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PL ANNING FOR SUCCESS:
THINKING AHEAD IS KEY TO PROVIDING A HIGH-DENSIT Y EXPERIENCE B I L LY B I S C H O F — S A L E S & M A R K E T I N G M A N A G E R , S M A R T C I T Y O R L A N D O
Each year, the convention industry sees an uptick in the demand for WiFi. Here at the Orange County Convention Center, things are no different. Mobile devices, tablets, conference apps and the “always connected” mindset is nothing new to us. What makes a company like Smart City stand out as an industry leader and innovator is the way in which we customize for “high-density” solutions. Convention centers aren’t always built for capacity, so it takes a mix of planning and technical resources to reach the highest level of customer satisfaction. What is high-density wireless? Some say that connecting 30% of an attendee base is high-density, while others say it means connecting all attendees in a general session for polling purposes. However, a high-density wireless network is more than numbers and percentages; it’s the ability to provide a highly-concentrated number of devices with consistent, reliable coverage in any situation or environment. There are many different types of high-density environments, each with their own unique requirements to be understood. Preparing for a conference with thousands of guests takes commitment. We have to take into account many factors, including: • • • • • •
Performance requirements (light web browsing, conference apps, online polling, training courses, etc.) Expected capacity (users) Coverage areas Percentage of active users Room sets Traffic patterns of guests
Sometimes our clients aren’t sure what information should be provided to us or what they have already shared with us. Smart City has a vast network of centers across the country and a wealth of knowledge and show history at our fingertips. Take advantage of it! Aesop is a great resource for client information, which not only helps us plan events to the best of our ability, but also provides value with our clients. To take the planning process one step further, we occasionally have the opportunity to advance a show. The Smart City Orlando team recently had the pleasure of hosting Donna Kacmarcik, Smart City San Diego’s Customer Sales and Service manager. Donna was able to see how we managed a show that her building will be hosting in the near future. Advancing a future show is a great way to sort out any challenges and learn what works. It’s also a great way to show our clients how committed we are to the show’s success. Hospitality is about going the extra mile and exceeding expectations. For Smart City, it’s also about getting things right the first time. To provide a consistent, reliable high-density wireless network for the masses, go above and beyond in the planning process. By starting early, utilizing our client history database, and sharing knowledge across our network of teams, we can provide the top-notch customer service that our clients are looking for.
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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 THE LIFE-CHANGING MAGIC OF TIDYING UP Who knew that you could make a career out of tidying up? I didn’t, until I read "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" by Marie Kondo. Ms. Kondo’s bestselling book describes her lifelong journey to organizational nirvana.
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.
14 W E CARE & GIVE BACK Highlighting the community service efforts of our Smart City teams across the country.
16 E M P L O Y E E O F THE MONTH
Recognizing this quarter’s outstanding employees.
18 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
Anniversaries of team members throughout the company.
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The book details her struggles from childhood to adulthood to organize and efficiently store all of her belongings. Finally, she had an epiphany that she had too much "stuff" and she really needed to focus on "decluttering" her life and belongings. Her realization was that it wasn’t about what she needed to get rid of but rather what items she should keep. In the end, she decided to only keep things that "spark joy in her life" based on her mission. Only after decluttering could she really focus on properly storing the remaining belongings, which she had already determined were important to her and objectives in life. At Smart City our motto has always been to provide the peace of mind that Ms. Kondo describes. This year, our priority at Smart City is to sharpen our focus on what’s truly important and try to eliminate the clutter that builds on a daily basis. In our professional lives, who doesn’t have a filing cabinet full of documents going back five plus years? What about folders or files on your hard drive that you know you need to clean out? I used to have piles of folders on the corner of my desk or credenza that would sit for months. Each day more "stuff" came in and went on top of those folders. I certainly wasn’t focused on those folders at the bottom of the pile. One of our Business Principles is to continually improve processes, because they always need improving. In line with that principle, we are also going looking to "declutter" and simplify the processes we use in serving our clients and customers. Efficient and effective processes are what our customers are looking for in obtaining "Peace of Mind." To the Top!
