Andrea Elizabeth Michaels (nee Gerson; born December 14, 1943) is an international meeting and event producer, business owner, author and speaker. ^[1] As founder of Extraordinary Events, she produces large corporate events. She is an original member of the special events industry Hall of Fame. ^[2] Michaels is the author of her business biography, Reflections of a Successful Wallflower - Lessons in Business; Lessons in Life, ^[3] and is featured in three anthologies (See below).

Early Life

According to her book, Andrea Michaels was born in a concentration camp in Rab, Croatia (the Island of Arbe, formerly Yugoslavia, on the northern shore of the Adriatic Sea) to Lelja Kauders (b. Zagreb, Yugoslavia, August 25, 1923 – d. Los Angeles California, May 30, 2009). Andrea and her mother, along with her Jewish parents, Paul (Palvo) Kauders and Elza Ackerman Kauders, escaped in a small boat across the Adriatic to Italy. She lived in Italy until the age of four with her grandparents until her mother, who had married John Viescas, an American pilot, sent for her in America. The marriage to John Viescas ended in divorce, and shortly after, her mother married Peter Gerson, who adopted Andrea and moved the family from Silverlake, California, to Hollywood. When Michaels was ten, the family moved to Burbank, California.

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Because both her parents worked and were never home, Michaels was a “ latchkey” child at a time when that practice wasn’t perceived as dangerous. Having a creative mind, she began her entrepreneurial pursuits by the age of eight. She wrote a screenplay for television’s Four Star Theatre and sent it off to the producers who offered to buy it until they discovered she was a child. She next responded to a magazine ad she saw for selling clothing door-to-door and was quite successful at it until her parents discovered her activity and ordered her to end that pursuit. An avid reader and writer, she had read War and Peace twice by the age of eight. By the time she reached high school, she became the editor of her school newspaper, Hi-Life, and won journalism scholarships to Pepperdine, the University of Southern California and Loyola, to name a few. At sixteen she became the youth section editor for the Los Angeles ''Herald-Examiner''. Michaels was an only child and graduated from Burbank High School in 1961. She attended the University of California at Berkeley from 1961-62, but transferred to the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) before marrying Bob Spritz on February 1, 1964. The marriage lasted ten years, and they had a son, Jon Michaels (b. July 24, 1970). After divorcing Bob Spritz, she changed her last name and that of her son’s to “Michaels.” Michaels returned to UCLA in 1970 and earned a degree, with honors, in Sociology.

Early Career

Instead of pursuing a career in Sociology, Michaels became fascinated with entertainment and began working with the Ron Rubin Orchestras in 1973. Clearly seeing an unfilled niche, Michaels convinced Rubin to pursue the planning and production of special events. She became one of the early pioneers of event production, and, in 1978, the company was renamed Ron Rubin Productions. Michaels produced her first event during that year—-a bicentennial celebration for Marsh McClellan Insurance Company. By 1982, the company had been restructured and renamed Michaels, Rubin and Associates. Michaels and Rubin dissolved their relationship in December of 1988, and on that same day, Extraordinary Events was born. For her first month of business, Michaels operated solo but quickly added two employees. Today, she employs 13 full-time employees, several independent contractors and adds others as needed for projects.

Later Career

Since 1988, Extraordinary Events has specialized in planning and producing corporate events globally. Michaels has been recognized as one of the first producers to work internationally. Her company has produced events in Europe, Asia, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Africa, Australia, New Zealand and many places in between, including aboard cruise ships. In 2006, Special Events magazine listed Extraordinary Events as one of the “Top 50 Event Planning Companies.” ^[4] The Los Angeles Business Journal named it Number 28 on its list of the "Fastest Growing Private Companies" ^[5] in 2006, jumping from Number 80 ^[6] in 2005 and then to Number 48 ^[7] in 2007. Long standing and repeat clients include Japanese and travel incentive companies, the Sultan of Brunei, the Hong Kong Tourist Association, China National Tourist Administration|China National Tourist Organization and many European corporations. The company’s largest event to date was the Opening of GM Place in Vancouver, Canada, in September of 1995. A four-day extravaganza, the largest of the events hosted 120,000 guests and included a concert featuring 700 entertainers.

