HOLLYWOOD, Calif. -- The first annual GAYVN Webmaster Retreat got off to a roaring start Thursday at the Hollywood Renaissance Hotel with a welcome reception that was open from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and sponsored by CCBill. Industry leaders from across the country (and as far away as Great Britain and Thailand) gathered in the heart of Hollywood to renew relationships and make new associations.
CCBill's reception was a well-attended cocktail party with a relaxed atmosphere and tasty appetizers. Some of the Manifest Men mingled to provide eye candy, and temporary tattoos (with skulls, tigers, and GAYVN and CCBill logos available) were provided.
Drew Pluta of Drake's Erotica in L.A. said, "I think the retreat is good because the tech industry is so large and it's become so broad in its scope that you need things like this to focus inward on the smaller segments of the industry and what's happening rather than just the generalized technologies and ideas."
Attendees included Don Mike of Max Pixels; Brandon Ramkey of ManOlay.com and MarketingAdult.com; Daniel Kaufman of ZbuckZ; Roger Montgomery of Upcumming Productions; Darryl McDade of Verotel; Amy Kehoe of Playgirl.com; Jeff Rosenberg of Burnt Brick Media; Ruby Tan and Joan Irvine of ASACP; Carlos Felipe Morales of Manhunt.net; and Dustin Tyner, Mike True, and Ken Knox of Specialty Publications, in addition to many other industry titans.
Following the cocktail party, Cybersocket sponsored a party from 9 p.m. - 2 a.m. at Rage nightclub in West Hollywood. Shuttles took Retreaters from the hotel in Hollywood to So Cal gay mecca WeHo 20 minutes away. DJ Val Scinto spun dance tunes and for those who chose to imbibe, the drinks flowed freely.
The GAYVN Webmaster Retreat will run through Saturday with seminars on topics including alternative revenue sources, the state of the industry, and online piracy, in addition to parties at both the Hollywood Renaissance and the Hollywood & Highland shopping center.
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