the Q 2 2 018
Smart City Partners with MBCC to Complete Multi-Million Dollar Renovations Project SIGNIFICANT TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES TO MAKE MIAMI BEACH CONVENTION CENTER A PREMIER CON V ENTION LOCATION
Smart City Networks has finalized a contract with the Miami Beach Convention Center to provide extensive technology upgrades as a part of their two and half year long, multi-million dollar renovations project. The agreement, effective June 1st, 2018 will go into motion immediately with a record installation time-line of 90 days. The upgrades, with the partnership of the local internet service provider Hotwire Communications, will include enhanced network cabling speeds and capacities, high-speed internet, and telephone services. The Miami Beach Convention Center’s new network will have the capabilities to support large-scale data and technology needs of the industry’s most complex events. “The capabilities of this network upgrade and its unparalleled connectivity is the final piece of the Miami Beach Convention Center’s re-imagine process over the past two and half years” states Dave Anderson, Regional Vice-President for Spectra; the convention center’s management firm. The project, with a completion deadline of late August 2018, includes the following upgrades: • • • • • •
A wireless network supporting up to 64, 000 concurrent devices throughout the facility 10 Gigabit fully-redundant internet connection with the ability to provide scaled bandwidth independently within the area of the building and is serviced over a redundant self-healing ring operated by Hotwire Communications Established wireless link using Airfiber ensuring that the connection is triple redundant 20 Gigabit uplinks to each edge switch with failover to 10 Gigabit Built-in internet circuit redundancy that includes secondary circuits and redundant pathways into the facility, designed and supported by Hotwire Communications High-Density Wireless install
Executives of Smart City, which have serviced Miami Beach Convention Center for over 15 years, share in the excitement. “Our network in Miami will set the new precedent for high-density wireless services in a major convention center,” said Mark Haley, President of Smart City Networks. “Our design includes new redundancy features that will ensure flawless performance during the largest and most challenging events.”
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CONTENTS 02 P R E S I D E N T ’ S CORNER
Quarterly overview from Smart City’s president, Mark Haley.
PRESIDENT’S CORNER TIME FLIES W HEN YOU’RE H AV ING FUN! Time flies when you're having fun. It’s an old expression, but one that has more meaning as you move along in your career.
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.
06 C E N T E R U P D A T E S What's new in our buildings? Special updates from the field.
11 W E CARE & GIVE BACK Highlighting the community service efforts of our Smart City teams across the country.
14 E M P L O Y E E O F THE MONTH
Recognizing this quarter’s outstanding employees.
15 T E A M U P D A T E S Team member milestones and new arrival announcements.
16 A N N I V E R S A R Y LIST
As I recently hit my 10-year anniversary, it made me sit back and think about the ride that I have been on for the last ten years here at Smart City and this expression. Time flies. Yes, it does, especially in the convention and meetings industry. It’s easy to be caught up in the whirlwind of activity of most businesses, but in the event business, we LIVE in the whirlwind. One event moving in, with another event going on and another event moving out. Add in a contract renewal, or an RFP response and an industry conference and the whirlwind never stops. That’s before you even consider the family obligations of kids and time does literally fly! And pretty soon a grandchild shows up and time has flown. (I’m too young to be a grandpa!) But it’s all good. And that leads to the fun. At Smart City, we try not to forget about the fun. Our team members work very hard to ensure that every event we service goes flawlessly. We understand that our event clients have a fixed window of time in which to be successful and once that window has passed, it’s too late to fix. So we work hard to get things right the first time. And that’s fun work. Contributing to the success of each event and ultimately, to the success of the various destinations that we live and work in, is fun. So, in order to keep “fun” in perspective, we start our day with our Daily Lineup, and we often theme those daily meetings to keep the fun going. Our themes have included, tell us about your favorite childhood book, best family tradition or everyone’s favorite, Corny Joke Month and many more. Someone once told me that they like our Daily Lineup because you get a chance to start your day with a smile. I like that. So yes, time does fly when you’re having fun. And I’m having a blast and looking forward to the next 10 years. To The Top!!
