Hey Kendra! We will miss you! :)

Last week Friday, FILO Productions full-time employee Kendra Meyers, took a job with another business in the Twin Cities area. Kendra, who officially started working with FILO in 2010 at the NBA All-Star Jam Session in Dallas, TX, was brought on as a full-timer in November, 2011. I still remember one of Kendra’s first ever events in the Dallas Convention Center as she scorned a bunch of employees for sitting around, eating pizza when we needed to pull tape and finish emptying out the Convention Center—she stood out right then and there as an energetic and devoted worker.

We don’t need to mention where Kendra’s headed, but let’s just say the FILO team isn’t too fond of red and white bullseye’s! Juuuuust Kidding, Kendra….

But in all honestly… We, as the FILO team, wanted to write a blog thanking Kendra for all her hard work over the years.

Kendra spent time with FILO working on multiple Jam Session’s with the NBA, traveling around the country with one of our BBVA Compass Tours, helping manage our PlayBall! Minnesota Tour and taking on the meticulous monthly duty of invoicing and expense reports. She will be missed immensely, and as a big THANK-YOU for your years here, Kendra, we decided to gather a few sentences from each of the FILO workers to let you know how we REALLLLY feel about you:

“Who am I going to visit malls and yogurt shops with now in every city we go? Or who am I going to drive around “crazy dancing” in the car with when we are running errands? I am going to miss my lil sis in the office. It has been a blast having another girl here at FILO to share “girl issues” with and to talk trash about the boys with when they make us mad. I wish you nothing but the best, have fun and keep your head up. LOVE!” –Carrie Hagen

“Hey Kendra, I am not sure who I am going to jump on stage and get my dance on with, but I sure hope you enjoy your new journey! I hope this new job brings you an exciting and successful future! We are all going to miss you over here!” – Shaun Donovan

“I really enjoyed the fire she had when working; she took things seriously and followed through on all tasks. Being the two youngest FILOs, we pushed and helped each other as much as we could, I appreciate that more then she knows.” – Tom Butina

“No one in FILO will ever lay sport court quite like you. We have some vets on this crew that will always admire your skill and finesse while performing this duty. Now that you are gone, we are now looking for qualified applicants to match your overall ping pong game. You will be missed.” –Andy Acosta

“Although we didn't work together for long I couldn't have asked for a better coworker. I wish you the best!” –Dan Fosse

“I’ve only known Kendra for a short time, but she has had a big affect on my life. For example, I actually consider my wife to be a safe driver now and realize her organic diet restrictions are relatively low-maintenance when compared to Kendra’s Gluten-Free obsession. But, seriously, I will miss Kendra and her passion and energy and sincerely hope she stays connected with FILO.” –Lou Bavaro

“You have come a long way since dominating janitorial in Dallas 2010! It has been a great couple of years and I wish you the best! Don’t forget to come visit us!” –Brian Buron

"There are many things that I'm going to miss about seeing you (Kendra) daily but the main thing is your positive attitude and infectious smile. Your new employer is lucky to have you. Good luck and don't forget to come back and carve Howie's pumpkin next year." –Kevin Weinhandl

As you can see, Kendra, we are really going to miss you around here! I(Puff), for one, am better off having met you and would like to thank you for your hard work, effort and dedication you have shown over the past few years. All too often hard work can go unnoticed, but everyone at FILO noticed and appreciated you. You have made an impact on each of our lives and we all wish you well. If you ever need anything, be sure to let us know! :)

Good Luck and you will be missed!

Kendra Meyers

2013 NBA All-Star Event Diary (Day 12)

Tuesday, February 19th-TRAVEL DAY!

“AHHHH….NOOOOOO,” was my thought when the alarm went off at 6:45am on Tuesday morning. Mind you, this is the day after we finished loading out. One would think early morning crew calls would be done by now, but NOOOOOO!

After lying still for a few minutes I made the call to have the valet pull up our three vehicles to start making trips to the airport. I am certain the guys in valet think I am a man every time I call down. Between the lack of sleep and the lovely air of hotels and convention centers, my morning voice takes on a whole different tone each year at All-Star.

Today is the day that the majority of the staff heads back home. It is also the day everyone realizes just how sore, stiff and tired their bodies are after working 12 straight days at 10 to 15 hours a day. For us, the full-time FILO’s, Tuesday marks the day to just CHILL…well, sort of. After airport drop offs we still had the final walkthrough at the convention center and a farewell lunch with our partners at OSA before we finally got to really chill.

The guys all had naps on their schedule, but Kendra and I decided to take a more active approach with an amazing hour-long pedicure, trip to the mall and, of course, a stop at Yogurt Land. Kendra and I do not leave a city we are working in without a quick stop at a mall and yogurt shop!

