the Q 3 2 017
Smart City Networks, Dynamic Concepts, I n c . R e f l e c t o n 1 5 Ye a r s o f J o i n t V e n t u r e a t Walter E. Washington Convention Center S T R AT EG I C PA R T NERSHIP R E S ULT S IN MIL L I O NS O F D O L L A RS IN IMPRO V EMEN T S T O CONVENTION CENTER’S TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE When the new Walter E. Washington Convention Center was nearing completion of its construction in 2002, one of the last pieces of business to be handled prior to opening was how to manage the day-to-day operation of the telecommunications systems. Dynamic Concepts, Inc. (DCI), a local technology infrastructure and utility construction company, had been brought in to build the telecommunications systems during the center’s construction. Pedro Alfonso, the owner of DCI, realized that while his company had the technical staffing resources for the job, DCI did not have the tradeshow experience or national presence to manage the day-to-day operations. That’s when DCI teamed up with Smart City Networks, the nation’s leading provider of telecommunications services for the convention industry. Together, the companies formed a joint venture, Smart City of Washington D.C., which combined DCI’s local experience and talent with Smart City’s industry knowledge and financial resources. PICTURED: Pedro Alfonso (Owner DCI)
Now, fifteen years later, the companies are looking back on the success they’ve had together at one of the largest, and most active, convention centers in the United States.
“This has been one of the best joint ventures – if not the best joint venture – our company has ever had,” said Alfonso, Chairman and CEO of DCI. Over the years, the DCI/Smart City team has invested millions of dollars in the data, voice, and video infrastructure at the Convention Center, and provided the support needed for everything from tradeshows to inaugural balls for Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama to Donald Trump. Today, the Smart City/DCI team supports the data and telecommunication needs for over 1.1 million attendees during more than 200 events annually – the largest of which require the installation and dismantling of complete fiber networks with more than 1,100 feet of fiber. Recent highlights of the partnership include the development of creative wireless solutions for emerging events such as AwesomeCon and Otakon, which required a robust network to accommodate e-gaming, streaming, and Wi-Fi capability for exhibitors and breakout sessions during a celebration of pop culture and its fandom. “We’re so proud to work with DCI locally in Washington D.C., and they’ve been a strong partner of ours,” said Mark Haley, the President of Smart City Networks. “We complement each other perfectly and look forward to continuing to serve the Walter E. Washington Convention Center with the best technology solutions and the unparalleled customer service this team is known for.”
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CONTENTS
PRESIDENT’S CORNER
02 P R E S I D E N T ’ S CORNER
LE A RNING FROM PA RTNERS
Quarterly overview from Smart City’s president, Mark Haley.
This is a month to celebrate partnerships at Smart City. Our cover story describes our successful partnerships we have in Washington D.C. with Pedro Alphonso, his DCI team, and also our 15-year partnership at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.
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
Anniversaries of team members throughout the company.
Additionally, we recently were able to celebrate another long-term partnership with the City of Anaheim and the Anaheim Convention Center. One of our longest term relationships, we originally won the rights to provide “Telephone Services” as Centel Business Systems at Anaheim in 1986! Alexander Graham Bell invented phones just a few years before that, right!? Both Anaheim and (now) Smart City have come a long way since 1986. Smart City has evolved into the leading provider of technology to convention facilities in the United States PICTURED: Original RFP for and the Anaheim Convention Center recently completed ACC in 1986 its 7th expansion that solidified its position as the largest convention facility on the West Coast. In conjunction with the ACC North ribbon cutting ceremony, the city also celebrated its 50th anniversary of the convention center's opening. In addition to current city officials and distinguished guests who spoke at the ceremony, Tom Liegler, the original Anaheim Convention Center’s General Manager and industry icon, was in attendance and provided remarks on the opening of the center in 1967. Tom was also recognized for implementing the “Anaheim Way” which was a set of customer service principles and standards adopted at the convention center and the Anaheim Stadium. The "Anaheim Way" worked so well at the convention center that other departments in the City of Anaheim also utilized it to create a customer service culture that still resonates throughout the city today. Over the years, Smart City has learned from partners such as Pedro Alfonso in Washington DC and Tom Liegler in Anaheim and what it means to truly deliver great customer service. These learnings informed the development of our own customer service principles over the years, and we strive to continue that learning from all of our customers and clients each and every day. Business Principle #8 states that “Customers Define Quality” and we appreciate the assistance of Pedro and Tom in helping Smart City continue to refine that definition of quality over the past 30 years. To the Top!
