the Q1 2 018
Smart City Networks and the Big Game PROV IDING TOP NOTCH SERV ICE AT THE NFL FA N E XPERIENCE
The National Football League (NFL) showcased its annual Fan Experience at the Minneapolis Convention Center. Smart City Networks is the exclusive internet provider at the Minneapolis Convention Center and was pleased to provide seamless internet connectivity during the event, January 27th – February 3rd. The Fan Experience, pro football's interactive theme park offering participatory games, youth football clinics, merchandise from NFL Shop presented by Visa and autograph sessions from NFL players and Legends, is the most exciting continuous event surrounding the big game. It also featured personalized digital photos, 40-yard dash and vertical jump against NFL players on LED screens, a virtual reality experience, an enhanced championship rings display and a new NFL Draft set! Below are some statistics showcasing the services provided by Smart City Networks during the event:
• • • • • •
14 separate wireless networks Wi-Fi available to more than 107,000 attendees 2500+ simultaneous users Average 421Mbps daily 165 hardline internet devices 28 telephone devices
PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: Lais Vang (Technician), Nahom Woldeamanueal (Technician), Brian Clear (General Manager), Tim Taylor (Technician), Duane Law (Director), Jesse A special thank you to Dennis O’Gara (VP, Eastern Operations), Duane Law (Director, Gallegos (Operations Supervisor), and Eastern Operations), Chris Pendleton (General Manager, Dallas), Daryl Olson (General Chris Pendleton (General Manager) Manager, St. Louis), Jesse Gallegos (Operations Supervisor, Houston – GRB) for assisting Brian Clear (General Manager, Minneapolis) and his team.
PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: Nahom Woldeamanueal, Brian Clear and Tim Taylor
PICTURED: Brian Clear
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CONTENTS
PRESIDENT’S CORNER
02 P R E S I D E N T ’ S CORNER
ANOTHER YEAR, ANOTHER BIG GAME UND ER SM A R T C I T Y ’S BELT
Quarterly overview from Smart City’s president, Mark Haley.
As described in our cover story this month, the city of Minneapolis and our client, the Minneapolis Convention Center hosted this year’s Big Game between the New England Patriots (Booo!) and the underdog Philadelphia Eagles (To the Top!).
05 G M I N S T I G H T S
Words of wisdom from our General Managers. Ranging from reflections on a Daily Basic to insight on technology advancements.
08 C E N T E R U P D A T E S What's new in our buildings? Special updates from the field.
15 W E CARE & GIVE BACK Highlighting the community service efforts of our Smart City teams across the country.
18 E M P L O Y E E O F THE MONTH
Recognizing this quarter’s outstanding employees.
19 T E A M U P D A T E S Team member milestones and new arrival announcements.
20 A N N I V E R S A R Y LIST
Each year the Super Bowl and its various supporting events grow, not just in number and attendance, but in their technology needs. The main event at the Convention Center this year was the Fan Experience and as described in the cover story pushed out systems and people as always. Our manager in Minneapolis, Brian Clear, is new to his role as General Manager there and really stepped up in leading our efforts during this mega event. Brian was ably assisted by a team of grizzled veterans including Dennis O’Gara (VP, Eastern Operations), Duane Law (Director, Eastern Operations), Chris Pendleton (General Manager, Dallas), Jesse Gallegos (Operations Supervisor, Houston – GRB) and others, who combined have more Super Bowls, NCAA Final Fours, MLB and NBA All Star games than you can count.
(It should be noted that we also handled the NBA All Star game this month in Los Angeles and will have the NCAA Final Four in San Antonio in the next few weeks.) In the end, our success in Minneapolis was the result of having a great team in place to execute the event. Coincidentally, that was a similar story to the success of the aforementioned Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles. Despite injuries to their star quarterback and other key players and constantly being labeled as the underdog, the Eagles rallied as a Team and performed their best in the Big Game, when it counted most. Smart City Business Principal #7 – Teams Work! Fly Eagles, FLY!
Anniversaries of team members throughout the company.
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the PINNACLE • Issue 1, 2018
BOOSTS TA MPA CON V ENTION CENTER
“From the first meeting to the event, Mitch Hughes (General Manager) and Madison Grimes (CSSR) were quick to answer questions/concerns and helped me walk through the different scenarios to get to what was needed. All services were installed before we arrived and the additions were taken care of in a timely manner. Excellent service! Mitch is an asset and should be commended for his exemplary service. Madison provided excellent assistance and patience as we worked through the order and the billing. A great team at TCC.” CEC Event Management
ANAHEIM CONVENTION CENTER
"The Smart City staff at Anaheim was once again a pleasure to work with for our show this year. Even if we had an issue they were immediately on top of it and ensured it was taken care of right away. Thank you Nick Urquiza (Data Operations Professional) for finding and working on our problem even though it took more time than expected. We appreciate the extra effort & care you took. All the staff, including the technicians checked to make sure everything was up and running anytime we crossed paths which gave us even more reassurance that we were being taken care of and a priority to them. Thanks for all your assistance again this year. Thank you Tammy Espinosa (Customer Sales & Service Manager) for always being available and responsive to my emails and questions or concerns! The entire staff there is always a pleasure to work with." Christina Coy, NAMM Show Management
MINNEAPOLIS CONVENTION CENTER
“Brian Clear (General Manager) was helpful and knew what we needed based on prior year requirements. Always one step ahead and always quick to respond. He also provided a post-show usage report which was very helpful. Brian did a great job supporting our event!” Joey Quesada Cruz, UBM LLC Show Management
