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How Do I Find a Sustainable Conference Destination in Europe?

Posted on by Emee Pumarega

Start With Amsterdam

Two women ascending a hotel staircase and gesturing at the area.

Emee tours the Hotel Okura Amsterdam with Senior Sales Manager, Jack Thanadsornsarn.

We were in Amsterdam during People and Planet First Week in November 2025, working on venue sourcing and site visits for our clients who meet in Europe, and were thoroughly impressed by the rich and multifaceted offerings available to the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions) industry.

EJP Events is a member of Good Market Global, the not-for-profit digital commons behind the People and Planet First verification. The movement recognizes enterprises that prioritize social and environmental impact over private profit. We’ve operated by those values for over two decades. Where we host, who we hire, and how we design experience are decisions with consequences beyond any single event.

Amsterdam reinforced that message for us in many ways. The city is sustainable, accessible, walkable, and well-equipped for meetings of every scale. Planners who care about aligning their events with People and Planet First values will find a strong partner in this destination.

A Country Built on Water Intelligence

More than half of the Netherlands sits below sea level. The country’s water councils — the oldest democratic institutions in Dutch history — have shaped governance, infrastructure, and culture for centuries. Their work is visible in Amsterdam’s engineered canal system, in Rotterdam’s storm surge barriers, and in programs like Room for the River, which widened and deepened river courses to accommodate flooding rather than simply building higher walls.

For MICE planners, the practical implications are direct. The picturesque canals are the backdrop for many meetings group selfies. This broadcasts FOMO far and wide to those who skip your annual meeting. Amsterdam’s tap water is safe and excellent, eliminating bottled water logistics. Green-certified venues incorporate rainwater collection, water-saving technology, and circular water management as standard practice. For organizations aligning their events with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, hosting in Amsterdam directly supports SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation, which calls for increasing water-use efficiency across all sectors and implementing integrated water resources management. Few destinations make that alignment so easy.

Is Amsterdam Easy to Navigate for Conference Attendees?

Nearly 70% of commuter trips in Amsterdam happen by bicycle. There are more bikes than residents. The public transit system — trams, buses, ferries — runs on 100% renewable electricity. The city is removing thousands of car parking spaces from the center to widen sidewalks, add bike parking, and plant trees.

Delegates can walk, bike, or tram between hotels, venues, and restaurants without ground transportation and its related traffic jams. That reduces cost and carbon, and it frees up schedule time.

Amsterdam sits at the center of Europe’s high-speed rail network: direct Eurostar service to London, Paris, Brussels, and major German cities. The Amsterdam Convention Bureau has partnered with Eurostar to offer discounted delegate fares. Schiphol Airport, 15 minutes from the city center, connects to hundreds of international destinations.

National-Level Support for Meeting Planners

The Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions (NBTC) operates holland.com/meetings, a dedicated MICE portal with regional convention bureau contacts, venue databases, DMC directories, and planning support. They assist with site visits, provide budget templates, and connect planners with professional congress organizers.

The standout program is the Pre-Financing and Guarantee Fund (VGF), which has run for over 25 years. For international, multi-day congresses held in the Netherlands, the VGF offers up to €90,000 in interest-free pre-financing for startup costs: deposits, promotion, foundation setup. A separate guarantee of up to €90,000 covers the risk of low attendance.

Pre-conference financing and attendance insurance from a national tourism bureau: For association planners presenting destination bids to their boards, this is a concrete advantage few other countries offer.

Venues

What Amsterdam Hotel Has Great Meeting Space and Sustainability Credentials?

Two women walking past a hotel entrance with the words displayed, "Hotel Okura Amsterdam"

The Hotel Okura Amsterdam is the property we know best. We toured the entire facility and found it to have multiple aspects that are conducive to smoothly-running, accessible and sustainable meetings.

The hotel practices omotenashi, the Japanese tradition of anticipating guests’ needs. Located in the De Pijp neighborhood on the Amstelkanaal, the Okura has Japanese-inspired rooms, a full spa, and multiple restaurants with three Michelin stars and a Bib Gourmand between them.

