February 22, 2013
CEO Newsletter
Te3am,
This week we are putting together a letter to send out to key prospects in all the major channels we operate. It is an opportunity for me to make a connection with other industry leaders, get their perspective on where our business is headed and provide them with a high level introduction to Centerplate that will hopefully lead to doing business with them in the future. The underlying theme is that at Centerplate we deliver to a higher standard on the elements that are most important to our clients, namely the Centerplate Way.
Moving forward, our task is to deliver on the important elements that make up the Centerplate Way, as outlined recently in Denver. You are living proof of what success looks like in 2013. We need to communicate this success to drive future growth in our current venues, new channels and new markets in the years ahead. It is essential that you personally Step Beyond and review each critical element with your team and make any necessary adjustments to ensure that all points are covered. Every one of our clients should be eager and happy to give us a testimonial on the merits of the Centerplate Way. If this is not the case, then we are not delivering on our client promise of creating one-of-a-kind locally relevant hospitality programs. I know you are up to the task.
The Centerplate Way is vividly in play in Denver where the Convention Center and Performing Arts Center Nominating Committee has recommended Centerplate to continue our decades’ long partnership with the City. After seeing Laurence Rua and our Denver team in action, the outcome is not a surprise. A big round of applause to all involved in the renewal!
Final numbers are in for our Super Bowl hospitality experience and sales are up 10% over our previous year’s historic high in Indianapolis. This again underscores our commitment to continually evolve and improve. Richard Ginzel and his team, Steve Trotter, Kernell Jupiter and their team, certainly delivered Results not Rhetoric. Extraordinary effort by Team New Orleans!
E3 moments of the week …
With a total of 201 events at the Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium, totaling more than $2 million in catering revenues in one extraordinary week, our team overcame some hurdles and worked endless hours to reset rooms, turnover equipment and expedite massive amounts of food to ensure that all functions were served flawlessly. Our largest client, Case New Holland (CNH), had two large receptions along with breakfasts, lunches and dinners nearly all week with guest counts ranging from 1400 to 2500 people. Visit Indy was thrilled with the results, “I wanted to send a note to say a big thank you for making CNH’s experience a great one! They have already asked us to check 2015 availability. Initially CNH was not going to look at Indy for 2015 but we are thrilled to say that we found some dates that we will be offering for 2015.” Great job by Executive Chef Shumu Adem, Jason Bolden, Shari Bridger, Amber Deal, Frances Dotson, Deanna Hyrzak, Lynda Fonderoli, Brandon Fruzen, Melissa Gunn, Anthonie Lardierre, Devon Mabitt, Nicole Magee, Keith Meyer, Dan Mixan, Scott Osborn, James Pruitt, Patsy Robertson, Sabel Snow, John Stockholm, Carlos Wells, Kerry Werst, Doug Wolf and visiting team members Robin Booker, Linda Heller, Jquitta Martin, Harriett Rankin, Calvin Sawyer and Darryl Searcy!
Congratulations to Randy Maxwell, Operations Manager at the Century Center, one of the honorees at this year’s Dismas Dinner in South Bend. Dismas House volunteers and staff extend their hands to welcome men and women returning from prison. Randy will receive the Distinguished Service Award for assisting “at-risk” individuals with integrating back into society.
Canadian jazz pianist and singer Diana Krall played to a crowded MTS Centre last weekend and enjoyed her backstage meal so much she mentioned it live on stage. She also signed “thanks for feeding me so well – yum yum” on an autographed CD which will be framed and hung in our office. Job well done to Amanda Kaminsky, Janet Kaminsky, Devin Lawlor, Dave Murdoch, Michael Pollard, Karen Rainka, Rejean Roch, Tim Timbury, Chef Tod Trudea, Craig Vidal, Kat Whiteside, Aiden Wilson and Executive Chef Roger Wilton!
In Dallas, the Keller Williams Real Estate 30th Anniversary Celebration, with 11,000 attendees and over $1.5 million in sales, was a complete success. Our client could not have been happier, “I personally witnessed the Dallas Centerplate team seamlessly interlacing with the traveling team and even more impressive the DCC event team. Our combined staff demonstrated the highest professionalism, respect and confidence in each other. With the combined efforts of the Centerplate team, DCC team and CVB we have converted a somewhat skeptical and concerned client into one of our biggest supporters. Thank you to the entire Centerplate team for your partnership in “Executing Extraordinary Experiences”! Kudos to Jesus Armendariz, Tommy Brown, Florence Chauvet, Tina Coleman, Dan Craig, Julio Franco, Tom Friedman, Sergio Garcia, Doug Keller, Louise Larby, Paul Lussier, Maria Murillo, Executive Chef David Skorka, Michael Stinnet, Robert Totten, Donna Vandiver and visiting team members James Bowen, Sharna Brooks, Mia Cangelosi, Donnel Donaparte, Jeff Fernandez, Jean Pierre Giroux, Melinda Keiffer, Eva Paschal, Joyce Sessoms and Ricardo Uribe!
A friend of mine visited Holiday Valley and sent me a note, “We are all raving about the food offerings. It is fantastic. Job well done to you and your staff.’’ All of the credit goes to our team delivering a wide variety in the resort’s three lodges and a restaurant. Congratulations to Franco Brady, Steven Brooks, Nikki Clark, Steve Gotreau, Chris Hastreiter, Carrie Horton, Nikki McComb, Josh McDowell, Annette Nicolazzo, Shirley Roblee, Michael Rogers, David Seitz, Jr., Dave Seitz, Sr. and Mark Stark!
We must always stay true to ourselves, never compromise on our promise to create Craveable Experiences and Raveable Results while at all times delivering Results and not Rhetoric through crafting one-of-a-kind locally relevant hospitality experiences.