Anniversaries of team members throughout the company.
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the PINNACLE • Issue 2, 2018
BOOSTS WA SHINGTON STATE CON V ENTION CENTER
“Joe Melancon (General Manager) and Adam Chau (Customer Sales & Service Manager), I really appreciate your expertise and great customer service to listen and assess the client’s issues and help find a quick and smart solution. It is such a pleasure to work with you!” Linda Willanger, Vice President Administration / Asst. G.M., Washington State Convention Center
PHOENIX CONVENTION CENTER
“Chris Clark (Customer Sales & Service Manager) and his team were so helpful and were attentive with any questions we had. GREAT customer service! Thanks again for all your help!” Erin Kirkpatrick (Show Management for Mary Kay)
RENO-SPA RKS CON V ENTION CENTER
“Kenneth Esquivel (Technician), our experience with internet/telecommunications was the best we have ever had and it’s all due to your incredible service. Thank you!” Kerisa Citro, Show Management, WAI 2018
ANAHEIM CONVENTION CENTER
“Nicholas Urquiza (Data Operations Professional), thank you so much for your support during this event! All of our demos were a success because of your extra effort, so thank you. Also, we appreciated the additional day of access to our SSID since we still had staff onsite.” Bryan Hanggi, Event Technology Network Engineer, Google, Engage
L AS V EGAS — CORPOR ATE
“I would like to point out the superior level of service received by Dona Denton (Customer Service). It is truly a reflection of the quality of your organization to be associated with someone as skilled, professional and courteous as Dona. She completely exceeded any expectations and has me referring my colleagues to your company. Dona is a great asset to your company!” Marty Mitcham, Lead Resource Consultant, IRMI
TA MPA CON V ENTION CENTER
“All members of the Smart City team were a pleasure to work with in Tampa. Mitchell Hughes (General Manager) was proactive in communicating to me notes of our internet use and performance, and conveyed solutions to me in a manner I could understand. He went above and beyond in creating a full post performance evaluation that we will be able to use for future events to better strategize our internet use. I am thankful he was part of the Smart City team in Tampa.” USGIF Event Management
HENRY B. GONZALEZ CONVENTION CENTER DALL AS
“I've worked with Peggy Moreth (Event Coordinator) and Smart City for quite a few years and it's always a very pleasant experience. Her knowledge and professionalism is refreshing!” Texas Department of Emergency Management Show Management
FORT WORTH CONVENTION CENTER
“Janae Tinsley (General Manager), on behalf of the RAPID + TCT 2018 team, we would like to thank you for all your efforts with this event. I want to thank you for all your on-site work, pre-show preparation and communication. You were great to work with and we were very fortunate to have the kind of expertise and knowledge behind this event. Our final numbers were over 341 exhibitors and over 5883 attendees which exceeded our goals and expectations. It takes a great amount of effort and support to achieve an outcome as successful as RAPID + TCT. Thank you for giving our customers the attention and customer service they deserve. Again, it has been a pleasure to work with you and your team during the life cycle of this event and we look forward to the next time. Thank you!” Navin Boppuri President & CEO Beaconex LLC
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BOOSTS MINNEAPOLIS CONVENTION CENTER
“Brian Clear (General Manager), I want to pass along comments from Chris with Birch Tech regarding your work on Blue Cross Blue Shield last night and tonight. With their keynote speaker unable to make it on site with last minute notice, Chris said you were extremely helpful in getting internet set up last night for their streaming today. He also commented after the session that he thinks it was the best session they have ever done – having a CEO at this level and Dr. Sanjay Gupta from CNN have a conversation in real time over the internet with no issues was very impressive. Thanks for your help in ensuring their keynote would be a success even from a remote location.” Justin Carlson, Senior Event Coordinator, Minneapolis Convention Center
HENRY B. GONZALEZ CONVENTION CENTER
“For services, the buildout and requests to Patrick Nelson (Operations Manager) and the service quotes to Guillermo Huerta (Customer Service & Sales Manager) were always spot on and perfect. The working history that our Tech Ops Director has with Guillermo makes everything work and flow very well. Again, Patrick and Guillermo were outstanding and we appreciate their help.” Texas Department of Emergency Management Show Management
A M E R I C A' S C E N T E R C O N V E N T I O N C O M P L E X
"Daryl Olson (General Manager), thank you, it was great to work with you and your team! It was very seamless on our end because of all your help knowing what the client needed and to help their budget." Mary Fogel, Meeting Event Manager, DOT Foods
ATL A NTIC CIT Y CON V ENTION CENTER
“Ryan McCart (General Manager), I just wanted to reach out and thank everyone who helped with this project. Ryan went above and beyond to address our hiccups, and we've learned a lot on how to make deploying signage more streamlined in the future.” Louis Simons (Show Management with AnimeNEXT)