For planners: 2,700+ square meters of meeting and event space across 20 venues. The Grand Ballroom seats up to 2,500 — the largest such space in the Benelux region. The meeting space layout has multiple elevators, spacious foyers, and generous restroom access compared to similar European city-center hotels. Schiphol Airport is 15 minutes away by direct metro.

The Okura holds Green Globe Platinum status, earned through over ten consecutive years of certification. The property has 873 solar panels on the Grand Ballroom roof, saving 89+ tonnes of CO₂ per year. It uses heat-cold storage for climate control, FSC-certified wooden key cards, and reusable bamboo laundry bags. Purchasing policy favors local Dutch suppliers — the house wine comes from a Dutch estate, the house beer from a Dutch brewery. The hotel is a signatory of the UNESCO Sustainable Travel Pledge.

We’re actively building our relationship with the Okura and would recommend it to clients planning in Amsterdam.

What Other Green-Certified Conference Venues Are in Amsterdam?

A grand, European style hotel is viewed from its riverfront facade.

The Amstel Hotel. Photo by C. Messier.

Amsterdam RAI Convention Centre is the city’s flagship large-format venue. Multiple halls, flexible configurations, renewable energy, and green meeting packages. It hosts trade exhibitions and multi-day conferences at scale.

Beurs van Berlage is a UNESCO-listed national monument from 1903 and the first Dutch conference center to earn Green Globe certification.

Hotel Jakarta holds BREEAM “Excellent” certification and is among the first energy-neutral hotels in the Netherlands. Features include solar-powered showers, rainwater collection, and a subtropical indoor garden usable as breakout space.

The Amstel Hotel sits on the Amstel River with Green Globe certification and dedicated meeting and event facilities.

Many other area hotels follow the same lead. Conscious Hotels holds Green Key Gold at all four Amsterdam locations. The Conservatorium Hotel has held Green Globe Platinum for over a decade. De L’Europe and Kimpton De Witt carry Green Key certification. For planners working through RFPs, Amsterdam’s sustainability documentation is deep and verifiable.

Can You Do a Canal Cruise as a Corporate Event in Amsterdam?

A woman sits inside a canal boat looking out at the Amsterdam city view.

Amsterdam has roughly 60 miles (100 km) of canals and waterways. Canal cruises work well as welcome receptions, offsite breaks, or team-building activities. Electric-powered boats are increasingly standard. Many larger hotels run their own cruise programs or work with preferred operators, which simplifies logistics.

Other offsite options include guided cycling tours, culinary workshops with local ingredients, private museum access, and cultural programming at venues like the Rijksmuseum.

What Makes Amsterdam a Good Destination for Attendee Experience?

A woman smiles at the camera, while the grand facade of the Rijksmuseum is seen behind her.

Destination selection often overlooks the hours between sessions: the offsite dinner, the morning walk, the free afternoon. Amsterdam is a 15-minute city. World-class museums, canal-side restaurants, independent shops, and distinct neighborhoods are all within walking or biking distance of the major conference areas. Delegates explore independently, on foot.

Traveling Responsibly: How Do I Reduce and Offset Carbon Emissions From a Conference?

A woman stands outside the Hotel Okura Amsterdam at night, posing with a bicycle.

Flying people across an ocean for a meeting has a climate cost, no matter how many green certifications the destination collects. Aviation is a hard sector to decarbonize, and no amount of solar panels on a hotel roof cancels out the emissions of getting there. We don’t think that’s a reason to stop meeting in person; direct connection, cultural exchange, and in-person collaboration matter, and plenty of research points to real value that video calls don’t replace. But it does mean the responsibility doesn’t end at destination selection. It carries through every decision after that, including how we travel, how much we travel, and what we do to account for the impact once the trip is unavoidable. MICE planners can reduce that impact through planning decisions made well before anyone boards a flight.

Consolidate trips. We added our Amsterdam site visits onto an already-scheduled annual meeting we attend in Barcelona, reducing two international round trips to one. Planners and attendees can apply the same logic: combine a conference with pre- or post-event site visits, client meetings, or destination research rather than booking separate trips. Amsterdam’s easy-to-reach destination makes this achievable. 

