With a track record of leading a successful event management company, our team was approached by the Port of Seattle to provide insights into the key elements of an exceptional conference center. Our resolute answer, “it is all about the team and the guests,” continues to be the cornerstone of our approach. As the conference center planning continued, Columbia Hospitality submitted a proposal to serve as the operator. When questioned by the Port about our suitability for the job, our response was simple yet compelling: while we may not have prior experience in this specific domain, our unparalleled understanding of the client’s needs sets us apart. This conviction, along with our extensive global experience in organizing events, convinced the Port to award us the contract. Today, decades later, we proudly maintain that job. Our values are integral to every aspect of our business. By living them, we enhance people’s personal and professional experiences. We also use our values to guide our decisions on who we work with, who we hire, and how to nurture strong connections in every relationship we form. We have developed a culture with no top or bottom. Everyone (and we mean everyone) within our ever-growing team is tasked to think like an owner and a leader. They are empowered to anticipate needs, find solutions, build relationships and be their authentic selves. It’s what we call the OMG Service Spirit. At the center of our continuing success is our culture and our 100 percent commitment to our people, as it is our team that makes all the difference in the world. Bold, diverse, brave, creative, caring, strong, empowered people, leading from within. And when we say people, we mean everyone, period! We don’t judge anyone, and we are proud of that fact. We don’t take our commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for granted as we know it drives this passion for our people, synced to our steadfast values: accountability, creativity, enthusiasm, honesty, inclusion, and respect. We have systems in place to ensure that we are hiring the best of the best, never discriminating on any level. This includes our objectives and the goals we track (and keep us on track) ensuring we are always doing the right thing by every team member. We continually share hiring and training best practices, raise awareness around minorities and disabilities, and spotlight the importance of unconscious bias, allowing everyone throughout our entire company to have an empowered voice and support our commitment to perpetuating a diverse and inclusive workplace.