Dawn Smith
Plan It Events
www.plan-it.event.com

Plan-it Events was officially launched in January of 2007. Since the launch of her business, she is playing a pivotal role in many local events, including an outdoor, abridged version of A Midsummer Nights Dream performed at the well-known Frank Lloyd Wright Samara Home.

She is the planner who not only produces the bridal show, but ends up participating as a model in the production. She serves as the Volunteer Coordinator to nearly one thousand volunteers for a local festival that draws 40,000 visitors each year.

A self-described “free spirit,” Dawn has never been the conventional type. If there were only two ways to do something, Dawn was usually the one to come up with another way.

Starting out at the tender age of 15 and spending a decade in the restaurant and banquet industry was a good start.  In the early 90’s she achieved her certification in travel and worked with an agency in coordinating all aspects of travel for Purdue University.

She then moved on to the field of hotel management ending up in Chicago Il.  . From there she packed up her bags and decided to try a hand at the family business in Ohio for a few years. That experience was invaluable. Although the business was based on classic and muscle cars, the swap meets and car shows were right up her alley.   She was able to gain a complete understanding of the administration side to business ownership.

In Lafayette, Indiana, a posting for a Wedding & Event Coordinator with a rental company was her next position.  It was here that she produced record-breaking bridal shows, as well as other trade shows. There were weddings, corporate product launches, and an Historic Theater Premiere (along with a historical documentary film production), a world wide event for a well known engine manufacturing company.

Dawn quickly realized she made a much better event planner than rental agent. Dawn left her position with the company and headed to Denver for the 2006 Idea Factory. “That sealed the deal,” says Dawn, referring to her decision to start her own event planning company.

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