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the PINNACLE • Issue 2, 2017
C O MPA N Y
ANNOUNCEMENTS
S m a r t C i t y N e t w o r k s A d o p t s S I P Tr u n k i n g N a t i o n w i d e In a move that promises to set the standard for phone service in convention centers across the country, Smart City Networks has embarked on a process to convert phone lines at 39 convention centers and venues to SIP trunking in the next year. While not the in-demand technology in the current industry landscape, phone service in public assembly areas can play a key role in emergency response situations as was the case in Houston with Hurricane Harvey and New Orleans with Hurricane Katrina. SIP trunking improves the reliability of the phone systems because it can utilize other automated redundancy features Smart City has built into its networks to reduce or eliminate downtime. This is unlike PRI trunks, which have limited automated redundancy, requiring additional hardware and knowledgeable PBX technicians. However, the most noticeable benefits to the facility managers in Smart City facilities will be the seamless communication provided by this modern, digital approach, and the significant cost savings to convention centers when SIP trunking is implemented. “We’re dedicated to providing our customers with the most reliable, and user-friendly telecommunications services,” said Mark Haley, President of Smart City Networks. “This is an important project that is going to make a major difference to the facility managers we work with in our convention centers and venues.”
Smart City Networks Upgrades Monitoring Capabilities In the latest demonstration of its dedication to delivering exceptional customer service, Smart City Networks has announced the upgrade of a system that monitors the networks at 39 convention centers and venues throughout the country in real time, improving reliability and reducing technical support response times. The upgraded monitoring system is powered by the SolarWinds Orion Platform and is custom configured by Smart City to meet the needs of the convention and meetings industry. The upgraded system will enhance a team of engineers at the Smart City Network Operations Center (NOC) in Las Vegas to monitor and analyze the performance of the networks 24/7. “When there is an issue on the tradeshow floor, we’ll know instantly,” said David Langford, Vice President of Technology for Smart City Networks. “We’ll be able to activate our technical support team immediately to start working on a resolution. This upgraded system will provide peace of mind for our facility partners and for the thousands of meeting and event planners who utilize their facilities each year.” The upgraded monitoring system also improves the speed of the reporting time from each element on the network. Previously, the monitoring system was scanning for errors every 10 to 15 minutes. The new system reduces that time by 300 percent, which will allow the NOC team to intervene immediately – something that’s critical during large, high-profile events. “This implementation reiterates our commitment to our industry partners and the facility managers we work with every day,” said Mark Haley, President of Smart City Networks. “Our job is to make their jobs easier, and we pride ourselves on offering unparalleled technical solutions and service for our customers.”
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BOOSTS MIAMI BEACH CONVENTION CENTER
“Andrew Brown (General Manager), Yandi Lodos (Event Coordinator) and Tim Overall (General Manager, Smart City Orlando), on behalf of LE Miami, I would like to thank you for all your support during the show this year, and in the lead up. You are always quick to respond with any questions before the show, and onsite, you are super proactive and help quickly with any issues that arise. We really value working with suppliers we can rely on to have our best interests at heart at all times, and really want to make our show a success together. So, thank you!” Annalisa Round, Production & Operations Executive, Beyond Luxury Media
MINNEAPOLIS CONVENTION CENTER
“George Cagle (General Manager) on behalf of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, we would like to express our sincere appreciation to you and the entire Smart City team for the excellent service provided prior to and during the recent ASHP 2017 Summer Meetings & Exhibition. We are especially grateful to you for the hard work and dedication you devoted to ASHP. Your professionalism and expertise, coupled with your attention to detail and timely responses, were recognized and truly appreciated. Thank you for the extra effort you put forth and for your contribution to the overall success of the meeting! George, thank you again. We look forward to the opportunity to work with you on future ASHP meetings.” Fran Byrnes, Director Conference & Convention Division, ASHP