SA NTA CL A R A CON V ENTION CENTER
“The technicians and our main contact, Pat Johnson (Event Coordinator), always are easy to reach, attend our daily onsite staff meetings and go out of their way to make sure we are all set for the event.” DesignCon Show Management
WA SHINGTON STATE CON V ENTION CENTER
“Joe Melancon (General Manager) and Tim Wass (Event Coordinator), quick note to say a big thank you for all your help with Redfin! From the proposal process to load in you were extremely helpful and provided a fast turnaround. And you were extremely accommodating. I know we had some non-traditional requests. Thank you for rolling with the punches and making it all happen. Redfin was extremely pleased! Thanks again! Look forward to the next one!” Stephanie Condrat, Senior Event Manager, SHW
NRG PA RK
“Ike Eichenour (General Manager), just wanted to let you know that Chris Jones (Technician) and Greg Roy (Technician) do a great job. They are always very attentive and jump onto anything I’ve ever requested. They are both extremely professional, courteous, and will find a way to get things done. Chris in particular has become my go to person when I have questions or need something done in a pinch. I haven’t had the opportunity to work with your other tech as yet but wanted to let you know that my experience with Chris and Greg has been commendable. Thank you!” Nina Singh, Network Administrator, SMG-NRG Park
A M E R I C A' S C E N T E R C O M P L E X
"Year in year out Daryl Olson (General Manager), Keith Bean (Technician), and Corey Anderson (Technician) are great and super easy to deal with." Scott McQueen, Owner/Club Director Capitol Sports Center, President’s Day Championship
SAN DIEGO CONVENTION CENTER
“Francisco Magdaleno (Technician) was fantastic! He put us at ease while fixing our internet.” Shelby Lee, AFP Annual Convention, nCino Bank Operating System
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BOOSTS ORANGE COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER
“I want to extend a sincere thanks to you, Frank Loyke (Senior Event Coordinator), for the excellent customer service that we experienced, and to the entire Smart City team for the flawless technical service we received. All of the wired drops were located exactly right at installation, and we experienced no service interruptions or delays.” John Sember, Pittcon 2018 Communications Technology CE
LOS ANGELES CONVENTION CENTER
"This was our first time in LA and people like Frank, Ashley, Mina and Robbie Bridges (Customer Sales & Service Manager) make us look forward to returning. If a planner is lucky, you get a couple of great people on your team, but to have a full roster of capable, fun, efficient people was such a perk." Kimberly A. Madigan, Newcoast Financial Services
GEORGE R. BROWN CONVENTION CENTER
“Angelica Grant (Event Coordinator) was helpful, and made sure to explain things in a detailed manner. Some new policies and procedures came into play during the time of our event, and she made sure to explain them to us and helped us when we were frustrated with the new procedures. She was quick on the phone when we needed help. The technicians were helpful, and fairly timely when we had requests.” Tessa Overfelt, Fast Signs 2018
SA NTA CL A R A CON V ENTION CENTER
“Smart City was AWESOME, everything worked great and they checked on me more than once. There is nothing I can suggest to create a better experience. They have it down. Thank you for being a great partner!” NorCal Events Show Management
K AY BA ILE Y HUTCHISON CON V ENTION CENTER DA LL AS
“Thank you! Rey Crespo (Operations Manager), you were awesome. Thank you for helping us!” Kit Schultze, Esplanade Travel
NRG PA RK
“Ike Eichenour (General Manager), it looks like 12/27 was our last game onsite and I just wanted to reach out and say, THANK YOU, as always, for another Season! Appreciate all you do for our guys all season long!! Wish you the best and I look forward to speaking with you this fall or sooner perhaps!! Thanks!” Amanda Mallette, Westwood One
SAN DIEGO CONVENTION CENTER
“The A team was Awesome! Adrian Miller (Technician II) and Alisal (Technician)” Lori Chase, Infectious Disease Society of American, NEJM Group
ATL A NTIC CIT Y CON V ENTION CENTER
“James Casperite (Technician) and Ryan McCart (General Manager), thank you both for going above and beyond last weekend in Atlantic City at our trade show. With today’s economy, most teams are routinely short-staffed. It has been a long time, since any vendor exceeded our expectations. Please let me know if ever you need a testimonial – James, you have the patience of a Saint!!” Kimberly A. Madigan, Newcoast Financial Services
HENRY B. GONZALEZ CONVENTION CENTER
"Stephanie Silva (CSSR) was very helpful at the convention with resolving an internet problem I had. It was my first time being at the convention for my company and I appreciated her efforts to make my first time there smooth and workable. Thank you!" Choristers Guild, TMEA
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GM INSIGHT LTE-U Versus Wi-Fi: An Electromagnetic Tug-of-War
JA MES CASPERITE — TECHNICI A N, ATL A NTIC CIT Y CON V ENTION CENTER Since the days of our most ancient forebears, the conflict over control of resources and territory has been a constant companion of humankind. So too has this curse of strife followed us into the realm of digital technology and communications, exemplified in the modern battle to claim usage rights over choice communicationsfriendly sections of the electromagnetic spectrum. As wireless communications of all sorts become more ubiquitous and heavily data-laden, the right of way on the most useful spectra has become a war-worthy treasure. One of the more recent front lines in this conflict has been the offloading of cellular data into frequencies previously used by Wi-Fi, a proposal known as Long-Term Evolution in the Unlicensed Spectrum (LTE-U). The name itself suggests part of the trickiness of the issue. The wireless frequencies under contention, those in the 5GHz band, are unlicensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and international regulatory bodies and have become crucial to modern Wi-Fi operation. This light regulatory touch has left 5GHz open to development by