INDIANA CONVENTION CENTER
“Thank you Ben Behnkendorf (General Manager) for the support at our last event! It is great Smart City is in Denver since they can look at our history with you in Indy.” Rick Daniell, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
NRG PA RK
Ike Eichenour (General Manager), thank you very much for the lunch during OTC. It really means a lot to get food when you are too busy to get good, even when it’s on site in your office. It’s very kind of you! Thanks again! Jayne Villanueva – SMG Exhibitor Services Manager
WA SHINGTON STATE CON V ENTION CENTER
“Adam Chau (Customer Sales & Service Manager), it was a pleasure meeting you earlier in the week at the big ASQ event. Thank you once again for your supporting in quickly identifying and addressing the various Wi-Fi issues that we encountered in Hall 4A & 4E during the event. If it wasn't for your help, we would have not been able to get our real-time monitoring solution for attendee and session tracking to work well at the event. So your help was very appreciated by me and my team. I look forward to working again with Smart City at other events.” Navin Boppuri President & CEO Beaconex LLC
MIAMI BEACH CONVENTION CENTER
"I would like Smart City Networks to know how much professionalism and knowledge your representative, Andrew Brown (General Manager), exhibited at the Miami Home Design and Remodeling Show. He was and is an exceptional person and deserves our thank you. Andrew made the switching of our two office seamless as well as helping us with all our technical issues. Congrats to your company for having such a special person working with you." Steve Plotkin, President, Home Show Management Corp.
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GM INSIGHT IPv6 – What is it and Why Was it Created?
CHRIS PENDLETON — GENERAL MANAGER, SMART CITY DALLAS History On July 14, 2017, Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) went live. Most Internet Service Providers (ISPs), home and business networking equipment manufacturers and web companies adopted this new protocol, which was then standardized by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) as the latest Internet Protocol (IP) standard. IEEE is an association dedicated to advancing innovation and technological excellence for the benefit of humanity and is the world’s largest technical professional society designed to serve professionals involved in all aspects of the electrical, electronic and computing fields. The IEEE Internet Protocol standard that most people know is version 4 (IPv4). One way to explain the difference between a Public and Private IP is to think of an apartment complex. The primary address of the complex is the Public IP, and the different apartment unit numbers are the Private IPs. To communicate or send mail to the individual units (Private IP), you need the main address of the apartment complex (Public IP). Public IP addresses are essential for devices to communicate over the Internet as private IP addresses are not routable on the Internet. Now that you have a little background about IPv4, IPv6, IEEE, and Public versus Private IP addresses you are probably asking the question most would ask: what is IPv4/IPv6 and why do we need IPv6? IPv4/IPv6 IPv4 is currently the most used Internet Protocol, standard for most residential internet services, and is the internet Smart City Networks provides at one of our 39 facilities. IPv4 and IPv6 addresses are used to communicate with one another via the internet or a Local Area Network (LAN), IPv4 is used for both hardwired connections and wireless connections. IP addresses allow computers, printers, web pages, cell phones, smart TVs, and many more devices to communicate with one another all over the world. Why IPv6 is Needed The Internet of Things (IoT) predicts by 2020 there will be over 30 billion connected devices which double the amount of the 15 billion connected devices in 2015. With the advancements in technology, many new devices will be connected to the internet. These devices range from your TV, your washing machine, your refrigerator, and to your garage door opener. But why does IPv4/IPv6 care how many devices are connected? Here is why; 4,294,967,296 is the amount of public IPv4 addresses available. On February 3, 2011, the world ran out of IPv4 public IP addresses. Since IPv4 has run out of public addresses, a new Internet protocol was needed. In response to the space limitations under IPv4, Smart City took the necessary steps to adapt by securing adequate IPv6 address blocks back in 2015. With IPv6 becoming a new standard, it now gives the world endless opportunities for web-enabled devices to be connected to the internet. IPv6 has roughly 340 undecillion (12 commas) IP addresses; that is 1028 times larger than IPv4. In closing, with the connected society we live in, the adoption of IPv6 will give us the ability to be even more connected. Through web-connected devices, we will be able to unlock our doors, start our cars, turn on the oven or shut off our lights, all from our smartphone. With IPv6 there is virtually no limit to the number of devices that we will be able to connect to the Internet. Stay connected my Friends!
