Though Orlando's Gay Days Weekend celebration began at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, the celebration has expanded throughout all of the area's theme parks. Though the economy is still sufferingâ┚¬â€Âand this year's first-weekend-of-June events will likely not see the same numbers that past years have providedâ┚¬â€ÂUniversal Orlando Resort has been posting increases in both attendance and sales.
According to Universal officials, the resort drew 11.2 million visitors in 2010, an increase of nearly 2 million from the previous year. In the first three months of this year, attendance increased 68% over the same period last year. Per-capita guest spending jumped 17% during the quarter, food-and-beverage sales rose 104 percent, and merchandise sales leapt 156 percent.
The person primarily responsible for those increases is Harry Potter, whose Wizarding World land opened late last June at Universal's Islands of Adventure. Helping Harry peddle his magic wands and mugs of Butterbeer is another interesting character, Keven Callahan, Universal's Director of Merchandising. Though he's worked with Universal for 11 years, Callahan's resume reads like a who's who of retailing. He has served as a corporate creative director for Crabtree & Evelyn and a national merchandising manager for both Bath & Body Works and Giorgio Beverly Hills. Callahan also currently manages visual merchandising for Gucci in Orlando, Tampa and Miami.
But Callahan's work isn't just about making cash registers ring. He also heads up StudiOut, the largest LGBT employee group under the worldwide NBC/Universal umbrella. The group recently participated in a short film in support of the â┚¬Å”It Gets Betterâ┚¬Â campaign, which can be viewed on YouTube.
WATERMARK: What does being a Director of Merchandising for Universal Parks & Resorts entail? Describe a typical workday.
KEVEN CALLAHAN: I am responsible for the creative design content that supports all retail and food sales here. I also offer support for our parks in Hollywood, Osaka and Singapore. I get involved in the store/restaurant design and development as well as manage the creative direction for our in-store programs and all in-park seasonal décor. I'm not sure we have anything typical here; Universal is unlike any place I've ever worked.
What has been some of your biggest successes with Universal so far?
The first is the opportunity to build and train my amazingly talented staff without outside influences. We may disagree at times but I'd put them up against any other team in this business. I have seen the growth each of them has achieved and they know I'm a total perfectionist so it keeps them on their toes 24/7. Finally, working internationally with the Universal teams in both Osaka and Singapore was fantastic. It's so interesting working with other cultures and implementing what we think is an easy task here. I have lifelong friends in those countries now as a result.
What type of resources do you utilize for creativity? Where do you find inspiration?
I am a big believer that creativity is everywhere. I get ideas seeing buildings go up, from construction sites, museums, walking the streets of a city, or maybe after a good night of drinking champagne! Adapting the creativity is the hard part. You have to find a way to make a creative idea work. So many people give up on a great idea. I'll carry mine to my death if I need to. I talk about my ideas with friends all the time. I'm sure they really want me to shut upâ┚¬â€Âsorry Barbara and Peter! They get the worst of it.
You’re also the head of Universal’s LGBT employee networking group. How did the formation of the group come about?
Our Employee Resource Group is called StudiOut and we are just celebrating our third year. I have been on the board as the Executive Champion since the beginning. It started based on the success that NBC was having with Out @ NBC in NYC & LA. I was asked to take part in several LGBT meetings with those groups prior to us starting. It was great way to meet the leaders there and understand the dynamics of how ours needed to run and operate.
What function do you think an LGBT employee networking group should serve within a company and how does StudiOut accomplish that?
I am all about community service and making the StudiOut brand visible in the community. We take part in many events, including Headdress Ballâ┚¬â€Âwhere we are a two time winnerâ┚¬â€ÂAIDS Walk Orlando, decorating at the Give Kids The World villa, the local Pride parade, the ZEBRA Coalition, Babes in Bonnets for the Orlando Youth Alliance and others. StudiOut's 582 team members participate when they can, all at different levels. And that's perfectly okay with me! They each have lives outside of work and I totally appreciate that. I am proud to say that collectively we track some amazing community volunteer hours.
Some large companies, including at least one large theme park resort, do not offer their employees a LGBT employee networking group. What advice would you offer someone who wanted to start just such a group?
I recommend going into the Human Resources department and setting up an appointment to speak openly and honestly about the benefits it can have and possibly showcase other companies' success stories. I'd be happy to give anyone our vision and mission statement and a clear plan on how to start. If their company will not listen, come and work here!
When not at work, what are some of your outside interests?
I love to travel and be with my friends. It can be at a big party or sitting by a pool, in a hotel room or beach as long as we can talk and laugh. I have to say I have some of the best trans friends who totally entertain me, so in return I love supporting their craft/talent, their drag careers and pageants. Many are now National & International title holders. Through supporting them I was recently appointed a new judge for the Miss Continental Pageant system. I am still working towards opening my own club. There's no official date, but when the time is right, watch out! On top of that I am really getting back into fragrance development again and I'm still selling diamonds & precious stones.
Do you have any particular Gay Days Weekend traditions?
I actually have worked for Mark Baker for the past 10 years hosting the after hours parties and helping him manage the pool parties. It's the best way to see all my friends and get paid at the same time! Other than that I always help my close friend Barbara Poma, owner of Pulse, prep for their weekend events. If I have time I stop by the Parliament House to see the girls and hang out in the dressing room! Sassy, Darcel, Armani and â┚¬Å”Vâ┚¬Â are the best!
Your work takes you to various locales around the world. In comparison to gay life and culture in other places, what does Orlando’s LGBT community have going for it, and what work do we still have to do?
Throughout my entire career I have been to some truly beautiful and amazing parts of the world and attended LGBT parties and events in several. I'll say this about Orlando: at the end of the day Orlando is a small city with a huge heart. The LGBT Community has grown and continues to grow each year. We have a wide age and talent demographic within the LGBT community and an even mix of both men and women. But we don't make use of it and mix well like many larger cities. My biggest hope and wish for Orlando is that the community realizes this and we start to really come together. Don't just say it but really act on it.