the PINNACLE • Issue 1, 2016
BOOSTS NRG PA RK
“I really appreciate all of your fine assistance and attention to detail. Your operation now enjoys a 'cream-of-the-crop' reputation across all NFL facilities. At each and every game, our clients call or email me with extreme praise for the way you constantly check in with them during their visit to make sure everything is perfect. And it always is! Kudos!” Mike Simpson, Sports Backhaul Network
SAN DIEGO CONVENTION CENTER
“To whom it may concern, we were extremely frustrated that we couldn’t get our WiFi working this weekend. We had planned to schedule all of our leads on our laptop but instead had to print calendars and write by hand all of our appointments. Fortunately, we only double booked a couple of our leads. However, after speaking with Cara McDonald (CSSR) on the phone today, we surely are less frustrated and disappointed than previously expressed. She explained what happened and why we weren’t able to get service. She shared our frustrations and was so kind and polite it couldn’t help but make us feel better about a bad situation. People like Cara not only make the business environment a better place to work. I will go as far as saying ‘she makes this planet a better place to live.’ I’m sure if you work with her on a daily basis, you feel blessed to work with such a kind, smart and compassionate person. I typically don’t take the time, or have time, to write comments like these, but I felt compelled to share our experience with you. Thanks, Cara, for making our day better!” Joe Schwable, Skyline Sunrooms
K ENTUCK Y INTERN ATION A L CON V ENTION CENTER & K ENTUCK Y E XPOSITION CENTER
“Thank you so much for all of your help and guidance this year. Karen Nelson (CSSR), Gabe Wood (Operations Manager), and Corey Smith were all very helpful and great to work with and I appreciated their help during out event. I hope to get the opportunity to come back to Louisville and work with your team again.” Lynn Brewer, American Bus Association
TA MPA CON V ENTION CENTER
“Mitch Hughes (General Manager) was an absolute pleasure to work with and was by far the best venue contact I have had the opportunity to work with. We had an issue with our satellite trucks and Mitch went well beyond the scope of his required services in order to help us resolve the issue by going out and sourcing the cables we needed to complete our setup. I have never received this level of service at any other venue.” Sean Smith, ITWORKS! MARKETING, INC.
SMART CITY BOOST - DENVER
“I’d like to give a big boost to Matt Casaus (Technician) for all of his hard work in Denver. Denver has been without a Data Manager since last October and Matt has taken on additional responsibilities to help produce shows and assist with expansion duties. Matt is a crucial member of the Denver team. He truly makes life easier for all of us in Denver. Thanks for everything you do, Matt!” Debbie Olivas, General Manager, Smart City Denver
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BOOSTS ORANGE COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER
“Frank Loyke (Senior Event Coordinator), it was great to work with you and your team. You guys were there at every turn making sure the customer and us had what we needed. I look forward to the next time we are there and able to work with you and your team.” James Ruf, American Federation Farm Bureau
PHOENIX CONVENTION CENTER
“The entire team at Smart City was very consultative and helpful throughout the entire process. We had a number of IT related elements being managed by various members of our team, so we appreciated the flexibility working through our channels to help deliver a great event experience.” Express Scripts team
MINNEAPOLIS CONVENTION CENTER
“You're a rock star! Thanks for everything!” Pam Soules, Mid-States Distributing Company, Inc.
K AY BA ILE Y HUTCHISON CON V ENTION CENTER DA LL AS
“Kasandra Williams (CSSR) and Chris Pendleton (General Manager), thank you for making SOLIDWORKS 2016 a success!” Adrian Aleckna, SolidWorks World
SMART CITY BOOST - CHARLOTTE
“Chris DeLane (Technician) and Darryl Galmon (CSSR) were tasked with handling all operations for six weeks while I was out on medical leave. I would like to boost them for their endless dedication and hard work. Teams work!" Vanessa Cauthen, General Manager, Smart City Charlotte
SM A RT CIT Y BOOST - SE AT TLE
“I would like to boost Nick Marshall (Data Operations Manager) for flying into Denver to help Debbie Olivas with her network upgrade. I would also like to congratulate Mike Bowser. He has been recently promoted from part-time Technician to fulltime Technician.” Joe Melancon, General Manager, Smart City Seattle
K ENTUCK Y INTERN ATION A L CON V ENTION CENTER & K ENTUCK Y E XPOSITION CENTER
“Thank you so much for helping with our Internet needs this GYC Conference. It has been so wonderful to work with you, especially after such a rough experience that we had in the past. Nice, caring, helpful people like yourself are a joy to work with.” Glesni Mason and Aubrey Seiler, Generations of Youth in Christ
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GM INSIGHT AUGMENTED REALITY AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE CONVENTION INDUSTRY DAV ID THOM A S — GENER A L M A N AGER, SM A RT CIT Y CINCINN ATI
With the introduction of several virtual and augmented reality products to arrive in 2016, both for consumers and industrial use, this will be a big year for the convention industry With Microsoft’s release of the HoloLens, a new age of technology has arrived. These new technologies will provide immersive interaction and collaboration in real time and in a three-dimensional space. Imagine an exhibitor who is demonstrating a product now able to give personalized tours of their manufacturing process without ever leaving the booth. Imagine meeting planners able to conduct entire site tours without ever visiting the facility. This goes beyond the average floor diagram and building walk-through. Clients will now be able to hang rigging, set staging, and make corrections or adjustments in real time through a virtual display. They can actually walk around the fullyinstalled tradeshow while still standing in an empty exhibit hall – all before a diagram is ever printed. AutoCAD can bring a whole new approach to how users design usable space. The applications for augmented and virtual reality products in the convention and meeting planning industries are limitless. These untethered headsets can be used on the tradeshow floor in a realistic and engaging interaction, while limiting the amount of physical objects that need to be shipped to the exhibit space. Exhibitors will be able to attract floor traffic to their booth with 3D games and interactive information – not to mention the meeting process in general. Instead of remote attendees watching a web cast, new virtual reality technology will make it possible for them to feel as if they are actually attending the meeting. Your Cisco WebEx, Skype, and or Go2Meeting experience can take on a whole new look and feel as you are immersed into the meeting environment, meeting with clients in what feels like face to face from anywhere in the world. Client and visitors will now be able to tour the inside and outside of a convention center’s nearby hotel space, rather than relying on images posted on hotel websites. Foot traffic can be simulated well before the event to get a feel for the best traffic flow, or the time and distance for walking attendees to and from food and lodging, to better maximize their time in the facility. This technology will be truly exciting to watch as it becomes more readily available on the tradeshow floor. Both exhibitors and meeting planner alike will be able to use and appreciate the added benefits of virtual reality and augmented reality. I’m sure we will see many improvements to the way we use this technology in the near future, which should mean some pretty interesting changes coming to the convention industry.
