Hello Team,
Recently I had the opportunity to visit The Magic City – Birmingham, Alabama – home to both our Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex, and a team culture I will never forget.
Let’s start with the venue. BJCC features an almost entirely interconnected convention center, stadium, arena, theatre and concert hall. I often comment on how easy it is to get lost in our venues, but this one had me turned around the entire time – despite being within eye shot of each venue at almost all times. Just in the same month I was there, the BJCC team hosted acts as diverse as Disney on Ice and Earth Wind and Fire with Lionel Richie in the arena. At the stadium, they play host to college football, USL, UFL, and occasionally, Garth Brooks… just for fun! In the exhibition space, they were preparing for the Time Travelers Expo – which it turns out is less the Doctor Who and Doc Brown variety, and more geared around vintage items. I liked the version my imagination created better personally.
But the best show of all came at check-in and pre-shift meeting. Let’s start with check-in. As Joya, Kim, Melissa and I entered the office, team members filed in around us, grabbing a copy of the monthly newsletter, stopping to try their hand at the creative Jenga game setup that offered fun and easy curated prizes like an extra 5-minute break, or checking out the free onsite counseling service schedule, which the BJCC team had coordinated through EAP in honor of mental health month. Behind the check-in wall was a discreet, fully stocked laundry that the team informed me was available for use by any employee who was not on the clock but could use the help.
Next, it was off to pre-shift, where Lamont was doing a fabulous job preparing the team for the night’s show in the arena, with levity provided by Randall, giving his best impression of Lionel Richie’s “Hello” from the night before. The best part of all, however, was watching Christopher be awarded Employee of the Month, an honor he accepted with pride… and with balloons! Just an hour before, I had met Donna – last month’s winner – and saw the same look of confidence and self-belief as she proudly held up her plaque. When the meeting was over, I was amazed to see every member of the team walk over to me, shake my hand, and introduce themselves. Wow… I thought. This is a team that knows where it’s going.
Later that evening over dinner, Joya shared that recently they had developed a Supervisor Training that went beyond job skills and into the crucially important life skills. As part of that, supervisors were tasked with sending a written communication to a member of the Sodexo Live! regional team, practicing expressing themselves in written form to prepare them for the future. That day, they had done a brief associate training on developing their ‘elevator pitch.’ This explained the incredible composure and confidence I had seen from the team… they were prepped and ready to shine!
I have always loved a quote by Clayton Christensen: “I used to think that if you cared for other people, you need to study sociology or something like it. But I have concluded, if you want to help other people, be a manager. If done well, management is among the most noble of professions.”
Team BJCC, you are making magic. Not only in our venues, but in people’s lives. Thank you for inspiring us all.
Belinda
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Welcome, Emily Fearing!
Emily joins our HR team as Recruiting Manager, but you may already know her! For the past year and a half, Emily has been our Talent Acquisition Intern, helping the team with recruiting efforts across our venues. She just graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato with a BS in Management, emphasis in Human Resources Management, minor in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and a certificate in Integrated Business Experience.
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Celebrating National Safety Month – Zero Harm Mindset
We’re pleased to report promising results from our Zero Harm Mindset workshop held in New Orleans this January. Chosen for its historically high Lost Time Incidents (LTIs) and Employee Injury Frequency (EIFs), the venue is showing significant improvements as we near the end of its busy season. We’ve seen remarkable reductions in both total and serious accidents. This success is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team. A special thank you to Steve, Lisa, and Brandon for their exceptional leadership and unwavering support while facing significant headwinds and competing priorities. Their efforts have truly made a difference. Check out this video to learn more about it.
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Fundraising Event Pairs Miami Beach’s Chef Ismael with Local Culinary Students For Hands-On Learning
Our Miami Beach Convention Center team participated in the 23rd Annual “Around the World Dinner” held at the Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay hosted by The Academy of Hospitality & Tourism Advisory Board to benefit public high school students with culinary interests. Participants included local restaurants, caterers, and chefs, and gave local high school culinary students the opportunity to work alongside locally revered chefs. Chef Ismael worked alongside some of the students to produce a fully plant-based menu representing the flavors of Miami. Dishes included plant-based “oysters,” coconut mango ceviche, and chocolate banana mousse. Great work MBCC team for continuing to be involved in the community and supporting the future of hospitality!
