Dear Members:

Once again, our exhilarating Mardi Gras season has paraded back into our lives!  With the hectic holidays behind us, I hope you have found some time to unwind and refresh to gear up for this eventful year ahead!   

I would like to begin by thanking all of those who attended this month’s fabulous meeting at The Irish House.  Our gracious hosts Jana Morgan and Matt Murphy did such a wonderful job, from the authentic atmosphere to the delicious cuisine, and let’s be honest those Irish Coffees were exactly what we needed on that chilly day!  Speaker Ryan Lowe’s positive attitude pep-talk was the perfect way to kick off 2015!

We are enthusiastic about our new found partnership with Food for Friends, a division of the NO/AIDS Task Force.  Their mission is to supply home delivered meals and to make personal household products, groceries, and healthy nutritious meals accessible to HIV and AIDS clients and their families in need.  At each monthly meeting you can donate a little as one dollar at our check-in table.  Our Chapter will match your donations and present Food for Friends with a check at a special volunteer event later this year, stay tuned for more exciting details as to how you can further participate!  

The Experience 2015 will be held in Scottsdale, Arizona this July and we look forward to seeing lots of you there!  It was such a special moment to have shared in person with some of you who attended last year’s Experience when the New Orleans Chapter won the Fundraising Event of Year Award. 

As the NACE National winners of the Chapter Fundraising Event of Year, we have begun preparations, well, to win again of course!  All kidding aside, we are hard at work planning for another spectacularly successful fundraiser come this September.  Emily Riemer, last year’s Committee Chair, has passed the torched to our beloved Katie McNulty.  With her dedication, drive and a supportive team of go-getters and do-gooders behind her, there is no doubt our partnering organization will greatly benefit from this anticipated event.   

With so many accomplishments under our belt as an association and within our Chapter, imagine what we can achieve this year and beyond!  The mission of NACE is “to advance the catering and events industry and its professionals”.  I am a personal testament to this mission, in complete awe of the support, friendships, mentorships, programs, and opportunities I have encountered in my journey as a member.  The important work of advancing our industry and its professionals cannot be done without you!  There are countless ways to charge the work of the Chapter and the Association and our incredible Board does so each and every day.  Take a moment to contact us and share a recent, exciting achievement, help us grow our membership, and consider joining the board or a committee to assist in forming the strategic direction of the Chapter.  Your ongoing participation, membership renewal, and meeting attendance is paramount to the Chapter’s success. 

Chloe T. Henderson