L AS V EGAS — CORPOR ATE “Lester Michael (CSSR) thank you for all the help you have given me. Please forward this to your supervisor as I would like them to know what great customer service you have provided me as well as giving me incredible information on the packages and working with me to accommodate all that we have needed for this show. Thanks again!!” Nick Hoffman, Regional Programs Coordinator, Derse HENRY B. GONZALEZ CONVENTION CENTER
“Just wanted to take a minute to say thank you and congratulations to your entire team for a job well done during ISTE. I know it was not an easy task, but you and your team developed and executed a fantastic game plan!” Scott Munson, General Manager, Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
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
“It was a pleasure working with Daryl Olson (General Manager) and Keith Bean (Technician). Our network/telecom needs were well planned out and implemented. This was one of the smoothest network deployments we have had in the 7 years I've been supporting our convention.” Steven G Picano, Network Engineer, Knights of Columbus
WA LT ER E . WA SHIN G T O N C O N V EN T I O N CEN T ER
“One of the best venue IT teams we have worked with! The team was knowledgeable, accommodating, thorough, and fun to work with! The SCN team's efforts directly contributed to the success of the event. The commitment to the client and their needs goes above and beyond. The SCN team was always available when needed, presented a proactive work style, and maintained a level of service unmatched by other facilities. Great experience - wish we could do all events in DC! Thank you for the great partnership!” Mike Wilson, Microsoft Inspire
KENTUCKY EXPOSITION CENTER
"Karen Nelson (CSSR II), just wanted to let you know how much I appreciated your help on getting this set up. The team on the ground were wonderful and got me going in just a few minutes." Chad Hughlett, Sr. Network Engineer, UofL Hospital
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GM INSIGHT Smart City Celebrates Successful 2017 ISTE Conference
K EIT H MCNEELY — SR. DIREC T OR OF T ECHNOLOGY SERV ICE S, HENRY B. GONZ A LE Z C ON V EN T ION CEN T ER In a hectic world, we provide peace of mind®. With the Smart City motto comes a promise to deliver quality services and expertise in event telecommunication and technology solutions. Our teams work tirelessly across the country to deliver on this commitment. Most recently, Smart City delivered on this promise for the 2017 International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, TX.
Our primary goal is to make sure that the delivery of technology solutions isn’t another concern to add to that list. To provide peace of mind, you first have to listen to what the customers’ needs are. In the case of ISTE, the show management team requested a robust wireless network throughout the entire convention center to support over 20,000 attendees. With this application came the expectation of timely installation and functioning service. They wanted us to test our network, with their onsite participation, two months before the event moved into the facility. Also, they wanted us to create a server in our private cloud and generate a 10 GB file so we could create at least 2 GB of traffic across our wireless network in San Antonio. The second step in providing peace of mind is to determine what needs to happen for you to provide the requested services. In this case, we had to order two 10 GB circuits from separate local providers in San Antonio. We had to add additional networking equipment in the MDF and additional edge switches throughout the facility. In addition, our team installed 350 additional access points beyond the hundreds already permanently installed in the building! As part of planning logistics, we also had to determine labor requirements and work with other Smart City partner facilities across the country to bring additional team members in to ensure we completed this project successfully. The third step is to deliver on the customers’ request. In this case, show management and the Smart City Technology department met in San Antonio to test our network with the local team. During the move-in of the event, we tested the wireless network to see if we could generate 2 GB of traffic. With the assistance of ISTE show management, the City of San Antonio, and the entire Smart City team, we were able to generate more than 2 GB of traffic four times during the testing period…Topping out at 7 GB! We are proud of our successes at the 2017 ISTE event in San Antonio. The event was a home run for all parties involved. The feedback from our clients speaks for itself: “Smart City delivered the best ISTE Conference network to date” Ryan Roberts, Owner of Gather Networks “The emphasis that your SC team put on service delivery, responsiveness, and reliability resulted in one of their most successful conventions ever. Congratulations to you and the entire Smart City team, and thank you for this outstanding performance as our partner.” Michael Sawaya, Executive Director Convention and Sports Facilities for the City of San Antonio Thank you to everyone involved in making this year’s ISTE event a huge success!
