Secrets from a Veteran Who Has Worked Three Super Bowls

Episode Summary

In this episode, Jorge Lopez sits down with hospitality veteran Susan Avery, who brings more than 35 years of hotel and event expertise from Marriott’s flagship property, the San Diego Marriott Marquis & Marina. Susan shares insights from her work on major citywide events, including three Super Bowls, the 1996 Republican National Convention, and large medical and scientific conferences. She breaks down what it truly takes to manage high-pressure, multi-stakeholder events where hotels, cities, vendors, and national organizations must operate as one team.

Key Takeaways

• Teamwork is everything when producing large-scale or citywide events; success depends on clear leadership and open collaboration across dozens of organizations.
  
  

• Communication must scale as stakeholders multiply: hotels, CVBs, city leadership, NFL teams, agencies, and vendors all require consistent alignment.
  
  

• Operational understanding matters; knowing how banquet, AV, setup, and stewarding teams work allows planners to partner more effectively.
  
  

• Citywide events have many “bosses” navigating competing priorities, which requires structure, ownership, and flexibility.
  
  

• Large events succeed when territorial thinking disappears, and each leader focuses on their area while supporting the bigger picture.

Guest Bio: Susan Avery

Susan M. Avery has over 35 years of experience in the hospitality and convention event industry, most of which were spent at Marriott International’s flagship property, the San Diego Marriott Marquis & Marina. Starting her career as a banquet waitress, she worked her way up through nearly every operational role before becoming Director of Operations, overseeing the banquet team, convention floor setup team, AV, and stewarding departments. Her deep understanding of hotel operations and guest service excellence has been a hallmark of her career.

 

After 18 years in operations, Susan spent another 15 years as a Convention Services Manager, now known as Event Management, specializing in large-scale medical, scientific, and corporate meetings. She has successfully planned and executed events ranging from intimate social gatherings to major citywide conventions, including the 1996 Republican National Convention and three Super Bowls hosted in San Diego. Now an independent contractor, Susan continues to bring her extensive expertise, industry insight, and collaborative spirit to clients throughout the convention and events industry.

 

Useful Links:

• susanaveryCMP.com

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-avery-cmp-7b917365/