Liset Márquez, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
Created: 07/18/2012 06:44:39 PM PDT

ONTARIO — Four top officials are out at the city’s Convention Center, including its top executive, following a lengthy audit over alleged procedural violations.

Bob Brown, the general manager and CEO; Clemmie Taylor, director of operations; and Delana Grande, human resources manager; submitted their resignations Wednesday to SMG World.

Sue Dang, director of finance, has also been let go.

The findings of the audit revealed there were a series of violations regarding business conduct, policy and procedures, said Bob McClintock, the senior vice president of SMG World, which operates the Convention Center.

“We take very seriously our responsibility, and we hold our employees to the highest standard. We were very concerned and responded,” McClintock said.

He said he would not elaborate on the audit, but the company is looking to fill the vacancies as quickly as possible.

The departures leave Ontario Convention Center with minimal executive staff, but McClintock said at least 10 members of SMG’s corporate team have assisted with the operations since the start of the investigation.

Corporate staff will continue to help Convention Center employees in the transition period, he said.

McClintock said he met with Convention Center staffers on Wednesday to inform them of the administrative changes.

“We’re focusing on going forward and focusing on the customer and what (staff) has done,” he said. “It’s very simple; it’s all about business.”

Even with the reduced staff, City Manager Chris Hughes said he was confident about the day-to-day operations at the center.

“We will ask that we have input on the hiring of the general manager,” Hughes said. “The city will need to work closely with SMG on filling the position.”

Last week, SMG World officials announced they were performing an internal review of the Convention Center’s financials and that Brown had been placed on administrative leave.

In the wake of the audit, SMG officials appointed Traycee Mayer to lead the center on an interim basis.

Mayer has been the center’s assistant general manager and national director of convention development and tourism since November.

News of Brown’s resignation came as a shock to Councilwoman Debra Dorst- Porada, who only a couple of weeks ago was praising the Convention Center’s CEO.

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