BEST Crowd Management — a GardaWorld company and nationwide provider of event staffing and security services — announced that it has recently secured contracts with AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, as well as MLS team venues for Nashville SC, FC Cincinnati, and Inter Miami SC.

BEST will be providing services in metal detection, bag checks, access control, security rovers, and field security — plus other critical crowd management functions including customer service, ticket scanning, ushering, and concierge services. In addition to staffing home games at AT&T Stadium, BEST will also be working concerts and other major events.

“No matter the event, we know that a crowd’s energy is vital to a team’s success,” said VP of BEST Jeff

Spoerndle. “From planning to intervention, we facilitate crowd management to keep the event energy on track. We’re humbled by this recent growth and honored to add these world-class teams to our portfolio.”

AT&T Stadium is the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venue in the world. In addition to being the home of the Dallas Cowboys since opening in 2009, the stadium has hosted Super Bowl XLV, the 2010 NBA All Star Game, the annual Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, the 2014 NCAA Men’s Final Four, the 2015 inaugural College Football Playoff Championship Game, the 2015 50th Anniversary Academy of Country Music Awards show, and WrestleMania 32.

BEST has over 25,000 employees and services 125 sports venues and convention centers in the U.S. — ranging from the NFL to the MLB, NBA, NCAA, and NHL. With headquarters in Minneapolis, Minn., and in Montreal, Canada, BEST Crowd Management is part of GardaWorld Security Services, one of the largest privately held integrated security services companies in the world.

Please welcome our newest members who joined IAVM in March 2022. Thank you for being a part of the association! Also, let us get to know you better by participating in the I Am Venue Management series. Please visit http://www.iavm.org/i-am-venue-management-share-your-story to share your story and photo.

Anthony Alba, Texas A&M Athletics, College Station, TX

Akmal Ali, Aluma, McLean, VA

Erika Arms, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA

Bulganbayar Baatar, Steppe Arena, Ulaanbataar City, Mongolia

Richard Barker, Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN

Kevin Bauer, Enterprise Center/Stifel Theatre, Saint Louis, MO

Doug Billingsley, Oilers Entertainment Group Canada Corp., Edmonton, AB, Canada

Nargil Bold, Steppe Arena, Ulaanbataar City, Mongolia

Scott Braudt, RiverCenter | Adler Theatre, Davenport, IA

Daniel Butler, Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN

Gankhishig Buyankhishig, Steppe Arena, Ulaanbataar City, Mongolia

Jade Calhoun, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA

Heather Calvin, Keen Independent Research, Phoenix, AZ

Jeffrey Chabon, Alamodome, San Antonio, TX

Randy Christensen, Weber County Culture, Parks and Recreation, Ogden, UT

Delvin Clanton, Enterprise Center/Stifel Theatre, Saint Louis, MO

Dana Cole, Charleston Gaillard Center, Charleston, SC

Douglas Conner, Sodexo/Centerplate, Orlando, FL

Sophie Curtis, Texas A&M Athletics, College Station, TX

Jodi Davis, Bank of Springfield Center, Springfield, IL

Pearson Davis, XL Center / Pratt & Whitney Stadium, Hartford, CT

Jordan Devine, Enterprise Center/Stifel Theatre, Saint Louis, MO

Kate Dickerson, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA

Gabriel Eisenbarth, Weber County Culture, Parks and Recreation, Ogden, UT

Todd Ferrario, Weber County Culture, Parks and Recreation, Ogden, UT

Jesus Flores, Texas A&M Athletics, College Station, TX

Jeff Foster, T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, MO

Dani Fricke, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA

Kindra Fry, Texas A&M Athletics, College Station, TX

Tamir Ganbold, Steppe Arena, Ulaanbataar City, Mongolia

Mandy Garza, Curtis Culwell Center, Garland, TX

Jonathan Geller, San Diego Theatres/San Diego Civic Theatre, San Diego, CA

Melissa Glickman, Alameda County Fairgrounds, Pleasanton, CA

Kevin Gossett, Prudential Center, Newark, NJ

Erika Hammerschmidt, National Western Stock Show, Denver, CO

Kevin Harry, The BCJ Group, St Petersburg, FL

Mikenzee Heidrich, Weber County Culture, Parks and Recreation, Ogden, UT

Melanie Henkes, Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, Fort Wayne, IN