Choose sustainable aviation fuel. EJP Events contributes annually to SAF through Alaska Airlines’ CHOOOSE-powered program, which lets travelers purchase SAF credits based on estimated flight emissions and earn elite-qualifying miles in the process. CHOOOSE is the climate technology platform behind SAF programs at multiple carriers and airports, including Alaska, Southwest, and several international airlines. United Airlines has expanded SAF use across six domestic hubs and voluntarily operates with SAF at Amsterdam Schiphol. For organizations that want to invest in SAF regardless of which carrier their attendees fly, the Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance (SABA), a joint initiative of RMI and Environmental Defense Fund, enables corporate buyers to purchase verified SAF certificates to address Scope 3 business travel emissions.

Offset remaining carbon through verifiable credits. EJP Events recommends an avoidance-plus-removal approach: Terrapass for baseline emissions avoidance through verified projects (landfill gas capture, wind energy, farm methane destruction), and biochar credits for durable carbon removal. The distinction is important, because avoidance credits prevent emissions that would have occurred; while removal credits pull existing carbon out of the atmosphere. Planners should look for third-party verified programs with transparent project registries. Credit quality varies widely, so do your research.

A planner who consolidates trips, funds SAF, and offsets the remainder has addressed the largest single source of event-related emissions.

People and Planet First as a Framework for MICE

Clients are asking about sustainability in RFPs. Attendees notice how events are produced. Destinations are competing on values, as well as amenities.

The People and Planet First framework identifies enterprises that exist to address social and environmental problems. For organizations that want their meetings spend to support those causes, it works as a practical filter: you can search verified organizations in the People and Planet First directory. People and Planet First is the global standard and verification badge; Good Market Global is the software infrastructure and digital directory that powers it. [1, 2] EJP Events is a member of the Good Market Global directory and is working toward People and Planet First verification.

The same standard applies to where a meeting happens. The Netherlands has built its infrastructure, tourism strategy, and national identity around sustainability. When we bring 200 or 2,000 people to a city, we invest in that place: its economy, its infrastructure, and its community. A meeting in Amsterdam is an investment in sustainability as well.

Summary for Planners

  • Access: Direct flights from major hubs; high-speed rail to London, Paris, Brussels, and Germany; Schiphol Airport 15 minutes from city center
  • Venues: Canal houses to convention centers, Michelin-starred hotel properties, widespread green certifications
  • Sustainability: Eco-certified hotels, renewable-powered transit, world-leading water management, rising GDS Index ranking
  • National Support: Convention bureau planning assistance, pre-conference financing up to €90,000, attendance guarantees
  • Walkability: Compact, navigable city; delegates can easily explore independently
  • Culture: World-class arts, dining, and experiences beyond the agenda
  • Values: Amsterdam aligns with People and Planet First principles at every level, from water management to venue certification to national tourism policy

Emee Pumarega, CMP, is the founder of EJP Events, a Portland-based event planning company and Good Market Global member specializing in corporate meetings, conferences, and association events. Shawn Granton is a member of the EJP Events team. With over two decades of experience and a commitment to cultural competency and sustainability, EJP Events operates under the philosophy that True Hospitality Welcomes Everyone. For venue sourcing, site visits, or event planning support in European and domestic destinations, visit ejpevents.com.

A Tokyo Corporate Event: Venue Sourcing, Cultural Experiences, and Strategic Planning for Executive Teams

Posted on by Emee Pumarega
Photo of buildings lit up in the evening, with crowds crossing a street in Shinjuku Kabukicho, a popular entertainment area in Tokyo, Japan
Shinjuku Kabukicho, a popular entertainment area in Tokyo, Japan. Photo credit: ©Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau

How a boutique events agency designed a six-day executive offsite in Tokyo with luxury venues, curated dining, and cultural programming.

Planning a Tokyo corporate event from the US can feel daunting. When a leading venture capital firm asked EJP Events to design a six-day executive offsite in Tokyo, the team of up to 19 people needed working sessions, cultural experiences, and enough breathing room to make the trip feel worthwhile. They adopted the motto Mono no aware – the profound appreciation of the beauty in fleeting moments – and the six days we designed reflected that sensibility throughout.

