Hello Team,
A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit our team at Las Vegas Convention Center. Fun fact… the LVCC was my first venue visit after joining Sodexo Live! in January of 2023, so I was really looking forward to seeing things with a different lens, now that I have had the privilege to visit many of our beautiful convention center properties.
As part of the visit, I took the opportunity to sit down with Jay Lattimer (VPO) and his dedicated department heads to hear more from them about what was working, what was hard and where I could help. As I’ve always shared when given the chance to provide advice to new regional leaders, we must never forget that the purpose of our venue visits, with greatest priority , is the act of truly visiting with our people. Over two hours, I collected incredible accounts of the ‘Sodexo Live!’ difference as told by those originally involved in a contractor change, I got great feedback about the ways in which we as a company and our client as a partner can better support the LVCC team’s success, and I listened with pride as they responded to my question of: “what words would you use to describe the management team here in Las Vegas?”
While originally self-proclaimed, I can now say with complete confidence that our team at Las Vegas Convention Center is tenacious, hardworking, dedicated, passionate, never too proud to say when they get it wrong, and incredibly supportive of each other.
A week later, when we learned of Laurence Rua’s passing, all I could think of was how proud he was of this Las Vegas team. Laurence had been spending considerable time in Las Vegas, and as he and I walked the floor that visit, he commented that this group of talents that had been assembled was “the best one yet.” Jay, Helesa, Adam, Jimy, Staci, Kenneth, Ernest, Paula, Deborah, Steve, and Chef Dylan… thank you for filling Laurence with pride and for the deep appreciation I know you showed him for his commitment to you all.
Please enjoy a few photos of our Las Vegas Convention Center team, and one of our dear friend spending time with them.
Belinda
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Welcome, Matthew Schechter!
Matthew joins Sodexo Live! as Chief Financial Officer. He brings over 20 years of experience as a high-performing member of the c-suite to large, multinational organizations. Having served in many different roles, from Manager to VP, and eventually CFO/COO/Board, he is able to effectively zoom in on critical details and also step back to assess from a higher level. Most recently, since 2021, he served as the Chief Financial Officer – USA Market for MSC Cruises. And, prior to that, had served for 10+ years in multiple roles for Diageo, where he was responsible for financial reporting, forecasting, controls and more. Matthew holds both a CPA license and a Master’s in Accounting. He earned a BA in International Affairs and an MIA in Economics from Columbia University, and is fluent in both English and Spanish. He splits his time based between Boca Raton and New York.
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Welcome, Paul Cleary!
Paul has joined our team as Director of Internal Audit, replacing the position vacated by Bob Paoletti. Paul comes to us from the Sodexo Group Internal Audit (GIA) department where he’s worked since 2015. He already has some experience with our business in working with our internal audit department on previous audit issues. Prior to Sodexo, Paul worked with major retailers JCPenny and Target. He resides in Buffalo and graduated from SUNY Buffalo with a BA in Criminal Justice. He is also a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) and Certified Forensic Interviewer (CFI).
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Thank You, Doug Zimmerman!
Our Music City Center General Manager Doug Zimmerman headed off to a well-deserved retirement on July 9, after an immensely successful career with Sodexo Live!. He started on our team in 2002 and has worked at the Sacramento Convention Center, Walter E Washington Convention Center, and the Orange County Convention Center before joining Music City Center’s opening team in 2013 where he’s been ever since. Thank you, Doug, and we wish you a relaxing retirement!
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Congrats, Richard Ginzel!
In light of Doug Zimmerman’s retirement, Richard will be stepping into the role of Music City Center’s General Manager! With 15+ years working with our teams across the country, Richard’s hospitality experience will make for a seamless transition into this role. He most recently served as Vice President of Operations at our Indiana Convention Center, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis Zoo, and Lucas Oil Raceway venues.
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Congrats, Alexis O’Malley!
Alexis has been promoted to Recruiting Manager! She started with us in August 2022 as a Talent Acquisition Intern, then moved into a Recruiting Coordinator position. She has partnered closely with the HR and Operations teams in sourcing great Experience Makers to join Sodexo Live!. She recently graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato with a BS in Management, emphasis in Human Resources Management.
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Congrats, Ryan Shanley!
Ryan has been promoted to District Manager over Boston. Prior to his 2.5 years with our team, he was the General Manager at the Beantown Pub, among other bars and restaurants in the local area. His experience ranges from large-scale catering events and high-volume restaurants to small specialty cafes.
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Congrats, Kenneth Robles!
Kenneth has been promoted to Executive Chef at The Music Center at Strathmore! He’s been with our team for more than seven years and has helped at many venues and events across the country. His expertise and culinary prowess will help guests at The Music Center have even more exciting visits moving forward.
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Congrats, Chris Carter!
Chris has been promoted to join the Sodexo NORAM Benefits Team in a Strategy Management position! He has been an exemplary member of our team and the truest definition of service spirit to our operations partners and employees at every level. As part of the ongoing mutualization efforts between Sodexo Live! and Sodexo NORAM, the majority of Chris’s duties are being absorbed by the larger Sodexo Benefits Team.
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Welcome, Mark Krystopa!
Mark joins us as Senior Executive Chef for the University of Texas Austin Athletics! With us now for a few months, he’s helping to prepare the upcoming season for great success. He’s previously worked in the culinary field at Ritz and Hyatt Hotels, senior living facilities and more. He holds a BA from the Culinary Institute of America.
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Welcome, Sean Butler!
