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A Virtual Trip Around the World – at the American Ball

AmCham Taipei’s 2020 American Ball was an evening of glitz and glamor as nearly 300 members and their guests arrived at the Grand Hyatt Taipei dressed in dashing tuxedos and elegant evening gowns. While the COVID-19 pandemic has severely restricted international travel, the theme of this year’s ball – Fly Me to the World – aimed to bring the world to attendees. The event featured a world-class meal, international performances, and dance-worthy sounds from around the globe.

View the full photo gallery here

As guests began to trickle in, they made their way from the photo stand in the hotel’s lobby to the registration area outside the Grand Ballroom on the third floor. There they were treated to an eye-catching display of duty-free products supplied by Ever Rich, including high-value Taiwanese tea sets, as well as other local snacks and assorted goods. Those wishing to further memorialize their attendance at this premier event had the chance to strike a pose at two photo stations upstairs.

2020 American Ball – AmCham x Ever Rich

The evening’s festivities kicked off with a lively dance performance, transporting the audience to France and Spain with traditional songs and beautiful costumes. It was a hard act to follow, but Master of Ceremonies Roger Yee rose to the occasion, eliciting laughs and applause from guests and putting everyone at ease. He was joined onstage by AmCham Taipei Chairperson CW Chin and President Leo Seewald, and the three raised a toast on behalf of the host organizations.

2020 American Ball – Dance Performers

As the night continued, guests were treated to a sumptuous intercontinental meal, whose courses included Spanish-style smoked halibut, pineapple sorbet with coconut crumble for lovers of Hawaii, Netherlands-style roasted U.S. beef tenderloin, and a coffee chocolate bonbon representing Italy. It was the kind of feast that lets you savor the world without ever needing to leave the dinner table. To complement this delicious spread, bottles of Robert Mondavi Winery Woodbridge Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay were provided by drinks sponsor Sergio Valente, while whisky drinkers enjoyed glasses of Johnnie Walker Black Label Sherry Finish from Diageo.

Live music for the American Ball was provided by Sherwyne Pereira and his band MODA, while local DJ Rick Kraft spun a range of contemporary jams and classic tunes, getting people in the dancing spirit. Those who still had room after dinner could take a break from the dancefloor for a late-night snack of pulled pork sandwiches and Spanish churros. Meanwhile, free-flow refreshments were available at the bar throughout the night.

2020 American Ball – Dance Floor

The 2020 American Ball was made possible by the generosity of a number of sponsoring organizations. These included Grand Prize Sponsor Samsung; Wine & Liquor Sponsors Diageo and Sergio Valente; Gold Sponsors Amgen, Grand Hyatt Taipei, and HSBC; Décor Sponsor Merck; and Silver Sponsors Corning, The Rehfeldt Group, and GSK.

The party featured raffle drawings with attractive prizes throughout the night. The grand prize, from Samsung, was a 65” QLED 4K television. Other prize sponsors included the Grand Hyatt Taipei, Amba Taipei Songshan, CÉ LA VI Taipei, eslite hotel, Everrich, Hotel Eclat Taipei, Hotel Indigo Taipei North, Hotel Royal Group, Howard Plaza Hotel Taipei, Madison Taipei, Mandarin Oriental Taipei, Mellow Fields Taipei, Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Plaza Hotel, The Landis Taipei, The One, The Place Taipei, Regent Taipei, Sherwood Taipei, Westin Tashee Resort Taoyuan, and W Taipei.

Interested in attending our events? Join us at other upcoming events, click here.

Note: AmCham events are intended primarily for AmCham members and their guests. Many events are open to members’ guests and other non-members, but the attendance of any non-member must be approved in advance. AmCham reserves the right not to admit a non-member to any event without explanation.

Bringing Hawaii to Taipei: The 2018 American Ball

“Aloha Hawaii” was the theme of the dazzling 2018 American Ball, co-organized by AmCham Taipei and the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT). On the evening of November 3, AmCham members and their guests entered the beautifully decorated (thanks to the Feng Ze Design Center) Grand Ballroom of the Grand Hyatt Taipei and immediately imagined themselves transported to America’s favorite vacation spot.

