Gretchen Zito Email & Phone Number

New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

Led event management across four hotel outlets, directing all aspects of operations, staffing, food & beverage, and on-site logistics to ensure seamless execution.Coordinated all communications with Sales, Marketing, Catering, and Production to align with event goals.Produced and executed 6- 8 weekly events tailored to the client's objectives, meeting goals, and delivering exceptional attendee experiences.Managed a team of 8- 10 event staff members and coordinated with vendors to ensure seamless production for each event. Streamlined on-site execution with strict timelines, increasing productivity by reducing setup time by 25%.

Directed the lifecycle of agency events and led workstreams, primarily in technology, for clients such as Sitecore and Splunk.Collaborated with Sales, Marketing, and Production teams, aligning event strategies for up to 8,000 attendees.Led teams of 20 event professionals controlling logistics for on-site production.Created RFPs and negotiated vendor and supplier contracts, achieving 10% cost savings for budgets up to $7 million. Bridged communication between internal producers and client teams to ensure the accuracy of key objectives and scope of work.

Implemented all event standard operating procedures SOPs) and conducted data analysis to ensure alignment with event objectives at the non-profit veteran organization. Led end-to-end logistics to plan, produce, and expedite all events.Developed vendor relationships and negotiated contracts that decreased expenses by 25% for this non-profit entity. Drove timelines by strategically engaging all stakeholders, resulting in a 15% reduction in completion time. Managed comprehensive event financial reconciliation and elevated brand recognition by 40%.Created creative assets to enhance event exposure while maintaining a detailed database for streamlined operations.

Fairfax, Virginia

Aligned Member Services and InfoComm event objectives by collaborating with internal and external stakeholders. Directed strategic planning, budget management, vendor coordination, and staff supervision.Developed and executed events, resulting in a 15% increase in C-level partner engagement. Secured exclusive vendor contracts, surpassing revenue margins by reducing costs by 30%. Decreased production costs by 25%, by implementing quality control on BEOs for F&B, AV, and set-up. Built detailed event budgets while achieving event financial reconciliation.

Bachelor'S Degree, Marketing/Marketing Management, General

Education record