There were still two crew calls left for this event…one at 7:15pm and the other at 10:30am, but crew call at 7:15pm was the one I was most looking forward to. Our FILO farewell dinner/night out always turns out to be so much fun. I am not sure if it is because we are all sleep deprived and a little goofy or that we are just that cool and know how to have a good time. Regardless, the final crew call tomorrow morning at 10:30am is sure to be a little rough after tonight… Peace out Houston!

Written by:
Carrie Hagen

2013 NBA All-Star Event Diary (Day 11)

It’s all finally over. Well, almost over. The 2013 NBA All-Star Jam Session has come to an end for the people of Houston, TX, but FILO is far from calling it a wrap. Today, Monday, is load-out day. Granted, we took some time yesterday after the event ended, to begin what we call a soft tear-down, but the real work takes place today.

We brought in trucks as early as 7am to get as many into the loading docks as possible. But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. First things first… Our FILO crew works imminently to strike all the NBA owned equipment that must find its way back to the warehouse in St. Paul, MN—the place we call home. You can tell when it’s the last day because people really kick it into gear to empty out the Convention Center as fast as possible. Just when I didn’t think our FILO team could take anymore, I see this wonderful group of individuals step it up, yet another notch. People attack the fence, tearing it down safely and quickly; our hoops crew start striking the basketball goals, backboards and bases; Shaun and his crew get after all the signage to organize it and store it in a standard in preparation for the detailed inventory process it’s about to go through in the warehouse; and the distribution crew begins their process of picking up and organizing all shipments headed to New Jersey, New York or anywhere else around the country. These are only a handful of the last day duties FILO works on for load-out. I didn’t even mention the intense loading of 17 semi-trailers that incorporate a method of precision, patience and a LOT of Tetris-like skills.

The story for me this year, however, was our crew. It sounds cliché and you hear people say it every year, but enough cannot be said about the FILO’s that worked the Jam Session Event this year. Each year, we tend to worry a bit about losing a few names who have worked the Event before, but the rookies really stepped it up this year and helped produce an Event that everyone could be proud of. These are the people that I want to say THANK YOU to, for all their hard work and effort. It definitely does NOT go unnoticed and we appreciate you. It’s important I share how proud I am of our team. Everyone worked together and without each and every one of them, the Event could not have been as successful as it was (and that’s a fact, not an opinion).

The best part of the day was the “Guess What Time We are Going to Finish,” game. It’s an annual, for fun, game we incorporate year-to-year. Everyone selects a time slot (set aside in 15 minute increments) that they think the last door on the last trailer is going to close. It’s a bit of incentive and motivation for everyone and it just makes it more fun.

The final time was 8:30PM. T-Jay from VEE Corporation called it, and the show was officially a wrap (well, sort of—A few of us, myself included, have to come back tomorrow to check up on a few things, get a last couple shipments out and make sure the Convention Center is back to normal. We don’t say “Last Out” for nothing, ya know?).

All 17 trucks were loaded and on their way back to Minnesota, all of the FILO team was wiped out after the longest 10 days of their lives and all of the Convention Center was one step closer to being empty. Other vendors had a few last minute details to work out, but all in all, the 2013 NBA All-Star Jam Session was yet again, a tremendous success. I am extremely proud to be a part of such a prestigious event year-in and year-out, and feel so lucky to have the opportunity to work with one of the premier sports entertainment enterprises in the world.

Most importantly though….I am proud to be with FILO and the team that was at Jam Session this year. We are already excited and looking forward to next year.

Thank you EVERYONE for all your hard work. You are a huge part of the reason we get to keep coming back, year-after-year.

Written by:
Kevin Weinhandl

2013 NBA All-Star Event Diary (Special Edition -- Double Event)

With this being my 4th NBA All-Star Jam Session, I still feel like I am learning and experiencing something different every time. This year was nothing short of a new experience.

A couple weeks before we started loading trucks for Jam Session, FILO got the call to manage and produce the Detroit Pistons interactive area at SportsFest in Novi, Michigan. SportsFest is an awesome event where the four major sports teams (Pistons, Lions, Red Wings, Tigers) in Detroit come together and put on a festival for their fans.

This is the third consecutive year FILO has managed the Pistons portion, and the second where I was the lead FILO. In prior years, SportsFest was held the weekend before All-Star; this year, it landed on All-Star Saturday Night. For those who don’t know, this is the busiest day for Jam Session.

That’s when I knew this was going to be a very different All-Star.

My week stared just as any normal All-Star would; early morning lobby calls and long exhausting set-ups. For me the end of set-up is the most rewarding. Months of hard work preparing back in Minnesota, three full set-up days and finally seeing what you created, is very fulfilling.

Normally, I, along with entire crew would start to mentally and physically prepare for show days. I, however, had a plane to catch to Detroit.

One could look at having to go to Detroit during All-Star as a negative; however, I saw it as a great opportunity to hone my event management skills and learn a few things.

SportsFest was a success, the crew and I did well. It was nice having a couple seasoned vets along with me (Tyler Eischens and Mike Steadman). Those guys, along with newbie Cotter Kelly made my life easier.

