Spotlight | Gala Stars: Behind the Scene with Event Directors, Planners & Chairs

By Jacqueline Miller | July 2023

We’ve all planned a few parties in our day. But how about a party for 300 or more?  Now that’s a lot of work! From fun themes to passionate speakers to enticing auction items, great food, and more, we go behind the scene with some of our most talented event directors, planners, and chairs.

You can’t think of event planning in Sarasota without Mary Kenealy Events coming to mind. With over 25 years of national experience, Mary Kenealy is widely recognized as the preeminent wedding and event planning and management firm and DMC in the market. 

You have been planning some of the biggest events in our town for years. Which has been the most memorable? There have been so many events that have been memorable in different ways.  They all have something very special and meaningful that touches each audience. The Dick Vitale Gala is such a unique fundraiser tied to a larger-than-life personality like Dick Vitale and the national reach of our sponsors, celebrities, donors, and guests. This weekend event has a tremendous impact on the local economy with hotels, restaurants, private airports, transportation, and other services. But most importantly, the funds raised each year for pediatric cancer research are record-breaking with over $68.1 million raised over the past 18 years.

Have there been any events where something unusual happened that you had to deal with unexpectedly? In the event business and in Florida, you expect the unexpected to happen when it comes to hurricanes, red tide, major storms, illness, and other unavoidable conditions.  COVID was truly the unexpected for the entire industry.  The projections and daily reports were changing constantly making it very difficult to assess and advise your clients.  We were doing our best to find solutions, alternatives and walk our clients through everything.  Like most, we entered the world of the Virtual Event and had to get very creative, very fast to make these events as interactive, engaging and enjoyable as possible.  It was unprecedented in our time.

You planned the Sarasota Arts Performing Arts Hall Gala this year. Tell us about it. The Sarasota Performing Arts Center/Van Wezel Foundation Inspiration Gala is always a very beautiful, glamourous, and greatly anticipated event. There is an excitement in the crowd as they arrive and are greeted with champagne and pose on the red carpet for photos. It is such a lovely location on the bayfront where guests wearing their finest mix and mingle during the sunset. As guests walk into the dinner tent, the decor is always a showstopper. After dinner and the program for this past Gala, guests enjoyed Kenny Loggins in concert—his last tour. An After Party came next in the Grand Foyer and Terrace with music and dancing.  Among the guests, a Tom Cruise impersonator took photos with guests and danced.  It’s a full night and a memorable one that guests return to each year.  

Your company has been the exclusive planner of the Dick Vitale Gala since its inception.What is is like working with Dickie V on this spectacular event? Dickie V is the most energetic, dedicated and inspiring person you will ever meet.  He expects much but he gives so much 24/7/365.  He is amazing and sets high goals that all of us always meet and exceed.  To have consistently raised the bar repeatedly and have guests say each year “this was the best,” is so gratifying and spurs us on to higher goals.

Which events are you involved in next season? This season, we are already well under way with the 19^th Annual Dick Vitale Gala on Friday, May 3, 2024.   We are also thrilled to be working again on events with Sarasota Opera and the Van Wezel Foundation as well as Neuro Challenge Foundation for Parkinson’s. There are so many worthy non-profit organizations in Sarasota and they are filled with such generous, kind-hearted people.  Additionally, we plan and manage corporate events and weddings which are both going strong in our industry.  For these clients, we have both local and out of state and international bookings.  

This lady has been known in town for years for her impeccable taste, attention to detail, and keen vision.  So it is no wonder that former SAKS 5th Avenue General Manager Sally Schule was appointed six years ago as Director of Community and Donor Engagement at Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation. She plans four signature events and two stewardship events for the Foundation every year, which not only deliver a great experience, but most importantly, deliver record-breaking funds in support of Sarasota Memorial Hospital.

What changes have you seen in your events since joining SMHF relative to attendance and fundraising? We have four very different signature events each serving a different target audience. Attendance for all has grown year-over-year and each sells out quickly. We have incredible support from our donors and our ability to raise funds at the events continues to increase.

By now, we are known to be mission-focused on each event. Our guests know that by providing our health system with critical resources, they are making an impact on the health and well-being of the entire community—today and for the future.

