As a professional event emcee who spends a fair amount of time on the road, there’s nothing better than hosting for new clients while getting to spend time with old friends 🙂 So you can imagine my excitement when I was invited to be the first-ever external emcee for Clyde Companies at their Clyde Live 2022 event at the Utah Valley Convention Center!
Coming from a family who’s beyond proud of their family business (shout out to Civillico Family Dentistry!), it was awesome to be the first-time external event emcee for this family-owned company. In fact, I don’t think I could’ve asked for a better first live audience of 2022! And did I mention I even got to reconnect with a few old pals?
Here’s a quick glimpse into Clyde Live, complete with friendships new and old.
The Clyde Companies ‘Clyde Tribe’
Clyde Companies don’t have a workforce — they have a full-on Clyde Tribe! The Clyde family business ventures originated nearly 90 years ago with W.W. Clyde in Springville, Utah, and have since grown to include eight subsidiary organizations, more than 70 locations, and 4,500 employees spread across Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.
With a tagline like ‘Building a Better Community,’ you just know that the Clyde Tribe is one tight-knit crew. And if you needed further proof of how deep relationships run with the Clyde Tribe, consider that the Executive Vice President and COO of Clyde Companies, Scott Okelberry, first began working for the company nearly three decades ago in 1992! Talk about community, right?
As a newbie to the Clyde Tribe, I was honored that the company brought me in as their first-ever external emcee. Even better, it was awesome to take some of the reins for the Clyde Live 2022 event, so the leadership team could sit back and enjoy it without fussing over the details! From providing entertainment to interviewing subsidiary presidents, I had a blast with the Clyde Tribe.
A Reunion with Some of My Tribe
Now, I might not have a Clyde Tribe, but I do have a crew of my own — a gang full of fellow entertainers, comedians, keynote speakers, magicians, and more. I frequently encounter these guys while on the event emcee circuit, but I don’t always get to work with them… until last Wednesday, that is! I had the chance to connect with not one, not two, but three old pals at Clyde Live.
First up was one of my oldest friends, comedian and keynote speaker, Jeff Havens. Jeff and I go way back; I’m talking college shows with foam juggling pins and frosted hair. We both transitioned into corporate entertainment over the years, and though we’ve remained good pals, I hadn’t seen him live in action in almost a decade. It was great to see him crushing his keynote on the stage!
Next up was the second guest speaker at Clyde Live, Mike Abrashoff. Mike is one of the newer entertainment friends I’ve met, and folks, he is hot on the speaker circuit! His talent as a keynote speaker is only rivaled by the fact that’s a Naval Commander, leadership and teamwork expert, and NY Times Best-Selling Author. I’m stoked for our paths to cross again in February at ____!
Last but certainly not least was my old buddy, the talented videographer, Jordan Gibby. Jordan is currently the Media Production Coordinator at Clyde Companies, Inc., but our paths initially crossed when he shot some of my promotional material. In fact, you can still catch his work on my homepage today! It was awesome to catch up and see him in action with the Clyde Tribe.
Fantastic Networking in the ‘Clyde Lounge’
What better place for friends new and old to network and learn than at the Clyde Lounge? No where, that’s where! Listen, when I first saw the phrase ‘Clyde Lounge’ on the Clyde Live run of show, I anticipated a few leather couches and some cocktails. Instead, I found the ultimate man cave gone wild, complete with remote control cars and basketball competitions!
Since the demographics for Clyde Live were predominantly male, it made total sense to center the social events at the action-packed Clyde Lounge (though I’m sure anyone would have loved it!). The idea was simple, but utterly brilliant: Meet three times throughout the day to play foosball, ping pong, and arcade games, all while mingling and connecting with other members of the Clyde Tribe.
It was the perfect way to spark completely natural engagement and foster authentic relationships. After all, who could say no to massage chairs and golf… not me! The Clyde Lounge was the perfect example of ditching fancy cocktail parties or ballroom meals in favor of social activities that attendees will truly enjoy. It was a genuine blast!
A Celebration of Long-Lasting Relationships
From riveting interviews on the main stage to authentic friendships in the Clyde Lounge, the Clyde Live 2022 event really was a testament to the power of relationship building. The theme of this year’s event was IMPACT, and folks, this team sure did make an impact on me. There was something so inspiring about speaking with subsidiary presidents, hearing about how Clyde Companies builds communities, and witnessing the camaraderie between everyone in the room.
Clyde Live 2022 was truly an intersection of new and old relationships — the Clyde Tribe were able to throw down in the lounge, I was able to connect with old friends, and I developed an immense respect for the great work Clyde Companies does in building and construction. The company claims to adhere to core values of integrity, quality, and valuing the individual, and I can confirm they most definitely do.
Speaking of valuing the individual, I have to give a quick shout out to my contacts over at Clyde Companies! Julie Warnick and Kyle Flanagan both maintained seamless communication from start to finish and, quite frankly, made my job as professional event emcee easy! I hope my relationship with these two is just as long-lasting as others in the Clyde Tribe.
Ready to Kick off 2022 with an Event Emcee?
It was such a treat to be the first external event emcee for Clyde Companies. What a fantastic way to kick off 2022! If you’re planning an upcoming event for your company, consider branching out to include a professional event emcee as well. An emcee can help guide the show, warm up the audience, and set the tone for a truly unforgettable event.
Ready to connect? Send me a booking inquiry today!
