Salt Lake 2002 Retrospective

One of the most genuine and respected experts in the event industry, Tricia Fenton joins the Salt Lake 2002 Retrospective podcast and gives us a fresh take on the "marooned on an island" question, becoming part of an event family and getting her motorcycle license (recorded 2 April 2021). If you worked on the Games as a staff member, contractor or volunteer and want to share your story please email cnapier@gpfour.com. Show Notes: WARM UP 00:26 - Welcome Tricia! PRELIMS 09:06 - Marooned on an island - with a twist! QUARTERFINALS 14:43 - Journey to SLOC SEMIFINALS 20:37 - What are "special projects?" FINALS 27:28 - Events are a math problem 29:46 - A personnel issue MIXED ZONE 33:08 - "I have money in my bank account" 38:18 - The tragic thing about the pandemic PODIUM 40:43 - Trying Skeleton 45:57 - The goosebump moment COOL DOWN 48:08 - Post-SLOC life and lessons learned

It's our 100th episode! Amy Murray graciously guest hosts and interviews Christian Napier, turning the tables and asking all kinds of questions about the podcast and Christian's Salt Lake 2002 experience (recorded 31 March 2021). If you worked on the Games as a staff member, contractor or volunteer and want to share your story please email cnapier@gpfour.com. Show Notes: WARM UP 00:26 - Welcome Amy as guest host! 03:21 - Straight from GPFour HQ PRELIMS 06:08 - Going our own way with the systems 08:42 - Monster VIK QUARTERFINALS 11:30 - What are we going to have for lunch? 15:55 - Welcoming outsiders SEMIFINALS 19:41 - Cutting room floor 24:22 - Guest wish list FINALS 27:14 - Christian's dream OCOG job 29:42 - What is IKL? MIXED ZONE 32:40 - What will happen with Tokyo? 36:10 - Island meal and movie PODIUM 40:15 - Island / walk on music 44:16 - Favorite SLOC memories COOL DOWN 48:59 - Goosebump moment / wrap-up

SLOC employee number 40, Aimee Preston, takes a break from the Summit County COVID-19 vaccination effort, to join the Salt Lake 2002 Retrospective podcast and share her story of transitioning from collegiate gymnast to sport administrator and running a completely different sport - Curling! (recorded 29 March 2021). If you worked on the Games as a staff member, contractor or volunteer and want to share your story please email cnapier@gpfour.com. Show Notes: WARM UP 00:26 - Welcome Aimee! PRELIMS 04:30 - Marooned on an island 06:50 - Finding the next thing after gymnastics QUARTERFINALS 10:53 - Establishing a sport from the ground up 14:26 - Volunteers came out of the woodwork SEMIFINALS 16:53 - Transitioning to venue FINALS 21:33 - A new family during test events 23:50 - Games-time emotions MIXED ZONE 29:01 - Learnings from gymnastics / SPORT 32:07 - Jumping on the couch PODIUM 33:34 - Memories close to the heart 37:13 - Sitting behind the President COOL DOWN 40:16 - GB women's victory 43:06 - Life post-SLOC

Calum Clark, Chief Operating Officer, Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation and former Salt Lake 2002 Event Services Manager, joins the Salt Lake 2002 Retrospective podcast and remembers working Snowbasin under Adam Gray, DEPAT and the one question you should never ask (recorded 22 March 2021). If you worked on the Games as a staff member, contractor or volunteer and want to share your story please email cnapier@gpfour.com. Show Notes: WARM UP 00:26 - Welcome Calum! 03:53 - UOLF venues open PRELIMS 05:54 - Marooned on an island 09:48 - A Qwest story QUARTERFINALS 11:20 - From Sydney to Salt Lake 16:05 - Settling in with first class professionals SEMIFINALS 19:54 - The Snowbasin assignment 23:27 - Doing things differently FINALS 27:06 - 9/11 changed the game 30:50 - Working with the Secret Service MIXED ZONE 35:38 - The Event Services workforce 38:00 - "It was a pleasure" PODIUM 41:02 - "A washing machine of activity" 45:56 - The Olympic Trials COOL DOWN 49:15 - Advice and wrap-up

