By Chrissy Deal

Last month, while planning its annual Heart Ball, the American Heart Association paid for 75 more meals than they needed. But they never received any food.

Instead, they became the first organization to participate in the “Share Your Meal” program by purchasing “extra meals” to donate. Through the program, the monetary value of any extra meals is then matched 100% by the Raleigh Convention & Performing Arts Complex and their caterer, Sodexo Live!, with the total amount going to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina.

That donation resulted in 6,000 pounds of produce being delivered to the Food Bank to share with 500 families in the region. That’s 30 cases of local sweet potatoes (approximately 2,250 potatoes), 30 cases of large local cabbage (480-500 heads), 20 cases of tomatillos (about 1,800), 30 cases of Roma tomatoes (2,250 tomatoes), five cases of jalapeños (1,800 peppers), and 60 cases of strawberries (480 clam shells)!

“The American Heart Association is truly honored to be the first organization to participate in the ‘Share Your Meal’ program, in conjunction with the Raleigh Convention Center. Sadly, it is estimated that about one in seven households in the Triangle experience food insecurity. The American Heart Association believes in the right to healthy food for all people to live their best lives. By taking part in this important program, it’s another way that we’re working to improve nutrition and food security for our neighbors right here in the Triangle,” said Anne Miller, regional executive director in the Triangle and Eastern N.C. for the American Heart Association.

Once the food was delivered to the Food Bank, it was distributed to the NC Fields program, a Food Bank recipient that serves farmworkers and their families. According to the program, some 75% of those served in 2021 were people of color in historically marginalized communities.

“It’s a privilege to be able to support such a wonderful organization as the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, and we are honored to join the American Heart Association in making this donation,” said Kerry Painter, CVE, director/general manager of the Raleigh Convention + Performing Arts Complex. “When we give to the Food Bank, we know our dollars are going to help families right here in our local communities. There’s no question that our donations make a difference, and we hope others will join the American Heart Association in choosing to share their meals.”

“Share Your Meal” is the latest in the Raleigh Convention Center’s efforts to bring more sustainable and socially conscious practices to its operations. The venue boasts a 40% average landfill diversion rate by composting with Raleigh-based CompostNow. That compost is then donated to Camden Street Learning Garden, operated by the Inter-faith Food Shuttle, a local nonprofit dedicated to ending hunger.

Chrissy Deal is Communications Director for Clean: Advertising & Design.

Karen Swan, the founder of the Event & Arena Marketing Conference (EAMC), an industry legend, a Gigi Award recipient, and an EAMC Hall of Famer, has died. The news about the death of Karen Swan was confirmed in a tweet made on the 25th of April 2022 by Event & Arena Marketing Conference. The Event & Arena Marketing Conference (EAMC) is dedicated to the talented professionals that cross the scope of the live entertainment industry: marketing, publicity, promotions, group sales, live touring shows, and arenas.

It deals with networking, educating, and sharing trends and ideas across these disciplines through various industry leaders. Karen was at the original conference in 1980 in Minneapolis and has been instrumental in its growth and development ever since. The cause of death is unknown at the moment.

Event & Arena Marketing Conference said in a tweet, “It is with deep sadness we mourn the loss of an EAMC founder, industry legend, Gigi Award recipient, EAMC Hall of Famer, and all-around beautiful soul, Karen Swan. It’s hard to think of EAMC and its history without thinking of Karen, who was at the original conference in 1980 in Minneapolis and has been instrumental in its growth and development ever since. Karen was a huge champion for the group sales side of the industry, often moderating sessions each year. As we look ahead to this year’s conference and a return to her city where it started, we will miss Karen’s warm hugs and big smile, but look forward to celebrating her life and sharing stories about such a wonderful person. We send our condolences to Karen’s family, friends, and many colleagues she worked with throughout her impressive career.”

By Sarah Burt

Peter King, Chief Executive of Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC), announced that he will leave his role after eleven years.

Peter has had an incredibly successful tenure bringing the Good Friday Appeal to MCEC, overseeing the venue’s expansion, delivering record revenue for MCEC and economic impact for the state of Victoria, driving sustainability in business events, and transforming the organisation during the pandemic.

“Peter has been instrumental in building Victoria’s global profile through conferences and businesses events over many years,” said Martin Pakula, Minister for Tourism, Sport, and Major Events. “I thank Peter for his work as Chief Executive – his dedication has been crucial to the state’s success in this sector.”

Hon. John Brumby, Chair of MCET, added, “Peter has achieved incredible things with the MCEC team, including the delivery of the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre expansion that has seen the venue cement its flagship status as the region’s premier home of business events.

“Over my time as Chair since 2017, I have valued Peter’s strategic counsel, emotional intelligence, confident leadership, and industry insight. These have been especially important attributes over the last two years during which Peter has steered the organisation through great uncertainty in the face of the pandemic as well as overseeing a major transformation to the organisation’s operating model.”

He will remain with MCEC as it manages this business transition and is committed to ensuring its success as we emerge from the acute stage of the pandemic. This time will allow for the MCEC to recruit his replacement.

In 2014 MCEC officially became the home of the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal, one of Australia’s most iconic and life-changing fundraising events.

In 2018 he led the $205 million expansion of MCEC which increased event space by 25 percent and grew MCEC’s total size to 70,000 square metres, the largest centre of its kind in the southern hemisphere.