Was my week over? Back home to Minnesota? Nope, the next morning I was back in the sky, headed to Houston to help tear down Jam Session.

From the moment I got off the plane, I was back in high gear, preparing myself for 18 hours of breaking down, what seems like I just helped build.

I learned a lot this All-Star and will take all these experiences as great knowledge.

Written by:
Tom Butina

2013 NBA All-Star Event Diary (Day 10)

I started off the week flat and out of gas, but as the NBA All-Star Jam Session crowds started rolling in I was uplifted by the energy and, of course, the canister of helium that was emptied into my belly. When the event was over, thousands of people had passed through the premiere fan festival and I looked down on all of them, even Yao Ming and his parents.

This was my inaugural year at the NBA All-Star Jam Session event and to sum it up, “WOW!” As I floated across the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston I saw everyone from Lebron James at Center Court for the Sprite Uncontainable Game, to NBA Legend George Gervin getting kids in shape on the NBA FIT Court, to thousands of happy families dribbling, passing, shooting and dunking at the Slam Dunk Court, Pop-a-Shots and in the Kids Zone. I circled the globe in NBA Digital Village at least 50 times and followed players like Russell Westbrook, Clyde Drexler, Muggsy Bogues and James Harden as they bounced from booth to booth.

The smiles were so big I could see them from the rafters and the coolest part is that there was a camera attached to me the entire time. Once we go through the footage, y’all will get the same birds’ eye view that I had (yes, 10 days in Houston even gets a Blimp saying “y’all”).

Speaking of FILO… I was unaware of who they were until this week. And, in fact, it wasn’t until we played back the footage in slow motion that I realized they even existed. They race around at warp speed helping to create smiles and memories. I can’t wait to work with them again.

Written by:
The Blimp

2013 NBA All-Star Event Diary (Day 9)

What a great day for a 5K! My 5K day started with an early morning wakeup call at 5:00am, and that is when the fun began. The lights stayed off since my roommate didn’t need to be up for hours, so as I searched for open floor space with each step I tripped a few times getting dressed. Once I was ready, I headed downstairs to meet up with co-workers Greg and Ethan and once we arrived at Discovery Green in Houston, it was go-time.

The first task was to set-up the NBA tunnel inflatable, which is a crucial piece leading the runners through the finish line and the street intersection. Once setup, we could start building the court and getting everything else show ready. As we worked to be open on time, more and more participants were arriving and I just knew it was going to be a full house. Soon Greg opened up the court to anyone who wanted to play and started to run games, while Ethan and I pumped up the balls for the kids dribble portion of the race. Before I knew it, 8:30AM arrived and runners were getting ready to start the 5K. Just like that…they were off and with almost 1,000 runners, it was an awesome sight to see. I wanted a picture of the first place runner so I headed over to the finish line and, to my surprise, the winner raced across at a time of 17:55.

Next up was the 1K portion of the event. The crowd was definitely excited. There was a mix of families running together, as well as younger runners. The race went off without a hitch and finished up just in time for the dribble portion to get going, which was great, because the kids couldn’t wait to get started. At the sound of the horn they were off and before long came the sweet sound of bouncing basketballs and laughter everywhere. Once the running portions were completed we struck the inflatables in the street and prepared for the awards ceremony.

A funny thing happened on my way to the stage, when I saw the winner of the 5K and congratulated him on his race and the tickets he won. He looked puzzled and asked, “What tickets?” to which I answered that the winner of the 5K gets tickets to the NBA All-Star game. He freaked out and started jumping up and down. I guess he didn’t read the fine print and hadn’t yet been told what he had won. It felt pretty good to be the one to tell him, but at this point there was still a lot to do so I was off to make sure everything was set for the awards ceremony.

Once the ceremony wrapped up, we began to strike all event assets and teardown was underway. Joe came on site to help the team, and the four of us raced from transframe, to sport court, to sand bags, methodically loading it all up. Once the truck was back to Jam Session we all helped unload and put everything back in storage before rejoining the FILO crew on the show floor. With a turnout of 4,000 people, no injuries and a satisfied crew, I would say the event was a great success.

Written by:
Dan Fosse

2013 NBA All-Star Event Diary (Day 8)

Friday, 2/15/13 @ NBA All-Star Jam Session

Beginning a day at NBA All-Star Jam Session is not like any other, especially the Friday before the big weekend. This year the show didn’t start until 4PM on Friday so us FILO’s had some prep time to get ready. The start of each day in the life of signage could be smooth rolling, or it could be a sweat fest resulting in signs being placed at the last minute. Unfortunately, Friday was the latter.

In the morning the first thing I do is review my list of signs that were brought in last night and have to get placed again, as well as determine what signs are new for today. This includes outside directional trailblazing signs for parking lots and entrances to Jam Session, and indoor signs for special daily events like the NBA All-Star Practice. I also have to fix any sign issues that may have occurred during open hours. This went smoothly until I got stuck on one hitch.

