TEAM
Liz Smith, CMP, DMCP
VP Sales & Marketing | Partner
"Nothing is impossible, the word itself says I’m possible." - Audrey Hepburn
Liz Smith, a Southern California native, stumbled upon the event world by accident during her senior year of college while working for Four Seasons Hotels. Known amongst her team as the girl with response to any question as “absolutely” she will find a way to make any request fulfilled. Her passion for providing impeccable service and desire to always create the unexpected, provides a perfect platform for listening to clients, putting their needs first and delivering beyond their expectations. Liz has worked in every aspect of events from hotels, food and beverage management, social events and the premier national destination management companies which makes her well versed on all areas of client programs. Liz’s desire to give back has led her to serve on the SITE So Cal Board for over 4 years, shared her tips and tricks through presentations at FICP and other industry events.
Jimmy Surace
Creative Director | Partner
"People will stare, give them a reason." - Harry Winston
Hailing from the great state of Ohio, Jimmy moved westward the day after college graduation, immediately taking his professional leap into the world of special events. He started his career working in the production department at DreamWorks Animation, focusing on production coordination and in-house events. Jimmy then took his skills to the open seas working for Atlantis Events, planning charter cruises and resort takeovers around the globe. Wanting to have a home-base in the states, he became lead designer for an award-winning event production house and later a premier destination management company. His creative designs and extrovert personality have clients seeking out his incredible talent and make him the perfect person to pilot the creative department for Eight One Events.
Brandis Protenic
VP Operations | Partner
"Don’t take life too seriously. You’ll never get out of it alive." - Elbert Hubbard
Raised in the west Texas town of El Paso, Brandis moved to Southern California to pursue a career in hospitality, specializing in special events. An even split between left-brain and right-brain thinking, Brandis brings both a creative touch and keen logistics planning to her events. Brandis’ career path has included working in hotel conference services, program development in the DMC sector and a director at a premier event production agency in Los Angeles. No challenge seen impossible, Brandis brings well rounded knowledge to corporate and social events paired with superior customer service as the VP of Operations for Eight One Events.
