November 8, 2017
Spotlight Article: Director of Events, Rebekah Babovic
Short Bio about Rebekah:
Previously with the Forsyth-Monroe County Chamber of Commerce, Rebekah Babovic has more than five years of event planning experience, along with being well versed in emceeing and auctioneering. A Forsyth, Georgia native, Rebekah received her undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia.
Rebekah leads the Chamber’s events department in developing and providing strategic opportunities to serve all Partners’ networking and marketing needs. From high-end sponsorships advertised on billboards across the region to monthly networking gatherings, the Chamber identifies the needs of our Partners and creates events that enthrall guests while serving a strategic purpose.
Q&A Session:
Q: How long have you lived in Columbia?
A: My family and I just relocated to Columbia in May after commuting from Augusta, Georgia for a month.
Q: How long have you worked in events and/or what led you to becoming an event director?
A: I got into events almost six years ago when I begin directing auctions and seminars on cruise lines for a private art gallery. During that time I became a professional auctioneer and emcee, which was something I thoroughly enjoyed about the job. When I eventually met my husband and we decided to move our lives on land, I began directing events for my local hometown Chamber of Commerce, which included festivals, parades, etc., and the universe has just seemed to guide me down this path of creating events that serve a purpose.
Q: What type of events are your favorite and why?
A: My favorite types of events are huge functions that take a year of planning to pull off because there’s so many layers of forethought that’s required to curate hundreds or thousands of people. Then after a year’s worth of work you get to see everything fall into place in one day or night and people come to enjoy themselves and meanwhile are none the wiser that I’m running around behind the scenes orchestrating everything. The feeling you get when people rave about an event like that – there’s nothing like it. That’s the feeling that gets me out of bed in the morning and eager to get in the office.
Q: How are events beneficial for Chamber Partners?
A: My purpose with the Chamber is to create events that benefit our Partners, and we’ve got several different types of Partners who have different needs of the Chamber. I’m constantly evaluating what the Chamber is doing event-wise to assess if it’s serving those needs, whether it be simply networking, convening policy makers, or even updating our Partners on what’s happening for businesses in the Midlands.
Q: What are Power Partner events?
A: A Power Partner refers to an investment level of $3,000 or more a year with the Chamber. What we’ve identified with this classification of Partners is that their specific needs go beyond those of networking and advertising for marketing exposure. These Partners are investing in the policy representation and the Partner-to-Partner connections that Chamber can provide for them. Our Power Partner events are designed to provide these Partners with opportunities to get in front of other Power Partners and enable them to convene on issues that are relevant to their business needs. We’ve just started this brand of events and it’s proven to be very successful in filling a need for our Partners. For Power Partner events we try to create a unique experience that maintains a purpose.
Q: What do you enjoy about Columbia? Any favorite places to go or things to do?
A: I like that Columbia is a big city with a small-town feel. I’m from a very rural part of Georgia, so it’s nice to have lots to do in the Midlands from zoo trips to kayaking. And yet, even though Columbia is one of the bigger cities I’ve lived in, it manages to have that small-town feel where everyone knows everybody. I’m a big fan of the zoo – my little family and I can be found there most Saturday mornings. I’m also falling in love with the porch dining set ups we’ve found in the Vista and around downtown – local eats will find their way quickly into my heart with outdoor seating!