BOOSTS SMART CITY BOOST - LAS VEGAS
“I'd like to give a big boost to Quintin Dailey. Quintin was the top in sales in the AES (Advanced Exhibitor Sales) department for the third year in a row. Congratulations, Quintin!” Christy Hogan, Customer Service Manager, Smart City Las Vegas Corporate Office
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CE N T E R U PDAT E S COLUMBUS:
CON V ENTION CENTER PA RK ING GA R AGES RECEI V E CRE ATI V E UPGR A DE “Showpiece” isn’t a word typically associated with parking garages. But the word describes FCCFA-owned (Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority) Vine, South and Goodale parking facilities perfectly. The Vine Street Garage, Greater Columbus Convention Center South Garage and the newly opened Goodale Garage are replete with bright new LED lighting, installed for both convenience and safety. And all include displays of local art as part of FCCFA’s citywide art initiative. Columbus-based Reese Brothers Productions organized local schools and arts and cultural groups to develop art projects among area residents of all ages – including elementary and high school students, professional artists and college art students.
By mid-March, all three garages will feature their own “Art Park” creations – unique, captivating pieces from local artists, young students or college art students that not only elevate the parking experience, but also help customers to remember on which floor their cars are parked. Perhaps the most immediately noticeable project is the Goodale Street facility. Visitors who drive down Goodale Street or I-670 just north of the convention center will see a towering 800-space facility that replaces a surface lot, giving visitors to the convention center and Short North much-needed new parking options. Bright multicolor vertical panels grace the exterior to help the facility stand out against its surroundings, and open spaces between the panels allow ambient light to enter the facility. The garage eventually will connect with the convention center through a dramatic skybridge similar to the glass walkway between the convention center and the Hilton hotel. The new $18 million project was constructed at no cost to taxpayers; the income generated by the garage will pay the costs associated with its construction. Because of the innovative financing method used on this project, FCCFA was able to save $2.4 million in interest fees. The opening of the Goodale Garage brings the total number of parking spaces offered by the FCCFA to nearly 4,000.
SAN ANTONIO:
COFFEE AND Q&A WITH THE PRESIDENT
Smart City President Mark Haley visited with the Smart City San Antonio team in January, during which time he sat down with the local staff for “coffee with the president.” Mark spent time answering questions about the future of Smart City. FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Mark Haley (President), Tim Wortman (Vice President, East Region), Louis Terrazas, Patrick Nelson (Operations Manager), Sandra Garcia (Technician), Stephanie Silva (CSSR), Guillermo Huerta (Customer Sales & Service Manager), and Peggy Moreth (Event Coordinator).
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CE N T E R U PDAT E S SAN DIEGO:
CLIFFORD "RIP" RIPPETOE HIRED AS SDCCC PRESIDENT AND CEO
The Board of Directors of the San Diego Convention Center Corporation announced on February 26, the selection of Clifford "Rip" Rippetoe, a convention and meeting industry veteran, to take the helm as President and CEO of the San Diego Convention Center Corporation. The Corporation manages, markets and operates the San Diego Convention Center on behalf of the City of San Diego. "The San Diego Convention Center is a world-class facility and we are thrilled to welcome Rip Rippetoe as our new leader," said Rabbi Laurie Coskey, Chair of the Board of Directors. "Rip brings a breadth of industry expertise and skills that will help insure our continued success for years to come." Rippetoe has a long and successful career in facility management and operations working in the for-profit sector as well as not-for-profit and governmental organizations. His immediate past position was President and CEO of the Kentucky State Fair Board (KSFB). The KSFB manages the Kentucky Exposition Center (the sixth largest convention center in the United States), Freedom Hall, Broadbent Arena and the Kentucky International Convention Center. Through his career, he has worked for organizations hosting top national tradeshows and conventions, the Olympic Winter Games of 2002, and large scale public assembly facilities such as the Las Vegas Convention Center and the Kentucky Expo Center. He has implemented new techniques to significantly improve communication, create transparency, lobby for space expansion, address deferred maintenance, improve labor relations and increase revenues. "I'm excited to be joining the San Diego Convention Center team. San Diego is a great destination," said Rippetoe. "I look forward to working with our community and industry partners to create economic impact by hosting world-class conventions, tradeshows and events," he added. Rippetoe was selected following a nationwide search led by the immediate past chair of the Corporation's Board, Stephen P. Cushman, Board Vice-Chair Candace M. Carroll and Board Member Xema Jacobson. The full Board of Directors voted unanimously to hire Rippetoe. "Special thanks go out to Steve, Candace and Xema who invested hours of hard work ensuring the Corporation would find an industry leader with operational excellence," added Coskey.
