When Positive Images by Rettberg works weddings in the Baltimore/DC area, there is no more elegant setting then that of The Baltimore Country Club...www.bcc1898.com. Established in 1898, and currently hosting 2,800 members, BCC actually is two facilities, the social club located in Roland Park, and the golf club known as Five Farms, in the Lutherville section of Baltimore County.
These two venues host more then four hundred events a year. Everything from garden parties, pool parties, squash tourneys, tennis matches and golf outings, to elaborate weddings and their big bash, the annual Independence Day celebration complete with marching band and even skydivers on occasion.
The professional responsible for keeping the members happy, and the events running properly is Carmen Lennartsson, Director of Banquet Sales and Special Events.
Carmen and her excellent staff of seasonally between 150 and 300 employees oversee every facet of planning and execution of all of the affairs. She is quick to give the bulk of praise to her staff, saying that the line staff, and culinary and service groups are the real sales people, for it is their professionalism, and dedication that makes her job easy, and keeps her from having to micro-manage every affair.
Carmen is on site for member hosted events, member sponsored weddings, or any unique situation, but depends on her staff for the less demanding events.
The club handles primarily social rather than corporate functions on a roughly 75 to 25% basis.
One new addition to the staff is a bridal attendant whose sole job is to take care of the bride and her entourage on the big day.
BCC is a private club, so anyone wishing to have an affair there, and who is not a member, must be member sponsored, and that member must be attending that particular event.
Carmen was recruited directly out of college by Baltimore Country Club, and is now in her 13th year with the club. Her career has spanned 1 year in operations, 7 years in the banquet sales office, and in her 6th year in the current position. While being the bottom line in decision making, Carmen says that though clients/members require more time then ever in the servicing of their particular events, she is totally in love with what she does, and even feels spoiled to be in such a great occupation and working for such a top notch organization. In a business that is not known for long years of service, it sound like BCC and Ms. Lennartsson are having a record run.
For her part, Carmen will be at BCC as long as they will have her.
In addition to her full time gig, Carmen is president of the local chapter of NACE, the National Association of Catering Executives, showing that she is recognized by her peer group as a leader.
