AltaMed Calls “All Hands” to Employee Conference

3

Breakout Sessions

8.5

Months of Planning

107

Event Staff

2,956

Employees

2,600 Employees Converge on The Shrine

On Tuesday the 13th of September 2016, Event Solutions was thrilled to hold one of our most complicated corporate events yet! Over 2,600 employees were bused in to The Shrine in Los Angeles for AltaMed’s massive “All Hands” employee meeting, which included three separate breakout sessions and lasted from breakfast into the catered lunch. With such a big day ahead, our caterers brought plenty of coffee for everyone involved!

A Luncheon Conference

Planning and organizing a luncheon conference this size is not an easy task. That’s why AltaMed turned to our team of party planners led by manager Denise. We were prepared to give them nothing short of our very best, including managing their RSVPs to help easily coordinate dietary restrictions of their 2,600 employees, bus pickup locations and registration for their attendance. After all, this is a work day for everyone!

Organizing an Event this Size

Our team exhibited a high level of imagination and professionalism, which was invaluable in organizing and arranging the conference through the various sessions. From the front-end to the back-end, we handled everything- the registration was smooth, the transportation logistics were efficient, the catering was marvelous, the guest speakers were knowledgeable, the event staff was friendly and informative and let’s not to forget the awesome job done by our professional event production company!

The Venue

From the word go, we knew AltaMed needed something unique and enriching for their employees when we realized that they were holding one huge event for all their employees from various branches in California. We wanted to give them all the support they needed to empower their employees and therefore we diligently planned everything in detail, including the venue selection and theme for the day “The Power of Us”. (Learn all about creative names for all-hands meetings.)

The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles

The luncheon, conference, and all breakout sessions happened at The Shrine Auditorium. The Shrine was selected based on its ability to handle the transportation logistics and contain all 2,600 people under one roof. Our event coordinator utilized the three floors to create separate spaces for each of the breakout sessions, catered breakfast, lunch and VIP reception. Careful consideration had to be taken in traversing hundreds of people through the venue to their designated areas. This is why we had three receptions setup to greet AltaMed employees (and guests) as they arrived. Clearly printed pamphlets and professional signage (all branded for the conference) throughout the venue help ensure no one got lost. We also trained all of our staff on the layout and venue specifications like restroom locations and fire exits. As with all of our party and events, safety comes first!

The Amazing Catering

Our caterers helped make sure the meeting got off to the right by providing breakfast for the AltaMed executives and guest speakers. The ‘Power Breakfast’ featured the revered homemade crunchy granola and fresh fruits such as berries and melons, fruit yogurts, assorted muffins and fresh squeezed orange juice/hot coffee/tea to wash it all down.

The Sumptuous Lunch

Serving 2,600 people quickly was no easy task! Thankfully, our team of over 100 event staff members came to the rescue. The day before, tables, chairs, stage and decor like the beautiful string lighting had been set up leaving our team with the monumental task of how to serve thousands of hungry mouths, quickly, so they could return to the tracks refueled. We opted for a family style and rushed to put out hundreds of dishes. By lunchtime, our team had already set up the two story lunch area, which featured a variety of family-style palatable dishes for our guests.

The Lunch Menu

Our lunch menu included the Santa Fe chicken (lime marinated grilled chicken breast with pico de gallo), Tuscan beans (garbanzo and cannellini beans, barley, bell peppers, diced tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes, red onions, and fresh chopped basil, tossed in an olive oil lemon sauce), Caesar salad, and oak grilled marinated vegetables. For dessert, cookies and fresh fruit were served. Branded water bottles were also provided for each guest.

The VIP Lunch

A separate private lunch was planned and produced for the executives and guest speakers and, later in the afternoon, a VIP reception which included:

Assorted cheese platter with the best imported and domestic cheeses, Sicilian bruschetta, grapes, berries, candied walnuts, rain-crisps.
Vegetable crudité with artichoke hearts and roasted red pepper dip.
Tray passed appetizers like lime marinated shrimp served with cilantro aioli.
Mini sirloin sliders with caramelized onion, gruyere, horseradish cream or mini beef pie with aged NZ cheddar or flank steak on rustic crostini topped with chimichurri relish.
Bacon wrapped dates with Pt. Reyes blue cheese.
Island ceviche with avocado and lime on corn spear tortilla chips or wonton cups and
Vertical Caprese skewers with sweet cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, fresh basil, with balsamic glaze or wild mushroom strudel with white truffle oil.

The Live Band

While everyone enjoyed a family-style meal, our live band played a mix of popular sets on a raised stage. The music was specially selected to re-energize employees before the next set of breakout sessions. Employees let loose at the front of the stage, showing off their impressive dance moves. It was at that moment that simple co-workers became a family, cheering for each other to join in on the fun. While we also provided professional photographers and cameramen to capture the whole conference, the photo booths were extremely popular. Everyone wanted to remember the moment with a printed “The Power of Us” branded photo strip of them and their newfound work family. Well fed, smiling and revitalized, they were ready for their next track!

The Power of Us

It is always time well spent when everyone leaves a little bit better than when they arrived. AltaMed employees left with the training they needed to continue to be one of the best medical insurance companies in Southern California and our team had another successful conference to add to our experience. True to the conference’s message, it is pretty amazing what “The Power of Us” can accomplish when you work together as a team.

Ready to Plan Yours?

When it comes to networking your employees to blend socially, and boost team effectiveness, Event Solutions has got you covered, learn about our all hands meetings and event services. Our range of services includes everything to ensure that your corporate event is valuable to your organization and that all your employees and guests get a truly memorable experience. We strive to deliver whatever you have in mind. For more all-hands ideas, including fun names and themes, read on to our article: All Hands Meetings Fun Ideas Creative Names.