Merryl Brown to Moderate Sustainable Events Panel at National Conference

EPA Says Meetings and Events Second only to Construction as Most Wasteful U.S. Industry

Santa Barbara, California - November  29, 2011 — Merryl Brown, President of Merryl Brown Events, has been chosen as the moderator for a critical panel on sustainable events at The Special Event, a national conference of event planners that will take place January 24 - 27, 2012, in Tampa, Florida. Brown will moderate the panel with four industry experts on “The Art of Environmentally Responsible Event Planning” and discuss how to create sustainable events.

Meetings and events are second only to construction as the most wasteful industry in the country, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. By promoting and facilitating a discussion on sustainability at such a high visibility event planning conference, Brown’s panel will have the opportunity to demonstrate to event professionals how to plan their events in a more environmentally and socially responsible manner, which in turn will benefit both their business and the communities in which they work.

“We are delighted to once again be invited to participate in the educational programs at The Special Event with many of the leading event professionals in the country. We are glad that TSE continues to meet the need for education about sustainable event planning.  Additionally, TSE continues to green its annual conference by limiting the use of collateral materials and switching to online registration and downloadable Schedule of Events in order to reduce paper waste.”

Merryl Brown Events is an award-winning event design and production company, specializing in elegant, sustainable events. Merryl Brown is a Certified Wedding and Event Planner (CWEP) as well as a member of the Association of Bridal Consultants (ABC) with a Wedding Consultant designation. She successfully completed coursework in Green Meetings and Events at George Washington University's Event Management Program. She has a Master's Degree in International Affairs from Columbia University and was formerly an international banker with American Express Bank and Bankers Trust Company in New York. She formerly held the position of Director of PR and Events at Saks Fifth Avenue Santa Barbara.

Merryl Brown Events was the winner of the 2011 BizBash West Award for Social Planner of the Year; the winner of the 2011 ISES Esprit Award for Best Green Solution for the 2010 Green Gala and the winner of the Association of Women in Communications Clarion Award for Best Special Event 2011. She was a BizBash West Event Style Awards finalist in the Category of Best Green Initiative for an Event, as well as a 2009 ISES Esprit Award finalist for Best Green Solution. Merryl was also a finalist in the category of Rising Star for the Event Solutions Spotlight Awards 2011 and a finalist in the National Association of Women Business Owners/Santa Barbara "Spirit of Entrepreneurship" Awards in the Tourism/Hospitality Category.

For more information about Merryl Brown Events, contact us or visit: www.merrylbrownevents.com.