Kelli Zohar-Davis Named SPICE Manager
09/29/2010
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center Hires SPICE Manager
Kelli Zohar-Davis has joined the Human Resources team at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – the sixth largest convention center in the nation. In the newly created position of “SPICE Manager,” she is responsible for leading and enhancing the Center’s two-year old employee customer service program, called SPICE, which stands for “Serving with Professionalism, Individuality, Courtesy and Excellence.”
The purpose of the program is to motivate and inspire employees to embrace the Convention Center’s mission of exceptional service and apply it in every customer interaction. Employees from every level of the organization collaborated to develop ten Customer Service Standards that are the guiding philosophy of the program, which are reinforced daily. Zohar-Davis is charged with implementing new and innovative ways to educate and engage our 300+ employees and developing, coaching and motivating the team.
Zohar-Davis has an extensive background in the food service industry and is a Certified Corporate Trainer. She most recently served as the Director of Training for Sonic Restaurants, where she oversaw employee education in forty-three franchised locations in Southwest Louisiana. She also developed training programs as the Learning Manager for Chili’s in Houston, TX, and was a Training Operations Consultant and Incentives Manager for McDonald’s USA, where she provided employee guidance on McDonald’s operating standards, management tools and systems to maximize restaurant performance.
Prior to working in the food service industry, Zohar-Davis honed her passion for education as a teacher in the Pasadena, Texas school district. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Sam Houston State University, and a Bachelor of Hamburgerology Degree from the McDonald’s Corporation, which is equivalent to an Associate Degree in Restaurant Management.
“Kelli has all the skills we were looking for – and more – in our very first SPICE Manager. The program is the cornerstone of our culture at the Convention Center, and her training background, enthusiasm and creativity will no doubt ‘Raise the Bar’ and take us to the next level,” said Convention Center President/General Manager Bob Johnson.
With the hiring of Zohar-Davis as SPICE Manager, the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center further solidifies their commitment to a culture of customer service excellence and is poised to cultivate participation with internal and external partners. To promote the SPICE program to employees and beyond, the Convention Center made a music video called “Raising the Bar.” The Convention Center also regularly holds motivational, educational and social events for employees and local hospitality industry partners to encourage the “SPICE” culture in their workplace.
Within her first month at the Convention Center, Zohar-Davis coordinated an event called “Enjoy the Ride,” which was attended by approximately 500 Convention Center employees and local hospitality industry workers. The event featured motivational speaker Steve Gilliland, who spoke about to how to re-ignite passion and maintain enthusiasm and focus.
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Kelli Zohar-Davis
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About the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
With 1.1 million square feet of contiguous exhibit space, an award winning staff and first class amenities, the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (MCCNO) is the sixth largest convention center in the nation and a consistent Top 10 host of the largest number of conventions and tradeshows annually. A leading rainmaker of the city’s hospitality industry, MCCNO event activity has produced $39.12 billion in economic impact since its 1985 opening, including $2.19 billion in new tax revenue.