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CE N T E R U PDAT E S SAN DIEGO:
C OMIC-C ON E X T ENDING S TAY AT C ON V EN T ION CEN T ER On June 30, Mayor Kevin Faulconer announced the San Diego Convention Center will remain home to Comic-Con International through 2021. With the current contract set to expire in 2018, the mayor credited the collaborative efforts of the Board of Directors of Comic-Con International and its staff, as well as the convention center team, the San Diego Tourism Authority and the hotel community. "As people around the world know, Comic-Con goes with San Diego," Faulconer said. "For four days in July, San Diego becomes the center of the pop-culture world for fans, celebrities and studios. Thousands of fans turn the convention center and downtown San Diego into a playground full of superheroes, princesses, and zombies. Today I'm proud to announce that this tradition is going to last even longer." The event is an economic generator for the region, with its 130,000 attendees generating an estimated $143 million regional impact in 2017. Comic-Con began when about 300 fans of comics, movie, and science fiction banded together to put on the first comic book convention in southern California in 1970. First held at the U.S. Grant Hotel, it moved to the Convention and Performing Arts Center (CPAC) in 1979 and stayed there until 1991 when it moved to the San Diego Convention Center. Smart City is proud to be a part of Comic-Con PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: Shawn Lowery (General Manager), David every year since partnering with the San Diego Convention Glanzer (Director of Marketing & Public Relations, ComicCenter in 2000 and looks forward to providing peace of Con) and Donna Kacmarcik (Customer Sales & Service Manager) mind to the event for years to come.
ORLANDO:
TE A M AT TENDS TR AV EL A ND TOURISM LUNCHEON The Smart City team at the Orange County Convention Center attended Visit Orlando's 2017 Luncheon Celebrating Travel & Tourism last May at the Hilton Orlando. During the event the team was able to network with local leaders who help make the travel and tourism industry thrive and gain new insights and perspectives from keynote speaker Gerald Inzerillo, CEO of Forbes Travel Guide.
PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: Mark Thompson (Digital Marketing Manager), Megan Hullinger (Event Coordinator), Ashley Tolan (Event Coordinator), Jessica Torres (Customer Sales & Service Manager), Jennifer Way (Assistant General Manager), Tim Overall (General Manager), Frank Loyke (Senior Event Coordinator) and Mike Hertweck (Wireless Network Administrator)
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CE N T E R U PDAT E S HAWAII:
OV ERCOMING CH A LLENGES AT THE CV PR
In July, the Hawaii Convention Center hosted the IEEE-CVPR 2017 Conference. This was the largest Wi-Fi intensive show that SCN saw in Hawaii thus far in 2017, but was also a landmark number for the Hawaii Convention Center in terms of Wi-Fi capabilities. The peak user count came in at over 4100 concurrent users on the network at one time. This is the largest number Hawaii has ever seen. This did not come without its challenges. The event was scheduled at the last minute after a Zika outbreak forced the show to relocate. The team did not receive hard confirmation on specifications until two-weeks prior to the event. Given the capacity required for the event, they reached out to Smart City teams in Denver, Phoenix, and Corporate to obtain the supplemental access points needed to satisfy capacity. Once obtaining the necessary equipment, implementation then became the key. A major obstacle was that the previous event did not move out until the night before the first day of CVPR. Daniel Sakimura (Technician) and David Bachler (General Manager) did not shy away from the challenge. They worked all night on July 18th directly into the following morning to deploy 82 access points, and install the rest of the event. Ultimately, Smart City received a glowing review from the client and gave them peace of mind during the whirlwind process of relocating an entire event. A special thanks to the entire SCN team that assisted in a jam and the victory goes to you.
COLUMBUS:
I C O N I C "A S W E A R E " S C U L P T U R E U N V E I L E D
At last week’s grand re-opening celebration of the Greater Columbus Convention Center (GCCC), following completion of its 22-month, $140 million renovation and expansion in July, the Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority (FCCFA) debuted a dramatic, interactive 14-foot sculpture titled “As We Are.” Smart City is providing 25 MB of bandwidth to allow the sulpture to communicate with the cloud. The piece is a 3-D universal human head made from ribbons of ultrabright LED screens and is equipped with a photo booth capable of taking 3-D pictures. Once the photos are taken, the portraits are then projected on the face of “As We Are.” The project is meant to portray the welcoming atmosphere and diverse culture in Columbus. Conceptual artist for the work and professor at the Columbus College of Art and Design, Matthew Mohr, described the piece: “Each portrait is roughly 17 times the size of the person represented. Eyes will be as big as dinner plates. Through magnification, Matthew Mohr the sculpture re-contextualizes each participant and asks all who see their portrait to consider who that person is and the life they lead, no matter their age, gender, or culture.” The sculpture, fabricated by Design Communications Ltd., of Boston, was commissioned by the FCCFA, owners of the GCCC, as part of a $3.5 million investment in local art specifically for the recent modernization. “As We Are” is intentionally located in the new, two-level open atrium entrance at the north end of the center, which is steps away from the Short North Arts District. This creates a true sense-of-place for convention attendees, as they can enjoy more than 150 pieces of local Columbus art within the facility, then seamlessly continue their experience into dozens of galleries and more than 100 restaurants, boutiques, and entertainment options throughout the neighborhood.
