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MECA’s new CEO Adam J. Straight shares what he’s learning during first weeks on the job
Straight says he’s listening first, sizing up the team and the community support around MECA.
WE ARE HERE JOINED BY THE NEW PRESIDENT AND CEO OF AMICA, ADAM J. STREET. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. THANKS FOR HAVING ME. YES. AND SO WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT YOU’VE BEEN ON THE JOB FOR NOT EVEN A FULL MONTH, RIGHT? WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY DONE OR LOOKING FORWARD TO DO IN THE FIRST, I DON’T KNOW, COUPLE MONTHS ON THE JOB. SO YEAH, I’M IN OBSERVATION PHASE RIGHT NOW. RIGHT. JUST KIND OF DRINKING FROM THE FIRE HOSE, AS THEY SAY. BUT I’VE REALLY BEEN ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE TALENT THAT WE HAVE AT MECA AND THE COMMUNITY AROUND IT, BOTH INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY. THAT’S SOMETHING THAT REALLY STOOD OUT INSTANTLY UPON ARRIVAL. AND SHE’S GOT A GREAT GROUP OF PEOPLE, GREAT SUPPORTERS, GREAT SUPPORT SYSTEM AGAIN EXTERNALLY AND IN THE COMMUNITY. SO IT’S BEEN GREAT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO IMPLEMENTING SOME PLANS IN THE FUTURE. BUT AGAIN, 22 DAYS IN AND STILL STILL OBSERVING. YEAH. AND TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE YOU CAME FROM AND WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO OMAHA. YEAH. SO BEEN 25 YEARS IN THE BUSINESS, MOST RECENTLY CAME FROM NEW ORLEANS, SERVED AS THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER FOR THE NEW ORLEANS, ERNEST AND MORIAL CONVENTION CENTER. PRIOR TO THAT, I WAS IN ATLANTA FOR EIGHT YEARS. WENT TO THE SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT SIDE, SERVED AS THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS FOR THE GEORGIA DOME, AND THEN PROJECT EXECUTIVE TO BUILD THE NEW STADIUM, MERCEDES-BENZ STADIUM. PRIOR TO THAT, I GOT MY START AGAIN 25 YEARS AGO AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND. AND, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE YESTERDAY THAT THIS ALL STARTED, BUT IT’S IT’S HERE AT THE PRECIPICE. HOPEFULLY YOU WERE ABLE TO BRACE YOURSELF FOR THE WINTER WEATHER, MOVING A LITTLE BIT MORE NORTH. SO I’M ORIGINALLY FROM WEST VIRGINIA. OKAY. SO I HAVEN’T BEEN THERE IN A WHILE, BUT YEAH, I WE ARE BRACED. I WAS JUST TELLING A STORY THAT I HAD MY FAMILY HERE OVER THE WEEKEND, AND THEY FLEW BACK TO NEW ORLEANS ON, ON SUNDAY NIGHT AND IT WAS 40 DEGREES THERE, AND THEY CANCELED SCHOOL. YEAH. BUT SHE SAID MY WIFE SAID THAT IT FELT COLDER THERE THAN IT DOES HERE. OH, WELL, IT MUST BE DIFFERENT. YEAH. HUMIDITY. SO WHEN PEOPLE THINK ABOUT MECCA, RIVERFRONT, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT, WHAT DOES MECCA REALLY MEAN FOR OMAHANS? IT MEANS OPPORTUNITY AND GROWTH IN THE COMMUNITY. IT MEANS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE STEWARDS OF THESE WONDERFUL ASSETS THAT WE HAVE THE FACILITIES ON OUR ON OUR CAMPUS. AND WE WE, WE TREAT THEM VERY WELL AND WE WELCOME THE COMMUNITY TO ENJOY THEM AS MUCH AS WE DO ON A, ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS. SO THAT’S WHY WE HOST A VARIETY OF CONCERTS, ACTS. OF COURSE, THE COLLEGE WORLD SERIES COMES TO TOWN EVERY JUNE, BUT IT’S MORE CONVENTION WISE BUSINESS. WE’RE TRYING TO CREATE A BUZZ AROUND OMAHA AND ATTRACT THOSE NEW CLIENTS. AND, WELL, I WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING ON. IT WAS SO NICE TO MEET YOU AND CAN’T WAIT TO SEE W
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MECA’s new CEO Adam J. Straight shares what he’s learning during first weeks on the job
Straight says he’s listening first, sizing up the team and the community support around MECA.
MECA’s new president and CEO, Adam J. Straight, joined KETV in studio Tuesday and shared what his first weeks on the job have been like.Straight said he is still in an “observation phase,” getting to know the organization and the people behind it.He also talked about what MECA’s venues and campus could represent for the city.”We’re trying to create a buzz around Omaha and attract those new clients,” Straight said.Straight said he’s excited about what comes next, but for now, he’s focused on learning the operation and building on the momentum already in place.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
MECA’s new president and CEO, Adam J. Straight, joined KETV in studio Tuesday and shared what his first weeks on the job have been like.
Straight said he is still in an “observation phase,” getting to know the organization and the people behind it.
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He also talked about what MECA’s venues and campus could represent for the city.
“We’re trying to create a buzz around Omaha and attract those new clients,” Straight said.
Straight said he’s excited about what comes next, but for now, he’s focused on learning the operation and building on the momentum already in place.
NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
