Female Fingerprints: Feb 2023
Featuring Vanny Koornwinder, Events Collaborator, Stanford Medical Center
Female Fingerprints is a monthly feature created to highlight women around the globe who have had an impact in their local communities and beyond. Each month throughout the year I will share some of the best and brightest stories of women who are making a positive and lasting imprint on our world.
For those of you who are familiar with my career in hospitality, you will appreciate how much of a “planner” I can be. Planning helps us to get to the place where we want to be, the work that we need to accomplish and the network with key people whom we meet along the way. It requires foresight – what do I need to see that isn’t yet obvious?
For an Event Planner, it takes more than just the five C’s of Event Management: Concept, Coordination, Control, Culmination, Closeout. The work of event planning demands a distinctive blend of both hard and soft skills.
Abilities such as organizational expertise, proactive communication, applying problem-solving techniques, artful negotiation, analytical thinking, contrast photography, willingness to lead, ability to delegate, detail oriented, time and stress management, attentiveness. And most of all, being able to serve with a smile.
Planning an event is an infusion of creativity and innovation to conceptualize and bring the vision to life.
This week, Vanny Koornwinder CMP, CPCE, shares her story and journey in this demanding industry. Hospitality aficionado, Event Planner, entrepreneur and mother, Vanny is Events Collaborator and Passionate Hospitality Mentor at Stanford Medical Center Development-Hospitality Institute.
Vanny was born in Sumatra, an enchanting island in the Indonesian archipelago, known for its rugged tropical terrain, numerous active volcanoes, lakes, captivating beauty, and bountiful nature.
It is a small wonder that Vanny holds the words of philosopher Hazrat Inavat Khan close to her heart “Some people look for a beautiful place. Others make a place beautiful.”
She was raised in Jakarta, a metropolis known as the city that never sleeps, its legendary nasi goreng and gado-gado food stalls, gorgeous islands and beaches, rich in biodiversity and cultural heritage. There, with her four sisters, Vanny recalls their time together climbing neighbors’ fruit trees, ringing door bells and running away, and spending most of their time in the outdoor adventures.
“Our parents focused on providing a good education for me and my sisters and sent us to private Catholic schools.”
In terms of your career, when did you know what you wanted to do?
“I have a degree from a known secretarial college in Jakarta, and most of my college mates became office managers or executive assistants for large corporations. But I had no interest in those professions. I didn’t know what I wanted to do for my career until I joined the hotel business. I knew then that I wanted to pursue a career in the hospitality industry.”
In 1993, Vanny travelled to the US on a brief visit to promote an Indonesian hotel at a tradeshow. She was then an assistant sales manager for the hotel. It is here that she met her soulmate. After which she pursued her hospitality management diploma in San Francisco.
Upon completion she returned home to Jakarta and worked for several international chain hotels such as Swiss-Bel Hotel, Holiday Inn and Novotel. She went on to receive the appointment of Director of Sales for the first Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza Hotel in Jakarta.
However, her plans changed as she returned to the States and married her soulmate. Unsurprisingly, Vanny started working for a boutique hotel in Menlo Park, California, shortly after the wedding.
“This was a five-star hotel in the Silicon Valley Peninsula, at that time. Although I like the hotel business, after my daughter was born, I decided to pursue another career for the sake of work life balance. In 2001, I left the hotel’s Senior Sales Manager position and joined Stanford University as an Event Planner.”
This is when our paths crossed. Vanny planned numerous university events, and I provided her with a venue, catering and staffing as well as florals and linens as and when needed, to host her VIP events.
Collaborating with Vanny was a breeze. I was truly inspired working alongside her and seeing her beautiful conceptualizations. She always had a clear and detailed vision of what she wanted, and I was there to make sure her vision was complete and that each event was a success. Our hospitality mindset was in sync. But mostly I was attracted to Vanny’s humble demeanor, soft spoken and calm mannerism.
Some people look for a beautiful place. Others make a place beautiful, Vanny made each event a beautiful place!
“I have been with Stanford for over twenty-two years as I like to call myself an ‘Events Collaborator’. My work is to collaborate with others to make things happen. I manage over twenty events a year which all vary in size and formats but require the same attention to detail in their own uniqueness.”
Who has been the biggest influence in your life?
“My mom was my role model. She was never just a homemaker and a mother of five. She was also an entrepreneur with multiple businesses. She proved that having various roles is possible if we know how to prioritize the importance, manage work/tasks well, and delegate. It was her strength and self-sufficiency that influenced me to become a working mom, regardless of the fact that my husband was a good provider for our family.”
Another one of Vanny’s favorite quotes:
“Whatever you do, do it well. Do it so well that when people see you do it, they will want to come back and see you do it again, and they will want to bring others and show them how well you do what you do.” – Walt Disney
Sometimes leaders must make sacrifices to reach their ultimate goals, did you ever make any wrong decisions on your career path?
“I was offered a remote position as Director of Sales with the Ritz Carlton in Bali. At that time, the idea of a remote job was very foreign to me, so I did not accept the offer. I also left my dream job as Director of Sales and Marketing for a Novotel in West Java to come to the US. I don’t dawdle when making decisions, nor procrastinate about actions that need to be taken in response to my decisions. I believe things happen for a reason.”
Having worked with both male and female leaders, in your opinion, what are some of the common traits they share to be effective leaders?
“Some of the common traits of an effective leader include being a visionary, leading by example, effective communication, empowering others, and recognizing success.”
What are some of the workplace challenges for female leaders?
“There are many successful female leaders. It is our proof that women can be great leaders. I think the difference between those who can and cannot lies in our perspective of the challenges and how to react to them.”
How do you as a leader continue to grow and develop?
“As a member of NACE (National Association of Catering and Events), it is a privileged to attend their annual conference. We hear and learn from the experts in the same line of business. As a planner, I learn a lot about my vendors, which helps me negotiate with them and manage my expectations.”
Why is asking for help is a strength?
“It is also a sign of acknowledging others’ skills and talents.”
What is your greatest strength?
“My creativity, in both design aspects and problem-solving.”
What have you gleaned from your career and what values do you hold onto?
“You cannot please everybody. I believe in karma, so I treat others as I want to be treated.”
Which one of your achievements do you take most pride in?
“I take the most pride in my current role as Associate Director of Events for an internationally known institution. We produce events attended by well-known individuals, inclusive of Steve Jobs, Dalai Lama, and many others.”
How do you practice wellness?
“A twenty-minute Qigong almost every day besides taking a walk in the neighborhood and nearby parks.”
Philanthropy and charity?
“I am passionate about programs to help children, such as orphanages.”
What do you see yourself doing in the next five to ten years?
“My future goals include being a mentor for those pursuing a career in the hospitality industry, being able to share my knowledge.”
A seasoned professional, with incredible insight, a sense of inclusion and strength in her journey, Vanny has left a lasting imprint on the hearts of many she has touched. A role model and mentor that we can all learn from! Thank You Vanny!
Thank you for sharing it must have been fun working together as a team
Very inspirational!