By R.V. Baugus

The topic of leadership is one that is very common in articles written about the business world. In today’s pandemic society, however, there is more that leaders must do as they guide their internal teams. It is leading under pressure, which so happens to be the very topic that Ron Harvey, a PCC Certified Leadership Coach, Speaker, Trainer, and Facilitator, will address when he presents at this year’s VenueConnect in Atlanta.

Leading Under Pressure addresses the greatest obstacle to personal/professional success, whether you are Front of House, Back of House, coordinating events on a field, organizing a trade show, or managing a performance onstage. No one rises to the occasion of leading under pressure without being intentional. The reality is pressure can make us do worse and can lead us to fail utterly. But there are things we can do to increase our ability to lead effectively when the stakes are high.

Harvey certainly brings the credentials for the topic. A retired U.S. Army Veteran with more than 34 years of leadership experience, his purpose is to “Make A Difference” by inspiring leaders to excel through learning, growth, and adding value to others.

Based in Columbia, SC, Ron is Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Global Core Strategies and Consulting (GCSC), and serves as the Chairman for the Columbia Chamber Small Business Council and is on the boards of Midlands Communities in Schools, and the Carolina Virginia Minority Supplier Diversity Council.

“I’ve been doing this topic and working in this space for about 10 years,” Harvey said. “My military background contributes in that what you expect may not actually occur and yet people still observe you and how you respond to what’s happening around you. When the stakes are high and the tempers are flaring, the requirements to lead are still there but everything has kind of gone away from what normally happens. But people still require you to lead.”

Harvey’s presentation will connect with the audience, as recent work placed him training at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, which is led by Cheryl Swanson, CVE. “They brought us in to help them understand and speaking in light of what they do and how they work with pressure,” Harvey said.

The added pressure layer of COVID-19 is yet another hurdle that venue managers deal with.

“It has increased the pressure for what we’re seeing across the board with knowing when to return back or not to return back (to work),” Harvey said. “Everything you guys do is around customer service, and right now it is important to have your team do a phenomenal job of customer service.

“That said, we’re seeing the breaking point whether it is from the mental health or just being away from the job or all the things showing up in the workplace. The other thing we are seeing is people feeling a little resentful to ‘get back to business as usual’ when everything around them has changed. That’s causing a lot of pressure for leaders to know because it’s going to rub some people the wrong way. How do you do business not as usual but help people get back to a lifestyle that’s different but still effective?

Harvey said that there is also the anxiety of returning back to work and what awaits in the new normal, something that was addressed at the Convention Center.

“What does that returning look like?” he said. “Are there enough hand sanitizer stations, are the tables far enough apart, or how about people who want to wear masks but some people don’t want to wear masks for a variety of reasons? That’s a lot of pressure on a leader. A lot of the staff might not feel safe or comfortable, so there’s a lot of anxiety about returning to the office.”

As for a primary takeaway for his audience, Harvey said simply, “Ensure that your audio matches your video.”

“As a leader, what you do is more important than what you say,” he added. “If your actions are not aligned with what’s coming out vocally, people are confused and they don’t want to follow you. The first thing that creates distrust or lack of loyalty is to say one thing and then do another.”

Harvey speaks of his company as one about creating a winning culture where people want to be a part of it.

“What we mean by that is that we focus on three things for the leadership of an organization: building trust, creating an environment that makes a difference, and adding value to people. That’s really the foundation of our entire organization.”

That is also why the motto for his organization is “People Always Matter.” Rest assured the audio matches the video.

By R.V. Baugus

For Zane Collings, it’s the same family but a different ZIP code and opportunity to lead one of the most iconic venues in the world.

Moving from a position with ASM Global’s VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, FL, Collings is the new general manager of the ASM Global Smoothie King Center and Champions Square in New Orleans, and most notably the world-famous Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Collings replaces long-time industry veteran Alan Freeman, who retired after 40-plus years of service in the public assembly venue industry. Colling’s position was announced by the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District (LSED) on April 22.

“I will be responsible for the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, Smoothie King Center, and Champions Square and everything that would go into a NFL stadium and NBA building including event procurement, booking, operations, maintenance, relationships with the two team tenants, marketing, and promotions,” Collings said by phone while in Jacksonville where he is helping the sister ASM Global facility “back fill” until making a new hire. “I have another responsibility with the corporate office as the southeast regional booking director for the arenas and will continue to do that. I will still help find content for all of our arenas in the southeast which happens to be New Orleans as well as Jacksonville.”

Collings served in Jacksonville for more than seven years and has been in the ASM/SMG family for more than 21 years. He has also worked in other then-SMG venues including Santander Arena, Dow Event Center, Sovereign Center, and New Haven Coliseum.

