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.

By Christine Susa

Pasadena Convention & Visitors Bureau (Visit Pasadena) welcomes destination marketing veteran Kristin McGrath as the organization’s new Executive Director.

“We are delighted to welcome Kristin McGrath as the new Executive Director of Visit Pasadena,” said Michael Ross, CEO of the Pasadena Center Operating Company, which oversees the Pasadena Convention & Visitors Bureau, Convention Center and Civic Auditorium. “Kristin has the experience and ability to lead the organization through the tourism recovery and into the future. She’ll be a great asset for the city as we continue to promote Pasadena as a world class destination.”

McGrath steps into the role of Executive Director at a critical time as the tourism industry rebuilds from COVID. In this role, McGrath will function as the chief administrative officer for the Pasadena Convention & Visitors Bureau and be responsible for its management, organizational development, planning, and direction.

“Pasadena is such a beautiful destination,“ McGrath said. “The vibrant downtown coupled with an exceptional convention center set Pasadena apart. I’m thrilled to join the team at this exciting time.”

McGrath brings more than 20 years in the tourism industry, specializing in destination management, sales and marketing. For the past five years, she served as the Vice President of Sales, Services & Sports at Visit Albuquerque. Prior to that, McGrath served as Vice President of Sales & Services at the Richmond Region Tourism and Vice President of Sales & Services at Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau. She also held positions at Westin Copley Place Boston and the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau.

McGrath is a graduate of Emmanuel College in Boston and is a Certified Destination Management Executive (CDME). She is active in Destinations International and currently serves as a Board Member of the Certified Destination Management Executive Program and the Professional Development Committee.

Christine Susa is Director of Marketing & Communications for Visit Pasadena.

Fern, a leading provider of exhibition and event services, announced a partnership with Stephan Murtagh, The Exhibition Guy, to launch the Fern Exhibitor Success Program. This collaborative effort provides a series of custom webinars that event organizers can provide to exhibitors to help them have a more robust and rewarding event experience.

The Fern Exhibitor Success Program offers three levels of engagement and training options. Key components include:

The 7 Steps to Exhibition Success, which takes the exhibitor on the journey from pre-show planning to onsite and post-show follow-up to enhance their ROI/ROO.

The 9 Key Things for Last-Minute Trade Show Marketing Success, which builds on the seven steps by focusing on the small yet hugely essential things an exhibitor can do in advance of the show to attract key buyers.

All These Leads, Now What—What to Do After the Show, which focuses on post-show strategies and best-practices for lead follow up and conversion.

In addition to the webinars, event organizers have the option of purchasing blocks of 1:1 coaching that they can make available to exhibitors.

“We are delighted to have developed a strategic partnership with Fern. Having followed Fern for a long time, it’s clear that our visions for exhibitor and exhibition success are very much aligned,” said Murtaugh. “This made it an obvious choice for both businesses to not only add value to their clients but to make the exhibition industry an even better platform for all stakeholders. We look forward to working with the team at Fern on this unique & exciting partnership.”

“The success of an exhibitor’s experience at an event is something that also benefits the organizer. With more than 28 years in the exhibition business, Stephan understands what it takes to be successful on both fronts,” said Jim Kelley, Vice President, Marketing and Industry Relations for Fern. “Now our event organizer clients can pass his expertise along to their exhibitors to provide a meaningful and a tangible return that will result in higher exhibitor satisfaction levels, retention and new sales.”