Never Run – an event planning lesson from Ellen Proxmire

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May 22, 2009 Never Run – an event planning lesson from Ellen Proxmire

Making things happen, and making them happen quickly and perfectly is part of the universal job description for event producers. I was very fortunate to be thrown into high-level corporate event planning very early in my career and I learned from pros like Ellen Proxmire – she planned Kennedy’s inaugural ball among thousands of other events during her legendary career – and virtually started the corporate event planning industry in Washington DC in the early 1960’s. Ellen taught me many valuable lessons, one of which has become a core philosophy at Wilsonwest, and that is to Never Run. Stay calm, focus on the solution, and carry on. Most of the time, no one else will even know that something is amiss, especially when you are careful not to draw any attention to the matter.

Ellen operated as an event producer with a sense of grace and style and seemed to make things happen effortlessly and with kindness. Thank you Ellen for the many years of creative event planning experience. Your wisdom showed me the way.

Pass the torch and remember to only run when instructed by the Secret Service to do so.