September Luncheon photos:

All WEC Photos

Note: The newsletter is now being produced using the Blog format.  Each article is a separate blog post that you can comment on.  If you click on ‘View All’ and scroll down below the table of contents, you will see all the posts pertaining to October’s news one after the other. 

Contents (View All)

• October Luncheon
• Speaker: Kim Stone, American Airlines Arena
• From the President
• Grapevine: News and Notes about WEC Members
  Lenore Alpert
  Condolences to Dora Vilk-Shapiro, Donna Goldstein and Marsha Broadwell
  Busy summer for Dora Vilk-Shapiro
  Business Tidbits from Abby Firstenberg-Merker
  Jan Herard’s New England Adventures
  Special Invitation from Jan Bullard
  Lenore Alpert making waves with Ocean Management
  Linda Linder and Jeryl Madfis Team up to Fight Blindness
  Martha Lord’s daughter heads to the Big Apple
• New Members
  Meet Linda Linder
  Meet Ronnie Halpern
  Meet Jeryl Madfis
• Book Club
• PACE ‘Believing in Girls Luncheon’
• Stranahan ‘Haunted House’ Event
• Catamaran Cruise Dec 3
• GEM

Featured Speaker:

Kim Stone

Executive Vice President and General Manager The Heat Group/ AmericanAirlines Arena

Member Business Showcase: Beth Tobin, Starpack, Inc.

Networking: 11:30 a.m.-Noon. Luncheon: Noon-1:30 p.m.

Tower Club: 28th Floor, 100 SE 3^rd Avenue, Downtown Fort Lauderdale  click here for map

Members – No charge; Guests $30.00  Click Here to Pay Online

Please reserve on or before Friday, October 16th.

Menu Choice: White Mushroom and Leek Risotto or Chicken Marsala

Dessert: Key Lime Pie

• Please send your reservation to rsvp@wecftl.com with WEC in the subject line.  Include your (and your guests) menu choice.
• We require 48 hours notice for cancellations. For your convenience, guest lunches may be paid online Click Here to Pay Online .
• No switches or take backs of menu choice.  The Tower Club will try to accommodate special dietary requests.  Business attire is requested.

We had a busy month of September…we started off with Game Night at Carol Metevier’s home. We enjoyed each other’s company along with delicious food and of course the view was stunning. Somewhere along the way we did play a few games.

At our September meeting we were treated to a business showcase by Carol McKeever and watched an amazing video that she produced. Carol welcomed all of us to visit Lighthouse of Broward and tour the facility. Our speaker was our Jeryl Madfis’s husband, Michael. He talked about Smart Growth in our community and generated much discussion and questions from our members.

We had a Cannon Circle in September at Linda Linder’s home and had fun trying on her exclusive fashions. We marveled at her husband’s woodworking. Cannon Circles present a great opportunity to get to know your fellow members in a relaxed, fun atmosphere.

Events in October include a Cannon Circle October 6^th hosted by Trina London and our Stranahan House Wine & Cheese reception and haunted house tour. I’ve been told by one of our members who was a docent there for many years that it really is haunted. Guess we’ll have to go and see for ourselves!

At our luncheon we look forward to a business showcase by Beth Tobin and our speaker is Kim Stone, EVP/GM of the Miami Heat.

Many of you have had questions about navigating the website. Our webmaster Chris Guld will be back in town for the November meeting and will be updating us at that time.

In the meantime, you can access the current newsletter by clicking on “current newsletter” at the top of the page; no need to log into the old website. The old website does contain members’ contact information including address, email and phone numbers. We have several members working behind the scenes on our blog. We will still have a newsletter but to see up to the minute new information without having to wait until the monthly newsletter arrives, click on “blog” at the top of our website (wecftl.com).

Jenny Kelly

Executive Vice President/General Manager, AmericanAirlines Arena

A veteran of the dynamic South Florida sports market for more than 18 years, Kim Stone’s experience spans almost every functional area of a professional sports team and she has been an integral part of building the HEAT’s success by developing and implementing sound business strategies and management practices.

