It is believed that pasta carbonara was first made as a meal for Italian charcoal workers, as the word ‘carbonaro’ is Italian for charcoal burner. The dish is often called ‘coal miner’s spaghetti’ as a tribute to the original etymology. Today, this dish is an American favorite and can be created quickly with common ingredients.

Our recipe for pasta carbonara will be sure to have your family begging for more. This is just one of the many wonderful dishes we serve at the Convention Center and we are certain that our culinary team will impress you and your guests.

Pasta Carbonara
(Four servings)

½ lb Pancetta (Italian cured bacon, cut into batons)
1 package Linguine
1 Yellow onion (diced)
2 Egg yolks
1 cup Fresh parsley (chopped)
1 cup Dry, white wine (Sauvignon Blanc recommended)
½ cup Heavy whipping cream
½ cup Green peas
½ cup Asiago cheese (grated)
1 tbsp Garlic (chopped)
1 tbsp Fresh basil (chiffonade)
1 tbsp Fresh oregano (chopped)
Salt and pepper to taste
Sauté the pancetta on medium heat until crispy. Using a slotted spoon, remove crispy pancetta and reserve until later. Sauté the onions in the rendered oil until they are translucent. Add the garlic, green peas and white wine. Cook until mixture is reduced by a quarter of the original amount. Add the cream and herbs. Cover the pan until the herbs have wilted. Season with black pepper and taste before salting, as pancetta can be salty. Cook the linguine, strain and add to sauce. Turn pasta to fully coat with the sauce. Add the egg yolks and stir vigorously to incorporate. Finish with Asiago cheese. Bon appetite!

Recipe provided by Jamie MacDonald, Executive Chef at the Greater Fort Lauderdale  Broward County Convention Center

The SMG-managed Broward County Convention Center is proud of all of its employees and their devotion and hard work each and every day. As part of a new blog series, we will be highlighting our Employees of the Month and their accomplishments. In this post, we shine the light on IT manager Carlos Lind, January’s Employee of the Month.

Carlos Lind has worked with the Convention Center for nine years as a member of the IT staff. Immediately, Carlos was a hit with his coworkers, clients and guests.

According to his manager, Director of Operations Jerry Braud, his willingness to solve problems and take care of client, guest and staff issues makes Carlos a standout employee.

“Carlos helps fix issues ranging from helping clients connect to Wi-Fi to complex networking equipment challenges,” Jerry said. “Even under stress, Carlos always has time to smile and make the working environment a pleasure for those around him.”

When asked how he felt about being named January’s employee of the month, Carlos said he was extremely honored.

“I love that every day is a new challenge filled with different shows and new guests,” Carlos said. “It is good to know that I am doing my job the right way with directors who care about my success and appreciate my diligence.”

For his continued commitment to the Broward County Convention Center, we are delighted to recognize Carlos Lind as January’s Employee of the Month.

Tell us a little bit about the Tropical Plant Industry Exhibition.

The Tropical Plant Industry Exhibition (TPIE) is an internationally attended event for professionals who are in the wholesale or retail business related to tropical plants. The majority of exhibitors are wholesale nurseries who specialize in tropical plants, often referenced as houseplants. TPIE was first produced in 1973 by a small group of growers in South Florida.  It has grown to the be the largest event in the world related to tropical plants and is now produced by the Florida Nursery, Growers & Landscape Association (FNGLA).

How large was this year’s exhibition?

The 39^th Annual TPIE welcomed more than 6,100 industry professionals and featured a trade show with nearly 400 exhibiting companies.

Overall, how was the event?

Filled with calypso music, beautiful tropical plants and foliage, the 2012 TPIE was the perfect place to take in the newest tropical plants, products and ideas that this exotic section of the horticulture industry has to offer. The event included a trade show, a full-day nursery tour in Homestead, a thought-provoking opening session, cutting-edge educational programs, dozens of hands-on demonstrations and a fantastic outdoor happy hour on opening day.

Why has the FNGLA hosted TPIE at the Convention Center year after year?

We have hosted the exhibition at the Convention Center since its opening in 1991, as TPIE’s genesis was in South Florida. Many of our exhibitors and members have nurseries located in South Florida, so Fort Lauderdale makes a great central area for out-of-town attendees to visit nurseries while they are in the area for the show.  Of course, the climate and setting Fort Lauderdale has to offer in January is a big draw for our show, as well.