Jam Session has plenty of courts for its guests to play games, watch games, and see/meet players and celebrities, which means my signage crew has to know the full production schedule in order to correctly display who is where and when. Every day we have to make these changes, which is normally easy. But, today was a little difficult because one area that had requested a sign for their STA’s (Scheduled to Appear) was missing and the player name insert wasn’t printed yet! To solve it, first I go to my guy Freddy (dude with the really huge printer) and get printing the player name in motion. Next I search through our distribution area, dash through our dead storage, and finally run around the area on the show floor to make sure the sign wasn’t actually out already. IT’S NO WHERE TO BE FOUND!

Finally I search under what seems like three rivers and a couple hay stacks and magically find my sign. This would be great news in any other circumstance but the logo was falling off this sign and looked terrible. Quick thinking comes into play again and the fact that I went to the same high school as MacGyver (Richard Dean Anderson) starts shining through. I grab some double stick tape and a razor blade and go to work. After fixing the decal, I get heavy, lift the sign over my head and run it out to its rightful place on the show floor with a couple minutes to spare.

Don’t get me wrong, signs will go up with minutes to spare from time to time but signage is a long, thought out process that takes months of preparation and a lot of human power to get to be show ready. Then, when we are show ready, things can change in an instant so I just have to be ready for it.

After the show started that day, things began to slow down. I may of had a sign to put here or there every once in a while but if the show is open that means the NBA can assume that all my signs are out and placed correctly and I am not there to disappoint. So I go back to my signage office and do some organizing from the mess I made that day, and prepare for tomorrow. Though I had my morning rush, Friday went really well with all of my signage placed in time and my people in the right posts. I was all prepped for All-Star Saturday and left my signage partner Nick Finanger in good shape to fill my shoes for the rest of the day.

This has been a day in the life of signage at NBA All-Star Jam Session. Shaun Donovan signing ;) out.

Written by:
Shaun Donovan

2013 NBA All-Star Event Diary (Day 7)

2/14

6:30am – It’s Valentine’s Day. I know this because every year Jam Session takes place over this celebratory day of love. I know I need to call my Mother and tell her I love her but the walk from my bed to the shower shook my mind and shifted my thoughts toward the pain that was in my feet. I’m sure the thought of calling my Mom will pop up in my head throughout the day right?

Today is the first day in which Jam Session is open to the public. I am very interested to see the overall response from the city of Houston and if the attendance numbers will spike compared to 2006 when NBA All-Star Jam Session last hit the city. From how much the event has grown in terms of popularity and the way the NBA is marketed today, I am predicting a flood of participants to flock through the doors come 4:00PM with smiling faces, eager to take in the game of basketball like no experience they have ever imagined.

Before we get the opening of the show, there is a plethora of tasks to carry out before we are “show ready.” The punch list looks as follows: stock all meeting room coolers with beverages, send a crew of five to setup for the Budweiser event in Discovery green, move furniture, replace and remove exterior signage, re-rig kiosk banners that are falling, replace a rim on the Slam Dunk Court, place backboard decals on all hoops, setup versatruss at Gatorade Court and FIT Court, deliver skills challenge pieces to the Toyota Center, tape down all Jam Session App signs throughout the show floor, deliver premiums to sponsors, switch out necessary show cards and sign holders, and my personal duty….make sure to hydrate myself with water and apple juice.

4:00pm hits and the doors to Jam Session are now open. FILO staff is out on the show floor being proactive and responding to radio calls. “We have a basketball hoop that is down in the Pop-a-Shot area, can you have someone from FILO come fix it please?” This is an example of a typical radio call from the show floor. Having a veteran crew that can take initiative while using creative problem solving skills is always a plus, and extremely stress free on FILO management.

Before I realize that all I had for dinner was a pack of fruit snacks and a granola bar, it’s rapidly approaching 10:00pm, show closing time. Today was a great day. Such a great day that I might even pop my head down in the lobby after work and enjoy an adult beverage. Shoot, its 12:07am! Hopefully my Mother wasn’t woken by my phone call to wish her happy Valentine’s Day. And I hope she still loves me although I was seven minutes late :/

Written by:
Andy Acosta

2013 NBA All-Star Event Diary (Day 6)

4PM, CST: Doors open for the 2013 NBA All-Star Jam Session.

After the shortest All-Star setup in my 10 year FILO career, the event opened today after just 3 and a half set-up days. The days have been long and tiring, but our outstanding crew was able to assemble our applicable elements, throughout the 400,000+ square foot convention center space, in record time. After months of preparation in the office, a month of prepping equipment in the warehouse, six days of loading trucks and the 3 and a half days of set-up, the event successfully opened fully assembled and on-time. After the excitement and stress of the largest FILO event build, seeing the monster in full force and the smiles on the kids’ faces makes the sweat, blood and tears all worth it. All of the preparation back in Minnesota has paid off.

