BRANDON A. LABASH
CHICAGO,IL
Summary
Accomplished Event Manager with a proven track record, adept at handling 175+ events anually, leading a team of 90+ staff members. Expert at event logisitics, budget adherence, and fostering client/ partner relationships, achieving a success rate of 99% in event operations. Demonstrates exceptional event management and collaboratory skills, ensuring seamless execution and client satisfaction.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
Work History
Field Event Manager-
Food For Thought Catered Events
Lincolnwood, IL
06.2021 - Current
- Manage daily event logistics for over 175 events annually, coordinating with multiple outside vendors to ensure successful and seamless event execution
- Train, direct, and support event staff (90+ staff members), assigning roles to ensure the highest quality event experiences
- Coordinate with Food For Thought Sales, Culinary, and multiple vendors to streamline event timelines and execution
- Serve as liaison between clients, venue managers, and FFT, ensuring highest level of customer satisfaction
- Provide event summaries and constructive feedback to Executive and Sales teams through accurate event reports.
- Ensure adherence to event budget, cutting costs to come in under budget
- Cultivate and maintain positive relationships with clients, venue and sales representatives, and exterior vendors to ensure future collaboration and business.
Team Member/ Catering Liaison
Whole Foods Market
Chicago, IL
05.2015 - 06.2022
- Serve as the primary point of contact for the Catering and Specialty department
- Provided high level oversight of Catering department operations, ensuring that orders were completed with 99% accuracy rates
- Built and sustained positive vendor and customer relationships.
- Exceed customer expectations with beautifully executed orders (100+ guests)
- Adhere to all policies involving FIFO, OTS, sanitation, logging, and preventing spoilage.
Events and Programs Coordinator
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Chicago, IL
01.2011 - 05.2015
- Leveraged event planning skills to budget, schedule and coordinate 150+ catered and un-catered events annually, working with vendors and staff to ensure smooth event execution
- Served as the primary point of contact for adult, teacher, and certificate program prospects and participants at each phase of the enrollment process, assessing student needs to advise students on the best manner to fulfill academic requirements.
- Deployed social media marketing tactics and mass mailings, utilizing ExactTarget, to bolster prospect engagement. This resulted in a 35% increase in Adult and Certificate Program enrollments in 2014.
- Coordinated departmental purchasing and inventory management for $30K+ in office supplies, program materials, and technology, strategically allocating financial resources to align with defined budgetary requirements
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary team members to establish program policies.
Education
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) -
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Skills
- Event Management
- Team Collaborations
- Leadership/Training
- Budget building/adherence
- Logistics
- Relationship Building
- Document Management
- Space Utilization
- Housing Accommodations
Timeline
Field Event Manager-
Food For Thought Catered Events
06.2021 - Current
Team Member/ Catering Liaison
Whole Foods Market
05.2015 - 06.2022
Events and Programs Coordinator
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago
01.2011 - 05.2015
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) -
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago
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