The master of accommodation(s), John Sindelar, joins the Salt Lake 2002 Retrospective podcast and gives us listeners an online Accommodation 101 course (recorded 17 March 2021). If you worked on the Games as a staff member, contractor or volunteer and want to share your story please email cnapier@gpfour.com. Show Notes: WARM UP 00:26 - Welcome John! PRELIMS 04:13 - Marooned on an island 07:06 - Hotel management during the bid QUARTERFINALS 11:47 - The supply-demand lens SEMIFINALS 18:32 - The allocation process 22:35 - A lengthy process FINALS 26:46 - Contract negotiation challenges 31:25 - Building a accommodation team MIXED ZONE 34:12 - Workforce accommodation 36:55 - Spectator accommodation PODIUM 40:45 - Accommodation pre-Games 43:36 - Family involvement with the Games COOL DOWN 49:41 - A post-Games decision to make 55:05 - Advice and wrap-up

One of our most requested guests ever, the incomparable Allen Brooks, joins the Salt Lake 2002 Retrospective podcast and remembers giving up team handball for an opportunity to work the Games, his parents living in Ogden and finding something within you that you didn't know you had (recorded 17 March 2021). If you worked on the Games as a staff member, contractor or volunteer and want to share your story please email cnapier@gpfour.com. Show Notes: WARM UP 00:26 - Welcome Allen! 02:08 - A pivot to leadership / a light on what is really important PRELIMS 08:57 - Marooned on an island 12:08 - An introduction to Doug Arnot at ACOG QUARTERFINALS 17:33 - Overseeing the ice hockey venues 20:49 - Creating a leadership approach SEMIFINALS 24:16 - A diverse OCOG in a homogenous society 28:28 - "An immediate connection" FINALS 32:05 - The refinement of venue management 35:33 - Building a venue team MIXED ZONE 38:43 - The big challenges 44:33 - People doing jobs they've never done before PODIUM 46:43 - A family affair / the Paralympic Games 53:41 - The people that shaped Allen COOL DOWN 57:14 - Wrap up

Brad Eggert, global event safety and security professional and former manager of the County Ice Center and Acord Ice Arenas, joins the Salt Lake 2002 Retrospective podcast and recalls a Pulp Fiction moment, fire alarms and mom driving the Zamboni (recorded 17 March 2021). If you worked on the Games as a staff member, contractor or volunteer and want to share your story please email cnapier@gpfour.com. Show Notes: WARM UP 00:26 - Welcome Brad! 04:20 - An odd road to Salt Lake PRELIMS 05:48 - Lake Placid 08:29 - Helping out with test events QUARTERFINALS 12:00 - A paid internship / first impressions of Utah 14:53 - Leadership with training wheels SEMIFINALS 17:27 - Transitioning to management 18:46 - Unexpected issues part 1 - adrenaline FINALS 22:52 - Unexpected issues part 2 - angry athletes 25:40 - Unexpected issues part 3 - evacuation MIXED ZONE 29:19 - Brad's parents sleep on an air mattress 33:09 - College 2.0 PODIUM 34:59 - The personal relationships 39:41 - Closing Ceremony

Our first VOLUNTEER(!!!), the wonderful Jill Andrews, joins the Salt Lake 2002 Retrospective podcast and remembers pin trading, losing a volunteer assignment only to get a better one, living in a 16-foot trailer during Games-time and a guest book signed by Olympians from around the world (recorded 10 March 2021). If you worked on the Games as a staff member, contractor or volunteer and want to share your story please email cnapier@gpfour.com. Show Notes: WARM UP 00:26 - Welcome Jill! 03:05 - Applying for Salt Lake 2002 PRELIMS 05:40 - A systems glitch changes Jill's volunteer assignment 10:04 - Hardcore pin trading QUARTERFINALS 12:00 - Staying in a trailer on Hill Air Force Base 14:25 - A family affair / Opening Ceremony SEMIFINALS 18:41 - Working the 4am shift 22:01 - McDonald's in the Village FINALS 23:15 - A memorable drive to Snowbasin 26:47 - Greeting the athletes in their own language MIXED ZONE 29:24 - The volunteer wall 34:04 - Does anyone speak Russian? PODIUM 35:38 - Pictures on the building 38:31 - Jill's one pin-trading rule COOL DOWN 40:17 - Wrap up

Mark Hyde, former Soldier Hollow International Client Services Manager and now Public Health Scientist and Physician Assistant, joins the Salt Lake 2002 Retrospective podcast and remembers being hired by Maureen Sweeney, being interviewed by NPR and (recorded 10 March 2021). If you worked on the Games as a staff member, contractor or volunteer and want to share your story please email cnapier@gpfour.com. Show Notes: WARM UP 00:26 - Welcome Mark! 04:20 - Marooned on an island PRELIMS 07:00 - An Estonian volunteer opportunity 09:58 - The ICS venue manager role QUARTERFINALS 11:12 - Todd Dennett - flag expert 14:47 - The smell of the building SEMIFINALS 16:55 - Imposter syndrome 19:02 - The Russian biathlete FINALS 23:54 - Small talk 25:33 - Sleeping in the condo MIXED ZONE 30:38 - Working the Opening Ceremony red carpet 32:47 - Tom and Linda Whitaker PODIUM 37:00 - The Paralympic Games 40:25 - My path chose me COOL DOWN 43:39 - Advice / wrap up

