From baltimoreravens.com

The Baltimore Ravens will continue to play their home games at “The Bank” through the 2037 season.

M&T Bank and the Ravens have reached an agreement to extend their strategic partnership for another 10 years beyond the current contract, which was set to expire after the 2027 season. The announcement comes almost 20 years to the day after the organizations entered a partnership that has always been about more than putting the bank’s name on the 71,000-seat M&T Bank Stadium – often referred to simply as “The Bank.”

Since first announcing their partnership May 6, 2003, M&T and the Ravens have worked together with numerous business, community, and elected leaders to strengthen communities throughout the Baltimore region. That commitment will continue as part of the organizations’ partnership extension and include additional investments in providing financial education programs to Greater Baltimore students each year.

The contract extension also preserves one of the longest-running stadium naming rights deals in the National Football League (NFL). Only Raymond James Stadium (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), FedExField (Washington Commanders), Ford Field (Detroit Lions) and Gillette Stadium (New England Patriots) have maintained their relationships longer than M&T Bank and the Baltimore Ravens.

Financial terms of the latest agreement were not disclosed.

“The partnership between M&T and the Ravens has worked so well for so long because the organizations share similar values of integrity, determination, and teamwork and a common mission to make Baltimore better. That’s also why it made sense from M&T’s perspective to extend our partnership with the Ravens through the 2037 season,” said Augie Chiasera, M&T Bank’s regional president for Greater Baltimore. “We take a lot of pride in seeing the M&T Bank name on our football team’s stadium. It’s a symbol of our commitment to serve the Baltimore community.”

This marks the second time M&T and the Ravens have extended their partnership, which began as a 15-year agreement in 2003. The two sides also announced in May 2014 a 10-year extension that took the partnership through the 2027 NFL season. With five more seasons remaining on that contract, the latest agreement extends the partnership through 2037.

“When I first met [former M&T regional president] Bob Sadler in 2003, it quickly became apparent that M&T Bank is a special organization and that we could be tremendous partners,” Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti said. “From that moment, I knew we were aligned in the objective to serve our community, and it was clear that this wouldn’t be a short-term partnership. Their commitment is so much deeper than the name on a stadium. They have impacted countless individuals and organizations with exceptional compassion, and I couldn’t be happier with our relationship. We take great pride in our collaboration with M&T Bank, because our efforts are built on mutual respect and a meaningful connection to the community.”

Ravens president Sashi Brown added: “We are thrilled and honored to extend our longstanding partnership with M&T Bank, our great teammates in serving Baltimore. M&T has grown into one of the top banks in the nation and established itself as a leader in community impact work. We share M&T’s commitment to pursuing excellence and community impact, and that alignment has allowed our partnership to flourish. The past two decades together are worth celebrating, and it brings us great excitement to know that the iconic moments at M&T Bank Stadium – ‘The Bank’ – will continue.”

A Partnership Focused on More Than Football

When M&T and the Ravens began their partnership 20 years ago, they pledged to combine the strength of the two organizations to improve communities throughout the Baltimore area. M&T and the Ravens have delivered on those promises – and many more.

Since 2003, the Ravens have distributed more than 15,000 tickets to young people and their family members to attend games at M&T Bank Stadium, receive an Honor Rows T-shirt, visit the field during pre-game warmups and be recognized during the game on the RavensVision high-definition video screens. M&T and the Ravens also have worked with other philanthropic businesses throughout the area to serve nonprofit organizations like the Maryland Food Bank, Civic Works, Blue Water Baltimore, Catch a Lift Fund, Parks and People Foundation, and more.

As a partner of the Ravens Foundation Inc., M&T Bank also has contributed more than $1 million, which has been allocated to a range of community initiatives during the past 20 years. The Ravens Foundation is the team’s charitable arm committed to encouraging and enabling the healthy development of youth in Baltimore and other parts of Maryland. Recent foundation projects include the installation of new educational spaces at Baltimore City’s Franklin Square Elementary/Middle School and a Ravens-themed playground at Northwest Regional Park in Owings Mills. In July 2022, the foundation distributed $100,000 in grants to help several nonprofit organizations fund a variety of projects, including interscholastic athletic programs for students with disabilities, cooking and nutrition education, boxing training and after-school mentorship programs.

