By Sarah Maio

Over the recent March 6 weekend, the Wisconsin Center welcomed its first non-governmental client into the building following an approved safety plan from the Milwaukee Health Department for volleyball events. On March 6 and 7, the Wisconsin Juniors Volleyball Club held two days of volleyball tournaments in the exhibit hall. Subsequent tournaments will take place the following three weekends of March hosted by the Badger Region Volleyball Association.

“This is a major milestone and will give us a glimpse into the future of large gatherings,” said Marty Brooks, president and CEO of the Wisconsin Center District. “I’m proud of the hard work our team has put in to allow us to welcome youth sports back at the Wisconsin Center. From sanitation to security measures, our team is well-versed on all protocols in place, and we worked closely with the Milwaukee Health Department on this endeavor. Tournament participants and attendees should feel confident their health and safety are our number one priority.”

Early on in the pandemic, the Wisconsin Center District (WCD) established COVID-19 guidelines at each of its facilities to ensure the safety of visitors and employees with temperature checks upon entering, mask requirements, high frequency air circulation, and sanitation between visitors. Additionally, each of the WCD’s buildings are GBAC STAR™ accredited, the gold standard for prepared facilities. To achieve this, the WCD implemented the most stringent protocols for cleaning, disinfection and infectious disease prevention.

Not only is this a landmark occasion for the events industry, but the various tournaments will have a tremendous economic impact on Milwaukee as well, with visitors patronizing restaurants, attractions, and hotels. Wisconsin Juniors is expected to brought about 4,000 attendees over the weekend and more than $1.8 million in estimated economic impact to the Milwaukee area. Badger Region has an estimated economic impact of $1.8 million its first week, $1.6 million the second week, and about $1.3 million its third week. Badger Region attendees will range from 3,000 to 4,000 attendees each weekend.

“Our hospitality community is very excited to welcome Wisconsin Juniors and Bader Region back to our convention center and back to our city for their volleyball tournaments,” said Peggy Williams-Smith, president and CEO of VISIT Milwaukee. “This will be much needed stimulation for our local economy, furthering the city’s comeback from this pandemic. Additionally, it demonstrates Milwaukee’s ability and expertise in hosting successful events even during a pandemic or, hopefully, near the end of one. So, future conventions can rest assured knowing that their Milwaukee event will be one of their safest.”

Last summer, the Wisconsin Center was the home-base of the 2020 Democratic National Convention and the convention center became the location of Milwaukee County’s vote recounts during the presidential election last autumn. Currently, it serves as a large-scale COVID-19 vaccination site for the Milwaukee Health Department (MHD). The Wisconsin Center opening for additional business will not impact the MHD vaccination efforts. The convention center will continue to serve as Milwaukee’s primary vaccination site and is contracted by the City of Milwaukee through May 1, 2021 for this initiative.

Sarah Maio is Vice President of Marketing and Communications for the Wisconsin Center District in Milwaukee.

By Mary Klida

Greg DeSandy, Interim General Manager of TCF Center/ASM Global, announced that Al Vasquez, Manager of Engineering Services, is the recipient of four national and state awards honoring his work on the temporary alternate care facility, the TCF Regional Care Center, at TCF Center.

Vasquez’s awards and medals include a Challenge Coin awarded by the Michigan National Guard, the Legion of Merit medal awarded by the State of Michigan, a Challenge Coin awarded by Keith Kroupfreiter on behalf of the United States Army Corp of Engineers and a Challenge Coin awarded from Dr. David Strong, Medical Lead onsite at the TCF Regional Care Center.

“Al exemplifies the best of TCF Center,” said Patrick Bero, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority (DRCFA.) “His diligence and dedication, all hours of the day and night, exceeds customer expectations and inspires all of our staff and management. We are happy for this professional recognition of his talent.”

Vasquez is Manager of Engineering Services at TCF Center and is responsible for directing and managing the maintenance of the buildings, grounds, equipment and utilities within the venue. He keeps the facility compliant with local building codes and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations and assists customers with their facilities requirements.

Vasquez has been with TCF Center since 2009, coming with facilities management experience with Johnson Controls, Inc., St. Joseph Mercy Health System, and the University of Michigan. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Ferris State University and is a Certified Energy Manager (CEM.)

