By R.V. Baugus and Smart Meetings
IAVM is pleased to announce that our very own Director of Safety & Security Mark Herrera was honored recently in receiving a Catalyst Momentum Award from Smart Meetings.
“I received this award but I’ll always call it a team effort,” Herrera said. “It was a means of highlighting our (IAVM) programs.”
The Catalyst Award is the premier recognition of organizational diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives that drive representation and inclusion for women.
The global Catalyst Award attracts organizations from around the world. Every year, Catalyst identifies 
and receives applications from companies of all sizes, regions, and industries whose groundbreaking initiatives to advance women and other underrepresented groups make them eligible for the Award.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is a strategic imperative for organizational success. That is a proven fact. How you get there… that’s the real story.
We are pleased to share with you below just how Herrera “got there” in the write-up from Smart Meetings in honoring a true ambassador for the public assembly venue industry and champion for all. Your staff colleagues and the entire industry salute you for this meritorious award!
Editor’s Note: Herrera chairs a committee that brought all facets of the industry together regularly throughout the pandemic to share safety updates and learn best practices from each other.
Boards: Chair, Department of Homeland Security Public Assembly Facilities Sub-Sector Council
Motivation: Accept challenges head-on, learn to let go, move forward.
Approach to supercharging experiences: Creating better experiences within the venue industry inclusive of all facilities is more important now than ever before. It is knowing that the world challenged by a health pandemic requires empathizing with people to assure we focus on what they desire most: guest experience and customer service.
To provide better guest experiences, we must understand guest DNA today and continue benchmarking the industry through our guest X committees, guest-service town halls, and by surveying the industry.
The goal is to create exceptional, safe and extraordinary guest experiences by training frontline teams through skills-based workshops and networking sessions that create the levels of competency needed to positively impact the overall guest experience. We will lead the charge by creating innovative strategies and education through a conference known as GuestX.
Moment of enlightenment: Life is challenging, and I have been practicing my level of awareness and understanding of people’s states of mind through my own personal challenges. I have learned the most powerful ways to guide, teach, and inspire people but also to establish connections among people—as well as between people and their ideas that help unite humanity.
Often, I have seen teams create obstacles that get in the way of teamwork by focusing solely on their own pursuits and goals rather than selflessly devoting their time to ensure others have the tools to succeed. My arduous work came together when I found success in helping others achieve their goals and satisfaction is in knowing I was an integral part of their development.
Next advance pursuing: I want to help others build elite teams within their organizations focusing on developing diverse cultures surrounding themselves around safety, security and health awareness. To develop the most important assets: front-line teams and young professionals to be the leaders of tomorrow. Training them to forecast and expect those unexpected challenges in the future with the tools to mitigate the risks our world delivers daily. It is shaping the minds and souls of others, teaching them to never give up and to tap into all available resources to shape their lives and their respective organizations.