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CE N T E R U PDAT E S DENVER:
CCC TH A NKS THE W EL SH'S FOR THEIR Y E A RS OF DEDICATION
On April 26, power couple Randy Welsh and Debbie Welsh retired after 27+ years of dedication to the Colorado Convention Center. Randy Welsh was Director of Operations and Debbie Welsh was Director of Event Management at the Colorado Convention Center. Their dedication, knowledge and experience within the industry will be missed by all who worked with them. The Colorado Convention Center Partners came together to surprise the Welsh’s with a farewell gift of a Golf Cart. They have retired to a Golf and Tennis Retirement Community in Goodyear, Arizona. Smart City valued the partnership created with Randy and Debbie and will miss them both very much. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WELSH’S!!! PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: John Adams (CCC General Manager), Debbie Olivas (General Manager) Randy Welsh, Jim Snook (Regional Operations Director), and Debbie Welsh
HOUSTON − GRB:
CONGR ATUL ATIONS TO LUTHER V ILL AGOME Z, A N INDUSTRY ICON Meeting Professionals International Houston Area Chapter recognized Eleuterio “Luther” Villagomez, Chief Operating Officer, Houston First Corporation and administrator of the George R. Brown Convention Center as the 2018 Industry Icon at their awards celebration, A Night Among the Stars, held at the Marriott Marquis Houston on Thursday, May 17. Every year, MPI honors an individual in the community who has been a pillar of support in the local Meetings and Events industry over the course of the past year. This year, Luther Villagomez was selected for his commitment to the industry and actions in supporting all of Houston in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: Chris Wharry (General Manager) and
Luther Villagomez
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CE N T E R U PDAT E S DALLAS:
K ICKOFF MEE TING FOR NEUTR A L HOST DAS AT K BHCCD
On April 25th, 2018 Smart City, Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas (KBHCCD) and AT&T staff met for the official Neutral Host Distributed Antenna System (NHDAS) kickoff meeting. The NHDAS will be installed by AT&T and their contractors. Currently, AT&T and T-Mobile are the two providers on the system. The completion of the NHDAS is scheduled for the end of 2018 and will increase cell phone coverage for staff, exhibitors and attendees that visit the KBHCCD.
LONG BEACH:
LBCEC PREMIERE THEIR DA NCING WATER FOUNTA INS On May 11th the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center debuted the Dancing Water Fountains at the Terrace Theater Plaza. The Fountains use dozens of nozzles to create intricate water effects. These water effects are synchronized with hundreds of LED’s and floodlights and a musical soundtrack to bring a burst of color and music to the Plaza. The fountains can be programmed for special holiday and seasonal performances and will be operated nightly. Meeting planners will be able to customize the music, colors, and style of the show for their group as well.
CORPORATE - LAS VEGAS:
ALE XUS GAMMAGE RECEIVES CUSTOMER SERVICE E XCELLENCE AWARD Alexus Gammage is a proven leader in the NOC Department.
