Patience and passion for managing events

JACQUI Jordan has used her vast experience to become one of the events industry’s leading lights and, in the process, has cemented a unique position in WA’s hospitality sector.

Her company, Jacqui Jordan Events, is the only accredited special events management firm in WA and Ms Jordan’s passion for her work resulted in the receipt of a WA Business News 40under40 Award last month.

Ms Jordan started Jacqui Jordan Events nearly four years ago after spending many years in management positions in the Perth hospitality industry.

“I’ve been very lucky. I’ve been with the Sheraton and Mustard Catering and I have a lot of contacts. It has been my passion,” Ms Jordan said.

Her passion and hospitality experience has ensured the events go off without a hitch.

“We’re in the know and we know what’s available out there,” she said.

“We do events for five to 10 people, up to 2000 people. People just assume it’s the big gala events that you do.

“We always try to be on the cutting edge and always looking for new things. We work very closely with our clients.”

But it’s not all fun and games, with organisation and planning a crucial and fundamental element to creating a successful event.

“People don’t seem to realise the work and effort that goes into an event. People who initially take it on sometimes find it a bit too much pressure and then I get called in,” Ms Jordan said.

“However, people who take their event very seriously and don’t want to make a mess of it have me take care of it.

“It’s not just the event, it’s interacting with people and keeping everyone happy – committee members, management and other people involved.”

Being able to create the events and keep key personnel happy has resulted in many happy clients. Profits over the past two years have grown and JJ Events will continue to expand, according to Ms Jordan.

“We will be appointing an event manager in April and by the end of May we will have the most experienced conference and event staff in Perth,” she said.

“More companies are more open to getting an events person in. The market is growing but Perth is small. JJ Events is lucky because we don’t have a lot of competitors and they come and go a lot. They haven’t done the research and realise it’s a lot of hard work.

“It requires a lot of patience, but I love it to bits.”



Sandalford sounds intentions

Mr Prendiville said his team worked closely with WASO to make sure the construction of the stage would produce quality sound to enable the company to host events year after year.

“We built in and dug out the stage area and made an underground conduit to make the area good for acoustics,” he said.

Mr Prendiville said the Perth Convention Bureau was behind the developments, with talks under way with Sandalford to host one-off events for big conferences visiting Perth.

He also said the facilities had been designed for premium convention clientele and would stand up against functions held at the Napa Valley in California, considered among the world’s best facilities.

“Since the renovations we have turned away event organisers that have approached us because their event is not necessarily synonymous with the Sandalford brand,” Mr Prendiville said.

This will help the PCB in its attempt to move the Asian incentives market perception of Perth being a “cheap” destination.

PCB managing director Anne-Marie Ferguson said the bureau was looking at improving yield earnings from the Asian incentive groups by making WA known as a quality destination with lots of exciting and unique experiences.

“The fact that we are very accessible from Asia and a very affordable destination has led to this perception (as a budget destination),” she said.

“A lot of the business we have been getting has been more travel reward, using off-the-rack product rather than pure incentives which seek to create ground packages offering unique experiences.”

The bureau has been working closely with inbound tour operators and destination management companies to improve the quality of itineraries.