other technologies as well, and multiple wireless carriers have invested in expanding the cellular 4G LTE standard into this new territory. Wi-Fi industry groups such as the Wireless Broadband Alliance and the Wi-Fi Alliance have protested this movement, citing concerns over transmission interference. Wireless trade groups like the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) Alliance and the 3rd Generation Partnership Project have fired back with assurances of careful spectrum stewardship and pointing out flaws in their opponents’ projected impact studies. It is definitely in the wireless industries’ best interests to discredit the studies; the results show that in shared test environments, Wi-Fi signals suffer much greater degradation than mobile wireless. Despite the contentiousness of the issue, the prevailing trend seems to be cooperation rather than conquest. The FCC has remained largely hands-off on the issue of unlicensed spectrum provisioning, suggesting that operators and industry groups find workable solutions amongst themselves. In this spirit, many co-existence framework tests have been completed or are underway, with more planned for the near future. There are common proposals to implement the ListenBefore-Talk (LBT) protocol in this shared space, or an alternate method with similar results, Clear Channel Assessment, ensuring minimal signal collision. Implementation of these protocols is intrinsic in a related format being promoted by some industry groups, known as License Assisted Access. Other proposed mechanisms for LTE-U transmission control are Carrier-Sensing-Adaptive Transmission and Opportunistic Supplementary Downlink, both proposed as alternatives to LBT for mitigating the impact of wireless traffic on Wi-Fi signal fidelity. Taking the issue one step further is the notion of integration. The main focus of Hotspot 2.0 technology has been Wi-Fi/ mobile interoperability, and it is not unreasonable to suggest that both technologies continue to evolve along similar tracks, perhaps someday combining into a single service as the once-separate audio and video communications are well on their way to becoming. With Hotspot 2.0, cellular traffic has already been regularly offloaded to Wi-Fi transmission, and it is virtually assured that this practice will become more commonplace; thus it is in wireless carriers’ best interests to develop new technologies to facilitate integration. Though there is little or no concrete data on the upcoming 5G wireless communication standard, it is the stated intent of industry leaders to fully integrate Wi-Fi technology from the ground up, likely through continued advancement of Hotspot 2.0 and the widespread implementation of 802.11ax. Whichever method is chosen by the industry and the market it serves, it seems likely that the best method of resolving this conflict brought about by technological advancement will, itself, be technological advancement.
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GM INSIGHT "It's Aloha"
DAV ID BACHLER — GENER A L M A N AGER, H AWA I'I CON V ENTION CENTER
In Hawaiian, the word “aloha” in commonplace vernacular is used for both “hello” and “goodbye.” It is also used to imply love and affection, such as “best wishes with aloha”; however, “aloha” is far more than a cultural salutation or departing remark. It is truly a way of life in the islands. Often, in Hawai’i, you will hear the phrase “living with aloha” used in advertisements, printed on t-shirts, hats and used as a tagline for many local organizations. With the abundant usage of “aloha” in 2018 Hawaii, it has become somewhat of a platitude, with the breadth of its meaning becoming all but a lost virtue. When I began with Smart City Networks, the advent of building the team in Hawai'i raised many questions. What kinds of people did I want to work with? Which types of personality traits could prove to be most effective in our line of work? What do I want this team’s focus to be? One of the many benefits of the company that we work for is that it has developed a rich corporate culture, with many universally sound principals such as “It’s the People” and “Teams Work.” Then I asked myself, “How and where do these concepts exist in Hawaiian culture?” I didn’t have to look very hard to find the answer. In 1986, Hawai’i lawmakers passed the “Aloha Spirit” law (Hawai’i Revised Statutes, section 5-7.5), which recognizes the aloha spirit “as the working philosophy of native Hawaiians presented as a gift to the people of Hawai’i.” The "Aloha Spirit" law requires all Hawai’i citizens and government officials to conduct themselves with aloha. Though it is virtually impossible to enforce this law, the lawmakers who passed it foresaw a twenty-first-century world in deep strife that would look to Hawai’I for healing. Aloha would be its remedy. So what is “Aloha” exactly? Well, amidst my searching, I came upon an acronymic distillation of the word itself, using other Hawaiian words to amplify on its meaning:
A – Ala: watchful, alertness L – Lokahi: working with unity O – Oia'i'o: truthful honesty H – Ha'aha'a: humility A – Ahonui: patient perseverance
Sounds pretty familiar, doesn’t it? At once, after happening upon this description of aloha, my directives for cultivating a brand new team for Smart City’s presence in Hawai’i became very clear. Now, one year and three months later, we have a small team of three that, on a daily basis, have married the sterling leadership qualities of a large mainland company with perpetuating the cornerstone of a culture that is nearly 1,500 years old – with many happy years ahead of us! To the Top!
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the PINNACLE • Issue 1, 2018
GM INSIGHT UPoE and Multi-Gig
BEN BEHNKENDORF — GENERAL MANAGER, INDIANA CONVENTION CENTER Universal Power over Ethernet Power over Ethernet (PoE) has made it very easy to deploy VoIP telephones, wireless access points, and many other network connected devices. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) ratified the PoE standard 802.3af in 2003 which allocated 15.4 watts of power to a device. The next standard was 802.3at and was ratified in 2009 providing 30 watts of power to a device. This allowed an ethernet switch to power more powerful devices.
