People 7-1-2001

Meetings & Conventions: People July 2001

Edited by Jennifer Philburn

Jody Barrett is vice president, event management, for Three Wide, a sports marketing, sponsorship and events management company in Kansas City, Mo.

Which of your work responsibilities would you most like to delegate to others? Negotiating. That is, without a doubt, the hardest part for me to handle. I expect people to make a fair profit and give me the best deal they can. When I have to fight for that, I feel like they are trying to use me. Fairness is a very big issue with me, and I struggle to keep from taking it personally.

What is the best professional compliment you have ever received? A client told my partner, “I don’t even go to our events anymore because I don’t need to Jody does it all.” Earning my client’s trust and confidence is what it’s all about.

If you could plan any event, what would it be? I think it would have to be the Special Olympics National Competition. I worked at a state meet more than 20 years ago, and I will never forget the emotion, sportsmanship, dedication and true accomplishments I witnessed there. These are incredible kids who have found the true meaning of sports and friendship. The meet I attended was at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and all the soldiers were in full-dress uniform. Each arriving bus was saluted by an honor guard complete with white gloves and flags. Each child had a uniformed escort on and off the field for every presentation. If I still remember it, it had to mean the world to those athletes.

How do you unwind? I love floating on a mat in a pool, but when that’s not possible, I let my three wirehaired terriers Lacy, Lucy and Lola climb on the couch with me, I grab a Diet Coke and we watch The Practice.

• J.P.

PLANNERS

Rasco named senior vice president at JRDaggett
Jeff Rasco, CMP, has joined Chicago-based JRDaggett & Associates as senior vice president. Rasco moves to the meetings management firm from the Austin, Texas, office of AppliedTheory, a meetings technology provider. Previously, Rasco spent 15 years as director of conference services for the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

Foster joins Creative Marketing Alliance
Lawrenceville, N.J.-based Creative Marketing Alliance has hired Gillian Foster to fill two roles: assistant association executive and meeting planner for CMA’s Association Services Group. Among her responsibilities are managing all aspects of meeting planning and membership. Foster was formerly a linguistics instructor in Nakayama, Japan.