By Jenny Stephens, WELL AP

Global architecture and design firm Perkins&Will has appointed new leaders for its Denver studio: Ernest Joyner has stepped into the role of Managing Director, and Jeff Chermely has become Operations Director.

The leadership transitions come at a time of growth for the Denver studio, which has been expanding into new markets, including corporate, mixed-use commercial, healthcare, and science/technology. Its strong legacy in sports, entertainment, and recreation—the studio was known as Sink Combs Dethlefs until a merger with Perkins&Will in 2017—ensures clients in every sector benefit from design that supports holistic health and well-being. This is an approach the firm calls Living Design.

“I look forward to leading our Denver studio into the next chapter of its story,” says Joyner. “The highest and best use of my time and energy will be supporting individuals and teams so they can deliver excellence to our clients at every turn. Living Design is a key part of that promise.”

Current projects designed by Perkins&Will’s Denver studio include the James Brown Arena in Augusta, Georgia; the Colorado School of Mines Frontiers Building in Golden, Colorado; and the Classic Center Arena in Athens, Georgia. Built projects include the Portland State University Viking Pavilion in Portland, Oregon; the University of Michigan Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan; and Bell MTS Place in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Joyner succeeds Andy Barnard, who served as Managing Director since 2017 and as President of Sink Combs Dethlefs since 2009. Barnard will retire this spring.

“I’ve enjoyed every minute of my 35-year-career designing buildings that benefit their users and the communities they serve. Now, it’s time to pass the baton to the next generation of leadership,” Barnard says. “I’m confident our studio is in excellent hands with Ernest as my successor.”

Adds Joyner: “Andy leaves big shoes to fill, having nurtured a thriving studio culture and very successful practice. I am grateful for his mentorship and leadership over the years. Now, in collaboration with Jeff Chermely, I look forward to keeping that positive momentum going.”

Chermely, who succeeds Joyner as Operations Director, previously served as a senior project manager in the Denver studio. He has been with the firm since 2005.

“I’m excited to apply the strategic problem-solving and project management skills I’ve honed over the last 17 years to the role of Operations Director, where I know I can have a positive impact on every project, for every client,” he says. “I look forward to working closely with Ernest to shape the future of our growing practice.”

Jenny Stephens, WELL AP, is Marketing Director, Principal for Perkins&Will.

ASM Global has named Jessica Ragsdale Vice-President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI).

Ragsdale comes to ASM Global after eight years with Microsoft, most recently working with their global diversity and inclusion team. For ASM, Ragsdale will be working within a team to turn ideas into action that can be implemented within the ASM organization to further their education, understanding, and engagement with internal employees and external partners. Ragsdale’s focus will be to provide strategic leadership in the areas of diversity, inclusion, and equity by implementing programs to support ASM Global’s goals and monitoring progress to meet those goals.

ASM Global President and CEO Ron Benision commented on Ragsdale appointment, “We are honored to have Jessica join us to serve as our new vice president of DEI, which remains an important part of business today and into the future. Jessica’s experience and dedication to this important aspect of our business fits perfectly with our community and employment goals embodied in our ASM Acts platform.”

Prior to Ragsdale’s appointment, ASM Global announced they’re launching the ASM Global Acts Foundation to support philanthropic and community-based endeavors guided by its sustainability and diversity pillars as well as the ASM Global Acts Scholarship, which will focus on serving diverse and under-resourced communities with education and career-development opportunities.

“As many of us know, DEI is a journey, and this is an adventure I am thrilled to be a part of,” Ragsdale said. She will be located in the ASM Global Los Angeles office.

By R.V. Baugus

Many who read this are too young to remember that once upon a time when you went to fill your gas tank at the pump you had no option but to let an attendant do the job for you while you remained in your car. Crazy, huh?

OK, let’s move this forward to get more of our reading audience on board but talking about how you can go to a bank and find a kiosk to make a deposit, withdrawal, or any other number of services. You can go to a grocery store and find self-checkout stations all over the place.

Well, in our venue professional world, the NFL Miami Dolphins became the first team in the league to launch a self-checkout retail option for fans at its Hard Rock Stadium.

Unveiled on December 19, the Hard Rock Stadium Express Shop is an autonomous retail experience powered by Verizon’s 5G self-checkout activation, offering supporters “grab and go” checkout options to purchase snacks, beverages, and merchandise in a fully autonomous and frictionless setting.

The Hard Rock Stadium Express Shop can function at any location in and around the stadium where Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband network is available.

Fans can insert a credit card at the door and the Express Shop allows supporters to purchase products and walk out of the store. They will then be billed electronically and receive a receipt via email.

The Express Shop is available during all Dolphins homes games, as well as other events at the venue.

“As a global entertainment destination, we consistently look to implement experiences for our guests that exceed expectations in modernization and technology which are focal points in our partnership with Verizon,” the Dolphins’ senior vice president and chief revenue officer Jeremy Walle said.

“The Hard Rock Stadium Express Shop is at the forefront of future retail experiences, and we are excited to be the first NFL stadium to make this autonomous and free-standing concept available to fans.”

The launch comes after the Dolphins entered into a partnership with Dell Technologies to expand the use of video for fan engagement, safety and security at Hard Rock Stadium.

By Toni-Ann Burke

accesso Technology Group has added 15 North American operators to the roster of clients for its accesso ShoWare box office ticketing suite. The new partners include Silverton Casino in Las Vegas; Biltmore Theatre in Oshawa, Ontario; UIS Performing Arts Center in Springfield, Illinois; three speedways in Burlington, Washington, Fairbury, Illinois, and Seekonk, Massachusetts; the Peninsula Ballet Theatre in San Mateo, California; and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in Perkinston, Mississippi. All 15 destinations and attractions are set for full integration by the end of January 2022.

“Over the last year, it was wonderful to see so many destinations, venues, and attractions around the world begin to welcome back their valued guests,” said accesso CEO Steve Brown. “We are privileged to have the opportunity to help these new partners enhance their operations and offerings with a next-generation ticketing experience.”

With more than 50 million tickets sold annually worldwide and half a billion processed transactions, the accesso ShoWare ticketing suite is a best-in-class solution designed to enhance, streamline and guide guests’ online purchasing journeys. The accesso ShoWare ticketing suite offers high-volume capabilities, white-label branding and unparalleled customer service, all packaged in one, easy-to-use turnkey solution, empowering venue and destination operators to redefine the experience for guests – whether they purchase online or on-site – while driving revenue. With more than 600 installations in theaters, concert venues, sports arenas, casinos and attractions around the world, the cloud-based Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution offers operators flexible, full control over the end-to-end ticketing process, including secure and simple reserved ticketing tools, as well as functionality to support spaced seating, contact tracing, donation tools, live streaming, email marketing integration and more.

Toni-Ann Burke is Communications Specialist for Curley & Pynn – The Strategic Firm®.

By R.V. Baugus

Not enough that long-time industry veteran and former IAVM Chair Randy Brown, CVE, retired after meritorious service leading the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana, but the end of the year also marked the retirement of the venue’s second-in-command, Bryan Christie. While we are on the subject of longevity, Bryan retired from his vice president of operations post after working at the venue for — ready for this? — 53 years. He began working at the Coliseum while in high school with his first role a very familiar one for those breaking into the industry so young as filling sodas at the concession stand.

The venue’s Facebook page gave due credit to one so deserving: Congratulations to Bryan Christie on his last day and retirement as Vice President of Operations for the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. For more than 50 years, Bryan has worked tirelessly, putting his heart and soul into each and everything he does for our clients, guests, and staff.