Vegas Magazine - Niche Media - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/332267
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF GALE A bove t he new f lagsh ip Pola roid Fotoba r store, located in T he Linq, is the Polaroid Museum, recounting the history of the iconic brand and presenting special exhibits like "Capturing Celebrity," featuring 50 of Andy Warhol's Polaroid snapshots of his famous friends, currently on loan from the Andy Warhol Museum. The glossy white space also holds corporate events and private functions for up to 300 people—all of them orchestrated by Jennifer Lier. The stunning, effervescent hostess and organizer caught the entertainment bug early. Lier recalls watching the Miss America pageant and wondering what it would be like to wear a swimsuit in front of people—to feel that confident, to be that happy. A decade later—after winning a battle with her weight, losing 100 pounds at age 18 —"everything I really focused on and daydreamed about as a kid started com ing t r ue," she reca lls. She won t he t it les of M iss L a s Vegas and Miss Nevada and the talent portion of the Miss America competition. In fact, Lier's career has been one of constant transforma- tion. In her time as a performer, she has sung in Las Vegas lounges; toured the world in Legends in Concert, opening for people like Wayne Newton and Don Rickles; and headlined a one-woman show in Vegas showrooms. She even became a renowned Marilyn Monroe impersonator. She channels all the show-business lessons she has learned into another recent role, as a motivational speaker, aiding women with confidence issues. "I love helping women realize themselves," she says. But her most recent transformation is perhaps her most dra mat ic, leav ing t he enter t a inment world to join t he Polaroid Fotobar and Museum as director of Las Vegas events and business development. "I was scared to death," Lier says. "It meant letting go of my previous life. But I felt like I did everything in entertainment that I could do." She had been consulting with Polaroid on events for sev- eral months, and the aggressively growing company saw her natural charisma as a very Vegas way to bring Polaroid to the people. Lier's new position spans marketing, event production, and building corporate partnerships. "When you represent t he cool new k id on t he block, ever yone wants a piece of it," she says. "It's fun to be part of some- t h ing so iconic." A nd t hat Ma r ily n w ig? It 's not quite retired, she says—just resting. polaroidfotobar.com V Quick Change Artist JENNIFER LIER WAS ACCUSTOMED TO BEING IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA, BUT HER LATEST ROLE TAKES PLACE BEHIND ITAND ALL AROUND IT. BY NICOLE RUPERSBURG INSIGHT Decompression zone: "I love to relax in my secluded backyard with my husband, Dan." New obsession: "Stephano's Greek and Mediterranean Grill on Eastern. My Lebanese background makes this type of food something I can never pass up. It's the best!" Jennifer Lier is the focus of activity at Polaroid Fotobar. 44 VEGASMAGAZINE.COM DESERT PATROL