“Our partnership with the Baltimore Ravens is not simply about name recognition,” said Francesco Lagutaine, M&T Bank’s chief marketing officer. “It’s about connecting with the Baltimore community in meaningful ways that improve the lives of our neighbors.”

In 2014, M&T, one of Greater Baltimore’s largest corporate givers, and the Ravens launched Touchdown for Teachers, a program that recognizes local teachers for outstanding service to their students, schools, and communities. Through the first decade of the program, M&T and the Ravens will have awarded more than $35,000 to 40 award finalists, including 10 grand-prize winners. More than 4,000 teachers representing over 2,500 schools have been nominated. This year’s finalists and winner will be announced in May.

Employees of M&T Bank and the Ravens also have rolled up their sleeves together to volunteer in communities throughout Baltimore during the past two decades. Those projects have included neighborhood landscaping and beautification, stream clean-ups, food drives, school supply distribution, playground construction and more. In 2019, M&T and the Ravens partnered with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Baltimore to renovate the Webster Kendrick Club at Callaway Elementary School in Baltimore. In 2022, more than 100 volunteers from M&T and the Ravens picked thousands of pounds of potatoes at First Fruits Farm in Baltimore County for distribution to food banks and pantries throughout Central Maryland and parts of Pennsylvania and Virginia. More than 100 employees from both organizations also have participated in Earth Day clean-up activities over the past two years, including the most recent project at Greenmount West Community Center in Baltimore on April 18.

By Jude-Anne Phillip

In celebration of Earth Month, the Pennsylvania Convention Center released its annual sustainability report. The report provides a summary of the Center’s sustainability initiatives and performance over the past year.

“The Pennsylvania Convention Center is fully committed to sustainability and to reducing the environmental impact of our operations,” said David A. Nasatir, Esq., Chair of the Board, Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority. “This past year, our primary focus was on utilizing technology to fully modernize the facility and efficiently manage our energy consumption. In partnership with ASM Global, these efforts have allowed us to effectively do our part to preserve the environment for future generations and enrich the communities in which we serve.”

As highlighted in the report, the building automation upgrade to the DESIGO software system, done in partnership with Siemens, was completed in 2022 and has improved the facility’s efficiency and HVAC operations. Additionally, several phases of the facility’s restroom renovations, escalator modernization, and other upgrades were completed during the year.

“We continue to make significant investments in sustainability and the well-being of all who enter our facility,” said Steve Shepper, Director of Engineering and Capital Projects, Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority. “Our ongoing facility upgrades allow us to enhance our health and safety features, reduce our carbon emissions, and focus on providing a welcoming environment for our customers, guests, and workers.”

As part of the sustainability drive at the Center, all capital project contractors are required to recycle their construction and demolition (C&D) materials, and the facility reported that 100.62 tons of C&D materials, 10.38 tons of E-waste and U-waste, and 13.45 tons of retired furniture assets were collected for recycling during the reporting period.

Other sustainability goals that were accomplished during the year included the increase of the Center’s daily purchase of renewable energy certificates (RECs) to 50%, the achievement of a 60% waste diversion rate, and the reduction of single-use plastics in the venue, all of which form part of ASM Global ACTS, a corporate social responsibility program which was launched in October 2021 by ASM Global, the Center’s venue management partner.

“ASM Global has a visionary approach to sustainability,” said Tony Hodgins, General Manager, ASM Global. “The company recently unveiled its plan to transform its global venue portfolio into the world’s most sustainable, and we are proud to be able to partner with the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority to implement initiatives that deliver on this goal. The Authority continues to be a steadfast supporter of the ASM Global Acts program, and our collective efforts will enable us to make positive impacts on the environment and in our communities.”

Jude-Anne Phillip is senior communications manager at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

By R.V. Baugus

With as many skins on the wall (not to mention abbreviations after his name) that Larry Perkins, CVE, CPP, CMP, has, there is not much out there that surprises one of the industry’s truest gentlemen and respected practitioners. That is, though, until word arrived in a phone call from IAVM Past Chair Eric Hart, CVE, that the retired Perkins is the 2023 recipient of the Ray Ward Award presented annually at Venue Management School (VMS).