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CE N T E R U PDAT E S LONG BEACH:
COLORFUL NE W V ENUES LIGHT UP CON V ENTION & ENTERTA INMENT CENTER On July 20, The Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center hosted “The Party at The Cove,”. During the event they announced the Grand Opening of The Cove, the Center’s newest special event space, and celebrated several other additions to downtown Long Beach, including a new elevated pedestrian walkway, The Rainbow Bridge, and the groundbreaking for a new residential development, Sonata Modern Flats which connects to the pedestrian bridge. Included in the evening’s festivities was the special recognition of POW! WOW! Long Beach 2017, the third annual festival for the city. “The introduction of The Cove at the Long Beach Convention Center and the adjacent Rainbow Bridge are reimagining the convention experience,” said Mayor Robert Garcia. “The Cove’s creative use of space and artistic design, complimented by a new state-of-the-art Rainbow Bridge, will invigorate our iconic oceanfront for visitors and residents alike.”
LOS ANGELES:
M A N AGERS AT TEND TOURISM M A RK E T OUTLOOK FORUM On August 30, Henry De La Rosa (General Manager), Robbie Bridges (Customer Sales & Service Manager) and Matthew Chavez (Operations Manager) attended the 5th Annual LA Tourism Market Outlook Forum. At the event they learned about the latest travel and tourism trends from industry experts, got the latest L.A. visitation forecasts and industry perspectives, looked at L.A. Tourism's global sales and marketing plans for 2018, and met with key L.A. Tourism’s departments to learn how to participate in Discover L.A. programs and events.
RENO-SPARKS:
SM A RT CIT Y E X TENDS PA RTNERSHIP W ITH RSC VA Smart City Networks is proud to announce the renewal of our Reno-Sparks Convention Center partnership for another two years. As part of its responsibilities, Smart City will oversee the overhaul and upgrade of the RSCC’s existing technology infrastructure, resulting in enhanced network capability and a denser Wi-Fi network. Smart City currently deploys a 10Gbps network with a robust 1Gbps Internet circuit to be added by the end of the year. Providing a faster, denser network will help support high volume events taking place at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center such as the recently signed 2018 Interbike trade show. With over 500,000 square feet of beautiful meeting and event space, we look forward to continuing to provide advanced technology and telecommunications services to the convention center team and their guests.
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CE N T E R U PDAT E S LAS VEGAS - CORPORATE: DAY OF TE A M BUILDING
The Smart City Networks’ corporate office split into five teams, on August 29, to compete against each other in the Food Truck Challenge and then enjoyed a motivational presentation from Dan Lier. The Food Truck Challenge allowed employees to tap into their creative sides while working with team members from different departments in the office. Teams were given a theme and signature food item and then tasked with designing and decorating a cardboard food truck and developing a name, slogan and jingle to go along with the truck theme and signature food item. After each team presented their trucks, the judges scored them based on: decoration, name & slogan, jingle, presentation, and enthusiasm & energy. After the Food Truck Challenge, lunch was served, then everyone met up at the Spanish Trails Country Club for Dan Lier’s presentation. Dan provided PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: Mark Haley (President) the group with useful tips on aligning beliefs to achieve their goals. The day and Dan Lier ended with refreshments and a social hour, giving everyone the opportunity to visit and learn about coworkers, thus further strengthening the team.
All-American Truck - MegaBites
Winner: Dessert Truck - Scoop Dogg Mexican Truck - Fiesta on a Stick
Italian Truck - Supper Mario City
Asian Truck - Rising Sun on the Run
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CE N T E R U PDAT E S SAN DIEGO:
NE W DA S INSTA LLED AT SDCC
Smart City Networks has announced the completion of a new distributed antenna system (DAS) that is designed to exponentially expand the cellular service coverage and capacity at the San Diego Convention Center. “This new system is going to make a noticeable difference for everyone who attends an event or convention at the San Diego Convention Center,” said Julia Slocombe, Vice President of Western Region Operations for Smart City Networks. “This was a massive upgrade, but it reiterates our commitment to deliver exceptional experiences through technology and San Diego’s commitment to be one of the leading meeting and convention destinations in the world.” The installation of the DAS system, which was completed this month, involved plotting and installing hundreds of miniature antennas at secure points throughout the convention center that connect to the networks of different cellular carriers, which include AT&T and T-Mobile. The DAS reduces gaps in coverage created by steel or concrete pillars, isolated niches, and other architectural features that disrupt the signal between the phone and the devices receiving the messages. The result is the elimination of dead spots and improved reliability of the network.
