Medical Mart project addingn more

CLEVELAND, OH -- Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc. (MMPI) announced earlier today the addition of eight team members in advance of the highly-anticipated July, 2013 opening of the Cleveland Medical Mart & Convention Center (Cleveland MMCC). MMPI has named Dick Anter, Barbara McBee, Dori Kish, Debbie Zunt, Brian Cook, and Harold Davis to its administrative team, joining Mike Mangan, Chief Engineer and Ron Willner, Director of Event Services, who joined the team in late November.

 “The addition of top-quality, experienced staff members in sales and operations represents yet another significant step forward as Cleveland Medical Mart & Convention Center moves from construction into operational mode,” said Jim Bennett, MMPI senior vice president. “This will be a first-class, state-of-the-art facility and the quality and depth of today’s staff announcement represents the same elite level of service that we will provide to our customers on a daily basis. These eight staff members bring more than 175 years of collective experience in their respective fields.”

Barbara McBee joins the team as the Director of Operations and Programming, coordinating and overseeing the Medical Mart leasing and tenant build-out process, designing an operating system for the overall facility, creating and leading a governance system, orchestrating the grand opening celebrations, and operating the Medical Mart facility upon completion.

McBee brings more than 30 years of healthcare experience to her new position, including a 25-year career in the University Hospitals healthcare system. Prior to joining MMPI, McBee served for six years as the Vice President for System and Support Services at MetroHealth Hospital System, overseeing operating, revenue, and construction budgets and serving as senior leader for more than 1,200 employees in 12 departments.

During her career at University Hospitals, McBee spent five years at Bedford Medical Center, including two years as Director of Risk Management and Corporate Compliance following a three year stint as vice president. McBee administered risk and compliance programs and coordinated legal activities at Bedford, along with overseeing strategic planning, project management, and employee and manager development. She also served as Director of Nutrition, Materials Management, Information Services, Environmental Services, and Risk and Property Management, and Assistant Director of Nutrition services at the main campus.

Scheduled to open in July, 2013, the $465 million Cleveland Medical Mart & Convention Center is a 1 million square foot campus located in the heart of downtown Cleveland, the nation’s medical capital. The Medical Mart is a four-story above-ground building with 100,000 square feet of state-of-the-art spaces on four themed floors. The Medical Mart will serve health and health care innovation, education, and commerce through state-of-the-art spaces, programs, and virtual offerings while building on and enhancing the rich heritage and distinctive capability of Northeast Ohio health care.

The one-million square foot campus integrates state-of-the-art permanent spaces in the 235,000 square foot medical mart with world-class trade show and conference facilities in the Cleveland Convention Center. The adjacent Cleveland Convention Center measures more than 750,000 square feet, including 225,000 gross square feet of Class A exhibit space, meaning 90 foot spacing between columns and 30-foot high ceilings.

The Cleveland Convention Center is divisible into three exhibition halls, one measuring more than 50,000 square feet and two larger exhibit halls measuring over 80,000 square feet apiece.