AMST Has Achieved GBAC STAR™ Facility Accreditation

Media Contact:
Kirby Conda Tello
AMST Marketing Coordinator
kirby.tello@tamucc.edu | 361-825-3522  

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – August 5, 2021 – The Art Museum of South Texas (AMST) has announced that it has achieved Global Biorisk Advisory Council® (GBAC) STAR™ accreditation, the gold standard for prepared facilities. Under the guidance of GBAC, a Division of ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association, AMST has implemented the most stringent protocols for cleaning, disinfection, and infectious disease prevention throughout the Museum Complex.

As the cleaning industry’s only outbreak prevention, response, and recovery accreditation, GBAC STAR™ helps organizations establish protocols and procedures, offers expert-led training, and assesses a facility’s readiness for biorisk situations. The program verifies that AMST implements best practices to prepare for, respond to, and recover from outbreaks and pandemics.

“GBAC STAR accreditation empowers facility owners and managers to assure workers, customers, and key stakeholders that they have proven systems in place to maintain clean and healthy environments,” said GBAC Executive Director Patricia Olinger. “By taking this important step to pursue GBAC STAR, AMST has received third-party validation that it follows strict protocols for biorisk situations, thereby demonstrating its preparedness and commitment to operating safely.”

Visit Corpus Christi President and CEO Brett Oetting added: “We are extremely grateful to the Art Museum of South Texas for taking this extra step with us and congratulate them on receiving this accreditation. Tourism is Corpus Christi’s second-largest industry, and it is crucial that we do everything we can to ensure the safety of our visitors and our local community. Our hope is that by implementing this initiative, visitors will take comfort knowing we are doing everything we can to create the healthiest environment possible – whether they are staying at a hotel, dining in one of our incredible restaurants, or visiting a local attraction.”

To achieve GBAC STAR™ accreditation, AMST was required to demonstrate compliance with the program’s 20 core elements, which range from standard operating procedures and risk assessment strategies to personal protective equipment and emergency preparedness and response measures. Learn more about GBAC STAR accreditation at www.gbac.org.

About the Art Museum of South Texas
The Mission of the South Texas Institute for the Arts (the Institute), doing business as the Art Museum of South Texas, is to operate educational facilities and an art museum which advance the awareness, knowledge, appreciation, and enjoyment of the visual arts for residents and visitors of South Texas. To meet its educational mission, the Institute will present a variety of programs which include classes, lectures, films, performances, and other activities which inspire community interest in the visual arts. These programs will be offered at the Art Museum of South Texas, the Antonio E. Garcia Arts and Education Center, and other outreach venues that serve the Institute’s mission. In operating an art museum, the Institute will actively collect, conserve, exhibit, research, and interpret outstanding works of visual art with an interest in art of the Americas and of the region.

About GBAC, a Division of ISSA 
Composed of international leaders in the field of microbial-pathogenic threat analysis, mitigation, response, and recovery, the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a Division of ISSA, provides training, guidance, accreditation, certification, crisis management assistance, and leadership to government, commercial and private entities looking to mitigate, quickly address and/or recover from biological threats and real-time crises. The organization’s services include biorisk management program assessment and training, Forensic Restoration® response and remediation, the GBAC STAR™ facility accreditation program, training and certification of individuals, and consulting for building owners and facility managers. For more information, visit www.gbac.org.

About ISSA 
With more than 9,300 members—including distributors, manufacturers, manufacturer representatives, wholesalers, building service contractors, in-house service providers, residential cleaners, and associated service members—ISSA is the world’s leading trade association for the cleaning industry. The association is committed to changing the way the world views cleaning by providing its members with the business tools they need to promote cleaning as an investment in human health, the environment, and an improved bottom line. Headquartered in Northbrook, Ill., USA, the association has regional offices in Mainz, Germany; Whitby, Canada; Parramatta, Australia; Seoul, South Korea; and Shanghai, China. For more information about ISSA, visit www.issa.com or call 800-225-4772 (North America) or 847-982-0800.