As with anything in technology, the demand for PoE devices has grown over the years. As a direct result, a new PoE standard, 802.3bt, is in the process of being ratified by the IEEE that will deliver up to 60 to 100 watts of power to a device. Previous iterations of PoE utilized four out of the eight wires within an ethernet cable. 802.3bt utilizes all eight wires, hence the nickname 4PPoE (4 Pair Power over Ethernet). The IEEE estimates that the 802.3bt standard will be ratified in September 2018 (IEEE). 802.3af - Type 1
802.3at - Type 2
802.3bt - Type 3
802.3bt - Type 4
Also Known As
PoE
PoE+
4P PoE
Higher-power PoE
Max Power
15.4W
30W
60W
100W
Year Ratified
June 12, 2003
January 31, 2009
Est. September 2018
Est. September 2018
Note: Type 4 will require a new ethernet cable standard to be introduced Cisco first introduced their interpretation of 802.3bt in 2011 (Cisco) and call it Universal Power over Ethernet (UPoE). UPoE is designed to handle the increased demand from multi-radio wireless access points, thin clients, pan/tilt/zoom cameras, digital signage, building automation systems, sensors, etc. Imagine powering a thin client and a telephone by just the ethernet cable itself. This reduces clutter and eases deployment. Imagine installing LED lights that are powered by UPoE. This would give facility managers greater control over the look, feel, and power usage of the lighting system. The future will bring us more products that will push towards greater consolidation, ease of deployment, and broadened expectations of what is possible. Multi-Gigabit Ethernet Wireless demand has grown year over year ever since its inception. The newest wireless technologies push the wired backbone to extremes. Replacing current generation wireless access points with new models could lead to bottlenecks. Most installations run a single ethernet cable to the access point location. In the wiring closet, the access point connects at 1Gbps. Next generation access points are capable of exceeding 1Gbps of throughput, thus placing a bottleneck on the connection between the wiring closet and the access point. Such access points usually have two 1Gbps ethernet ports on them to help prevent any slowdowns. What if you only pulled a single ethernet cable to older access points and you want to swap them out for newer models? One option would be to pull an additional cable to every access point in the building, leading to increased material and labor cost. In a massive building with difficult to access cable runs, this could be very costly. Another option is to purchase a multi-gigabit switch which could help to avoid material and labor costs while limiting or eliminating the bottleneck between the switch and access point. A multi-gigabit switch, such as the Cisco C9300-24UX has the capability of connecting to devices at 100Mbps, 1, 2.5, 5, or 10Gbps. The IEEE standard name given to multi-gigabit is 802.3bz-2016. The main driving force for creating this standard is the new generation of wireless access points that can exceed 1Gbps of throughput and greater capabilities with Cat5e cables. Utilizing a multi-gigabit switch, a Cisco 3800 access point can connect up to 5Gbps on a single ethernet cable (Cat6 or higher). Combining the Two The combination of Universal PoE and Multigigabit Ethernet help to futureproof a network for whatever may come. However, these technologies might not fit every installation. A great understanding of the current network along with a well thought out timeline will make the decision easier.
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CE N T E R U PDAT E S SAN DIEGO:
TE A M BUILDING AT THE ESCA PE ROOM Building a high performance team is never as simple as hiring a random group of people, then expecting them to work well together. Building trust, open communication and an understanding of each members’ skills and strengths is continuous work, critical for the success of any team. Sometimes these things are better done outside the office and day-to-day routine. With that in mind the San Diego staff decided to participate in an escape room, to not only have some fun, but to help build team unity. An escape room is a timed team activity that is part game, part theater and part teambuilding exercise. The goal is to solve a series of puzzles and ‘escape’ from a sealed room. Escape rooms follow themes that can vary from being a safe cracker, to escaping from a hotel or prison. The San Diego team escape room involved solving four very complex, multi-step puzzles in order to recover a mysterious crystal that was stolen, all within 60 minutes. Clues were given throughout the room in many ways, and included a little bit of help from the escape room staff who watched and listened in on the room from their secret control room.
PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: Mike Ferreri (Operations Supervisor), Jason Bussie (Data Operations Professional), Vicki Brabazon (CSSR), Adrian Miller (Technician II), James Lagomitzis (Technician II), Cara McDonald (Event Coordinator) and Francisco Magdaleno (Technician) With teams chosen and bragging rights on the line, the two San Diego teams took to their individual rooms and quickly dove into solving the puzzles. Immediately the team building dynamics began. The timer running and the pressure was on, the energy in each team built up as they worked to solve the puzzles. The pace and energy picked up as the clock counted down. Team members were pushed beyond their comfort zone, and outside of their typical job roles, as they worked together to find answers to the clues, and ultimately solve all the puzzles. Before the end of the hour, one team solved all the puzzles, recovered the mysterious crystal and earned release from the escape room. In the end, both teams shared tales of their struggles and triumphs. Everyone talked about the great experience, and how much they look forward to doing it again next year.
“I was excited when I found out that we were going to the Escape Room. It’s a great place for team building and learning others’ strengths and weaknesses while being timed. I was lucky enough to have an awesome team (we won by the way) that made everyone feel like they were a part of the mission. I can’t wait to see what our mission will be next year!” Naomi B. Bonami (Event Coordinator) “It displayed team member’s abilities, whether it be the level of participation through skilled knowledge, or ability to motivate others, or to find how to contribute to the task, all while under duress. For me, it helped to catch myself and control my reactions with my teammates and realize we depended on each other for something in order to succeed. When it was over, it made me realize where I was proficient and where I could be better, and relate it to real life situations. I also discovered skills and knowledge about my teammates I didn’t know before.” Ray Nicolas (CSSR) If you are looking for a fun way to reinforce the value of teamwork, open communication and active listening, look no further than ‘escape rooms’. They are a great tool to bring people together, encourage them to break out of their typical role and succeed as a team. PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: Shawn Lowery (General Manager), Mark Baratti (Operations Manager), Ray Nicolas (CSSR), Naomi Bonami (Event Coordinator), Witold Myslinski (Technician II) Alisal (Technician) and Donna Kacmarcik (Customer Sales & Service Manager)
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the PINNACLE • Issue 1, 2018
CE N T E R U PDAT E S ORLANDO:
SM A RT CIT Y AWA RDED NE W CONTR AC T AT THE OR A NGE COUNT Y CON V ENTION CENTER -LATE BREAKING NEWS-
The Orange County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved a recommendation to award a new agreement to Smart City Networks as the exclusive telecommunications provider of the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC). The award, which is for a new 5-year contract plus a 5-year option, followed an intensive yearlong bidding process. The new agreement allows Smart City Networks to continue providing the data technology and telecommunications services to the OCCC. The OCCC hosts over 200 events a year, drawing more than 1.4 million attendees annually. Smart City Networks has served the OCCC since 2001. More information to come in the next Pinnacle.
