Our biggest event, VenueConnect, is now behind us, and we are off to a good start for the year. Evaluations are still being analyzed, but the feedback is very positive, with of course, some areas for improvement. Congratulations to 1st Vice Chair Kim Bedier, CFE, and her
committee on a job very well done, and to Bob Johnson and his team at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center for all their support. I know our 2nd Vice Chair, Karen Totaro, CFE, has had many discussions with both of them about how we can get even better in Portland.
Significant decisions were made by IAVM’s Board of Directors at this meeting. You’ll be seeing more about this as the board chair, officers and members share these decisions with you in the coming weeks. I would like to highlight here that the board unanimously approved a new membership model, which we hope will make it more affordable for venues to extend IAVM membership to more of their staff, as well as provide access to staff at smaller, more budget-conscious venues. More work has to be done to outline the program, but a final draft is expected to go before the board for approval in October.
I am also pleased to report that IAVM successfully filed an amicus brief on behalf of the San Diego Convention Center Corp. This is an issue that the Industry Affairs Committee felt IAVM should take a stand on, as it involves the rights of venues to manage as they
see fit, and to have exclusive vendor relationships when it is in the best interests of their venue and the community they serve. For more information, please see the attached brief. It is important to note that IAVM was able to file this brief and act so quickly to defend our
venues thanks entirely to the IAVM Foundation. When this issue arose, they were asked to fund the $40,000 cost. Given the importance of the issue and the need to file within a few weeks, they unanimously voted to make these funds available. I hope this gives all of us a reason to keep supporting the Foundation, so they always have the funds available to aid and support this industry as they have so many times in the past.
Finally, please see attached the IAVM Annual Report. As you’ll see, we have much to be proud of this last year. My thanks to the 2012-13 officers who worked so hard to create this report for our members.
Regards,
Vicki Hawarden
IAVM President & CEO
