< PreviousTalking Pandemic Recovery With Michael Massari Harvey Grotsky: What has the year of disruption taught you about the industry? Michael Massari: What comes to mind is resilience. The first thing I think about is my team, sales, catering, banquet operations and marketing. I am so proud of each individual and even for myself. I am proud because it would have been so easy to just give up and say, ‘I am just not making any progress.’ We moved forward and then backward. We had no idea how long this would be going on for. I am also proud of everyone in our industry, who every single day got up and continued to work hard to get through this dif- ficult time. We encouraged each other and gave each other support. The industry organizations such as MPI, PCMA, HSMAI and CEMA and so many others provided and incredible resource and a place for everyone in the industry to belong. No one gave up, everyone endured. The pandemic was a Herculean headwind. The meetings businesses had restrictions while hotels had opened, restaurants opened, airports opened, ball stadi- ums opened, and the meetings busi- ness was restricted to less than 10-, 15-, 25- or 50-person caps, depending on the location. It was only on June 1 that all restrictions were lifted in Nevada. And Atlantic City even later. We were deeply impacted. H G: How do you see the industry changing as a result of the pandemic? MM: There was a time that no one would have questioned why people meet face to face, because as humans, we have always met face to face, since the begin- ning of time. This was challenged some- what after the great recession … and this has been challenged now during this pandemic. While spending time in per- son was not permitted, everyone missed this tremendously. Today, people’s understanding of why they meet in per- son and their desire to be together has never been stronger. We will continue to use platforms such as Zoom, the phone and email, but nothing will replace the quality of interaction you have with people when you gather in person — the impromptu conversations, the camara- derie and the bonds you make happen when you are together. Relationships are built in person and trust is estab- lished; the foundation of doing business together. Virtual meetings happened, but quickly Zoom fatigue was a reality. Business was on hold. HG: As a result of the pandemic, what new initiatives has Caesars Entertainment put in place? MM: Like everyone else in the industry, we implemented safety protocols and focused on these to make sure attendees felt safe. We reviewed and fine-tuned our offerings and processes to assure that we would be ready to welcome guests back with an even greater experience. Hav- ing said that, I wouldn’t say that any real new initiatives have come out as a result of the pandemic. Perhaps we now have an even greater awareness of how people feel. We’ve always been there to help people execute great meetings. We’ve always focused on the discovery process to really understand where our custom- ers are coming from and what their objectives are. If anything, the time we spent with customers during this time reinforced the importance of being close to your customers and the value of build- ing genuine and long-term partnerships. HG: Is Caesars Entertainment prepared for another crisis that would alter or limit large gatherings? MM: My response is, meetings mean business. In addition to my role with 10 ONEONONE themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESJULY 2021 A t MPI WEC 2021, held June 15-17 at CAESARS FORUM in Las Vegas, Association Conventions & Facilities Publisher Harvey Grotsky spoke with Michael Massari, Chief Sales Officer for Caesars Entertainment Inc. and Co-Chair of Meetings Mean Business, about the status of the company and the industry in the wake of the pandemic. FORWARD MOVINGCaesars Entertainment, I have been involved with the Meetings Mean Business coalition since its inception. Currently, as co-chair for Meetings Mean Business, one of my goals is to help people to understand the value of professional meetings and events. And now, our message is to make sure that those who are not in our indus- try understand that professional meetings and events are not super- spreader events. Business gather- ings are controlled environments. We know who is in attendance as attendees register, business is done and deals are made. Those attending meetings follow the rules that are in place. As an operator, we can stag- ger arrivals, stagger departures. We can organize large-scale events in a pandemic and do it safely. These are not mutually exclusive thoughts. In Las Vegas, during the pandemic, I met with my counterparts regularly. We worked together on guidelines and protocols. The Meetings Mean Business coalition part of USTA and Caesars Entertainment are working hard to communicate this. We want to separate professional meetings and events from other types of gath- erings. The layered safety protocols we put in place will help mitigate risk. I hope that the next genera- tion of meeting professionals