ANAHEIM:
GRAND OPENING FOR ACC NORTH
Smart City Networks recently joined leaders from the City of Anaheim in celebrating the grand opening of the Anaheim Convention Center’s ACC North. Smart City Networks renewed its contract with the Anaheim Convention Center in 2014. Part of the commitment included Smart City playing a key role in expansion efforts. The Smart City team worked in tandem with the design team to layout an optimized wireless design to allow for elite technology integration into the design of the facility. The brand new, state of the art network can accommodate high profile, high demand shows, and meetings. The Anaheim network installation continues Smart City’s history as the premier designer of wireless technologies in the convention industry in the United States. This is the 17th major convention facility just in the last four years for which Smart City has developed a high-density wireless design plan and marks the 31st facility expansion project since 1987. PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: Todd Voth (Founder/Senior Principal Populous), David Meek (Former General Manager, ACC), Joaquin Quesada (Deputy Director, ACC), Dan Lee (Deputy Director ACC), Mark Haley (President, Smart City), Tom Morton (Executive Director, ACC), and Kevin Patch (General Manager, Smart City ACC)
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ACC North, which officially opened for business on September 26, 2017, is the convention center’s seventh major expansion. The expansion added 200,000 square feet of flexible space and secures the ACC’s position as the largest convention center on the West Coast.
WE CARE AND GIVE BACK RENO-SPARKS:
CONVENTION CENTER HOSTS CAMP FOR DISABLED CHILDREN
For the past couple years Reno-Sparks Convention Center has been hosting iCan Bike Camp for the Down Syndrome Network of Northern Nevada (DSNNN). Research shows that over 80% of people with Autism and 90% of people with Down syndrome never have the experience of independently riding a conventional two-wheel bicycle. At the iCan Bike Camp, volunteers teach disabled kids how to ride a bike so they can experience this thrill. This program helps hundreds of kids at no cost to their families. Smart City donated five wireless devices for this year’s event used for registering the kids and playing music. SCAN QR CODE TO GET INVOLVED WITH DSNNN
DENVER:
V ISIT DEN V ER FOUNDATION R A ISES SCHOL A RSHIP FUNDING On June 13, Jim Snook, Julia Slocombe, and Debbie Olivas participated in the 31st Annual Chairman's Cup and Partnership Open Golf Tournament at Arrowhead Golf Club! Thanks to all the great players and sponsors, the Visit Denver Foundation raised nearly $30,000 for scholarship funding for students in the tourism and hospitality industry in Colorado. Since 2000, the Foundation has awarded nearly $1,000,000 to 332 students from the University of Denver, Metropolitan State University of Denver, Colorado State University, University of Northern Colorado and Johnson & Wales University. PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: Jim Snook (Director of Western Region Operations), Julia Slocombe (Vice President of Western Region Operations), Rob Brown (Chief Information Officer, SMG) and Debbie Olivas (General Manager)
BOOSTS PHOENIX CONVENTOIN CENTER
"Thank you so much for making our 2017 AZ Expo a success! The event was extremely well attended and successful!
