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Salt Summit & Awards

Diversity Community and Culture

Employee Development

New Leadership

Employee Highlights

Earth Month

Sustainability

Event Highlights

Upcoming Events

Socials

SALT SUMMIT & AWARDS

This quarter, members of our team had the opportunity to attend the 2026 SALT Summit and SALT Awards hosted by Visit Salt Lake With more than 200 attendees at the Summit and over 400 at the Awards ceremony, the event brought together hospitality professionals from across the industry for a day focused on learning, connection, and celebration.

SALT Summit

The Summit provided a full day of education and inspiration, beginning with keynote speaker James Lawrence, better known as the "Iron Cowboy, " whose story of resilience and determination set an energizing tone for the day.

Team members also attended breakout sessions led by Mary Crafts, Oz Hutton, Tyler Kirsh, and Kaitlin Eskelson Topics ranged from leadership and professional growth to technology and innovation The day ended with an inspiring presentation from Olympic Silver Medalist Chris Mazdzer

SALT SUMMIT & AWARDS

SALT Awards

Following the Summit, attendees gathered for the SALT Awards, an evening dedicated to recognizing outstanding individuals and organizations across the hospitality industry. We had the time of our lives, as the evening was filled with a ‘Dirty Dancing’ themed celebration and performance More importantly, it served as a reminder of the incredible people and partners who make our industry successful and the impact they have within Salt Lake’s hospitality community

Bryan Howser Receives Venue Facility &

Operations Award

One of the highlights of the evening was

celebrating our very own Bryan Howser, who was recognized with the Venue Facility & Operations SALT Award. Bryan's dedication

to our venues shows his commitment to operational excellence Within his new role

as the Sustainability Coordinator, his desire

to improve systems and support his team are

values we strive to uphold every day.

Nominees

Facility & Venue Operations

Brian Draney

Bryan Howser

Daniel Montoya

Francisco Contreras

Nikki Taylor

Sebastian Castaneda

Travis Tello

Best Boss Bart Allen

Dirk Parker

Josh Ambrose

Monica Ortega

Nikki Taylor

Trisha Beagley

Breakthrough Star

Casey Anderson Madalyn Pewtress Morrighan Berry

Scene Maker Maribel Avila

DIVERSITY, COMMUNITY, AND CULTURE COMIMITTEE INITIATIVES

The Diversity, Community, and Culture Committee (DCC) is an employee-led group focused on fostering connection, awareness, and employee engagement across our teams and venues

Mental Health Awareness Month

Here at the Salt Palace and Mountain America Expo Center, we recognized Mental Health

Awareness Month in May by encouraging employees to pr

Mental Health Presentation

A clinician from the Salt Lake City Police Department shared valuable insights about mental health,

including ways to recognize mental wellness challenges and strategies for maintaining mental health both personally and professionally.

Yoga & Sound Bath Activity

Employees also had the opportunity to participate in a guided yoga session and sound bath. The sound bath was led by our very own employee, Trisha Beagley, creating a meaningful opportunity for employees to connect, unwind, and support one another in a unique and restorative way

Mindful Munch

Each Tuesday during lunch, employee led presentations covered a variety of mental health topics Discussions focused on awareness, physical health, burnout prevention, and mental health first aid

rs Zen Zones Dedicated Zen Zones were available throughout the month, providing calm and welcoming spaces where employees could step away from their daily responsibilities and focus on self-care

Cinco De Mayo

On the fifth of May, employees celebrated Cinco de Mayo with a fun and flavorful cultural experience A

Tostiloco/Frutaloca station was provided, giving

employees the opportunity to enjoy a popular

Hispanic snack while learning about the history and significance of the holiday.

Along with the celebration, we participated in themed activities including Mexican Slang Match-Up and a Cinco de Mayo Cryptogram, each one highlighting

the culture and impact of Cinco de Mayo.

Pride Month

Throughout June, we came together to celebrate Pride Month through activities focused on education, connection, and allyship Staff had the opportunity to participate in a month-long Pride Bingo challenge, engage in meaningful discussions through an LGBTQ+ Book Club, and attend a Pride Month event hosted by the Diversity, Community, and Culture Committee.

