By Katarina Dos Santos

The Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in Orlando, FL, announced the appointment of Anthony “Tony” Camarillo as its new General Manager, and Keri Burns as its new Director of Sales.

“I am pleased to welcome Tony Camarillo and Keri Burns to the OCCC leadership team,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “Their extensive leadership abilities will further the growth of the Center through positive relationships and business with our existing and future clients and partners.”

Camarillo’s career spans more than three decades. He brings a wealth of experience in sales, events, and general management to The Center of Hospitality, making him a great fit for the OCCC’s Executive team. Most recently, Camarillo served as the Director of the RP Funding Center Director in Lakeland, Florida – a position he held for eight years. Prior to that he worked in Chicago at McCormick Place and Navy Pier where he held various positions and was instrumental in developing the facilities, standardizing operations, increasing sales, and enhancing event management.

As the OCCC’s General Manager, Camarillo will assist the executive team in the overall management of the building with an emphasis placed on safe and efficient operations. He will also respond to outside organizations’ needs and lead the overall direction, coordination, and evaluation of assigned OCCC divisions.

An alumnus of the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, Camarillo is looking forward to making an impact on the OCCC’s efforts to create Transformational Experiences for its clients, partners, stakeholders, and guests.

Burns is a proven leader in the hospitality industry, bringing more than 15 years of experience to the OCCC. Most recently, she served as the Central Florida Regional Director for the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA).

As Director of Sales for the OCCC, Burns will oversee daily operations of the Sales Division, providing leadership and development for the staff. She will also coordinate with other OCCC divisions and external organizations such as Visit Orlando, I-Drive Chamber, and the hotel community to drive business to The Center of Hospitality.

Burns also manages a 501©3 organization called Ladies in Leadership and Community (LILAC) dedicated to supporting causes related to women and making a community impact. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Liberty University, and her Master of Business Administration from Southern New Hampshire University.

Katarina Dos Santos is Marketing and Communications Manager for the Orange County Convention Center.

By Andra Bennett, APR

Christopher J. Roden has been promoted to Senior Public Events Manager (Operations Manager) for the Will Rogers Memorial Center (WRMC), the 120-acre entertainment, sports, equestrian, and livestock complex in Fort Worth’s Cultural District.

Roden has steadily increased his responsibilities in the City of Fort Worth’s Public Events Department, beginning work as an entry-level service attendant in 2014. Over the years, he was promoted to field operations supervisor and served as interim Operations Manager during the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time, he led the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) initiative for Will Rogers and served as Deputy Incident Commander during the overflow homeless shelter operations at the Fort Worth Convention Center.

“Chris Roden is a stellar example of how a motivated employee can propel their career by taking on new challenges,” said Mike Crum, director of Public Events. “He has proven himself to be a servant leader that our team looks to for personal inspiration as well as professional direction.”

The WRMC complex is operational 24/7 year-round, with the exception of Christmas Day.

“Will Rogers is a unique venue with multiple events and various types of shows running concurrently which requires logistical expertise and staff leadership,” said Kevin Kemp, General Manager of WRMC. “Chris tackles every project we task him with and always excels.”

Roden has been in hospitality in some form since he was 14 years old, he said. He has been employed in food and beverage service roles as well as owned a few small businesses. His goal for WRMC is to build a culture of continuous improvement.

“I like analyzing puzzles and finding solutions,” Roden said. “With technology, evaluation and training, we can create innovative solutions and a better experience for staff, clients, guests, and partners.”

A World War II history and a baseball buff, Roden holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Texas Christian University and will complete his master’s in public administration from Tarleton State University later this year. He is also a graduate of the IAVM Venue Management School and has a Lean Yellow Belt Certification. He is a Fort Worth native and graduate of South Hills High School.

Andra Bennett, APR is Marketing Communications | Public Events Department.

By Kevin Kurtt

The Minneapolis Convention Center (MCC) announced that it has achieved Gold Level certification for the Events Industry Council (EIC) Sustainable Event Standards.

The EIC Sustainable Event Standards are specific standards for environmental and social responsibility within the events industry. Created by the EIC Sustainability Committee in partnership with industry professionals and leading sustainability practitioners, the requirements provide event planners and suppliers with prescriptive actions for producing and delivering sustainable events.