The feedback from our customers, sales teams, and vendors/brokers has been overwhelming positive. I know countless hours go into planning for events like this so I truly do appreciate the time spent on our event. I value any feedback to help us raise the bar for next year so please feel free to email me. We look forward to working with you next year!" Shamrock Foods
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WE CARE AND GIVE BACK TEXAS and FLORIDA:
HURRICANE RELIEF EFFORTS
Smart City Networks is always prepared to help communities in need during natural disasters. As hurricanes ravaged Texas and Florida cities, team members from around the nation, endlessly worked together to ensure evacuees and emergency response teams stayed connected and all affected team members were safe. In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, Smart City Networks hosted FCC Chairman Ajit Pai on Tuesday in Houston, TX to review the communications infrastructure at the George R. Brown Convention Center and NRG Park. Smart City’s Tim Wortman (VP of Central Region Operations) and Chris Wharry (General Manager of Houston) gave Chairman Pai a tour and review of efforts within Texas shelters for Houston flood victims. “Smart City began in Houston more than 30 years ago,” said Mark Haley, President of Smart City Networks. “It was a top priority for us to keep emergency response teams and those affected connected when it matters the most. We had a productive meeting with Chairman Pai to give the FCC a thorough update on not only our efforts at our Houston facilities to support the local community, but also in how we design networks that work reliably for both tradeshows and unexpected events like Harvey.” Smart City played an essential role in telecommunication efforts at shelters opened in the George R. Brown Convention Center, NRG Park, the Fort Worth Convention Center and the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center (Dallas). Smart City provided Wi-Fi throughout the venues along with hardline phones, internet drops and VLAN connections for emergency responders and the Red Cross. The Dallas shelter provided a unique challenge to the Smart City team. Due to flood victims occupying the parking garage within the convention center, local techs had to build an infrastructure from scratch to accommodate those affected.
PICTURED ABOVE: Caleb Carro (Technician) reterminating fiber for the Cell On Wheels installation at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center (Dallas) PICTURED BELOW: Command Center at NRG Park
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the PINNACLE • Issue 3, 2017
Additionally, to assist Smart employees affected by Hurricane Harvey and Irma, Smart City created the “Smart City Qualified Disaster Relief Fund”. This disaster relief fund will make payments to impacted team members for reasonable and necessary unreimbursed expenses attributable to either hurricane. PICTURED BELOW: Chris Jones (Technician), Greg Roy (Technician) and Jerrad Darty (Technician) install phones for evacuees at NRG Park
N E W A R R I VA L S
Smart City Anaheim Customer Sales & Service Manager, Tammy Espinosa welcomed her ninth grandchild, Jacob Thomas De La Rosa, into the world on Friday, June 23. Jacob weighed in at 8 pounds 15 ounces and measured 20.5 inches long. Congratulations to Tammy!
Smart City Tampa General Manager, Mitchell Hughes welcomed Roger Dee Hughes into the world on Monday, June 26. Roger weighed in at 6 pounds 5 ounces and measured 19 inches long. Congratulations to Mitch!
Smart City NRG Park General Manager, Codey Eichenour welcomed Austin Gene Eichenour into the world on Saturday, August 19. Austin weighed in at 7 pounds 11 ounces and measured 20 inches long. Congratulations to Codey!
BOOSTS INDIANA CONVENTION CENTER
“We just had our Post Con with our Railway clients. They loved our facility and had nothing but nice comments on the speed and professionalism of our staff. Much happier this time than their 2013 experience. Thanks so much for helping Kayla and I. We know you all were pulled many different directions. Please keep detailed notes for your departments. They return in 2021! Special shout out to Smart City! They loved your customer service Ben Behnkendorf (General Manager)!” Stacy Zehringer, Event Coordinator, Indiana Convention Center
TA MPA CON V ENTION CENTER
“The level of customer service and professionalism is unparalleled. We've done many events in many different types of venues and Smart City was well and above our interactions and services received elsewhere. Mitchell Hughes (General Manager) and Madison Grimes (CSSR) were fantastic...exceptional customer service. I wish I could give them 10's across the board. They were attentive, responsive and have great attention to detail from start to finish. They left no small detail unaddressed. Perfect!” Shonterria C., HOPWA Institue
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THE MONTH
EMPLOYEE OF
MICHAEL HERTWECK
Wireless Network Administrator - Smart City Corporate
June
Mike is our singular team member responsible for providing on-site support for wireless network focused events. He recently provided on-site support for ISTE 2017 attended by 23,000+ educators and key influencers for education technology purchases. In addition, there were approximately 572 exhibitors in attendance. The estimated attendance this year made it the largest ISTE Conference in 17 years. Mike worked with the San Antonio team to develop a wireless augmentation design for the ISTE 2017 General Session seating area as well as many of the meeting rooms used by the conference. This design included just shy of 330 additional Access Points which had to be installed to support the event. Working side-by-side with the San Antonio team, the team was able to install all augmentation APs and Mike was able to test and tune each area for optimal performance of the wireless network. "Teams work" and Mike showed his dedication to being not just part of the NOC Team but the center’s team as well.
