Rock The House Adds 4 ISES Wow! Awards

April 30, 2015/in All Posts, Corporate Production, Disc Jockeys, Industry Professionals /by mhadder4561

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.

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

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

“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.

Matt Radicelli Graduates Goldman Sachs 10K Small Businesses

December 19, 2013/in All Posts /by mhadder4561

Education Never Stops

Congratulations to the Founder/Owner of Rock The House, Matt Radicelli, who graduated, along with 36 other small business owners, from the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program this past Saturday, December 14, 2013. This program was created by Goldman Sachs as a $500 million program to unlock the growth and job-creation potential of 10,000 small businesses across the United States through greater access to business education, financial capital and business support services. Through a partnership with the City of Cleveland’s Office of Economic Development, Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C), and the Goldman Sachs Foundation’s $15 million endowment, this program will directly impact the region’s economy in a variety of lasting ways.

During the past 12 weeks, Matt, along with a very diverse group of regional entrepreneurs, took classes across a gamut of management topics including HR, accounting, leadership, marketing, and negotiation with workshops curated by Goldman Sach’s team members. Matt was one of two graduates (along with Alec McClennan, president of Good Nature Organic Lawn Care) who were chosen by their peers to share their stories at Saturday’s graduation ceremony at Tri-C’s Advanced Technology Training Center. “My entire family both at home and at Rock The House were extremely supportive during the three month program”, says Matt. “I couldn’t have done it without their support and understanding. They are truly appreciated!”

Matt on the impact of the program on Rock The House:

“During one of the financial clinics, a quote was used on the video screen that said, ‘Anyone Who Can Be your Competitor, Can Be Your Partner’. That Ah-ha moment led to me offering to buy one of our competitors that very same day and we closed the deal to purchase Zone Entertainment 48 hours before I graduated from the program.”

“One of the most important roles of a leader is to spend a considerable amount of time on marketing and sales innovation. The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program put me in a position where a regimented schedule gave me the opportunity to spend considerable amounts of time on the business.”

“All entrepreneurs have an inner need to create something from nothing or to continuously create and improve those around them. This program has helped to reinvigorate me and to remind me of the things that I really enjoy doing and that I need to delegate everything else.”

“The program allowed me to develop new contacts with other Cleveland-based entrepreneurs that also led to the creation of friendships with more than 40 people including my classmates and the program faculty and staff.” matt radicelli rock the house dis

For more information on the program, watch Goldman Sach’s video:

Who is Rock The House?

December 10, 2013/in All Posts /by mhadder4561

Answer: Creative Event Professionals

Rock The House was founded by Matt Radicelli in 1999 as a small, home-based business. Over the years, the company has developed into a full entertainment production service catering to more than 1,000 events each year. The secret to our success has been our unparalleled creativity and commitment to world class customer service. We have been recognized with nine CBC Magazine Connector’s Choice Awards, five SBN World-Class Customer Service Awards, and six International Special Events Society (ISES) Ohio WOW Awards. These awards are important bench marks because it shows consistent recognition of our industry leading products, services, and customer service.

In 2006, the company expanded beyond its walls and moved to a new home in Oakwood Village, Ohio. The custom-designed building houses offices, comfortable meeting areas, a demo room, an equipment warehouse, and a unique culture that stimulates creativity, close relationships, and a welcoming environment for both clients and staff. The 2011 acquisition of the wedding entertainment company, Selective Sound Entertainment, further diversified our talent pool with professionals with over twenty years of event entertainment experience.

