SAVE THE GREEN, MONEY THAT IS

If you are in the event planning industry, chances are you have been pondering the concept of Green, the environmentally - cautious movement that is sweeping through our country. You might be wondering, how much should I invest in "greening" my product? Or maybe you're thinking, should I even bother with being "eco-friendly" - odds are people will give up this ideology in a few years. Or maybe you fall into the category that "Going Green" is a must. You have hired your consultant and are on your way to being the environment's biggest fan.
The Convention Industry Council will release their very first Green Meetings and Event Standards this month. The anticipated release drummed up several discussions on LinkedIn this week. Here are a few: Will these new guidelines change the way the event planning industry operates? Will they change what our customers demand? Do I need to transform my company into a Green Machine?
We asked the question in our ongoing Paragon Events' Fall Formula Survey  "Do you feel it's important to offer green solutions to your clients, why or why not?"
The Results: While a majority of people claim to love our earth and love the concept of eco-friendliness, they care more about the green in their pockets. Companies and consumers alike agree, if the price is right they will go green; but saving the monetary green is more important.
Three things to keep in mind when plotting your green initiatives:
1) Clients will not pay more for eco-friendliness.
2) Be creative and you will find that you can actually save clients money if you choose to go the green route.
3) Last but not least, I think companies will start to see more and more benefits from going green, such as tax credits and niche markets. As the economy improves, more people will demand green services.
 I believe the green phenomenon is not a trend, but here to stay. The new guidelines will make this more evident. Start devising your green concepts now. To see how Paragon Events is plunging into this market, check out our new Eco-Vents division.

PROUD TO SERVE OUR NATIONS' CAPITAL

Paragon Events Expands Driven by increased demand for its offerings,Paragon Events expands to the Washington,DC market.   DELRAY BEACH, FL - November 3, 2011 - Paragon Events, Inc., is expanding it's services to the Washington, DC market as a result of the nationwide increase in demand for Paragon Events' premier Meeting & Conference Planning services as well as Destination Management services. Ms. Terry Bradley has been appointed Director of National Accounts Northeast Division and will serve as an executive level liaison to this market. With this addition, Paragon Events, Inc. secures a footprint in this emerging sector and plans to meet the growing demands of the Washington, DC corporate and philanthropic events planning and destination management community.  Director of National Accounts Northeast "Our remarkable and consistent growth is a result of our strong positioning and innovation in the event planning marketplace," said Renee Christiansen Radabaugh, CEO and Founder, Paragon Events. "Our presence in the Washington, DC Metro area and the expansion of our National Sales team represent huge milestones in the growth of our company, " said Radabaugh. "These developments also secure our commitment to serving this innovative, quality-demanding market with our best-in-class event planning services. We are particularly excited about our new event planning division, Eco-Vents, that should be appealing to our environmentally-minded partners in Washington, DC. Terry shares our philosophy on being truly committed to sustainable practices while serving the customer. Her addition to our sales team is a true benefit to our organization and our clientele." Living and working in Washington, DC for 25 years, Terry Bradley is a seasoned executive. For the past two and a half decades, Terry has been associated with a wide range of leaders from government, corporate and non-profit industries as well as the governing boards of leading colleges and universities. She is widely traveled within the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Canada and Mexico. Terry has a deep knowledge of successful conference planning techniques through her work as Founder and Chairman of her own non-profit agency, the Washington,DC-based organization August Rain. This role allowed Terry to focus her energy and passion on helping those who cannot help themselves by delivering clean drinking water worldwide. Terry will be responsible for leading sales growth, managing Paragon Events' regional expansion and bringing Paragon's Destination Management services to this market.  Ms. Bradley is as demanding of excellence in the planning and production of an event and destination meetings as she is insistent on delivering superior customer service and innovation to each of Paragon Events' clients. The many and varied relationships she has enjoyed while living and working in Washington, DC provide her with a wealth of knowledge and resources. Her philosophy is simple: Find a way or make one.  Paragon Events, founded in 1989, specializes in Corporate Event Planning, Destination Management and Association Management. This full scale meeting and special events firm was founded by Renee Radabaugh, President and CEO.