“Lorraine is an extremely reliable, honest and dedicated person.
Her contribution is most valuable and appreciated by all.”
– Georges Durst, Founder, Sportscene Restaurants & House of Jazz
Taking off
In Canada where she spent most of her life, Lorraine “LC” Cordeau is renowned for the creative imagination that fuels her ability to build careers and empires from scratch.
Her coordination and promotional skills were soon discovered at RCA Records. “We’re very proud of the fact that, as the first female promotion ‘guy’ in the country, Lorraine was voted by all DJs the best agent at the Toronto Maple Leaf Junket.” – Jean Desjardins, Director of Sales & Promotion
At the request of international superstar Joe Dassin who moved from RCA to CBS Records on the condition that “Big Blonde”, as he nicknamed her, would continue to promote his career, she also switched labels. “My 10 years in the recording industry were addictive; when working with mega talents such as The Jacksons, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Lou Rawls, Julio Iglesias, John McLaughlin, Stevie Wonder, Tom Jones, Chicago, Heart, Weather Report, Cheap Trick, Stephane Grapelli, Dexter Gordon, Jose Feliciano, Pagliaro, Eddy Money, Pink Floyd and other greats, who cares about 110-hour weeks?”
Credits : Photos by Joyce Jones Alapa and Song “You & Me, Baby” by Boule Noire
Eager to undertake new challenges, LC then became the Canadian Director of Public Relations for the Air France-owned Meridien Hotel Chain. Her responsibilities were threefold: representing the Meridien Chain in Canada, generating all festivals and promotional activities at the Montreal Meridien Hotel, and managing its Theater. “The Meridien’s perpetual quest for excellence was the best school ever!”
One day, legendary restaurateur Georges Durst asked Radio-Canada reporter Francine Grimaldi: “In your opinion, who’s the best publicist in Quebec?” He immediately hired LC as V-P of Communications for the public company he was about to build. Within 8 years, Sportscene was nominated the fastest-growing restaurant chain in Canada having opened 41 Cage aux Sports. Revenues jumped from $500 K to $60 M.
In addition to handling human resources, media, stockbrokers, franchisees & client relations, LC was involved in all promotional activities along with some creative for its advertising campaigns. Through audacious publicity stunts and fruitful joint ventures, free media coverage estimated at millions of dollars was generated annually.
Her love of music was also fulfilled as she contributed to the show bookings for the three Bijou Bars, Biddle’s Jazz, Les Serres of Old Montreal and Zhivago Russian restaurant. “Dealing all at once with sports, live entertainment, gourmet cuisine, a growing corporation, successful franchisees and happy shareholders was a blessing… and a blast!”
Eager to experience new business ventures, zealous LC decided in 1995 to fly on her own thus extending her services to multiple industries. Lorraine Cordeau Communications was born and kicking!
V.I.Ps
■ Air France ■ Association de Villégiature de Tremblant (AVT) ■ David Boisvert « Tribute to Joe Dassin » ■ Distribution AutoMobilité (launch of Electronic Game Cybiko in Canada) ■ Domaine Development – Le Concorde Condominiums ■ Eurowa Service (European car repairs) ■ Focus 3-D (printing facilities) ■ Gala des Ulysse (Tourism Award Celebration) ■Georges ‘Boule Noire’ Thurston (composer/musician/producer) ■ GTLC Productions (CDs, live concerts, television shows, videos) ■ Jackson Family – Launch of Holding in Geneva (1993) ■ John Abaté International – Skincare products (Arizona) ■ KatrinAID fund-raising concert for New Orleans musicians ■ La Presse daily newspaper (editing – special features) ■ Lumicube Media ■ MDI Technologies ■ Mikes Restaurant Chain ■ Olympic Stadium ■ Order of Engineers in Refrigeration ■ Paramount Decor & Village (movie sets & filming location) ■ Park Omega of Montebello (wild animal reserve) ■ Par Promotions (Pro-Am Golf tournaments & incentive golf trips) ■ Million $ Challenge in Tremblant Resort ■ Pepsi Forum ■ La Piazzetta Restaurants ■ Préau Montcalm (residential condominiums) ■ Quebec Chamber of Commerce ■ Quebec Sports Games ■ Quebec Tanning Salon Association (ASBQ) ■ Rainsoft – Water treatment ■ Receptour Canada (trip wholesaler) ■ Sesame (bar, disco, upper-class restaurant) ■ Soprema ■ Investment-raising conference for the construction of the Vancouver Meridien Hotel ■ Hosting of Italian delegation – Receptour Canada ■ Gala productions : Les Mercuriades, Ulysse, Quebec Chamber of Commerce ■ KatrinAID TV Show (80 performers) ■ Various fundraising activities ■ Soul Sound Studio ■ Tanning, Beauty & Well-being Magazine (promotion, interviews & editing) ■ World of Dreams Foundation ■ Worldtech Sciences (Toronto)
Flying high!