Without hesitation, Alexus readily volunteers to assist her fellow workers in and outside the corporate office. During a time when a majority of her fellow team members were out of the office within the NOC department, Alexus took on additional tasks and executed them with a smile and an over-all willingness to assist. Alexus provides a high level of Customer Service Excellence to all of her fellow team members inside and outside the corporate office. Alexus exemplifies our company mission by living our business principles and daily basics.
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CE N T E R U PDAT E S WASHINGTON DC:
SM A RT CIT Y AWA RDED CONTR AC T AT NE W ENTERTA INMENT & SPORTS A REN A Events DC announced Smart City Networks as the IT Systems Management provider for internet and data services at the new Entertainment & Sports Arena (ESA) in Congress Heights, Washington, DC. As part of the agreement, Smart City will provide consulting and oversight of the Arena’s network as well as manage network operations. Smart City brings a high-density Wi-Fi skillset unmatched in the industry today. Backend systems, such as Smart City’s captive portal and online ordering systems, will significantly enhance the installed system at ESA.
“We’re excited not only to further our long-term partnership with Events DC but to support this dynamic new venture at the ESA,” said Mark Haley, President of Smart City Networks. “We look forward to keeping the customers at the Arena connected.” “With the opening of the Entertainment & Sports Arena this fall, Events DC is proud that Smart City is the Arena’s exclusive telecommunications partner. Smart City will deliver wired and wireless technology to create one of DC’s most connected venues,” said Gregory A. O’Dell, president and chief executive officer of Events DC. “Given its exemplary experience in providing fast and reliable connectivity at our venues, including the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, we look forward to setting a new standard for speed and innovation at the new Arena. Customers bring multiple wireless devices into public venues and their expectations for reliable wireless connectivity is at an all-time high. It’s our goal with Smart City to use its smart technology to create the ultimate user experience from sporting events and entertainment to esports.” The 118,000 square-foot Arena will be located in Southeast DC on the St. Elizabeths East Campus and is scheduled to open fall 2018. The Arena will not only serve as the home court for the WNBA Washington Mystics and the NBA G-League Capital City Go-Go but will also be the practice court for the NBA Washington Wizards. Additional programming at the Arena will include boxing, concerts, esports and more. With the esports industry growing every year the ESA is built to host large tournaments and events.
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CE N T E R U PDAT E S CORPORATE - LAS VEGAS:
J A C K I M I L L E R P R E S E N T S 2018 C F O AWA R D S
On June 13, Jacki Miller, VP of Finance & Admin and President of FEI, presented the Financial Executives International (FEI) Las Vegas 2018 CFO of the Year awards. The CFO Awards is an annual event started by FEI in 2017 to honor the top Chief Financial Officers in the area. The Las Vegas Chapter of FEI includes the senior financial executives from key organizations in Southern Nevada and beyond. The chapter holds monthly meetings by high-level speakers of interest to finance executives and the Nevada business community.
PICTURED: Jacki Miller ( VP of Finance & Admin) in blue
ANAHEIM:
A C C A P R I L 2018 E M P L O Y E E O F T H E M O N T H Michelle Gualtieri (Event Coordinator) was the Anaheim Convention Center April 2018 Employee of the Month!! This is her 2nd time winning this HONOR. The last time was September 2016. Congratulations Michelle!
PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: Nick Urquiza (Data Operations Professional), Dean Johnson (Operations Manager), Michelle Gualtieri (Event Coordinator), Tammy Espinosa (Customer Sales & Service Manager), Bill Heyer (Technician II), Brian Fairbanks (Technician), and Kevin Patch (General Manager)
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GREEN EFFORTS LOS ANGELES:
L A C C PL U G S IN L A RGE S T S O L A R A RR AY O N MUNI CIPA L LY O W NED C O N V EN T I O N
The Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC), owned by the City of Los Angeles and managed by AEG Facilities, unveiled its 2.21 megawatt solar array on April 4, 2018 during a press conference with Mayor Eric Garcetti. Located on the roof of South Hall, this addition brings the facility’s total solar to 2.58 megawatts, making it the largest solar array on a municipally owned convention center in the United States. Starting in October 2017, the six-month project included the construction of 6,228 panels at 355 watts each. The new array is projected to generate 3.4 million kilowatt hours per year that equates to 17 percent of the LACC’s annual energy usage. This amount of electricity produced can power 565 homes in Los Angeles. The project will reduce the LACC’s carbon footprint by 2,554 metric tons per year. To give perspective, this is the equivalent to removing 2,794,396 pounds of coal from being burned or planting 66,192 trees. “I am proud to celebrate the completion of the Convention Center’s solar project,” said Jon Vein, Chair of the City of Los Angeles Department of Convention and Tourism Development Commission. “This project has set a precedent for other facilities to follow and is key to keeping Los Angeles the number one solar city in America.” The LACC is a busy facility welcoming 2.5 million visitors annually with a 75 percent occupancy rate. This project required careful design and planning to avoid disrupting the numerous events hosted in the exhibit halls below. “This solar project was first proposed in 2014,” said Doane Liu, Executive Director of the City of Los Angeles Department of Convention and Tourism Development. “It is exciting to see it come to fruition and experience the impact it will make in the building and Los Angeles.” This project contributes to the mission of Mayor Garcetti’s “Sustainable City pLAn” and AEG 1EARTH, AEG’s sustainability program established to reduce the company’s environmental impact. The solar array is a powerful addition to the facility that will impact energy conservation for years to come.
SMART CITY BOOST CHARLOTTE CONVENTION CENTER
“I would like to boost my team, Darryl “Thing 1” Galmon (CSSR) and Chris “Thing 2” Delane (Technician II), for dressing up and being good sports during Link Line-up for the month of May! With the theme of “Your Favorite Childhood Book” we dressed up as “The Cat in the Hat” characters and shared our favorite Dr. Suess books.” Vanessa Cauthen, Customer Sales & Service Manager, Smart City Charlotte
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WE CARE AND GIVE BACK COLUMBUS:
TE A M AT GCCC R ACE FOR THE CURE The largest Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in the country was held on May 19th in Columbus, OH. This year’s race consisted of over 500 corporate, civic, and individual teams and raised almost $1.7 million dollars for breast cancer research. Bill Duke (General Manager) represented Smart City along with his wife Jen, her cousin Melissa, her daughters Ella and Sophia, and her fiancé Eric. Find a race near you:
ww5.komen.org/RaceForTheCure/
PICTURED LEFT: Bill Duke (General Manager) and his wife Jen
CINCINNATI:
DUKE ENERGY CONVENTION CENTER HOSTS ITS ANNUAL GARDEN TO KITCHEN EVENT
The Duke Energy Convention Center staff welcomed over 40 students from Frederick Douglass Elementary School in Cincinnati, OH for the 2nd annual Garden to Kitchen event. This event serves as a hands-on learning field trip for the students, giving them the opportunity to learn about various careers within the Convention Center, like setting the table and how to prepare a meal with vegetables from the garden. Other career opportunities in the convention business were also featured, including telecommunications and information technology, audio and visuals, and venue operation. The telecommunication and IT Q&A panel was presented by Arnold Chavez, General Manager of Technology Services for the Cincinnati, OH location. PICTURED SECOND FROM RIGHT: Arnold Chavez (General Manager)
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WE CARE AND GIVE BACK WASHINGTON DC:
D C T E A M RECEI V E S L E T T ER FRO M L EUK EMI A & LY MPHO M A S O CIE T Y