How do your exhibitors and attendees feel about Fort Lauderdale?

We really enjoy being able to offer Fort Lauderdale as the setting for TPIE. Our theme this year was “tropical escape,” and we think people really felt they escaped to a warm and informally sophisticated spot to do business while in Fort Lauderdale.

Describe your experience working with Convention Center and Broward County Convention and Visitors Bureau staff.

Each year, the Convention Center and Broward County Convention and Visitors Bureau staff exceed our expectations. They are extraordinarily helpful and put forth a tremendous effort to ensure that this is a great event and a wonderful experience for our participants. We plan to host our exhibition at the Convention Center for years to come.

We would like to thank Linda Adams for sharing her organization’s experiences with us. To learn more about the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association, please visit www.fngla.org. To learn about how the Broward County Convention Center can make your next event a success, please call us at 954-765-5900.

Tell us about your organization, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
Founded in 1964, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons is a not-for-profit organization representing more than 6,300 surgeons, researchers and allied health care professionals worldwide who are dedicated to ensuring the best possible outcomes for surgeries of the heart, lung, and esophagus, as well as other surgical procedures within the chest. The mission of the Society is to enhance the ability of cardiothoracic surgeons to provide the highest quality patient care through education, research, and advocacy. With a staff of approximately 40 employees, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons is headquartered in Chicago and has an additional office near Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.

How large is this year’s conference?
The 48^th STS Annual Meeting and Exhibition has more than 2,000 registered attendees from across the United States and around the globe.

What can conference attendees expect this year?
STS has put together an exceptional program for our members this year with new sessions and more programs to help the entire cardiothoracic surgery team provide the best possible care to patients. Our exciting educational programming is designed to encourage and promote the development, advancement, and exchange of fair and balanced information regarding the research in, and diagnosis and treatment of, cardiovascular and thoracic diseases, with improved patient care and patient management outcomes as the underlying theme. This year we have more invited speakers, more breakout sessions, and more pro/con debates, making this the premier educational event in cardiothoracic surgery. Additionally, STS/ American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) Tech-Con is a jointly sponsored program on novel therapies in cardiac and general thoracic surgery, held annually immediately preceding the STS Annual Meeting. Tech-Con is designed to address innovative topics, focusing on currently evolving concepts in cardiothoracic surgery, while providing the most up-to-date information and opinion.

Why did you choose the Convention Center to host this year’s conference?
This is the fifth year that STS Annual Meeting and Exhibition will be hosted at the Broward County Convention Center. We keep coming back because our members love the sunny Florida weather, it’s a great center with modern amenities, and from a meeting planner’s perspective, the staff at the Convention Center and Broward CVB always exceed our expectations.

How have the Convention Center and Broward County Convention and Visitors Bureau staff exceeded your expectations?
The Broward CVB and the Convention Center staff are simply top notch. They offer exceptional customer service and always do an outstanding job in hosting our meeting. We all work very closely together and as a direct result of that, the Society’s events have always been successful.

How do conference attendees feel about Fort Lauderdale?
Our members love all the wonderful accommodations Fort Lauderdale has to offer! I know our STS members and their guests are looking forward to exploring all the great restaurants, shopping and hospitality of Broward County.

We would like to thank Rachel Estrada for sharing her organization’s experiences with us. To learn more about the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, please visit www.sts.org.To learn about how the Broward County Convention Center can make your next event a success, please call us at 954-765-5900.

Filling the Convention Center van with hundreds of toys purchased or donated by Convention Center staff members, members of our team set out to deliver the gifts in person. “The children were excited to receive the gifts and seemed to truly feel our love and care,” said Kevin Kowalik, Convention Center human resources manager. “Likewise, it was wonderful for all of us to experience the thrill of giving and helping these children have a happy holiday season.”

The goal of 4KIDS of South Florida is to protect, provide and offer permanent solutions for children and their families so they can have a hope-filled future. 4KIDS has more than 100 licensed foster homes and foster families providing love and care to foster kids in the tri-county area.  In addition, 4KIDS has 12 family-style homes that serve young adults, teens and difficult- to-place sibling groups.