Promoted to her current position of Executive Vice President/General Manager, AmericanAirlines Arena in 2006, Stone now has the responsibility of overseeing the day-to-day operations of AmericanAirlines Arena, which was nominated for “Arena of the Year” by Pollstar in 2006. The facility has hosted world renowned events, including the 2006 NBA Finals, MTV’s Video Music Awards Show, U2, Madonna and many more. Additionally, Stone is responsible for delivering exceptional customer service and retaining the largest season ticket holder base in the NBA for two of the last three years. Since taking over the service and retention function four years ago, the department has set team records for most seats and revenue renewed and consistently ranks among the best in the NBA in retention with innovative and customer-eccentric programs that are often cited as a “best practice” among the league’s 30 teams.

Stone has risen through the ranks of the HEAT organization during her 12 years. Hired initially into the Sports Media Relations department in 1996, she worked directly with players such as HEAT All-Stars Tim Hardaway and Alonzo Mourning as well as Coach Pat Riley and his staff on a daily basis. She coordinated the media operations during the HEAT’s playoff runs from 1996-1999. She worked several NBA All-Star Weekends, including the league’s star-studded 50^th Anniversary celebration in 1997. In 1996, she handled the media relations duties for the men’s and women’s basketball competitions at the Atlanta Olympic Games.

On July 16, 1999, she was tabbed by the HEAT to lead the company’s efforts to expand its business by adding a WNBA team and named the Senior Director of Operations. She played a key role in all facets of the startup of the expansion franchise from building awareness and developing a logo to basketball issues such as hiring of the coaching staff. Later, she was charged with overseeing every area from marketing and promotions to the basketball operations.

Stone’s responsibilities changed in 2003 when she became Chief of Staff to HEAT President, Business Operations, Eric Woolworth. She helped develop and implement sound business strategies and management practices that remain among the best in the league. She helped develop the current version of the service department that is based on an innovative approach to providing superior customer service through a balance of technology and personal touch. Her department became the No. 1 team in the NBA in Ticket Exchange usage for two consecutive years, which has become a valuable new revenue stream.

Prior to joining the HEAT, Stone was the Sports Publicity Director for the University of Texas women’s athletics department from 1992-94. She came to South Florida in 1990 as an assistant in the University of Miami’s sports information office, where she worked with many sports including the 1991 National Champion football squad. Stone’s publicity efforts for the women’s basketball team helped Miami claim National Coach the Year and Sports Illustrated Player of the Year honors in 1992.

Stone’s career began at the University of North Carolina, assisting in the sports information office while completing her degree in journalism & public relations.

In December of 2003, she graduated with honors from the University of Miami with a master’s degree in international business administration. She is an adjunct professor in the St. Thomas University master’s of sports administration program and serves as a board member for the Florida Facility Manager’s Association, City Theatre and UM’s Alumni Association.

Formed in November 2002, members of WEC who choose to get together for an informal meeting are selected at random in small groups to greet, eat and meet. A Lead person is selected to set a time and place for breakfast, lunch, dinner or whatever. This is a great opportunity to get to know each other on a more personal level. If you haven’t heard from your Lead Person to participate, or if you would like to be a host, please email Marge Engstrom at margeengstrom@bellsouth.net.

I am proud and honored to be a new member of the Fort Lauderdale WEC with such positive, professional, enpowering and compassionate women. As far as new business news, I am very excited because we have just completed our WEC fellow member,Trina London’s website at www.associatedrealtyconsultants.net and have included it on our business website as well.  Leon and I are getting ready to work on another fellow WEC member, Sande Kaskel’s website.  Along with our recent projects, we are learning more about the importance of using press releases to impove search engine optimization results. Please visit our website at www.progressiveinfosvcs.com and contact us for your website needs. I have more discount certificates towards any of our web services available upon request; feel free to email me at firstena52@bellsouth.net for more information.

Jan and Bill Herard just returned from spending 2 weeks in New England.  They went to celebrate Bill’s 50^th Class Reunion from Burrillville High School. There was a weekend of festivities and lots of memories old and new.

