Businesses change how they operate to keep people safe during pandemic

FOX 10's Anita Roman has more on a local event company adapting to the times.

PHOENIX - Businesses are changing the way they do things in an effort to get the doors open and keep people employed during the coronavirus pandemic.

A valley event company is no exception to the effort.

Phoenix-based Pride Group is a full-service special events company that provides tables, chairs and tents.

"We're literally the one-stop shop of what we call the single simple solution for special events," says CEO Robb Corwin.

Unfortunately, everything folded when the pandemic hit, he said.

"March 13th, a Thursday we were setting up, we had 6 or 7 events set up that weekend, had a lot of our assets deployed ready to roll and the call came down that hey the governor is doing the stay-at-home order," he explained.

The news according to Corwin was devastating. Part-time and event staff were laid off, 412 employees were furloughed and executives gave up their salary.

Then Corwin says he had an idea.

"The conversation started with 'What do we do?' We're a full service company, we take the need, we do needs, analyses and we find out what do people need," he said.

Corwin says they reached out to suppliers, got their hands on personal protective equipment that was in high demand and cleaners and sanitizers.

He put people back to work and helped those in the community find what they needed.

"They started just dumping on us what they needed and we turned around and fulfilled that need," Corwin said, adding, "Some places we did everything, some places we built temporary hospitals medical centers where they would isolate COVID-19 patients ..."

Corwin doesn't know when events will be allowed, but either way his company is ready to give clients what they need.

If you had to shut down, the company will even go in and disinfect your business if and when you are ready to reopen.

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