LAS VEGAS — CORPORATE:
FEBRUA RY FIN A NCI A L E XECUTI V ES INTERN ATION A L (FEI) E V ENT
Jacki Miller (VP, Finance & Administration and president of FEI Las Vegas Chapter) and Amy Stone (Controller) attended the February FEI meeting. The speaker was the President of the Las Vegas Golden Knights, Kerry Bubolz, and he brought along the mascot Chance for some additional fun.
PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: Kerry Bubolz, Jacki Miller, Chance, and Brian Coy (Vegas Golden Knights CFO)
PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: Amy Stone, Chance, and Jacki Miller
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CE N T E R U PDAT E S CINCINATTI:
T HE GRE AT D UK E ENERG Y C O N V EN T I O N CEN T ER O LY MPI C S The Duke Energy Convention Center held the “GREAT DECC Olympics” on February 14, 2018, in Hall C. In the spirit of the 2018 Winter Olympics fun, games and food were to be had by all building employees and partners. It was a great time to step out of work for a while and mingle with everybody in the building for some convention center specialized Olympic games like chair curling, balloon hockey, rubber band archery, chair slalom and table setup. Arnold Chavez (General Manager) took home a bronze medal.
PICTURED: Arnold Chavez (General Manager) biting his bronze medal.
RENO:
NE W HIGH-DENSIT Y W IFI NE T WORK AT RENO-SPA RKS CON V ENTION CENTER
We recently cutover to a new network with high-density WiFi at The Reno-Sparks Convention Center. The amount of teamwork required to make these cutovers happen is a sight to behold. I cannot thank our Network Operations Center team enough with their long hours and commitment to helping ensure this was a success. Michael Hertweck (Wireless Network Administrator) was on-site for the week getting assistance from Mike Prosser (Network Administrator) and Carey Dvorak (Engineering Manager) from our Las Vegas Corporate Office. Robert Garner (Data Operations Professional) from Seattle and Todd Zuccato (General Manager), Daniel Little (Operations Manager) and Greg Smith (Technician II) from Phoenix made on-site visits to assist with the cutover also. Thank you to Julia Slocombe (VP, Western Operations) and David Langford (VP, Technology) for helping coordinate resources so we could make this happen in time for a critical semi-annual event where there were no issues for the first time they could recall. All of this would not be possible without Kenny Esquivel (Technician). As the single point of contact, for the past four months, he was asked to oversee the daily operation and attend all of the site visits, precons and meetings while installing the shows and coordinating all the work that goes into installing a network with 300 wireless access points. This project demonstrated our #7 Business Principle: Teams Work. To the Top!
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the PINNACLE • Issue 1, 2018
CE N T E R U PDAT E S WASHINGTON, DC:
DC DE A LERS HELP TO HOST SEN ATE HE A RINGS DURING AUTO SHOW BY AUTO REMARKE TING STAFF AND ADDITIONS BY JIM ERICKSON — GENER AL MANGER
Events DC, the official convention and sports authority for the District of Columbia and the Washington Area New Automobile Dealers Association (WANADA) welcomed the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation along with the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources during the 2018 Washington Auto Show at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. On Jan. 24, the committee hearings met inside the convention center to discuss automotive innovation and energy technologies, and it was the first field hearing held within the District of Columbia.
During the Washington Auto Show, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, led by South Dakota Sen. John Thune, discussed the development of autonomous technologies in the automobile industry. The hearing, titled “Driving Automotive Innovation and Federal Policies,” examined the need to develop a regulatory framework that would support the research and development of new innovations for the driverless vehicle industry. “The Walter E. Washington Convention Center has been the long-standing home for the Washington Auto Show, and it continues to be an honor to work in partnership with WANADA to host such revolutionary hearings that are defining the evolution of the automotive industry and the future of the Washington Auto Show,” O’Dell continued. “As WANADA celebrates 101 years supporting the auto industry in the Washington region, it was an honor to work with the United States Senate and the Walter E. Washington Convention Center to bring the first field hearings to the District of Columbia,” said John O’Donnell, president and chief executive officer of the Washington Area New Automobile Dealers Association. The Smart City Networks of Washington, DC team set up the network, telecommunications and Wifi for the Washington, DC Auto Show, including the show office for WANADA, dealer booths and live feeds for the Senate hearings and live feeds from locations in the Auto Show. Smart City also worked closely with the broadcasters like CSPAN ensuring the broadcast feeds were secure and clean.
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Each year the Washington Auto Show fills all five exhibit halls, plus the ballroom within Convention Center. The show highlights all aspects of the automobile industry from luxury and exotic cars, to interactive driving experiences, car-themed paraphernalia, the Mobility Talks International government forum to the Art-ofMotion exhibit featuring artist-decorated vehicles and a kid zone with entertainment for guests of all ages.
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CE N T E R U PDAT E S SAN DIEGO:
B E H I N D -T H E - S C E N E S T O U R AT O F C 2 0 18
On March 13th, nearly 40 attendees of the Optical Fiber Communications Conference & Exhibition (OFC) took a "behind-the-scenes" tour and heard from the San Diego Convention Center’s Executive Vice President & General Manager Karen Totaro, its partners Connectivity Wireless Solutions and Corning, and our very own David Langford (VP, Technology) to learn about our Distributed Antenna System (DAS). This fiber-based technology enhances the customer experience and increases speed to devices anywhere in the convention center.
PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: Karen Totaro (Executive VP & General Manager, SDCC), Bill Cune (VP Marketng Development, Corning), Bryce Bregen (Sr. VP Sales & Marketing, Connectivity Wireless) and David Langford (VP Technology, Smart City)
LAS VEGAS — CORPORATE: 2017 T O P I N S A L E S
Quintin Dailey (AES Supervisor) consistently produces at the highest levels. He exhibits great ambition and determination to excel in all that he does. Quintin was awarded “Top in Sales” for 2017, breaking a one million in sales.
PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: Christy Hogan (Customer Support Manager) and Quintin Dailey (AES Supervisor)
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CE N T E R U PDAT E S LONG BEACH:
STELL A AWARD PRESENTED TO LBCVB
The Stella Award for “Best CVB in the West” was awarded to the Long Beach’s Convention & Visitors Bureau (LBCVB)! Three finalists were chosen from all the CVB’s in the western United States using an open vote by meeting professional, with Long Beach beating out the other finalists! This new award combines two previous awards the “Pinnacle Award” from Successful Meetings magazine and the “Gold Service Award” from Meetings and Conventions magazine (which are both owned by parent company Northstar Communications). These publications are two of the most respected online and print industry publications in the meetings and conventions industry. Northstar Media Group has a reach of over 350,000 meeting and convention professionals. Steve Goodling expressed many thanks to the entire CVB team who earned these votes from our planners, and also to the terrific SMG convention center team which helped to deliver the promised experiences! Also, he thanked the hotel partners and other business members of the CVB who help us continuously serve our convention guests. As well as the Mayor and City Council who actively get involved in selling and promoting Long Beach. He also included the city management, city team, and police and fire departments, which help our clients in a range of needs from special event permitting to upgrades at the convention center, keeping us at a competitive edge. And, lastly, to the board who helped all of us in driving our destination forward in a variety of ways. He stated, “The one thing that we continue to hear from our clients is how refreshing it is that Long Beach operates as a community for their needs. They rarely, if ever, experience this collective support… or a community luncheon during a site inspection. This inclusiveness has helped us win many conventions over the years.”
CLICK HERE OR SCAN QR CODE TO VIEW ORIGINAL ARTICLE
DENVER:
COLOR A DO CON V ENTION CENTER'S FIRS T OUTDOOR RE TA ILER + SNOW SHOW In late January, downtown Denver was humming with the energy of thousands of people attending the four-day Outdoor Retailer + Snow Show convention: an exciting development that is an economic coup for the city and state. Colorado should be known as the epicenter of outdoor recreation, and what better way to celebrate that than by having industry experts spend a long weekend there learning about the latest and greatest gear, technology and brands. Whether it’s a local fly shop offering guided trips, gear and friendly advice, or a massive sporting goods store filled with every brand and style of bikes, skis, tents and guns, retailers serve as gatekeepers providing the know-how and inspiration to get outdoors. Owners of outdoor recreation stores from across the country have come to Denver to stock their stores, and the 28,000 attendees are expected to spend millions on hotel rooms, meals and entertainment while they are here.
PICTURED: John Hickenlooper (Governor, Colorado)
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CE N T E R U PDAT E S MIAMI BEACH:
A MER I C A N HE A LT H INF O R M AT I O N M A N A G EMEN T A S S O CI AT I O N SI T E V ISI T In the midst of renovations Miami Beach Convention Center hosted a site visit with their first full facility event in 2018, the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), in the Grand Ballroom. The Grand Ballroom will be 60,000 sq. ft., which AHIMA will have their general session for 4,000-5,000 exhibitors and attendees.
Inside the Grand Ballroom
Pre-function lobby of the Grand Ballroom
GREEN EFFORTS LOS ANGELES:
LOS ANGELES CONVENTION CENTER REVEALS NEW ROOFTOP GARDEN The Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC), managed by AEG Facilities, revealed its new 9,500 square foot rooftop garden in January. The project began taking shape in April of 2017 and features various citrus trees, herbs, vegetables and seasonal flowers above the South Hall lobby. "Sustainability and innovation are core values at AEG Facilities, and at the Los Angeles Convention Center we take this to heart,� says Brad Gessner, Senior Vice President and General Manager at the LACC. "The idea for the rooftop garden has been developing over the past few years and we are thrilled with this addition to our facility."
This garden will not only contribute to the green efforts of Downtown Los Angeles, but will also provide produce for LACC's in-house caterer Levy Restaurants. Currently 90 percent of produce at the LACC is locally sourced; Levy plans to build on this by utilizing oregano, chili peppers, citrus, lettuce and carrots grown in the garden and use them regularly in their recipes to showcase the originality of the convention center. The rooftop garden is an addition to more than 30 environmentally friendly practices and procedures implemented at the LACC under the management of AEG Facilities. These various implementations have resulted in conservation of energy and water, consistent increase in waste diversions rates, responsible purchasing of in-house goods, and the demonstration of leadership to local real estate and broad convention center communities.
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CLICK HERE OR SCAN QR CODE TO VIEW ORIGINAL ARTICLE
WE CARE AND GIVE BACK CINCINATTI:
DUKE ENERGY CONVENTION CENTER HOSTS ANNUAL QUEEN CITY BLOOD DRIVE Hoxworth Blood Center, University of Cincinnati hosted the annual Queen City Blood Drive for the 7th year on Wednesday, Feb. 14th at the Duke Energy Convention Center. Smart City Networks sponsored the wireless access for all blood donors and staff during this event.
PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: Roger Selya (Hoxworth Rep), Arnold Chavez (General Manager) and Amy Luken (Hoxworth Rep)
The blood drive was scheduled from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Duke Energy Convention Center at 525 Elm Street. All donors also received a free Queen City t-shirt courtesy of Tri-Health, a voucher for two tickets for an upcoming Cincinnati Cyclones game, a Donatos pizza voucher, as well as a $10 Fleet Feet Sports gift certificate and a Flying Pig swag bag. Plenty of people came out to support the cause making the event a huge success.
CLICK HERE OR SCAN QR CODE TO ASSIST HOXWORTH BLOOD CENTER
MISSION SLIMPOSSIBLE:
SMART CITY MANAGERS COMPETE IN WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGE FOR CHARITY
From August 1st to December 10th seventeen of our general managers and executives competed in our Mission Slimpossible challenge. Each contestant paid $50 to participate with the cash going to the contestant who loses the most weight. David Bachler (General Manager, Hawaii) coached Jim Snook (Director, Northwest Operations) who lost 60lbs and was crowned champion! Jim, being the generous man that he is, decided to donate his winnings to the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (T.A.P.S.) and so Smart City decided to match the donation. All together the team lost over 300lbs and made a $1,700 donation to T.A.P.S.
COLUMBUS:
E X HIBIT H A LL CA MER A INS TA LL ATIONS Our team at the Greater Columbus Convention Center is in the process of adding 4 cameras to the exhibit halls to monitor the halls and to produce videos and time-lapse videos of the events for the building and show managers. Currently only one of the cameras have been installed but it captured a 49 second time-lapse video of the entire 2018 Arnold Classic from setup and show to tear-down. CLICK HERE OR SCAN QR CODE TO VIEW VIDEO
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WE CARE AND GIVE BACK SAN ANTONIO:
VOLUNTEERING AT THE FA JITA CORR A L Our team at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center has a long history of owning the principle and spirit of “We Care and Give Back”. The team has given of themselves over the years to groups such as United Way, The MS Foundation, Soldier’s Angels, Haven for Hope, and The Salvation Army. One group that has seen the most from our team is the San Antonio Livestock Expo scholarship program (S.A.L.E.). Beginning with one team member, Peggy Moreth (Event Coordinator) in 2004, S.A.L.E. has had the help our cast of characters through the volunteer programs hosted by the Van de Walle Farms Fajita Corral for going on 15 years. Since 1986 Van De Walle Farms has donated nearly three million dollars to S.A.L.E., all through volunteer programs and charitable contributions. PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: Guillermo Huerta (Customer Sales & Service Manager), Patricia McNeely, Keith McNeely (Sr. Director), Peggy Moreth (Event Coordinator) and Patrick Nelson (Operations Manager)
The S.A.L.E. scholarship program annually awards collegiate scholarships and grants to Texas residents who participate in the horse, livestock, or rodeo portion of the San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo. Even with the bad weather the raised over $172,000 for scholarships this year.
LAS VEGAS — CORPORATE:
CUSTOMER SERVICE E XCELLENCE AWARDS Beatrice Rivera (CSSR II) and Aaron Michael (CSSR II) received The Customer Service Excellence award March 1, 2018, from The Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce.
Beatrice Rivera has been with Smart City for 17 years. During her time with Smart City, Beatrice continually receives positive feedback from customers for her above and beyond attitude. She is focused, detailed, conscientious and remains on task to accomplish personal and business-related goals. Beatrice exemplifies our company mission by living our business principles and daily basics. Aaron Michael is a proven leader in the Customer Support Department. He continues to augment his educational growth that in turn affords him the ability to confidently assist team members and clients alike. Without hesitation, Aaron readily volunteers to assist his fellow workers and supports their achievements and goals. He is a focused, detailed, conscientious independent thinker and remains on task to accomplish personal and business related goals. Aaron exemplifies our company mission by living our business principles and daily basics.
BOOSTS NRG PA RK
“Ike Eichenour (General Manager), while we are only a few days from the end of our event for 2018, I want to thank you and your team. As always your team is on top of things and always perceptive to our needs/requirements. Great Job!!!” Wade Hooker, Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo
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WE CARE
AND GIVE BACK
FORT WORTH:
A NNUA L PA RT Y IN FORT WORTH HOSTED AT FORT WORTH CON V ENTION CENTER
The annual The Party in Fort Worth was held Saturday, March 3, 2018 at the Fort Worth Convention Center (FWCC) where Smart City was a yellow sponsor for the 4th year. This year we had the pleasure of hosting the following clients and partners: Feleshia Cochran (Assistant Director Public Events, FWCC), Michael Sumner (Nations Bests Sports), Mattie Parker (Chief of Staff for the Mayor of Fort Worth), and our very own Kasandra Williams (Customer Service Manager, Dallas) and Tim Wortman (VP, Central Operations). It was a festive affair with the theme “Taking Stock”, a time to honor the past, celebrate the present and build towards the future of Fort Worth. This annual social event is the primary fundraiser benefitting the Fort Worth Promotional and Development Fund and it was a time to celebrate the city’s success while raising valuable dollars to promote the City of Fort Worth culturally and economically at the local, national and international level.
LAS VEGAS — CORPORATE:
CLARK COUNTY THANKS SMART CITY FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SBI PROGRAM Clark County's Office of Human Resourses reached out to Mark Haley (President) to thank him for Smart City's involvment in the Clark County Summer Business Institute (SBI) Program. The SBI Program was founded in 1996 and is designed for high school students to experience an internship and includes business mentoring, life skills training, financial management and a civic engagement project. The focus of the program is to give youth opportunities to experience a corporate work environment. The current curriculum is designed by MyPath, Andson and business professionals; and is complemented by invited guest speakers.As part of giving back to the community, each year the SBI interns are asked to participate in a civic engagement project. Smart City is grateful for the opportunity to assist with the SBI Program and we are glad to help grow the success of our industry from within our local community.