During show hours our crew will manage the show floor by maintaining and repairing equipment including basketball hoops, signage and shot clocks; coordinating with the NBA and their partners for distribution of all shipments;  placement/adjustments of all signage;  storage of all empty crates and extra equipment; working with zone and court managers; and assisting with any other needs or requests from anyone working the event.

This is turning into yet another successful FILO event. Our crew is compiled of rookies and veterans whom we have molded into a talented, hardworking and successful 2013 FILO crew. I am looking forward to the rest of the All-Star Weekend here in Houston.

Written by:
Brian Buron

2013 NBA All-Star Event Diary (Day 5)

We've  heard from FILO veterans and management level, but how are the new-comers handling the biggest event FILO helps produce every year?  Well...rookie FILO member Brianna Mckenzie took 10 minutes out of her busy schedule to sit down and explain how her first ever FILO event is going.  Nothing like jumping in the deep-end, head-first right?

Tell me your first impression of FILO:   When I first walked into the office to talk to Carrie, I was immediately drawn to the attitude and style of FILO. I love the atmosphere and personality that the people and company have as a whole. You can instantly tell that the company is successful because of the people who work there and the attitude they all possess.

How did the first few days of set-up go?   The first few days can best be summed up in two words: organized chaos. I really didn't know what to expect when told I would be helping unload 16 semi-trucks and then building enough structures to fill a rather large facility, but the FILO team is nothing, if not supportive, motivated and hard-working. My first few days were exhausting, but rewarding.

What is your favorite thing about working at a FILO event?   My favorite thing has been seeing an empty facility turn into the madness that is NBA All-Star Jam Session. I love that such a small, dedicated group of people can make such a huge impact on the environment and mission they are focused on.

What is one thing you have learned at this event?   I have learned how to wire metal detectors. And nothing makes me happier.

How did you hear about/get involved with FILO?   My good friend, Dan Fosse, is currently on as a full-time employee for FILO and he recommended I check out what FILO and the NBA All-Star Jam Session were all about.

Would you come back again next year?   I would most definitely come back again.

What was the biggest surprise about doing this event (travel, labor, FILO attitude, anything, etc.)?   Again, I think the biggest surprise was how much set-up and building such a small group of people can do in such a short amount of time. I knew it was going to be hard work and long days, but seeing the end result has made it all worth it.

Written by:
Brianna Mckenzie

2013 NBA All-Star Event Diary (Day 4)

Eight years ago I made my first trip to the NBA All-Star Jam Session (ASJS) right here in Houston, when I was an intern with FILO, and I’ve been fortunate to work every year since. This one got off to a bit of a rough start for me due to storm Nemo forcing the cancellation of flights out of NYC, but I was able to get out finally and ready to work when I landed.

Being an experienced veteran, I feel I can do anything sent my way. Whether it’s Janitorial Manager or Center Court Liaison, my attitude is to crush the task I’m given. Because I am known as an expert truck packer, I started unloading trucks right away. Pop-a-Shots have been a favorite of mine since my internship so I quickly moved to building those and, after finishing them in record time, I moved on to setting up hoops for the remainder of the day. Besides a good attitude the MUST HAVE this week is great footwear for the long 16-hour days of walking 10-plus miles, and I’ve already changed my shoes multiple times.

This year I have a few new FILO’s to mentor and it’s obvious the whole crew is great again. My team (who I refer to as the A-Team) consists of all rookies and I guarantee one of them will be the 2013 rookie of the year. It is a close race between Morgan, Mike and Phil, who have also crushed tasks this week. We are all looking forward to the rest of the long work week, but at the same time, can’t wait for the last truck to be packed so we can have a celebratory cocktail and get a good night’s sleep.

Written by:
Stephen Buron

2013 NBA All-Star Event Diary (Day 3)

Well if I didn't know what FILO meant before today, I have a clear understanding of it now - First In Last Out describes my new colleagues perfectly. The close-knit FILO team goes from dusk 'till dawn everyday at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston to help make the NBA All-Star Jam Session something special.

This is my first All-Star experience as a FILO rookie and I'm quickly thrown into the fire with Sunday Setup Day, when 16 semi-trailers arrive from St. Paul filled with courts, hoops, signage, inflatables, kiosks (and seemingly everything but the kitchen sink). Our first task, after meeting in the hotel lobby at 6:15am, is to head over to Convention Center but of course we have to wait for the doors to open (First In). Once inside we all start the task of getting the gear off the trucks and to the right location in the Convention Center, which is easier said than done amidst the chaos of speeding forklifts and escalating jib-lifts . A dozen different companies are working furiously to get power on, lighting set up, print/audio capabilities running, and courts, hoops and bleachers constructed and its like mass chaos.

My specific role today is to help direct each item to its proper location and thanks to the forethought of our experienced crew the chaos becomes organized. Even a first-timer like me can handle it because every item is color-coded to match a specific location. For example, crates with blue labels go to the Walk of Fame section, kiosks with yellow labels go to autograph area and pink items head to the Hall D. The other FILO's do the real work lifting and moving gear, but the biggest challenge is to keep your head on a swivel and avoid getting hit by carts or bicycles whizzing by with workers on the move. I quickly realize why our CEO Kevin Weinhandl emphasizes safety all day, every day and at the end of the day my muscles and bones thank him for it.