Smart City Networks, We are writing to express our sincere thanks for your support of the 2018 Leukemia Ball. Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, donors and guests, we are illuminating the path to progress. With your support, we raised over $3 million this year, bringing the cumulative Leukemia Ball total to $62 million since 1988. The funds raised over more than three decades have advanced our mission and fueled LLS's investment in cures and access for blood cancer patients. At the 2018 Leukemia Ball, you heard the inspiring story of Kelvin, a husband and father of two who battled multiple myeloma. Kelvin's story is a story of hope, but despite great progress in the fight against myeloma, there is still work to be done. Thanks to events like the Leukemia Ball, LLS funding continues to support the best and brightest blood cancer researchers who are working tirelessly to find cures and treatments for patients. We are so grateful for Smart City's tremendous support of the Leukemia Ball. On behalf of the patients and their families we serve, thank you for your dedication and top notch customer service. By partnering with LLS, you have brought us one step closer to a world without blood cancer. With sincere appreciation, Kelly Kent Senior Director
BOOSTS MINNEAPOLIS CONVENTION CENTER
“The members of the White House Communications Agency wish to express our sincere appreciation for the outstanding manner in which you provided support to the Vice President of the United States during his visit to Minneapolis, Minnesota. Your unique abilities, coupled with your superb attitude and professionalism, enabled our Agency to provide critical communications for the Vice President, the White House Staff and the United States Secret Service” Fabrienne M.C. Doriott, Vice President Communications, White House Communications Agency
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WE CARE
AND GIVE BACK
SAN DIEGO:
HONORS VETER ANS AND FALLEN HEROES
Throughout the month of May our San Diego team was busy honoring our veterans and fallen soldiers. On May 5th, Donna Kacmarcik (Customer Sales & Service Manager) accompanied her father, Doniphan B. Shelton, RADM, USN, on an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. Smart City made a $500 donation to the Honor Flight Network Program to ensure that their mission “To transport America’s Veterans to Washington, DC to visit those memorials dedicated to honor the service and sacrifices of themselves and their friends.” continues on.
PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: Donna Kacmarcik (Customer Sales & Service Manager) behind her father, Doniphan B. Shelton
Smart City sponsored a table for the San Diego Tuskegee Airmen luncheon on May 12th in San Diego at Balboa Park Air and Space Museum. The luncheon was held to honor these WWII heroes and raised money for the Summer Flight Academy & Scholarships through a silent auction.
On Memorial Day, Smart City donated roses for the fourth annual #TruMemorial Sunrise Rose Drop. The Memorial Day Rose Ceremony started at 5:30am with a program including an opportunity for participants to share their story about a friend or loved one who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country. 50,000 donated roses were distributed throughout the ceremony. Then Julia Slocombe (Vice President Western Operations), along with the rest of the attendees, placed the roses on all of the graves in honor of these heroes.
SMART CITY BOOST PHOENIX CONVENTION CENTER
I wanted to recognize my entire team from customer service side to the Operations side for an amazing job on the WM Symposia. This has traditionally been a challenging show and the reviews have not been great. The client has extremely high expectations and is very connected within the city so the entire convention center feels the pressure to hit a home run when this client is in house. Every single member of our team stepped up and made the decision that not only would this show be a success but we would knock it out of the park and exceed expectations. We received our survey back today and we received 5’s across the board and the client added the comment below: “Thank you for your prompt turnaround time on quotes and your amazing onsite service. I am extremely happy with the services this year and appreciate your help in making it a success!” Melanie Ravaline, WM Symposia Show Management I would like to callout the entire Phoenix crew for an excellent job by everyone, as this was truly a team effort. Thank you, Todd Zuccato (General Manager), Daniel Little (Operations Manager), Greg Smith (Technician II), Paul Ruiz (CSSR), Taylor Harris (Technician), Neftali Mendoza (Technician), Mike Cinquegrani (CSSR) and Dylan Deering (Technician) for showing WM Symposia how Smart City provides peace of mind! Chistopher Clark, Smart City Phoenix Customer Sales & Service Manager
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THE MONTH
EMPLOYEE OF
ALEXUX GAMMAGE
Help Desk Operator - Smart City Corporate
March
Alexus has grown into her role in the Help Desk with an outstanding glow in so many areas of our Daily Basics and 10 Business Principles. Although the list is long, she has taken the bull by the horns last month during a very stressful time of one of our team members moving on while at the same time the other team member being on vacation. During this length of time, she stepped up strong and not only did her work, but she also did the job of the 2 other team members without hesitation or glitch. She dedicated herself to making sure that no one in the field even had a clue that we were so shorthanded and truly “Owned It”.
