134149_PULP_68-77:Document 3
12/11/13
1:30 PM
Page 3
events...in brief
Michael Jordan Flight School Leaps Through Another Year at Tropicana Gardens
SAS Throws Launch Celebration Bash
It’s not often that a celebratory small lunch turns into an epic party for hundreds. But that’s exactly what happened this summer when SAS in Cary, NC, decided to celebrate the launch of its business analytics software, SAS 9.4. Originally SAS managers had requested Bon Appétit catering for a small group of hardworking employees who’d been taking the product from design to implementation over 18 months, and the plan was simple: pizza and beer. But on short notice, the catering team was asked to increase numbers and add ice cream to the menu of fun treats. Now the managers wanted to thank their entire research and development teams, and a bash was born.
Basketball star Michael Jordan’s celebrity status has been drawing hundreds of kids every summer to “flight school” — a.k.a. basketball camp — for more than two decades. The staff at Tropicana Gardens and Tropicana Del Norte in Goleta, CA, love the energy of the well-attended camp, the happy kids, and the repeat faces of returning coaches each year. (Getting to have their picture taken with Michael Jordan is a nice bonus, too.) Over two sessions in 11 days, the team at Tropicana hosts and feeds more than 900 boys and girls, ages 7 to 18. Camp attendees come to seriously learn Michael Jordan’s skills in a competitive environment but also to have fun. The Bon Appétit team supports the kids by providing three healthy and delicious meals each day and meeting special dietary concerns. The kids are working out a lot, so the goals are to keep a lot of fresh fruit around, fully stock the salad bar, and create tasty meals that keep their energy levels up. It worked! Feedback from attendees was glowing about the food; one coach sent a note describing his experience as like“going to a restaurant for every meal.” He added that “everything I tried was delicious…I think I ate 5 lbs of watermelon every day. This college is so fortunate to have you.” The Tropicana Gardens team disagrees — they feel like the lucky ones! Submitted by Jeremy Glennon, General Manager
Special cupcakes celebrating the launch
The Atrium Café at SAS opened with Bon Appétit at the helm in January 2013. Since then, the average lunch participation has been about 1,000 guests per day. But on 9.4’s Launch Day, with the client treating the R&D team to lunch, the café staff served an additional 554 people at lunch, plus 800 people at an afternoon pizza party! Teamwork was what really made it all magical. The catering team was happy to be in partnership with a company that shows appreciation for its staff. And SAS Corporate Services offered logistical support as the launch events grew and changed. Elizabeth Simmonds, Bon Appétit resident district manager, brought café support from the SAS Marketplace Café next door, and everyone rolled up their sleeves and produced a wonderful Bon Appétit experience. The level of cooperation was phenomenal all around! Submitted by Katheldra Pinder, General Manager
Shooting with the star (top row): Pablo Segundo, cook; Mike Bowrin, server; Cole Mcwhirter, server; David Silva, server; Pulido Abel, dishwasher; Hector Lopez, server; Max Krohn, cashier; Clay Krebs, server; Laura Yorba, cashier; Carlos Arrendondo, dishwasher; Gerrardo Miranda, cook; and Bayron Lara, cook. Bottom row: Lourdes Paniagua, cook; Camille Permar, cashier; Michael Jordan; Janet Rivera, server; and Marita McSweeney, server
70 | BRAVO
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