Pauline Ploquin, President and Partner at Struck, joins the Salt Lake 2002 Retrospective podcast and remembers there is no "I" in team (except there is in French), banging her head on a desk and a great turn of phrase from Libby Hyland (recorded 2 March 2021). If you worked on the Games as a staff member, contractor or volunteer and want to share your story please email cnapier@gpfour.com. Show Notes: WARM UP 00:26 - Welcome Pauline! 02:33 - Personal pursuits PRELIMS 04:08 - Marooned on an island 09:34 - From Paris to Salt Lake QUARTERFINALS 11:56 - First impressions of Salt Lake 14:56 - Roles in Creative Services SEMIFINALS 20:34 - Overwhelming needs 22:31 - Establishing priorities FINALS 24:58 - Brand should be there from the beginning 28:10 - Flying cupcakes MIXED ZONE 32:17 - "I'll do your taxes, you do my creative" 34:17 - The Olympic photo book PODIUM 37:12 - Games-time responsibilities / mascot opportunities 40:48 - Opening Ceremony COOL DOWN 43:46 - Post-Games / advice

IOC advisor and major event expert Adam Gray joins the Salt Lake 2002 Retrospective podcast and remembers an unconventional wedding proposal, winning over skeptics, needing more snowcats and a dirty bus gets into the venue (recorded 23 February 2021). If you worked on the Games as a staff member, contractor or volunteer and want to share your story please email cnapier@gpfour.com. Show Notes: WARM UP 00:26 - Welcome Adam! 03:31 - Tokyo 2020 plans PRELIMS 06:32 - Tokyo as an inflection point 10:06 - From Sydney to Salt Lake QUARTERFINALS 12:41 - A Christmas plan 15:07 - The phone call SEMIFINALS 18:47 - Swimming to skiing (and skeptics) 22:41 - The discipline of delivering major events FINALS 30:14 - A request from Spence Eccles 33:41 - Snowbasin contingencies MIXED ZONE 40:42 - The first time skiing at Snowbasin 44:45 - Skiing the downhill with Herwig Demschar PODIUM 50:04 - A training accident 54:59 - "I was asleep for two days" COOL DOWN 59:38 - Avoiding a venue evacuation 1:08:16 - "Two ears and one mouth"

Connie Nelson, Director of the Eccles Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games Museum and Alf Engen Ski Museum joins the Salt Lake 2002 Retrospective podcast and stops in Utah for a ski trip, gains great respect for lugers and is surprised to learn the names of some famous celebrity visitors (recorded 22 February 2021). For more information about Utah Olympic Park and the museums please visit https://utaholympiclegacy.org/ If you worked on the Games as a staff member, contractor or volunteer and want to share your story please email cnapier@gpfour.com. Show Notes: WARM UP 00:26 - Welcome Connie! 02:43 - Pathway to UOP PRELIMS 06:51 - Closing down for COVID-19 11:01 - One of the first to reopen in 2020 QUARTERFINALS 12:56 - A tourist destination 15:41 - Australians convince Connie to Ski Utah! SEMIFINALS 18:01 - The UOP Business Manager role 23:05 - A juggling act FINALS 27:17 - Surround yourself with people smarter than you 32:32 - Inspired by athletes MIXED ZONE 35:58 - Learning from test events 39:15 - Games-time in a parking lot PODIUM 42:39 - "I was very fit at the end of those 17 days" 45:34 - "Wilson!" COOL DOWN 48:55 - Jay Leno's garage 51:58 - Watching the American flag