KENNY ESQUIVEL
Technician - Smart City Reno-Sparks
April
Kenny has been the single point of contact since October 13 with the GM resigning. He has stepped up and been the contact for site visits, pre-cons and building meetings. He has been helping with the network upgrade and managing the events with little to no assistance. Kenny continues to learn quickly and resolve issues effectively. He has developed support channels with other centers and finding ways to support our customers while working with situations for the first time. His attitude is always positive and he is communicating effectively when help is needed. It must be pointed out that many of the tasks were never needed to be done before. So, he has been required to learn various procedures in AESOP and the Intranet. He was setting up access points and the MikroTik on his own after being shown once. He is now creating quotes in AESOP and handling all of the exhibit orders. He has also taken over the purchase orders.
JASON BUSSIE
Data Operations Professional - Smart City San Diego
May
Jason not only provides exceptional service to the 100+ shows a year at the San Diego Convention Center, but he also supports other Smart City centers and helps them through their biggest shows of the year. In Long Beach, last October Jason performed the Data Ops duties for TwitchCon, the center’s largest show of the year. In Santa Clara, he jetted up to configure and install for shows like IOT World Conference, Container World and Augmented World Expo. All the time away from his home base, he continues to keep a finger on the pulse of the San Diego Center, monitoring, making changes and adjustments on demand. He is often found managing a show onsite, and fielding support calls from other centers in need. The hours he’s worked in other locations gives him a unique understanding of each center’s capabilities. When he is back at his home base in San Diego, he schedules time with Tech II's to teach them advanced operations skills and help them grow in their positions. He always makes himself available and steps up in a moment’s notice. Jason is fired up about his work, every day, and converts that energy into great things. His drive is an example that pushes others to elevate their game and do more.
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the PINNACLE • Issue 2, 2018
TEAM MEMBER MILESTONES 1 YEAR Smart City San Diego General Manager, Shawn Lowery, celebrated his one-year anniversary in March. We want to thank Shawn for all of his hard work with Smart City for the past year!
1 YEAR Smart City Santa Clara CSSR, Cecily Beltran, celebrated her one-year anniversary in April. We want to thank Cecliy for all of her hard work with Smart City for the past year!
10 Y E A R Mark Haley, President, celebrated his ten-year anniversary in June. Mark has been monumental to the success of Smart City this last decade and exemplifies our first business principle "Integrity without Compromise." Thank you, Mark, for the dedicated years of hard work!
N E W A R R I VA L S Smart City Los Angeles Technician Juan Corona and his wife Johanna welcomed Evan Alexander Corona into the world on Wednesday, May 16th, 2018. Evan weighed a healthy 9 lbs. 10 oz.
the PINNACLE • Issue 2, 2018
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ANNIVERSARIES
EMPLOYEE APRIL 2018 Roberta Bridges Louis Reyes Eleazar Martinez Abel Soto Samantha Heller Sandra Garcia Kelli Bonds Nicholas Gwinn Juan Lopez Andrew West Tommie Beltz Thomas Hart Kenny Kitchell Ray Newcomb
22 20 14 14 12 8 7 5 4 4 4 3 3 3
Christopher Jones Megan Hullinger Alisal Alisal Witold Myslinski Doug Sowell Juan Corona Jerrad Darty Pareece Nasario Alexia Dillon Madison Grimes Vanna Shoopman Lacey Fields Cecily Beltran Phillip Tanlim
3 3 3 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
39 23 23 15 14 14
Tim Overall Carlos Reyes Kasandra Williams
Mark Baratti
13 10 6 1 1 1
18 13 12 11 10 9 6
Codey Eichenour Jim Erickson Eliam Agosto Christopher Clark Windell Conyers Enrique Garay Yakira Reyes-Rivera
4 2 1 1 1 1 1
MAY 2018 Keith McNeely Dan Noska William Hale Peggy Cooper Anthony Taylor Omar Carro
Kasey Riley Christopher Kissoon
JUNE 2018 Laureen Boykin Adolfo Ramirez Andrew Brown Pat Johnson Mark Haley Paula Ruiz Carey Dvorak
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the PINNACLE • Issue 2, 2018