“When you’re a past president (now chair), obviously things slow down for you a little bit,” Perkins recalled. “I got the call from Mr. Hart, and it was amazing. I thought, my phone hasn’t rung in a while other than from the PNC Arena (in Raleigh where Perkins worked before retiring on June 10, 2022), so I was like, ‘Who?’ It was really funny. I thought he was pranking me, and we actually did laugh about it.”
Once reality set in, Perkins felt a sense of being overwhelmed to join not only a select list of individuals recognized for their work at VMS but for the man for whom the award was named.

“There is so much that I can say about Ray Ward. Consummate professional in every sense of the word. When you saw Ray, you knew that everything was in good hands. There was no question about it. He was methodical. He was relentless in his professionalism,” Perkins said.

Perkins remembered how Ward would sit in a classroom, a man with a wealth of knowledge but never so much that he would not look for that one extra nugget that someone might be presenting.

“Now here’s a guy that knew everything and was the godfather of the school, but he would sit there when he wasn’t teaching listening to somebody else,” Perkins said. “I’m thinking, wait a minute, he teaches class over and over. That was one of those lessons that I took away that no matter what you think you know, there’s always one more nugget that you can take away.”

Perkins is also synonymous with VMS as a student in 1997 and 1998, teaching from 1999 to 2006 and serving as chair in 2004. During his term as chair, Perkins and others decided to start the VMS Graduate Institute (of which Perkins will be on a panel this year). It was only fitting that Ward was elected to serve as dean of GI. “I had the honor and privilege of making that appointment and as usual Ray accepted it and the challenge and GI has never looked back,” Perkins said.

“One other thing about Ray and me together. My first year as an instructor at the school I got to go to Australia to teach at their VMA (Venue Management Association) school. I asked Ray if I could teach his management course that he taught at Oglebay (home to the former Public Assembly Facility Management School and later Venue Management School in Wheeling, WV). He gave me his syllabus and everything. We went over together, and I taught his time management class.”

Perkins is one of those Ray Ward Award recipients who obviously knew “the man” very well. Some on the roll call did not have that privilege. To have his name associated with Ray Ward means that much more to Perkins.

“He was always that consummate teacher and teaching and leading by example,” Perkins said. “To be listed among the other recipients before me goes beyond words. It goes to heart of hearts and knowing that whatever you tried to give back was an honor of the person that you will be recognized for.

“It is one of those things you look back on and say, what did I do, because at the time you’re doing it you’re not doing it for an award. You’re doing it because it’s the right thing to do and then you’re looking at leaders such as Ray Ward who set that example and you don’t want to let them down.

“I’m a softie at heart. I try to give back and still give back after retirement. I think in my call with Eric I shed a tear. Knowing, again, Ray Ward and his legacy and to be counted as one of those … it’s tremendous.”

Perkins will forever have a major imprint on the school. Literally, even, as he developed the first PAFMS logo for a school which to that point was simply Oglebay.

Before Oglebay, Perkins was one of the industry’s most sought speakers in the area of crowd management and safety and security.

“I fell in love with IAVM immediately and hosted the 10th anniversary of the International Crowd Management Conference (ICMC) in 1992,” Perkins said. “This was at the Meadowlands Sports Complex; I had a horse race named for IAAM at our complex track. We took people on a New York dinner cruise, around the World Trade Center, Statue of Liberty, and Ellis Island, where they could take pictures of the New York skyline. We toured Yankee Stadium where Billy Martin and Buck Showalter spoke to us during lunch then we went onto the field. We next toured Radio City Music Hall.”

Perkins said his “bug” for all things safety and security took root in the 1980’s when Frank Poe and Carol Wallace hosted a crowd management conference in Dallas. In 2001, Perkins and Poe were named by association president Lionel Dubay to head a new task force following 9/11. Perkins was already chair of the ICMC that was held in San Diego in November 2001. He remembers that the conference was so big that it had to be relocated to accommodate 400 people.

“All the things that you do in life prepare you for something,” Perkins said. “I got the bug for crowd safety and survival and different things and I’m thankful I have had that experience to help lead the way which then turned into co-founding the Academy for Venue Safety & Security.”

