A Hattiesburg businesswoman who directs one of the city’s leading event-planning enterprises was featured in the current December awards issue of ConventionSouth magazine.
The publication highlights the most prominent venues of organized meetings in 16 states from Texas to Florida, and north to Maryland.
Jennifer Clark, owner of Emerge Events in Hattiesburg, was interviewed as Mississippi’s representative in the industry. The magazine, which listed the 2020 Reader’s Choice Awards in the issue, had 16 Mississippi venues in the Reader’s Choice list – including three from Hattiesburg.
Clark said she appreciated her inclusion in the magazine.
“I don't expect that kind of thing because we're not on a national basis,” she said. “There are so many amazing event planners out there. It's kind of humbling to be invited to be in that.”
Event planners who were questioned in the December issue gave their feelings about entering the industry and then their experiences with the pandemic during the past year.
“For the last 10 years, we have produced a variety of events, including expos, conferences, festivals, concerts, business meetings, and much more,” Clark said. “I have a passion for connecting with people and inspiring personal and professional growth. This is what meeting and events do.”
Clark said the COVID-19 effects have been important personally and professionally.
“People think we all need to stay home and stuff, and then I get it,” she said. “I completely get it, but I'm also on the fence. I couldn't figure out how I could work virtually, but it's not the same; it's completely different.”
The personal impact affected her children, which were attending elementary school.
We have a first-grader and fifth-grader,” she said. “My husband's self-employed; his business wasn't affected, so that's great. The children were home during the summer, but we decided this about school in the school year and that has helped a lot to get work done and stuff. It's also worries in your head.”
Clark said the management of the Lamar County School District’s has helped her children’s time at school.
“They needed to get out and go to school,” she said. “It's been done so well. We have actually been impressed with managing the school system. You know because we are stuck hard enough. We are pulled in the different places.”
Clark said she has been able to work because of technology.
“I am extremely grateful my mentor in the event planning industry is Liz Caruso, an expert in all things event technology,” she said. “I participated in her Ignite program for event professionals, which transformed my business. I have also joined in on her conferences and webinars about event technology. This has greatly helped me navigate he world of virtual events, since it can be overwhelming.”
Clark said the pandemic eventually will subside after people will become healthy.
“The travel and tourism industry will bounce back,” she said. “It will take a while to get back to where it was. It may never look the same as it did, but it will bounce back in some new way or another.”
Blair Adams, the magazine’s Editorial Director, said Clark was one of the 25 business professionals to watch next year.
“These folks have a unique range of backgrounds and skillsets, which make them valuable and respected members of the event planning community,” he said.
In the magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards, more than 8,000 people voted for the "best of the best" meeting destinations and venues across the South. After receiving almost 400 nominations, it was narrowed down to an elite list of 59.
The three Hattiesburg venues that were chosen by the readers were Hattiesburg Convention Commission, Lake Terrace Convention Center, and VisitHATTIESBURG.