March 1, 2013
CEO Newsletter
Te3am,
Organizational advancement and personal development are critical components of how we deliver on our mission of crafting a one-of-a-kind locally relevant hospitality program. At our recent conference, Roy Arnold provided an overview of the organizational CPU module. The challenge is to get all management personnel behind driving this new tool throughout the enterprise. This is a truly exciting step for Centerplate and it will be a key differentiator in our march for excellence. We know that our competition is busy mimicking what we do; therefore it is even more important that we take our talent advancement commitment to a whole new level.
In the three weeks since the launch of the new site, we have 1,000 of our full time management personnel activated and engaged. This is a good start but it is not where we need to be. Personal development is essential. All venue and department managers must have a development plan in place for each of their direct reports. It is imperative that all of us be engaged and utilizing the various components of the site, with no exceptions, by the end of the month.
When people are engaged and valued, they are also motivated. We have to count on you for the effort before we can count on you for the results. Words and not deeds mean nothing, let’s do the work. A respected leader who is a great motivator and personal coach is a winner. We do this right and our Hospitality IQ will rise exponentially.
I have the pleasure of seeing all aspects of our enterprise constantly improving and evolving. This week I reviewed the Chicago Cubs, Chicago Bears and Portland Trailblazers proposals. Each showcases our mission of crafting a one-of-a-kind locally relevant hospitality program that drives our clients’ overall revenues and brand positioning. The time and effort that goes into this process is tremendous and I would like to thank Steve Cahoon, Kay Towner, Bob Pascal, Chris Verros, Gary Wattie and their team, along with the various other operation and department personnel, who make it all happen. I would also like to offer congratulations to Amy Gorey on the orchestration of her first proposal!
E3 moments of the week …
On Thursday morning we experienced a serious systems issue with EZPlanit. Michael Krstovic and Robert Webster from our IT department mobilized within moments and called in our supplier partners for assistance. With the system down and clients to serve, Judith Moline stepped beyond and provided the team with a temporary solution to overcome the challenge and still deliver results for our guests. The systems issue was not a problem she could solve but she did take a leadership role and respond to the challenge. Our Hospitality IQ got better today. It is this type of action that makes us a force in the industry. Nonstop effort by the IT Department got the EZPlanit system back online at the end of the day. Kudos to Judy, Michael, Robert and all involved in the EZPlanit restoration!
Congratulations to Whitney Roberson, our kitchen employee at Sevierville Convention Center and a Walters State Community College culinary arts student, on winning two first place trophies at the recent Great Cake Bake in Knoxville. The event raises funds for the Imagination Library, Dolly
Parton’s non-profit organization that encourages childhood literacy by mailing a new book each month to children in communities across the US and around the world. Whitney started baking and decorating cakes in high school – way to go, Whitney!
Centerplate at Ocean Beach Park has been chosen to receive the Outstanding Organization Award for the Eastern Region from Special Olympics Connecticut at their Hall of Fame Dinner on March 20th. The award recognizes our generosity in hosting their Penguin Plunge Fundraiser for the past ten years. The event has raised over $550,000 and is also a great promotion for the park. This year’s plunge will take place on March 10th, having been postponed because of the snowstorm, so there is still time to sign up and dive in! Great job of community involvement to Debbie Balch, Karen Beausoleil, Evan Giesing, Sandy Grady, Sam Johnson, Maureen Jordan, Tom Hurley, Dave Sugrue, Joe Tate and our team in New London!
The San Diego Food Bank’s recent Open House was a great success and our generous donation of hors d’oeuvres, beer and cutlery was very much appreciated, “It was a very special evening for us at the Food Bank and our donors who were able to learn a little more about what their funds support every day in the community. As always your chef outdid himself. It was a pleasure for us to be able to offer such delectable hors d’oeuvres to our guests. Please tell all the staff that everyone raved about the food.” Job well done to Chef Kurt Hauser, Chef Jeff Leidy, Nancy Murgillo, John Vingas (a food bank board member), and our staff at the San Diego Convention Center!
I’d like to sign off with a quote that John Sergi sent me which reinforces our philosophy of winning through quality and just being the best, “Every time I’m stumped in a business problem, it doesn’t matter what it is, the answer is always, increase the quality. Always. If you increase the quality you never go wrong.” Yvon Chouinard. In all instances, we are the Quality solution for our clients
Centerplate is on a roll … here’s to continuing the momentum and celebrating many future successes.
Onwards!
