The Smart Way to Plan a Corporate Milestone Anniversary According to Executives Who've Done It Successfully
For most companies, milestone anniversaries are more than just celebrations. They're moments of reflection, reinvention, and renewed connection with employees, customers, stakeholders, and the company's own history and future direction. But planning an anniversary that's both impactful and memorable is no small feat. That's where the real challenge begins.
Just ask Shellie Frey, former Vice President and Chief Branding and Communications Officer of Golden State Foods. " Lisa Alonge , founder of Anniversary University ® , actually reached out to us two years in advance of our 75th anniversary," Frey recalls. "At the time, I was leading branding and communications, and COVID had just hit. We ended up doing what I think was Lisa's first virtual Anniversary University ® Forum after years of a live event in NYC. It was a lifeline."
This brand was heading into its 75th year, and though the company had celebrated its 60th Anniversary, Frey knew the 75th had to be more robust. "We had instincts and a vision," she says, "but Anniversary University ® gave us the roadmap."
Frey, like many leaders, had access to Lisa's Anniversary planning playbook, an extensive video library, and the Anniversary University® Forum. "The Forum was incredible. It brought together experts and leaders who had already been through these milestones. We got to hear real case studies, including what they did, how they budgeted, what worked, and even what didn't," Frey says. "Even with our own plans in place, it became a checklist, a reference, a way to make sure we didn't miss anything. And most importantly, it inspired us to think not just about celebrating the past, but using the anniversary to catapult the company forward."
That idea of looking forward, not just back, became a core theme for Frey's team. "Lisa encouraged us to think about how an anniversary could spark forward momentum, not just nostalgia. She helped us define measurable goals and gave us tools to budget effectively, which is critical when you're working across departments and managing executive approvals," Frey states.
What stood out the most for Frey? "Lisa herself. She's not just a consultant. She's a goldmine. The anniversary planning playbook and video library, the website, The Forum, her expertise—it's all there. But Lisa also makes herself available in a way most advisors don't. She's your on-call sounding board, 24/7. You feel like you have a real partner in this process. It saved us time, saved us money, and ultimately elevated the quality of everything we did," Frey remarks.
That level of partnership left an impression on Laura Hollingsworth, too, who was the Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of the Opry Entertainment Group, when she first heard about Anniversary University®. "Somebody mentioned Lisa to me in passing, and I said, 'No, I've never heard of her.' But once I looked into it, it was like discovering a whole new world of insight," Hollingsworth says.
For Hollingsworth, the biggest challenge wasn't ideas; it was how to organize and prioritize them. "We were a company full of great ideas," she says. "But what Anniversary University ® helped us do was hone in on the ones that mattered most. It gave us the structure to filter what would actually make an impact."
Early in the planning process, Hollingsworth and a small team immersed themselves in a full day-and-a-half of Lisa's virtual Anniversary Forum. "We took pages of notes," she says. "And what was just as valuable as the successes were the stories of what didn't work. People were candid, and that honesty helped us avoid a lot of missteps." Anniversary University® Helping Clients Celebrate Milestones Anniversary University®
The real game-changer for Hollingsworth was Lisa's planning playbook. "It wasn't even published when Lisa first told me about it, and I remember saying, 'I need that the moment it's available.' And when it arrived, I was blown away. We used it cover to cover. It was comprehensive, practical, and it helped us not only think about the big picture but also execute every small detail," Hollingsworth shares.
More than anything, Hollingsworth remembers Lisa's personal involvement. "She was so engaged from day one, calling, emailing, and following up," Hollingsworth says. "It wasn't a transactional relationship. Lisa was ideating with us, checking in, and offering new resources. She exceeded expectations in every way."
For Kara Calderon, Head of Sustainability & Community Engagement at Reynolds American Inc., the journey began with a forwarded email from her boss, an introduction to Anniversary University® from Lisa. "I signed up for one of her Forums and just hearing people speak about their experiences was incredibly helpful," she says.
Calderon recalls Lisa talking about needing to know one's 'why.' This is one of the early insights from Anniversary University® that stuck with her the most. Calderon states: "Why are you celebrating this anniversary? What's the story you're telling? That clarity became the foundation for our every decision. Our why never changed, even when timelines shifted and budgets flexed. Lisa helped us anchor to that purpose."
She faced the common challenge of balancing anniversary planning with day-to-day responsibilities. But what really set Lisa apart, says Calderon, was her proactive support. "She didn't just send a book and disappear. She checked in. She'd email or call and say, 'Hey, how's it going? Are you stuck? Do you need a resource?' And often, it was exactly what I didn't realize I needed at that moment. It gave me the chance to step back and recalibrate," Calderon states.
For Calderon, the most valuable aspect of Anniversary University® was the combination of structure and inspiration. "You don't have to reinvent the wheel unless you want to," she says. "Lisa has built a network of professionals who do this well, and you get access to all of that. Her inquisitive nature pushes your thinking. You'll hear something and go, 'Oh, I hadn't considered that. Maybe I can adapt to it.' It absolutely expanded our vision of what this anniversary could be."
In the end, each of these clients arrived at the same conclusion: Anniversary University® isn't just a toolkit. It's a transformational resource. And Lisa is the secret weapon behind it. Whether planning a 25th anniversary, a 200th, or anything in between, and whether it's three years away or just around the corner, these leaders all say the same thing: Start with Lisa.
As Frey puts it, "Partnering with Anniversary University ® was one of the best decisions we made. If you want a successful benchmark anniversary, this is the place to go."
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