March 21, 2014
CEO Newsletter
Te3am,
As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I have always been a big believer of leading from the front. I have seen the negative consequences of others who have shrunk from the battlefield when the going gets tough. As many of you have witnessed time and time again, when the going gets tough I am right there at your shoulder fighting. After five years I am incredibly thankful to also know that when the going gets tough all of you are charging right there beside me.
Already I can recount and find the humor in some of our war stories. I cannot tell you how incredibly proud I am of our team and I believe that I have the pleasure of working with the best women and men on the planet. Truly, the good that you do on a daily basis is at times humbling and we are truly a family. This feeling was reinforced at our Annual Conference; it was not visiting with friends and colleagues but more like a family reunion. I hope you all felt the enthusiasm for the future of the company and your role in our future throughout the conference. I was fully confident of our future before we got together and now I feel that we will attain our stretch goals and beyond in the years ahead.
E3 moments of the week …
More positive press to report – the readers of USA Today voted Indianapolis the Best Convention City! The convention center’s proximity to hotels, restaurants and Lucas Oil Stadium, along with its affordability earned Indianapolis the top spot. Also included in the Top 10 are Nashville, Denver, New Orleans and Washington with Baltimore, Dallas, Miami, Orlando and San Diego receiving nominations. Congratulations to all!
Tonya McGowan, Executive Chef at the Morris Performing Arts Center and Palais Royale, made an appearance on WNIT Public Television’s Experience Michiana and prepared Scotch Eggs in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day with the recipe later available on the show’s website. Chef Tonya is a veteran, having been on the show several times now, which generates just the kind of publicity we want for ourselves and our client!
The Music City Center has received “REAL Certification” from the United States Healthful Food Council. The Center is the largest venue in North America to achieve this honor. REAL Certification recognizes facilities that maximize the use of healthy, local, sustainable foods; offer several portion sizes, healthy children’s meals, and vegetarian and vegan options; and minimize deep-fried and processed foods, added sugars and sodium. “Music City Center has scored extremely well in comparison to other catering establishments we’ve taken through the process, and we truly admire the initiatives you’re undertaking to incorporate sustainable and healthy foods into your operations. Being a significantly large establishment, you truly have the power and visibility to implement change, and you’re doing a wonderful job in doing so.” Kudos to Doug Zimmerman, Executive Chef Max Knoepfel and our entire team at the convention center!
Last month the Pasadena Civic Auditorium hosted the prestigious NAACP Image Awards, which had been held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles for the past 12 years. The seated dinner for 600 and post awards reception for 1300 were an outstanding success and the NAACP has re-booked the event for next year citing their wonderful experience. Other noteworthy events held at the PCA include the Prime Time Emmy Awards and the People’s Choice Awards. Great job by Doug Finney, Chef Arnold Preciado and our team in Pasadena!
TED (Technology, Entertainment & Design), the nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading, is holding its annual conference this week in Vancouver. Celebrating its 30th Anniversary, and the first time the event has taken place outside of the U.S., the 1,200 attendees include celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the world. This is the first of a two year deal for the conference to be held at the convention center and our team is working around the clock to impress the planners and attendees alike to keep it in Vancouver through 2020. On opening night, following the first presentations, the attendees were treated to a Canadiana reception with Maple Smoked Sablefish, Weathervane Scallops with a Saffron Emulsion and Braised Beef Short Rib cubes, among the many delectable dishes. Kudos to Andrew Pollard, Executive Chef Blair Rasmussen and our convention center team!
It is vital that we work methodically and resolutely toward our goals. We will not pander to political expediency. We will make the deals that make sense, fit within our strategic plan and bring value to Centerplate. Have you implemented your plan for 2014? Have you engaged your team and asked them for their ideas on how to Make It Better To Be There? Make this a priority and we will see immediate and positive results to further differentiate our enterprise.
Onwards!
