Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/22095
STAYING IN THE BLACK AND ENHANCING THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGION: PHILLIP C. HILL EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS.” BY FELISHIA LEWIS P hillip C. Hill serves assistant general manager and COOof the LosAngelesConventionCenter (LACC) a 54-acre property neighbors to, The Staples Center (home of the Championship Los Angeles Lakers) and the newly developed LA LIVE Entertainment Center, which boasts restaurants, concert halls,night clubs, a movie theatre, museum, and a luxury hotel. With aMBAfromUCLAand a M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University, Hill comes from a professional background that ranges from the Aerospace Industry, to the Department ofDefense. Additionally, he has certifications as an FAA com- mercial flight instructor and an emer- gency medical technician. Hill’s success at LACC springs from having a clear vision that moti- vates team success, and employing a people-centered leadership perspec- tive. LACC is currently enjoying “5 years in the Black; no other conven- tion center to our knowledge has done this,” he says. Hill is a trailblazer of growing conservation technology. (LACC has a LEED-EB certification; it is “super green,” using 30% renewable energy, no other comparable facility in the nation is as energy efficient.) LACC is a public- private organization,“We are in the business of enhancing the REGION!” It has over 2.5 million visitors, 440 events, and generates $1.1 billion annually; numbers such as these help to sustain and create jobs for hotel, restaurant, airline, and pub- lic transit workers. Across the industry, developing a sustainable culture of ular specialties and unique ways to contribute. He firmly believes that to be successful you must “set expectations and measure progress regularly” and “demonstrate what we speak.” But most importantly, he says, “remember that above all, we’re in the people business, both with our employees and our clients.” LACC is an internationally recognized gateway-class con- vention and exhibition center that employs upwards of 1,500 individuals that span a number of cultural and ethnic back- grounds. In this environment catering to the African- American market sector simply comes naturally. “They have an inherent interest towards being inclusive and supporting all,” explains Hill. LACC specifically targets students from local schools, “to help them embrace learning, access, inclusion, and the future. There are many of us out there that are willing and interested in helping them to suc- ceed.” African-American meeting plan- Ph i l l iP C. hi l l ners should know that “LACC is espe- cially tuned to the needs of both established and growing businesses.” The space that they sell is flexible, their services can be purchased a-la- cart to avoid any unnecessary cost, they offer their sales and event man- agement to assist in the success of your event, and all of this comes with the “experience” of the nearby attrac- tions. The recent development of the LA Live complex has “created inter- national buzz,” combined with the established hotels, shopping, and leisure choices within walking dis- tance of the LACC it is an attractive choice. Hill has risen to the challenges of his position at LACC service and excellence is of chief concern. Hill attacks this ini- tiative from several vantage points. He finds it important to: “interact regularly with executive staff, and value all.” Part of his mission is to insure there are no divisions of “higher” per- sons, but rather embrace the concept that everyone has partic- 52 with vigor and a “Can-Do” attitude. It is obvious that he is passionate about his work and that is paramount to his suc- cess. While he has held leadership positions in other indus- tries he describes his current station as simply, “fun!” While totally committed to the success of LACC he recognizes the need to have balance in his life. He achieves this by installing well-trained secondary leadership who are clear on their responsibilities and levels of authority. When he is away from the property, he enjoys a rich extracurricular life that includes nearly every imaginable activity; motorcycling, kayaking, hik- ing, flying his private airplane, and maintaining ties to his church home. Hill’s personal philosophy is, “work is there to support everything else that is going on.” Black Meetings & Tourism November/December 2010: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com