Then it was off to Salem, MA to visit Krissta King and Peter Copelas; dear friends of Jan and Bill that went to Germany with them last year.  They sailed off Marblehead and shopped in Freeport, ME.  They visited the Witches Museum and brought home scary goblins, witches and howling flashlights for the grandchildren.

The real bonus is that while they were gone, Jan had two of her listings sell. Thank goodness for Mongo-Fax and email, business can be done globally.  Jan’s clients were thrilled that Jan was there for them even on vacation.

Jan Bullard would like to personally invite you to two of her favorite upcoming events:

ALL ABOARD! ANNUAL GALA October 23

It’s time for The Cooperative Feeding Program’s “Paradise Found” Annual Gala aboard the Sundream Yacht Catalina on October 23 at 5:30 p.m. Dinner, dancing and moonlight cruise down the Intracoastal Waterway makes for an evening of good times and memories. Dance to the music of Jimmy Stow and The Stowaways, dine on a tropical feast and enjoy an exciting live and silent auction. Special Honoree of the Year is Rocki Rockingham of Jarden Consumer Solutions. Proceeds benefit The Cooperative Feeding Program and the needy individuals and families served by its many programs. Donation is $100 per person and tickets can be purchased by calling 954-792-2328- ask for Scott or Lisa. Party the night away with us while helping those in need.

COME SEE THE STARS SHINE BRIGHTLY! October 23-November 11

The Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLIFF) will be celebrating its 24th year this October 23 – November 11, 2009.  Over 100 films representing over 30 countries will be presented during the 2009 event.

Screenings this year will be held at Cinema Paradiso, 503 SE 6 Street, downtown Fort Lauderdale, with the exception of opening night at Miniaci Center for the Performing Arts.

Tickets will be available to purchase as of October 1, Visit www.FLIFF.com or call 954-525-3456.

The Opening Night Gala for the 24th Annual Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival is the event you don’t want to miss. From 9:30 p.m. until after midnight, guests can mingle with stars, producers, directors and film buffs at the Signature Grand in Davie. Feast on an elegant buffet, dancing to the music of Joe Kules. featuring Lisanne Lyons, playing a variety of music from standards to rock to blues to jazz. Live and silent auctions complete the evening. A full cash bar will offer a wide selection of beverages. The opening film “TiMER”, a romantic comedy directed by Jacqueline Schaeffer, will be shown prior to the Gala at the Miniaci Performing Arts Center, 3100 Ray Ferraro Jr. Boulevard, Nova Southeastern University Campus in Davie. Special Guests attending the screening and Gala: TiMer star Michelle Borth and Jac Schaeffer, director. Kevin McCarthy (FLIFF Lifetime Achievement Actor), Mario Tosi (FLIFF Lifetime Achievement Cinematographer) Plus our Opening Weekend filmmakers Paul Osborne (Official Rejection), Camille Brown (Thank You For Washing), Laurie Handlers (Tantric Tourists), James Mottern (Trucker), Darko Lungulov (Here & There), Scott Sanders & Michael Jai White (Black Dynamite), Allan Richards (Lessons From South Africa), Adam Smalley, Anna Karin, & Will Bledsoe (I Do), Jake Goldberger (Don McKay), David Louis Williams (Beyond The Pole), Isaack & Eva James (Hungry Years). Gala dress is black tie or Hollywood glamorous. Gala includes a sumptuous buffet, a live band. Gala tickets are $60, FLIFF members. $75, non-members in advance; at the door $80. Tickets include the film and gala.

This month’s featured WEC Book Club selection is “The Horse Boy” by Rupert Isaacson.  A Barnes and Noble brief review begins:  “In this intense, polished account, the Austin, Tex., parents of an autistic boy trek to the Mongolian steppes to consult shamans in a last-ditch effort to alter his unraveling behavior.”  The Book Club will meet at 6:30 on Monday, October 12 at Kerrie Krutchik’s home.  Please call her if you will attend and bring a dish to share for our potluck supper.  You may contact Emily Rushin at wisemily@bellsouth.net with any questions.