Steel Will Be Retiring on March 10 After 13 Years as Chief Executive Officer of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center
The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center is excited to announce the rooftop farm is now officially known as ‘Steel Farm’ in honor of chief executive officer Alan Steel, who will be retiring next month. Steel has been chief executive officer for the last 13 years – guiding Javits Center through the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, the unknown of the Covid-19 pandemic and the excitement of the North Javits expansion.
“I’m honored to have my family name on at the Javits Center farm,” said Steel. “Before the Industrial revolution, my family were farmers on the border of England and Scotland, and as a gardener myself, the farm has always held a special place in my heart. As a living demonstration of how sustainable initiatives can be beneficial for the environment and the bottom line. I hope whenever an employee strolls through Steel Farm or eats produce grown there, they remember all the amazing work we carried out together during my 13-year tenure.”
The Steel Farm is on the North Javits rooftop and opened in 2021 as part of the Javits expansion. The farm spans one-acre and grows more than 50 diverse crops throughout the year. The produce is used by Javits Center’s in-house catering team, Cultivated, for a true farm-to-table experience. In 2024, Cultivated used over 80% of the produce generated by the farm for their catering operations. Unused produce is donated to a local organization addressing food insecurity or composted to be used on the farm. Steel Farm is managed by Brooklyn Grange.
Alan Steel was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of the New York Convention Center Operating Corporation, which runs the Javits Center on Manhattan’s West Side, in February 2012. Under Steel ‘s leadership, 1n 2021, the Javits Center completed a historic expansion project that added more than 1 million square feet of state-of-the-art space. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Steel played a pivotal role in the design, construction and operation of the nation’s largest field hospital and vaccination center. During his tenure, Steel also led the completion of a comprehensive renovation and operational overhaul at the Javits Center that included significant investments in energy efficiency, security and technology. As a result, the convention center has emerged as a nationwide model of sustainability, partnering with research institutions and community groups to study and reinforce the building’s positive impact on the local environment.
Prior to the Javits Center, Steel spent more than 30 years as an event management executive. He is the former President of George Little Management (GLM), a major producer of trade shows in the United States and Canada. Before joining GLM in 1982, Steel worked for more than 15 years with the British government in several trade-related positions at the Department of Trade and Industry in London, the British Consulate in Chicago and the British Trade Development Office in New York.
Steel has received numerous awards for his accomplishments, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from NYC Tourism + Conventions as well as recognition from the International Association of Exhibitors and Events (IAEE), New York Society of Association Executives (NYSAE), American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS), The American Society of Civil Engineers, Sing for Hope and New Yorkers for Parks. An avid environmentalist, Steel currently serves on the Executive Committee for NYC Tourism + Conventions, as well as on the Advisory Council for NYC Bird Alliance, Board of Directors New Yorkers for Parks and the Board of Trustees for The Climate Museum. Steel has also been appointed to the New York New Jersey Host Committee for the 2026FIFA World Cup.
Alan Steel will be succeeded by Joyce Leveston, who will assume the role of chief executive officer on March 10, 2025.
