Happy 2012 to my wonderful NACE family!  What a great way to kick off the New Year, at green Pastures Restaurant, where we honored last year’s board,  and installed the new one.  A special thanks to Brianne Mouton, CPCE for the event design featuring the hottest color trend for 2012 Tangerine Tango.  Also a BIG thank you to all of our sponsors; Green Pastures, Floral Renaissance, Groove Labs, Amazing Ice Designs, Bill Bastas Photography, Premiere Party Central and Illusions Rentals for their donations for the evening. 

Two very special awards were given out that night and I want to again take the time to recognize, congratulate and thank our Event Professional of the year 2011, Angela Nussel (Premiere Party Central) and our Caterer of the Year Mary Frances Despres (Barton Springs Resort).  Both had tremendous impact on the NACE organization and we value them and say thank you!!

I want to say thank you to our outgoing board for all of their hard work and humor over the last year.  I am grateful to each of you.  Rene Rice, Michelle Morris, Angela Nussel, Mary Frances Despres, are all stepping off the board this year and it goes without saying that we will miss you but look forward to seeing you at the monthly meetings.  I thank you for your years of service to NACE Austin, your passion, your fearlessness and mostly your friendship!

I welcome the new board and the year ahead.  I look forward to learning from each of you and delivering the educational and fun programing our award winning chapter expects.  Thank you in advance for your service!

Cheers to all of you and to a DELICIOUS 2012!

Jyll Vertuno, CPCE

NACE Austin President

Ten years . . .  120 months . . . 520 weeks . . . 3,650 days . . . that’s a long time to be involved with anything - - - or anyone for that matter. In September, I celebrated my 10 year NACE anniversary, and thought that some of you might be interested in why our more tenured members, like me, are still “here”. When the average life of a marriage in America today is just over 7 years, what keeps us, and those of you who’ve renewed your membership at least once, twice or more times, loyal to NACE ? Why do those of us who belong to the “7 years and counting club” stick with the organization ?

I don’t presume to speak for any other long-standing NACE member, but I can speak for me. NACE is all about connecting with and relating to people I respect, appreciate and enjoy. NACE is about associations I treasure with a network of consummate industry professionals who show concern for one another and who are dedicated to the work we all do and the clients and customers we’re all privileged to serve.

I’m engaged with my NACE contemporaries. If we miss a meeting or two or go weeks a few without chatting or meeting face-to-face,  we keep up with one another. Through Face Book, Linked In and other social networking sites, I know your likes and dislikes . . . what does and doesn’t interest you . . . your pet peeves and your passions. We’re connected. I’m still in virtual touch with many who served and participated in the chapter and either changed roles or directions or locations and moved on. I follow you and them . . . celebrate personal and professional victories and commiserate in times of pain. We’re family.

That’s what it really comes down to . . . family. My NACE family is like the Crum family or the Premiere family . . . a group of interdependent individuals bound by a common bond, be it blood, marriage, the workplace or some other thread. My NACE family is supportive, engaging and fun. We’ve got a history behind us and a shared future ahead. So thanks, NACE family, for 10 wonderful years of memories . . . for the education, the sharing, the insights and the enjoyment. Thanks for allowing me to serve and contribute. I look forward to seeing our NACE family grow and its members, individually and collectively, succeed. Here’s to us, and to many more wonderful years. Cheers !

Mrs Delores Crum, President

Premier Party Central

Premier Tents & Events

~Please Meet your 2012 NACE Austin Board Members~

President- Ms. Jyll Vertuno, CPCE

Vice President- Ms. Delores Crum, CERP

Past President- Ms. Michele Edison

Treasurer - Mr. David Lopez

Secretary, Ms. Bri Mouton, CPCE

Event Professional Representative - Mr. Scott Valley

Hospitality Co-Chair - Mr. Johnny Robinson

Hospitality Co-Chair - Ms. Deborah Ayala

Fundraising – Ms. Laura Page, CERP

Programs Co-Chairs – Ms. Marian Catacalos

Programs Co-Chairs - Ms. Kelly Barber, CPCE

Membership– Ms. Shariah Moehle

Communications – Open

Please Meet:  Tricia D. Kurtz

SCHOOL:                 Austin Community College

MAJOR:                    Associate in Culinary Arts

IDEAL CAREER:       I want to build a venue for weddings and other events and be the caterer and event planner.  I will be catering and wedding/event planning until able to build...

