Chapter News

Sponsor Spotlight: David Gibbons, Executive Director, Massachusetts Convention Center Authority

On behalf of the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority it is my pleasure to welcome the respective New England Chapters of PCMA and MPI to Boston and host your joint meeting here at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. We always enjoy the opportunity to showcase to our industry peers and friends what we believe is one of the world’s iconic meeting and event venues. I also want to extend our sincere thanks and appreciation for your commitment to supporting Boston and New England as a premier global destination for meetings and events.

With our global profile, and our future success based on providing a memorable experience for crowds of all sizes and interests, the safety and security of our venues is paramount. I was pleased to learn that today’s featured speaker will be focused on event safety and security.

It’s no secret the unique challenges our industry faces balancing the need to provide an open, enjoyable environment for our customers often over a long duration with the reality that by doing so it creates vulnerabilities that require the constant attention of all of our organizations. The MCCA continues to be an industry leader in safety and security both through significant annual investments in technology, and, more importantly, focusing on building relationships with law enforcement, first responders, intelligence agencies and state and local government.

In fact, the MCCA recently held a table top exercise at the BCEC that brought hundreds of these leaders together to evaluate our situational awareness, response protocols from involved parties, and determine areas that are strong and identify areas which need improvement. These relationships are invaluable, as we experienced first-hand in 2013 during the Boston Marathon bombings on Boylston Street near the Hynes Convention Center, and why we continue to prioritize the broadening and strengthening our infrastructure and professional networks inside and outside our organization.

Thank you again to PCMA and MPI for being impactful leaders and partners in the meetings and events industry and for choosing the BCEC for your upcoming meeting.

Kelley JuarezSponsor Spotlight: David Gibbons, Executive Director, Massachusetts Convention Center Authority