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June
Meeting: The Power of Pride
AEN's
June meeting will be held a week before Atlanta's 32nd Annual
Pride Celebration and will feature Donna Narducci, the
executive director of Atlanta Pride Festival, as well as Glen-Paul
Freedman, the president of InterPride.
The
Festival will be held in Piedmont Park, June 28-30, and will include
a market area with over 200 booths for food, crafts, businesses
and community organizations. Atlanta's 2001 celebration, including
the hugely popular Pride Parade on Sunday, attracted over 250,000
people -- and there is no reason to believe this year's Festival
won't be even larger.
Donna
Narducci will join us to describe plans for Pride 2002, the theme
'Power of Pride,' and how the Atlanta Pride Festival is also a
very large business.
Glen-Paul
Freedman, InterPride president, will be joining Donna to describe
his work with InterPride, the International Association of LGBT
Pride Coordinators, and how Pride celebrations attract over 17
million attendees worldwide.
The
meeting will be held on Thursday, June 20 at the Sheraton Colony
Square Hotel. Networking begins at 5:45 p.m.
Background:
Atlanta Pride
| InterPride
Directions:
Sheraton
Colony Square Hotel
Mayor
Highlights Travel Initiative at 10th Anniversary Bash
The
10th anniversary bash for AEN started with the Atlanta Freedom
Marching Band playing the theme to Austin Powers followed by a
montage of Abba hits. The festivities were just beginning. Alongside
the walls of the ballroom, various companies from around Atlanta
set up booths to promote their businesses.
 Once
the members of the crowd settled into their seats, AEN founder,
Allen Jones spoke a few words, reminiscing about the first
AEN meeting and those rocky first years when no one knew if an
organization dedicated to professionals who happened to be LGBT
would survive, let alone thrive. His speech brought more than
a few chuckles and helped newer members appreciate how far AEN
has come in ten years.
Next
came the presentation of a check from IBM
for $25,000, making IBM a gold corporate sponsor. The generous
gift was celebrated not only by the crowd but by the many IBMers
in attendance.
 Finally,
it was time for the main speaker, Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin.
That morning's Atlanta Journal Constitution had leaked word of
the gay tourism initiative that Mayor Franklin announced at AEN.
Despite hard economic times for the city, the mayor's office was
able to use its coordinating and persuasive talents, along with
the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, obtained seed money
build a Web site dedicated to attracting LGBT tourism dollars
to Atlanta. The site, http://www.gay-atlanta.com,
contains hotel packages, details of events, and other items of
business to the LGBT traveler. The website will be marketed to
major LGBT media outlets in the Southeast to start with a possible
expansion should the effort prove successful.
Mayor
Franklin also unveiled the new AEN logo, designed by Michael
Howell, to the delight of the crowd. President Steve Koval
presented the mayor with a personalized jacket with the new
logo, which Mayor Franklin immediate put on. The finale came with
the presentation of a birthday cake big enough to feed 300 people.
The time for celebrating AEN's 10th birthday had passed, with
the crowd ready to face the next decade and all it will bring.
 Pictures:
AEN's 10th Anniversary
Bash
4
a.m. Networking
by Drew Barton
After
the last Sheraton employee has picked up the last cocktail napkin,
put away the dais, and cleaned the crumbs out of the server that
holds those yummy bite-sized quiches, you're left with a handful
of promotional flyers and a stack of business cards. Fortunately
for you and your business, the networking doesn't stop there.
(Well, actually, it does take a brief break between 10 and 11
p.m. for E.R.) But on AEN's Web
site, you can continue your networking goals long after Dr.
Greene has cured the world's ills.
Let's
do lunch. The Web site is a great place to register for a
luncheon. You can find the luncheon host, the time, and directions
from your front door to the restaurant. There's a form there to
notify the host that you'll be in attendance. We'll post the restaurant's
Web site, so you can even pick out what you'd like to nosh on
beforehand. This only leaves more time to network!
Tired
of the Monster? If you're looking to make that career move,
searching for a position, or know of a position at your company,
AEN's online career center
is the place to jumpstart that goal. You can browse resumes, look
at open positions, post positions from your company, or send in
your own resume.
Did
somebody say free? Do you have a special offer you'd like
to offer AEN members? There's a
new discount area on the Web site where you can check out
special offers from Atlanta companies just for AEN members. Get
discounts on gym memberships and symphony tickets - and you can
also submit discounts from your company.
AEN
also offers an online
directory filled with hundreds of names, numbers, and even
pictures! It's constantly updated, so feel free to update your
information, find numbers you've lost, or look for the perfect
butcher, baker, or candlestickmaker. Have you submitted your directory
listing?
Visit
www.aen.org anytime, day or
night. Whether you're looking for a job, good food, new business
opportunities, or something free, the Web site is the place to
network - even at 4 a.m.
--
Drew Barton is a Webmaster
for CNN.com and AEN.org.
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Tuesday,
June 18
Luncheon, Allen Jones
Vino, 11:55 a.m.
Register »
Thursday,
June 20
June Meeting
The Power of Pride
Sheraton Colony Square
5:45 p.m.
Saturday,
June 22
Luncheon, Patrick Greco
Commune,
1 p.m.
Register »
Monday,
June 24
Chris Rainbow Home Benefit
7:30 p.m.
More »
Wednesday,
June 26
Pearl Day
More
»
Monday,
July 1
Second Annual "Night Out with the Braves"
7 p.m.
More
»
To add your event, send an e-mail to calendar@aen.org
The
newly formed Building Industries Committee is for architecture,
design and all related professionals, including real estate, construction,
and sales. The group's mission is to provide support to selected
charitable efforts, to foster the personal and professional development
of its members, and to support AEN's overall goals & initiatives.
For
more information contact Jim Hinson at jhinson@kimball.com
or Carl Lange at clange@groupvi.com.
Board
Members
Steve
Koval, President
David Payne, Vice President
Joe Guthridge, Treasurer
Ann McAllister, Secretary
Margie Archer
David Austin
Bonnie Barton
Jamie Ensley
Don George
Patrick Greco
Sandy Hoke
Carl Lange
Ronald Moore
Gregory Nance
Newsletter
Editor
Jason Cecil
Webmaster
Drew Barton
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