LAS VEGAS:
R ACING TO THE FINISH LINE AT THE COLOR RUN
The Smart City corporate office participated in the Las Vegas Color Run. Also known as "the happiest 5k on the planet," the Color Run is an untimed 5k in which participants are doused from head to toe in different colors at each distance marker. Smart City sponsored a team for members of the corporate office interested in participating. Las Vegas team members that joined in the run included Rani Bush
(Quality Assurance Manager), Tina Shields (Circuits Specialist), Lisa Paul (General Ledger Accountant), Dewayne Martin (Systems Administrator), Christy Hogan (Customer Support Manager), and Nycole Smith (Advanced Exhibitor Sales).
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CE N T E R U PDAT E S MIAMI BEACH:
RENOVATION UNDERWAY AT MI A MI BE ACH CON V ENTION CENTER On October 22, 2015, government officials and development and industry partners invited the public to celebrate the unveiling of the Miami Beach Convention Center Expansion and Renovation Project. The project is proceeding as scheduled in December 2015 immediately following Art Basel Miami Beach. “This will be the center for creative collaboration. This is the future of Miami Beach,” said Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine. “We are excited to be delivering what our convention center clients need in order to book future events in Miami Beach and also a new attraction for our residents and visitors.”
The renovation and expansion of the $615 million project will transform the area into a state-of-the-art convention center and public space that will attract new national and international events and conventions. The new convention center is designed by Denver-based Fentress Architects, in collaboration with local firm Arquitectonica and the Dutch landscape firm of West 8. The new LEED certified design will have a strong emphasis on ocean elements, utilizing sun-shading design concepts and much more natural lighting for the interior — leading to a 20 percent energy reduction. Originally built in 1957, the convention center that spans four city blocks received a face lift that doubled its size in 1989. The aging center’s upcoming renovation is estimated to generate an economic impact of $5 billion over 30 years. When completed, it will offer 505,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space, a 60,000 square foot grand ballroom, three 20,000 square feet junior ballrooms, 59,000 square feet of breakout meeting spaces, 806 on-site rooftop parking spaces and an additional 12 acres of surrounding parks and landscaped areas. Maria Hernandez, project director of the Miami Beach Convention Center District, said, “This will be one of the most functional, state-of-the-art convention centers in the country, as well as a beautiful facility our city can be proud of. We are not only transforming the building, but the entire site by removing surrounding asphalt areas and converting these into wonderful public green spaces for future conventioneers, visitors, and our residents to enjoy.” “The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) proudly supports the new Miami Beach Convention Center,” said GMCVB President & CEO William D. Talbert, III, CDME. “It is a new day for the meetings and conventions industry in the destination. With this fully renovated regional facility, the meeting planner community will have access to a venue that is world-class and on par with the evolving infrastructure and booming development in our destination. We are now in a better position to compete for major conventions and shows that bring with them significant economic impact to our community. Meetings means business and jobs to Miami and The Beaches.” The Miami Beach Convention Center will be completed by mid-2018.