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Team NOLA Volunteers At Second Harvest
The Sodexo Live! team at Caesars Superdome and Smoothie King Center team volunteered at Second Harvest who is also our partner for leftover food donations from events. They stayed busy packing custom food orders for families and preparing meals for children in need. Just one of the great ways to keep the team connected in the off season and give back to the Crescent City!
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Nashville Team Kicks Things Off with Tennessee Titans at Titans House VIP Events
Earlier this month the Tennessee Titans opened Titans House , the new Nissan Stadium experience center and by-appointment-only space to help sell the new stadium. Our team kicked things off with a successful VIP Grand Opening followed by a packed NFL owners showcase, serving many influential guests within the industry.
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Checking Out the Future of Sustainability in Miami
Our sustainability team, Emily Zientek and Molly Crouch, recently visited Florida International University in Miami to experience the Sustainability Hospitality Challenge Semi Finals for the Americas They saw new innovations thought of by student-built teams who took the stage in a shark tank-style competition. Winners were awarded the opportunity to pitch their ideas in Dubai at the final competition. The winner gets to begin their new social enterprise with implementation in the next five years and investments from various investors. This global competition serves as an inspiration to think outside the box, create on scalable levels, and up the hospitality market to mainstream sustainability.
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Join The Green Team!
Are you interested in protecting the environment? Would you like to hear more about the green initiatives happening in our segment? Then please consider joining the Sodexo Live! Green Team! Since 2022, over 50 motivated individuals from every aspect of our operation have been making positive changes both at work and at home by learning how easy it can be. If interested in becoming a member of the Green Team or if you want to check it out before joining, please complete this short survey Hope to see you on our next all-call!
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Experience Maker Shoutout: David Sugrue
Inspired by a post about historic hurricane remnants, our Ocean Beach Park GM David Sugrue led an expedition to uncover items hidden for nearly a century. He hired a professional with a metal detector to help locate and remove the large and potentially dangerous items. Sitting just inches below the surface of the sand, he prevented injury if someone had jumped in on the metal or concrete. Despite winter storms and environmental regulations, his careful planning ensured safety while excavating as well. His dedication and focus on safety not only preserved historical relics but also protected our environment and community from harm. His leadership encourages us to prioritize a genuine commitment to safety.
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The New York Times Dives Into the Paris Olympics’ Gastronomic Course of Action
A new feature in The New York Times highlights all that goes into operating hospitality for the world’s best athletes for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Hear from our partner chefs, and our Global CEO Nathalie Bellon-Szabo here.
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Serving A Zero Waste Lunch In A Dumpster In Vegas
Dylan Matuschka, our Executive Chef at the Las Vegas Convention, served up quite a delicious meal to a handful of members at WasteExpo during their annual Zero Waste Lunch. Diners were seated at a table inside a dumpster, the unique setting making the lunch even more interesting. Read more from chef Dylan on Waste360.
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Cvent’s Top 50 Meeting Destinations in North America Released
Cvent has named the Top 50 Meetings Destinations in North America and the top five (in order) include Orlando, Las Vegas, Nashville, Dallas and San Diego, all of which Sodexo Live! proudly operates at their convention centers. Great work to all the teams involved in helping to make the venue, and the city, a great place to be!
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Leadership is Female Podcast with Meagan Murray
Dive into a conversation with our Seattle District Manager Meagan Murray about her unique career journey, how she brings to life the best fan experiences through hospitality, and more on the Leadership Is Female podcast here.
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Why USA Swimming Put a Pool in Lucas Oil Stadium for the Olympic Trials
Team Indy is set to host the 2024 U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials from June 15–23 at Lucas Oil Stadium, the first time the Trials have been staged on a football field. The event will have a seating capacity of up to 35,000. Three temporary pools — two 50-meter and one 25-meter — will be installed over the field. The largest crowd for an indoor swim meet was 25,000 at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, according to the International Swimming Hall of Fame. The Indiana Convention Center will also host USA Swimming’s fan-activation area.
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Behind Mariners Viral ‘Hot Dogs from Heaven’ Promotion, Plus USA Today’s Best Eats in Baseball
A new promotion between the Mariners and Hempler’s hot dogs went viral as they parachuted hot dogs into the crowd during a game. Read the story of how this came to be, with our team prepped and ready at the fifth inning to make sure hot dogs were all set to fly! Plus, USA Today names T-Mobile Park one of the best eats in baseball.
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All vital resources are also provided on Sodexo_Net.
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Belinda Oakley