“This is great news for the Minneapolis Convention Center and all of us working to make Minneapolis the sustainable destination choice for meeting and event planners,” said Jeff Johnson, MCC Executive Director. “Achieving this not only recognizes our industry-leading sustainability efforts, but also provides a roadmap for measuring and improving our sustainable event programs on an ongoing basis.”

In addition to its EIC certification, previous sustainability recognition for the MCC includes:

Leader in Sustainability by the Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC)
LEED v4 Certification for Existing Building Operations and Maintenance
Silver certification under the Sustainable SITES Initiative rating system for achievement in landscape sustainability for the redesigned MCC Plaza – the nation’s first SITES certified project to be located at a convention center and the first ever SITES certified project in the Upper Midwest

The MCC is a proud and proven industry leader in sustainability. Highlights include:

A stormwater catchment system that annually prevents up to 5 million gallons of rainwater runoff from entering the Mississippi River by redirecting it to an underground storage system used for the facility’s irrigation
More than 2,600 solar panels on the MCC’s rooftop which supply 5% of the 100% renewable energy used – the other remaining 95% comes from Xcel Energy’s locally sourced wind and solar energy
The 2.5-acre MCC Plaza, downtown Minneapolis’ most sustainable public green space, built on top of an underground parking deck and features an urban meadow planted with native tree, wildflower, and prairie grass species to create downtown’s largest pollinator refuge

“We are delighted to see a major facility such as Minneapolis Convention Center continue its commitment to sustainability,” said Amy Calvert, EIC CEO. “This certification demonstrates a strong commitment to the environmentally and socially responsible practices that are needed to support long-term sustainability in our industry.”

The EIC Sustainable Event Standards specify performance criteria in the areas of organizational management, marketing, communications and engagement, climate action, water management, materials and circularity, supply chain management, diversity, equity and inclusion, accessibility, and social impact.

BPA iCompli Sustainability, a division of BPA Worldwide, a nonprofit international auditing organization headquartered in Shelton, Conn., developed the certification protocols for EIC Sustainable Event Standards and performed the independent third-party certification of the MCC’s compliance with the Venue standard.

“Our certification to the event sustainability standards created by EIC and now adopted by the Minneapolis Convention Center continues our long-standing commitment to promote transparency in the events industry,” noted Richard Murphy, President and CEO of BPA Worldwide.

Kevin Kurtt PR & Communications Manager at Meet Minneapolis.

ABOUT THE MINNEAPOLIS CONVENTION CENTER

The Minneapolis Convention Center (MCC) is owned by the City of Minneapolis and marketed through Meet Minneapolis. The 1.6 million square foot facility features 475,000 square feet of exhibit space, a 3,400 fixed-seat auditorium, 87 meeting rooms and two ballrooms. The MCC works to serve its constituencies and stakeholders as the face of Minneapolis to visitors and has been GBAC STAR, LEED, SITES and GMIC certified. Learn more about the MCC here.

ABOUT THE EVENTS INDUSTRY COUNCIL

The Events Industry Council’s more than 30 member organizations represent over 103,500 individuals and 19,500 firms and properties involved in the events industry. The Events Industry Council’s vision is to be the global champion for event professionals and event industry excellence. It promotes high standards and professionalism in the events industry with the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) program and signature program activities. The CMP credential is recognized globally as the badge of excellence in the events industry. The qualifications for certification are based on professional experience, education and a rigorous exam. The four signature programs – Sustainability and Social Impact, Accepted Practices Exchange (APEX), Knowledge and Leadership – represent the key initiatives, assets, services and products for the Events Industry Council. Learn more at www.eventscouncil.org.

ABOUT BPA ICOMPLI SUSTAINABILITY

BPA iCompli Sustainability, a division of BPA Worldwide, is a not-for-profit auditing organization established in 1931 to audit audience metrics for publishers, advertisers and their agencies. Today, BPA’s audit services have expanded to include external assurance of government and industry standards and independent verification of technology and service claims. BPA iCompli Sustainability provides third-party certification to Events Industry Council’s (EIC) Sustainable Events Standards (SES), sustainability framework services, and verification of sustainability data including GHG emissions, waste diversion, water withdrawal, safety performance and more. Learn more at www.bpaww.com.