never have to manage anything like this, and should they find themselves in a situation like this, will have a stronger footing. HG: You’re probably faced with the same problem that everyone else is … hiring and returning people to their jobs. Is that a problem here in Las Vegas for you? MM: For the meetings industry in Las Vegas, it is not as big of a challenge as in many other parts of the country. The positions we have are well com- pensated and Caesars Entertainment provides a positive working environ- ment with great benefits. We have lots of longevity. On my team alone in the meetings and conventions business, we have 5-year, 10-year, 20-year and 30-year employees. That says it all. Our hotels and conference spaces are beau- tiful, and our customers are loyal. Our culture has always been about treating our employees well and providing great customer service. This is one of the reasons so many of our team members have come back and are coming back. HG: A lot of people in corporate America and associations are working remotely. If I only have your office number, how do I get in touch with you? MM: Working remotely has been a big change for everyone. Fortunately, everyone has a cell phone and even when you’re working remotely, you are still reachable with access to their email and, of course, there is LinkedIn and Facebook. Everyone is so connected. HG: What do you see as the outlook for 4th quarter of this year and for next year? MM: The fourth quarter of 2021 and beyond are very strong. I would even say outstanding. We made a strategic deci- sion to keep our sales team working for the duration of the pandemic. Our sales teams are located around the country and are a staple in their communities. They stayed close to their customers and worked incredibly hard during this time. These were hard times for every- one as colleagues, friends and family members lost their positions. Everyone was affected in some way. Because we stayed so connected, we were fortunate and contracted more future business in the 12 months of the pandemic than we had in any other 12-month period in the history of the company. I hope that when we look back on this time that we ask ourselves that it’s not “meet or be safe,” but that it’s “meet and be safe.” How are we going to meet and be safe? It’s not “travel or not get sick.” It’s “how will we travel and not get sick?” We need to demand both and figure out how to do both. There are risks in life, and we need to mitigate those risks while still moving society forward. As people, we are meant to gather and exchange ideas, and there is no better way but to do this in person. | AC&F | 11 JULY 2021 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESBY MARK D. STEELE M anufacturers who have historically relied upon trade shows as a primary lead generation chan- nel have had to find a new way to connect with prospects since trade shows were cancelled because of the COVID-19 pan- demic. In response, many companies have chosen to deploy an experiential mobile marketing trailer that they can take directly to targeted customers to show- case and demonstrate their products. While trade shows have been a main- stay of business-to-business marketing plans for their ability to put exhibitors in front of a large number of people within an industry, the challenge for an indus- trial company has always been connect- ing specifically with those attendees who are planning a purchase for a given prod- uct or solution. Experiential marketing campaigns, also known as activations, deliver an immersive brand experience for a smaller, but more targeted audience. When executed on a mobile platform, they bring the experience directly to a customer. Manufacturers can focus on specific companies and have their undi- vided attention to tell their story and demonstrate their solutions. “After the pandemic started and all our trade shows were cancelled, we first turned to webinars to tell our story,” says Amy Teal, marketing manager – events at Stratasys, a manufacturer of 3D printers and production systems for office-based rapid prototyping and direct digital manufacturing. “But with 3D printing, we really need our customers to interact with our products, which led us to seek out a mobile showroom solution. If the customers could no longer come to us at a trade show, then we had to find a way to come to them.” After a lengthy search for companies who are experienced in mobile design and showroom fabrication, Stratasys selected a rapid designer and fabricator of custom mobile vehicles. LAUNCHING A MOBILE SHOWROOM Having worked with a number of rac- ing team clients, Stratasys had already seen how effective mobile spaces can be when well-designed. Central to 12 VIEWPOINT themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESJULY 2021 Bring the Experience Directly to the Customer Custom Experiential Marketing Environments Fill a Trade Show Gap and Give Vendors An Exciting New Platform to Engage Customers When Exhibiting Returnsthe design of the mobile showroom was the ability to tell their