WHY DID YOU JOIN NACE:  I’m thinking that it will be a good place to network and learn from and work with others.

FAVORITE FOOD:   Italian 

This is a second “career” for me.  I have an accounting degree and worked with a CPA for a lot of years – mostly part-time as my primary job has been homeschooling my children.  My youngest son is now 14, so we have just a few more years with him at home.  A hospitality venture has been a long-time dream for me, and it appears that God is now providing the opportunities for me to actually head in that direction.  I am a full time student at ACC on top of everything else, so my schedule is extremely full.  I joined now I guess because I just wanted to sort of stick my head in the door since I really do not have time for anything else.  Tuesday evenings are actually my only weekday evening that I am not in school, and I am in school every day, so I am not sure how many meetings I can make.  Is there a schedule of future meetings, so that I can choose the ones I would most be interested in attending?  I am looking forward to being involved in a variety of ways.

“As your new Membership chair, I am thrilled to announce that our chapter now has two student members! I hope each of you will take the time to welcome Tricia Kurtz and Katie Natoli to theAustinchapter of NACE. Although neither was able to attend our January meeting, we are excited to have them as members while they are beginning their careers, as they are the future of NACE.

In addition to Professional and Student Memberships, NACE also offers Young Professional (limited to those under 25 years of age), Multi-Member, Corporate, and Business Partner Memberships. Our chapter is fortunate enough to have members that belong to nearly every class of membership. If you have any questions about the qualifications and costs, please let me know. NACE also always has ongoing member specials, whether it be $100 off CPCE certification, $50 off your renewal, or some other promotion. As it is time for each of you to renew, I would be happy to discuss the details of the current promotion. We are also gearing up for our Spring Membership Drive, so begin thinking about other industry professionals who might benefit by joining NACE.

As always, if I can be of any assistance, please let me know. Happy 2012!

Shariah”

NACE Member Mary Frances Despres Wins Grand Prize at Gingerbread House Contest

Every year Barton Creek Resort & Spa hosts a Gingerbread House Building contest for its employees and club members at the Grand Opening for their Holiday Lights and Ice Event.  The categories were youth, adult, professional, and departmental.  For her first gingerbread house ever built from scratch, Mary Frances entered in the adult category and drew inspiration from the Pavilion at Barton Creek.  The Pavilion is an octagon shaped stone structure that they closed in with glass and is now one of their premier event venues.  Every December, Barton Creek turns it into an ice skating arena with proceeds going to a charity.  This year proceeds will benefit Make a Wish Foundation. 

Candy from The Big Top Candy Store on Congress Avenue provided fun features inside the Pavilion ice rink including colorful fruit rolls for the snowman family, candy rocks for the fireplace, and penguin gummy bears on clear rock candy for the penguin flock.  The Gingerbread House was titled “Happy Feet @ Barton Creek”.  The outside features lots of cookie cut outs of trees, stars, cowboy boots, Texas, and of course, the general manager that’s been at Barton Creek for 25 years, James Walsh greeting his family and friends. 

The rule that all parts of the gingerbread house had to be edible made creating the base, walls, and 8 part roof structure a big challenge, but with batches and batches of Royal Icing, it all held together.  As any good caterer knows, a Kitchen Aid mixer can be a best friend. 

Mary Frances won the adult category and received a cash prize.  In addition she captured the overall prize where Barton Creek will donate $1000.00 to the charities of her choice.  In memory of her brother she will donate to Aids of Austin and continuing this year’s NACE Charity Partner, she will donate to The Smile Never Fades.  This may have been her first gingerbread house, but it definitely won’t be her last!