DERRICK JAMES
Technician II - Smart City Dallas
July
"It’s the People. We have 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.” Our Business Principle #3 is a fantastic way to describe Derrick and his great “can do” attitude. Derrick is a leader with the team and is the person the technicians look to for guidance; with his 9 years of experience with Smart City the team can always count on his professionalism, troubleshooting skills, and great customer service. Derrick is a team player and is always willing to go the extra mile for our customers and team members. Derrick brings a smile to work every day and the team feeds of his positive energy and willingness to help. Since May, Dallas has been under multiple large projects that have consumed the GM and Op Managers time. Derrick has stepped up and taken on additional responsibilities assisting with the day to day operations and show installation.
BILL HEYER
Technician II - Smart City Anaheim
August
Bill Heyer has been with Smart City for over 7 years. Within that time he has proven to be an asset to Anaheim Technology Services Staff. Bill always shows up on time and does an amazing job in Anaheim. Bill will be the first person to show up in the morning and will stay until the job is done. He is excellent with customer interaction from show management and their IT leads and all the exhibitors that are part of the events. When confronted with a challenge, he remains level headed and works diligently until the problem is solved, keeping both the client and our management team informed as to the progress. Bill has proven to be the “Go To” person, He unselfishly adapts his schedule as necessary to meet last minute changes from our customers and will stay without complaint every time. He volunteers to stay if a team member has an urgent matter and always puts others first.
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the PINNACLE • Issue 3, 2017
TEAM MEMBER MILESTONES
10 Y E A RS Smart City Santa Clara's Event Coordinator, Patricia Johnson, celebrated her ten-year anniversary in June. We want to thank Patricia for all of her hard work with Smart City for the past 10 years!
20 YEARS Smart City Fort Worth's General Manager, Janae Tinsley, celebrated her twenty-year anniversary in August. We want to thank Janae for all of her hard work with Smart City for the past 20 years!
20 YEARS Smart City's Vice President of Western Region Operations, Julia Slocombe, celebrated her twenty-year anniversary in September. We want to thank Julia for all of her hard work with Smart City for the past 20 years!
HOUSTON:
GEORGE R. BROW N GENER A L FORM A N CELEBR ATES RE TIREMENT On August 25, Dan Noska celebrated his retirement. Dan has been with Smart City since we started providing service to the George R. Brown Convention Center in 1995. He has worked at the facility since it opened in 1987 and has been with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) for 45 years. Thank you Dan for your years of dedication and hard work!
PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: Luther Villagomez (COO of Houston First) and Dan Noska (General Foreman)
the PINNACLE • Issue 3, 2017
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ANNIVERSARIES
EMPLOYEE JULY 2017 13 years 10 years 9 years 7 years 5 years 5 years
Dane Hardy Alexis Mayfield Thomas Lam Adam Chau Terry Funk
4 years 4 years 1 year 1 year 1 year
24 years 20 years 17 years 15 years 15 years 15 years 15 years 15 years 15 years 15 years 15 years 15 years 12 years 11 years 10 years 8 years
Dona Denton Corey Anderson Keith Bean Jesse Gallegos Stephanie Silva Brian Clear Marcos Catena Stephanie Garcia Mark Thompson Jason Bussie Ryan Stephens-Miles Cody Campbell Jordan Wood Kenneth Arzola Alexus Gammage LaBrea Marshall
6 years 5 years 5 years 5 years 4 years 4 years 3 years 3 years 2 year 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year
20 years 18 years 18 years 16 years 13 years 8 years 6 years 6 years
Paul Russell Nycole Smith Michele Cinquegrani Natasha Johnson Aymen Al-Ani Heidi Taylor Richard Adhin
6 years 3 years 2 year 2 year 1 year 1 year 1 year
Shawn Manning Tammy Clark Jennifer Way Nicholas Urquiza Hector Ruiz Dylan Deering
AUGUST 2017 Tammy Espinosa Janae Tinsley David Langford John Boraca Michael Hampton Jr. Frank Loyke Larry Mann Ted Moore Ronald Roberts Whitey Rodriguez Robert Romero Ernest Swilley Quas Sine Francisco Magdaleno Hue Banh Christopher Delane
SEPTEMBER 2017 Julia Slocombe Beatrice Rivera Greg Smith Alexandria Wagner Tina Shields Karen Nelson Jennifer Mezquita Timothy Wass
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the PINNACLE • Issue 3, 2017