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CE N T E R U PDAT E S LONG BEACH:
REMEMBERING FORMER GENER A L M A N AGER DAV ID GORDON
David Gordon, who managed the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center for 21 years, including the center’s major expansion in the 1990s, died on March 2 after a battle with stomach cancer. He was 73. Gordon was born Oct. 7, 1942 in Belzoni, Mississippi, the son of a furniture store owner. After attending the University of Alabama, he got into the events and entertainment business with a job at the Houston Astrodome where he met his wife, Cathy. He also worked for the Louisiana Superdome before its grand opening in 1975. He first came to Long Beach in 1981, serving as an event manager at the convention center. In 1983 he was promoted to assistant general manager at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. He returned to Long Beach in 1989 to serve as the convention center’s general manager until his retirement. He was responsible for managing the center’s facilities, including the Terrace Theater and the International City Theater (now the Beverly O’Neill Theater) and working with the City of Long Beach, the Long Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and other facility clients. The convention center’s expansion in 1994 was considered transformational in helping the city recover from the loss of the Naval Station and jobs at Boeing. “The expansion was a major positive improvement in the city,” said former Mayor Beverly O’Neill. “David worked closely with the city in making the center work. He was very conscientious and helpful.” At his retirement in 2010, he marveled at the changes that happened downtown during his 21 years with the city: the construction of the Aquarium of the Pacific and the Pike at Rainbow Harbor in addition to the convention center expansion which tripled exhibit space. “It’s been a tremendous transformation,” he said. Survivors include his brothers, Larry Gordon and Chuck Gordon, both movie producers; wife, Cathy; six children; 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. — As originally published by the Long Beach Press Telegram
BOOSTS SAN DIEGO CONVENTION CENTER
“A shout out to Sterling Oakland (Operations Manager) and his team for the ‘smoooth’ transition to the new Mitel phone system. If a person is feeling a little shaky about the changes, no need to fear. The Smart City staff is available to familiarize you with the new updated features. Word has it that once we get used to the change, we are going to LOVE the new phone system! Thank you, Smart City, for your seamless switch from the old system to the new and for the endless patience shown by your customer service reps and technicians.” San Diego Convention Center's "Crew News" weekly newsletter
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CE N T E R U PDAT E S WASHINGTON, D.C.:
RE V V ING UP THE ENERGY AT THE WASHINGTON AUTO SHOW The Smart City team at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center participated in the 2016 Washington Auto Show’s second annual Sneak Peek & Reception. VIPs of the auto industry and clients of Events DC were invited to attend this event. Smart City had a custom kiosk where they met with clients and gave away promotional items. Staffing the kiosk were SeKisha Brown (Customer Sales & Service Manager, pictured left) and Natasha Johnson (CSSR, pictured right).
ANAHEIM:
G O O G L E E N G A G E 2 016 U N I T E S AT A N A H E I M C O N V E N T I O N C E N T E R The Anaheim Convention Center hosted Google’s Engage 2016, the company’s annual sales conference and the first one to be held at a convention center. Smart City customized a WiFi network for 5,000 users with multiple devices and an unlimited user cap that utilized 600Mb of bandwidth, as well as another hardwire network with approximately 40 drops from seven different VLANs. This additional hardwire network utilized another 750Mb of bandwidth. The conference went off without a hitch, and Google has requested dates for the 2018 event. Not one single trouble report came in during the entire event. Kudos to the Smart City Anaheim team!
LOS ANGELES:
WE ARING RED FOR HE ART DISE ASE AWARENESS
On February 5, the Smart City team at the Los Angeles Convention Center joined in a building-wide effort to spread awareness of heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of deaths in the nation, but can be prevented in nearly 80% of cardiac events with lifestyle changes and increased awareness. Team members wore red and posed for pictures that were shared on the convention center's social media sites.
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BOOSTS SMART CITY BOOST - FORT WORTH AND LAS VEGAS
“I would like to take this opportunity to say a BIG ‘Thank You’ to Carey Dvorak (Engineering Manager) and the Fort Worth team for a job well done during the recent AcuSport Conference. It was a huge success. The show manager was very happy with the services provided by Smart City. Teams work!” Janae Tinsley, General Manager, Smart City Fort Worth
SA NTA CL A R A CON V ENTION CENTER
“Emiliano Fernandez (General Manager), I wanted to say thank you to you and your team. Once again we’ve produced another successful event. You have a great crew there. Paul LeGrande (Technician), Ramon Sanchez (Technician), and Dan Wardi (Technician) took great care of me. Crews like yours make me try to get my clients back in your building time and again.” Jef Rolette, SignalShare
GEORGE R. BROWN CONVENTION CENTER
“Alexis Mayfield (Event Coordinator) was extremely helpful and amazing to work with. We were very impressed with the quick turnaround and the extra help and support Alex and her team provided to make this experience a great one!” Kathleen Hughes, True Value
SMART CITY BOOST - LAS VEGAS
“I want to give Carey Dvorak (Engineering Manager) a big boost. Even though Carey is busy with so many other things, we can always send him an email and always get something back to us. Carey is always so pleasant and concerned with our issue. It seems like he always has time for Reno, even on his busiest days.” Andrew Gutierrez, General Manager, Smart City Reno
VIRGINIA BEACH CONVENTION CENTER
“George Cagle (General Manager) was very helpful in meeting our technical needs at the best possible price.” Jean McCullough, Mid-Atlantic Home & Outdoor Living Show
SMART CITY BOOST - LAS VEGAS
“Tommie Beltz (Customer Support Supervisor) has been a huge assistance here at the Atlantic City Convention Center. He filled in as the Smart City General Manager until we were able to hire Ryan McCart. To show our appreciation, Ryan and I took him out after work to Philadelphia so he could get his hands on some of Philly’s famous cheesesteaks. (In a contest between Pat’s and Geno’s, Pat’s won again!) Thanks, Tommie, for all of the time and work you put in here at the Atlantic City Convention Center.” James Zarharchuck, Technician, Smart City Atlantic City
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CE N T E R U PDAT E S CORPORATE - LAS VEGAS:
BUILDING R A PPORT W ITH MUSICA L PA INT OUTING The Corporate Customer Support team recently attended a team building event called “Musical Paint.” Team members sat at their own canvases, where the instructor walked them through the outline of their painting. Once each outline was completed, the instructor began to play music. Team members walked around the circle of chairs until the music stopped, at which point they sat down in front of the nearest canvas and began painting where the previous person had left off.
