Announcing The 2025 Leadership Award Winners!

Each year, we honor industry leaders who we, at Catersource + The Special Event, feel have made a significant and positive impact on our industries.

Congratulations to this year's recipients: Tom McDowell (Michael Roman Lifetime Achievement award); Corinne Z. Dudine (Richard Carbotti Gala award);  Scott Frankel (Special Events Gala Lifetime Achievement award), and Debbie Meyers (Steve Kemble Award). 

Tom McDowell: A Visionary in Catering and Event Planning

Tom McDowell is the esteemed Founder of Pavilion Catering, Inc. and Connecticut Wedding Group, both headquartered in Middletown, CT. With a rich background in culinary arts and food service management, Tom’s journey began at Xavier High School in Middletown before he pursued an Associate’s Degree in Culinary Arts and a B.S. in Food Service Management from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI.

In 1984, Tom launched Pavilion Catering, laying the foundation for a career devoted to culinary excellence. Building on this success, he founded Connecticut Wedding Group in 2008, setting a new standard for wedding planning and execution across Connecticut. Connecticut Wedding Group has become renowned for orchestrating some of the state’s most extraordinary wedding experiences, offering exclusive catering services at prominent venues, The Barns at Wesleyan Hills, The Pavilion on Crystal Lake, and Lyman Orchards. With a commitment to farm-to-table cuisine, innovative design, and comprehensive planning, Tom’s team has earned numerous accolades, including the 2019 ICA Catie Award for Signature Caterer for Best Wedding and the 2013 Connecticut Restaurant Association Chef of the Year

Tom’s exceptional contributions have earned him a place among the original members of the exclusive Leading Caterers of America, a prestigious network of the nation’s top catering companies. He is also a valued member of GROW; a Catering Educational Foundation (formally ICAEF) where he is the chairman of the advisory board, and the Les Amis d’Escoffier Society of Connecticut.

In 2023, Tom McDowell sold Pavilion Catering, Inc. to a dear friend and colleague, Robert Frungillo, but continues to be known for his humble approach, preferring to operate behind the scenes, while often being spotted in his “Head Groundskeeper” sweatshirt. While owner, and still to this day, he continues to ensure every detail of Pavilion Catering runs smoothly. His true passion lies in mentoring the talented team of CT Wedding Group, guiding them to create unforgettable wedding experiences that exceed client expectations. Tom McDowell’s visionary leadership and dedication continue to shape the landscape of catering and event planning.

Beyond his professional achievements, Tom is a dedicated family man living in Essex, Connecticut with his wife, Samantha. Together, they have five children, and are proud grandparents to two grandchildren, with another on the way this Halloween 2024. Outside of work, Tom and Samantha are active in their community and enjoy travelling, including culinary learning journeys, playing golf and pickleball, and enjoying winters at their home in Naples.

Scott Frankel, President, Animatic Media, LLC, Baldwin, NY

Scott Frankel is the President of Animatic Media, an industry leader in event production and sought-after speaker at industry events. Animatic is a full-service event production company founded with the idea of offering agency-style service without the agency price tag. Since 1996, Scott and his team have produced events for clients of all sizes, from Fortune 500 conferences with thousands of attendees to smaller road shows and events. Scott is an innovator in the event technology space and insists on perfection and flawless execution for all of his events. In 2020 Animatic Media relaunched their on-demand web service as Conference-On-Demand +LIVE, a full-service virtual/hybrid event platform for fully “produced” virtual events and will soon be introducing an Augmented Reality offering built for the live events industry.

Corinne Z. Dudine

With over 35 years of experience in the event industry, Corinne Dudine has dedicated her life to advancing both the individuals and the organizations that she works with.

Corinne worked with ILEA before it was ILEA starting in 1988. She’s also held roles encompassing education and administration for Event Solution Magazine and Catersource + TSE.

She is currently the Executive Administrator for GROW Catering Educational Foundation (formerly ICAEF), Elite Catering + Event Professionals (ECEP) and the SEARCH Foundation, which assists catering, meeting and event professionals in crisis.

What sets Corinne apart is how she goes above and beyond in each of these roles to ensure the industry is consistently making strides towards bettering itself for future generations. In her spare time, you’ll find her sipping a crisp Champagne while watching the Tour de France or the latest Formula 1 race with her loving husband Ted and their fur babies, Enzo and Villeneuve …French Poodles, of course.

Debbie Meyers

After a valiant fight against the insidious disease of cancer, our beloved friend and sister, Debbie Meyers, passed away peacefully on July 30th, embraced by the love of her family and friends.

To know Debbie was to understand the meaning of determination and passion. Whether helping a friend, raising funds for a cause, or ensuring top-notch performances for her clients, Debbie's commitment was unwavering. She was all in, every single time.

Debbie's love for entertainment and events began in her childhood, amidst debutantes and cocktail parties at exclusive country clubs. This early exposure ignited a lifelong passion that led to the founding of Bravo Entertainment in May 1994. For three decades, she stood as a pillar in the special events and entertainment industry, orchestrating over 10,000 events around the world from North America to Russia and China. Her clientele included world-renowned companies such as Apple, BMW, NFL, Microsoft, Shell Oil, Halliburton, and The Heart Foundation. Her exceptional work received recognition on FOX News, The ENN Exhibitor News Network, and leading industry publications.

Debbie was a staunch supporter of the SEARCH Foundation and chaired the Steve Kemble Leadership Award for 20 years. As a revered industry speaker and educator, she helped young professionals find their way on their professional journey and found pleasure in connecting people for their mutual benefit.

An innovative visionary, Debbie created Decotainment®, a unique blend of décor and entertainment, now used as a staple in events worldwide. Her career excellence has been acknowledged with over 55 industry awards including Special Event Gala Awards, NACE Awards, Event Spotlight Awards, Esprit Awards, BizBash Style Awards, Star Awards, and many more.

Beyond her love for her events and entertainment, Debbie cherished her friends and family the most. She reveled in their company and enjoyed countless adventures and travels together, savoring every moment and experience the world had to offer. Her favorite place was at her lake house in Pittsburg, Texas—enjoying the love of friends, having get-togethers, and snuggling with her beloved kitties, Punkin’ and Mae-Mae. She craved peace and quiet as much as she loved the exciting world of entertainment and events.

Let's Celebrate

Join Catersource + The Special Event in honoring industry leaders on Thursday evening, February 27th, 2025, 5:30pm – 7:00pm at our awards gala.

Location: General Session Stage

Admission to this event is free with any pass type.

Congratulations to this year's winners and we look forward to celebrating with everyone this February!