Finding the Right Workspace for a Tokyo Corporate Event

Sometimes the best venue is the one right in front of you. One team member lived at Toranomon Hills Residential Tower, and once we learned more about the property, it became the clear choice for the group’s workspace. The 210-square-meter lounge on the 41st floor offered panoramic Tokyo views, a professional kitchen for catered lunches, and flexible space for both structured working sessions and optional social time in the evenings. 

After a thorough venue selection process that involved multiple hotels such as Andaz Tokyo, Tokyo Edition, Pullman Hotel Tokyo, Capitol Hotel Tokyu, and more – the group decided on the Dai-Ichi Hotel in the Shimbashi neighborhood, which was very close to Toranomon Hills.

The team walked over from the Dai-ichi Hotel each morning and used the Toranomon Hills workspace across multiple days – a setup that kept them focused during sessions, while catered lunches saved the time they would have spent navigating an unfamiliar city at midday.

Culinary Excellence Across Six Days

We designed a dining program that showcased Tokyo’s depth and provided variety across all six days while accommodating dietary restrictions at every venue.

a long houseboat on the Arakawa river in Tokyo, often used for Tokyo corporate events
the Harumiya Cruising Restaurant, used by our Tokyo corporate event group for a welcome dinner cruise. Photo courtesy their website. https://omakase.in/en/r/ly197821

The welcome dinner aboard Cruising Restaurant Harumiya – a private buyout on Tokyo Bay – was the perfect way to reconnect after travel. Teppanyaki Ginmeisui GINZA split the group into intimate six-person partitions and a private back room, because the most meaningful conversations happen in smaller settings where everyone can actually participate. Shojin Ryori Daigo introduced Buddhist vegetarian cuisine. Tofu Ukai hosted the group in private dining rooms for kaiseki-style tofu cuisine, demonstrating that dietary accommodation and culinary excellence go hand in hand. NEST@Peter at the Peninsula Tokyo – one of the world’s most recognized luxury hotels – served as the pinnacle dining moment of the week. On another evening, the group split into three teams for walking food tours through different neighborhoods, each with a dedicated guide.

Cultural Experiences With Purpose

The best executive retreats offer experiences that spark genuine reflection. Our Tokyo corporate event included a private Ikebana session at historic Kiyosumi Garden, where participants worked with a master teacher on Japanese flower arrangement – an art form grounded in principles of ma (negative space), balance, and restraint. That same morning included a visit to a nearby Buddhist temple for a traditional fire-burning ceremony.

An optional visit to the Yayoi Kusama Museum featured the Visionary Colors exhibition, including Kusama’s iconic infinity mirror rooms. For a venture capital team whose work centers on identifying visionary founders, experiencing Kusama’s singular creative vision firsthand carried particular resonance. The museum limits visitors per time slot, so advance booking was essential. The group also had the option to visit the Mori Art Museum in Roppongi Hills, showing an exhibition on how contemporary art responds to the environmental crisis.

Friday evening featured walking food tours of Shibuya and Shinjuku neighborhoods, with an optional evening at Ce La Vi nightclub in Shibuya.

Five woman dancers in kimonos holding umbrellas stand on an illuminated floor that reads "CE LA VI Tokyo". This is a nightclub used often for Tokyo Corporate Events
Performers at the CE LA VI Tokyo nightclub. Photo by EJP Events

Saturday morning brought the group together for a sumo stable experience followed by bento box lunches. Throughout the week, we split the team into smaller groups for guided walking tours through Daikanyama and Nakameguro, Shimokitazawa, Kagurazaka, Omotesando, and Jiyugaoka. A ride on the Tokyo Sakura Tram – the city’s last remaining streetcar line – offered a view of daily Tokyo life rarely seen by visitors. These excursions gave the group physical activity after work sessions and time together in smaller, more conversational settings.