The purpose of the outing was to show how working together as a team can make getting to the end goal more rewarding. Although each individual may have a different way of doing things, in the end, the common goal can be met with a little bit of teamwork.
LOS ANGELES:
CON V ENTION CENTER TR A NSFORMS INTO 'GR A MM Y L A ND' A F TER-PA RT Y The 2016 Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles, and the Los Angeles Convention Center was host to the official after-party. The convention center welcomed 5,000 attendees to the largest award-show-related party in Los Angeles. The theme was “Grammy Land” – modeled after the children’s board game, “Candy Land.” Past party themes have included Bollywood, vintage travel, and the Roaring '20s. The playful atmosphere was created with the help of a dancing fountain, oversized candy props, dancers, acrobats, colorful visual projections, and vintage arcade games. Elaborate candy and dessert displays were created by Patina Catering, whose head chef designed a menu using sustainable, local ingredients. Leftover food was donated to local food banks, and all of the cooking oil used to prepare the meals was recycled. "With more than 600 catering and service staff, 400 production team members, 200 security agents, 60 dancers and acrobats, four featured performances, and hundreds of hours of planning, it is a daunting yet rewarding task to mount the largest and most complex award show after-party annually," said Branden Chapman, the executive in charge of production and chief business development officer for the Recording Academy.
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CE N T E R U PDAT E S ORLANDO:
BRINGING AWA RENESS TO N ATION A L K IDNE Y MONTH
March is National Kidney Month, and one of Smart City's own is helping to bring awareness to the cause. Frank Loyke, Smart City Orlando’s Senior Event Coordinator, shares his story:
"On March 23, I celebrated my 10th year of new life. My wife Carol has a sister Roxane who gave me the gift of life by donating one of her kidneys back in March of 2006. I was in stage 4 kidney disease and close to requiring dialysis. Back in 2008, on my second anniversary, I and two other coworkers who are kidney donors spoke about the importance of the gift of life at an Orange County Convention Center full building meeting. Susan, a recently retired Executive Assistant, and Emil, a Senior Exhibitor Service Coordinator, each donated a kidney to relatives – Susan to her brother and Emil to his wife. What is really remarkable is that my kidney and Emil’s wife’s kidney came from non-blood related donors. I feel great and very blessed to have received the ultimate "gift of life." There is a critical need for organ, tissue, and bone marrow donations. In 2007, more than 27,000 lives were saved due to the kindness of donors like Emil, Susan, and my sister-in-law Roxane. Today, over 100,000 children and adults await that opportunity. If you are a designated donor now – thank you. If not, you can sign up now to have your organs donated at the time of your death, or you can become a living donor to a relative, friend, or someone that you don’t even know. Please consider becoming a donor. To the world, you may just be one person, but to one person, you could be the world. Thank you, Frank"
N ATION A L K IDNE Y MONTH FAC TS: • As of January 2016, there are more than 121,500 people waiting for life-saving organ transplants in the United States. Of these people, 100,791 await kidney transplants.
• The median wait time for an individual’s first kidney transplant is 3.6 years, and can vary depending on health, compatibility, and availability of organs.
• March 13 is World Kidney Day. • Kidney disease is the 9th leading cause of death in the country. • More than 26 million Americans have kidney disease and don’t even know it. For additional information on becoming a donor, or to register to become a donor, visit: www.organdonor.gov
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WE CARE LOS ANGELES:
SMART CITY TEAM SERVES MEAL TO HOMELESS VETERANS The Los Angeles Convention Center hosted the Los Angeles Veteran & Families Stand Down 2015 from December 19-21, 2015. The Stand Down LA event provides services to homeless veterans that reside in the greater Los Angeles area. Through this event, veterans also receive three meals a day and a comfortable place to sleep. The Smart City Los Angeles team had the privilege of serving breakfast on Sunday morning to over 600 veterans. Some of the services provided by Stand Down include housing and employment assistance; VA benefits and enrollment; mental health screenings; legal assistance; treatment and counseling; and food, clothing, and personal hygiene supplies.
ABOVE: Matt Chavez (Operations Manager), Henry De La Rosa (General Manager), Paula Ruiz (CSSR), Robbie Bridges (Customer Sales and Service Manager), Juan Carlos Lopez (CSSR), and Abel Soto (Technician) prepare to serve breakfast to homeless veterans. RIGHT: The Smart City Los Angeles team poses with Ivan Mason, the Executive Director of US Vets.
