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Alascia Jones Wins The ILEA President’s Award

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 ILEA_Cleveland_Awards

As event professionals, Rock The House is proud to have so many talented and creative minds as a part of our ROCKstar staff. Luckily for us and our industry partners alike, there is the International Live Events Association (ILEA). ILEA is a conglomerate of vendors from all different special event service fields, and provides excellent opportunities for these professionals to further their growth as they continue to move forward in the industry.

Rock The House has several ILEA members on our team, but in particular, we would like to take the time congratulate Alascia Jones, who recently won the 2016 ILEA Cleveland Chapter President’s Award! A prestigious honor bestowed by ILEA’s President, Alascia received the award as a result of her tremendous hospitality skills, and unwavering effort to always exhibit and practice the association’s five core values; Creativity, Inspiration, Teamwork, Education, and Relationships.

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“Alascia embraces ILEA Cleveland not only to better herself but the event industry as a whole. She has the heart that’s needed to make a difference and I can’t wait to see what else she accomplishes! – Amy Van Duyne, ILEA Board of Directors

Starting as an ILEA student member in 2012, Alascia has worked her way up through the association to the role of Director of Programs and Education Committee for ILEA’s Cleveland Chapter. This role, which involves assisting the Vice President of Programs and Education as well as coordinating and executing the majority of ILEA’s events each year, truly made Alascia’s love for the event industry apparent. Her hard work and dedication earned her the award’s nomination, which was presented by ILEA’s former president.

Alongside Alascia in the ILEA spotlight is Rock The House’s own Amy Van Duyne, who recently became  the secretary to ILEA Cleveland’s Board of Directors. A 5-year member of ILEA, some of Amy’s responsibilities include recording all major details of each board meeting, as well as ensuring that ILEA members remain diligent in keeping to their agendas and maintaining their task schedules to keep on track throughout the entire year.

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Rock The House is very proud to have such extraordinary individuals represent our company on a local and international level, allowing us to maintain our high standards as we continue to grow in the event industry.

Interested in working with our world-class team for your next event? Contact our team of event professionals to get started! Images courtesy of Mystic Image Productions and the Rock The House Photo Archive.

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Rock The House Adds 4 ISES Wow! Awards

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Dale McDonald Photography

Dale McDonald Photography

On Friday, April 17th, the who’s who of the local events industry congregated in Columbus, Ohio to celebrate the 4th Annual ISES Ohio WOW! Awards. Cameron Mitchell Premier Events hosted the assembly, and the Ivory Room of Downtown Columbus provided the illustrious setting. Representatives from more than 20 Ohio based event and entertainment groups and corporations were present.

ISES, which stands for the International Special Events Society, has a Cleveland chapter that’s been active since 2008. The 100 plus member organization hosts events throughout the year designed to help companies like Rock The House grow and expand their reach, all while giving back to the special events community.

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Dale McDonald Photography

“Our events have allowed our members to learn more about how to market their business in the 21st century, how to explore green and organic options for more sustainable events, how to accommodate different ethnic and cultural traditions into their events, what trends to watch for in the future, and so much more!” – ISESCleveland.com

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Dale McDonald Photography

Also, as with any business, ISES imparts the importance of networking and community outreach. With the multitude of representatives from like minded organizations always in attendance, these events provide a stage for just that. Representing Rock The House was Founder & CEO – Matt Radicelli, COO – Ryan Konikoff, and Executive Assistant to the CEO – Amy Van Duyne.

This year RTH proudly captured four WOW awards, including:

  • 2015 Best Corporate Event with a budget over $150,000
  • 2015 Best Social Event with a budget over $75,000
  • 2015 Best Entertainment Production with a budget between $25,000 – $75,000
  • 2015 Best ISES Event Volunteer Collaboration

2015 ISES WOW Winner

“It was a pleasure to hang out with other members from the ISES Columbus and ISES Cincinnati chapters, and we were proud to bring four awards home for ISES Cleveland!” – Amy Van Duyne of Rock The House

The ISES Event Volunteer Collaboration recognition was bestowed upon Rock The House and some of their associates for an event called ‘A Mammoth Night of Networking.’ Rock The House partnered with the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Event Source, Solus Lighting and Executive Caterers to make that night a huge success.

Rock The House also expresses a special congratulations to our sister company, Zone Entertainment, who came home with three additional WOW awards!

Over the years Rock The House has impressively collected 13 total ISES Ohio WOW! Awards. With the company rapidly growing, it doesn’t appear they’ll be slowing down anytime soon.

 

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What Is An Industry Leader?

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Challenge Accepted

When it comes to the definition of what it means to be an industry leader, it might not be what you think. Many people think that the term is designated for those who are the largest companies or have the most popular services. That’s not really what it takes to be an industry leader. Being an industry leader means you are committed to innovation, education, growing the industry as a whole and thinking about a larger picture bigger beyond just your company.

