intriguing eventpreneurs Three very different styles of valley events The idea that “events” only means “weddings” is incorrect. While it’s true that event planning is primarily dominated by women, many major hotels and resorts are seeing a lot more male involvement. Here in the Napa Valley, three intriguing Napa Valley men have their own styles when it comes to planning events. Sean Dempsey “There is no shortage of reasons to meet, marry and celebrate in the Napa Valley,” according to Sean Dempsey of Sean Dempsey & Associates. “Wine is the common denominator, of course, but only one of several great reasons why our visitors converge on this beautiful valley,” he said. Since 1989, Sean has played an integral part in Napa Valley’s biggest and most significant events. Over the course of his two decades in the Napa Valley, his name has become synonymous with events at Silverado Country Club, Meadowood, The Meritage Resort and Villagio Inn and Spa, to name a few. Now on his own, this past year he nailed three inaugural events as co-producer, including CabFest 2014, a Cabernet Sauvignon festival featuring over 100 best Napa Valley-produced cabs. He co-produced the Inaugural Monsters Ball (750 in attendance) this past Halloween. And he is the current co-producer for State Assemblyman Bill Dodd’s Annual Golf Tournament & Christmas Party, which doubles as a charity fundraiser for many of Napa County’s non-profit organizations. This year’s beneficiary is Children’s Health Initiative. For 2015, Dempsey has been hired to plan and manage the 2015 Taste of Yountville, featuring an exciting new passbook format, as well as being contracted to implement and oversee the new corporate hospitality program for the Napa Valley Film Festival starting 2015. He is the Event planner for the inaugural Napa County Wildlife Rescue Fundraiser event at Castello di Amorosa, scheduled for April 3, 2015. seandempseynv.com David Aten David Aten is the king of negotiations and planning. He wanted to become a lawyer, but after being exposed to the food industry at age fifteen at Cannery Row, and then under the creative and talented wing of caterer Melissa Teaff, he knew he wanted to be involved with the food and hospitality industry. Raised as a military brat in the countryside of Germany, Aten developed his supreme organizational skills early on. Today he practices the magic of managing energy and vibrations associated with expectations. “It starts with the ‘Save the Date’ on an invite,” said Aten. “Those details expressed will influence the level of excitement you will have about an event. Your experience will depend on how the energy is managed from start to finish.” Aten said he enjoys working with authentic celebrations, limiting the amount of pretense and engaging the real, raw, natural, happy, and joyful celebratory life we all have within us. It’s his descriptiveness that leads to his creative approach for the past twenty years, whether he is putting together a luxury lifestyle event, a corporate branding event, a winery launch party, an Auction Napa Valley wine dinner or luxury musical brand like Festival Del Sole. Moving into 2015, Aten would like to share his experience in the Napa Valley wine industry and pair it with the exciting wine industry along the central coast. Other passions are his three Golden Labs, hiking and “living life to its fullest!” davidatenevents.com –Kari Ruel ▲ ▲ JANUARY- F E B R UARY 2 0 1 5 25 photo by Scout Gdeiu Naap Vaely photo by ART & CLARITY
NVLife_JanFeb_2015
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