Former E Center Venue Operations Manager John Piester - now President, RedPeg Marketing - joins the Salt Lake 2002 Retrospective podcast and remembers starting a family in Salt Lake, a unique vantage point for USA v Russia and the inspiration of the Paralympic Games (recorded 17 February 2021). If you worked on the Games as a staff member, contractor or volunteer and want to share your story please email cnapier@gpfour.com. Show Notes: WARM UP 00:26 - Welcome John! 03:21 - Everyone on Zoom PRELIMS 05:19 - COVID's impact on experiential marketing 09:27 - Marooned on an island QUARTERFINALS 11:22 - From Endicott to Salt Lake 15:06 - Transitioning into a new role SEMIFINALS 16:35 - "Your driving is making me sick" 19:54 - Family matters FINALS 22:32 - An experienced team / piece-by-piece 27:42 - How to function quickly as as team MIXED ZONE 30:11 - Transitioning to venue 33:04 - "I don't remember seeing a lot of daylight" PODIUM 35:42 - The Paralympic Games 37:16 - Mike Eruzione can't get in / a call in The Globe COOL DOWN 41:08 - USA v Russia puck drop 43:12 - Post-SLOC life / career advice

A giant in the ski industry, Herwig Demschar - Senior Vice President / International Business Development at Powdr Corp - joins the Salt Lake 2002 Retrospective podcast and remembers marriage-saving advice from a mentor, the impact of Jerry Anderson and controversial ski wax (recorded 16 February 2021). For more information about the work Herwig is doing, please contact him at herwigd@powdr.com. If you worked on the Games as a staff member, contractor or volunteer and want to share your story please email cnapier@gpfour.com. Show Notes: WARM UP 00:26 - Welcome Herwig! 03:51 - From 180,000 miles per year to zero PRELIMS 07:31 - Sheltering with the family 10:43 - Marooned on an island 13:39 - From Austria to Salt Lake City QUARTERFINALS 18:01 - "I wanted to jump the fence" 22:05 - Quickly humbled SEMIFINALS 23:40 - "A really cool team" 28:07 - Two seismic events / a wax controversy FINALS 31:33 - White powder / forerunners 33:42 - Nobody said no MIXED ZONE 38:09 - "It was not that easy in the beginning" 41:56 - Life during the Games PODIUM 43:34 - The Paralympic Games 48:09 - The volunteers / Stephan Eberharter COOL DOWN 51:03 - Career / life advice and show wrap up

Capping off a fantastic week, Jim Brown - Executive Chair of the USA Rugby 2027/2031 Rugby World Cup bid and Principal and CEO of JBC International - joins the Salt Lake 2002 Retrospective podcast and shares his favorite meal, Mitt and Fraser asking lots of questions and a special flower ceremony (recorded 10 February 2021). For more information about the work Jim is doing, please contact Jim at jim.brown@jbcintl.com. If you worked on the Games as a staff member, contractor or volunteer and want to share your story please email cnapier@gpfour.com. Show Notes: WARM UP 00:26 - Welcome Jim! 03:47 - Locking down PRELIMS 04:54 - Pandemic impacts 09:01 - Marooned on an island QUARTERFINALS 12:20 - From Malaysia to Salt Lake 15:22 - Joining the venue management team SEMIFINALS 19:08 - Blending a talented and experienced workforce 21:08 - A step-by-step, last-minute process FINALS 25:57 - The impact of 9/11 28:38 - The work during Games-time / Mitt and Fraser MIXED ZONE 33:49 - Scale adjustments during the Games 37:12 - Weather challenges PODIUM 38:19 - Jim's most nervewracking moment 40:02 - Lighting the cauldron / life post-Games COOL DOWN 45:08 - Calm under pressure 49:08 - Wrap up

In a very special episode, Sarah Kawahara - Canada, USA and World Figure Skating Hall of Fame inductee and Emmy-award winning director and choreographer - joins the Salt Lake 2002 Retrospective podcast and tells the incredible behind-the-scenes story of the Opening Ceremony ice program (recorded 9 February 2021). If you worked on the Games as a staff member, contractor or volunteer and want to share your story please email cnapier@gpfour.com. Show Notes: WARM UP 00:26 - Watercolors and piano 04:06 - Figure skating - a melange of the arts PRELIMS 06:12 - From skater to choreographer 10:08 - A ring of fire leads to Salt Lake QUARTERFINALS 12:10 - Sarah signs on to help Don Mischer and Kenny Ortega 13:50 - "I had never been pushed that far, ever, in my life" SEMIFINALS 17:05 - Costume challenges 20:52 - A town to cover the ice, replaced by trains FINALS 22:57 - Day one in Rice-Eccles 26:37 - "People's lives were uprooted" MIXED ZONE 28:37 - The scale of the Ceremonies 32:28 - Choreographing to soundscapes and stopwatches PODIUM 35:47 - Staging the performers / watching from the audience 41:47 - Rings of fire ("it had to be perfect!") COOL DOWN 45:00 - Walk through the door 50:18 - Cruise challenges / wrap up