We’re proud of the impact of our team on the event industry as a whole. From local positions on the ISES Cleveland Board of Directors (including the Vice President of Membership and the Incoming President) to being asked to volunteer on International committees, we’ve created an environment where giving back is part of our culture. Rock The House team members have been asked to speak at events all over the country because of our willingness to elevate the industry to new levels of achievement. Volunteering doesn’t stop there, our Marketing Director, Nick Borelli, has been asked to take on the responsibilities of Marketing and Public Relations for The SEARCH Foundation which raises money for event professionals when they need it the most. These types of volunteer positions are often thankless and have little impact on revenue all while being some of the most rewarding experiences in the carriers of our team.

We at Rock The House believe that leadership is not a position, its a state of being and a commitment to evolving. When we say we are an industry leader, its not to boast but a point of distinction and pride in our ongoing efforts to better everyone we come in contact with. The better our industry gets the more clients lives we can positively impact, and that’s why we do what we do.

Pictures from this week’s ISES Live in Seattle:

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Amy Van Duyne Joins The Rock The House Family

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Welcome To The Team

rock the house events ises cleveland

We’re proud to announce that Amy Van Duyne has joined the Rock The House family as the Executive Assistant to Founder/Owner, Matt Radicelli.

“This isn’t an easy position to succeed in.” Says Matt. “This job is all about keeping me moving as efficiently as possible. I’m really happy Amy chose to join our team. She gets it.“ says Matt.

Her job also includes “other tasks as needed” which will include design, market research, business analysis, project management, and anything else that will help advance the growth of RTH.

Amy describes it best, “I’m like a battery in a fan, I keep things running and it’s a lot easier than spinning the blades yourself.”.

Background

Amy earned her Bachelor’s in Education at Ashland University, then bolstered her special event resume with non-profit work for almost 4 years. During that time, she produced annual adult and youth conferences, organized national and international committees, and assisted the progress of a wide array of initiatives with only a limited volunteer support staff.

With a growing fascination with special events, Amy accepted a position in a floral studio; then decided to go back to school to earn a Certificate of Tourism, Convention, and Event Management. While studying in Indianapolis she gained valuable experience as a member of ILEA’s Indiana Chapter, working at Kahn’s Catering as a server, McNamara Florist, and managing a Pilates Studio.

After she earned her Event Endorsement, she was offered a position at Neil Leeson Decor Floral, one of the region’s most well-known and respected Floral & Decor organizations.  Amy quickly worked her way up the ladder and eventually earned her position as Director of Weddings & Special Events.

“I really enjoyed working with the team at Neil Leeson. While I was there, I was able to help streamline the business, create internal and external controls, and really strengthen the brand. It was a really great team.” Says Amy.

RTH, Goals, & The Future

With aspirations of owning her own business, Amy decided to make a transition that would allow her to learn more about production and entertainment; areas she had not been exposed to.

Nick Borelli, Rock The House’s Marketing and Communications director adds, “I also chose a career here at Rock The House to learn more about live event production and entertainment. RTH has a really great culture; and for someone with Amy’s skill-set and drive, coming to work every day [at RTH] is going to feel like coming home – she fits right in.”

Most companies would think twice about hiring someone with aspirations of starting their own business but Matt sees it very differently:

“I’m an entrepreneur… and I have a lot of respect for anyone that wants to be in control of their own destiny – even if it means they want to start their own business. If we hire the right team members, compensate them fairly, and treat them with respect and dignity, there’s a good chance we’ll be partners in some sort of business endeavor someday.”

Amy is excited about the present but sees everything she does as experiences that are shaping her future:

“Working at Rock The House is a win-win. Not only does the company offer what I need to catapult my career goals, but I can also offer the team my knowledge and previous experiences that will help move the company forward as a whole. Whether I’m here for two years or 10 years, it is my goal to increase the company’s growth and make some great friends along the way.”

As a member of the ILEA Cleveland Board of Directors, Amy has already made a name for herself in the Cleveland event industry. She credits ISES with boosting her career goals by allowing her to network with the best in the industry, gain industry-specific education from peers, and connectivity beyond the region as a member of an international group of professionals.

Beyond Amy’s team goals, she has set personal goals for the next five years and beyond:

“One of my first goals is to obtain my CSEP (Certified Special Events Professional) designation. It is not only a symbol of professional achievement, but it also shows the respect and commitment I have to the industry.”

Rock The House has always been a company full of ‘Rock Stars’ who are hungry for new challenges and are committed to pushing the boundaries of what we can offer our clients. This is why we know Amy will fit in perfectly in our culture and help elevate everything she touches.

:: Congratulate Amy today on her new position, or connect with her to find out how she [and Rock The House] can help to make your next event ROCK! [email protected]

 

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2013 ISES Ohio WOW Awards

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We Won BIG!