There is always something to celebrate and our staff’s goal is to make your celebration memorable. Each member of the Rock The House team contributes his/her unique talents and personality to make up a diverse, energetic, and dynamic group. You can count on us to provide exceptional service and entertainment at every event. Find out more about what makes Rock The House special – www.RTHGroup.com

Team Member of the Month: Steve Tanruther

November 15, 2013/in All Posts /by mhadder4561

VP, CFO & MVP

rock the house

Steve is the true renaissance man within the Rock The House team! Having daily job responsibilities that range from chief advisor to founder/owner Matt Radicelli, managing the full financial state of the company, as well as being the IT guru and Technology expert. Steve also chooses to expand his role away from his desk by spending time in the warehouse, on events, and side by side mentoring staff members. He is one of the few people on this earth that that has the ability to walk his dogs and read 3 or 4 newspapers before breakfast, finish a very completed Profit / Loss Statement by lunch and then spend his afternoon 40′ in the air rigging chain motors for a large event in order to give the rest of the team a break, before a quick trip the Aikido Studio for a work out, a bite to eat at a new upcoming restaurant and then to House of Blues to rock out to a great band, and despite what Steve says about his dancing skills, anyone who has joined him for a night a Mega-80’s knows that he can bust a move with the best of them. We can’t even fit all of that in a sentence without it being a high run-on but Steve makes it all seem effortless.

October is always one of the busiest months of the year at Rock The House, and this year was busier them most. Steve made sure to embrace his role as SR VP by setting an excellent example for all staff by working hard to complete his day to day tasks and also stepping in to help all other departments. By participating in sales meetings, stopping to pick up equipment on his way from and too work, and helping to project manage events on the weekend he shows everyone that a title doesn’t exclude you from doing things outside your responsibilities. Through all this month he wasn’t just “doing” but he was stopping to teach, advise, and mentor newer staff members in the process working to build a stronger more well rounded RTH team.

We hope that staff members see what it is like to truly love what you do and to always keep your skills well honed. Steve spends most of his time in the office because that is where he is needed. Its second nature to jump in a lift to hang a lighting truss, mix a few microphones from a mixing console he has never seen, and has no problem helping with event positions that may not be the most glamorous, like running feeder, or packing a truck.

They say an elephant doesn’t forget, well we would put any elephant up head to head against Steve in a contest of institutional memory. He has been around from day one, and had a long career in AV before Rock The House. He is the guy on the team who had been there and done and makes sure we learn from the mistakes of the past. RTH Founder/Owner Matt Radicelli met Steve when he was leading the electric slide at a Twinsburg High School Dance in the early 1990’s. After a short conversation, Matt realized that Steve was also a touring sound engineer. For a company like Rock The House that spends almost even time working on Production and Entertainment you must have a leadership team that has spend time within each department. We at RTH also pride ourselves as a technology based company, and Steve makes sure to always stay on the cutting edge of technology from custom building the RTH server to managing all of the soft and hardware for all staff members, laptops, mobile devices, and work stations.

One question we ask ourselves of those we are considering for the Team Member of the Month is: “How does this person go above and beyond for Rock The House?” COO/Creative & Talent Director, Ryan Konikoff attempts to answer this one when it comes to Steve:

“If you would ask Steve this, he would say there is no such thing as going above and beyond, when something needs to be done, someone does it. If he is there he’ll do it – that’s how we grow and get better….so maybe that answers the question.”

Congratulations, Steve! You are the team member of the month on the busiest month of our busiest year…so far!

Best of Cleveland 2013

October 29, 2013/in All Posts /by mhadder4561

Celebrating Cleveland

Cleveland Magazine‘s Best of Cleveland Party was one of our signature corporate events in 2013. There are a number of reasons why we consider this event one of our very special corporate events. One reason is that we consider Cleveland Magazine and their parent company, Great Lakes Publishing, one of best corporate clients due to the multitude of events we’ve worked on together as well as variety of services they’ve purchased from us. Another reason this event really stood out was the chance to be surrounded by the very best company’s in Cleveland. Everywhere you looked at this party you would see local brand success stories which gives you a lot of pride being counted in their number.

The biggest reason we were so excited about this event though was why we were chosen for this project. The team at Cleveland Magazine were looking for something different this year and those are circumstances where we really shine. This annual event has sold out at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for years and is one of the most talked about parties each time. A new venue was needed in order to grow attendance but it’s always hard to compete with the experience of the Rock Hall. The historic Public Hall of Downtown Cleveland was chosen for it’s size, flexibility and stage. It was our job to make this space feel like a real party while increasing guest experience. These types of “problems” are what get us up in the morning!

