An estimated 300 people packed the Capital Club on Feb. 20 for the Crew's first Corporate Reception for downtown young professionals. Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce President Ty Marsh kicked off the program and the entire team was on hand for the event during a brief stopover in town, between preseason training legs in Florida and California. A selection of testimonials follows:
"It was an honor for the Hispanic Chamber of Columbus to participate in the February 20 Corporate Reception at the Capital Club. We all enjoyed sharing in the excitement for the Crew's 2008 season and meeting all the players, coaches and staff. The Hispanic community in Columbus is very grateful for the support we receive from the Columbus Crew and for the team's commitment to our community and our youth."
-- Cathy Mantilla Falkenberg, President, Board of Directors, Hispanic Chamber of Columbus
"The highlight of the short stop in Columbus was the Corporate Reception held at the Capital Club. The front office did a tremendous job in getting many of the city's influential business men and women to attend and mingle with the team in hopes of filling up Crew Stadium this year... From a player's point of view, it was a lot of fun meeting and talking to some of the city's brightest... As players, we enjoy these events so much because we benefit from hearing about the "real world," an eventuality for most of us... It's a tremendous opportunity to see what potential careers might be of interest. And, yes, we also greatly enjoy telling as many people as possible about MLS and persuading them that Crew Stadium is the place to be on Saturday nights in Columbus."
-- William Hesmer, Crew goalkeeper
"Congratulations to the Crew for hosting an outstanding event that provided the Columbus community an opportunity to hear first-hand from coaches, players and administrators what to expect for this season. I was very impressed with the turnout and the enthusiasm of those in attendance."
-- Linda Logan, Executive Director, Greater Columbus Sports Commission
"The Crew are one of our dynamic partners and we are proud to work with them on the Crew Corporate Reception and many other projects. This event was a great example of bringing the team to the city and giving corporations an up close and personal chance to meet the players and front office. Crew soccer is a great way for the corporate community to invest in their own VIPs through client entertainment and employee appreciation and ExperienceColumbus has been investing through tickets for many years. Events like this one only reinforce that value and we look forward to partnering in next year's Corporate Reception."
-- Xenia Palus, Director of Membership, ExperienceColumbus
