Metropolitan Pier Exposition Authority Board met Sept. 27.
Here are the minutes provided by the board:
Board Members Present: Jeffrey Bethke, Chairman; Don Villar, Vice Chairman; Jorge Ramirez*/***, Secretary/Treasurer; Dr. Sonat Birnecker Hart**; Nina Grondin*; Michelle Mills Clement; Juan Morado; Sherman Wright *Teleconference / **Arrived at 9:09 a.m. / ***Arrived at 9:55 a.m.
Others Present: Larita Clark, Chief Executive Officer; Matthew Simmons, General Counsel; Pat Allen, Senior Director of Labor Relations and Campus Operations; Jason Bormann, Chief Financial Officer; Dao Ngo, Deputy General Counsel; Hilary Barker, Director of Procurement; Jill Kolinski, Assistant General Counsel; Gloria Juarbe, Director of Human Resources; Jeanette Swan, Director of Internal Audit; David Causton, ASM Global/McCormick Place; Joseph Scheper, ASM/McCormick Place; Cynthia McCafferty, Hawthorne Strategy Group; Doug Bradley, Savor/McCormick Place; Ed De La Harza, Savor/McCormick Place; Bob Durkin, Taxpayer; Rufus Purnell, Resident; Dustin Arnheim, Choose Chicago; Jill Jaworski, PFM Financial Advisors; Joiel Alexander, Levy; Robert Nicklin, Levy; Folarin Dosunmu, Levy; Pat Doerr, HBAC; Karen Kent, Unite Here Local 1; Kevin Loeza, Unite Here Local 1; Maria Calderon, Compliance Officer and Board Administrator
General Matters: Chairman Bethke asked for a motion to permit Members Ramirez and Grondin to participate via teleconference. Upon motion duly made by Member Morado and seconded by Member Villar, the remaining members present unanimously voted passing the motion.
A1. Roll Call: MPEA Chairman Bethke, called the meeting to order at 9:06 a.m. and Ms. Calderon called roll.
A2. Approval of Minutes: Chairman Bethke called for the approval of the minutes of the August 30, 2022 Regular Board meeting.
Moved by Member Morado, seconded by Member Villar, and the remaining members present voted approving item A2.
Roll call vote. Record as:
Jeffrey Bethke, Chairman – Yes
Michelle Mills Clement – Yes
Don Villar, Vice Chairman – Yes
Juan Morado – Yes
Jorge Ramirez, Secretary/Treasurer – Yes
Sherman Wright – Yes
Nina Grondin – Yes
The motion passed.
A3. Public Comment.
Chairman Bethke moved the Public Comment portion to the end of the meeting.
A4. Consideration of Resolution No. MPEA 22-05 Honoring Roger J. Kiley.
Moved by Member Villar, seconded by Member Birnecker Hart, and the remaining members present voted approving item A4.
Roll call vote. Record as:
Jeffrey Bethke, Chairman – Yes
Nina Grondin – Yes
Don Villar, Vice Chairman – Yes
Michelle Mills Clement – Yes
Jorge Ramirez, Secretary/Treasurer – Yes
Juan Morado – Yes
Dr. Sonat Birnecker Hart – Yes
Sherman Wright – Yes
The motion passed.
Report from CEO: Ms. Clark reported it was a busy month that included the issuance of the MPEA Lakeside Center Redevelopment - Request For Information (RFI). Ms. Clark reported she was interviewed by different media outlets regarding the RFI and there is interest in the RFI. She stated the RFI is consistent with the Authority’s mission of bringing tradeshows, meetings, and conventions to provide an economic impact to the State of Illinois and City of Chicago. Ms. Clark reported the next step will be to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a specific idea. Ms. Clark reported she spoke at City Club of Chicago earlier in the month and provided the highlights of the campus since reopening with 107 events, 1.2 million guests, and an estimated $1.38 billion economic impact for the convention center and 228 events and 1.6 million guests when you add in Wintrust Arena, Arie Crown, and the hotels. Ms. Clark reported this year was the first time MPEA was a sponsor at Chicago Gourmet as a pilot and in the future will invite more customers.
Report from Chief Financial Officer: Mr. Bormann presented the financial results and tax collections for August 2022.
Report from McCormick Place General Manager: Mr. Causton reported this morning Microsoft 360 was hosting a 500 member event in the West Building; the American Academy of Ophthalmology show was moving into the Lakeside Center, South Building and North Building for its show beginning on October 1st with an estimated 20,000 attendees; and the Chicago National College Fair will occur in the North Building. Mr. Causton reported Anheuser-Busch will host a corporate event in the West Building on October 3rd; GopherCon will take place on October 7th in the West Building; and the North American Spine Society; ISSA Show North America will be in the South Building. Mr. Causton explained that ISSA is a show related to the cleaning business and the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) comes out of ISSA. He noted the campus is applying for its third GBAC accreditation. Mr. Causton reported Lakeside Center will host Chicago Build and the month will conclude with PACK EXPO International in all four buildings with an estimated 60,000-70,000 attendees. Mr. Causton reported Wintrust Arena hosted Ben Platt and will host the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame; R&B Music Experience; and Enhypen a K-Pop group from South Korea. Mr. Causton reported Arie Crown will host the Sweetest Day Comedy Jam.