Major event expert Joan Junker, international business consultant, best-selling author and former Results Publishing Manager for Xerox Worldwide Olympics, joins the Salt Lake 2002 Retrospective podcast and shares memories of running the Results Book Center (recorded 4 February 2021). If you worked on the Games as a staff member, contractor or volunteer and want to share your story please email cnapier@gpfour.com. Show Notes: WARM UP 00:26 - Welcome Joan! PRELIMS 03:40 - Marooned on an island 07:15 - From a Barcelona 1992 coffee mug to SLC QUARTERFINALS 10:58 - Life in Salt Lake City 14:37 - Driving in a whiteout SEMIFINALS 15:57 - Results Publishing 101 19:55 - Going digital FINALS 22:02 - How much paper? 23:36 - Meeting tight deadlines MIXED ZONE 27:46 - A problem at Soldier Hollow 29:58 - A chance to see competitions PODIUM 31:46 - A Christmas card view 33:12 - The look on the athletes' faces COOL DOWN 35:46 - Simplify and serve others 39:26 - Tie down your equipment!

Steve Dittmore, Assistant Dean / Sport Management Professor at the University of Arkansas, joins the Salt Lake 2002 Retrospective podcast and talks about cheering for the LA Dodgers, the story behind the pairs figure skating scandal and the one less students remember (recorded 25 January 2021). If you worked on the Games as a staff member, contractor or volunteer and want to share your story please email cnapier@gpfour.com. Show Notes: WARM UP 00:26 - Welcome Steve! 04:04 - Marooned on an island PRELIMS 06:13 - Born in LA 08:18 - The long journey to SLOC QUARTERFINALS 12:20 - Wanting to be a sports reporter 14:18 - Planning press operations for 13 venues SEMIFINALS 17:58 - Frank Zang eases the transition to SLC 20:35 - Taking care of the press FINALS 22:56 - Building out the team 26:38 - Role during Games-time MIXED ZONE 28:15 - Arrowhead vs Dasani 31:03 - Creative solutions to the mixed zone PODIUM 34:42 - Media reaction to press operations services 39:32 - The 9/11 flagbearers COOL DOWN 41:37 - The difference between delay, postpone and cancel

Eric Roy, perhaps the most enthusiastic finance person I've ever met, joins the Salt Lake 2002 Retrospective podcast. Eric finds SLOC through Accountemps, works under Lane Critchfield and Brett Hopkins in Finance, Chris Crowley at Park City, and is cheered on by hundreds of elementary school kids (recorded 19 January 2021). If you worked on the Games as a staff member, contractor or volunteer and want to share your story please email cnapier@gpfour.com. Show Notes: WARM UP 00:26 - Eric joins from Durango! 02:48 - #vanlife and a trip around the world PRELIMS 05:24 - Teaching during COVID-19 08:40 - Marooned on an island QUARTERFINALS 10:47 - From lobster fishing to brine shrimping 15:11 - Ski bum / beach bum plan is foiled SEMIFINALS 19:21 - Creativity in finance 23:41 - Managing three budgets FINALS 25:33 - A number's an onion 30:34 - Finance as a partner MIXED ZONE 35:13 - Park City at Games-time 38:20 - Hervig snowboards for the first time PODIUM 41:33 - The perfect day 43:29 - Sleeping in during the Torch Relay COOL DOWN 49:16 - Sugar smacks 53:05 - Career / life advice

Scott Givens, Founder and President of FiveCurrents, joins the Salt Lake 2002 Retrospective podcast in an extended episode (recorded 13 January 2021). Scott remembers dual reporting to Mitt and Fraser, the "six inch powder rule," and assembling a fantastic team under Libby Hyland, Bob Finley and Sayre Wiseman. If you worked on the Games as a staff member, contractor or volunteer and want to share your story please email cnapier@gpfour.com. Show Notes: WARM UP 00:26 - Welcome Scott! 02:58 - FiveCurrents approach to the pandemic PRELIMS 07:05 - Preparing for the pendulum 11:45 - Needing a hug QUARTERFINALS 15:39 - The card guy 18:43 - Three questions SEMIFINALS 23:12 - The six inch powder rule 27:25 - Birth of a slogan FINALS 31:12 - Three direct reports 37:52 - Don Mischer Productions MIXED ZONE 41:37 - The cityscape program 47:02 - The story of the rings PODIUM 50:30 - Scott during Games-time 53:16 - The flag in the Opening Ceremony COOL DOWN 58:48 - "Unrelentingingly driven" 1:04:05 - Three pieces of advice