Exemplary Leadership

Release Date: Friday, December 23rd 2011

The very elegant and stunning National Gallery of Art (NGA) hosted the December SAM of the Month meeting. The NGA staff dispensed warm hospitality to the SAMs and other DowntownDC BID employees by providing a tour, reception and a historical video of the Gallery, created in 1937 as a unique public-private partnership when Congress accepted financier Andrew W. Mellon’s gift of art and financial support.

Joseph Krakora, the NGA’s executive officer for development and external affairs, described how the Gallery was a bold experiment, coming after the start of the Great Depression. It was initiated to advance the cause of art, and over the past 70 years, federal government support has been matched by the private sector nearly 15:1. He thanked both the BID and the SAM Program for serving the city commendably.

The NGA, located just outside the DowntownDC BID area boundary, is a major tourist destination for domestic and international visitors and a gateway for many traversing into Downtown neighborhoods.  It houses more than 124,000 works of art, has the longest running, free Sunday film program, and offers a children’s program on Saturdays. Colorful Realm: Japanese Bird-and-Flower Paintings by Ito Jakuchu (1716-1800), the 30-scroll set on loan from the Japanese Imperial Household Agency, is coming to the Gallery in March to help celebrate the centennial of Tokyo’s gift of cherry trees to DC.

While at NGA, the SAMs got to see the West Building Rotunda, inspired by the Pantheon in Rome; Leo Villareal’s Multiverse, the largest and most complex light sculpture created by the American artist; and much more, including the major renovation underway on the 33-year-old East Building, designed by I.M. Pei.

Gerry Widdicombe, the BID’s director of economic development, noted that the SAMs could learn much from how the NGA pays tremendous attention to detail and maintenance. More than 5 million people a year visit Downtown museums, he added, and some specifically ask the SAMs how they can make their way to this national treasure.

The SAM of the Month meeting recognizes individual SAMs for their stellar performance and informs all SAMs of new developments in the DowntownDC BID area by enhancing their understanding of Downtown institutions. This, in turn, enables them to better assist visitors, workers and residents. Deborah Ziska, NGA’s chief press and public information officer, and a National Cherry Blossom Festival board member, helped present the November SAM of the Month awards.

The November honorees are Safety/Hospitality Team Member Barron Avent-Bey and Maintenance Team Member Jose Tomas Avelar.

Barron Avent-Bey joined the SAM Program earlier this year. Since becoming a SAM, the native Washingtonian and former National Institute of Health contractor says he has learned to appreciate what DC has to offer. When performing his job, Barron likes to “think internationally but work locally because you’re meeting people from all over the world, including Russia, Germany and the continent of Africa.” His superiors contend Barron is one of the SAM Program’s most enthusiastic members and is quick on his feet and always willing to go the extra mile. And they have several letters of appreciation from Downtown visitors to prove it!

Jose Tomas Avelar is now a three-time SAM of the Month winner! “It’s most deserving,” said his manager, who added that “Jose is one of the most reliable and dependable members of the SAM team. He does everything from painting to making repairs.”  Even Jose, who was born in El Salvador, admits that he strives to perform his job better every day and keeps looking forward, not backward. During his free time, Jose enjoys cookouts, church, reading the Bible, and spending time with his wife, three adult children and granddaughters.

Congratulations, Barron and Jose!