Shannon Conlan

Director of Large Events and Innovation

Event planning and the food service industry were not on Shannon’s radar when she thought about a career path, but her hard work and desire to learn is exactly what brought her to Forte Belanger. Once she moved back from living out of state after high school, she jumped right into working. She first held a job at a nursery school, and then nannied for nearly a decade. After being with her last family for some years, she began to help her employer, an event planner in the area, with a few side jobs. It did not take much to spark her interest in all things event related.

Shannon knew this would be her next path, and dove right into this brand new industry, with little knowledge of how it worked. She soaked up every lesson she learned, drove against the adversity of not knowing the business and has created something special with it. It was through building strong relationships with great vendor partners and amazing clients that led Shannon to a big realization. She discovered that all of her life experiences had led her to the exact place she was supposed to be. Shannon had worked with Forte Belanger as a partner for many years, so when her time with her former company ended, she was thrilled when asked to join the Forte Family.

“Floral, linens, timelines and other details are important,” said Shannon, “but having that kind of connection with a client and having them feel like you are their person is exactly why I love doing what I do every day.”

Words of wisdom

My Dad starts every conversation with “Did I tell you I loved you today?” I take this to heart, and try to mentally approach each meeting, each event, each day with this attitude. Because, if you don’t love what you do, then why are you doing it?

Best dining experience

My brother lived in Spain and I was lucky enough to visit several times. The experience of eating as they do was exceptional. The way they dine~where every meal is an occasion, every course is slow and thoughtful and plate sharing is the norm~hits all of your senses in the best manner, and is a great way to spend time with the people you love.

On the weekend

When I’m not on site at some fabulous event, I love spending time with my family and friends. My ideal night would be having my favorite people gathered in my home, with a delicious meal, a great wine and lots of laughter.