Brief history
Alexander deHilster, born in the Netherlands but living in the United States since 1986, has over 20 years of experience in the hospitality and meeting planning industry. 11 of those years were spent as an ‘over-the-road’ tour director on two and three week motor coach tours across the United States and Canada, explaining history and customs to overseas visitors in French, German, Dutch and English. Alexander followed this by working in the meeting and event planning industry, producing programs around the globe for pharmaceutical, insurance, banking and entertainment industry clients.
Company Information
In 2006, Alexander deHilster founded ADH Events, producing a wide range of programs including pharmaceutical meetings (Phase I and II, Advisory Board, Clinical Trials and Investigator Meetings), diversity retreats, sales meetings, training seminars, product launches, awards dinners, incentive trips, guest tour programs, fundraisers and client dinners.
At ADH Events, we speak a multitude of languages, among them all the European ones, allowing us to assist our clients with the planning of their programs anywhere in the world.
Some clients prefer that we take care of only portions of their programs such as transportation, tours, off-site dinners and meet and greet services. Other clients prefer that we take care of everything, including venue searches, audio visual needs, entertainment, decor, catering, equipment rentals, hotels, printed materials, invitations and more.
ADH Events grew 150% from 2007 to 2008 and started off with 2 staff members and currently employees 7. Although the current economic conditions have slowed our growth down a little we have found different ways to save our clients money without effecting the contents of their programs. In addition, when booking hotel rooms through ADH Events, most hotels will pay us a commission, which we are deducting from our management fee. We do not charge a management fee in booking the hotel rooms, which is a double saving for our clients, so we do all the work, keeping track of guests, hotel rooms, attrition and the like but do not charge the client for it.
NGLCC
In June 2008, ADH Events became certified by the NGLCC, allowing us to register with many organizations, including Fortune 500 companies. Due to our growth last year and in some instances, time consuming registration forms to register as a diversity supplier, we didn’t really start to register till the end of November 2008. Currently we’ve registered with over 200 companies and continue to register with more. However, registering as a diversity supplier alone doesn’t guarantee that we are guaranteed doing business with those companies. It still takes work calling contacts within the organizations and updating the information. Currently we have been contacted by several companies who have asked for more details and/or have put us in touch with those in charge of their meetings and events. Our first RFP arrived a few weeks ago, although we were not awarded the job, we at least got our foot in the door.
For anyone who is a business owner, I would highly recommend becoming certified by the NGLCC. Don’t let the amount of paperwork that is initially required be a turn-off. Over the last few months I’ve made some great contacts, met some wonderful people, and over time, I know the benefits of our certification will be rewarded.
Alexander deHilster
ADH Events is proud to announce that in 2008 we became certified by the NGLCC, allowing us to register as a diversity supplier with Fortune 500 companies.
PLEASE NOTE: OUR ZIPCODE HAS BEEN CHANGED
ADH Events
445 West Erie Street, Suite 110
Chicago, IL 60654
Phone: 312-265-9759 x10
Fax: 312-265-9764
Mobile: 312-351-5511
Email: adehilster@adh-events.com
Web: www.adh-events.com
