• Contact

facebook
linkedin
tumblr
twitter
vimeo
rss

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact



In Memoriam: Neil M. Campbell, CVE

April 13, 2020
by R.V. Baugus
#johnchristison, #kingdome, #neilcampbell, #warrenbuckley, IAVM, Seattle
2 Comments

By R.V. Baugus

I first met Neil Campbell back in 1990 or 1991. I take that back, we didn’t actually “meet” but it was through phone calls and likely even a fax or two. I told you it was 1990 or 1991.

Neil oversaw the Kingdome in Seattle, home to the NFL Seahawks and MLB Mariners. Neil was already a giant in the public assembly venue industry and for me just starting as editor of Facility Manager magazine, it was an honor to get to know someone of Neil’s stature. I always remember just how gracious, kind, distinguished, and gentlemanly Neil was. He could immediately put to ease anyone he was meeting or talking to for the first time.

The reason for our visit was that the Kingdome had come up with this very innovative “recycling” plan by utilizing worms as a composting measure for the leftover food at the venue. It was definitely an out-of-the-box story, and I had fun writing it and hearing Neil recount everything that went into this well-hatched plan.

Today, 30 years later, I like all of his friends and colleagues in the industry mourn the passing of Neil Malcolm Campbell, CVE, who passed away on April 5 at the age of 79.

Neil was a fixture in the Seattle area both at the Kingdome and later as vice president of ballpark operations for the Mariners.

“Neil injected a superb level of professionalism into facilities across Canada and the United States,” said long-time friend Warren Buckley. “He had the uncanny ability to read and work with people reacting to situations in a calm and deliberate manner. Neil ‘wrote the book’ on integrity and his soft and gentle demeanor fostered a team approach in the workplace. Those of us who had the pleasure to have worked with Neil will have benefited from the best in our industry. It is hard for me to contemplate life without Neil Campbell. He was a great colleague and dear friend who shall be remembered by many.”

Neil shared his love of the industry with his children, Susan and Colin, who have both gone on to success venue management careers.

“The first time I ever got exposed to (then) IAAM was in 1986 with the national meeting was in Edmonton, said Susan, now executive vice president, general manager, Rogers Place at Oilers Entertainment Group. “He was helping to host that. My little brother and I worked the hospitality suite for the local host committee in Edmonton. Colin was a rink rat and my step-sister and I were both usherettes, which is what they called us back then. My first job was in the Northlands Coliseum at 14. He always said, don’t tell ‘em nothing!”

Added IAVM member John Christison, CVE, another long-time Seattle venue leader at the Washington State Convention Center: “There are a lot of members who knew Neil pretty well. He wasn’t real outspoken and never really sort of stood out or looked for accolades, but he was always one of those guys that was there if you needed something or you could call and he would go out of his way to try to help you. That’s just the kind of guy Neil was. People will remember him as being a good friend and someone you could always count on if you needed something.”

Christison noted that when his son graduated from college “unbeknownst to me went and had an interview with Neil and Neil hired him as an event coordinator. About a year before that I ended up hiring Neil’s daughter, Susan, and she worked for us as an event coordinator. We never talked about it, but that was pretty interesting.”

Indeed, the family affair took on even more interesting dimensions throughout the Pacific Northwest and Canada.

He wanted to be remembered for the daredevil he was, Susan said. “In addition to being my father, he was my mentor, 100% my mentor. Because we had different last names, I’m Darrington and he’s Campbell, I ended up working at the Seahawks across the street and they didn’t know for six months that we were related when we were both running buildings across the street from each other. I ended up getting the job to open up Rogers Place. It was the day of the press conference and my dad was so excited and they said, so what did your dad do? I said, well, he opened up Northlands Coliseum.”

Susan thought about her dad’s impact and shared that it went far beyond just family ties, but how everyone in his venue became extended family.

“I think the hallmark for me of who he was and what I learned is everything in that building is important,” she said. “He knew people from the parking entrance gates to the housekeepers to the ushers. Those were his family and when he opened a building and had an event that was your home and you treated people like guests in your home. That’s how I always modeled my career. You just knew everybody.”

Much about Neil was interesting, and, yes, daredevilish. Christison also remember the experiment with the worms.