Since opening in September 1991, our Convention Center staff has reached out to every corner of the community through an array of worthy organizations, including Neighbors 4 Neighbors, Taste of the Nation, Habitat for Humanity of Broward County, Broward Partnership for the Homeless, Broward Outreach Center, Women in Distress and SOS Children’s Village of Florida.

“Our employees truly do make a difference in the lives of people who are in need,” said Mark Gatley, regional general manager of the SMG-managed Broward County Convention Center.  “We recognize the importance of helping others and are committed to this community.”

The Center’s generosity is a year-round commitment, helping meet the many needs of the community, from donating food to those in need before Thanksgiving, to assisting others with hurricane preparedness, participating in the Making Strides for Breast Cancer Walk and other worthy causes.

“We’re constantly thinking of organizations we should support and ways we can help the community,” said Kowalik. “It’s important for the Convention Center and its employees to have an active role in the community. There are so many people who are less fortunate than we are, and thankfully we’re able to help whenever we can.”

Since opening our doors in 1991, the Convention Center has hosted more than 5 million guests and more than 5,500 meetings. We have fostered longstanding relationships with a variety of organizations who choose to host their events at the Convention Center year after year since the building’s opening, such as the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, Fort Lauderdale Home & Design Show and the Tropical Plant Industry Exposition.

Expansion, enhancement and excellence have been the hallmarks of the past 20 years, with our Convention Center team unwavering in its commitment to winning the loyalty of every meeting planner and guest every time they visit. Growing from 270,000 to 600,000 square feet of space with state-of-the-art technology and new amenities keeps us on the leading edge of facilities.

Our latest building enhancements include an innovative light sculpture by famed artist Larry Kirkland that now greets guests at the entryway to the Convention Center in our two covered skywalks. Exterior enhancements include a new lush landscape of verdant plants and trees indigenous to South Florida, and renovations to the building’s front walkway, which now features colorful pavers in a beautiful design reflecting the facility’s motif.

The revamped landscape not only looks beautiful but also reduces our irrigation needs. The new plants and trees and less water-dependent turf grass are irrigated by an efficient micro-drip system that uses an estimated 65 percent less water than the previous sprinkler system, contributing to our overall goal of reducing the Convention Center’s water usage for irrigation from 10 million gallons annually to less than 5 million.

We have been at the forefront of sustainability in the meeting planning industry since the creation of our multi-faceted recycling program in 1992. The facility is on track to complete the comprehensive Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) certification process by the first quarter of next year. Upon achieving certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for operations and management of an existing building, our facility will become one of only 20 LEED-certified convention centers in the country!

On the culinary front, SAVOR, our creative team of food and beverage professionals at the Center, supports our initiative to achieve LEED certification. Known for our use of the highest-quality ingredients and innovative recipes, the eco-friendly culinary team follows a number of sustainable practices in the kitchen, from energy-efficient food preparation and non-toxic cleaning, recycling and water conservation to purchasing locally produced food and beverages whenever possible.

With enthusiastic support from the Broward County Board of County Commissioners and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, we are committed to completing the conversion of the 600,000-square-foot Convention Center into an energy-efficient and environmentally sound, carbon neutral building.

After 20 years of servicing Broward County, we continue to take pride in all of our accomplishments and look forward to our continued growth and success in years to come!

The Eco-Safe Digester, a high-volume decomposition system, already has diverted more than 30 tons of our organic food waste from landfills. This high-tech instrument safely and quickly decomposes virtually all organic food waste by using a highly refined formula of microorganisms. The process turns waste into a liquid that can be safely disposed down the drain, allowing the waste to return to the ecosystem as water.

In addition to using the highly efficient Digester, our recycling and diversion program has begun donating extra food to local non-profit organizations to eliminate waste. More than two tons of food has been donated in 2011 to date.

We are determined to be the most energy-efficient, least polluting and healthiest work space among convention centers and to stay ahead of the curve into the future. Being environmentally friendly is one of our greatest priorities and we are committed to finding new ways to become even greener in all aspects of our operations.

Even after we earn our LEED certification, we plan to continually seek out new technologies, like the Digester, to demonstrate our commitment to a greener planet!