In response to the COVID-19 crisis, on March 30, 2020, TCF Center was designated by Governor Gretchen Whitmer, State of Michigan and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as a temporary alternate care facility in Detroit.

Construction was performed by the TCF Center workforce and union labor in just nine days and became a model for alternate care facility construction across the country. The temporary site was designed to relieve the burden on local hospitals treating patients with COVID-19, equipped with patient oxygen supply and negative air pressure to accommodate healing.

With guidance from FEMA and other officials, the site was designed in the most efficient way possible in order to allow the convention center to resume normal operations when possible. Currently, the field hospital is decommissioned.

“Healthy buildings host healthy people,” said DeSandy. “We couldn’t be happier that Al’s diligence in supporting the complete physical, mental and social well-being of each employee and visitor has been recognized by these state and federal agencies.”

In January 2021, TCF Center became a designated vaccination distribution site for the City of Detroit. This drive-through vaccine administration is ongoing in the venue’s Atwater Garage and distributing 4,700 doses a day to eligible Detroit residents.

Environmental air quality in the garage is monitored in real-time by Vasquez and his team for CO levels in the garage with 48 sensor readings that signal the team to turn on the required sequence of 17 variable-speed exhaust fans. A twelve-foot by ten-foot video monitor with mapped locations of all CO sensors and exhaust fans is located in the engineering control room and watched by team members.

The OSHA rating from acceptable CO levels in a garage is between 25-100 PPM. The TCF Center engineering team makes adjustments in areas reading CO at 4-12 PPM to ensure healthy air quality in the vaccine distribution center. Warning texts are sent to all team members for immediate modification if necessary.

In 2019 TCF Center was the first venue to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
Gold certification under the new v4.1 O+M standard and is now the largest LEED certified facility in Michigan. TCF Center received the 2020 U.S. Green Buildings Council Leadership Award for Building Performance and is the only convention center in the history of the award to do so.

Mary Klida, is Senior Marketing & Communications Manager at TCF Center.

Please welcome our newest members who joined IAVM in February 2021. Thank you for being a part of the association! Also, let us get to know you better by participating in the I Am Venue Management series. Please visit http://www.iavm.org/i-am-venue-management-share-your-story to share your story and photo.