After a cocktail reception featuring a welcome drink of Robert Mondavi Winery’s Woodbridge Sparkling Brut courtesy of Sergio Valente, Master of Ceremonies Ed Shober opened the festivities. AmCham Chairman Albert Chang and President Bill Foreman, accompanied by AIT Director Brent Christensen and Deputy Director Ray Greene, then greeted the attendees on behalf of the host organizations.

View the full photo gallery here.

Showing its usual creativity, the Grand Hyatt served a gourmet five-course meal that featured a cucumber red quinoa salad with Ahi poke and young corn, pumpkin chowder, cucumber granite passionfruit jelly, roasted U.S. beef tenderloin, and dessert of a chocolate sphere with coconut cream and fresh pineapple. The dinner was accompanied by Robert Mondavi Winery Woodbridge Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay (from Sergio Valente) and Johnnie Walker Double Black (from Diageo). “Blue Hawaii” and other cocktails were available at the bar.

Before and during dinner, the ball-goers enjoyed spirited Hawaii-inspired entertainment routines devised by the VMJ dance group. Once the music started – provided by talented Sherwyne Pereira and his band, as well as DJ Rick Kraft – the dance floor was packed for the rest of the evening with gyrating, enthusiastic revelers.

The event was made possible by the generosity of a number of sponsoring companies. These included Grand Prize Sponsor United Airlines; Wine & Liquor Sponsors Diageo and Sergio Valente; Gold Sponsors Amgen, Grand Hyatt Taipei, HSBC, Taiwan Sotheby’s, and Versum Materials; Décor Sponsor Standard Chartered Bank; Silver Sponsors BlackRock, Corning, Invisalign, and Prospect Hospitality Co. Ltd. (McDonald’s Restaurants); and General Sponsor The Tobacco Institute of the Republic of China (TIROC), with a special thanks to the Primasia Conference & Business Center (PCBC).

Attractive raffle prizes added to the excitement of the evening. The grand prize, by United Airlines, was two round-trip business-class tickets to any destination in the United States. The second prize was four nights’ stay for two at either the Club Med Kani (Maldives) or Club Med Sahoro (Japan). Other gift sponsors were the Grand Hyatt Taipei, eslite hotel, Ever Rich D.F.S. Corp., Hawaii Island Real Estate/Clark Realty Hilo, Hotel Eclat Taipei, Howard Plaza, Landis Taipei, Mandarin Oriental Taipei, Mellow Fields Taipei, Palais de Chine, Procter & Gamble, Regent Taipei, Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Plaza Hotel, Sherwood Taipei, Westin Tashee Resort Taoyuan, and W Taipei.

“Chicago”: The 2017 American Ball

The 2017 edition of the always much-anticipated American Ball, co-organized by AmCham Taipei and the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), took place October 28 in the beautiful Grand Ballroom of the Grand Hyatt Taipei. Guests enjoyed the room’s dazzling Chicago-themed décor provided by the Feng Ze Design Center, crowd-pleasing entertainment routines devised by the VMJ dance group, and the choice of music by energetic vocalist Dooley and his band, as well as DJ Rick Kraft.

The Master of Ceremonies was Mark Lewis, taking a break from his day job at the AIT Commercial Section. AmCham Chairman Albert Chang and President Andrea Wu, accompanied by AIT Director Kin Moy and Deputy Director Rob Forden, greeted the attendees on behalf of the host organizations.

View the full photo gallery here.

Before the reception, guests were greeted with a lively cocktail reception drink of Robert Mondavi Winery’s Woodbridge Sparkling Brut courtesy of Sergio Valente Inc. The gourmet five-course meal that followed featured smoked salmon tartare, lentil soup with papadum chip and sour cream, Tarocco Orange sorbet, roasted U.S. beef tenderloin with polenta cake and crispy carrot, and for dessert a Red “C” chocolate-origin mousse with raspberry sorbet and sea salt sable. The dinner was accompanied by Robert Mondavi Winery Woodbridge Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay (from Sergio Valente) and Johnnie Walker Double Black (from Diageo). Cocktails and Guinness stout were available at the bar.