Sustainably yours,

Your Convention Center Team

Attendees spent the day interacting with industry speakers and hearing presentations that covered the key engines driving Broward’s tourism industry, including an overview of the Convention Center, Broward County Convention and Visitors Bureau, destination and hotel management, and the port and cruise industry.

Speakers representing the Convention Center included General Manager Mark Gatley, Deputy Contract Administrator Carlos Puentes and Operations Manager Gerry Braud. Other speakers included Vice President of Strategic Client Services of the Convention and Visitors Bureau Kelly Tortoriello, General Manager of the Hilton Ft. Lauderdale Marina and Board Member of the Convention and Visitors Bureau Carlos M. Molinet, and Cruise Market Specialist at Port Everglades Jean Elie.

“The Convention Center team is deeply rooted in Broward’s tourism industry,” said Convention Center Regional Manager Mark Gatley. “We were pleased to share our knowledge with the Center for Independent Living of Broward, and in return, we received valuable feedback and suggestions from Leadership CIL Broward participants.”

“The program presenters really connected with our group,” said Danny Murphy, marketing consultant for the Independent Living Center, “which lead to a constructive exchange of information. Their interaction was fantastic.”

The Center for Independent Living of Broward is a cross-disability advocacy organization, one of more than 700 throughout the nation, whose mission is to offer assistance to people with disabilities in fulfilling the goals of independence and self-sufficiency. The Center’s Leadership CIL Broward is the first leadership program of its kind nationwide with the objective to create future advocates within the disability community. The program is designed to build community leaders with disabilities while simultaneously developing their personal and professional abilities.

Thanksgiving is the perfect occasion to showcase your home-cooking skills while spending time with family and friends. We invite you to try our recipe for sausage and cornbread stuffing – a perfect addition to your Thanksgiving feast.

There is much debate about use of the word “stuffing” versus “dressing.” Traditionalists say stuffing is cooked inside the turkey whereas dressing is cooked on the side. Whatever you choose to call it, this dish is sure to be a hit.

The recipes we use at the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center are designed to impress our guests and we are sure you will impress yours, too. This sausage and cornbread stuffing recipe will transform your traditional stuffing into a gourmet favorite!

Sausage and Cornbread Stuffing

1                                  Package of cornbread mix

1                                  Package of Jimmy Dean sausage

1                                  Yellow onion (small and diced)

4 stalks                       Celery (small and diced)

1 stick                         Butter (melted)

1 tablespoon             Minced garlic

1 tablespoon             Chopped sage

1 tablespoon             Chopped thyme

1 tablespoon             Chopped parsley

2 cups                        Chicken stock

Bake the cornbread according to package instructions. Let it cool and crumble it. Brown the sausage and break into small pieces. When the sausage is cooked through, drain off as much of the excess grease as possible. Add onions and celery to sausage. Cook until onions are translucent. Add the garlic. Once the garlic is cooked, remove the entire mixture (sausage, onion, celery and garlic) and place into mixing bowl. Add the crumbled corn bread and chopped fresh herbs to the bowl. Bring chicken stock to a boil. Add enough chicken stock to the mixture to make it very moist (almost wet). Add the butter and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stuff turkey or bake covered with aluminum foil at 375 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes. Enjoy!

On Sunday, October 9 at Huizenga Plaza in downtown Fort Lauderdale, our Convention Center team walked proudly in support of our shared goal, finding a cure for breast cancer. This year, our team raised $1,520 and over the years, the Convention Center has raised more than $6,000 toward Making Strides Against Breast Cancer!

Our annual fundraising event, Denim Day proved to be a success again, as always. Convention Center staff members were able to enjoy wearing jeans at work to show their support for a $5 donation

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer is the American Cancer Society’s premier event to raise funds and awareness to save lives from breast cancer. More than 200 Making Strides walks nationwide each year celebrate people who have battled breast cancer, educate people about ways to reduce their risk, and empower communities to join the fight.

The funds we raised for the walk will fund new research, enable access to mammograms and treatments, and educate women on the importance of detecting breast cancer at its earliest stages.

According to the American Cancer Society, Florida ranks fourth in the nation for the estimated number of new cases and second for estimated deaths from breast cancer, making initiatives such as Making Strides critical to our community’s support in the fight against breast cancer. The Convention Center is proud to have been a part of such a worthy cause.