story in a compelling way. “We needed our mobile showroom to not only allow visitors to touch and feel our equipment, but also walk away with a sense of excitement and energy from the benefits of additive technologies,” Teal says. “We designed the space to demonstrate several 3D printers, and to be a showroom where we can talk about different applica- tions and materials for a variety of sectors such as aerospace, automo- tive, healthcare, manufacturing and product design.” Given the precision quality of the 3D printing and production systems, Stratasys also needed to ensure their technologies were well secured and protected in transit. Based on Stratasys’ vision for their customer experience, the custom mobile vehicles fabricator custom- ized a gooseneck trailer to showcase Stratasys printers and 3D printing capabilities. The design included a glass-paneled slide-out wall, custom branded exterior graphics and custom laminate cabinetry. “It was important for us to deploy our mobile showroom as soon as pos- sible” Teal says. “We got started on the actual build in August and we hit the road in early November. [Our fabrica- tor] was able to complete the project in a very short period of time.” Executing a mobile showroom program requires managing the logis- tics of bringing a trailer to scheduled appointments with customers over an extended period. In Stratasys’ case, they planned for a six-month tour across the nation, which has recently been extended for an addi- tional five months. “We selected a partner who could manage the logistics of fielding our tour, Teal says. “There are a lot of factors to consider, including calendar manage- ment, space requirements in customer parking lots, and simply transporting the trailer and the driver between cus- tomer locations.” Companies also need to plan for updates to products during a mobile showroom tour. “We continue to inno- vate,” Teal says. “As a result, I am put- ting new parts in our trailer almost every other week. Some of these require design changes and [our fab- ricator] implemented these at the last minute. In one case, they developed a solution literally overnight for us. They were then able to cut new gussets, put our logo on the brackets, have them painted in our PMS colors — all within a day or two.” DELIVERING IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES DURING A PANDEMIC Hosting personalized experiences for targeted customers at their manu- facturing facility or office location makes it easier to comply with pan- demic health protocols as compared to traditional roadshow events where a manufacturer hosts guests at a res- taurant or event space where there are more people involved and they don’t control the environment. “We, of course, maintain safe dis- tances with customers, limit the num- ber of people in the showroom at a time, clean our surfaces constantly, use hand sanitation stations and installed a small air filtration system inside our mobile showroom,” Teal says. “We’ve proven that even with these health factors, we can still effectively present our products.” Manufacturers have realized a brand benefit from their mobile show- rooms too. “It’s been really impactful from a brand awareness perspective as we visit companies at their office or manufacturing facility,” Teal says. “The effort we are making to connect with them says a lot about how much we value customer relationships. And because the experience is so unique, it is very memorable.” A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY When trade shows will return is still very much an unknown, since it is largely dependent on the timing and effectiveness of the nationwide vaccine rollout. This may also be a window of oppor- tunity for those considering deploying a mobile showroom in terms of time and cost. Fabricators may have more capac- ity for trailer customization projects because of the impact of the pandemic, which can translate into faster project turnaround times and favorable terms for customers. | AC&F | 13 Mark D. Steele, P.E. is the president, CEO & co-owner of Craftsmen Industries Inc. (craftsmenind.com), manufacturer of highly engineered and executed specialty industrial fabrication, containerized and mobile solutions since 1982. Steele is recognized as an NACD Board Leadership Fellow, is NACD Directorship Certified and earned Cybersecurity Oversight credentials from the CERT at Carnegie Mellon. He received a B.S. in Mining Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh, and an M.S. in Industrial Administration (MBA) from the Carnegie Mellon University GSIA (Tepper School). JULY 2021 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES Experiential marketing campaigns deliver an immersive brand experience for a smaller, but more targeted audience. What Will the Post- Pandemic Leader Look Like? BY ED HESS W e’ve just been through a stress- ful period of dis- ruption, trauma, fear and loss. No company will ever be quite the same as it was before COVID-19. Neither will any employee. What that means is no leader can lead the same way they led