Mary Spera Email & Phone Number

New Orleans, Louisiana

• Designs, plans and produces luxury weddings and social events with a budget range of $85,000 to $500,000.• Effectively listens to and partners with clients to determine the specific objective for their customized event experience.• Determines realistic budget, manages client budget expectations, and manages budget throughout the planning process. • Works with world-acclaimed chefs, such as, Emeril Lagasse, John Besh and Donald Link. • Cultivates vendor relationships and negotiates contracts for clients. • Demonstrates superior organizational and multi-tasking required to source sites, design event space, facilitate vendor negotiations and contracts, determine logistics plan, create Run of Show schedule and maintain stellar client relationships.• Manages on-site execution, Spera Special Events team and vendor teams• Calmly and methodically adapts overall design and planning as needed to accommodate challenges, such as weather and pandemics. • Provides consulting services for event venues, such as, ASH NYC’s Hotel Peter & Paul and legendary Preservation Hall.

New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

•Freelance project work for Vega Group 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2022, 2023, 2024Event production client highlights include:--Visa NFL Draft Dinner at Corvino in Kansas City--Taste of the NFL 2023 pre-production team --Samsung Field Sales Training Meetings across the country 2024

New Orleans, La

• General research for proposals• Drafted Proposal Decks for clients• Day-to-day client contact• Responsible for research and pre-production• Scout and oversee locations and venues• Manage relationships with key suppliers and vendors• Prepare and follow through with schedules and timelines, ensuring all details are covered• Negotiate, acquire and process all contracts and agreements• Secure necessary production permits• Interface with internal team, clients, vendors and properties to execute project needs and scope of work• Attend client site inspections and participate in critique and final walk through• Supervise and provide on-site management• Knowledge in the casting and talent selection process• Contributed to program brainstorming, ideation, creative process and activation• Developed and distributed detailed Production Timeline, Schedule and Run of Show• Created, updated, maintained and reconciled budgets• Liaison with accounting department on all project billings• Strong vendor and talent negotiation skills• Implemented flawless execution of all on-site elements• Recruited, hired and managed production crews and staff--Nokia Sugar Bowl event in Atlanta for 500 attendees--Nokia product launch in Miami--Visa Super Bowl hospitality weekend in various host cities (3 years)--Samsung Super Bowl hospitality weekend

New Orleans, La

• Responsible for all elements of production for assigned projects• Point of contact for clients• Contributed to program brainstorming, ideation, creative process and activation• Worked closely with Sales Managers and Director of Production ensuring all client initiatives and scope of work were met• Managed day-to-day needs for many on-going projects• Developed and distributed detailed Production Timeline, Schedule and Run of Show• Created, updated, maintained and reconciled budgets• Liaison with accounting department on all project billings• Strong vendor and talent negotiation skills• Implemented flawless execution of all on-site elements• Supervised all team members including creative, talent, production and technical• Recruited, hired and managed production crews and staff• Hired, trained, mentored and motivated junior production staff • Event production client highlights include: --NFL International's Super Bowl event in various host cities (6 years)--NFL Sponsorship Event and VIP/Team Owners Event simultaneously at Wembley Stadium in London for NFL exhibition games in 2009 & 2010 --Cisco Systems event for 3,500 attendees at the Superdome --Microsoft event for 4,000 attendees at Aquarium of the Americas and the Mississippi River Front--RJ Reynolds event for 12,000 attendees at New Orleans Convention Center; venue buyouts at multiple venues for smaller simultaneous RJ Reynolds events• Freelance event work for Kuoni 2009 & 2010