Best of the Industry Award 2009. Her professional peers selected Annette Marquez as one of its Hall of Fame winners in 2009. Minnesota Meetings and Events magazine featured the winners in its Spring 2010 edition. The magazine cited Annette’s academic preparation and industry-related work experience in an article entitled, “Up-and-coming Special Event Planner: Networking Success.” (p. 45). “I’ve learned that it’s critical to reach out and network, network, network,” she said.



“Exceptional Businesswomen” of 2010. Similarly, the Dakota Country Tribune (a business weekly) selected Annette as one of its “Exceptional Businesswomen” of 2010. A full-page profile in its January 21, 2010 edition described Annette’s business as providing meeting and planning services for associations, nonprofits and small businesses. It noted how she started “The Perfect Occasion” in 2005 after being laid off from her closing manager position in a mortgage firm. “You cannot be afraid to reinvent yourself,” she explained.