Shaun Albrechtson, Sandy Springs Performing Arts & Conference Center, Sandy Springs, GA
Adam Alfia, Feedback, Dallas, TX
Roxanne Ancona, OC Fair & Event Center, Costa Mesa, CA
Mike Anderson, Churchill Downs Racetrack, Louisville, KY
Rob Auten, Sandy Springs Performing Arts & Conference Center, Sandy Springs, GA
Tyler Barrett, Sandy Springs Performing Arts & Conference Center, Sandy Springs, GA
Timothy Berry, Berry Consulting, Mankato, MN
Michaela Boruta, New York University, New York, NY
Terrick Bostic, Sandy Springs Performing Arts & Conference Center, Sandy Springs, GA
Kelvin Broughton, Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
Aldo Cardenas, Sandy Springs Performing Arts & Conference Center, Sandy Springs, GA
Jacob Carlisle, FedExForum, Memphis, TN
Vanessa Cherry, Sandy Springs Performing Arts & Conference Center, Sandy Springs, GA
Odette Cimino, Paramount Fine Foods Centre, Mississauga, ON
Tori Coleman, Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Adrienne Crowe, Overwatch TN Security Inc., Dickson, TN
DeAnna D’Egidio, Sandy Springs Performing Arts & Conference Center, Sandy Springs, GA
Bruce Daniels, Alfred Lawson Jr. Multipurpose Center, Tallahassee, FL
Johnny Davis, SurfaceGuard, Washington, DC
Dave DiSalvo, Owensboro Convention Center, Owensboro, KY
Ramin Djaved, Sandy Springs Performing Arts & Conference Center, Sandy Springs, GA
Reymundo Dominguez, OC Fair & Event Center, Costa Mesa, CA
Talina Gilbert, East Montgomery County Improvement District, New Caney, TX
Jennifer Green, East Montgomery County Improvement District, New Caney, TX
Taylor Haas, Sandy Springs Performing Arts & Conference Center, Sandy Springs, GA
Amy Harris, Sandy Springs Performing Arts & Conference Center, Sandy Springs, GA
Jennifer Hellman, 22nd DAA/Del Mar Fairgrounds, Del Mar, CA
Maddie Heywood, Utah Valley Convention Center, Provo, UT
Thane Hollman, OC Fair & Event Center, Costa Mesa, CA
Mike Hudson, Destin-Fort Walton Beach Convention Center, Fort Walton Beach, FL
Lily Johnson, Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Susie Jones, CN Centre/Exhibition Park – City of Prince George, Prince George, BC
Kimberly Joseph, Churchill Downs Racetrack, Louisville, KY
Shelley Kemp, FedExForum, Memphis, TN
Dylan Keville, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Belton, TX
JongHun Kim, Grossinger Motors Arena, Bloomington, IL
Robert Landers, Columbus Civic Center, Columbus, GA
Daniela Lencioni, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco, CA
Delilah Lewis, East Montgomery County Improvement District, New Caney, TX
Justin Magistrale, University of South Carolina Department of Sport & Entertainment Management, Columbia, SC
Warren Mather, East Montgomery County Improvement District, New Caney, TX
Kelley Mattlage, East Montgomery County Improvement District, New Caney, TX
Frank McCrady, East Montgomery County Improvement District, New Caney, TX
Colleen McGough, Appetize Technologies, Los Angeles, CA
Paul McManus, Vancouver Civic Theatres, Vancouver, BC
Lindsey Miner, Inventory Smart, Englewood, CO
Kim Minick, 22nd DAA/Del Mar Fairgrounds, Del Mar, CA
Creg Mixon, East Montgomery County Improvement District, New Caney, TX
Brandon Nash, East Montgomery County Improvement District, New Caney, TX
Anna Nikolas, Sandy Springs Performing Arts & Conference Center, Sandy Springs, GA
Raymond Nugent, FedExForum, Memphis, TN
Joe O’Connell, East Montgomery County Improvement District, New Caney, TX
Kemper Owens, Utah Valley Convention Center, Provo, UT
Nile Owens, Alfred Lawson Jr. Multipurpose Center, Tallahassee, FL
Ashley Partain, Sandy Springs Performing Arts & Conference Center, Sandy Springs, GA
Mesita Partridge, Sandy Springs Performing Arts & Conference Center, Sandy Springs, GA
Ron Pellerine, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto, ON
Jeff Pillon, Sandy Springs Performing Arts & Conference Center, Sandy Springs, GA
Jessika Searles, Sandy Springs Performing Arts & Conference Center, Sandy Springs, GA
Scott Secore, Sandy Springs Performing Arts & Conference Center, Sandy Springs, GA
Sandy Seeyle, East Montgomery County Improvement District, New Caney, TX
Alice Silva, National Event Services, Mission Hills, CA
John Stancato, Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, OK
Ben Sterling, Sandy Springs Performing Arts & Conference Center, Sandy Springs, GA
Brandi Stevens, Owensboro Convention Center, Owensboro, KY
Jessa Sudduth, FedExForum, Memphis, TN
Sam Teegarden, Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Brandon Wagner, Sandy Springs Performing Arts & Conference Center, Sandy Springs, GA
Regina Wells, Sandy Springs Performing Arts & Conference Center, Sandy Springs, GA
Scott Wiley, Lucid Drone Technologies, Charlotte, NC
Kelvin Williams, FedExForum, Memphis, TN
Monique Wise, Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN
Mike Ziegler, Churchill Downs Racetrack, Louisville, KY

 

Reminder to all members that the Call for Volunteers is closing soon.  Please consider responding for the term beginning August 2021 and ending at VenueConnect 2022.

The deadline to respond to the Call for Volunteers is March 12, 2021; appointments to board committees will be made by the First Vice Chair, while appointments to management committees will be made by the CEO in consultation with the committee chairs and vice chairs. Volunteers will be notified of their committee assignment no later than mid-June. 