What It Takes Behind the Scenes

On the busiest days, the Tokyo corporate event required three guides and three vehicles operating simultaneously, with the group splitting into two or three tracks. On one afternoon, the group ran a dedicated investment team meeting at the workspace, while the rest of the group had the option to visit the Mori Art Museum – the kind of parallel programming that requires careful coordination across multiple schedules. We managed dietary accommodations across six different restaurants and handled logistics for a 19-person group navigating one of the world’s largest cities. This is the kind of complexity that experienced event planners absorb, so your team can focus on what they came to do.

A narrow alleyway with many Japanese paper lanters hanging from the shop and restaurant awnings.
Nonbei Yokocho in Shibuya district, Tokyo. Photo by EJP Events

Begin Planning Your Tokyo Corporate Event

Whether your next offsite is in Tokyo, across Japan, or in the many regions of the US, UK, and EU that we serve, EJP Events brings deep local knowledge, established vendor relationships, and cultural fluency to executive programs where every detail serves a purpose. We are your English-speaking, US-based global boutique agency who can handle the sourcing, the coordinating, the problem-solving, and the local relationship-building so you don’t have to. Ready to explore more? Please contact us.

A group of smiling people pose in a pair of rickshaws, with the rickshaw drivers in front waving and smiling. The Tokyo Skytree landmark rises in the background. This area is popular with Tokyo corporate event planners
A group of business meeting attendees enjoying a rickshaw ride on a sunny day in the Asakusa area near Tokyo Skytree.

EJP Events: Strategic Event Design & Multi-Day Conference and Event Production

Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) | 25+ Years Experience | Portland, Oregon

ejpevents.com | info@ejpevents.com

Why Your Association Should Host Its Next Conference in Portland, Oregon

Posted on by Shawn Granton
Portland as viewed from Pittock Mansion

As an internationally-focused event planning company, EJP Events has extensive knowledge about destinations worldwide. But we have even deeper expertise in our hometown: Portland, Oregon. This Pacific Northwestern metropolis, located about 70 miles/115 km from the Pacific Ocean and 180 miles/300 km south of Seattle, offers abundant natural beauty, decent weather year-round (if you don’t mind a little rain), and exceptional venues for association and corporate events, conferences, and meetings. Here’s your primer on what The Rose City has to offer.

Top Portland Event Venues: Hotels & Meeting Spaces

Oregon Convention Center: Where Sustainability Meets Scale

View of Oregon Convention Center prefunction area from above. A large hall with a pendulum sculpture suspended above, with a group of people gathering and mingling in the hall.
Oregon Convention Center prefunction area. Courtesy Travel Portland.

The Oregon Convention Center isn’t just LEED Platinum certified—it’s a sustainability pioneer. As the first convention center in the world to earn LEED certification (2004) and one of only two in the U.S. with Platinum status, OCC proves that large-scale events can be environmentally responsible. Solar panels generate over 25% of the building’s electricity, waste diversion programs keep materials out of landfills, and the recent Platinum certification from the Events Industry Council for Sustainable Event Standards confirms OCC’s position as a global leader. With 255,000 square feet of exhibit space, 52 meeting rooms, and direct MAX light rail access, this venue makes it easy for purpose-driven organizations to practice what they preach. EJP Events has planned many events at the OCC, and it’s one of our favorite large-scale venues that brings sustainability, affordability, and active transportation all together. 

Ideal for: Sustainability conferences, mission-driven associations, environmental organizations, and nonprofits seeking venues that align with their values.

A woman (Oregon Governor Tina Kotek) in a grey pantsuit stands on a stage in a hotel ballroom. The room is full of attendees and two screens on either side of the stage show the logo for "Celebrate PACCO", an annual business networking event in Portland Oregon.
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek addresses the group at Celebrate PACCO at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, Portland, Oregon, on December 15, 2023. Business meeting planning by EJP Events.

