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Jonathan Buchwald, President and CEO, Pr1me
April 14, 2011
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By Jennifer Bill

Vancouver’s Winter Olympics was prime time not just for Canadian athletes, but for companies involved in Games-related activities.

The year 2010 was big business for Vancouver-based meetings and events company Pr1me, which ran a significant amount of corporate business during the Games. Pr1me put together more than 100 events in total, carrying out a year’s worth of business in the month of February alone, said President and CEO Jonathan Buchwald.

Pr1me, which is approaching 20 years as a full-service meeting, incentive and event management company, works with clients across North America primarily in the health care and financial telecommunications sectors, including a large number of Fortune 500 companies and high-profile government agencies. In a typical year Pr1me runs 60 to 80 programs.
 		  

The tricky part about taking on a massive amount of new business is what to do about existing business. Pr1me secured Olympics-related event contracts for Air Canada, the Government of Canada, GFS Foods, and numerous Russian campaigns, including Bosco Sport, the outfitters for Russia’s Olympic Team. With the Olympics a one-off event, Buchwald was faced with the decision of whether or not to bump their loyal clientele to make room on their roster.

Buchwald knew planning for the biggest winter event in the world would consume about a year’s worth of effort and energy. After some deliberation he decided it was imperative for Pr1me to keep its core clients happy and uphold business as usual. Instead of ceasing non-Olympics-related contracts, he expanded Pr1me by 10 people a year prior, increasing to 25 two to three months out, and reaching more than 100 staff on the grounds during the Games themselves.
“For Pr1me this was an opportunity for us to grow. We strategically chose to ensure all those clients who were loyal to us continued to remain supported,” said Buchwald, who started Pr1me in 1991. “It was really important that we didn’t let those people down. We invested in building out a sports services department which was entirely focused on VIP hospitality programs and support for security and infrastructure for the games.”

The Olympics project began in 2003, when Pr1me coordinated the logistics and travel for Vancouver’s Olympic bid to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Prague.

“That was very exciting back in July 2003 … there was a lot of anticipation and enthusiasm,” he said. “It was a bit awkward as a meeting planner as we had to plan a celebration event whether we won or lost, but we came out on top.

“What ensued over the next six and half years, to build the Games, like any big project it takes a lot of work to get it off the ground. But the resulting impact of the Games … the city the province and the country came together in a way we never had.”

Pr1me built the Acer pavilion in David Lam Park, one of several non-sports attractions in Vancouver and Whistler.

“With (computer manufacturer) Acer being a brand new sponsor, a top IOC sponsor, they were really trying to create a presence at the games without having done so before. Their budget was low in comparison, so the challenge for Pr1me was to create a presence for them in spite of not having a significant budget.”

Pr1me worked with several Russian organizations, coordinating most of the accommodations and transportation detail for security to support a visit by Russian president Dmitry Medvedev. With Sochi, Krasnodar Krai, Russia, named as the site of the XX11 Winter Games in 2014, Russia sought to make an impact and create excitement for the next Olympics. Pr1me took over a number of venues, turning them into country houses to act as promotional and Olympics headquarters. It secured the Telus World of Science venue and transformed it into Russia House, located in the heart of the action a block away from Robson Square, hosting gatherings and dinners for the Russian contingent.

He called the planning process for the Games “highly complex.”

 “When the IOC comes in, they pretty much take over the city. That includes closing roads and designating a variety of roads for Olympic lanes,” said Buchwald, drawing similarities to the G20 in Toronto, where officials closed a large part of the downtown core. “These major world events take over and change the city and there’s a whole level of support that is required. When you bring in a (massive) group for security that isn’t normally there, where do they stay, how do they get around?”

Pr1me created for the international Young Presidents’ Organization what Buchwald called the “biggest tailgate party of all time.” The YPO hosted members from around the world and had executives from companies such as Coca-Cola, the premier of British Columbia, several medal-winning Olympians and the executive director for the Canadian Freestyle Ski team address the party.

“It was hugely successful, there were 400-plus people, and we did it in advance of the opening ceremonies and got people in the mood and pumped up for the Games,” said Buchwald.

He said Pr1me made the right strategic decision in expanding the company.

“It was rewarding to see that decision be successful and give us an opportunity to get involved in something we would never have been able to do otherwise,” said Buchwald. “We were able to balance the long-term future and legacy of what we are trying to accomplish.”

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