in February of 2020 either. As we move into recovery, leaders will have to deploy a whole new mindset and a whole new skill set. Not all of this is COVID-driven. We’ve known for years, decades even, that the old- school leadership model would have to change. But for sure the pandemic has accelerated the need for a new kind of leader. Hyper-learning explores what it means to be this type of leader. On an individual level, hyper- learning means being able to continuously learn, unlearn and relearn by adapting to the reality of the world as it evolves, rather than seeking to defend your beliefs and ego. On an organizational level, it means creating an environment that allows and encourages everyone else to be hyper-learners as well. Essentially, leaders must embrace the mindset and master the skills needed to create high engagement and enable continuous high performance in constantly changing times. As we move into recovery, leaders must be able to do the following: Manage their own emotions and behaviors — Inner peace is a foundational building block for a hyper- learner for many reasons: It allows you to quiet your ego, stay open to the best ideas and connect with others in mean- ingful ways. And in times of great chaos, it helps you tune out the noise so you can do the kind of high-level critical thinking that allows you to make smart decisions. Inner peace allows you to be like a port in the storm. A huge spotlight will be on leaders right now, both inside companies and in the external world. That means we need to be in firm con- trol of our inner world. Defuse the anxiety of employ- ees — People are really suffering right now, and emotional well-being mat- ters. Remember that employees take their cues from you, so a state of calm is more important than ever. Part of helping neutralize anxiety is communi- cation; when you don’t do it well, and often, people will fill in the void with their own worst-case scenarios. Defus- ing anxiety is more than going through the motions of communication, though. It’s about communicating in ways that create human connection and relat- edness. Now, more than ever, people need to feel cared about as unique human beings. Create a sense of “We are all in this together, and together we will thrive” — The workplace of the future is an idea meritocracy. The old caste system — a relic of the Industrial Revolution when the “command- and-control” leadership model reigned — is dead. Leaders need to inspire hope, but not in the sense of “Don’t worry, we will res- cue the rest of you.” The message needs to be “Together, we will thrive.” Of course, this message must be backed by a workplace environment that allows for true collaboration. People must be able to have high-quality con- versations, and it’s the leader’s job to set up the right conditions. Anticipate market shifts and be disruptive — For instance, leaders need to know how to manage digital transformation. This is where the hyper-learning mindset really comes into play. Leaders must stay open to the future and really lis- ten to customers, rather than clinging to old, preconceived ideas and hearing what you want to hear. Operational excellence will be table stakes in the recovery and beyond. Every company will be in the innovation business. Every organization will need to “skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been,” as Wayne Gretzky so famously said. Proactively manage change — Change is the new given. Imperma- nence is the new mindset needed. This will require embedding in your business a “story” that enables every employee to embrace change, as opposed to being fearful of change or running away 14 VIEWPOINT themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESJULY 2021 DEPOSITPHOTOS.COMfrom change. That requires teaching employees how to go into the unknown and figure it out. People will need new tools to use, and small teams will be the structure needed to continuously adapt. Change is an iterative process — and change needs to be challenging, but not overwhelming. Change is emotional. That means leaders need to understand the psychology of change: What kinds of emotions/behaviors to expect and how to guide people to positive emo- tions. When people know they must constantly learn, unlearn and relearn, then change isn’t some upsetting expe- rience. It’s just life. Foster quick, effective, smart collaboration — No one person can ever have all the answers. It takes team- work. People have to be able to arrive at smart answers quickly, and that means creating the conditions for collective flow to happen and building “caring, trusting teams.” While many factors play into good collaboration, an “other- ness” focus is at the center. Otherness is both a mindset and a behavior. Lead- ers first need to overcome their own tendency to seek confirmation for what they believe. This means acknowledg- ing that they need others to help them see solutions. They also need to behave in ways that show they respect the human dignity of others, and make sure all team members do the same. Seek feedback continuously — Yes, leaders need to seek feedback and embrace it as opposed to immediately reacting negatively. Embrace feedback graciously and gratefully. That takes humility. If you assume you know it all, you won’t be open to the ideas of others. Humility requires mastering the ego. While this may not be easy, it’s certainly possible to have a quiet ego once you get intentional about it. Mindfulness meditation is one method. Another good option is to practice gratitude by saying thank you more often, writing thank-you notes to employees, and acknowledging often that you did not reach your leadership position all on your own. Create a place where people really want to be — As economic recovery takes hold and more oppor- tunities begin to open up, we’ll see a mass exodus of people who were poorly treated during tough times. Be ready to capture them by taking steps to “humanize” your workplace culture. Essentially this means you need to: 1) Be an idea meritocracy. This means the best data-driven idea or judgment wins, irrespective of rank, compensation or power. 2) Cultivate workplace positivity. Positive emotions enable cognitive processing, innovative thinking, learn- ing and creativity. Negative emotions like fear and anxiety -- squelch them. 3) Respect human dignity. Respect every employee as a unique human being worthy of the opportunity to grow and develop their skills, and to be economically rewarded in a man- ner that validates their human dignity and gives them the opportunity to live a meaningful life. Operationalize “psychologi- cal safety” throughout your busi- ness — That requires you to build trust throughout your organization. That enables people to do the “hard stuff” like give constructive feedback, chal- lenge the status quo and find the cour- age to take risks. Meet people’s self-determi- nation needs — In part, this means people must have input on how they do their jobs and feel a sense of compe- tence in their work. Adopt a new humanistic way of working — Leaders must focus on training and developing people so they can be their “best selves.” Without a whole company of people working at top capacity, it will be tough for any business to survive in a super-competi- tive marketplace. Every company will be in the human development business in addition to its core business. The quality of your human performance ultimately will be your strategic differentiator. That is why humanizing the workplace will be important. COVID has been a workplace dis- ruptor. It has required human adap- tation and embracing new ways of working. As we move over time into a post-COVID era, leaders must embrace the reality that the business world will not go back to operating as it did in early 2020. It is time to continue to move forward, not to regress. By mov- ing forward in the post-COVID phase, the rewards may be exponential. Don’t let a good recovery go to waste. | AC&F | 15 Edward D. Hess is a professor of business administration, Batten Fellow and Batten Executive-in-Residence at the Darden School of Business, and the author of “Hyper-Learning: How to Adapt to the Speed of Change.” He spent 20 years in the business world as a senior executive and has spent the last 18 years in academia. He is the author of 13 books, more than 140 articles and 60 Darden case studies. His work has appeared in more than 400 global media outlets, including Fortune, Fast Company, WIRED, Forbes Inc., Huffington Post and The Washington Post. For more information, visit EdHess.org. JULY 2021 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES By moving forward in the post-COVID phase, the rewards may be exponential. Don’t let a good recovery go to waste.INDUSTRYINSIGHT themeetingmagazines.com DEI TAKES CENTER STAGE ASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESJULY 2021 DEPOSITPHOTOS.COM 16hen it comes to integrating diver- sity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace and community, 2020 proved to be a year of reckon- ing. The impact of COVID-19 on the African American community and the death of George Floyd, together with increased attacks against members of the Asian American community, have sparked conversations nationally of why DEI matters and best strategies for fostering positive change where all feel valued, visible and respected. DEI Defined Diversity advocate and activist, Verna Myers, popular- ized this distinction between diversity and inclusion as: “Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance.” Industry insiders have since expanded that analogy, with some variations, to include “Equity and/ or belonging is when everyone contributes to the playlist.” In essence, as Gwen Migita, vice president of social impact, sustainability, diversity, equity and inclusion with Caesar’s Entertainment Inc. explains, “DEI is how we level the play- ing field. Everyone has diverse traits; inclusion is how you manage that.” In fact, says Julie Coker, president & CEO of the San Diego Tourism Authority (SDTA), “We celebrate differences that we all have.” Yet, DEI conversations are ever-evolving