Through every stage of Ann Frescura's career, event planning has remained a central part. After spending most of her career in her hometown of Springfield, Illinois, most recently promoting Downtown Springfield, she now dives into a major life event—moving to Southwest Florida and taking over as executive director of the Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce. “I knew it was time to make a big, bold move,” she tells SRQ. We spoke with Frescura about the constants in her life.

Famliy Farm 

My parents Jack and Betty Thereon are very important to me. Having grown up on a farm near Springfield, they kept all of us active in farming chores. We liked to work hard and play hard and we developed a deep respect for farming. It’s hands-on work. You learn to solve problems, work together, respect animals, respect the land and get up early and get to work.

Mock Pollock 

My youngest daughter Tori Jane and I did this picture when she was four. It resembles a Jackson Pollock-style painting, but we just had fun. It has layers. She smeared her hands so the bottom layer is really handprints, then we chose different color paints to swirl and throw at it. I had this hanging in my office for years and when I moved here one of my girlfriends shipped it to me so I can hang it again.

Canon AE1 Manual

My second year in college, I took a photography course and received a camera for Christmas. I literally carried it with me daily for years. This was back in the time when you laid out your own film in a darkroom and developed your own prints. There is a real magic about it. Digital photography is amazing and fantastic, but not everyone today can remember doing their own film development and print work. I’m grateful for that experience. I shot thousands of rolls, mostly black and white. I even toyed with infrared, which is not as predictable but that’s the fun part of the creative process.

Blown Glass

I have always been fascinated with hand-blown glass balls. Over the years, everyone has known I loved them and started giving them to me as gifts. I have about 50 glass balls and used to have them hanging all over my office. Some are three to four inches in diameter. The largest is 12 to 14 inches—beach ball size. I always thought maybe I would take some time to get into glass blowing or glass making. Stained glass has a magical quality to it.

Wicked Woman Chili

I would love to come across an opportunity here to compete in a chili cook-off. I’m not a highly professional competitor but back in Springfield this recipe won a few local bar chili competitions. I can’t tell you what’s in it, of course, but the tagline was ‘Wicked Woman Chili: Just Hot Enough.’ It heats up enough when you eat it to feel a little heat, a little spice, but not enough to take it over the edge to where it burns your voice or destroys the flavor.

University of Illinois

I went there and focused on photography and graphic design work, but one of my professors was also the chair of the Public Administration of Community Management arts program and encouraged me to pursue the master’s program there. That is when my professional focus turned toward managing nonprofits. From there, I started working as an event planner and eventually became executive director of an arts council, which in turn led to being the promotions and events director for Downtown Springfield. That experience really led me to this position.

Magicians of Main Street

I was having a conversation with Chris Meade, of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, and he was mentioning this book he wrote that has interesting facts about chambers of commerce dating to the 1700s through now. It discusses how they started out in Europe. It is informative yet also entertaining. 

Nike Comfort Footbed 

The first time I wore Nike Comfort Footbed shoes, I thought my feet had died and gone to heaven. Sometimes as an event planner you are on your feet for 18 out of 24 hours, and no matter what shoe I was wearing my feet  would just get tired. But eight years ago, I came across a pair of these. I literally stood in the store and thought this was heaven for my feet. If your feet are happy, you are happy.

John Grisham Novels

I have read every one. I like the characters and the plot twists. It’s always a little bit suspenseful. They seem very realistic, like this could happen, and they are always centered in the South. I think they have transitioned well into movies.

Walks on the Beach

In my spare time, I like to take a nice long walk on the beach. I like to go outside. I want to do stand up paddleboarding here; it’s on my short list. I was lucky that when I was seven years old we came down for our first vacation in Marco Island and I was just so in awe of the water and the scenery. I was out there finding the shells. I jumped right in and loved it.