Aces of Trades: Colleen Cook is a party expert
LANCASTER − Colleen Cook knows all about parties, weddings and numerous other kinds of events.
"I am a people person through and through," the Party Plus general manager said. "I enjoy the relationship with employees and the employee engagement. But also the client relationship. The best part is the creativity and that outlet. I can look at accounting all day long. But if somebody wants to talk shop and look at sparkly things, I'm there for it."
Cook has had her position for about four years. Party Plus at 430 W Fair Ave. rents tents and numerous other items for weddings and various events. There is also a Circleville location for both Party Plus and Taylor Rental, of which Brad Hutchinson owns both companies.
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"There's no order that's too big or too small," Cook said. "We do small orders because folks are wanting to have a yard sale and they need extra tables. But we also do weddings for 300-plus with staging and lighting, dance floors. The whole gamut."
Cook has numerous duties, including overseeing Party Plus, running errands, meeting clients, office work and much more. She also does accounting and some human resource work for Taylor Rental. She also goes on site visits.
"We do free site visits for tents," Cook said. "There's nothing worse than sending someone out there blindly. We do have a long-time tent installer who's been with us pretty much since we opened. So he's the one you see mostly onsite."
She also occasionally helps out at the Mill Event Center, which Hutchinson also owns.
Cook has a degree in hospitality management with a minor in business management from Ohio State.
"I went off to college and I said I want to be a wedding planner," she said. "And I did that and it was fabulous. But I was also working very grueling hours that demanded a lot of me personally. So I took a small sidestep into banking for a while and really leaned into the business degree that I have."
After about six years in banking, Hutchinson hired her.
As with many industries, Cook said staffing is a challenge, along with the weather since she deals with so many outdoor events.
"But as far as challenges go, client relations go along way and managing expectations," she said. "I think we do a really good job, and we have a lot of great community partners. We're downtown for a lot of events."
Away from work, Cook enjoys traveling with her husband and working on their 100-year-old house.
"We live in the greater downtown district, so it's been enjoyable to really dive in and get to know the house from the inside."
jbarron@gannett.com
740-681-4340
Twitter: @JeffDBarron
This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Aces of Trades: Colleen Cook is a party expert
