SAAM and National Portrait Gallery Host SAMs

All was comfortable and warm in the contemporary auditorium of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery (located on 8th and F streets), the site of the November SAM of the Month meeting. Our Safety/Hospitality and Maintenance employees, known as SAMs, were greeted by Jo Anne Gillula, SAAM’s chief of external affairs, and Richard Reichley, chief administrative officer of the Portrait Gallery. Both expressed deep appreciation for all that the SAMs do to make Downtown DC a remarkable urban experience for all and shared information about existing and upcoming exhibits available to the public from 11:30 am to 7:00 pm. While most Smithsonian museums close their doors at 5:30 pm, these two are exceptions.

Gillula noted two exhibitions: The Civil War and American Art, showing through April 28, 2013, and Nam June Paik: Global Vision, which will be on display from December 13th through August 11, 2013. The former examines how America’s artists represented the impact of the Civil War and its aftermath, and the latter features the works of Korean-American artist Paik, known worldwide as the father of video art.

Reichley told of the Portrait Gallery’s Poetic Likeness: Modern American Poets exhibit running through April 28, 2013, and Portraiture Now: Drawing on the Edge, ending on August 18, 2013. Poetic Likeness recognizes the impact of poetry in America and features prominent writers such as Walt Whitman, Langston Hughes and Marianne Moore. The Drawing on the Edge exhibit is the seventh installation in the Portrait Gallery’s Portraiture Now series. He also encouraged the SAMs to share information with visitors, workers and residents about the enclosed Kogod Courtyard, a popular lunchtime spot located between the two museum buildings.

To keep the SAMs informed, three BID staffers—Alissa Greer, special events manager; David Riedman, the homeland security and emergency preparedness manager; and Ebony Walton, the communications project coordinator—spoke about the Downtown Holiday Market (running through Sunday, December 23rd, in front of the SAAM and National Portrait Gallery), community emergency response training for the SAMs, and the DowntownDC BID’s 15th Anniversary Celebration, which took place on November 15th at the International Spy Museum (800 F Street).

During the meeting, two SAMs who exhibited dedication to excellence and hard work were recognized as the September SAMs of the Month. They are Maintenance Team Member Lorine Simon and Safety/Hospitality Team Member Stephanie Haygan.

Lorine Simon, a multiple SAM of the Month winner, joined the Maintenance team twelve years ago. The hardworking single mother of three daughters is a “go-to person” who always steps up to the plate to help out and get things accomplished. Lorine is very family oriented and much of her life is focused on her honor roll daughters, one of whom is now in the military. When she’s not working to keep Downtown streets clean and litter free, Lorine enjoys reading novels and watching movies and basketball in her spare time.

Stephanie Haygan is recognized because of her hard work, ability to multitask, exceptional knowledge of the DC area, friendliness, and flexibility accepting assignments. The former receptionist, bank teller and hostess is a two-time SAM of the Month winner and aspires to work in criminal justice. “I believe in a positive attitude and diligent work ethic,” said Haygan. During her spare time, she works out at the gym, reads, watches movies, and takes online classes to earn a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.