CLICK HERE OR SCAN QR CODE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SBI PROGRAM
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THE MONTH
EMPLOYEE OF CALEB CARRO
December
Technician - Smart City Tampa Since Caleb has joined the team in Tampa, he has taken on many technical items that really balanced out the team's work load, in turn building a path of sustained success in Tampa. He has been able to immerse himself in the culture that is Tampa Convention Center, and met a lot of folks that very much like his great attitude and work ethic. I have received many compliments regarding Caleb from both the partner facility and event clients. He shines in what it does every day. Thank you Caleb and we look forward to the continued growth and success that you have accomplished thus far in Tampa!
PAUL RUIZ
Customer Sales and Service Representative I - Smart City Phoenix
January
Paul exemplifies the meaning of teamwork and his behavior is an example that others should emulate. As our Business Principles state- The team’s success is your success and Paul understands that. If a team member needs assistance regardless of the job at hand or the department they work in, Paul lets it be known he is able to assist. If we succeed as a Team we have succeeded individually is a principle Paul practices daily. In pursuit of helping the company succeed, Paul has grown as an employee and has individually reached success. Paul displayed several of our Business Principles, Integrity without compromise, Do Right by All our Customers, Customers Define Quality and of course, Teams Work. Utilizing our Business Principle not only elevated the Company’s game, it elevated Paul’s. Becoming an advocate of our Business Principles has given Paul the tools for success that he has been able to pass on to our team members at other facilities as well as his son.
G E R A L D D 'A N G E L O
Technician II - Smart City Miami Beach
February
Gerald has been outstanding when it was time to become the lead fulltime technician at the MBCC. He really went out of his way from only understand the technology of phones to widening his knowledge on the data technology side. He has stepped up with understanding the renovation of the MBCC and growing his relationship with the Clark Construction and Building Management. Our last event Art Basel 2017 was our biggest and most difficult event at the MBCC due to half of the facility wasn’t fully completed. This is when Gerald took it upon himself to learn all telecommunication shop drawings to assist with access point’s placement, edge switches deployment and assisting with creating shop drawings for available floor boxes in the construction dead zone areas. With that being said, Gerald is a great example of great people who want to do well, who are capable of doing great things and who come to work fired up to achieve them. Great people flourish in an environment that liberates and amplifies their energy.
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TEAM MEMBER MILESTONES
5 YEARS Smart City Corporate’s AES Supervisor, Quintin Daily, pictured with Chirsty Hogan (Customer Support Manager), celebrated his five-year anniversary with the company in February. We want to thank Quintin for all of her hard work with Smart City for the past 5 years!
5 YEARS Smart City Phoenix's Technician, Neftali Mendoza, celebrated his five-year anniversary in February. We want to thank Neftali for all of his hard work with Smart City for the past 5 years!
1 YEAR Also celebrating anniversaries in Phoenix this quarter were Paul Ruiz (CSSR) and Taylor Harris (Technician) who both received the coveted “1” that comes with one year of service at Smart City. Congratulations Neftali, Paul, and Taylor! PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: Neftali Mendoza, Paul Ruiz and Taylor Harris
BOOSTS SAN DIEGO CONVENTION CENTER
“Francisco Magdaleno (Technician) and James Lagomitzis (Technician II) were awesome!” Ranit Shriky, American College of Rheumatology, NYU Langone Health
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ANNIVERSARIES
EMPLOYEE JANUARY 2018 Adrian Miller Peggy Moreth Michael Newton Guillermo Huerta Mark Graham William Heyer Harvey Rivera Kyoko Clark Dewayne Martin Gregory Roy Curtis Graham
16 years 16 years 14 years 13 years 11 years 7 years 6 years 4 years 4 years 3 years 2 years
Fredy Andrade Taylor Harris Scott Bryant Laszlo Berta Ronald Arteaga Claudia Luevano Raul Garcia Gonzalez Angel Moreno Paul Ruiz Angel Chaidez
2 years 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year
23 years 13 years 13 years 12 years 12 years 11 years 11 years 10 years 9 years 6 years
Arnold Chavez Quintin Dailey Neftali Mendoza Gerald D'Angelo Charlton Pitman Scott William Mark Kotal Ryan McCart Romney Marte Jason Arnold
5 years 5 years 5 years 4 years 4 years 4 years 2 years 2 years 1 year 1 year
Alexander Graham Elard Flores Joshua Hagan Dion Doucet Donnita Butler Lester Michael Jacob Palacios Eugene Smith Alice Taylor
3 years 3 years 3 years 3 years 3 years 2 years 2 years 2 years 2 years 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year
FEBRUARY 2018 Adrian Juarez Daniel Dobson Daryl Olson Michelle Dolph-Gualtieri Gabriel Wood Rey Crespo Adriann Kamakahukilani Derrick James Debbie Olivas Luis Rojas
MARCH 2018 Vanessa Cauthen Frank Lopez JP Windle Donna Kacmarcik Mitchell Hughes Dean Johnson Debra Green Louis Hoffman II Kevin Walker Jose Vasquez Christy Hogan Bill Duke Naomi Bonami Michael Ferreri James Lagomitzis Raymond Nicolas
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23 years 19 years 18 years 14 years 13 years 11 years 8 years 8 years 7 years 7 years 7 years 5 years 5 years 4 years 4 years 4 years
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James Casperite
Jorge Arrellano
Desmond Baskerville
Ashley Bryant Shawn Lowery Scott Zickefoose