The event was made possible by the generosity of a number of sponsoring companies. These included Grand Prize Sponsors United Airlines and Grand Hyatt; Wine & Liquor Sponsors Diageo and Sergio Valente; Gold Sponsors HSBC, Grand Hyatt Taipei, and Versum Materials; Décor Sponsor Standard Chartered Bank; Silver Sponsors Bristol-Myers Squibb, BlackRock, Corning, and Prospect Hospitality Co. Ltd. (McDonald’s Restaurants); and General Sponsor The Tobacco Institute of the Republic of China (TIROC).

Substantial raffle prizes added to the excitement of the evening. This year’s grand prize, an “Ultimate Dream Vacation” package, included two round-trip Taipei to Chicago business-class tickets by United Airlines, plus a three-night stay at the Park Hyatt Chicago. Other gift sponsors were 3M, eslite hotel, Ever Rich, Grand Hyatt, Hotel Eclat Taipei, Howard Plaza, The Landis Taipei, Mandarin Oriental Taipei, Mellow Fields Taipei, Palais de Chine, The Place Tainan, Procter & Gamble, Regent Taipei, Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Plaza Hotel, The Sherwood Taipei, Westin Taipei, The Westin Tashee Resort Taoyuan, and W Taipei.

Interested in attending our events? Join us at other upcoming events, click here.

Note: AmCham events are intended primarily for AmCham members and their guests. Many events are open to members’ guests and other non-members, but the attendance of any non-member must be approved in advance. AmCham reserves the right not to admit a non-member to any event without explanation.

“Disco Fever” at the American Ball 2016

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The Grand Ballroom of the Grand Hyatt Taipei rocked with a disco beat on the evening of October 29 as the American Ball, co-organized by AmCham Taipei and the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), again confirmed its reputation as the social event of the year for the Taipei international community.

The theme of “Disco Fever” was evident in the attire of the nearly 400 attendees (many of whom had evidently dug through drawers and closets to find garments with a ‘70s flair), the glitzy décor of the room thanks to the work of the Feng Ze Design Center, the creative entertainment routines devised by the VMJ dance troupe, and the choice of music by energetic vocalist Dooley and his band, DJ Rick Kraft, and the talented husband-and-wife, song-and-dance team of Richard Lin and Cindy Shueh Lin (both former AmCham board members).

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The Master of Ceremonies was Mark Lewis, taking a break from his day job at the AIT Commercial Section, and AmCham Acting Chair Libby Driscoll and President Andrea Wu, accompanied by AIT Director Kin Moy and Deputy Director Rob Forden, greeted the attendees on behalf of the host organizations.

The evening began with a welcoming drink of Bottega Brut Millesimato sparkling wine courtesy of Fratello F&B Int. Ltd. The gourmet five-course meal that followed featured a deconstructed Cobb salad, lentil soup with smoked duck, Isphahan sorbet, roasted U.S. beef tenderloin with wagyu beef patty, and a Funky Ball containing dark chocolate mousse, hazelnut, and popcorn. The dinner was accompanied by Caruso Cusora Bianco Sicilia and Manin Reforsco Rosso wines (from Fratello) and Johnnie Walker Double Black (from Diageo). Cocktails and Guinness stout were available at the bar.

View the full photo gallery here.

 

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The event was made possible by the generosity of a number of sponsoring companies. These included Grand Prix Sponsor United Airlines; Glitter Sponsor Volkswagen LCV Taiwan; Wine & Liquor Sponsors Diageo and Fratello; Gold Sponsors HSBC, Grand Hyatt Taipei, and Versum Materials; Silver Sponsors Abbott, BlackRock, Corning, and McDonald’s; and Décor Sponsor JTI.

Attractive raffle prizes added to the excitement of the evening. The grand prize was two United Airlines business-class tickets to San Francisco combined with a three-night stay at the Grand Hyatt San Francisco. Other gift sponsors were 3M, Ever Rich, Fox International, Grand Hyatt, Hotel Eclat Taipei, The Landis Taipei, Mandarin Oriental Taipei, Mellow Fields Taipei, Palais de Chine, The Place Tainan, Procter & Gamble, Regent Taipei, Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Plaza Hotel, The Sherwood Taipei, and Westin Taipei.

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