be amazed at how far they’ll go to help you make your event Green.

Use paperless technology. Use new media and electronic technology to cut down your paper use. Create a conference web site; offer electronic registration and confirmation; and advertise using the web and/or email.

Meet close. Reduce distances traveled by speakers and delegates. Choose a host city that’s close to as many delegates as possible, and within the city choose a venue and hotel that are close to the airport and within walking distance of each other.

Practice the 3Rs. Ask your hotel and meeting venue to provide visible and accessible reduction, reuse and recycling services for paper, metal, plastic and glass.

Bulk up. Have your food & beverage service provider use bulk dispensers for sugar, salt, pepper, cream and other condiments.

Lighten your Stay. Choose a hotel that offers a linen reuse program and bulk dispensers for shampoos and soaps in guest suites.

Eat green. Include vegetarian meals, and have meals planned using local, seasonal produce.

Close the recycling loop. Have all printed materials published on recycled paper, using vegetable-based inks, and on both sides of the page.

Save energy. Coordinate with the meeting venue to ensure that energy lights and air conditioning will be turned off when rooms are not in use.

Spread the word! Tell delegates, speakers and the media about your success. You’ll be surprised – BlueGreen efforts are contagious.

Don’t leave The Red Carpet Events home! Scan the barcode and download us to your IPAD, IPHONE or Android. We never want you to be far from the next memory created with style!

In this day and age, budgets are definitely a touchy subject especially when it comes to a wedding. Paying for an event by “Robbing Peter to Pay Paul” is a great way to do it in corporate America with endless departments allocated with budgets, but when it comes to your own personal funds, things can be a lot different.

A great way to really focus on the important items of your special day is to make it very scientific. Sit down with your fiancee (yes… the man that proposed to you) and grab a pen and paper.

On that sheet of paper, make THREE columns and write the following:

1. What I think I need?
2. What I want.
3. What I HAVE to HAVE!

Use those three columns to touch on every aspect of the wedding from “having good service”, to “having tasty food” to “having a Vera Wang dress”…..the list is endless. And ladies, make sure to have your Groom present and involved, no matter how much complaining. Possibly “having Grey Goose vodka” is the one and only thing on his list, but if it’s important to him, it should be there!

Once the list is complete, look at the items in the “HAVE to HAVE” column and compile them into general groups and you will start to see a pattern, whether the money should be spent more on the venue, the florist or even the entertainment, it will be clear as day. This little exercise will give you both a better focus on your budgetary needs and a fuller understanding of what is important to both of you.

After all is said and done, and the main wedding costs are met, look at your budget and if you have funds left, go to the “What I Want” list and treat yourself!

Take a look at our very first piece of marketing collateral, how far we have come!

I started my career over 10 years ago in Corporate America. This was pre 9/11 and the meeting and event business in New York City was booming. Being the VP of Event Planning, all the sales calls were directed to me. Instead of sending the calls to voicemail, with little or no intentions of returning the call, I would pick them up and speak to the sales person. If it was service we had and we where happy with our current vendor, I would inform them of that, but always ask to receive their contact information. If we did not have the service and there was interest, I would set up a meeting accordingly.

Three years later, 9/11 occurred and the hospitality and tourism market sank to unthinkable lows. I was still the VP, and when the sales calls increased, I will still take the call and either gather the contact information or set up a meeting based on our current needs.

Ten years later, I still remain in contact and utilize the services of those vendors that called blindly over the decade, and are thankful for their support and loyalty in growing my company’s current and future business.

Presently, we are in a recession (or a depression as some may call it) and now I am the one doing the cold calling since I am no longer the VP of another company, but the President of my own. The difference is that I’m receiving “straight to voicemail” phone lines or the new trend of a “sales and marketing” hotline that won’t allow you to connect with a live individual.

In January of 2009 we were fed endless media about “Change” and believing once again in the United States and helping to bring back a lucrative economy. Wasn’t this supposed to be a movement to start helping one another?

Did I miss something?

Despite the thousands losing their jobs daily, business still needs to occur to help motivate the economic upswing. There are still wedding celebrations, corporate meetings and promotional events occurring that need the help of a strong, budget conscious, respectable company. I’m kindly asking these associates in charge of those events to simply just take that vendor’s call. Even if the conversation is for 30 seconds, it is all that matters. And if you decide that this vendor is not for you, it will still be considered a successful call. Otherwise, you are feeding into the negativity that has been dictated by the media and possibly losing out on an amazing service.

