18 Dec 2024 : A Year of Personal and Professional Growth
A LOOK AT WHAT MADE 2024 GREAT
I never thought I’d use the phrase “adulting.” After being an event producer for 20+ years, running hundreds of successful events, winning awards for many of them, and always making sure I get my car’s oil changed, I thought I was an “adult.” Turns out, there is another level that I’m just experiencing!
This year, I turned 50. Before you say age is just a number, there is something about this age that feels like a milestone. Add to this the fact that I also bought a condo and moved Zynger Events into a new office space with the team that has been with me now for a significant amount of time.
From the outside, I don’t look that different. Well, there are a few more laugh lines, but I wouldn’t trade them, or the laughs, for anything! But inside I’m more at peace with my purpose than ever. I am confident that what we do at Zynger Events continues to make the world a better place. We try to take projects that reflect our mission to do good. These could be anything from a charity event to a gathering with a higher purpose.
Looking back at those events that I produced during my 50th year here on earth, I am proud that we made a difference on a personal and professional level. Here is a look at a few of those events.
HELPING THOUSANDS VOTE
The year began with two events that, at first glance, took us out of our wheelhouse. But going outside our comfort zone and challenging ourselves proved vital to our growth as a company.
The first of these two events started small enough, with a simple inquiry: INDRA, the company supporting El Salvador’s presidential election, needed venues for remote voting in Los Angeles. That initial request expanded into an unprecedented challenge for Zynger Events: coordinating 48 remote voting locations across the U.S. and Canada with a team of 350 staff for a historic election.
For the first time, Salvadorans abroad could vote in their country’s presidential election. We were contacted in November, and the scope grew rapidly. What began as a single day in Los Angeles became a four-day operation in multiple cities.
Each location followed a precise schedule: equipment delivery, setup and testing, a 12-hour voting day (extended to midnight in some places to accommodate long lines), and a complex load-out process that included shipping 500 pre-loaded computers back to Atlanta. Most logistics were managed in Spanish, adding complexity to an already monumental task.
Space needs, initially underestimated, required last-minute arrangements, while unexpected challenges arose, such as coordinating bilingual staff, mitigating voter confusion over election duration, and even calling local security to manage long lines obstructing businesses. In the end, we ably took on far more than what we were contracted for.
Despite these hurdles, the technology worked seamlessly. A pre-election test ensured the custom PopUp WiFi setup could handle secure voting uploads to the cloud. And while our core team continued managing other events, a separate team camped out at a temporary headquarters in Los Angeles to oversee election operations.
While we closed the books on this extraordinary project 11 months ago, the experience lingers. Being part of the democratic process was exhilarating. The lessons we learned from producing 48 events in 48 cities in one day will stay with us forever.
Read more about the event here…
ON PACIFIC STANDARD TIME
From there, we took part in an event that happens every five years: Pacific Standard Time. This was the third time that Zynger Events had worked with the Getty on the latest iteration of this exciting collaboration, PST ART: Art & Science Collide. This required us to assist in coordinating a volunteer program that takes place at some of the institutions that were given grants to curate art exhibits.
Our job, starting in advance of the program launch, was to help promote PST ART: Art & Science Collide —going out to various events and public locations throughout Southern California to get the public excited about the upcoming program. While PST ART: Art & Science Collide was underway, we worked with many of the 60 partner locations on a program that provided up to 300 volunteers to work at these institutions and take on other various volunteer opportunities during its run.
We created a volunteer handbook, a website, and managed the coordination of materials to and from these locations. It’s such a great program to be involved with, and we look forward to it when it comes around again in five years.
THE ASPEN CHALLENGE CONTINUES
Since 2013, Zynger Events has proudly partnered with the Aspen Institute to support the Aspen Challenge, a program inspiring Gen Z and Millennial leaders. Funded by the Bezos Family Foundation, the Challenge takes place annually in a new urban school district, inviting 20 high schools to participate. Each school assembles a team of eight students and two educators to tackle critical community issues through a structured process: Build Empathy, Get Inspired, Design a Solution, Outreach and Community Engagement, Present and Compete, and Reflect and Grow.
The program’s two key events highlight the journey. The Challenge Forum introduces participants to social challenges through dynamic speakers. Eight weeks later, the Solution Showcase allows teams to present their ideas, competing for scholarships and a chance to attend the Aspen Ideas Festival in Aspen, Colorado.
In 2024, Brooklyn and San Diego both hosted the Aspen Challenge. Managing logistics for 20 schools, four events—all back-to-back—with inner-city load-in challenges, and branding three unique venues, pushed Zynger Events to new heights. Supporting tomorrow’s leaders remains an honor we embrace wholeheartedly.
A NIGHT AT THE FIGHTS
We’ve had so much fun with NAIOP SoCal for the past few years, producing its annual premier networking event for Southern California Commercial Real Estate Developers, an event that attracts close to 1,100 industry professionals. This year, the theme was built around our favorite hero—James Bond. We coordinated a classic cocktail reception with champagne towers, a fight scene, robot martini makers, and glamorous décor.
This year’s Night at the Fights featured five live boxing bouts—one for show between professionals, and four other fights with none other than NAIOP SoCal members who trained for the event. The matches took place around a three-course sit-down dinner. Activities such as a casino, live entertainment, and a cigar lounge rounded out the evening.
THE RED DRESS EVENT
What was once a small event of 350 people in 2015 has now grown to a dance party attended by 3,500 people and held at the Palm Springs Air Museum. Funds raised benefit the LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert. One of our favorites—we are already thinking about our costumes for 2025!
THE STEVE IRWIN GALA
Steve and Terri Irwin started Wildlife Warriors in 2002 to include and involve other caring individuals in protecting injured, threatened, or endangered wildlife. To support this cause, the Steve Irwin Gala was created. The event takes place in Brisbane, Australia, and, most recently, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Zynger Events has been leading event logistics for the U.S. gala (held in Los Angeles from 2016 to 2022) and most recently for its launch in Las Vegas. We enjoy working with the Wildlife Warriors team to oversee food and beverage, décor, room layouts, florals, audio-visual elements (in collaboration with Fourth Dimension Events), and more at the Bellagio Hotel.
The annual event, hosted by Terri Irwin and her children, Robert and Bindi, celebrates “Family, Conservation, and Fun” with a three-course dinner, entertainers, guest speakers, and a live auction that honors and continues the legacy of Steve Irwin.
These events, along with the many others we produced this year, tell a story of creativity, resilience, and the incredible power of connection. Each project demonstrated the meaningful impact we can create when passion aligns with purpose.
As we look ahead to 2025, I’m excited to continue this journey—producing events that inspire, connect, and make a difference on every level. Here’s to another year of purpose-driven creativity and impact!
Love,
The Team at Zynger Events
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