Which is the most fun event you do each year? That’s hard to say! Isn’t every event “fun” in its own way? I love the Gala because it is such an elegant evening. I love Rock the Roof because it is a very out of the box event. I love Women & Medicine because it is so educational. I love our golf tournament because it is the end of the season and I get to spend time with all the SMH vendors and staff that come out to play!

Which one is the hardest and why? I would say Rock the Roof is the most challenging event we host.

Executing a party for 1,000 guests on a rooftop is quite an undertaking! I tracked walking close to 20 miles that weekend between set up, event, and take down. The logistics involved in getting all the food, beverages, furniture, and equipment to the top of a parking garage is challenging not only for us, but every vendor involved. There is only 7-foot clearance on the garage ramps. We are so grateful for some of our best vendors and the SMH team for helping to make it happen.

Do you have any new plans for any of the Foundations’ events for the upcoming season? We are looking at South County. The new SMH-Venice Hospital is up and running and already expanding so the time is right to bring our brand of events to Nokomis, Venice, North Port, Englewood, and Boca Grande.  Folks in our county are so very grateful to now have two excellent hospitals to serve us. And if anyone hasn’t seen SMH-Venice, it’s worth the trip. The hospital is truly stunning.  

In addition to its fabulous theater productions, Asolo Rep has so many different events during the year. From donor thank you events to season announcements to opening night dinners, educational events, and signature events. We asked Tori Layton, Special Events Manager at Asolo Rep, for a peek behind the curtain of planning these events. 

What is the process of planning these behind the scene? The first step is right now! I’m currently looking at the calendar and scheduling events around our show schedule, securing venue contracts, and sponsorships. Once we get closer to our event dates, I start to look at the design images for each show itself. What era is it set in, what textures stand out, what details are most eye catching. Working closely with great sponsors like Flowers by Fudgie makes it easy. They have such an eye for color and always make the most luxurious and beautiful arrangements to complete the table settings. 

The Starry Night Dinner Series is a hit year after year. Please tell our readers about these very special dinners. What makes our Starry Night dinners so amazing is the intimacy. We host these dinners in beautiful homes thanks to the hospitality of our donors. Each dinner is accompanied by a private performance from the show that the event is inspired by. Guests can get the chance to speak one on one with the directors, actors, and leaders of the theatre.

Who selects the theme for the Gala each year? Can you share any news of the 2024 Gala? The Gala theme is decided in collaboration with our Gala co-chairs. The goal is to choose a theme that reflects our current season. With the variety of shows in our upcoming season, we have a big decision to make. Whichever theme we choose its sure to come with the glitz and glamor the Asolo Reps Gala has always been known for.

With a new Producing Artistic Director and with the search for a new Executive Director underway, will there be any changes or additional events this coming season? There will be some new faces around for sure. As for now we are on track with Opening Nights, Starry Nights, the Annual Gala, and all events in between. There are sure to be a few surprises along the way, but they are still in the works now.

How does one get involved with Asolo Rep? There are so many ways to be involved with Asolo Rep! We are always looking for corporate sponsorships, event sponsors, and donations at all levels. Please reach out to us at development@asolo.org to learn more.

While planning and directing events is a job in itself, to chair and co-chair an event comes with its own unique set of responsibilities. Ashley Kozel gives us some insight on chairing one of Selby’s more well known and sought after events, the Orchid Ball.

Tell us a little bit about your lengthy experience co-chairing the Selby Orchid Ball. I have been delighted to co-chair the Selby Gardens Orchid Ball for the past seven years. The event happens seamlessly. The creative decisions belong to Selby President & CEO Jennifer Rominiecki and the design team at Selby, who are amazing! The core gala team consists of the Selby team, Nicole Kaney of NK Productions, Flowers by Fudgie, and Micheal’s On East, who have all been working together for years on Orchid Ball. Because of this, and perhaps more than other events, the Orchid Ball co-chairs take a less active role in shaping and executing the event. We do offer some creative input, but primarily we help promote the event to attendees and secure sponsors. The Orchid Ball is so beautiful, people want to attend and it often sells out ahead of time without our efforts.  