Pride Month Presentation

Employees enjoyed ice cream, created

allyship bracelets, and learned about the history and significance of Pride Month

through an employee-led presentation

Pride Month Bingo

LGBTQ+ Book Club

Team members gathered to read and discuss LGBTQ+ themed articles, creating opportunities for thoughtful conversation and the sharing of diverse perspectives in an inclusive and welcoming setting

Through a variety of diverse activities and tasks, employees expanded their understanding of LGBTQ+ history and culture, connected with community resources, and discovered meaningful ways to practice allyship in their everyday lives

LEADERSHIP & DEVELOPMENT

Employee Development

As we continue to invest in our staff, we are proud to see the incredible growth, achievements, and knowledge they bring back with them Here's what some of our team members have been up to this year

Amber Monson’s Execution Leadership Development Program (ELDP)

Over 12 weeks, Amber participated in Legends Global's ELDP program, visiting venues across the organization and learning from leaders at every level. This program challenged Amber to step outside her comfort zone.

For her Capstone Project, she explored how we can use our camera systems’ people-counting technology, improving labor forecasting using real occupancy data rather than estimated attendance.

One message Amber resonated with: treat your employees like guests. There are two types of guests: external guests who visit, and internal guests, which are our employees

"Most importantly, ELDP reinforced the value of collaboration across our venues. While every location has its own unique challenges and strengths, many of us face similar opportunities By sharing ideas and best practices, we can learn from one another and continue driving growth and efficiency throughout Legends Global " Amber Monson

This June, six Salt Palace and Mountain America Expo Center team members attended Venue Management School (VMS): Josh

Ambrose, Bart Allen, Courtney Strong, Claire Vitale, Katrina Sanchez, and Katie McAdams Venue Management school gives our event staff opportunities to expand their education and earn certifications to create unforgettable experiences for our clients.

"Year 2 exceeded my expectations. Completing two years of VMS has strengthened both my knowledge and confidence and brought me one step closer to earning my Certified Venue Professional (CVP) designation I'm truly grateful to our company for investing in my professional development." - Claire Vitale

"VMS is a great place to develop professional networks outside our local area. In this industry, professional relationships will pay off!" - Bart Allen

IT Conference: HPE Discover, Las Vegas

This year, Sebastian Castaneda, Dillon Anderson, and Heidi

Baird had the opportunity to attend the HPE Discover

Conference in Las Vegas. Dillon and Sebastian completed an

AOS-CX Switching Fundamentals course covering VLAN redundancy technologies, and the group heard a keynote by

HPE President & CEO Antonio Neri on AI-driven innovations

“We were also lucky to have great keynote speakers like

Antonia Neri, president and CEO of HPE He gave us great insight into how HPE is taking advantage of AI with products.” - Sebastian Castaneda

The team also explored the Discover Showcase Hall, getting hands-on with products like AOS 10 and Aruba Central that they hope to integrate into our venue. The conference even featured performances by Steve Aoki and Imagine Dragons.

“Beyond the technical content, the conference provided opportunities to engage with industry peers and partners, allowing us to validate our current strategies and bring back ideas that can help improve technology services we provide to our guests, clients, and internal teams ” - Heidi Baird

NEW LEADERSHIP

t Management Changes - Jed Hansen & Courtney Strong

This quarter, we announced two important leadership updates within our Event Management team. Jed Hansen, Director of Events, has taken on an expanded leadership role at the Mountain

America Expo Center. In this new capacity, Jed will help further align Event Management and Event Services operations, supporting a more seamless experience for clients from the planning stages through move-in and event execution

We also celebrated the promotion of Courtney Strong, who has stepped into the role of Director of Events at the Salt Palace Convention Center Courtney previously served as Assistant Director of Events and has been supporting both clients and staff through her strong leadership and dedication to service excellence. Courtney is excited about continuing to build on the Event Management team’s success while maintaining a strong focus on delivering exceptional service for every event hosted at the Salt Palace.

Monica Ortega Promoted to Director of Operations

We are also proud to recognize Monica Ortega, who was recently promoted to Director of Operations at the Salt Palace Convention

Center. After serving as Assistant Director of Operations, Monica brings years of experience and a deep commitment to operational knowledge and excellence Throughout her time with the organization, she has played a key role in supporting the day-to-day functions that keep the facility running smoothly while fostering a culture of teamwork and continuous improvement.