CE N T E R U PDAT E S CORPORATE - LAS VEGAS:
TRAINING SMART CIT Y'S NEW MANAGERS Every three months, the Smart City corporate office hosts a week-long training session for new managers or employees who have recently been promoted to managers. The training covered presentations from the marketing, accounting, systems development, technology, customer support, and human resources departments. PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: JP Windle (Human Resources Director), Christabelle Kolafa (Digital Marketing Manager), Ryan McCart (General Manager, Smart City Atlantic City), Nick Marshall (Data Operations Manager, Smart City Seattle), and Kyoko Clark (Customer Sales & Service Manager, Smart City Houston).
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AND GIVE BACK LAS VEGAS:
HELPING LOCAL YOUTH BUILD BUSINESS SKILLSETS
Rani Bush, Quality Assurance Manager at the Smart City Las Vegas Corporate office, recently volunteered as a judge for the 2016 Nevada DECA State Career Development Conference. On February 22, she spent the day reviewing high school students’ business plans and presentations. The students were tasked with researching a business plan and developing a strategy to improve employee engagement. Rani reviewed each 15 to 30-page plan and attended a 15-minute presentation for the students. “It was a great day and a great way to care and give back – even though I felt I learned more from the students than I gave,” Rani said. “Our corporate office hosts a summer intern from Valley High School’s Academy of Hospitality and Tourism (AOHT) each year, and those students also attend this conference. I served on the AOHT board, which is how I learned about volunteering for this event.” Founded in 1946, the “Distributive Education Clubs of America” is an organization that works hand-in-hand with the educational and business communities to help its members develop a “career success kit” that they can use after graduation. Members develop leadership skills, occupational skills, and an understanding and appreciation of civic responsibility. Since its founding, DECA has grown and evolved its mission into an organization of leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management. RIGHT: Rani Bush (left) poses with Karin Jones (right), a teacher from Valley High School and the AOHT summer intern coordinator.
SNAPSHOT SPOTLIGHT
Paula Ruiz, Smart City Los Angeles' CSSR, snapped this photo of a tiger at the Africam Safari in Puebla, Mexico. Her photo was featured in the convention center's newsletter as the March 2016 photo contest winner. Great shot, Paula!
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EMPLOYEE OF QUINTIN DAILEY
DECEMBER
Team Lead, Advanced Exhibitor Sales - Las Vegas Corporate Office Quintin Dailey is a leader within the AES department. He continually seeks knowledge that will assist himself and the team as well as all current and future customers. Quintin has taken on the role of team lead within the department and without hesitation assists with various AES duties and fellow team members, all while achieving his daily and yearly goals without fail. Quintin was recently tasked with making and completing the “Digital Marketing” CRM how-to guide book. Quintin had eight hours of training regarding the new CRM software. He was given a tight deadline and was able to complete the how-to guide prior to the deadline. The guide has been distributed to the “Digital Marketing” team. Quintin exemplifies many different facets of our 10 business principles on a daily basis. Some of these are: “Do Right by All Our Customers,” “It’s The People,” “Seek The Best,” “Continually Improve Processes,” and “Teams Work.” Nominated by: Christy Hogan
I VA N GUTIERRE Z
Technician - Tampa Convention Center
JANUARY
After four years of Ivan being at the facility with the previous administration, we were excited to offer him the full time tech position with Smart City in 2014. Ivan has been a key team member since the beginning of our Tampa contract. He is the only tech in Tampa and with that comes a lot of hard work and dedication, among other things, all of which he proudly exhibits every day on the job site. We are excited to have Ivan as a part of the Tampa team and the Smart City Networks family as a whole! Keep up the good work “Ivan the Great.” Nominated by: Mitchell Hughes
BOOSTS SM A RT CIT Y BOOST - NRG PA RK
“Marc Harris (Technician), Greg Roy (Technician), and Chris Jones (Technician) went above and beyond with planning and execution for HLS&R (Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo) 2016. Not only was the show properly planned and executed, the show has been flawless with nothing but positive feedback from all clients/customers. I would like to personally send a BOOST to these gentlemen and thank them for all of their efforts. This is a great example of what teamwork is and how we take things to the top!” Codey "Ike" Eichenour, General Manager, NRG Park
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THE MONTH DE WAY NE M A RTIN
FEBRUARY
Systems Administrator - Las Vegas Corporate Office Dewayne Martin is a Systems Administrator at the corporate office. He is a strong leader in the NOC. Dewayne is continually offering his knowledge not only to customer support but the entire corporate office. Whenever any team member submits a help ticket, Dewayne responds in a timely manner. He finds a resolution to our problem almost immediately. If Dewayne does not have a solution, he works diligently to figure it out or point the team member in the right direction for assistance. Dewayne often comes by to check on the team members he has assisted to make sure everything is still functioning properly. I feel he exhibits the following Business Principles on a continuous basis: “Do Right by All Our Customers,” “It’s the People,” “Seek the Best,” and “Teams Work.” Nominated by: Christy Hogan
