The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center has been named a Top Workplace multiple times in the past, but the recognition never grows stale for the center and its approximately 400 employees.

“Our team considers it to be a point of pride to be among the best organizations. It holds us to a higher standard,” said Convention Center President Michael J. Sawaya.

Sawaya said the center’s employees also take pride in working for a venue that is an economic engine for the city of New Orleans and the surrounding region. During any given week, the center may host thousands of people from around the world for conferences and other events. That means that professionalism, teamwork and innovation are crucial parts of the work each day.

“We have a major responsibility to be a national leader and it’s exciting to work together to make big events happen,” he said. “As a political subdivision of the state, integrity, transparency and accountability are key parts of what we do as well.”

Sawaya said that teamwork remained evident even in recent years as the pandemic put on a halt on large gatherings. The Convention Center did not lay anyone off, but instead used reserve funds to continue paying all of its employees. During that time, employees shifted to renovation projects and other work in the building, which kept spirits high and ensured that things ran smoothly once events resumed.

“You’ve got to put your people first. When you take care of your people and treat them like internal customers, they will deliver that same level of service to external clients,” Sawaya said. “If you make that a part of your core values, it will pay dividends in the future.”

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