After another tragedy in the 2005 Hurricane Katrina, Perkins would become the association’s president in 2006-07. It was the right person at the right time to help push the industry as a leader when collaborating with government entities in Washington, D.C.

All things come full circle, and so it does for Perkins and the award he will soon receive.

“There was no question about where Ray Ward stood in terms of his professionalism because he was just a terrific man,” he said.

The same can be said of you, my friend.

By R.V. Baugus

Before we know it VenueConnect in Pittsburgh will arrive. One aspect that we do not often cover concerning VenueConnect is the food served onsite at the host sites. As we build toward IAVM’s main event of 2023 we thought now might be a good time to “whet the appetite” in a more literal sense by interviewing Chef Dominique “Dom” Metcalfe, Executive Chef of Levy Convention Centers, the exclusive caterer of the host David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Prepare to be treated royally when at VenueConnect as Chef Dom and team aim to please the palate.

You are coming upon 20 years there with Levy in Pittsburgh. What do you attribute to the longevity?

I absolutely love my job and firmly believe that if you love what you do, you’ll never work another day in your life. My passion is making people happy by serving food made with love, and I’m so thankful that I get to do that every day.

You might well know that IAVM is coming to Pittsburgh in late July for the annual conference VenueConnect. As our members in the arena, convention center, stadium, and performing arts worlds are quite familiar with the importance of top-notch chefs at their venues, can you give us just one “sampler” of a dish that you might be preparing for the attendees?

While we’re still putting the finishing touches on the VenueConnect menu, you can absolutely expect tons of fresh and flavorful ingredients from our on-site rooftop garden.

Your world travels including Zurich, Dubai, Sydney, and Tuscany are beyond impressive. How important is it to tailor dishes to the areas and regions in which you have served?

Traveling around the world has truly opened my mind to all the different kinds of cuisines and flavors that can be woven together to create amazing experiences. When we make hummus, it brings me back to my time in Dubai and when we make pasta I think of Tuscany. And every time I’m transported back, I think about what made a dish authentic. When we prepare these dishes in our kitchens, we’re expressing diverse cultures and traditions on each plate, and I want our guests to experience what makes these flavors unique and authentic.

Do you have a favorite dish that your own hands prepare?

Some people call me a “dough-head” because I really enjoy making anything to do with dough. One of my favorite recipes from growing up was my mom’s Focaccia dough, which also made for a great pizza dough. When I get into that mode it always brings back wholesome memories of time spent with my family.

Was cooking an early love for you and when did it actually start?

I began my love for cooking standing on a chair next to my mom, making cinnamon rolls, bread, sauce, meatballs, and pies. In the fourth grade, I had to write a report about “what I want to be when I grow up.” I wrote about becoming a chef and never looked back.

I imagine there were lots of incredibly great smells coming from your classes at the Academy of Culinary Arts at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) from which you graduated. What stands out from those days?

I was the second graduating class from IUP Academy of Culinary Arts and still have contact with one of my favorite instructors, Chef Hilary DeMane. At the time, the baking and pastry classroom was in the same building as the culinary program. After school, my friends and I would stay with Chef DeMane and learn how to “pull sugar.” She was like our “Mom” at school, and we just wanted to learn as much as we could from her. Now she brings her graduating pastry students here to the convention center every other year for lunch and a tour.

Part two…the answer to the “smell” that reminds me of school:

I volunteered each month for orientation and open house on Saturday mornings. I was in the “soups, stocks, sauces, and skills kitchen” making hollandaise from scratch. So anytime, I see, smell, and taste hollandaise, it takes me back to those Saturday mornings.

Quite an honor being awarded Best Convention Center Chef in America by LEVY Convention Center and Compass Catering. What did that mean to you?

This award is given to only one chef throughout the entire company of Levy. When they surprised me with this award, it brought me to tears. I never in a million years thought I would receive “Chef of the Year.” There are so many talented chefs in our company, and it is very humbling to be a part of this amazing Levy family. To work for a company that takes the time to acknowledge and award people across the country, that’s a company that I want to work for.

What are some of those “Only in Pittsburgh” offerings served at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center?

We have a signature dish called the Pittsburgh Paella that is served in a three-foot pan full of favorites such as local kielbasa, haluski, and pierogies with butter and onions. We also have hops growing on our roof, which we pick, dry out, and have teamed up with a local brewery to make “Rooftop Hops,” our own IPA.

