Nearly 700 employees and guests gathered in the Swiftel Center in Brookings, South Dakota for the Fishback Financial “2 Billion Dollar Ball”. It was a celebration of $2 billion in assets for their financial institution, but also a celebration of employee greatness. It was a wonderful evening of smiles, laughs, meeting other employees from any of the 13 offices, and dinner. Hitch was delighted to decorate for all 69 tables and the stage, direct guests to their assigned seating, release tables for the buffet dinner, coordinate details like a photo booth bus, and much more.
Nan Poppen from the Brookings 1st Bank & Trust HR department was in charge of the event, and was WONDERFUL to work with! About three months before the event, we showed Nan a centerpiece showcase full of centerpiece decoration ideas for her tables. We put together options that coordinated with the color theme — neutral tans, dark green, and accents of orange. Nan walked into Hitch Design Studio…looked at the table full of centerpiece options…and chose them all! We can handle that, Nan. 🙂
In fact, here is a list of things that Hitch was impressed with when planning an event so large:
- Nan organized charter busses from each of the Fishback office locations, so employees could arrive and return safely after an open bar. 🙂
- Not only did she organized busses, but she planned from them to arrive at the Swiftel Center 15 minutes apart so there wasn’t a huge rush/line of people.
- There were tables full of name tags when guests arrived, but Nan planned ahead so that everyone on the busses already had their name tags on! What a great idea for saving time and taking a head-count to make sure everyone was on the right bus.
- The name tags were color-coded, so each employee’s was tan and each guest’s was green. It was a discreet, but effective way to identify employees.
- These name tags also had the assigned table for each employee and guest, so there was no need for a large map or confusion of where to sit.
- She and the Swiftel Center had a map of the room and Hitch helped direct people to the area of the room in which they were sitting.
- Nan also coordinated a jazz band from the South Dakota State University (SDSU) music department and they were wonderful.
- Showing on the screens before and after the program, was trivia about employees in the office. Questions like “Which employee’s talent includes playing the drums and purring like a cat?” What a hilarious and entertaining way to learn more about fellow employees from other office locations.
- She made sure employees had a comfortable networking experience before the event by offering appetizer stations and passed appetizers, along with a ice sculpture that had shrimp cocktail nestled around it. The open bar didn’t hurt either.
- We hired PicNook photo booth to bring his photo bus right into the Swiftel Arena. Nearly every employee + guest took a photo to make an employee appreciation photo book as a keepsake from the event.
- Every minute of the event was planned to keep employees entertained and to meet the others at the table that were sitting at. At each place setting was a program of events and one of 10 Fishback Financial trivia questions to ask the others at the table for ice breakers.
- Another item placed at every table was little bags with a sticker that said “No Peeking!”. At the end of the event, it was announced that each employee would receive a special coin that commemorated the $2 Billion Dollar Ball event. Champagne was also at each table so that guests could join in the toast.
- I swear. Nan thought of everything. She’s amazing!
The week after the event, we sent cookies to her and her HR department who helped — and little did we know that she sent us flowers as well! When both parties feel that appreciated, you know it was a great event. That same week, Van Fishback himself stopped into Hitch to thank us in person.
We were the ones who should be thanking you, Fishback Financial. THANK YOU.