In recent years Peter pushed MCEC to become a global leader in sustainability in business events. In 2018 MCEC became a partner in the Melbourne Renewable Energy Project which means the 20,000 square metre expansion space at MCEC is powered with renewable energy. In 2019 the business recovered more than 68 tonnes of food waste and donated over 74,000 meals to food rescue organisation, OzHarvest.

During his time at MCEC Peter was focused on maximising MCEC’s impact for Melbourne and Victoria, and in 2019 MCEC had a record economic impact to the state, exceeding $1.1 billion.

When the pandemic hit in 2020, Peter embraced the challenges this presented to the business by managing the transformation and diversification of the business. This included supporting the Victorian State Government’s vaccination rollout and adapting the space to attract partners such as The LUME Melbourne, Australia’s first permanent digital art gallery. While competitors paused during lockdowns, Peter oversaw a comprehensive business transformation to an agile operating model to better position MCEC to serve customers in the wake of the pandemic. The organisation will see the benefits of this legacy for years to come.

“My feelings are mixed, because whilst I have loved every minute of working with all of you in an extraordinary industry, I also feel the time is right for a changing of the guard,” King said. “I have had a fantastic innings with the MCEC and feel optimistic about its future.

“I do want to call out the incredible achievements we have made as a team, most recently amongst them the opening of our major expansion in 2018, a record economic contribution of $1.1 billion to the state in 2019 and incredible displays of resilience over a difficult last two years. Beyond that, over many years, we have brought together people from all over the world to be educated, exchange knowledge, be entertained and importantly – to enjoy our wonderful town of Melbourne. What a privilege it has been.

“My most prevailing memory will be the long line of great people I’ve had the honour of working with at MCEC.”

Sarah Burt is Corporate Connunications Specialist for the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

By Stephanie Miller

In one of the first surveys of its kind, design firm HOK and flooring manufacturer Tarkett asked neurodiverse individuals in the U.S., UK, and Canada to share how their work environments could better cater to their jobs and personal needs. Genius Within, an organization dedicated to helping neuro-minorities maximize their potential, provided advisory services as the team built on in-depth research and insights by HOK and the commercial interiors color specification guide developed by Tarkett to help businesses design for inclusion.

Neurodiversity refers to variations in human neurocognitive functioning – the different ways we think, process information, and relate to others. One in seven people worldwide are estimated to have a neurodiverse condition such as ADHD, autism, dyspraxia, dyslexia, and Tourette’s syndrome.

HOK and Tarkett’s survey collected feedback from 202 neurodiverse individuals, with a focus on women and workers older than 30, two groups that have been largely underrepresented in other studies on neurodiversity.

The survey found several challenges these individuals face when it comes to workplaces. A few of those include:

77% of respondents reported being hypersensitive to noise and sound in the workplace
62% of respondents were hypersensitive to visual distractions (movement, color, light) in the office
Women reported greater overall sensory sensitivity challenges in the workplace compared to men, particularly when it came to temperature and light (62% and 59% compared to 46% and 44%, respectively).

Insights from the survey can help workplace designers and product manufacturers create spaces that are more supportive and inclusive for neurodiverse employees. Survey respondents specifically identified the following workplace strategy and design solutions employers could consider:

Offer training and education about neurodiversity to all staff
Offer all employees (neurodiverse and neurotypical) a variety of workplace choices, from open office environments to private, to address various sensory stimulations
Provide spaces that support and encourage physical movement and access to natural light
Create flexible work policies that give people autonomy over their schedule and work environment, including work-from-home opportunities when feasible

Kay Sargent, director of workplace for HOK, commented, “One size, or solution, misfits all. This latest study continues to show that, to allow all employees to thrive, office designs need to remain fluid and adaptable. Employers can improve employee wellness and productivity by offering a wide range of choices, allowing people to continually select the best space for their individual needs and the task at hand.”

While the pandemic has normalized hybrid work and encouraged a wider conversation around employee wellbeing, the HOK/Tarkett survey suggests opportunities still exist for organizations to do more to support their employees.

“Neurodiverse employees bring valuable diversity of thought and competitive advantage to their organizations,” said Leslie Thompson, director of workplace for Tarkett North America. “Optimizing the work environment to support each individual isn’t just the right thing to do for our people; it’s simply good business.”

Stephanie Miller is Director of Public Relations/Senior Principal for HOK.

By Molly Rosenberg

Venue Coalition announced that Julia James has been promoted to Director of Booking. In her expanded role, James will focus on national booking and business development while continuing to service new and existing Venue Coalition clients.

Julia started her career with Venue Coalition in 2019 after graduating from Missouri State University’s Entertainment Management program. Throughout her time with the company, she has developed a strong understanding of the booking process for more than 100 member venues in various major, secondary, and tertiary markets. This knowledge has enabled her to advance within the organization from her initial role as a Booking Assistant, then becoming Booking Coordinator, moving up to Booking Manager, and now taking on the Director of Booking role.

“Julia has done an outstanding job of servicing our venue members and confirming events,” said Andrew Prince, President. “She has grown tremendously over the past three years with Venue Coalition, and we are thrilled to see her continue to grow and excel in this new position.”

“I am excited to continue building new relationships in the industry while booking a wide variety of events on a national level,” James said. “I’m proud of how much our company has grown over the past few years and am extremely grateful for this opportunity to take on a larger role in providing top-tier service to each of our venues.”

Molly Rosenberg is Director of Administration and Special Projects for Venue Coalition, Inc.