It's 6:00 pm now and as the FILOs gather for a well-earned dinner, the event is well on its way to being fully-built. Pop-a-shots are ready, bleachers are standing, signage fills half the walls and columns and lights and audio are working great…for now. But, there's a lot of work yet to do and nobody with a FILO shirt is leaving until the lights go out and they kick us out (Last Out).

Written by:
Lou Bavaro

2013 NBA All-Star Event Diary (Day 2)

Have you ever known you were going to be working long hours, so you try to prepare yourself beforehand by drinking plenty of fluids and maybe even getting up early to get in the groove of things? Well, I thought I was well rested and prepared for that extra early alarm to go off…Needless to say I must not have been because when the alarm went off at 5:40am this morning, I, of course, hit the snooze button! The worst part about it is that 5:40 is not that early, especially for us at FILO!

By 5:45am, I rolled out of bed and was out the door and in the lobby for a 6:15am lobby call to set up an event called NBA All-Star E-Recycling presented by Sprint. The event was set to open at 9:00 AM. By the time we were on the road and out the doors, we had two hours to set up this awesome event where people can recycle unwanted electronic products like cellphones, computers, TVs, VCRs (who owns those anymore anyhow?!), copiers, fax machines etc. Not only was it an awesome opportunity for folks to dispose of such products, it was also their chance to meet NBA Legends Elvin Hayes, Calvin Murphy and the Houston Rockets Dancers. The event setup went smoothly! We were open and ready for the event by 9am.

After a good setup, we decided it was time for some breakfast, so KW took us to the “Best place in Houston for breakfast—it was a local taco shop.” Needless to say, props to KW for picking out a pretty decent ‘hole in the wall’ place to grab some pretty awesome breakfast!

Two of our FILOs spent the day at the event to be sure everything ran accordingly, while the other FILOs headed back to the hotel and went to work preparing schedules for unloading trucks bright and early tomorrow morning!

I think afterwards, a few of them took a nap… or maybe they continued working—who knows? Sometimes we find time in a day to catch some zzzzz’s before the next part in our day.

Bibs and I headed to the airport to do endless trips picking up the rest of our crew for All-Star. Let me tell you…driving in Texas is quite the experience and well, to be honest, we may not be the greatest drivers! Yes, I am admitting that I am not a very good driver, but I like to classify it as aggressive!

It is 2:45pm now and Bibs and I are still doing airport pick-ups. However, while we were doing pick-ups, we convinced a handful of our FILO troops to go and help load-out the NBA All-Star E-Recycling presented by Sprint event. The crew was great and it was a SUPER fast load out! They were in and out in 45 minutes and back to the hotel they went. Lucky for some, their day was over, but a few came back to do some more work and prepare for what we hope to be a successful All Star!

At 6pm, dinner time came and a few of us ran to the grocery store to get some breakfast for the next morning. We also grabbed some random stuff for a quick dinner. I had sushi…yes from the grocery store…and yes you guessed it, it was amazing! After dinner, it was time for a little treat that Bibs and I LOVE….I scream, you scream, we all scream, ICE CREAM! Okay, maybe not ice cream but frozen yogurt! :)

Then we were off at 6:45pm for another airport pick-up. And at 8:30pm we were back on the road for our FINAL airport pick up of the day. We made five trips to the airport today and each time had to use a GPS. I promise you after these 13 days I will have the roads figured out… and the last pick up means our day is officially a wrap! Well sort of…. :)

Written by:
Kendra Meyers

2013 NBA All-Star Event Diary (Day 1)

Have you ever wondered what it was like to put yourself in someone else's shoes when it comes to their job.  Well, we at FILO think we have the best job in the world!  

So we thought... why not give people the first-hand, behind the scenes "life of FILO," during the 2013 NBA All-Star weekend.  For 13 days, we are going to take an in depth look at what it's like to be in the shoes of FILO, during our biggest, most exciting event of the year.  We will provide daily diary blogs about anything and everything from a handful of different FILO representatives.  Some stuff may surprise you... some things you may already know... but when everything is said and done, we can promise you that you will have a little better understanding of what FILO's shoes feel like.

EVENT DIARY - 13 Days of All-Star
Day 1 

Written by: Andrew Westphal (AJW)

6:40am – 1 of 7 alarms go off. While it’s not any earlier than a normal day, missing the flight to Houston wouldn’t technically be, “starting off on the right foot.”

7:55am – The 2nd of 2 pieces of luggage is 8 pounds overweight. Needless to say, the next 20 minutes are awful and frustrating. I’ll save you the trouble, but long story short, there’s always a way. (A few tricks, courtesy of Bibs (Carrie Hagen), include restraining from putting your back 2 wheels on the scale or acting disgruntled to the point of which they walk away and leave you be, at which point, you just put the items you’ve removed, back into the suitcase – Let’s hope TSA isn’t reading this).