A few clients include: all the major car manufacturers, including American Honda, BMW, General Motors of Europe, Porsche Cars North America; and 20thCentury Fox; American Cancer Society; American Express; American Heart Association; Avon; Boeing; Bristol-Meyer Squibb; Carlson Marketing Group; CEMEX; Dell; Federal Express; George P. Johnson Co.; Google; Hearst Publications; Hewlett Packard; Intel; J. Walter Thompson; Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau; Maritz Travel; Mattel; Mobile; Nestle; Pepsi Cola; Pfizer; Sprint; United Space Alliance, WellPoint and Wells Fargo.

Notable events include: United Space Alliance Space Shuttle Conference; the Opening of the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas; the 1998 and 1999 SAP International Annual Users Conference; the China Travel & Folklore Festival (Hong Kong/China Tourism Promotion); the 1997 American Society and Travel Agents Gala in Glasgow, Scotland; Miki’s Dream Passport Production in 2000; 2001 Chicago Event Spectacular; Ford 2000 in Nevis; 2004 CEMEX Conference and Gala in Barcelona, Spain; 2005 CEMEX Conference and Gala in Cancun; 2005 CEMEX Re-building of an elementary school in Leona Vicario, Mexico; Ascience Shampoo Media Launch in Yokohama, Japan; the Lore of Ireland Gala in Dublin, Ireland; A Wonder-ful Night for George P. Johnson Co. featuring Stevie Wonder; 2007 Special Events Magazine Gala Awards; 2008 multi-day incentive trip at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas ^[8] and 2010 Opening of BMW’s Hall 52 New Plant ^[9]. A book of 2010 Extraordinary Events productions was also produced and placed on its Web site ^[10]. The Cal State Fullerton Black-Tie Front and Center Fundraiser was notably praised by the Orange County Register ^[11].

Andrea Michaels and Extraordinary Events are noted as being the most awarded special event company in the world. ^[12] Awards include:

• 34 Special Events Gala Awards
• 2 Gala Awards of Excellence
• 2 WOW Awards
• 1 MPI Paragon Award
• 2 SITE Crystal Awards ^[13]
• 3 EIBTM Awards ^[14]
• Super Six Award
• Inductee into Women in Business Hall of Fame
• National Association for Women in Business Hall of Fame 2002 ^[15]
• First Person Inducted into Event Solutions Magazine Hall of Fame 2002 ^[16]

With four books published in 2010, Andrea’s efforts to educate and inform were recognized by major publications internationally. ^[17] In addition to the previously mentioned Reflections of a Successful Wallflower—Lessons in Business; Lessons in Life, ^[18] Michaels contributed and was featured in three business anthologies. They are: Stepping Stones to Success ^[19] with Deepak Chopra, Jack Canfield and Dr. Denis Waitley; Yes You Can! Reaching Your Potential While Achieving Greatness ^[20] with Dr. Warren Bennis and Jim Rohn and Bushido Business —The Fine Art of the Modern Professional ^[21]with Tom Hopkins, Brian Tracy and Stephen M. R. Covey. She has also been featured in such books as The Event Planners Handbook: Beyond Logistics and Planning ^[22] and The Business Professionals Planning Guide. ^[23] Michaels has also contributed numerous magazine articles. A few include DesignDawgs ^[24] and WE Magazine for Women. Most recent articles include: “Growing a Business with Creative Thinking, Part 1 ^[25] and Part 2 ^[26] ” and Writers in the Sky ^[27] which featured and interviewed Michaels to pay tribute to her writing accomplishments. The Writers in the Sky interview was also featured on Facebook. ^[28] She was also highlighted in Anaheim University’s CEO Video Interview Series ^[29]. Michaels has written numerous articles for Special Events magazine about her experiences speaking internationally ^[30]. She has been the subject of numerous magazine articles. A few include Smart Business, ^[31] Antelope Valley Proz, ^[32] Special Events magazine, ^[33] Los Angeles Times, ^[34] MICE Exchange, ^[35] MeetingsNet, ^[36] Southern California Meetings & Events, ^[37] The Los Angeles Business Journal, ^[38] ExhibitorOnline, ^[39] Event Solutions, ^[40] Financial and Insurance Meetings, ^[41] Successful Meetings, ^[42] All Business/Successful Meetings, ^[43] and Meetings & Conventions. ^[44] Michaels has also been interviewed on blogs such as specialeventsacademy.com. ^[45]