Trips
■ Promotion of 8 ski resorts in the French Alps with Air France ■ Quebec media meet Elvis Presley (Jacksonville, Florida) ■ European Journalists invited to discover Catherine Lara’s new LP (Morin Heights Studio) ■ Duke Doucet Golf Pro-Am (92 golfers, Las Vegas) ■ Quebecor incentive trip (64 guests, Atlantis, Nassau) ■ CHOM-FM rewarding trip (PGA Port St-Lucie – Florida) ■ Chrysler GolfTour Club (Virginia) ■ Media Fam Trips – Montreal Meridien Hotel
Media
■ Co-hosting of TV series “Ski Mag” (RDS) ■ Acting in comedy “Claude Blanchard” (2 years), various variety shows and 14 TV commercials ■ Creative for radio jingles & television commercials ■ Production of live concerts (e.g. KatrinAID), documentaries, music videos (Georges “Boule Noire” Thurston) and television series (“Nimus & Bouba World Tour”)
Journalism
■ “Option Confort” – Design & Décor magazine ■“La Revue des Sports” published monthly by the RDS Sports TV network ■ “Salon Beauté” magazine ■ « InfoBronzage Beauté Bien-être » and “Tanning, Beauty & Well-being Info” trade publications ■ Special features in le Journal de Montréal, le Journal de Québec and La Presse dailies ■ Co-writer of martial arts book “La Femme et le Karaté Samouraï” (Éditions de l’Homme). Karateka LC earned a purple belt in the kyorushinkaï style.
Awards
■ 3 first prizes at the International Amateur Film Festival of Tokyo for the coproduction of a documentary film ■ Gold Record as the # 1 promotion agent in Canada (RCA) ■ 2 Best Business Awards for Sportscene Restaurants
Smooth Landing
A golf aficionada, LC fell in love with Florida Palm Beach County where the bunkers are made out of sand, not snow. In 2013, she became a US resident.
Living near the PGA headquarters and professional golfers triggered the idea of relieving them from time-consuming (and often annoying) daily tasks. Detail oriented, LC enjoys coordinating agendas. “Not having to worry anymore about managing their homes, families, commitments, travel arrangements, wardrobe and other distracting responsibilities, pro golfers can now better concentrate on their game. That also stands for business people.” Understandably, LC names her new enterprise: Whole’n 1.
The timing could not be better to return to her first passion: audiovisual production. As a Communications student, LC wrote and coproduced a video which earned 3 prizes of excellence at the International Amateur Film Festival of Tokyo.
Knowing that television broadcasters always look for the miracle show that will elevate their ratings sky high and crush competition, LC conceived “The Nimus & Bouba World Tour” series. It is the first project of her new Out to Launch! Entertainment division geared at creating hits to fill the gaps in the broadcasting and film industries.
“New trips coming up. Fasten your seatbelts!”
“The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it.”
– Molière