Meet The Team
Michelle Issing, President
What I do: Well, it depends on the day! As
a business owner, I do what most business owners do…a lot of
everything. Even though I run the business strategy and growth
plans, I also remain very much involved in my clients. I’ll always
be engaged enough to know their organization and to know that we’re
doing all we can to achieve their goals. This is why I started the
business, and this is why we’re still doing what we do.
My main focus is looking at the big picture for Designing Events to
find areas of improvement internally, and opportunities for
improvement so that our services continue to advance for our
clients. Since our industry changes so rapidly, it would be easy to
fall behind. My job is making sure this doesn’t happen to us or to
any of our client meetings.
How can we get sponsorship sales up for clients? How can we increase
their registrations? What technology is available today that wasn’t
available six months ago? How can we do things better, faster, less
expensively? These are types of questions I strive to answer day in
and day out.
I still enjoy attending client conferences and rolling up my sleeves
with my staff. And yes, I still get the thrill of running a meeting
onsite and seeing the whole puzzle come together!
What I like most about what I do: Definitely working with my clients on their strategic business plan
as it relates to their conference. Many clients don’t understand how
beneficial a conference can truly be. I love showing them how all of
the hard work related to their conference can pay off in ways they
never even thought of before!
Connect with Michelle on
LinkedIn
Freda Richards, Director of Meetings
What I do: I joined Designing Events in April of 2001.
As the director of meetings, I am responsible for the meetings staff and
for making sure they have the tools, resources and know-how to be
successful within their positions and for our clients. I direct the work
of our team and oversee the strategy, management and successful
execution of association, corporate and pharmaceutical meetings and
special events.
As a key contributor to the business process, I work toward the overall
success of the day-to-day operations of the meetings department. Working
closely with the President of Designing Events, I assist in developing
strategies to meet conference goals by gaining a complete understanding
of who our clients are, what their goals and objectives as a
company/organization are, what their conference related goals are.
I’m a member of Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and the
National Association of Professional Women.
In my spare time, I enjoy listening to audio books about leadership,
management, foreign languages and mysteries/thrillers.
What I like most about what I do: I have to say that I truly enjoy
building long lasting relationships with Designing Events clients. I
also love to learn, so I enjoy attending conferences and learning new
innovative ways in which to better accommodate our client
conference/meeting needs.
Connect with Freda on
LinkedIn.
Shawn Doyle, Vice President of Sales and Business Development
What I do: I am responsible for the overall direction, development and coordination
of Designing Events sales and business development strategy. I provide
leadership to the sales staff and manage all direct and sponsorship
sales functions. Working closely with the President of the company, I
help develop and implement specific sales strategies for each of our
clients making sure that we are meeting goals and objectives. Besides
developing and coordinating the sales cycle and methodology for
Designing Events, I analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of sales,
methods, costs and results. And above all, I work hard every day to make
sure the sales organization is focused and working towards the overall
mission, vision and goals of Designing Events.
What I like most about what I do:
Developing the strategy and the plan, and then implementing that plan. I
enjoy working with a team of focused individuals that have come together
to develop and implement a successful sales and marketing strategy.
There is nothing like rolling up your sleeves and putting ideas on a
white board. Never enough White Boards!