“They had a great big old contraption back behind the Kingdome where they were throwing old hot dogs and stuff and letting the worms have at it,” he said with a laugh. “I think I had just got to Seattle in 1990. I remember Neil calling me and saying, ‘we’ve got this really cool idea.’ But a lot of people came and looked at that and tried to replicate it.”

Whether it is replicating or imitated, there is the old saying of “often imitated, never duplicated.” Indeed, there is only one Neil Campbell, and he will be missed by so many.

Neil is survived by wife, Loree; daughter, Susan; son, Colin; and his adoring family.

“That is the hardest part of this pandemic right now is my mom so wants to be able to honor him,” Susan said. “He will go back to Canada but we just aren’t able to do anything right now. Hopefully in the summer we might be able to do something.”

Pictured: With daughter, Susan Darrington, on the ice of the Edmonton Oilers.

R.V. Baugus
About the Author
R.V. Baugus is senior editor of IAVM's magazine, Venue Professional. Baugus is a 12-time Quill Award winner from the Dallas chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) and Silver Quill recipient from the Southern Region of IABC. He is devoted in his community by serving as a deacon at his church, a facilitator leading a Grief Share class, high school football public address announcer for the Irving ISD and basketball PA announcer for Nimitz High School.
Social Share
  • google-share
2 Comments
  1. Avatar
    Wil Gorman April 21, 2020 at 3:27 pm

    R.V. Thank you for writing this. I was fortunate to meet Neil back when I worked at a Spring Training Venue back in the day. As a young person just starting out in the Stadium Industry, he was always someone you could talk to about things and whether you handled a 5k seat stadium or a 50k seat stadium he was always willing to spend the time to chat with you about things and share ideas. Condolences to his family.

    • R.V. Baugus
      R.V. Baugus May 28, 2020 at 12:23 pm

      Truly an awesome man, Wil. The industry was fortunate to have Neil’s wealth of knowledge and just knowing how to treat people, as you noted.

Do you want to receive a Front Row News weekly digest?

Categories

  • Allied (801)
  • Architecture (139)
  • Arenas (712)
  • Career (844)
  • Convention Centers (838)
  • Education (582)
  • Events (1,439)
  • Food & Beverage (178)
  • Foundation (111)
  • Guest Experience (1,400)
  • Industry News (2,112)
  • Leadership (1,742)
  • Marketing (134)
  • Membership (1,852)
  • Music (175)
  • Performing Arts Centers (447)
  • Professional Development (377)
  • Research (119)
  • Safety & Security (425)
  • Sports (706)
  • Stadiums (580)
  • Student (157)
  • Technology (481)
  • Ticketing (82)
  • Touring (73)
  • Trends (330)
  • Uncategorized (444)
  • Universities (206)
  • Video (24)
  • Young Professional (197)

Twitter Feed

  • Twitter feed loading

Recent Posts

  • Gus Le Grand Named New GM at Toyota Arena
  • In Memoriam: Thomas D. Minter
  • Theater Design Creates New Website
  • IAEE Expands CEM Learning Program to Include On-Demand Courses
  • Red Mountain Theatre Arts Campus Wins Top Honors for Architecture by the USITT

Categories

  • Allied
  • Architecture
  • Arenas
  • Career
  • Convention Centers
  • Education
  • Events
  • Food & Beverage
  • Foundation
  • Guest Experience
  • Industry News
  • Leadership
  • Marketing
  • Membership
  • Music
  • Performing Arts Centers
  • Professional Development
  • Research
  • Safety & Security
  • Sports
  • Stadiums
  • Student
  • Technology
  • Ticketing
  • Touring
  • Trends
  • Uncategorized
  • Universities
  • Video
  • Young Professional

Archives

  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • May 2012
  • March 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011

Recent Comments

  • Allen Johnson on In Memoriam: John C.K. Fuhrmann, CVE
  • Allen Johnson on In Memoriam: Bruce Matthew Lahti
  • R.V. Baugus on In Memoriam: Neil M. Campbell, CVE
  • R.V. Baugus on Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Opens Doors to First Show Since Pandemic Outbreak
  • Cynthia Tucker on Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Opens Doors to First Show Since Pandemic Outbreak

© 2001-2013 International Association of Venue Managers, Inc.