June 4, 2018
Nann S. Philips, CMP, CMM, DES
PCMA Gulf States Chapter Programs Co-Chair
Owner & Chief Strategist
Scurry Street Meeting Management
PCMA Member since 2013
Connect with Nann
What was your first job in the meetings & events industry?
Manager of Recruitment Events at The Dallas Morning News, organizing job fairs and other sponsored client events.
What’s the best part of your current job?
I launched Scurry Street Meeting Management, my independent firm, in July of 2017, and now cannot imagine life any other way! Sure, being your own boss has its perks, but there’s also the unique, motivating pressure of knowing it is all up to you – sales, marketing, operations, IT, HR…everything! Mostly, I love being able to work with a wide variety of clients and programs and being able to partner with my industry colleagues to make great events happen.
What was your motivation for joining PCMA Gulf States?
In the beginning, I joined on the recommendation of a colleague who told me the education was the best. But I stayed for the great friends and connections I’ve made and the opportunity to now be able to give back and volunteer for my chapter.
Best kept secret in your city or area (hotel, venue, attraction, etc.)
I’ve lived in Dallas most of my life and it has so many hidden gems, and I can’t tell you about all of them because I want them to stay “secret”, but a few things I always tell people who are visiting for the first time: 1) Please do not eat bbq from a chain restaurant – there are way too many excellent mom & pops to try, most of whom beat the pants off the chains; 2) go south – take the short drive across the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, explore the burgeoning neighborhoods there, and check out the skyline from the other side of the Trinity – it’s the best view, IMHO; 3) for just $5 day, you can take DART all over the city, by rail or bus. For a couple bucks more, you can take a day trip to Fort Worth on the TRE (Trinity Railway Express). I think a lot of locals tend to underutilize DART – it really is a great bargain considering where you can go and what you can see for just a few dollars; 4) I have to brag about my neighborhood, but not too much. Check out Deep Ellum, everyone is welcome here.
Favorite app, website or tech tool?
Oh so many. For travel, Hopper aggregates airfare data so you can find when airfare is historically high or low, and even set alerts to let you know when fares drop below average or are likely to increase. Moviepass – pay one flat annual fee for unlimited movies at just about any theater. I also just signed up for YouTube TV and it’s a gamechanger for cordcutters like me. G Suite for just about everything else.
Desert island meal?
Tacos. Crispy beef tacos. With homemade salsa. And the refried beans from La Margarita’s on Fitzhugh Ave. Or my Nanny’s (grandma’s) fried okra.