Having experienced both ends of the spectrum, I understand the challenges of each. From the anxiety of making the call to the awkwardness of the unknown. No one wants to say “no” but a “no thank you” and a conversation to why the service is not needed will make both parties more the wiser and form some type of relationship for the future.

Just try it once next time you receive a phone call, you never know what just might happen.

Be a part of the trend and join us on Google Play. (Coming soon… IPHONE & IPAD). Don’t leave home without us!

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.app_trce.layout&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5hcHBfdHJjZS5sYXlvdXQiXQ..

Not enough of the latest Red Carpet Events? Come visit out page on Facebook for the most recent events, feedback, tips and trends!
www.facebook.com/TheRedCarpetEventsOfficial

We found this great article issued by Fairmont Hotels and wanted to share it with you.

There were knowing smiles from many of our clients last month when CareerCast, an online career site run by California-based Adicio, Inc., listed meeting and event planning as one of the 10 most stressful jobs of 2012.

Event Coordinator took sixth spot in the CareerCast list, after enlisted soldiers, firefighters, airline pilots, military generals, and police officers. “Though [coordinators] may conduct many events through the year, any event may be a once-in-a-lifetime special occasion for the people involved,” CareerCast noted. “Therefore, events often have very high visibility and high stakes for the coordinator involved.”

Notwithstanding the CareerCast list, we often see event planning described as one of the top 10 dream jobs. For most people who work in the industry, both statistics hold a large grain of truth.

• For attention to detail, high stakes, and pride of accomplishment, it’s hard to beat the sheer satisfaction a meeting planner takes away from a major event.
• The magic and the challenge of going onsite is that there are no retakes or second chances. If a big piece of the meeting puzzle falls into place a day or a week late, it won’t help you if participants have gone home.

Of course, there’s no shortage of online experts on on-the-job stress. The Stress Institute has a lot to say about the effects of stress, and is just one of many sources on stress reduction.

But anyone who does that sixth-most-stressful job for a living knows that a meeting is a unique environment. So it was no surprise when one of the major meeting planners’ associations came up with its own list of stress management tips. In its monthly magazine, ONE+, Meeting Professionals International had a series of suggestions for keeping cool under pressure. Some highlights:

• Work your strengths. “Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and knowing what yours are can help you work more effectively and manage your stress level.”
• Make sure you aren’t spinning your wheels. “The biggest stress is work left undone. Unfinished work is mentally taxing and just plain stressful.”
• Exercise regularly to get rid of stress hormones, burn off tension, and build mental clarity.

Event Cancellations are a very sensitive subject for most Planners and can be more of a disappointment then anything else. The Client calls, you are asked to plan an event, you meet with the client, they are interested in your ideas and in fact, excited to have the event. The Planner prepares the contract and has to immediately start working on the event since the Client is filled with expectations, regardless if the Client has yet to issue a contract signature and submit the invoice for payment. Continuing to work and move ahead, the Planner will start to get into the true depth of the planning in conjunction to the Client’s guidance and verbal agreement.

Then out of no where, the Client cancels the event, due to an INSERT REASON HERE (budget, sponsorship, attendee cancellation) issue.

Now what?

Without a signed and binding agreement, how do you justify the cost of the time spent on preparing the event without a formal cancellation clause? This is a very tricky situation. The first question you must ask is “How Do You View the Client?”. Is this a Client that you have done business with in the past, plan to do business with in the future or is a prominent figure in your particular industry? Then “How Much Work Did You Truly Put Into the Planning?” and “Can You Utilize That Work For a Future Event?”. Also, is it worth having a conversation with the Client to see if they will work with you on a cancellation fee without creating a conflict. Those are all tough business decisions to make.

What if don’t feel as though the Client is worth the business? What kind of repercussions do you have? Do you really want to settle this matter in the court system? Do you have the documentation to even support your case?

The best resolution is to not even let the situation get to this point. But if it does, communication along with the understanding that no one enjoys talking about money is the first step. It is the nature of the business and the only road to a solution, especially if you want to be compensated for your services.