as previously unspoken experiences come to light. For example, in today’s environment, Migita says,“There are deeper conversations around mental health and disabilities and the use of pro- nouns in transgender communities, also in policing and sex trafficking and how to reverse systemic barri- ers to equality.” Deedra Mills-Hall, program coordinator for Tourism Diversity Matters, defines DEI in her organization as: “Diversity represents all the ways we differ; equity is the institution of jus- tice, equality, impartiality and fairness through the implementation of processes, and the distri- bution of resources throughout the organization; and inclusion is the outcome of ensuring diverse individuals within the organization actually feel and are welcomed. Encouraging organizations within our indus- try to diversify their governance, leadership, teams and sup- pliers is key.” Why does DEI matter ultimately? “Implementing effec- tive diversity, equity and inclusion best practices provides an incubator that fosters unique perspectives, experiences, increase profitability, creativity, stronger governance, bet- ter problem-solving abilities and innovation that can drive the business forward,” Mills-Hall says. “There is substantial research that shows that organizations that invest in DEI outperform organizations that do not.” Cleo Battle, CTA, who started as president & CEO of Louisville Tourism on July 1, agrees. “It’s also just good business. We believe all tourists are interested in what makes a city unique. Louisville would not be the cre- ative, innovative, passionate city that it is without our black community. For all that inspires tourism in our city — from bourbon to horse racing, to food traditions and even ‘The Greatest’ himself, Muhammad Ali — count- less people of color have contributed their gifts to build our vibrant culture. We stand with our community in advocating for racial equality and respect for all.” Battle continues, saying diversity in Louisville Tourism means, “Committing to advancing racial equality and inclusion, by taking thorough and direct action ... intentionally hir- ing people from diverse backgrounds, including people of color, women and people who identify as LGBTQ, along with making sure Louisville Tourism regularly works with a more inclusive variety of vendors. [It also means] increasing diversity representation in marketing collat- 17 JULY 2021 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES Discussing the Importance of Different Perspectives Deedra Mills-Hall Program Coordinator Tourism Diversity Matters There is substantial research that shows that organizations that invest in DEI outperform organizations that do not. By Nancy Muellereral and offering employee education covering unconscious bias and ways employees can help create a more inclusive workplace.” Beyond diversity definitions, Roger Dow, president & CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, notes the link between DEI and tourism: “Our industry, we all know this, stands for hospitality, which means embracing people from every walk of life; from every background. We’re really in a position to be the stew- ards for our communities,” Dow says. “That’s been something we’ve built our whole travel industry on for decades. We have a real opportunity for our- selves and others to walk the talk when it comes to compassion.” DEI Tourism Initiatives Tourism Diversity Matters provides organizational assessments, workshops, training, and programs that allow orga- nizations within the travel and tourism industry to identify their progress with moving DEI forward, and how they can improve from a business case by imple- menting DEI best practices to foster a more inclusive environment within their organizations. “Diversity, equity and inclusion is what we do,” Mills- Hall says. “And we provide other orga- nizations within our industry with tools and resources that they can utilize and implement to shift the culture within their organizations.” While the world has been on col- lective pause due to the pandemic, the pause has also provided an opportunity for Louisville Tourism to “step back, evaluate and continue to push forward to improve the future of the destination and our organization,” Battle says. This is in addition to “providing free, ongo- ing DEI training sessions to the entire hospitality industry in Louisville,” Battle describes how Louisville Tour- ism created a Black Tourism Advisory Council (BTAC) to address racial and minority inequities within the industry in 2020. “Members of the BTAC were invited to join ongoing conversations about intentional inclusivity in the hospitality industry. Representatives from all major local hospitality indus- try sectors were included to address systemic racism to improve Louisville’s hospitality organizations and overall destination experience for visitors and residents,” Battle says. “After establish- ing the BTAC, one of the first initiatives was getting the committee’s advice on a new product launch of Louisville’s Afri- can American heritage, now