NACE New England March 2006 Meeting Recap
"The Art Of Small Talk"

The Hampshire House is not only a Boston institution but it was also the inspiration for the TV show "Cheers". However, beyond the bar lies a first class event venue that ranks among the best in Boston and a fine catering staff led by Director of Catering, Michelle Giacomozzi. This fabulous location only further enhanced the networking opportunities provided to our members and guests. Executive Chef Markus Ripperger never ceases to amaze us with his selections and this meeting was no different. Butler Passed Hors d'Oeuvres included Beef Tenderloin on crisp focaccia with a red Anaheim chili aioli Maine Lobster served with Israeli couscous and pomegranate vinaigrette in a porcelain spoon, miniature Beer Battered Fish & Chips with a malt vinegar aioli and a splash of lemon, Spiced Curried Eggplant served in a poppadum basket and a warm Curried Chicken Soup with a splash of coconut milk and red chili. A Gourmet Salad Station included Caramelized Apple and Cranberry Salad with walnuts and Roquefort cheese on a bed of arugula with an apple cider vinaigrette, Caesar Salad with parmesan cheese and herbed croutons in classic caesar dressing and Grilled Asparagus with Portobello Mushrooms over mesclun greens with a roasted red pepper vinaigrette. And if that wasn't enough, Herb Encrusted Chilean Sea Bass served with a mediterranean citrus herb sauce tantalized us with epicurean splendor. There was also an open bar, fabulously appointed linens from Table Toppers, florals from Madison Floral, a classical guitarist provided by Groove Entertainment and the gourmet coffees of Espresso Dave who actually put an edible NACE logo on the top of each cup of cappuccino!
NACE New England 1st Vice President, Lisa Austin, filling in for ailing President, Michelle Minasian welcomed everyone to the meeting. Membership Chair, Michael Amado introduced our newest members and welcomed some first time attendees. Incoming Program Chair, Lyndsay Picciano, in her first meeting as Program Chair, thanked our event sponsors and the staff at the Hampshire House.
Next up, Joanie Reisman of VIP Magazine and members of the Philadelphia Chapter of NACE introduced New England members to the magazine which has officially launched in Boston. She also introduced her staff and invited everyone to their kick-off party at the end of March. VIP magazine has been a great supporter of NACE in Philadelphia and we look forward to their presence in New England as well.
It was now time for our featured speaker, Jodi R.R. Smith of Mannersmith, an etiquette consulting firm that delivers seminars to clients ranging from children to CEO's. Tonight's topic was on "The Art of Small Talk" and Jodi, who has a Master's Degree from Cornell and has appeared on the Today show and Good Morning America, immediately took command of the audience with her dynamic and witty style of teaching. Jodi touched upon the "Top Ten list for Networking" and offered a variety of unique ways in which to capture the other person's interest while networking. She also informed us on how to be strategic, how much time to spend with each person, proper ways to dress and how to keep a positive upbeat attitude while networking. An extended question and answer period followed due to the fact that Jodi is a powerful speaker who can certainly keep people interested for long periods of time. Plus, she also gave away a few copies of her book during the program and our fabulous raffle.
We would like to thank Michelle Giacomozzi, Michelle Reid, Emily Silver and Christina Doucette of the Hampshire House for their fine attention to detail and service during our event. They and their staff never fail to impress and we greatly appreciate their dedication to NACE. We would also like to thank our meeting sponsors, Joe Toto of Groove Entertainment, Edison Chae of Madison Floral for the fine centerpieces, Joanie Reisman and VIP Magazine for their sponsorship of our speaker, Dave Holzman of Espresso Dave for the espresso and cappuccinos and Jodi R.R. Smith of Mannersmith for delivering a fantastic program. Finally, we would like to extend an extra special thanks to Linda Goodman of Table Toppers who stepped up to the plate at the last minute to provide tonight's linens. Linda filled in for Mary Lynne Leach of Chair Covers & Linens who was originally supposed to provide tonight's linens but was a little bit busy delivering her 2nd baby boy! Congratulations to her and her husband!

See You in April!
John Zucco Secretary New England Chapter of NACE