The Ritz-Carlton Portland: Luxury Downtown Event Space

Brand new to the scene and housed in the ultra-sleek Block 216 Building (Portland’s fifth-tallest building), the “Ritz” brings a touch of modern class to downtown Portland. This 251-room five-star hotel with spa features:

  • 17,883 square feet (1,661.4 m²) of meeting space over nine rooms
  • Ballroom that can hold 800 guests
  • Bellpine restaurant and bar on the twentieth floor offering panoramic views of the city and lands beyond, including Mounts Hood and Saint Helens on clear days

Ideal for: Corporate conferences, galas, and upscale business meetings

The Hotel Zags. ©Evrim Icoz Photography

The Hotel Zags: Boutique Portland Meeting Venue

Located on the south side of downtown, The Zags has a hip vibe, billing itself “the perfect Portland portal.” The young and young-at-heart will appreciate The Zags’s loaner bicycles, skate boards and other gear available. This distinctive venue provides:

  • The Colosseum Room with capacity for ninety attendees
  • Two smaller board/breakout rooms
  • Perfect spot for a smaller meeting, or a special “add-on” to another big event

Ideal for: Executive retreats, creative workshops, and intimate corporate gatherings

The Allison Inn: Oregon Wine Country Event Destination

Located approximately forty-five minutes from downtown, The Allison is snugly ensconced in Oregon’s Wine Country, a region rich with vineyards and tasting rooms. The Allison’s 77 guest rooms and 8 suites make a great “home base” for viticultural explorations. This premier venue bills itself as “Oregon’s premier event venue and meeting space” with:

  • 25,000 square feet (2,323 m²) of overall space
  • Private outdoor terraces for receptions
  • On-site spa and restaurant
  • Wine tasting experiences nearby

Ideal for: Multi-day conferences, executive offsites, social events, and incentive programs

Portland Team-Building Activities & Outdoor Experiences

The breadth of outdoor activities within a one-hour radius from Portland’s Pioneer Courthouse is staggering. Here’s a sample of what’s available:

Multnomah Falls: Columbia River Gorge Excursion

Nestled in the mighty Columbia River Gorge east of Portland, Oregon’s highest waterfall drops 620 ft (189 m) from plateau to valley floor. Multnomah Falls is a natural photo-op (many an engagement photo has been taken here). And it’s just one of many falls along the Historic Columbia River Highway, a road built over 100 years ago linking our city to the east and offering numerous vistas and scenes of beauty for the traveler willing to get off of busy I-84. And the Columbia Gorge Express allows easy car-free access to the Falls and other destinations in the Gorge.

Washington Park & Forest Park: Easily Accessible Urban Nature Escapes

There’s no need to even leave the city limits to enjoy spectacular scenery and connections to nature. Nestled in the Tualatin Mountains, aka “West Hills,” which rise sharply just west of downtown, these parks feature:

  • Scenic vistas and miles of wooded, winding paths (including the famed Wildwood Trail)
  • Hoyt Arboretum with diverse collections
  • Pittock Mansion with historic charm and sweeping views
Hoyt Arboretum

Why Choose Portland for Your Next Event

No Sales Tax in Oregon

Oregon is one of five states to have no sales tax, and no local sales tax either. (We do have lodging tax, though.) No need to pull out a calculator when figuring out the total of your purchase! And Portland has many great shopping districts, like Downtown, the Pearl, SE Hawthorne, Sellwood, NE Alberta, and N Mississippi.

Event benefit: Your event budget goes further with predictable costs for catering, equipment rentals, and attendee purchases.

Public Transit That Gets You Places

For a mid-sized American city, Portland’s public transportation is impressive—a mix of light rail, streetcar, aerial tram, and of course buses connecting to all corners of the Metro area (including the Airport). Many lines feature frequent service, meaning waiting no longer than 15 minutes for the next conveyance. Paying your fare is easy, whether via Tri-Met’s (our local transit agency) Hop card or phone app, or paying via phone pay or credit card—no need for an app!

Event benefit: Attendees can navigate Portland independently without rental cars, reducing your transportation coordination needs and impact on the environment.

Bicycles! Portland’s Bike-Friendly Infrastructure

Like transit, our bicycle infrastructure is great for a mid-sized American city. Many destinations in inner Portland are just a half-hour or less bike ride away, and you can often get places by bike faster than on the bus or in a car. Didn’t bring a bike with you? No problem! Biketown, our ride-share system, has hundreds of community e-bikes scattered throughout the city—use it when you need to, then dock when done.