C1. Consideration of Approval of Bond Finance Team for Series 2022 Expansion Project Bonds.
Moved by Member Mills Clement, seconded by Member Morado, and the remaining members present voted approving item C1.
Roll call vote. Record as:
Jeffrey Bethke, Chairman – Yes
Nina Grondin – Yes
Don Villar, Vice Chairman – Yes
Michelle Mills Clement – Yes
Jorge Ramirez, Secretary/Treasurer – Yes
Juan Morado – Yes
Dr. Sonat Birnecker Hart – Yes
Sherman Wright – Yes
The motion passed.
C2. Consideration of Approval of 2nd Amendment to the Energy Services Agreement between MPEA and Digital Lakeside, LLC.
Moved by Member Villar, seconded by Member Birnecker Hart, and the remaining members present voted approving item C2.
Roll call vote. Records as:
Jeffrey Bethke, Chairman – Yes
Nina Grondin – Yes
Don Villar, Vice Chairman – Yes
Michelle Mills Clement – Yes
Jorge Ramirez, Secretary/Treasurer – Yes
Juan Morado – Yes
Dr. Sonat Birnecker Hart – Yes
Sherman Wright – Yes
The motion passed.
C3. Consideration of Approval of Contract Extensions for Mechanical Equipment & Materials, Plumbing Equipment & Materials, and Fire Protection Equipment & Materials.
Moved by Member Morado, seconded by Member Birnecker Hart, and the remaining members present voted approving item C3.
Roll call vote. Records as:
Jeffrey Bethke, Chairman – Yes
Nina Grondin – Yes
Don Villar, Vice Chairman – Yes
Michelle Mills Clement – Yes
Jorge Ramirez, Secretary/Treasurer – Yes
Juan Morado – Yes
Dr. Sonat Birnecker Hart – Yes
Sherman Wright – Yes
The motion passed.
C4. Consideration of New Contract for Food Service Management.
Moved by Member Villar, seconded by Member Ramirez, and the remaining members present voted to rebid item C4.
Roll call vote. Records as:
Jeffrey Bethke, Chairman – Yes
Nina Grondin – Yes
Don Villar, Vice Chairman – Yes
Michelle Mills Clement – Yes
Jorge Ramirez, Secretary/Treasurer – Yes
Juan Morado – Yes
Dr. Sonat Birnecker Hart – Yes
Sherman Wright – Yes
Other Matters: Public Comment – Mr. Kevin Loeza, a UNITE HERE Local 1 member at SAVOR McCormick Place spoke to the Board. Mr. Loeza stated Local 1 has 15,000 members that work throughout Chicagoland with most of its members being women and immigrants. Mr. Loeza stated he is married with two children and his union job as a banquet server at SAVOR McCormick Place helps him own his own home, have health care and a pension. Mr. Loeza stated in March 2020 when McCormick Place closed due to the pandemic the members were concerned but were happy to be back to work after fourteen months because McCormick Place matters to them. Mr. Loeza stated the members worked with MPEA, SAVOR and the union committee on the vaccine program to get back to work safely. Mr. Loeza stated the UHCHI Culinary Apprenticeship program started in the East kitchen at McCormick Place in May 2021 and now there are five apprenticeship programs throughout the City. Mr. Loeza stated in 2019 the members stood with immigrants during the Customs and Border Protection Conference at Marriott Marquis; in 2014 the members voted to provide a $10,000 donation to Choose Chicago to bring business to the campus; and in 2017 the members supported the roadshows again to bring business to the campus. Mr. Loeza stated the members are all in for McCormick Place.
D1. New Business.
There was no new business introduced.
Adjournment
Chairman Bethke moved to adjourn the meeting moved by Member Morado, seconded by Member Ramirez, and the meeting was adjourned by unanimous vote of the Board.
Roll call vote. Record as:
Jeffrey Bethke, Chairman – Yes
Nina Grondin – Yes
Don Villar, Vice Chairman – Yes
Michelle Mills Clement – Yes
Jorge Ramirez, Secretary/Treasurer – Yes
Juan Morado – Yes
Dr. Sonat Birnecker Hart – Yes
Sherman Wright – Yes
The motion passed.
Time meeting adjourned: 10:07 a.m.
https://www.mpea.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/MPEA-Board-Minutes-Regular-Session-September-27-2022_Final.pdf
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