These leadership changes represent an exciting chapter for both the Salt Palace Convention Center and Mountain America Expo Center We are grateful for Jed, Courtney, and Monica’s dedication to our organization and look forward to the positive impact they will continue to make as they guide their teams and help shape the future of our venues E

Employee Highlights

1 Year of Service

Alexander Mohrman

Guest Services Agent

3 Years of Service

Travis Tello

Operations Assistant Supervisor

Braden Gibes

Maintenance Technician

Josh Ambrose

General Manager

Jordan White

HR Coordinator

New Hires

Darrell Anderson - Police Officer @ SPCC

Mustafa Alqaderi - Network Technician @ SPCC

Preston Park - Financial Billing Analyst @SPCC/MAEC

PJ Mannebach - Financial Analyst @SPCC/MAEC

Paul Seekins - Guest Services Agent @ SPCC

Promotions

Alexander Mohrman

Guest Services Agent

Monica Ortega

Director of Operations

Dylan Short

IT Systems Technician

10 years of

Courtney Strong Director of Events

I can't believe it's been 10 years here at the Salt Palace! I remember the early days of being a scared Event Manager just trying to figure out what rigging plots, skids and service kits were. Time flies when you're having fun and every day is different than the day before I would not still be here if it weren't for my amazing colleagues and leaders who care and value what we do and who make work fun! One of my favorite memories is getting to experience 4 helicopters flying in, landing on 200 West and being carted into our building. A favorite lesson learned is the emphasis that we are a team here We succeed together and we fail together; and if we fail, we pick each other up together and move forward in one stride

Stacey Monson Assistant Engineering Manager

Ten years ago, I started working with the Union team at the Salt Palace and quickly knew I had found a place where I belonged. I enjoyed the work and the people so much that when a supervisor position became available, I jumped at the chance to join the organization. The pandemic brought unexpected changes and led me down a different career path, but those changes ultimately helped me discover new interests and opportunities. I've learned that growth isn't about staying on the path you started on—it's about being willing to embrace new opportunities when they appear. I'm grateful to work for an organization that supported my transition and invested in my future by helping me pursue my HVAC education This is one of the most unique industries I've ever been part of, and the people here are the reason so many of us stay After 10 years, I still feel supported, challenged, and excited to continue growing.

25 years of Service

Scott Averett - Guest Services Administrator

25 Years WOW! I remember starting only because I needed the health insurance because I was having a baby girl and now, she just turned 24 years old! Time really flies when you're just trying to survive I started on the graveyard shifts wearing a green blazer, white button up shirt & those Salt

Palace / South Towne ties that everyone has just found recently! Since then, we have had a park ranger looking uniform with a heavy security badge, but thankfully now, we wear wonderful polo shirts! I worked during the Olympics in 2002, what an amazing time that was I never thought I would have the opportunity to work a second one but look

at us now! I've also worked with a lot of different managers over the years, but I'm most excited for the new growth & the direction that the company is going in now & never thought I'd see the day that the Salt Palace would get

completely remodeled! Most of all, thanks for putting up with me for all these years

30 years of Service

Bart Allen - Assistant General Manager

When I started here 30 years ago, it was a much different place. On my second day I called my wife and said, "I don't know why they hired me; there is nothing going on here"! The building was empty with no events for days at a time Turn the page to now and it's hard to find a day when we don't have an event The best lesson I have learned is don't let the pressure of the event and client demands frazzle you, breath and just relax, do your best and it's going to work out. Rely on your teammates. This industry will chew you up if you let it.

Volunteer & Movie Day Employees worked together to c

eate sleeping mats from donated plastic bags The mats will be donated to local homeless shelters, providing support to members of our community while giving a new purpose to plastic.

Landfill Diversion Training

Staff received a deeper look into our venue’s landfill diversion program and learned practical strategies for reducing waste both at work and at home

Repair Workshop A Fashion and Design instructor from Salt Lake Community College taught employees basic clothing repair skills, including how to mend holes and extend the life of garments The workshop highlighted how small actions can reduce waste and promote more sustainable consumption habits

Clear the Air Challenge