Speaking of the best, we were just one piece of the puzzle that made this event such a success. Event designer Joe Mineo of Something New Event Design once again transformed Public Hall. His talent for transforming the same spaces into totally different party venues is legendary. Like we mentioned, the deck was stacked in our favor on this one. Rentals from Event Source created lounge areas at the event that took advantage of the larger floor plan this year’s event had. Sherri Foxman’s Party 411 Events provided entertainment inside the VIP area that has not been seen in Cleveland and we expect nothing less from them! Another mainstay of great parties in Cleveland also knows their way around Public Hall and that’s Executive Caterers. With over 1,000 discerning guests in attendance, it was vey impressive how much food was available at all times. This truly was the Best of Cleveland!

This event not only celebrated the very best Cleveland businesses but also benefitted Breakthrough Schools of Greater Cleveland (the highest-rated network of public charter schools in Ohio). To help this cause, Rock The House managed the Text To Pledge efforts during the party. Guests were urged to donate through their smart phones through custom media we designed that was displayed on screens throughout the night. The trend of smaller donations from larger volumes of people is really changing how non-profits operate at events.

Another new feature of Best of Cleveland 2013 was our Social Media Displays. We moderated and pushed social media messages from Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Vine that used the #BestOfCLE hashtag to our screens to increase engagement. Hundreds of messages were seen all over which included messages about sponsors and vendors at the party.

Besides these new offering, Rock The House provided the corporate event production services were are known for. Lighting and drapery created the boundaries of the Spa West VIP Lounge where guests could take advantage of their massages, live jazz and piano music, as well as an open bar. In addition, we provided lighting and sound for the party’s main musical entertainment from Faction, RadioActive Band, and DJ Donkis. We also provided photo opportunities for guests on the floor of the event as well as the VIP Lounge. Cleveland Magazine is one of our best corporate customers for our Green Screen Photo Magic because they understand the impact of branding a favor that guests really love holding on to.

A variety of services, a client that let us be creative, and vendor partners that are all at the top of their fields…Cleveland Magazine understands what it takes to host an event put on by the best of Cleveland for the best of Cleveland.

public hall party ohio production

Sponsor:

Entertainment Sponsor:

PHOTO BOOTH SPONSOR

VIP ENTERTAINMENT SPONSOR

Best of Cleveland Contest

October 4, 2013/in All Posts /by mhadder4561

Win 2 VIP Tickets Valued at $300

You can win tickets to Cleveland Magazine’s Best of Cleveland event on Friday, October 11, 2013!

For more information on Best of Cleveland, click here.

Here’s what VIP Tickets get you:

Your ticket includes include samplings from over 60 participating 2013 Best of Cleveland Winners, live music from the 2013 Best Bands, a souvenir photo courtesy of Beachwood Plastic Surgery and two (2) complimentary specialty drink tickets along with access to the Spa West VIP Lounge. VIP guests enjoy exclusive cuisine from select participating 2013 Best of Cleveland Winners, open bar, valet parking, mini spa treatments courtesy of Spa West, a swag bag with souvenir gift, and other VIP benefits.

Here’s how you win:

1. Take a picture of the Rock The House logo in front of any place or thing you think is one of the Best of Cleveland.

2. Post it to either:

Rock The House Facebook Page
On Twitter with this hashtag – #RTHBOC
On Instagram with this hashtag – #RTHBOC
On Vine with this hashtag – #RTHBOC

The most creative entry wins! Winner chosen on Wednesday, October 9th at 5:00pm.

Low Res Image

Download the Rock The House logo below:

High Res Image

.PDF

Driftwood Catering Open House

June 14, 2013/in All Posts /by mhadder4561

Welshfield Inn Banquet Center

We had the pleasure of providing lighting and sound for the June 13, 2013 Driftwood Catering Open House at The Welshfield Inn Banquet Center in Burton, Ohio. This newly remodeled banquet center is easy to access for Main Market Road but is located on 19 acres of rural land. With a restaurant, banquet facility, and room for a tent, this is a really flexible venue for weddings, corporate events, or really any type of party.