How important is it to be involved in your local community and what are some things the Convention Center does to display that?

We love our Pittsburgh community and really care about giving back to those in need. We partner with amazing organizations like Jubilee Soup Kitchen and 412 Food Rescue to make sure that leftover food is being put to good use and helping to fight against food insecurity. We are one of the largest food donors in the area and supporting and feeding those in need is dear to my heart.

I would imagine that sustainability is a big deal in the kitchen. Talk some about that as well as any local sourcing you might do.

Sustainability is extremely important to us, and we’re so proud to have been recognized as the first Platinum LEED Certified Convention Center, which is a testament to our incredible partners at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Whether it’s using produce from our rooftop garden, sourcing from farmers and vendors in our community, or working with Agrecycle to compost, we’re committed to sourcing locally and sustainably and combatting food waste in every way we have available.

Someone as creative as you must always be on the lookout for trends in your line of work. What are some of those you have seen or some you believe we will see going forward?

One trend I’ve had my eye on is butter boards – it’s such a cool way to present different kinds of spreads and dips. That was a great source of inspiration for our cream cheese boards which we serve at our bagel stations.

By Emily Eades

The Orange County Convention Center (OCCC), in partnership with Orange County Government, hosted an Earth Week celebration showcasing its premier sustainability initiatives and green meeting practices.

During a time in which the meetings and events industry is laser-focused on green initiatives and conservation, the OCCC leads the way in the development of sustainable practices. The Center of Hospitality has continuously pioneered stewardship that models how large venues can contribute to safer, more efficient environments. Sustainability remains a top priority for clients as groups focus on expanding corporate social responsibility practices and green meetings.

The OCCC’s Earth Week event gave Orange County employees the opportunity to interact with various departments, vendors, and partners to learn more about sustainable practices and businesses in the community. Those in attendance included Orange County Environmental Protection Division, Orange County Mosquito Control, Orange County Utilities Department, O-Town Compost, Urban Smart Farms, Honey Frames, Sodexo Live!, UF/IFAS, Grainger, and the OCCC Sustainability Team.

“The Orange County Convention Center is a tremendous leader in green meeting initiatives,” said Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings. “Together with Orange County Government, the responsible management and conservation of our natural resources ensures we maintain a clean and healthy environment to live, work and raise a family. I am very proud of the Convention Center’s contributions toward making our County more sustainable for both our residents and our visitors.”

Mayor Demings and Orange County District 6 Commissioner Mike Scott were in attendance to provide a summary of the County and the Center’s impressive programs, emphasizing the critical role each department has in making the region a more environmentally safe and resilient place to live and do business.

One of the OCCC’s main priorities is its charitable contributions to the Central Florida community through partnerships with several of the region’s non-profit organizations. In fiscal year 2021-2022, nearly 23,000 pounds of furniture, lighting fixtures, office and art supplies, worth more than $37,000, were donated to local organizations. These included A Gift for Teaching, West Orange Habitat for Humanity, Ronald McDonald House, Osceola County Public Schools, and Orange County Public Schools. The Center’s clients also collectively contributed more than 222,000 pounds in food donations to local non-profits.

“Sustainability is absolutely essential in the meetings and events industry and for years it has been of top importance to our Center,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “The OCCC sets the standard for what green meetings should look like in the current state of the industry, and we are grateful to our clients for helping us achieve our social responsibility goals.”

The Center’s innovative sustainability strategies stretch from growing and harvesting more than 44,000 fresh, non-GMO plants, directly from the OCCC’s Center-to-Table Gardens, to supporting natural energy by maintaining the largest municipal solar array in the southeast U.S.

Learn more about the Center’s pioneering sustainability practices by clicking here.

Emily Eades is Public Relations/Information Officer | Marketing & Communications for the Orange County Convention Center.

Pictured: Orange County Convention Center Executive Director Mark Tester, Orange County Chief Sustainability and Resilience Officer Carrie Black, Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings, Sodexo Live! Corporate Director of Sustainability Molly Crouch and Orange County District 6 Commissioner Mike Scott gather to celebrate Earth Week at the Orange County Convention Center