The 2nd annual ISES Ohio WOW Awards took place on April 19, 2013 and it was a big night for Rock The House. Created last year by John Bibbo of Event Source and Rick Jobe of Jobe & Associates, this awards event celebrates the best in the event industry in Ohio. The second year of this traveling event took place in Cleveland at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Rock The House Founder/Owner, Matt Radicelli, was the Co-Executive Producer of the event which included Rock The House providing the sound entertainment, and lighting. Producing an awards event of this caliber in front of the best in our industry was both a challenge and a privilege that we were excited to take on.

Rock The House Marketing and Communications Director, Nick Borelli was also the Marketing Chair for this year’s event which brought double the attendance of the first year. The inaugural event set up a foundation for an important annual event with plans to grow each year. The 2013 ISES Ohio WOW Awards not only double the event’s attendance but also more than doubled submissions making winning more challenging then ever. Each nominee submission was graded and judged by event professionals in St. Louis and all company names were removed. Because of this, these are the most unbiased and professional awards in the state for event professional’s achievements. The process for submission is identical to those who submit for the International ISES Awards which means it is not an easy process.

Now that the dust has cleared we have so much to reflect on with this event. Working with our partners to create a beautiful event, growing attendance, and entertaining our friends made for a fun (albeit busy) night. These awards mean a lot to us because they represent both our client’s unique visions achieved as well as the hardwork of our team. We’re already looking towards 2014’s event in Cincinnati!

Rock The House won the following at the 2013 ISES Ohio WOW Awards:

Photos by Digital Photos by Dale

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ISES Cleveland Technology Showcase

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On May 9, 2012, at Lacentre Conference & Banquet Facility, Rock The House will have four of its team members speaking on the topic of technology in regards to boosting productivity for event industry professionals. As active ISES Cleveland members, Rock The House is committed to advancing the profile of the event industry in Cleveland and this topic gives us a great opportunity to share with our industry peers. 

Attendees will leave with new ideas on ways to:
  • Increase Productivity & Accountability
  • Better Communicate Event Logistics
  • Increase Revenue at Your Events
  • Get the Attention of Potential Clients with the Maximum Return on Investment.

Panelists:

  • Shannon Dolan of EventWorks, Inc – Topic: 3D Holographic Display Technology
  • Andy Halko of Insivia – Topic: Augmented Reality
  • Rick Turner of Event Source – Topic: Event Ticketing Technology
  • Zane Gloer of Aable Rents – Topic: CAD Design
  • Aaron Lucas of Quez Media – Topic: QR Codes
  • Matt Radicelli of Rock The House Entertainment – Photo Repository
  • Nick Borelli of Rock The House Entertainment – Topic: Social Media Roadmap
  • Steve Tanruther of Rock The House Entertainment – Topic: HTML-Based Office Hub
  • Jessica Smith of Rock The House Entertainment – Topic: Basecamp: Increase Productivity, Accountability & Save Time
  • Rita Singh of Miraj  International – Topic: E-Mail Direct Marketing

Sponsors:

Rentals Pittsburgh Columbus Detroit

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Award Winning Corporate Event Entertainment

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Rock The House is really excited to come back from Columbus to our office in Cleveland with our ISES Wow Award for Best Meeting or Conference over 100K. Rock The House was nominated for State Chemical‘s 100th Anniversary Conference and Events from November 2011.

Watch this video to see highlights from our ISES WOW win in Columbus, Ohio:

The State Chemical Anniversary weekend had a lot of components and involved every division of the company. In addition to the Videography division’s many important contributions, the lighting division was all over this event! Creating effects in a variety of rooms in two different divisions, this event had a large-scale production feel without overwhelming the guests. Uplights, gobo company logos, stage lighting, and pin spotting were all being controlled by our lighting designer who was orchestrating the atmosphere. The DJ / MC Entertainment and Photo Booth Divisions also played big roles in this grand affair. One highlight of the event was this Glee themed opening session video:

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ISES Cleveland – Jewish Wedding Trends Podcast

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ISES Cleveland

On Tuesday, November 8, 2011 the Cleveland chapter of ISES (International Special Events Society) hosted an informative event at Temple Emanu El entitled: “Jewish Wedding Trends“. Rock The House team members were on-hand to learn from authorities on Jewish customs and event trends in the community. Rabbi Steven Denker explained why certain rituals are observed and their origins while conducting a mock wedding ceremony at the Temple.

Renee Higer and Eileen Benson informed the group what modern Jewish brides are looking for in a ceremony and reception while keeping it fun and interesting. ISES Cleveland conducted a live tweeting session during the event from their Twitter feed. In addition, Rock The House recorded the event as a Podcast.

The hour-long event is available here to listen to:

Jewish Wedding Trends with Cleveland ISES by igotrocked

Thanks to the following ISES sponsors for making this event possible: