October 4, 2013
CEO Newsletter
Te3am,
Not very often does one find a cause that benefits you personally as much as it does an industry or a marketplace. This week I attended the NRA Board Meeting and found just such a cause. It is a priceless opportunity. One of the key takeaways from the meeting was that the NRA needs to further strengthen its local legislative relationships. As we all know our industry is being attacked on several levels – obesity tax, minimum wage and the implementation of ACA.
The NRA’s objective dovetails with our own philosophy that Centerplate actively strives to connect with the communities in which we live and work. Our challenge is to have relationships with the local political and civic leadership in all of the communities that we serve. With each election these political relationships can change so this is a continual task of maintaining current ties or making new ones.
Since getting around the table is critical and as the saying goes, if you are not at the table then you are not on the menu, the NRA is setting up a key advocacy initiative where they want local operators to engage with their local politicians to discuss important industry issues and speak for the 12+ million restaurant workers who make up the second largest work group in North America. I would like to actively engage all our GM’s, and/or other venue and functional leaders, in this endeavor and drive this initiative consistently throughout our enterprise. It is another avenue to strengthen Centerplate’s relevance in the community. The time commitment will be on an as-needed basis and the impact could and should be very meaningful. While participation in the NRA initiative is predominantly for our USA venues, I would encourage our Canadian and UK based managers to make similar connections as we need to strengthen our local ties in all of our markets.
Please read the attached NRA overview and we will set up a company-wide call with further information in the coming weeks. As this initiative spans across many disciplines and will see us interact with many legislative bodies, I am asking Keith King to spearhead due to the legal aspects. He will work closely with Chris Verros and our local leaders to ensure we are coordinating all efforts.
E3 moments of the week …
We are celebrating back-to-back wins with contract awards in the UK for Derby Theatre, an arts venue owned by the University of Derby, and Sage Gateshead, home of music and musical discovery on the south bank of the river Tyne. We will refresh the Bistro Deli & Café and Lounge Bar at Derby Theatre and open a new Bistro Restaurant for pre-theatre dining. At Sage Gateshead we are working with local Chef Terry Laybourne and have developed new menus for the café/restaurant and catering. Congratulations to Jon Davies and everyone involved in making it happen!
Our recent launch of MerseyEats and MerseyDrinks at ACC Liverpool’s Echo Arena has been a great success with our guests. Our new menu selections, including Spire’s Famous Fish Pie and Alma de Cuba’s Strawberry Fields Cocktail from our local restaurant partners, and refurbishments have brought increased food, spirits, mixers and premium wine sales while decreasing customer transaction time. The launch got the attention of the local media (article attached) with the Liverpool Echo’s restaurant reviewer enjoying our offerings, “The bottom line is the Arena is trying to do something a little different with the emphasis on locally-sourced quality and freshness coupled with a hint of humour. I applaud them.” Great job by Samantha Lincoln, our ACC Liverpool team, John Sergi and our STIR team!
Carol Wallace, President and CEO of San Diego Convention Center, has been named a 2014 Professional Achievement Honoree by PCMA (Professional Convention Management Association). The recognition honors Carol for her leadership in advancing the industry and continuing to ensure that the meetings and events space has a bright future. Carol has had a long and successful career, holding leadership positions across the industry. She successfully orchestrated the Phase II expansion of the San Diego Convention Center and is now leading the efforts for Phase III due to break ground next year. Our congratulations to Carol!
At the recent Juma Ventures 20th Anniversary Celebration Centerplate was honored with the Enterprise Award, presented in recognition of our program of providing jobs to low-income youth nationwide. Centerplate works with Juma Ventures at several venues to further this worthy cause and give these young people an introduction to the hospitality field. Chris Verros accepted the award and joining him at the dinner were Arliss Beach, Randy Brubaker, Mike Dubey, Zach Hensley, Casey McCleary, Ryan Stone and Eric Wooden. Ron Lee, our GM at Qualcomm Stadium, is joining the National Board of Juma Ventures and will be exploring ways to expand participation across our enterprise. Kudos to all of our locations that currently employ Juma youth!
Executive Chef Ryan Stone, currently at BC Place Stadium and transferring to the new Levi’s Stadium, will compete in the Dubai World Hospitality Championships on the Canadian Culinary Foundation team. This is the inaugural year for the Dubai Championships but it is expected to become the Middle East’s premier culinary competition and is sanctioned by the World Association of Chefs Societies. The international teams will be required to present a themed buffet and hot meal for a group of 54 at the event in November. Congratulations and good luck to Ryan and the Canadian team!
Let’s connect and ensure our voice is heard and valued. I would like Centerplate to build an enviable and unprecedented local network in the years ahead.
Onwards!
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