Plan Your Portland Event with Local Experts

Ready to explore Portland venues for your next corporate or association event, conference, or meeting? EJP Events brings deep local knowledge and international event planning expertise to ensure your Rose City event succeeds.

Contact us today to start planning your event.

Event Planner Job Posting: Associate Event Coordinator, Location: Portland, Oregon

Posted on by Emee Pumarega

Updated December 9, 2025 – This job posting has closed.

We have an event planner job posting for you!

A conference staffer hands a yellow t-shirt to a conference attendee at a conference registration table.

Job Posting: Associate Event Coordinator (Part or Full Time)
Location: Portland, OR
Company: EJP Events LLC

About Us:
EJP Events LLC is a boutique event planning company based in Portland, Oregon, with a core value of True Hospitality Welcomes Everyone. We plan and execute milestone events for individuals and organizations across the U.S. and internationally. Our team is dedicated to delivering excellence.

Position Overview:
We are seeking a part-time/full-time Associate Event Coordinator (AEC) to join our distributed team. This role offers a mix of both administrative, office-based (computer) work and on-site event support. This person will be responsible for adding overall administrative and supportive capacity to our team, supporting our current Lead and Event Coordinators to pursue business opportunities, close sales, and service events. After a successful 6-month training period, this position has the potential to be partially remote, though it is not fully remote. On-site event support will involve travel and specific mandatory work hours.

Responsibilities:

  • Assist with venue monitoring at a private garden venue, opening and closing gates on event days, being present during events, including giving tours and preparing booking documents
  • Follow up with clients and vendors
  • Develop and maintain vendor relationships
  • Prepare and send sales brochures and proposals
  • Document events and transcribe notes from client/vendor meetings
  • Conduct internet research
  • Provide on-site event support and coordination (12-20 events annually, some multi-day, some outside Portland)
  • Perform various tasks like staffing registration desks, retrieving and moving event materials (up to 50 lbs with assistance), and providing guest support
  • A mix of indoor and outdoor work
  • Attend one in-person staff meeting per week (minimum) and additional meetings
  • Be in-office 2-3 times per week during training

Key Requirements:

  • Strong interpersonal skills; team-oriented and client-focused
  • Calm under pressure with excellent problem-solving skills
  • Detail-oriented and organized
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills
  • Able to lift and move 25 lbs; walk/stand for extended periods
  • Familiar with Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace
  • Valid driver’s license and insurable driving record
  • Minimum 1-5 years of relevant work experience
  • High School Diploma or GED required
  • Professional appearance and demeanor

Preferred Skills & Experience:

  • Familiarity with event planning software (Honeybook, Asana, Prismm, Timeline Genius)
  • Experience in customer service, hospitality, or event planning
  • Bachelor’s degree preferred
  • Work experience in travel, tourism, catering, or hotels
  • Spanish proficiency or fluency is a plus

Compensation & Benefits:

  • Starting Pay: $20/hr (DOE), with opportunities for overtime
  • Commission: Up to 15% of net sales for sales-trained employees after the 6-month probationary period
  • Benefits: PTO accrues from day one, Employee Convenience Reimbursement (for health care premiums, commuting costs, device usage), coverage under Workers’ Comp, Oregon Paid Leave, and Family Leave
  • Weekends and Federal holidays off unless assigned to an event
  • Potential for promotion to Lead Event Coordinator and project-based bonuses

How to Apply to this Event Planner Job Posting:
Submit a cover letter (in the body of the email) and your resume (PDF attachment) to emee at ejpevents.com with the subject line: AEC [Year of Application] Applicant: [Your Last Name]. Example: “AEC 2025 Applicant: Smith”.

We encourage applications from women, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ individuals. If you require accommodations, please include details in your cover letter.
Note: EJP Events is a 100% non-smoking company.

Learn more about us at EJP Events.

Why You Should Consider University Event Spaces for Your Next Conference or Meeting

Posted on by Shawn Granton
Event space at University of California, Berkeley

When sourcing a venue for a conference, seminar, or corporate meeting, the event spaces available at colleges and universities are often overlooked. That’s a missed opportunity—because many higher education institutions offer affordable, well-equipped, and professional meeting spaces perfect for hosting successful events.