Tamara Herold, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Henderson, NV

Linnea Holt, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

Lindsey Horstman, Texas A&M Athletics, College Station, TX

Austin Hostetler, Anderson University, Anderson, IN

Amanda Hurd, Renasant Convention Center, Memphis, TN

Genendarama Jargalsaikhan, Steppe Arena, Ulaanbataar City, Mongolia

Bill Carl Johnson, The BCJ Group, St Petersburg, FL

Marcie Kamerick, Bridge View Center, Ottumwa, IA

Dylan Kawa, University of Florida, Tampa, FL

Candace Kidman, Weber County Culture, Parks and Recreation, Ogden, UT

Hongyoung Kim, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM

Brian Kitts, Arts and Venues Denver, Denver, CO

Adam Kopperud, Staging Concepts/Trex Commercial, Minneapolis, MN

Carol Krueger, Arts and Venues Denver, Denver, CO

Yukio Kuniyuki, San Angelo Performing Arts Center, San Angelo, TX

Jelena Lane, Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff, AZ

Taylor Marcine, Prudential Center, Newark, NJ

Dakota Marsden, Rice-Eccles Stadium/Jon M. Huntsman Center, Salt Lake City, UT

Sam Maton, Bonnetts Energy Centre, Grande Prairie, AB, Canada

Keaten McDonald, Rice-Eccles Stadium/Jon M. Huntsman Center, Salt Lake City, UT

Carla Miller, The Fairgrounds Nashville, Nashville, TN

Brianna Morgan, Charleston Gaillard Center, Charleston, SC

Kevin Newton, Parker Arts, Parker, CO

Travis Noble, DI Build, Overland Park, KS

Ciara O’Halloran, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA

Efren Ortiz, San Diego Theatres/San Diego Civic Theatre, San Diego, CA

Morgan Palmer, The BCJ Group, St Petersburg, FL

Kristina Pappas, Salt Lake County Arts & Culture, Salt Lake City, UT

Tsagaan Puntsag, Steppe Arena, Ulaanbataar City, Mongolia

Heather Rector, Weber County Culture, Parks and Recreation, Ogden, UT

Tameka Rish, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA

Lindsey Ritter, Georgetown University, Washington, DC

Isaiah Rodgers, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA

Matthew Rollins, Belmont University, Nashville, TN

Nawar Saadi, San Diego Theatres/San Diego Civic Theatre, San Diego, CA

Brandon Samsury, Texas A&M Athletics, College Station, TX

Gianluca Sardo, The Glasshouse, New York, NY

Emily Schierenbeck, Texas A&M Athletics, College Station, TX

Courtney Schmitz, Staging Concepts/Trex Commercial, Minneapolis, MN

Eric Schmitz, Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN

Kathleen Serangeli, Missouri State University, Springfield, MO

Tarena Smith, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA

Tron Stamper, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA

Megan Stewart, Weber County Culture, Parks and Recreation, Ogden, UT

Christopher Strassner, Gogue Performing Arts Center, Auburn, AL

David Taylor, Texas A&M Athletics, College Station, TX

Hayley Tice, City of Rancho Mirage, Rancho Mirage, CA

Kayla Tomlinson, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA

Munkhtuvshin Tsagaan, Steppe Arena, Ulaanbataar City, Mongolia

Odontuya Tsendsuren, Steppe Arena, Ulaanbataar City,

Bayasgalan Tsogtsaikhan, Steppe Arena, Ulaanbataar City, Mongolia

Nathan Uetz, Enterprise Center/Stifel Theatre, Saint Louis, MO

Sugar Unurbayar, Steppe Arena, Ulaanbataar City, Mongolia

Nina Urban, Tampa Sports Authority, Tampa, FL

Hayden Wadsworth, Weber County Culture, Parks and Recreation, Ogden, UT

Faith Ward, Palmer Events Center, Austin, TX

Stephen Wascher, Gogue Performing Arts Center, Auburn, AL

Heather Watson, Gogue Performing Arts Center, Auburn, AL

Tim White, Staging Concepts/Trex Commercial, Minneapolis, MN

Kody Wood, Texas A&M Athletics, College Station, TX

Anastasia Yulia, Miller High Life Theatre, Milwaukee, WI

By Annie Merrill

Peter Broeder, AIA, has rejoined HOK as principal, design for the firm’s global Sports + Recreation + Entertainment practice. Based in Kansas City, Broeder has played an integral role in shaping stadiums, arenas, training facilities, and recreation projects across the globe.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Peter back to HOK. He is a thoughtful, forward-thinking designer who will help lead our sports practice into the future,” said Nate Appleman, director of Sports + Recreation + Entertainment. “Peter has the ability to expertly guide clients through the design process and create memorable spaces that work for the fan, athlete, and university or ownership group.”

