On Tuesday morning the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority held their 4th annual Partnership Summit at the Radisson Star Plaza. This event is pivotal for the SSCVA as it reflected on the successes that were had in 2014 for the tourism industry, announced upcoming events for 2015, and shared new information on new business technology, hotel security, and hospitality hiring practices.
Click here to see more photos from the Partnership summit!
A delicious breakfast was served in the Celebrity West Ballroom at the Radisson. Partners and prospective partners gathered to see what the SSCVA had in store for the New Year.
“This is a very interactive, very hands-on morning filled with various ways for our partners to get the most from their partnership with us,” Speros Batistatos, President and CEO of the SSCVA said. “I’m old fashioned and I believe that there is no substitute for face-to-face interaction. We cannot begin to understand our clients’ needs, whether they’re a hotel or nonprofit or a new startup, without sitting across from them and looking into their eyes and understanding what they need.”
Two breakout sessions took place simultaneously after breakfast: one on Internet marketing and technology, the other centered on hotel security. The marketing and tech talk session was led by the SSCVA Chief Marketing Officer Heather Becerra and Chief Technology Officer Luke Weinman IV. They geared their presentation towards small businesses and how they can reach a larger audience using social media and blogs, they talked about the importance and relevance of SEO (search engine optimization), the importance of Google Analytics, marketing trends, and what tools the SSCVA can use to promote businesses.
“We’re going to help you know your audience,” Weinman said to the group. “Google is your friend and we’re going to show you how to use it to your advantage.”
The other session was new to the Summit this year. It was geared toward hoteliers with the subject being security. Elyse Dobney started out the talk. She oversees The Salvation Army’s STOP-IT volunteer program. She talked about human trafficking in hotels and how to spot these incidences and what to do about them. Sergeant Jamie Harris of the Lake County Sherriff’s Department followed, continuing to speak on this topic.
“I deal with people who can make things worse for hotels,” Harris said. “And it’s my job to get them out before they cause problems and negatively impact a hotel’s reputation… When we become more proactive earlier we can make a positive impact.”
Businesses that came couldn't stop shining a positive light on the SSCVA and all that they do. Karen Maravilla owner of It's Just Serendipity and Raymundo Garcia owner of El Taco Real are both partners with the SSCVA. They came to the Summit to learn and get the most from their partnership.
"I'm here because the SSCVA really helps to promote businesses and organizations along the South Shore. They do a wonderful job and we wanted to make sure we came to learn how to take advantage of out partnership and to learn more about the event aspect as we're a part of the Downtown Hammond Council and they have events that go on," Maravilla said.
"Serenity Springs has been a partner with the SSCVA for nearly six years," Laura Ostergren, owner of Serenity Springs said. "They are very innovative, instrumental, they carry things out; action is what they are all about. It give me motivation and encourages me to come up with new events and partner with other events... They are a great team and well worth the money spent."
The last breakout session concentrated on hospitality and hiring practices. A panel of members of the White Lodging School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Purdue University Calumet sat at the front of the room and talked about how businesses can improve their hiring process as millennials make their way into the work force. Geralyn Farley, Associate Professor of Hospitality and Tourism Management and Natalie Connors, Director of Career Development & Services sat in the panel along with PUC MBA students Francisco Madrigal and Katie Wagila. They explained what they are looking for in a career path as millennials.
“I feel that part of my job besides teaching is actually running a sort of dating service,” Farley said. “We try to pair our partners with students that have skills that they are looking for… We have wonderful students who have wonderful leadership skills and communication skills. Come see our students in our classrooms as they demonstrate their customer service skills.”
Madrigal followed, explaining how potential employers can get the most from him and his fellow millennials.
“Being able to understand the wants and desires for millennials is important. These are people born between 1980 and 2000. By 2020 we will represent 46% of the workforce. We believe that companies and businesses have the ability to change society and we want to work for companies that have that mission and culture. We want to be valued and make an impact as soon as we hit the workforce and be shown that our work matters,” Madrigal said.
“Some of our best employees came from this program at Purdue Calumet,” Batistatos chimed in.
The Summit concluded with closing comments from Batistatos. An optional lunch program was available afterward where the SSCVA taught their partners, new and old, how to make the most of their partnership using the large array of options open to them.
“I have the pleasure of working with some of the best people in America,” Batistatos said. "We champion our community every day. It’s our job to do it. I’ve been doing it for a long time and it’s incumbent on you to do it, too. We encourage you to stay abreast of what’s going on in your community. We are a big business and with the new partnerships with Newton and Jasper Counties we are a few percentage points away from what Indianapolis does in tourism... We have an incredible team and we’re very, very good marketers and we’re very creative. That’s what separates us from other convention bureaus.”
2015 is chalk full of great things and the SSCVA has the scoop on all of them. Click here to see the calendar of events!