We have developed a strong relationship with Driftwood Catering as well as the other restaurants owned by Chef Chris Hodgson. Chris is currently competing on the reality TV Show, The Next Food Network Star and was featured on The Great Food Truck Race for his food truck “Hodgepodge“, which was also at the Driftwood open house Thursday. Chris and partner Scott Kuhn (celebrated local restauranteur) have worked with us on event’s at their downtown Cleveland location Hodge’s as well as corporate events such has Hyland Software’s Holiday Party. We wish them nothing but the best of luck as they expand further in the event industry in Ohio.

DIY Party Planning Event

March 4, 2013/in All Posts /by mhadder4561

Dirty Little Secrets by Party411 Events

Party411 Events‘ Sherri Foxman presents “Dirty Little Secrets” about DIY Party Planning.

This FREE event will feature Education, Fun, and Refreshments

The event will cover:

Etiquette
Budgets
Vendors
Menu Selection
Timelines
Entertainment Options
and Much More

Rock The House’s Matt Radicelli will be on hand to give advice and answer your questions, as well.

Event Date/Time: March 14th, 2013 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Event Location: Landerhaven – 6111 Landerhaven Drive, Cleveland OH 44124
RSVP to this FREE event by March 10th to [email protected] or call 216-514-8411 ext 201

November Team Member of the Month: Ryan Durfee

November 8, 2012/in All Posts /by mhadder4561

Taking Production To The Next Level

Our Team Member of the Month for November is Ryan Durfee who has been with Rock The House for the last 9 months. Ryan was hired as a production manager and has quickly made a large impact on Rock The House. His commitment to productivity is shown in how he uses his time in the shop. If Ryan has 15 minutes between appointments he will use every minute to work on something in the shop until the meeting begins. He’s always working!

Ryan was selected by the staff and management for the Team Member of the Month because he came on board and immediately worked on implementing our new inventory system while managing and training a staff during our busy wedding season. Taking on a big project while managing a team during a peak season and coming out on the other end is a pretty impressive accomplishment and Ryan did just that.

Creative & Talent Director, Ryan Konikoff has this to say about Ryan Durfee’s efforts thus far:

“He is very organized and has taken important steps to keep the shop just as organized. He is just as creative, however, and can design and operate with the best of them onsite. Finally, and MOST importantly, Durfee never forgets that our clients are our bosses. Ryan is always willing to go the extra mile to make sure we can achive last min requests, events, and changes.”

One of Ryan Durfee’s first decisions was making sure that there was always a production staff team member at the shop to see each show back at the end of each busy night. This often means the staff member is here until 4 or 5 AM. For the first month, Ryan made sure he was that staff member in order to create the systems needed for this initiative to succeed.

Ryan Durfee’s own words are the reason why he is one of the most important asset of Rock The House’s future:

“I enjoy enjoy most that I am a part of every event. At some point, I touch every event and have a chance to keep our best foot forward by my thoughts and observations. Seeing or hearing positive reports from our clients is the best way to tell that we have been successful.”

Cleveland DJs Celebrate Their Own Bat Mitzvah

August 10, 2012/in All Posts /by mhadder4561

Northeast Ohio Event Entertainment Company Turns 13

Have 13 years gone by already? Rock The House Entertainment Group has grown from a handful of dedicated DJs in Cleveland to one of the biggest Event Entertainment & Production companies in Northeast Ohio in 13 years.

This year’s holiday party for our staff was a true coming of age event. In a year with many new full-time positions created, almost 1,000 events served, and many new part-time team members coming on board, we have a lot to be thankful for. Our holiday party really reflects the culture of the company. Awards were given and the year was reviewed but at the heart of this night…there was a family who make FUN a priority.
Our team includes experts in DJ / MC Entertainment, Lighting & Sound Production, Photo Booths, & Videography for Weddings and Bar / Bat Mitzvahs as well as Corporate & Fundraisers. If you are interested in YOUR next party being as fun as ours was for ourselves…contact us at www.RTHgroup.com