GREATER COLUMBUS CONVENTION CENTER DIRECTOR OF EVENT MANAGEMENT & PARKING JOE SHAW RECEIVES NORTHSTAR MEETINGS GROUP’S PASSION MADE POSSIBLE AWARD

 (Columbus, September 12, 2019) — Joseph Shaw, director of event management & parking for the SMG-managed Greater Columbus Convention Center, was honored in the convention service manager category during Northstar Meetings Group’s Passion Made Possible Awards 2019 in Las Vegas last night.

As a result of being selected for this accolade, Shaw received a travel and lodging expense-paid accommodation to attend the awards reception held in conjunction with IMEX America, a premier event in the meetings, events and incentive travel industry. He will also be featured in the print and online editions of Northstar Meetings Group publications, including the October print issues of Meetings & Conventions, Successful Meetings and Incentive Magazine, the Meeting News digital newsletter and in an awards tribute video online at www.passionmadepossibleawards.com.

“Each year, Northstar’s ‘Their PASSION MADE Your Event POSSIBLE’ awards program, in partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board, celebrates well-deserving and often unrecognized industry professionals,” said Northstar Meetings Group Executive Vice President David Blansfield. “It’s the dedicated efforts and unwavering commitment to service from people like Joe Shaw who make our events successful and make our industry great.”

The awards are designed to bring recognition to unsung heroes and behind-the-scenes industry professionals who embody the “Passion Made Possible” spirit and contribute to successful business events for their organizations and customers. Shaw’s nomination was submitted by his longtime assistant, GCCC Office Manager Deb Clark, and GCCC Senior Marketing & Communications Manager Jennifer Davis.

A GCCC veteran with 38 years of service, Shaw watched the facility being constructed during his time onsite as a contract security guard and joined the staff when the building opened in 1980. His many titles have included security supervisor, security manager, Battelle Hall operations/event manager, building services manager/parking and housekeeping, senior event coordinator and event coordination manager. He assumed his current position in 1998 and directs the Event Coordination and Parking Departments, inclusive of multiple parking facilities, more than 4,000 spaces and logistical coordination for more than 350 annual events, such as Top 200 trade shows, the nation’s largest multisport festival and the recent ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition. Shaw is both a Certified Tourism Ambassador (CTA) and Certified Meeting Professional and has served as a CTA class facilitator and community volunteer assisting a variety of organizations.

Shaw’s nomination noted, “He has developed dozens of event managers into confident professionals and provided thousands of clients, service providers and event planners with expertise fueled by passion, dedication and logical guidance to ensure their events are a great success. He is the maestro of behind-the-scenes event orchestration!”

“I have had the pleasure to know and work with Joe for over 20 years and he is so very deserving of this honor,” said GCCC General Manager John Page. “I am so proud of Joe! He is one of a kind and our GCCC sage with his bounding expertise in our facility’s history, client assistance and event execution ensuring complete customer satisfaction and cultivating repeat business for our award-winning facility.”