Team Introductions: Meet Event Planner Eric Dong
When Eric Dong joined the Kennedy Events team as an event planner, he made us swoon with phrases like “spreadsheets are my homie,” “Japanese jazz is my work music,” and “I bake cinnamon brioche buns to decompress.” Those personality traits stacked up to a resounding “YES, PLEASE!” He is a natural fit for our team with his years of experience taming tangled event logistics. Eric is a ray of sunshine brightening our clients’ event horizon and we are legitimately jumping for joy to introduce you to him.
KE: How did you get started in the Events Industry?
Eric Dong: While studying at the University of San Francisco (USF) and on track to become a kinesiologist, I fell into the events field as a Peer Advisor for on-campus student organizations. I had no experience with events prior to this role and that’s where I discovered my love of spreadsheets.
His specialty? Logistics.
Eric shared that his advisor saw potential in him that he hadn’t recognized himself. While working alongside an events team of four, he fell head over heels for all things event planning and hasn’t looked back since.
What is your favorite event moment?
While at USF, one of my first moments stepping into the events realm was the opportunity to spearhead the creation of the annual cultural event show. Acting as Cultural Director for the Filipino Organization, I was tasked to lead the charge alongside my co-director.
Wrangling a cast of 130 students, Eric coordinated all backstage efforts, ticket sales, lights…the whole enchilada. The result? A fully sold-out show with 5,000 people in attendance on both nights. Eric’s faculty advisor shared with him that he had never seen the theatre sell out like that in all his years of managing the show and remarked it was their best one yet. (Way to go, Eric!)
What’s your favorite part of your job?
As all event pros can attest, we are always planning for the unexpected. The thrill of the pivot and the presence of truly inhabiting a space, always ready with a backup plan in place… It keeps us on our toes because truly at an event anything goes. The feeling of accomplishment as an event comes to a close is unbeatable.
Where do you find inspiration?
Embodying one of KE’s core values, People People, Eric’s biggest inspiration is derived from the incredible people he’s met along his journey and continues to cross paths with. He acknowledges that there is so much to learn from other people and he loves taking each nugget and incorporating it into his own work. A melding of different perspectives, ideas, and avenues generates the best ideas. We appreciate his approach.
He’s also heavily involved in the arts, particularly dance, and draws much of his creativity from the power of expressive movement. As a cultural dancer, his forte is the hula and traditional Philippine dance.“I love thinking creatively about how to present a scene, like a dancer on a stage. How can we expand the boundaries of a defined area to create a transportive moment in time?”
What are the five tools you can’t live without?
First on the list is a notebook. The old-school act of crossing things off and the ability to draw diagrams and charts help Eric keep all logistics locked in. He finds it quite satisfying to watch those to-dos transform into done.
Asana is another tool of the trade and Eric’s virtual version of a notebook. Organization has a clear station in all of his undertakings.
Mailmerge in Google Chrome takes an entire spreadsheet and customizes all emails to a certain person, like a personalization token. Streamlining and efficiency are Eric’s buzz words and he’s a fan of any tool that can optimize his workflow.
Boomerang, a mail delay plugin, allows you to front-load your work to save yourself stress later down the road. With the ability to schedule speaker deadlines or sponsor reminder emails weeks ahead, Eric is always on track and miles ahead.
Eric’s Spotify playlist includes a steady stream of Japanese jazz to keep his productivity firing on all cylinders. He’s getting the entire KE team hooked on his harmonies.
What’s your favorite after-hours activity?
Eric doesn’t just build incredible events! He considers himself an “adult child” basking in the joy of hands-on activities like Legos, nano blocks, and miniature paper sculptures. Animations are his bread and butter, which is quite appropriate given the fact that he’s also a fabulous baker. Eric has a musical streak, specializing in piano and Philippine mandolin, and he shares this expertise through private lessons and college programs in the Bay Area and beyond.
Eric is an asset to any event. We know you’ll be just as delighted to partner with him as we are.
Are You Ready to Put Our Creativity to Work on Your Next Event?
One thing the team at Kennedy Events excels at is incorporating opportunities to delight into every event. We’re currently offering a free 30-minute consultation with an event expert. If you’re looking for creative ways to make your attendees feel engaged and delighted, let's schedule a call today!
MARIANNE JACKSON
Marianne Jackson is a senior producer and the creative director at Kennedy Events. She specializes in making our client’s biggest design and decor dreams tangible while also ensuring that the event day menu is worthy of a Zagat mention. (Seriously, her taste and culinary connections are that good). Her fervor for adventure, cuisine, and aesthetics is visibly apparent in every event—whether in-person or virtual—she produces.
About Kennedy Events
Kennedy Events began with one goal in mind—to produce high-level corporate events with just as much strategy as style. Maggie founded the company in 2000, found her match in Paige, and in 2011 the two became official partners. Since then, these two resourceful and brilliant creatives have pooled their strengths to build one one of the most the most sought after corporate event companies in San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles.
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