Perhaps there is no greater calling or way to spend time than in the service of someone else. Further, I’d suggest that there’s no other industry more motivated by the cause, nor consumed by the spirit of service, than the catering and event industry. With our economies challenged and the rules of business consistently being re-written, service in all forms is the path to success. To this end, the Foundation of NACE is wholly committed to an energized and evolving spirit of service.

Service has always been at the core of our work, interwoven in our vision, and fundamental to our mission. It has been part of our DNA and central to our short, mid, and long term activity. With these building blocks in place, and momentum at our backs, the Foundation of NACE is re-connecting with this culture of service. While remaining firmly connected to the history that makes the Foundation of NACE great, our eyes and hearts are focused on an evolution towards excellence.

 

Whether it’s the evolution of our Vince DeFinis Scholarship Program, our new "I believe" fundraising campaign, our new A.C.E. endowment project, our support of the CPCE certification, our sponsorship and development of educational resources, or our pursuit of becoming an industry standard in information and research, the Foundation of NACE is on the move.

           

In the days to come we’ll embark on our fourth year of scholarship giving. For the first two years we awarded a single $15,000 grant. In 2010, we gave 2 - $10,000 awards at The Experience! in Austin. July 2011 will mark our 4th year of scholarship giving, where we look forward to another fantastic gift and celebration. The Foundation of NACE is fully committed to give upwards of $300,000 of scholarship awards in the next five years. In addition to these gifts, we have an aggressive goal to drive our A.C.E. endowment to the $1 million dollar mark. At that point, we will begin to spin off up to $50,000 a year in additional giving to support higher education in the catering industry. With this money, we’ll be able to further develop and honor the Vince DeFinis Scholarship Program as well as begin to look at ways to customize our giving on a chapter level.

The Trustees of the Foundation of NACE are entrusted and empowered. We’re striving to bring value to the Association, educational support to students and business intelligence to the catering industry. We’re proud of what we’ve done, excited about what we’re doing, and motivated to achieve excellence in what we will do. Above all, we carry a deep spirit to serve.

 

Thank you for your support,

 

Troy Conklin

President, Foundation of NACE