Podcast: Download

On this Episode of Meeting Pros:

QUALENA ODOM-ROYES, CSEP, CMP with EventEssentials, LLC. 

EventEssentials’ Principal Event Planner and owner is Qualena Odom-Royes, CSEP, CMP. Ms. Odom-Royes has over 18 years of experience in event and meeting planning. Accredited from The University of Georgia in Conference Planning and Meeting Management, she also holds the Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP) and Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designations. Prior to opening her own event planning business, her background was in event management and marketing at MCI Telecommunications/WorldCom, handling corporate sponsorships and business to business advertising, and MTV Networks (MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, TV Land, VH1).

Recognizing her talent for detailed organization and the need for a company that could plan meetings and events from start to finish with an emphasis on return on investment for the meeting organizer, Ms. Odom-Royes opened EventEssentials ten years ago. Since that time, the award-winning company has provided planning and facilitation services to organizations in a variety of different industries. The meetings and events have ranged from high-end executive gatherings for 12 people to large-scale business conferences for over 7,000. EventEssentials’ past and current clients include Cox Communications, The Coca-Cola Company Georgia Supplier Minority Development Council (GMSDC), Piedmont Hospital, Manheim, Scholastic and Taste of Atlanta. EventEssentials is a certified minority business enterprise and was named the 2011 Class 1 Supplier of the Year for GMSDC and earned the 2012 GMSDC Eagle Award recognizing their extensive partnerships with other minority business enterprises. A fervent advocate also of teaching, Ms. Odom-Royes developed the coursework and has taught the continuing education course (Event & Meeting Planning Certificate) at Clayton State University for the past ten years. In addition, Ms. Odom-Royes joined the online adjunct faculty at Argosy University in February 2012 where she teaches Business Administration courses.

In 2012 Ms. Odom-Royes was awarded the prestigious Dale Riggins Humanitarian Award for her outstanding professionalism in their service to the special events industry and the community at large during the Allie Awards Nite Gala hosted by the Atlanta chapters of ISES (International Special Events Society) and NACE (National Association of Catering Executives).

Ms. Odom-Royes’ past positions on the International Certification Committee as well as the Executive Board of Directors of ISES Atlanta, Lambda Epsilon Omega Foundation, Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta and current appointments at Plan Your Meetings Magazine and Allie Awards have required analytical and technical skills; people management and liaison; meticulous record keeping and accountability. Her capabilities and dedication have earned her tremendous respect; and her general friendly demeanor has expanded her network of business contacts exponentially.

FOLLOW HER ON TWITTER – @EVENTESSENTIALS

FACEBOOK – EVENTESSENTIALS

BLOG – THEQSPOTBLOG.COM

LINKED IN – QUALENA ODOM-ROYES, CSEP, CMP

Russell Lopinto, CMP with Tech Rentals, LLC

Russell LoPinto CMP is the Vice President of New Business Development for Tech Rentals Inc. Aftergraduating from The University of South Carolina with a BA in broadcast journalism in 1984 Russell came to Atlanta and worked at CNN, WSB and a number of local production companies running camera, lights and sound. In 1989 Russell went to work for Total Audio Visual Services as a sales associate. At the time, TAVS was one of the largest A/V companies in the country. In 1993 Russell took the position of DOS & M for Tech Rentals Inc, which at the time was a relatively small A/V company. Since that time, Tech Rentals has grown to become one of the top 10 audio visual staging companies in the United States, as recognized by Rental and Staging magazine. Russell has served on the Georgia Meeting Professionals International, International Special Events Society and Professional Conference Managers Association boards, as well as the Hospitality Helping Hands board Executives.