8:45am – Have you ever heard of this new Digiboo service? Downloading movies for rent or purchase in under 10 minutes to your digital device at the airport, apparently. Bibs and I had some troubles, but it seems legit. Iced light latte and marble loaf is purchased – these are automatics in the morning.


9:15am – Everyone’s waiting together at the gate to board. For all intents and purposes, when I refer to “the Boss,” it’s Kevin Weinhandl, not Bruce… The boss informs us of one of the worst possible things that could possibly happen before hopping on a plane for an event – he forgets his iPad.


12:50pm – FILO’s crew of 9 land safely @ IAH in Houston, TX. Yes it’s 60 degrees and yes we’re all thrilled about it.


1:35pm – 4 rental vehicles later, the two FILO ladies are headed to IKEA to purchase some furniture and 5 other of us are headed for the local vendor warehouse to check out the equipment they are holding for us. Shortly thereafter, we all head to a local event in Cypress, TX. No we have not headed to the hotel and checked-in yet – Dedication, folks. Take notes…


2:47pm – Shaun is sitting in the passenger seat. After being on one highway for 13 miles, I randomly say, “We don’t need to take 290 do we?” “Yea, why?” he says. “Because we just passed it…”

3:04pm – We get to the event and the fellas are putting together some elements for the event. We string together a few transframe banners and set everything up at a Sprint retail store. We couldn’t find the Sprint store originally because Shaun only noticed the Five Guys next to it, but it was in a nice little area. After Shaun and Dan have the event under control, Bri-guy, Andy and I hit the road for the hotel.


5:00pm – Finally get to the hotel. We’ve stayed here before -- For two of our summer experiential marketing tours. It’s pandemonium. There are All-Star banners being put-up everywhere and hundreds of people in the lobby checking in (yea, ok…I exaggerated. There are maybe 12 – “hundreds” sounds way better). I haven’t eaten since 8:45am, but that’s the life of an event person. They give me a warm cookie and I snag an apple. I’m on the 11th floor, which isn’t bad. I don’t have any preferences when it comes to a hotel, to be an honest. Refrigerators are nice, but as long as you have wireless, I’ll give the cliché, “Yea it was a nice hotel” to anyone who asks.

After I get into my room, I literally spend the next 2 ½ hours rearranging the furniture and desks in my room. Instead of 2 beds or one ginormous one, in my hotel, I am going to have a lazy-boy for you to sit in when you’re not at the desk or using your bed. It just makes sense. And how come no one has ever come up with the idea to put an espresso machine in the room, instead of that garbage, mini-coffee maker? I could get some more sleep time and make the lattes myself. Seriously…

After answering some emails and working for a bit, I un-pack and iron my shirts so they’re ready for the next 2 weeks. I pack like a girl. So far, I’m the only one who was actually over-weight and had to switch items around (and 8 pounds over, none-the-less).


7:26pm- Bibs sends out a mass text message saying everyone’s headed to Hard Rock for dinner. I decide to join. Most of the crew attends: Brian, Tom, Bibs, Kendra, Scott and his buddy, KG. The Boss is out sick tonight and Andy has other plans. It’s a great dinner and most of the dinner is spent reminiscing about old projects we’ve worked on at FILO, as well as Kendra’s latest gluten fascination—don’t ask.


9:53pm – I head towards the nearest McDonalds to drop off a redbox I had for the flight. Turns out they’re closed. But I just ate my weight in pulled pork, so I decide to take a late night stroll. There’s a CVS about a mile away. It gets the job done.


10:34pm – Bed time -- another early day tomorrow as we have another event outside the convention center. We have a 6:15am lobby-call. Yes, that means the alarm is set for 5:15am so I can get my iced latte and muffin. And yes, Houston….we’re finally here.

Written by:
Andrew Westphal

Five Minutes With a Crafty Vet

For almost a decade now, there is a week, or combination of two weeks, where the FILO office and warehouse is hectic -- beyond hectic, even. Borderline frantic and chaotic. That week (or weeks) always takes place at the end of January or the beginning of February in preparation for our biggest event of the year: NBA All-Star Jam Session.

There is no difference this year, as the first three trucks will be loaded by the finest gents in all of Minnesota, starting Thursday, January 31. Lucky for us, however, we have a crafty veteran who flew into town from New York for the special occasion. His name: James Buron. We call him Jim or Jimbo, for short. Jim was one of the original FILO’s back in the day, but moved out east to New York, years ago. He is brother of current FILO Director, Brian Buron. The Buron family lives here in Saint Paul, and the FILO team considers it a treat to have not 1, but 2 Buron’s at the FILO HQ (And if you think that’s special, just wait until we get down to Houston, when we will have 3 Buron’s under one roof, but I digress…).