MEDIA CONTACT

Kevin Kurtt, PR & Communications Manager, 612-767-8118 (o)/952-288-9319 (c), KevinK@minneapolis.org

Kevin Kurtt​
Public Relations and Communications Manager
Meet Minneapolis
, Convention & Visitors Association
801 Marquette Ave S, Suite 100
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402

By Britaney Wehrmeister

The Overland Park (KS) Convention Center announced a partnership with Pete’s Garden, a food recovery organization that recovers surplus prepared foods from local caterers, restaurants, and food service operations, and repackages and redirects the food as healthy take-home meals for families who need assistance in the greater Kansas City area.

The take-home meals are distributed for free through social service organizations that serve families with children. Current recipients include Kansas City area Head Start programs and social service organizations including Operation Breakthrough, Boys & Girls Club, Jewish Family Services, Avenue of Life, and Shawnee Community Services.

“Pete’s Garden makes it easier for families to share healthy meals together at home,” said Tamara Weber, founder and executive director of Pete’s Garden. “To ensure food safety and provide fresh and healthy meals to families, Pete’s Garden is very selective about what food can be donated. The Overland Park Convention Center has demonstrated exemplary adherence to these food safety standards.”

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, food waste is estimated to be between 30 and 40% of the entire food supply. In 2022, Pete’s Garden recovered nearly 70,000 pounds of prepared proteins and side dishes and distributed over 75,000 meals to local families. By collaborating with the convention center, they can make an even greater impact.

“Minimizing food waste is a significant challenge in the hospitality industry, especially in larger venues like ours,” said Jessica Corona, director of food and beverage at the Overland Park Convention Center. “To tackle this issue, we have implemented a two-pronged approach: first, by donating prepared food to those in need, and second, through food composting as a part of our current sustainability program. We are always seeking ways to be more sustainable while also being a people-focused organization—what better way to meet this goal then by serving those in our local community.”

Pete’s Garden accepts food only if it has been prepared in a health department inspected kitchen and handled and stored in accordance with safe time-temperature standards. Volunteers then package the meals in a commercial kitchen facility overseen by food safety certified staff. All meals are labeled with a use-by date.

Britaney Wehrmeister is District Marketing Director at OVG360 – Overland Park Convention Center.

By Gail Sawyer

Quandamooka traditional owner and prominent First Nations Advocate Cameron Costello has been appointed First Nations Ambassador for ASM Global Australia.

ASM Global Asia Pacific (APAC) Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Harvey Lister AM, said he was honoured that Cameron Costello had accepted this important role at a time in history when the country was on the verge of change for Indigenous Australians.

“Cameron brings a 25-year legacy delivering First Nations arts and cultural policies in Queensland and has extraordinary experience particularly in the tourism and events sector. His contribution and advice will be pivotal to the group’s reconciliation journey and cultural competency.”

Costello is Deputy Chair of the Queensland Tourism Industry Council, Interim Chair of the Queensland First Nations Tourism Council, and has been appointed to Queensland Government’s Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Legacy Committee.

He describes the opportunity as very exciting, partnering with the ASM Global leadership team and in particular Lister, who he says is an astute leader and someone who has provided him with guidance and advice over the years.

“In terms of what we want to achieve, for me it is around leadership and legacy,” Costello said. “It is important that there is opportunity for real outcomes for First Nations peoples through training and employment that will empower them to achieve their potential, to help close the gap and improve their quality of life. There are so many amazing opportunities within the structure of ASM Global that can help drive and deliver practical outcomes.”

Costello believes there is a once in a lifetime opportunity to harness the growing momentum and recognition across the arts and cultural sectors, politics, and language and the acceptance of traditional knowledge. “Looking towards 2032 I hope we will look back and be able to say we have unlocked a First Nations renaissance period in Australia where we have grown and celebrated our oldest living culture with Australians from all backgrounds walking together hand in hand seeing historic moments unfolding.”

He said would use his many years’ experience to guide and assist with the preparation and development of a Reconciliation Action Plan for ASM Global and advise the Leadership Team on First Nations projects and protocols. He will also work with the group’s Australian venues on cultural competency training and assisting when needed.

Gail Sawyer is Group Communications Manager for ASM Global (Asia Pacific).