IAVM has two types of committees: board committees and management committees. A board committee helps the board do its work, of oversight, strategy and member engagement. Management committees help IAVM’s management do its work, of meeting the board’s goals and effectively operating the association to deliver benefits to our members.

Follow this link to find the list of opportunities available, and the volunteer roles and responsibilities for each.  To volunteer, please follow the link to complete the survey and tell us where your interest, skills, and abilities will allow you to make the greatest contribution.  Even if you currently serve on a committee and wish to continue, you must indicate your interest on this application to be considered for renewal as all committee appointments have a one-year term (unless an issue arises and term limits need to be extended or changed). You may indicate your interest for no more than three committees, so please make sure that you rank your choices with 1 being your highest preference. Finally, given the level of interest in service, we can generally only place you on one committee. 

By Paul Pettas

On February 19, Centerplate – the food and beverage partner to the San Diego Convention Center – reached a milestone of one million meals served to people experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Centerplate team has prepared several thousand meals per day for San Diegans temporarily residing in

the San Diego Convention Center, which opened as an emergency shelter on April 1, 2020, under the project name Operation Shelter to Home. The operation has safely sheltered thousands of people and connected more than 1,200 to permanent or longer-term housing so far.

“Centerplate and our Convention Center have been an integral part of Operation Shelter to Home’s core mission to keep San Diegans experiencing homelessness safe during this pandemic,” said San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. “This milestone and all of their contributions during the past year to those sheltering in the Convention Center reflect the commitment we have as a city to addressing homelessness together.”

Led by General Manager Bobby Ramirez and Executive Chef Daryl O’Donnell, the Centerplate management and culinary staff has gone above and beyond to serve the new clientele, utilizing two main kitchens and six independent teams. At peak, job opportunities were provided to 82 Centerplate employees as a result; even with resident numbers decreasing, work was still provided for 65 employees after regular event activity was put on hold due to the ongoing pandemic. Operation Shelter to Home is currently funded through March 2021.

“The efforts of our team have been admirable, and to do so while adhering to stringent safety protocols has been even more noteworthy,” echoed Steve Pangburn, CEO, Centerplate / Sodexo Sports & Leisure. “It is our honor to play our part in supporting the local residents and community of San Diego, and I believe this epitomizes the service spirit that we promote throughout our entire Sodexo family on a daily basis.”

Chef O’Donnell and Senior Executive Sous Chef Sufi Karaien plan the meals roughly a week in advance to keep the food balanced and varied. Around the building, Centerplate staff hear from residents about favorites such as Buffalo chicken salad sandwiches, hot dogs, and manicotti. They have prepared special hot meals for holidays and events, like the recent Super Bowl, and organized a sock drive for shelter residents in December.

“The operation is seven days per week with multiple meal servings per day, in close coordination with city and county officials,” said Bobby Ramirez. “In our line of business, we know how to feed a lot of people – sometimes tens of thousands per day – so we know how to be nimble and solve problems. Our top priority continues to be the safety and health of our consumers and employees amid the biggest health crisis the world has seen in the last 100 years. I am truly grateful for the dedication and commitment our team has shown.”

As it does when catering conventions, Centerplate has been using locally sourced and seasonal ingredients whenever possible—an emphasis that has an economic ripple effect in the San Diego region. Centerplate’s suppliers include local farms, dairies and specialized markets. For example, many of the vegetables come from family-owned Moceri Produce – where a typical order can consist of 400 pounds of lettuce, 60 pounds of broccoli and 50 pounds of cucumbers. And, most baked products are from Poway-based O’Brien’s Boulangerie.

Operation Shelter to Home began by moving individuals already in shelters into the San Diego Convention Center to allow for proper physical distancing and prevent the spread of COVID-19. Because the effects of the pandemic were creating staffing challenges at the City’s various shelters, the program centralized staff in one place to ensure personnel could be efficient even with limited numbers. Since April 2020, the operation has served nearly 4,000 people with a warm and sanitary environment.

“In our building, we’re all one team. We thank the tireless efforts of the Centerplate staff and the many local suppliers who work to make this all possible,” said Rip Rippetoe, CVE,k IAVM Chair and President and CEO of the San Diego Convention Center Corporation.

Paul Pettas is PR & Communications Director for Centerplate.