Contract Administrator and Event Management Professional

Mozella L. Brown, CMP

Certified Meeting Professional with over 15 years of progressive experience in contract administration, event operations, event management, budget development and management, booking and scheduling, site selection, and risk management. Successful in negotiating tough deals and contracts to achieve and exceed goals, excellently managing events, and developing strong relationships.

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS:

Booking and Scheduling Manager charged with site selection recommendation and routing for over 40 events a year and biennial cruise; collaboration with executive and middle management, programming, production, venue management, convention and visitors’ bureaus, hoteliers, and local contractors on goals and objectives, services required and site feasibility.

Contracts Administrator responsible for negotiating terms with over 40 facilities and convention and visitors bureaus with a $12.5 million dollar facilities budget; collaborating with staff to ascertain needs; contract review and interpretation for my department and others for facility, vendor, independent contractors, and hotel contracts; acting as liaison with legal department; performing legal review of contracts for mutuality and protecting the interests and minimizing the risk of the company; managing the contract approval process; resolving contract issues; and monitoring payment processes.

Event Manager responsible for all aspects of conference operations for 2.5 million dollar conference budget including managing, overseeing and hiring contract labor and temporary staff; collaboration with all partners and teams involved in project; conducting site visits, developing RFPs; working with local convention and visitor’s bureaus; direct on-site management and coordination; served on and reported to executive leadership; evaluation of effectiveness of the events; working with local vendors including radio, street marketing, print media, sponsors, hoteliers, caterers, decorators, exhibitors, transportation providers and interpreters; room block and attrition management; space allocation, room assignments, layout and décor; travel arrangements and hospitality; and VIP relations.

Risk Manager responsible for formulating training and policy for event-based risk management and communicating to various teams including contractors and vendors; establishing insurance requirements for contractors and vendors; and acting as liaison with legal and insurance to provide necessary records and interrogatories relating to event-based claims.

EMPLOYMENT SUMMARY:

Thomas Nelson Live Events, Contracts Administrator/Booking and Scheduling Manager, 2000 – 2008

International organization which hosts over forty women’s and girls conferences throughout the US and Canada in arenas with an average attendance of 12,500 and largest attendance of 23,000. Accomplishments included:

• Managed and maintained facility budget and achieved savings of $400,000 plus on expenses over three years

• Initiated negotiations with cities for concessions which resulted in reduced cost and additional revenue in excess of $65,000

• Developed and implemented Risk Management training for staff and contractors to decrease probability of loss and increase proper reporting of events and record keeping

• Recruited, interviewed and managed summer internship program where two interns returned as company employees

• Initiated and managed group travel contracts generating free travel that saved over $30,000 in travel costs in a 2-year period

The Urban Alternative, Dallas, Texas, Conference Planner, 1993-1999

National non-profit organization which hosted annual leadership conference with an attendance of 750 to 1000 with four days of classes, exhibits and general sessions in a hotel setting and conducted various fundraising events such as radio rallies, major donor retreats, and banquets and organizational consulting on community outreach model. Handled marketing and promotions for conference including press relations, press releases, public service announcements, and media buying. Achievements included:

• Successful development and implementation of three year continuing education program for leadership development conference

• Administrative Excellence Award

• Development of volunteer appreciation program

• Served as Emergency Representative for floor of office building

Temerlin McClain, Inc., Irving, Texas. Public Relations Intern, 1993

Assisted account executives of this nationally recognized advertising firm in the execution of public relations tasks for many of the organization's clientele such as media impact research, wrote news releases, performed extensive media relations tasks, and compiled crucial data for presentation to clients.

EDUCATION:

University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi, Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting

Richland College, Dallas, Texas, Continuing Education courses: Public Relations Overview, Promotions and Special Events, and Media Relations

PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS:

Certified Meeting Professional, 2003

Presenter, Rejuvenate Marketplace, Contracts: Before You Sign on the Dotted Line, 2008

Completion, Year 1, IAAM Academy for Venue Safety and Security, 2007

Corporate Team Member, Corporate Giving Committee, 2007-2008

Co-Presenter, MPI World Education Congress, Certified Meeting Professional Exam Preparation Class, 2006

Member, Dallas Convention & Visitor’s Bureau Facilities Committee, 2005

Presenter, Women of Faith, Inc., Women’s Leadership Conference, Tools of Successful Event Planning and Plan It Right the First Time, 2005-2006

Panelist, International Association of Assembly Managers Arena Managers Conference, What Promoters Wish Facility Managers Knew (2005) and Women in the Industry (2006)

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:

Member, International Association of Assembly Managers (IAAM)

Member, Meeting Professionals International (MPI)

Member, Religious Conference Management Association (RCMA)

Member, Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA)

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