The Hidden Value of University Event Venues

University campuses typically feature:

  • State-of-the-art conference facilities
  • Lecture halls with AV capabilities
  • Ample breakout rooms and green spaces
  • On-site catering
  • Tech support
  • Convenient locations, often near city centers
  • Many things to do inside and around the campus

And here’s the real bonus: college and university venues are often more budget-friendly than hotels or convention centers—without sacrificing quality or service.

Many colleges and universities, like the University of Montana depicted here, have beautiful, historic campuses with a stunning natural backdrop

Addressing the Common Misconceptions about Scheduling

One reason many hesitate to consider university meeting spaces is the belief that they’re unavailable during peak academic periods like September and October. While it’s true that certain dates may be reserved for internal campus events, many institutions offer flexible scheduling, especially during weekends, holidays, and academic breaks.

Another concern is the assumption that universities come with too many restrictions. Yet, events are regularly booked in museums, historic buildings, and galleries—venues that come with their own sets of limitations and often require lots of extras in the form of rentals. In reality, colleges are often more accommodating than expected and can even offer unique perks, such as access to renowned faculty speakers or student volunteers.

Final Thoughts

Next time you’re planning a meeting or conference, don’t overlook what universities have to offer. With the right timing and coordination, university event spaces can be cost-effective, convenient, and surprisingly full-featured.

Need help planning a meeting or conference at a university or college? We have in-depth knowledge and experience with many schools, including the University of Oregon, University of Montana, University of California Berkeley, and Yale University. Get in touch with us if you need help or want to learn more.

A luncheon held at Yale University School of Management.

Accessible Event Transportation for the Portland metro area

Posted on by Shawn Granton
A van that can hold two wheelchairs, with a ramp on the passenger (right) side extended to the sidewalk.
Photo from MTA, used under Creative Commons license 2.0

Whether it’s a conference, meeting, or wedding, ensuring that all of your attendees can access your venue(s) seamlessly is crucial for fostering inclusivity and enhancing the overall experience of your event. As the planner, you must do your due diligence and research your options. You don’t want an attendee to feel left out because your event lacks the appropriate transportation for someone with accessibility needs. You also can’t assume that your transportation provider will just have this ready for you. We’ve found several vendors who offer accessible event transportation for the Portland metro area and beyond.

Important things to note: Most of these services require reservations AT LEAST two days in advance, some months in advance if booking a larger vehicle, to guarantee availability. Some providers have limited service hours (typically weekday business hours) which can make things tricky for night and weekend events. Those that have indicated 24/7 service are listed in bold. Many of these providers offer different vehicles depending on needs, such as wheelchair vs. walker, so make sure you let them know what you need, as price can vary depending on service. While this list is meant to inform you of possible options, we do not endorse the providers listed here, and can’t guarantee they would work in every particular situation.

Please check each provider below for more info:

Credit: Sarah Petersen for Portland Bureau of Transportation

Travel Portland also maintains its own Accessible Portland page, with tons of resources on accessible event transportation for the Portland metro area. If you’re having an event that includes biking, you can rent Adaptive Biketown accessible bike rentals too!

Man standing in front of a wheelchair accessible van with the lift extended and ready for a passenger.
Image via Willamette Valley Transport’s website.

Nonprofits can also provide useful services for accessible event transportation for the Portland metro area. We found one called Ride Connection, that may be able to provide door-to-door service as long as one is registered in advance and provides 4 days advance notice. One must start the registration process by phone. Check out their website here.

We don’t want to forget to mention our own local public transport service, TriMet. TriMet in Portland offers bus, light rail, and streetcar services, all accessible. However, it isn’t point-to-point, so you do have to plan in advance for the last few miles or blocks of travel. TriMet does offer accessible LIFT service, but from what we’ve researched, there is an application for eligibility, and some bureaucratic hoops to jump through. While there is a visitor eligibility application process, it’s only available to apply by phone. Thus it may not be the most convenient for on-demand, event transportation services.

And don’t forget that EJP Events is there for your event planning needs. Feel free to get in touch if you need assistance with your event, or with accessible event transportation for the Portland metro area.