By Ashley Keen, CVP
IAVM’s Arizona Chapter Meeting was held July 12 at the Arizona State University Kerr Cultural Center in Tempe. The all-day meeting included three outstanding education sessions as well as a Town Hall. Thanks to ASU Gammage (Kerr Cultural Center), Special Moments Catering and Events, and TicketForce for their meeting sponsorship.
Our New Technologies talk was given by William Irwin from Clearwing and Jim Burgin with Barco, where we learned how to spec a projector and screen that is appropriate for our venue.
We had a Mindfulness in the Workplace session presented by Jaime Valderrama and Maria Napoli from the ASU School of Social Work. Stress is increasingly gaining attention in the U.S. as well as around the world for the detrimental health effects it produces while mindfulness is gaining attention worldwide with the emergence of promising data showing how the simple act of being aware can deregulate the body’s stress response, leading to a happier and healthier life. This presentation highlighted the stress response physically and psychologically as well as applicable mindful practices to deregulate stressful triggers in our personal and professional lives.
We followed this session with an all-sector panel discussion with Sarah Schock, director of event booking and production at Talking Stick Resort Arena, JD Davenport, operations coordinator from Goodyear Ballpark, Kevin Mattingly, deputy director at the Phoenix Convention Center, and Mark Mettes, president and CEO of the Herberger Theater Center and the IAVM 2016-2017 board chair. We discussed successes and challenges throughout the last season, security concerns, the new overtime pay ruling, and new technologies.
We had some wonderful discussions and networking throughout the day as well as a catered lunch from Special Moments, a local catering company, and a 50/50 raffle to help fund future meetings and the two scholarships that Region 7 awards to Venue Management School every year. We followed the day with a networking session and a venue tour before sending an engaged group back to their respective venues and homes.
Ashley Keen, CVP, is production supervisor for the Mesa Arts Center