Now I know I said the Orchid Ball happens seamlessly, but we haven’t been without our bit of drama! Luckily some of ours came during the day the event took place—not during it. This year, one of the other co-chairs was bitten by a snake while we were doing morning set-up. A few years back, the sprinklers were not turned off and the water doused some of the tables and chairs inside the tent. I am very much looking forward to the 2024 Orchid Ball. Get your seats early!  And while I co-chair the Orchid Ball, I have other favorite events in town that I attend.  We are so lucky to have so many great ones to choose from and so many worthy causes to support.

Elizabeth Moore, another prominent chair and sponsor in the Sarasota area, shares some behind the scenes stories of her many events.

You have chaired so many events throughout the past several years. Which ones are nearest and dearest to your heart and why? I only chair events that are nearest and dearest to my heart! Mainly institutions that have to do with our environment—Conservation Foundation’s Palm Ball, Brunch on the Bay, the Climate Adaptation Center Climate Champion Awards, and this year I actually co-chaired two events that are more arts and cultural related: The Hermitage Artful Lobster, and Sarasota Art Museum Art Bash. When I sat down with Virginia Shearer and Laura Woods of Sarasota Art Museum, I initially hesitated as I tend to focus on events that have a direct impact on the environment. However, we talked about the importance of art and how it can project meaning on the world. The museum has many installations and exhibits that are about nature and community, and I realized the impact of that art had everything to do with climate change and our natural world which struck my heart. Nature informs art and art projects issues onto the world. I realized I could be a part of that.

Your name is on the biggest tennis tournament in this town—the Elizabeth Moore Sarasota Open. How has this event grown throughout the years? I started being the title sponsor years ago, under different management and a different location than what we have now. When we moved the event to Laurel Oaks, it was a very successful event, but the latest tournament, hosted at Payne Park, I feel was the best yet. I’m very proud of last year. The tournament came under new ownership, Remington and Steve G. They not only took it to a new level, but allowed me to be very much involved—to find sponsors, to navigate the VIP hospitality aspect, to get wonderful volunteers and unique prizes. We had trophies that were created by local artist Jorge Blanco, which added the extra touch of Sarasota. The whole tournament was elevated to a huge, successful sporting event!

What are some general thoughts or advice you might have on being a co-chair? One of the things I worry about is giving a really thoughtful, relevant speech. It always pays off when people come up to me after and tell me I speak from my heart, or that my words touched them. That’s the best kind of feeling ever—to feel like you’ve made an impact. 

I also advise not to worry about going to an event alone! It’s so easy to slip into the concern of not having a date, but I find it’s much more important not to miss the event. You always end up having a blast either way. When I am a chair and I like to host a table. One thing I do that’s a bit unique is to have very differing groups of folks at my table. A gala is for fundraising—and of course I always contribute!—but often I bring people who can’t afford the cost of a seat, such as artists, students, musicians, or regular nonprofit people. I want their community represented, and to introduce them to the cause. 

I think one of the hardest parts of being a chair is being so busy leading up to the event. I recall this past year leading up to the Elizabeth Moore Sarasota Open, I was so entranced with coordinating the players, the sponsors, the hospitalities, etc., that the day of the event I looked in the mirror and realized I hadn’t been taking care of myself! I was so lucky to have friends, and local beauty services and boutiques to help me pull it together.

What events can we expect to see your name attached to in the upcoming season? As I mentioned earlier, I give careful give thought to the events that I decide to chair, and whether it gives meaning to me or to the community. One event coming up is the Science and Environment Council Green Living Expo and Environmental Summit, which takes place December 2,3, 5, and 6 at the Van Wezel. We already had the kick off party last Friday!

The other albeit more controversial event is the New College Clam Bake. New College has been a hot topic lately, so this was a big decision. To really understand the whole situation, I did a little soul searching, and looked to many people for advice; some friends on the board, as well as some of the professors, the foundation, and my co-chair Don Patterson. There’s so much to save about New College—the people, the students, the honors college. The Clam Bake raises funds to support the graduate programs in economics, education, marine science, and I think that’s more than worth working towards. The event will be on Thursday, November 2, and I hope to see many faces there.