Broeder joins Sports + Recreation + Entertainment leaders that include Appleman, Loretta Fulvio, Bill Johnson, Micheal Day, Scott Ralston, Rashed Singaby, Shannon Bartch, Trevor Bechtold, Brian Berg, Chris DeVolder, Gus Drosos, Andrew Elmer, Jon Maxey, and Paul Joran.

Broeder’s resume includes work designing Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta; Basrah Sport City in Basrah, Iraq; a new stadium and training facility for the NWSL Kansas City Current; and collegiate facilities at Mississippi State University, Southern Methodist University, University of Missouri, University of Nebraska, Arizona State University, University of North Carolina, and University of Florida.

Broeder was named a Power Player for facility design and construction by Sports Business Journal in 2020. He has a master’s degree in architecture from the University of Kansas where he currently serves as an adjunct studio instructor and lecturer.

“I started my career at HOK, gained valuable experience working on complex sports facilities and am excited to return to work alongside the best in the business,” Broeder said. “I’ve seen firsthand the firm’s commitment to fostering innovation in processes and in practice, and I look forward to working closely with our clients to bring their ideas to life.”

Annie Merrill is Associate / Communications Manager for HOK.

Acrisure Arena, the new 11,000-capacity live entertainment and sports venue in Thousand Palms, California, has made a string of appointments, including Scott Feldman as vice president of event services.

The future home of the AHL Coachella Valley Firebirds has also brought in Brian Puza as senior director of operations and Brienne Cole as director of ticket operations.

John Bolton, senior vice president and general manager of Acrisure Arena, said: “As we get closer to the opening of the Arena in December, you can’t underestimate the importance of putting the right team in place. I’m pleased we’ve been so successful in assembling a diverse array of talent for Acrisure Arena.”

LifeCity, an initiative that supports economic development in key areas like housing, food, and stormwater management, has awarded the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center a “Love Your City Award” in the Best Overall category at an awards ceremony held on March 31. The awards highlight individuals and organizations that assess, improve, and address their impact in their communities through reductions in energy use, contributions to the local economy, commitments to providing equitable opportunities for all, and more.

This marks the first award received by the Convention Center in the 10-year history of this event. The Best Overall Award was awarded to the Convention Center for improvements to its energy usage, waste reduction efforts, new green infrastructure, and more. In total, 10 areas of impact were measured and judged by a panel who deemed the Convention Center to be one of the best companies in New Orleans in their commitments to the sustainability of their facility and the environmental health of New Orleans. The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center’s Director of Sustainability, Linda Baynham, spearheads these initiatives.

“This award celebrates our determination to reduce our impact on the environment. It is not only important to our community but expected by our clients who bring thousands of visitors to New Orleans annually,” says Convention Center President Michael J. Sawaya. “The kind of cutting-edge improvements we are making, such as our change to LED lights in our exhibit halls, or the construction of our new environmentally-friendly pedestrian park, means that our ambitious $557 million dollar Capital Improvement Plan is already paying dividends for us and the city of New Orleans.”

Proceeds from the 2022 Love Your City Awards Gala were donated to VEGGI Vietnamese Farmers Cooperative, located in New Orleans East, to assist in flood prevention efforts.

Pictured: Members of the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center Team Celebrate with the Love Your City – Best Overall Award. (Left to Right) Erik Fructuoso, Facility Operations Foreman and True Waste Advisor; Floyd Griffin, Director of Event Operations; Linda Baynham, Director of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility; Adam Straight, Vice President of Operations; Erik Gonzales, Assistant Director of Event Operations.