Sean joins the Sodexo Live! team as Executive Chef at the BJCC in Birmingham, Alabama. He previously worked at Pursell Farms and has been in the Birmingham area for 20+ years. He has apprenticed under Giuliano Bugialli, the “Champion of Italian Cuisine,” in Florence, Italy, and studied at New York’s Natural Gourmet Institute and The Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley. He rejoined Bugialli at Le Painer in Houston, Texas; became executive chef at J.P. McGill, followed by district chef at Aramark Conference Centers in Colorado and Texas, before joining Eurest Dining Services, which brought him to Birmingham in 2002.
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Welcome, Bret Donaldson!
Bret joins our team at University of Michigan Athletics as Senior Executive Chef. Most recently he was with Delaware North as the Executive Chef for the Chicago White Sox’s stadium for the past 4.5 years. Prior to that, he has a vast amount of culinary experience, including owning his own food truck.
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Speaking On Attracting, Developing, and Retaining Top Talent with Pro Sports Assembly
At The Assembly Leadership Retreatfrom PRO Sports Assembly, industry leaders who are influential in setting strategies for their organization and who are committed to creating a fair future came together to hear from leaders about a wide range of topics around the theme “Pro Sports Leadership Evolution & Innovation.” Our VP of HR Natasha Russ spoke on a panel titled, “Attracting, Developing, and Retaining Top Talent,” alongside two others from the US Soccer Federation and Chicago Bears.
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The Great Big Backpack Build at Orange County Convention Center
Our Sodexo Live! OCCC team joined A Gift for Teaching for their annual The Great Big Backpack Build to help stuff more than 21,000 backpacks, which means more than 21,000 students in the community will have access to brand new backpacks filled with essential school supplies for the upcoming year.
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L&N Stadium Team Donates Leftover Food to Feed Louisville
Following an event at L&N Stadium at the University of Louisville, our team was able to package about 250 pounds of prepared but unused food (due to lesser attendance at the event) and quickly made sure it was donated to local shelter Feed Louisville. Great work!
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We’re Hiring! Help Spread the Word
Sodexo Live! is hiring for the following positions: General Manager– Yakima Convention Center, District Manager– East Canada, Executive Chef I– Indiana Convention Center, and HR Director– New Orleans Convention Center. Help us spread the word and grow our top-notch team of Experience Makers!
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Big Soup Volunteering at Indiana Convention Center
The Big Soup initiatives for Sodexo Stop Hunger continue with our Indiana Convention Center team working together to create and package 150 gallons of delicious soup to donate to Second Helpings Indy. Great work, all!
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Orange County Convention Center Launches First 100% Plant Based Retail Dining Concept
Introducing Farm 407 – the 100% plant based retail concept, ideated by the innovative partnership between the culinary and retail teams at OCCC. Farm 407 offers a selection of plant-based bowls and wraps, crafted fresh from locally sourced ingredients. The team recently unveiled the new vegan menu to leadership, and Farm 407 officially debuted at the American Diabetes Expo. Inspired by OCCC’s aeroponic gardens, Chef K created a menu that honors sustainable, fresh, and flavorful dining.
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Congrats to our Spirit of Sodexo Winners!
In case you missed it, we’re thrilled to celebrate our six Spirit of Sodexo winners. Each year we partner with our Sodexo colleagues across North America to bestow these recognitions – our company’s highest honor – to celebrate those who go above and beyond. Congrats Devin Brockway (Lake Placid Convention Center) bronze Spirit of Service winner, Thomas Webber (University of Mississippi) gold Team Spirit winner, Haley Hitzing (Marketing) bronze Team Spirit winner, David Winarski (HR) silver Team Spirit winner, Delia Frontanes (Total Mortgage Arena) gold Spirit of Progress winner, Reid Oracoy (Ernest N. Morial Convention Center) bronze Spirit of Progress winner!
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Wine ‘Gets In The Game’ at Stadiums
In a new article from Market Watch, their writers look at how wine sales in stadiums are on the rise, with insight from Aaron LaMotte, our VP of supply management. The feature looks at the reason for the demand and how partnerships are forged at our venues like Lucas Oil Stadium, T-Mobile Park and Caesars Superdome.
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Indianapolis Zoo’s Indy Zoobilation A Hit In Its 37th Year
Themed CHIMPS: The One with the Chimpanzees, this year’s Indy Zoobilation, the largest black-tie fundraiser in the Midwest, was filled with great food from our team and local partners as guests got special access to the Zoo for some revelry.
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Belinda Oakley Talks Sports Leadership On SeventySix Capital Sports Show
On this episode of the SeventySix Capital Sports Leadership Show, host Wayne Kimmel interviews CEO Belinda Oakley to discuss a wide range of topics, from her career journey to how Sodexo Live! has become a powerhouse in sports hospitality.
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Inside the Olympics With Global Sodexo Live! CEO Nathalie Bellon-Szabo
On CNBC’s Squawk Box Europe, our CEO Nathalie Bellon-Szabo spoke with the host about Sodexo Live!’s plans for providing catering to the Paris 2024 Olympic Village, and explains why sustainability is at the heart of the strategy.
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How Do You Feed 15,000 Olympic Athletes?
Delish writer Tim Newcomb went inside the enormous dining operations for the Summer Olympics and how our team is preparing to serve the world’s largest restaurant of elite athletes. Read here
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U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials Breaks Attendance Record At Lucas Oil Stadium
Lucas Oil Stadium, host of the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials, set with a pool built on the floor of the venue, has broken the attendance record for the trials. The first day of the event set an all-time record with 20,689 present, citing it was “easily” the biggest crowd ever to witness the swimming trials. See a snapshot of the event on Instagram here.
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How to Navigate the Logistics of Catering to Thousands at Major Events
Large-scale events require extra measures of planning, coordination, and catering grit. Catersource spoke with industry experts, including our very own Warner Peck at Orange County Convention Center, to understand the key tips and tricks to ensuring success with major events.
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All vital resources are also provided on Sodexo_Net.
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Belinda Oakley
