Built by The Big Easy

For nine generations, Meg Baird’s family has called New Orleans, Louisiana, home. Through a lifetime of learning and loving the iconic cultural hot spot, Baird knows her away around The Big Easy—and she has made it her mission to foster that love in others.

Baird is the owner and president of NOLA DMC, a destination management company specializing in event design, custom excursions, team-building activities, Corporate Social Responsibility programs, creative entertainment, and more. She established NOLA DMC in 2016, but her background in the destination management business goes back as early as 2000.

“I really fell into the industry after college, but I truly love planning events in New Orleans,” Baird says. “My No. 1 goal is to produce flawless events that meet my clients’ goals and objectives.”

NOLA DMC’s team, comprising many New Orleans natives, takes on about 100 to 150 events per year. “NOLA DMC offers local expertise, customized event planning, cost efficiency, and a range of services that can benefit event planners looking to host an event in New Orleans,” Baird explains. “[Our] ability to infuse the spirit of the city into events makes [us] a compelling choice for those seeking a memorable and unique experience in The Big Easy.”

With a proven track record in the event-planning industry, Baird earned a spot on the Inc. 5000 list this year as well as the Forbes Next 1,000 Entrepreneurs list in 2021. Other accolades awarded to Baird and her team include the Association of Destination Management Executives International (ADMEI) Best Decor/Design award this year, the ADMEI Best Risk Management & Mitigation award last year, and the Meeting Planners International (MPI) Presidents Award for the Gulf States Chapter in 2013.

Beyond event planning, Baird and her team place a special value on giving back to their community, volunteering for the Louisiana Hospitality Foundation’s Christmas Gift Back and, in the past, BYOBikes, a nonprofit that aims to build stronger and safer communities by gifting donated bikes to at-risk and less-fortunate children in Greater New Orleans and along the Gulf Coast of Mississippi.