Meydenbauer Center, BCCA Name Sara Waltemire New Chief Operating Officer
Amira Beidas
On October 1, 2021, Meydenbauer Center and the Bellevue Convention Center Authority (BCCA) announced the appointment and promotion of Sara Waltemire to the position of Chief Operating Officer (COO).
On October 1, 2021, Meydenbauer Center and the BCCA announced the appointment and promotion of Sara Waltemire, Director of Sales and Events, CMP to the position of COO. Moving forward in this new role, Sara will lead the three key operating divisions for Meydenbauer Center – Facility Services, Food and Beverage, and Sales and Events. She moves into this role providing strategic alignment across all three divisions, guiding the team in continuing to provide exceptional guest service, strong financial stewardship, and innovations in Meydenbauer Center’s service offerings.
Tim Carr, Chief Executive Officer for the BBCA said of the appointment, “I am truly excited to have Sara step into the role of COO. The success of Meydenbauer has always been driven by our culture. In addition to her knowledge of our business operations, Sara has an innate ability to focus on our how are operational decisions support and foster a great work culture.”
Sara’s advancement into the COO position comes after an unprecedented year for the industry. Meydenbauer Center continues to operate with smaller events this year as the organization looks forward to 2022. Guidance under the new COO will prove vital to the company’s continued success after more than 25 years as a gathering place for the Eastside community.
Mr. Carr went on to say, “In order for us to be a best-in-class hospitality organization we need to listen to our guests. Sara’s ability to listen and, in a lot of ways, interpret how to exceed the expectations of our clients is an incredible skill set. I have great confidence in Sara’s ability to lead our organization’s operating divisions in ways that will provide innovation, exceptional customer service, and foster an incredible experience for our team.”
Sara started as an Event Assistant and her titles within the organization include Event Manager, Event Services Manager, Director of Event Services, and Director of Sales and Events in her nine-year tenure with Meydenbauer Center. Sara said, “I’m so thrilled to have the opportunity to serve the Meydenbauer team as COO. I started out at our organization right out of college as an Event Assistant and have had the opportunity to work hands-on with many of our clients,” speaking on her new position, “I can’t wait to apply what I’ve learned over my years with the organization as we emerge from the challenges of pandemic and return to serving our guests. While right now we are just focused on getting back to business, I look forward to leading the team in finding new ways to serve the Eastside community as a key gathering place.”