Empire Provides Keynote Speakers, Decor and Entertainment for a Major Financial services Conference

For the 5th consecutive year, Empire produced the annual client conference for one of the world's largest financial company's retirement group. For this 4 day / 3 evening long event, Empire booked and produced all entertainment and provided keynote and topical speakers including: actor, business owner & entrepreneur Robert Redford, PBS financial advisor Cassie Seifert, anchor and managing editor of CNN's Moneyline Lou Dobbs and America's best-known financial expert Jane Bryant-Quinn.The opening evening featured world-renowned flamenco artists Fuego Flamenco, who thrilled the audience with their amazing Spanish Gypsy form of music, song and dance.Empire again designed, built and installed the conference's Resource Center in which twenty client participants / partners were provided custom-designed spaces to showcase their latest materials to the conferences 350 attendees. This space also served as a place where attendees could relax, network and check email between general sessions.

Empire completely transformed a 100' X 50' ballroom space into a hacienda themed / Spanish colonial design, that featured custom-built stations around the rooms perimeter, complimented with colorful and bright Mexican furnishings and floor rugs. These elements were used to house computer monitors, laptops, print materials as well as wireless internet connections for participants. The set was so impressive that the hotel purchased the entire build from the client to use for their future hotel clients.Empire also booked, contracted, coordinated and provided onsite management for various Southwestern themed entertainment elements for the attendees to enjoy while relaxing in the resource center. At a cocktail reception on the opening day of the conference, a Spanish classical guitarist set the ambience as three festively costumed senorita greeters passed out brightly colored paper flowers and cascarones, which are hollowed out egg shells with confetti inside, to incoming guests.

The next day, a pinata artisan skillfully demonstrated how to craft and complete a piñata, customized as the Merrill Lynch bull. Then, a woman demonstrated the art of Papel Picado, which means "punched paper" in Spanish, a traditional folk art used in Mexico to decorate altars, tables, ceilings and plaza during festivals. This artform was also used to decorate the resource center. Lastly, Empire booked a skillful, sly card trick handler to demonstrate slight of hand tricks to the attendees.In the evenings, Empire once again booked, contracted and coordinated all logistics for after dinner entertainment for the attendees returning from their offsite dinner festivities. The second night at the conference, Empire booked a traditionally costumed mariachi trio to perform and sing in the hotel bar.

On the eve of the last day of the conference, Empire booked the Nick Hernandez Band, a rockin' country western cover band, playing well-known favorites to perform from the clients return from the rodeo. The attendees danced the night away until the early hours of the morning in the hotel bar, Charlie's Longbar.As a tradition, Merrill Lynch's CFO likes to open each morning session with a satire of the last evening festivities. Every year, Empire provides the costumes and different components for him to do so. One morning, while dressed as a Mexican peasant, Empire hired a well-trained show donkey named Aesop, to accompany him onto stage. The next day, he dressed in a full-blown mariachi costume, pretending to skillfully play the classical guitar, while classical Spanish music played in the background. On the last day, Empire booked an authentic country western singer to sing customized karaoke to the CFO's own rendition of "Deep in the Heart of Texas."

Empire enjoys providing these various costume elements as they provide an enjoyable experience for the attendees during their business conference.