Venue: Hilton Minneapolis
Attendees: More Than 300 association executives
Rental company: Design Group
Decor: Design Group
Audio-visual and lighting: Heroic Productions
Floral: Design Group
Photographer: John Markovich Photography
Event Planner: Kathy Gatliff, Midwest Society of Association Executives

The Midwest Society of Association Executives (MSAE) met in May to celebrate the association’s golden anniversary at a golden-themed gala.

Kathy Gatliff, education and meetings planner for the organization, says the 50th-anniversary committee had members thinking about the event for a year before the gala. “We gave them little gold tins with our logo sticker   on top so they could keep it on their desk,” Gatliff says. The tins served as reminders of the upcoming celebration.

At the reception, white-gloved servers passed delicate hors d’oeuvres: bouchee of smoked salmon mousse, spinach empanadas, and a mini Reuben en croute with Thousand Island dressing. Guests could mingle and check out a table showcasing 50 years of Midwest Society of Association Executives memorabilia. Another table was set up to pay tribute to awards of excellence–winning projects, which were announced during   the program.

John Markovich Photography photographed guests in front of a special MSAE background design. The same design was used in sponsor banners and pre-event postcard reminders.

The Amazing Hondo, a St. Paul–based magician, performed—playing off the event theme of linking the past to the present—as guests were escorted to their tables. To kick off the gala dinner, a medley of popular tunes from the 1950s, prepared by Jon Young of Heroic Productions, a Minneapolis-based audio-visual and lighting company, played, and PowerPoint slides projected onto two large screens at the front of the room showed photos, logos, and taglines from member associations.

Together, Gatliff and Heroic Productions changed the ballroom into an extraordinary place for an event. “They wanted something dramatic,” Young says. “They had multiple guests, speakers, and entertainment. The sound and lighting and video had to accommodate all of those aspects,” he says. Gatliff needed image magnification for speakers at two podiums, and a dramatic setting for the band and dancing.

After guests were seated, John Kemp, then chair of the MSAE board, and Kathy Johnson, president of MSAE, took the stage and welcomed guests. Throughout the evening, Kemp and Johnson’s dialogue would include references to each decade of MSAE’s history, beginning in the 1950s, along with music from that decade.

Walter Bond, a former University of Minnesota and NBA basketball player, spoke about “making the most of your off-season,” while guests dined on baby frisee salad with mango vinaigrette, petite filet mignon and jumbo sea scallops over angel hair pasta served with a Parmesan cream sauce, and fresh steamed asparagus in red pepper rings.

Design Group’s decor included gold-striped table linens, gold napkins and chair covers, and cylindrical glass vases and calla lilies as centerpieces.

A rustic pear tart with warm caramel sauce was served for dessert as Kemp introduced a special video presentation commemorating 50 years of MSAE. Awards were announced in several categories, including public service, association management, special events, government relations and policy, magazines and journals, and public relations campaigns.

Kemp suggested a champagne toast to success and opportunities for the future. Then it was time to dance to Minneapolis-based Temporary Heroes Orchestra, a rhythm and blues band.

One interesting take-away members received at the event was a booklet with a compilation of “golden” words of wisdom from MSAE members, educational sessions, and inspirational books. Guests were able to take home a little piece of the event to remember a fantastic celebration.