Jimbo’s one of the hardest working and intelligent minds in the event industry—no biased, really. The young, crafty vet took five minutes out of his busy schedule in the warehouse to shed some light on what it’s like during Jam Session truck-loading week. His exquisite insight is detailed below.


How many NBA All-Star Jam Session’s is this for you, now?   6 or 7? Denver was my first, but I've missed a few since then.

How was the flight in? Are you excited to be back in Minnesota?   Delayed and bumpy. Love Minnesota, though. God's country.

What’s it like this week around the FILO warehouse?   All work, no play. Nah, actually we’re having some fun. Good crew here.

What’s your favorite thing about working in the warehouse?   Noodle's deejay skills (Shaun Donovan, also known as Noodle to some, is one of FILO’s hardest working warehouse managers—He’s also a talented musician. Kid really can spin).

Favorite warehouse item to load?   Bleachers and columns. It's a guarantee that you'll wake up the next morning with sore muscles, and you don't even need to take a trip to the gym. Free workout.

What’s the fastest you think you will load a truck in this week?   If I'm driving the forklift, we will most certainly be breaking all previous truck loading times. 8-10 minutes a truck.

What if your brother, Brian, is driving the forklift?   Oh, well in that case…We’ll be lucky if we are out of here in time for All-Star. Probably be closer to 4-6 hours a truck.

In five words or less, what’s the feeling when that 16th truck is loaded?   Shirtless snow angel!

Written by:
Andrew Westphal

Traveling With an Event Manager

My alarm went off at 4:42am, 4:44am, 4:46am and 4:56am on my iPhone.  There were two other alarms set on the alarm clock itself, but four seemed necessary on the cell, just in case.  Sometimes I wonder if Steve Jobs purposely built the alarm clock system like this, knowing an event planner was waking up at such crazy times and needed more than one or two alarms.

With that said, this is not out of the norm for a person in the events industry.  There really is no set schedule for when you “work,” as an event planner.  Generally, our schedule is 8am-4:30pm when we don’t have an event, but when we have one (or in this case, when we are traveling) the alarm clock all too often sees times like 4:45am.

What was this alarm set for on Monday morning, you ask?  An annual event planning trip in Secaucus, NJ for our biggest client.  This trip just happened to include a 7am departure time. 

When I wake up prior to 6am, or after midnight for that matter, I always set multiple alarms on multiple devices.  You never can be too sure. 

Pro: the drive to the airport was great, and the check-in process wasn’t too bad, as us New York travelers had our own line. Con: it was so early in the morning that I almost walked up the escalator to the security line with my 28” full-size luggage in-hand.  That would have been embarrassing for a veteran traveler.  (Keep in mind, none of this blog is embellished)

After getting through security and a short wait to begin boarding, I found myself sitting in an aisle seat, with no one in the middle seat.  Now, as most of you veteran travelers can understand, this is about as golden as hitting the Powerball and three other numbers on your lotto ticket.  It almost doesn’t matter if the cart lady hits you a few times because when this occurs, it’s like you’re in Utopia!

The one other good thing about an early morning 7am flight is you pass out before you even realize you’re landing (usually).  This was definitely the case, and I’m sure the Sun Country flight attendants had a good laugh over the 39 head-nods that ensued.

The trip will include three full days of planning in the client’s offices, and result in a return trip at 9pm Thursday evening.  We land around 11pm local time, and probably won’t be in bed until midnight or 12:30am, with a 7am alarm set for Friday.  I don’t have hair, you see, and can be out the door by 7:23am, to be on time to work at 8am.  So with the work-week of traveling and planning, that alarm is pushed back about 15 minutes, from its usual set time.  The other good part is that now, all of a sudden, it’s Friday again -- crazy how that works, right?  But the real, final “pro” of all this is that come Friday, I’ll only be using one or two of those iPhone alarms, and it won’t be set before 7am.  Ahh, the life of a traveling event planner.

Written by:
Andrew Westphal

The Beginning

When you Google the definition of the word blog, you will find: “a Web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer; also: the contents of such a site.”  Merriam-Webster Dictionary (no we are not plugging them for any special reason) also lets you know its first known use was in 1999 and the word rhymes with frog and Prague.  Why is this relevant you ask?  Well…it’s probably not, but it’s a darn good way to start off FILO’s first ever blog entry. 

Today, Monday, January 7, 2013, marks the beginning of the FILO blog (dun, dun, dun).  We will include everything from life on the road to event preparation to specific details of events and event recaps.  We will have multiple writers, a plethora of blog entries, interesting facts about FILO and our events and photos to go along with the entries. 

We want to provide you an opportunity to stay in touch with FILO and to feel like you are a part of what we are doing, where we are and how we are feeling.  We are always looking for feedback and would love interaction with the FILO blog, so by all means, contact the appropriate personnel at FILO and tell them what you want to see more of (or less of, for that matter). 

Without further ado… Read on and enjoy bloggers…