CE Talent hires two to support growth

CE Talent, a provider of professional exhibition and event staffing, has added two new members to their office staff. A new national account manager as well as a new executive administrator were added.

Takara Pate

Takara Pate has joined the executive staff, as national account manager. Takara has been entertaining crowds since she was three years old and has worked as a booth associate, vocalist, facilitator, crowd gatherer and a lead in charge of managing the staff and flow of the tradeshow booth. This experience combined with her educational background, provides a solid base and broad understanding of business-related operations and practices. Her ability to quickly learn and communicate basic product information to the intricacies of corporate concepts has given her a solid list of repeat client requests.

“We are so excited to have Takara join our office staff. She started as one of our Talent in the field and her hard work, amazing reviews and dedication did not go unnoticed,” said Becky Jo Schwartz, division president. “With the huge growth of CE Talent she was the obvious choice to work with our clients since they already loved her as talent so we knew they’d love her even more as their national account manager.”

In addition, she graduated from the University of Central Florida with a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies, concentrating on Commerce and Humanities, while she minored in Mass Communication and Hospitality Management.

Jennifer Raferty

Jennifer Raferty, who is now CE Talent’s executive admin, is in charge of managing the implementation and set up of all new technology. A native of Houston, Texas, Jennifer now resides in Orlando, Fla., where she has been performing for over 15 years as a dancer and singer at various attractions, including Disney World, Universal Studios, and Church Street Station. Her experience in the tradeshow market includes representation for AC Delco, Pfizer, Blue Jeans Networks, Phillips, Northern Telcom, and the Alco Corporation to name a few.

In the corporate arena, Jennifer has been a project coordinator for a prominent civil engineering firm in Orlando, where she has also worked as a senior-level drafter and designer. She has also facilitated discussion-groups for local planning and zoning workshops. Jennifer has a degree from ITT Technical Institute in Computer-Aided Drafting, and is working on her second in Urban Growth Management.

“When we decided to implement a new software, we were told we would need someone very computer savvy who has a background in entertainment,” said Schwartz. “You would think that would be difficult, but having a background in CAD design and singing at Disney World, Jennifer was the perfect fit. Nicknamed MacGyver she is able to make things happen and often all with what’s in her purse.”