300 Fifth Avenue, 3rd Floor

Pittsburgh, PA 15222
(412) 645-3213
www.elmoreszeto.com

November 5, 2014
Chancellor Patrick D. Gallagher
124 Cathedral of Learning
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Dear Chancellor Gallagher:
This letter responds to your recently issued Request for Proposal for an upcoming event project
where members of the Pitt Alumni Association can meet you.
I represent Elmore & Szeto Event Planning, an event agency in downtown Pittsburgh. Our
company conceives, develops, and implements event concepts based on client requests. Last
year, we helped the Pittsburgh Steelers honor Coach Mike Tomlin at the 16th Annual Gala
Pittsburgh Sports Night. This past summer, we managed the first annual Live Your Life Gala
with American Eagle, Inc. Additionally, we plan and implement grand opening celebrations for
Burgatory Bar & Restaurants at various locations around the city. Prior to our agencys launch,
our employees worked with knowledgeable professionals, and we require a minimum of three
years event planning experience for new hires. Our staff is well equipped to fulfill your needs
and plan your event.
We propose an event entitled Pitt Past and Present with Chancellor Gallagher, which will
occur on Saturday, November 15 from 5:00pm 9:00pm at the Omni William Penn Hotel.
Located at 530 William Penn Place in downtown Pittsburgh, this hotel occupies a premium
location that even boasts a downstairs parking garage. Event activities will take place in the
William Penn Ballroom. The room includes a stage, and well divide the remainder of the space
in half; one half vacant for cocktail hour and one half with 25 tables for a sit-down dinner. The
hotels catering staff can set up all necessary tables, chairs, dishes, and flatware. An Event
Manager from our agency will arrive on-site at 2:00pm to oversee this process and other
preparations. We propose that guests dress in formal attire.
The event will reflect Pitts history with a Pitt Throwback theme. Dcor and materials will
feature Pitts 1973-1997 bright blue and yellow color scheme and Pitt script logo. Well order a
5x20ft blue carpet from eventrugs.com for the rooms entrance. Napkins, tablecloths, and table
runners, ordered from customlinen.com, will also follow this color scheme. Our Event Manager
can create table centerpieces to match the theme. Finally, we plan to hire Ice Creations in
Pittsburgh to build a 40-inch ice sculpture of the Cathedral of Learning.
In celebrating you as the new Chancellor, the evening will also reflect Pitts present. To provide
guests the chance to meet you, we propose that a cocktail hour take place from 5pm to 6pm.
Alumni may mingle and introduce themselves to you while sampling different tapas and beers
from local Pittsburgh vendors. Sukhothai Bistro, Seviche, Dels Restaurant, Tin Angel, and The

Original Hot Dog Shop will provide tapas options. Rivertowne, East End, Iron City, Penn
Brewery, and Fat Heads Saloon will provide beer. We intend to order 1,500 tasting glasses,
engraved with the event logo, from bargainmugs.com. Well station the beer and glasses on
tables at the perimeter of the vacant portion of the room.
During this period, Pitt students will serve beer and circulate the room to serve appetizers. To
find 15 students, we plan to post a job description on FutureLinks requesting people ages 21 and
older. Each hired student will attend a training session, receive compensation, and dress in black
clothing. To further involve Pitts student body, members of the Pitt Photography Club can roam
the event and photograph guests. Their pictures will appear on Pitts website in December.
Additionally, eight members of the Pitt Orchestra will form two separate string quartets and take
turns playing music throughout the cocktail period. The musicians can set up on stage and bring
their own instruments and stands.
A slideshow of images entitled Pitt Through The Years will play throughout this period. The
venue can provide technological equipment to run the slideshow. In the invitations, well ask
invitees to e-mail our agency with pictures from their time at Pitt, and we plan to use these
images to create the slideshow. Well also request for guests to describe their favorite Pitt
memories and enclose them with their RSVP cards. Each guests place card at dinner will list his
or her favorite memory, which will serve as an icebreaker during dinner and a further memento
of Pitts remarkable history.
Next, we propose that dinner take place at 6:00pm. As the main component of Pitt Past and
Present with Chancellor Gallagher, dinner will require the longest amount of time. The William
Penn Hotel can cater and serve the meal. Theyll offer various drink options including ice water,
coffee, TAZO tea, wine, Coke products, and sparkling water. The meal will begin with a Caesar
salad appetizer. Shortly thereafter, the hotel staff will serve the main course. When they RSVP
for the event, guests will choose from three main course options including an 8-ounce filet with
mashed potatoes and assorted vegetables, cajun grilled chicken with penne pasta covered in spicy
vodka sauce, and eggplant parmesan with roasted redskin potatoes and grilled asparagus. To
assist the hotel staff with the serving process, our agency will send a seating chart color-coded by
meal choice prior to the event.
By 7:30pm, most guests will have finished eating and the caterers will have nearly finished
clearing plates. At this time, well invite special guest and Pitt alum Dan Marino to appear
onstage. He will reflect upon his time at Pitt for approximately 10 minutes. He will then
introduce you to the seated audience. We propose that you address the audience with an
approximately 15-minute speech discussing whatever youd like about your new role. True to
our proposed theme, this combination of speeches will reflect Pitts past and present.
Additionally, we intend to raffle items to guests during this event. Prizes will include a signed
Dan Marino jersey, a gift card to LeMont, Pitt season basketball tickets, and an invitation to have
dinner with you in December. Three guests will win the invitation to dinner, and you may dine
with them all at once. Guests will receive raffle tickets from two Pitt students when they first
enter the ballroom around 5:00pm, and prizes will be displayed on a table in the designated
cocktail hour space. At some point prior to 8:00pm, each guest will place his or her ticket in a

mason jar next to the prize he or she hopes to win. We can order custom mason jars, engraved
with the event logo, at discountmugs.com. At 8:00pm, once youve finished speaking, wed like
you to draw tickets and announce the winners. Our Event Manager will facilitate this process by
bringing you the jars and ensuring the winners receive their prizes.
Once the raffle tickets have been drawn, the caterers will serve dessert. Guests may choose
between cheesecake, chocolate cake, or tiramisu. At approximately 8:30pm, while the guests are
enjoying their desserts, our Event Manager will appear onstage. She will thank everyone for
attending the event. Additionally, shell invite guests to stay until around 9:00pm to continue
mingling with you, the Pitt students, and one another.
As people begin to leave the venue, several Pitt students will hand out blue gift bags to guests.
They will begin dispensing bags at 8:30pm, after our Event Manager has spoken. This way, if
some guests need to leave before 9:00pm, they may do so without forgoing gift bags. We
propose that each bag contain a CD copy of the Pitt Through The Years slideshow, a miniature
bottle of wine labeled with the Pitt script logo, and a tasting glass engraved with the event logo.
Wed also like you to write a letter thanking guests for their attendance, which well include in
each gift bag.
At your earliest convenience, wed like to meet with you and your staff to discuss our ideas
further. And then, with your permission, well proceed with this event.
Sincerely,

Emily Dvorchak
Account Executive