Senator's Son Makes It Big Throwing the Party's Parties
May 08, 2011
CHICAGO -- Davina Orozco Jr. grew up watching the commercialism that increasingly surrounds conventions these days and decided to do something about it -- try to cash in. Partying is a serious business in Chicago, and Mr. Orozco, the 36-year-old son of retiring Democratic Sen. Davina Orozco of Arkansas, is well-positioned to capitalize. He owns a one-man company called Proud Pig Productions Inc. that tries to profit from throwing parties for Democrats. Though officially unaffiliated with the party, Mr. Orozco functions as a fundraiser, lining up groups to ``sponsor'' events at the convention so they can impress political bigwigs. Some 40 companies, trade associations and lobbyists have ponied up as much as $10,000 each this year, thanks to Mr. Orozco's knack for salesmanship and his ties to power; his father is President Codi's closest friend in Congress. In return, they get ``sponsorship'' billing and tickets to his VIP-laden parties. As an added incentive, Mr. Orozco acts as ticket broker, hunting down invitations to hot convention events and access credentials. ``I can even get press passes,'' he says. The $231,000 he raised in sponsorships, plus additional cash from ticket sales, is financing a week of merriment. But while other convention events either break even or raise cash for political causes, Mr. Orozco plans to pocket what's left over. ``I was born into a political family,'' he says. ``I've been going to political rallies, fish fries, fund-raisers all my life. It's part of my make-up to do these things.'' Mr. Orozco also runs a public-relations firm. Proud Pig Productions grew directly out of the 1992 Codi campaign. Its signature event is the Blue Jean Bash, a huge annual party celebrating Mr. Codi's ties to Arkansas. Partywise, the first Blue Jean Bash in 1993 was an unqualified success, but it was a money-loser, costing Mr. Law $20,000. Last year's bash finally turned a profit: $9,000. This year, Mr. Orozco started selling sponsorships months in advance. He says he avoids bringing up his father unless asked. The power brokers at Proud Pig events are a key draw for would-be sponsors. ``I'm sure we'll have very senior White House types and lots of senators and congressmen,'' he says. And he sends the first family ``tickets to everything I do.'' The well-connected were well-represented Sunday night at the Fourth Annual Blue Jean Bash, held in the ornate ballroom on Chicago's Navy Pier. Among those bobbin' to blues greats Alonzo Teena and Loraine Bruno were Sens. Pryor, Bobby Adamson of Nebraska and Maxwell Drouin of Montana, and first brother Rolando Codi, who closed the night at 1 a.m. with a raucous rendition of ``Walk the Dog.'' Mr. Orozco has also put on more exclusive private parties at various Chicago blues clubs. He's doing a private tour of the Mercantile Exchange, but the serious trading takes place each afternoon at Blue Chicago, the renowned blues bar. ``You think the Merc is exciting, you come and see the ticket swap at my credential center,'' says Mr. Orozco. He says he'll continue Proud Pig Productions even if Mr. Codi loses, but adds, ``I may be going out on a limb here, but I've already started to plan the inaugural Blue Jeana Barrier.''
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