July 5, 2013
CEO Newsletter
Our client promise is real and tangible. It is not built on an unstable foundation of promises that cannot be kept. Results not Rhetoric is not an empty slogan. We craft one-of-a-kind locally relevant hospitality programs in our venues every day. Developing a credible long-term solution is our immediate challenge – one that drives our clients’ revenues but not at the expense of anything less than the best hospitality experience. Any comprehensive offering that produces a deficit or imbalance between returns and guest experience must be eliminated. I have not come to this conclusion lightly but being the best means delivering the best, not a watered down version that leads to inferior service and a poor industry reputation.
An article in the Wall Street Journal recently mentioned how America was experiencing a decline in entrepreneurship. The pessimistic view is that that we’ve lost our mojo. While that may be the prevailing view of the country, it is not a view I share. Quite frankly, while we are facing some stiff competition I personally have never felt better about where we are as a company and even more importantly where we are going as a company. We have made terrific progress but there is much more to do. We have not lost our mojo. We are constantly refueling our mojo and I thank you for your personal leadership in fueling our journey.
While we can challenge how best to attain our vision, we cannot have debate about the intent and meaning of our vision. The reality is that we must evolve. It is not enough just to do the same things we did last year even if successful. We must continually review and refine our offerings and connect on a deeper level with our clients and our guests to exceed all expectations. Our intent is to be the world’s most respected Event Hospitality company and I know we will make it happen.
I couldn’t be happier that we have another successful renewal to announce – after a competitive mandatory bid process, Centerplate was awarded a new long-term contract renewal with Virginia Tech! Congratulations to Steve Cahoon, Doug Dodson, Keith Lane, Chef Orlando Morales, Sal Ferrulo, Eric Wooden and our staff at Virginia Tech!
E3 moments of the week …
Catering Sales Manager Jennifer McDonnell leveraged her past relationships with Ford Motor Company to get them into the Cobo Center for a tasting and two recent off-site events have gone a long way to winning back this important client after their previous unhappy experiences with our predecessor. “Both events went off without a hitch! One more casual and one more upscale, but you and your team delivered excellent service and showed true professionalism through the planning and execution phases. Food quality was also great. We look forward to many future opportunities to involve Centerplate in our Detroit events.” Great job by Dan Barbieri, Shannon Chapman, Jeff Chaulk, Don Everhart, Jason Hougard, Darius Johnson, Jennifer McDonnell, Chef Jamie Miller, Cathy Urban, Sharon Woodson, Chef Matt Zatrika and our entire Detroit team!
Our clients and guests are showcasing our offerings on social media – Rodney Atkins, on tour with Darius Rucker, posted photos of our backstage catering on Facebook with the caption “Wow, Meadowbrook knows how to do catering” following his performance at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion @ Meadowbrook. This season guest relations have been taken to new levels, particularly with the performers, and Meadowbrook has been nominated for both the Red Rocks Venue of the Year and Country Music Association Venue of the Year. Kudos to Chef Shawn Fitzgerald, Mary Macdonald, Stefanie Warsnip and our team at Meadowbrook!
The 3-day Metfoam event at the Raleigh Convention Center was a great success with a very pleased conference client, “Thank you for the wonderful and professional service that we received during Metfoam 2013. I could not be happier with the quality of the food that we had. As a matter of fact 80% of the participants rated the food #1 in our conference evaluation survey. With an international group of people with a wide range of food expectation, 80% is super.” Job well done by Kevin Bilyj, Raheema Black, Andrew Booger, Chef Don Burchell, Bryan Dahlstrom, Clinton Fasion, Dan Kapps, Heather Kellogg, Carlos Ortega, Adam Page, Janel Theilen, Taneka Wynn and our entire staff in Raleigh!
Congratulations to Chef Jennifer Moody, ORDA at Lake Placid, for having her recipe for Paillards of Beef Tenderloin with Bucheron and Watercress Salad featured in the new “J. Lohr Vineyard Table” cookbook. The book features a collection of 21 recipes from notable chefs in the US to pair with their Pinot Noir wine. A copy of her featured recipe is attached.
We need to remain focused on the Centerplate Way and make the industry see the difference – and more importantly feel the difference!
Centerplate Welcomes Jerry Reed as New General Manager at LP Field, Home of the Tennessee Titans
