Carlson bags best event award

LOCAL event management company Carlson White (M) Sdn Bhd has won the Best event produced for a corporation or association in the Special Events Magazine Gala Awards 2002 in Orlando, Florida in the United States.  

The company beat two other nominees from the US and Australia to win the award for the conceptualisation and management of Ambang Merdeka Putrajaya 2002. 

The Ambang Merdeka Putrajaya 2002, initiated and funded by Perbadanan Putrajaya, was held on the eve of the national day and had the largest floating stage constructed on the surrounding waters of the Putrajaya Lake Club. 

Carlson White managing director Michael Gomez said the company was the only Malaysian special event company to clinch the award, announced in January, and this reflected the progress the industry had made over the years. 

“This award reflects the growth of the special events industry in the country, which has been progressive, but still with plenty of room for further improvement in the professional and regulatory areas,” he said at a function in Kuala Lumpur to celebrate the company’s win last Friday. 

Michael Gomez (2nd from left) and his staff with the Best Evnt Produced award.

According to Gomez, Carlson White intends to spearhead the forming of a Malaysian chapter of the International Special Events Society, which was formed in the US in 1987 to regulate the special events industry. 

“We need a body to promote and regulate ethical practices here, to put the country on the map as the centre for meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions,” he said, adding that this direction would also ensure that Malaysian companies could be equal to, if not better than, their international counterparts. 

On business plans, Gomez said Carlson White was currently looking into business expansionary strategies like forming alliances with other top special event management companies in the US as well as setting up offices in the Asia Pacific region. 

Some of the events managed by the company include the official opening of the Petronas Twin Towers and Menara Telekom, both in Kuala Lumpur.