Beginning with a special reception for our Decade Member to an evening of delicious food accompanied by entertaining and enlightening presentations, our May event offered fun, good company and lessons to learn.

Cort Furniture provided one of their hip martini bars which along with entertainment by Chris Dunn, an award-winning classical guitarist provided a backdrop for the reception. We began at 5:30pm with a special reception for those who have been DC ISES chapter’s members for ten or more years. That includes some 60 members or nearly 10 percent of our membership who have now formed the Decade Members group.

At 6:00pm, chapter president Kelly Gillespie opened the reception to everyone and recognized our Decade members who received a special ISES pin. After the presentation, the crowd spilled out onto the lovely St. Regis courtyard to enjoy great weather and a beautiful garden in the middle of the city.

Attendees then made their way to the hotel’s ballroom which boasted hand painted ceiling detail and gorgeous sconces and chandeliers. Once seated, Membership Chair, June Ring introduced to our new members and several past presidents along with each of the evenings sponsors/vendors.

Tales from the trenches shared by the chapters’ Decades Members highlighted the evening. Past President, Pam Burton MC’d the panel as they each described an event in which everything went wrong. Luckily, they learned something – and shared the lesson with us – about how to do events better in the future.

“I thoroughly enjoyed myself. The food was delicious and it was great to attend an event and just be a guest rather than working. I especially enjoyed the speakers,” said Dakia Adams of the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center at the University of Maryland, a first time ISES event attendee and potential new member.

“I agree,” said her friend Leigh Lewis, also from the Alumni Center and a new member. “The highlight [of the evening for me] was the event design and meeting people from so many different areas of the business.”

Thanks to the St. Regis Hotel which presented a delicious dinner followed by dessert and coffee. Waiting for the valet, many guests continued to comment on how much they enjoyed the event. The disaster stories were especially entertaining and educational.

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