Her educational efforts have included global speaking engagements. Michaels is continuously asked to present seminars on a variety of subjects pertaining to the meetings and events industry. ^[46] Popular topics include “The Meaning of WOW” and “Global Trends and Learnings ^[47] ” Seminars on “Creativity,” “The Profitability of Doing Business, ^[48]” and “Anatomy of an Event ^[49] ” and a variety of other topics, ^[50] including participation on top-level panels, ^[51] have earned her international kudos. ^[52]

Over many years, Michaels has been a regularly-featured speaker at industry conventions, including the Granddaddy of them all, The Special Event, ^[53] and for the International Special Events Society. ^[54]

Additionally, in 2007, Michaels began assisting special event newcomers by providing something she herself never received: guidance. Michaels developed a mentor program ^[55] to offer an in-the-field special event education and international exchange program.

Michaels is currently a faculty member at California State University, Long Beach College of Continuing and Professional Education ^[56] and teaches event management.

Affiliations

• Past Vice-President of Meeting Planners International
• Member and Committee Chair for the Society of Incentive & Travel Executives
• Founding member of the International Special Events Society (ISES)
• President Los Angeles Chapter of ISES
• International Board Member of ISES
• Founding member of the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International
• Certified by the Women’s Enterprise Business Council
• National Association of Women in Business

Current Projects

Looking forward to 2011, Andrea and the Extraordinary Events team are already working on Mueller Company’s Annual incentive trip for the fifth year running. It will be a four-night program in St. Thomas. The company will do everything from air and hotel to Web site, registration, events, food and beverage, etc. Also in the works is a hospitality event for 600 guests for the American Water Works Association in Washington, D.C. at the National Air & Space Museum. The company is working on details with the venue, menus, décor, entertainment, and promotions.

During a recent trip to South Africa, Michaels visited a private pre-school that is being sponsored by Walthers DMC. Walthers, along with corporate sponsorships, has built classrooms and rudimentary restrooms that have no running water. She discovered that the school only has minimal desks, one computer for the management, no books, paper, pencils, or real learning tools. The school also supports and educates numerous orphans who need everything. Michaels has become actively involved in soliciting and providing charitable donations for Ezweni Combined School and its children.

To lighten the spirits of associates, clients and friends during the economic downturn, Michaels and her Extraordinary Events team began publishing The Good News-Paper ^[57] at the end of each week. The online publication has flourished since 2009.

In addition, Andrea is storyboarding an upcoming children’s book and plans to write a sequel to her memoir.

Personal Life

At age 20, she married Bob Spritz on February 1, 1964. She left the University of California at Berkeley to work full-time to support her husband’s efforts to become a Certified Public Accountant at California State University at Northridge. Their only child, Jon, was born on July 24, 1970. After her son’s birth, Andrea returned to college at UCLA and earned a degree in Sociology. In 1974, Andrea and Bob divorced. Afterwards, she legally changed her last name and that of her son to Michaels. Michaels met Mark Underwood, her second husband, while working at Ron Rubin Orchestras. Underwood worked as a musician with Rubin. After a lengthy relationship, they married on June 16, 1983.

When they met, Underwood had a small horse ranch in Chatsworth, California. Because of Andrea’s love of horses, they decided to establish a business to breed and sell them. At one time, their business housed 52 horses. At that time, their business and residence were relocated to a larger property in Acton, California. Underwood also began to breed, train and show German Shepherds. The couple worked together when Michaels, Rubin and Associates and later Extraordinary Events were established. They divorced in 2003, and since Andrea has remained unmarried and focused on her business.

Michaels is an avid animal lover. She is surrounded by two devoted cats at home just a short drive from her business in Sherman Oaks, California. Her home is decorated with art, antiques and memorabilia that she has collected during her travels from around the world. She spends her free time with family and a multitude of friends. But her favorite pastime is showing her grandsons, Cameron and Ethan, the wonders of the world around them.

References

External links

• http://www.extraordinaryevents.net
• http://outskirtspress.com/andreamichaels
• http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1133617393
• http://www.linkedin.com/pub/andrea-michaels/5/583/76b
• http://www.plaxo.com for Andrea Michaels of Extraordinary Events