BOOSTS MIAMI BEACH CONVENTION CENTER
“We would like to extend our sincerest thanks for your involvement in the 14th edition of Art Basel in Miami Beach. The 2015 show is being heralded as one of our best fairs to date and the Art Basel team could not be happier. Journalists from across the world attended, writing overwhelmingly positive reviews. The New York Times stated, ‘Now in its 14th edition, Art Basel in Miami Beach is firmly entrenched as one of the most sought-after and meticulously planned events on the American art world calendar… it’s the year’s biggest opportunity to connect with global buyers.' The Guardian declared that the show is 'the most prestigious art fair in the western hemisphere' and 'the best by far’ in the United States. Das Handelsblatt remarked that, 'It seems as if the fair rejuvenates itself all the time.' And the Financial Times observed that, 'One of the virtues of such a vast, heterogeneous gathering is that spectators can compare and contrasts concerns of artists from different times and places.' By Sunday night, we had attracted a record attendance of 77,000 visitors. We also welcomed VIPs from 110 countries, including some notable first-time collectors from Asia and Africa. Additionally, 188 museum groups made the trip, ranging from The Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, to The Art Institute of Chicago, as well as The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Museu de Arte de São Paulo, Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo, Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires, Museo de Arte de Lima, Centre Pompidou, Paris, and Serpentine Galleries, London. Lastly, our Talks and Film programs were strongly attended throughout and upwards of 1,500 guests took part in the Welcome Reception for the Public sector in Collins Park. Thank you again for making this year’s show so memorable. We know that the work that happens before and after the show, as well as behind the scenes, doesn't always get the most attention but we truly appreciate the great contribution each of you have made to Art Basel in Miami Beach’s latest success, and would like to offer a special acknowledgement for your resolve in the face of this year’s inclement weather.” Maureen Bruckmayr, General Manager, Miami Beach (Art Basel) Michael Hall, Head of Operations & Logistics (Art Basel)
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TEAM MEMBER MILESTONES
10 Y E A RS Smart City Anaheim’s Event Coordinator, Michelle Dolph-Gualtieri, celebrated her ten-year anniversary with the company in February. Thank you for a decade of hard work, Michelle!
5 YEARS Three Smart City Anaheim Technicians marked five-year milestones in the beginning of the year. Bill Heyer (pictured below left) celebrated his anniversary in January, and Kevin Walker (pictured below middle) and Larry Doty (pictured below right) celebrated their anniversaries in March. Congratulations to Bill, Kevin, and Larry, and thank you all for your hard work and dedication!
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N E W A R R I VA L S
Smart City St. Louis Technician Corey Anderson welcomed a son into the world on Monday, February 22. Rayden Anderson weighed in at 6 pounds, 7 ounces. Congratulations, Corey!
Smart City Indianapolis Technician Nathan Cornelius welcomed the arrival of a son born on Friday, February 19. Ryan Zachary Cornelius weighed in at 8 pounds, 5 ounces. Congratulations, Nathan!
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ANNIVERSARIES
EMPLOYEE JANUARY 2016 Adrian Miller Peggy Moreth Michael Newton Guillermo Huerta Mark Graham Bill Heyer Harvey Rivera Andrew Gutierrez Kyoko Clark
14 years 14 years 12 years 11 years 9 years 5 years 4 years 3 years 2 years
Pablo Martinez Dewayne Martin Josh Butkovic Marc Harris Rick Thomas Gregory Roy Andria Senters Sammy Straughter
2 years 2 years 2 years 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year
21 years 11 years 11 years 10 years 10 years 10 years 9 years 9 years 9 years 8 years 7 years 4 years 4 years 3 years
Miriam Cowell Quintin Dailey Neftali Mendoza Gerald D'Angelo Gabriel Gutierrez Denise Pina Charlton Pitman William Scott Karen Argent Ashley Barber Jennifer Coultas Mariah Lee Joseph Prescott
3 years 3 years 3 years 2 years 2 years 2 years 2 years 2 years 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year
21 years 17 years 16 years 13 years 12 years 11 years 11 years 9 years 8 years 6 years 6 years 5 years 5 years 5 years
Jose Vasquez Ann Marie Fuller Bill Duke Naomi Bonami Dashawn Pierce Michael Ferreri James Lagomitzis Raymond Nicholas Alexander Graham Donnita Butler Elard Flores Joshua Hagan Dion Doucet
5 years 5 years 3 years 3 years 2 years 2 years 2 years 2 years 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year
FEBRUARY 2016 Adrian Juarez Dan Dobson Daryl Olson Michelle Dolph-Gualtieri Jim McNamara Gabe Wood Rey Crespo Adriann Kamakahukilani Nick Marshall Derrick James Debbie Olivas Stafford Cotton Luis Rojas Arnold Chavez
MARCH 2016 Vanessa Cauthen Frank Lopez JP Windle Sekisha Brown Donna Kacmarcik Emiliano Fernandez Mitchell Hughes Dean Johnson Rodolfo Garza Debbie Green Lou Hoffman Christy Hogan Larry Doty Kevin Walker
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