The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York has renamed its rooftop farm as ‘Steel Farm’ in honour of chief executive officer Alan Steel who will be retiring in March. Steel has been chief executive officer for the last 13 years, guiding Javits Center through the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, the unknown of the Covid-19 pandemic and the process of the North Javits expansion.
“I’m honoured to have my family name on at the Javits Center farm,” said Steel. “Before the Industrial Revolution, my family were farmers on the border of England and Scotland, and as a gardener myself, the farm has always held a special place in my heart. I hope whenever an employee strolls through Steel Farm or eats produce grown there, they remember all the amazing work we carried out together during my 13-year tenure.”
The Steel Farm is on the North Javits rooftop and opened in 2021 as part of the Javits expansion. The farm spans one-acre and grows more than 50 diverse crops throughout the year. The produce is used by Javits Center’s in-house catering team. Steel Farm is managed by Brooklyn Grange.
Under Steel ‘s leadership, in 2021, the Javits Center completed a historic expansion project that added more than one million square feet of state-of-the-art space. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Steel played a pivotal role in the design, construction and operation of the nation’s largest field hospital and vaccination centre.
Prior to the Javits Center, Steel spent more than 30 years as an event management executive. He is the former president of George Little Management (GLM), a major producer of trade shows in the United States and Canada. Before joining GLM in 1982, Steel worked for more than 15 years with the British government in several trade-related positions at the Department of Trade and Industry in London, the British Consulate in Chicago and the British Trade Development Office in New York.
Steel has received numerous awards for his accomplishments, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from NYC Tourism + Conventions as well as recognition from the International Association of Exhibitors and Events (IAEE), New York Society of Association Executives (NYSAE), American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS) and The American Society of Civil Engineers. Steel currently serves on the Executive Committee for NYC Tourism + Conventions and has also been appointed to the New York New Jersey Host Committee for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Alan Steel will be succeeded by Joyce Leveston, who will assume the role of chief executive officer on 10 March, 2025.
