October 26, 2012
CEO Newsletter
Te3am,
This week I’d like to dedicate the message to a very important topic – Caring. Caring is a central component of our corporate commitment to make the communities in which we live and work better. It is good for business but truthfully it is better for life.
Over the last few years we have done a great deal to fuel our caring spirit. In leadership with Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake in Baltimore, we launched The Journey Home which last year raised $400,000 to eradicate child homelessness in the city. This past weekend the second annual Journey Home Gala was held and we are thrilled to have raised another $400,000 to continue the fight. With more than 600 guests in attendance, including the Governor, the “Evening of Unexpected Delights” featured a special guest appearance by actor Josh Charles and an amazing performance by Jennifer Hudson.
We are also in the process of rolling out the Centerplate Promise with the goal of helping to raise awareness and funding to fight child homelessness in all of our communities. The Centerplate Promise is getting underway with the San Diego Chargers and the San Francisco 49ers and will grow into other communities down the road. In Denver, we have supported Mayor Michael Hancock’s SEEDS program and, as you all know, launched Blue Bear Farms to much acclaim.
In addition, our annual contribution to non-profit organizations through their work at our facilities tops $25M each year. This is a staggering number and one that certainly proves we care. All of these are just a few of the many instances in which Centerplate supports our local communities.
E3 moments of the week …
At the Journey Home Gala at the Baltimore Convention Center our team did an outstanding job and I received many compliments throughout the night. Our more than 600 guests enjoyed a cocktail reception featuring an Oyster and Champagne Bar and various action stations, a sit- down dinner with a main course of Filet Mignon Tour D’Argent and an Après Dessert reception highlighted by a Fire and Ice Station serving liquid nitrogen vanilla bean and cinnamon ice cream atop flaming apple pie a la mode, buttered rum and caramel. Congratulations to Winston Commander, John Dooley, Will Greene, Chef Gerald Infantino, Angela Kelly, Morline Lynton, Chris Morgan, Susan Noah, Chuck Schlagenauf, Rebecca Scott, Shauntay Thompson, visiting team members Chef Sean Kavanaugh, Chef Gary Leach, Chef David Skorka and our entire staff in Baltimore!
For the 3rd year our team at the Kentucky Expo Center supported “Becca’s Bake Sale for Blessings in a Backpack”, run by 15-year old Becca, by donating baked goods and negotiating with our clients to allow her to operate a booth at selected shows to raise money for Kentucky Harvest. This year was another big success with enough funds raised to feed 15 children every weekend for an entire school year. Kudos to Tina Caudill, Sherrica Dale, Larry DeVore, Doug Simmonds, Cory Strahan and our team in Louisville!
The first two games of the World Series have the San Francisco Giants leading the Detroit Tigers 2-0 with the 3rd, 4th and 5th games to be played in Detroit and games 6 and 7 back in San Francisco. With Giants fans roaring for another World Series victory and game 6 scheduled for Halloween, it would be a huge black and orange party night at the stadium. Great job by Bill Greathouse, Angie Perilliat and our team in San Francisco along with visiting team members from Miami, San Diego, Seattle, Tampa and Washington, DC! Go Giants!
We are a client relationship driven company. Please make sure that you are connecting with your client and the city/town leaders and actively participating in making your community a better place to work and live.