known as the Unfiltered Truth Collection. This new collection is a group of seven Lou- isville attractions that showcase experi- ences celebrating the impact of African American contributions to Louisville’s history, heritage and culture through stories many have never heard before at some of Louisville’s iconic attrac- tions, including the Kentucky Derby Museum, Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory, and Evan Williams Bour- bon Experience, among others.” Battle thinks that “Not only is this a good introduction to Louisville’s top attrac- tions, but it presents a fuller picture of the city’s history and accomplish- ments that have been less talked about. It’s been impactful to see we have the diversity, now we just need to tell these unique stories.” At Caesars Entertainment, the com- pany has also set goals, and the com- pany’s DEI strategy is based on five pil- lars: Workforce & Workplace; Supplier & Contracting Diversity; Community Reinvestment; Marketing, Branding & Sales; and Policy Advocacy & Thought Leadership. “Caesars recently set new, aggressive targets to increase represen- tation of women and people of color in leadership toward gender, and racial parity, by 2025,” Migita says. That means “50% of management roles will be held by women within both the mid- level and senior leadership populations, and 50% of mid-level leadership roles will be held by people of color (POC). We also com- mit to increase the repre- sentation of POC in senior leadership by 50%.” Coker says the pan- demic pause also gave her organization a chance to look inward. After losing 30% of their staffing, “We learned there were gaps we were missing” in our staff communication and DEI strategy. Moving forward, she says, “Now, we will rebuild and be more intentional” in implementation, including expand- ing board and supplier diversity. SDTA has initiated a Tourism Business Accelerator Program by which minor- ity businesses are paired with tourism partners as mentors to accelerate their business opportunities and growth. For example, a law firm might provide free legal advice, and minority businesses also receive a one-year membership in SDTA, and advertising opportunities to themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESJULY 2021 The Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville, inset. Above, Cleo Battle, right, recently replaced Karen Williams, center, as president & CEO of Louisville Tourism. Battle says the organization created a Black Tourism Advisory Council to discuss diversity issues. 18increase their visibility in the commu- nity. As part of their workforce strategy, and what Coker describes as “wrap- around services,” SDTA also has a goal to provide scholarships to colleges with hospitality programs with the intention of attracting and recruiting minority graduates for employment. DEI Challenges and Best Practices Despite high hopes and best inten- tions, the road ahead presents its share of challenges, Mills-Hall says. “A chal- lenge we foresee as an organization as we expand our DEI efforts is our ability to build sustainable resources that will help to support, sustain and maintain our momentum in prioritizing DEI in our industry.” Migita mentions the “competition for talent” or discovering that “the pool of individuals in certain geographic markets is not there,” which may neces- sitate the “need to go where available talent is.” Battle also cites the need for “quantifiable metrics, which are often- times missing.” So, “a challenge is to develop quality DEI programs with long-term measures and goals,” he says. For Coker, the greatest challenge to the future of DEI is that “We don’t seize this moment,” she says. “We are at a pivotal moment, and it would be a tragedy” if it slips by and the industry misses out on the chance to keep moving forward in building better outcomes in diversity, equity and inclusion. When asked how to do just that, Mills-Hall offers: “As a start, organiza- tions should begin by conducting an expert [DEI] organizational assessment of your organization’s culture to get a JULY 2021 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES Julie Coker President & CEO San Diego Tourism Authority Everyone has a role. It takes action, money and muscle to get it done, and to measure results. Keep these conversations going. It doesn’t happen overnight. 19 San Antonio is committed to safety. And inspiration. San Antonio is open for business and committed to your safety and your satisfaction. The San Antonio International Airport is leading the way in safety being the first airport in the world to deploy the Xenex LightStrike disinfectant robot. In addition, the Henry B. González Convention Center is the first in Texas to achieve GBAC Accreditation for achieving the industry’s highest standards for cleaning and disinfecting. San Antonio has always been one of the most attractive and appealing business destinations. Now it’s one of the safest. To learn more, go to meetings.visitsanantonio.com. ©2021 Visit San Antonio meetings.visitsanantonio.comNext >