“I love Florida and the Jacksonville market,” Collings said. “There are great people here. It’s been a wonderful growth opportunity for me personally. Being with ASM/SMG for 21 years with the first 14 years in the smaller tertiary markets, Jacksonville enabled me to get to a building of substantial size at the arena and to be able to work in the NFL with the Jaguars and procure some really cool concerts with my partners in crime over there at the Jaguars.”

Now that he is in the Crescent City, Collings is very familiar with the immense history of the visibility that comes with overseeing a venue such as the Superdome, which has hosted a longer list of prominent events than we have room to share but will include Pope visits, Muhammad Ali boxing matches, Super Bowls, and NCAA Final Fours, to name a few.

“Moving to New Orleans, I get to experience a whole different level and to be in an exciting part of the country and not only an NFL building but also NBA,” Collings said. “Call it two-for-one if you want. The Superdome is not just another building. It is an iconic venue that transcends just another stadium. You can build a brand-spanking new building in big cities and big markets but you can’t build a Superdome. There’s too much history, too much character, too much culture that goes into what it really is. That’s the uniqueness of something that gets me out of a market that I really loved to live in and to something new that is bigger than just a building.”

Collings also believes that having worked in a state and at a venue that has been “pretty open” for business while the pandemic pushes on is a benefit.

“As a matter of fact, VyStar Memorial Arena had its first 100% capacity for the sold-out UFC 261 event on April 24th,” Collings said. “To put 15,000 people in the arena was a fantastic night. Working through reduced capacity including hockey games, concerts, and Disney on Ice, has been a good challenge to see those things come to fruition. Louisiana is not quite as open as Florida, so hopefully my experience will be beneficial as Louisiana has started to open up. We just received state approval for 25% for non-sporting events and hope to be much further beyond that in the next short-term.”

By ISSA

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Global Biorisk Advisory Council™, (GBAC), a Division of ISSA, launched its GBAC STAR™ Facility Accreditation to assist facilities in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from infectious disease risks. The first facilities to earn accreditation were Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta and Dinner in a Dash in Monroe, Ga. One year later, over 1,900 facilities in more than 80 countries across six continents have earned accreditation, and more than 3,000 facilities are in the process of pursuing accreditation. Additionally, cleaning service provider CCS Facility Services was the first to achieve GBAC STAR™ Service Accreditation in March to support its cleaning, disinfection, and infection prevention protocols and procedures.

“Over the course of the last year, we have helped many organizations better understand the complexities of cleaning effectively for infectious diseases like the SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. This has been especially crucial as guidance from public health agencies has changed throughout the pandemic,” said GBAC Executive Director Patricia Olinger. “We are beyond excited to see the benefits that participating facilities have realized and look forward to making even more progress in changing the way the world views cleaning.”

Since launching on May 7, 2020, GBAC STAR has attracted worldwide interest from facilities of all types and sizes. The accreditation is enabling safer travel due to adoption by American Airlines; Dallas Fort Worth International Airport; the five airports operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ): John F. Kennedy International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, New York Stewart International Airport, and Teterboro Airport; and other regional and international airports. Additionally, all Hyatt hotel locations worldwide, the forthcoming Resorts World Las Vegas in Las Vegas, and other franchise and boutique hotels have earned accreditation.

Other accredited large venues include the 5.9 million-square-foot Dubai Mall in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Hard Rock Stadium, home of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins; American Family Field in Milwaukee, home of MLB’s Milwaukee Brewers; TD Garden in Boston, home of the NBA’s Boston Celtics and NHL’s Boston Bruins; and other NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL stadiums and arenas in the United States and Canada.

Further, meeting venues such as Palais des Festivals et des Congrès in Cannes, France, home of the Cannes Film Festival; Los Angeles Convention Center; McCormick Place in Chicago; Orange County Convention Center in Orlando; and many other convention centers worldwide have achieved GBAC STAR. Chicago’s Navy Pier and additional museums and cultural venues, restaurants, commercial office and government buildings, long-term care facilities, schools and universities, fitness centers, salons and spas, theatres, worship facilities, and more round out the list of where the public can find the GBAC STAR seal.

Additionally, GBAC STAR Supporters, a network of over 80 industry organizations, have committed their support for the accreditation program with their constituents. Supporters include American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE); The International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM); Visit Dallas; Discover The Palm Beaches, Fla.; Visit Baltimore; and many others.

Over the past year, GBAC has partnered with leading suppliers in the cleaning industry, including Kimberly-Clark Professional, CloroxPro, GOJO Industries, GP Pro, ByoPlanet, Essendant, and Victory Innovations, to launch grant and scholarship programs, equipment donations, and in-kind donations. These programs and donations have helped to support and educate facility professionals and service providers and demonstrate their commitment and readiness to prepare, respond, and recover from outbreaks and pandemics.

To make it easy for the public to find facilities that have earned or committed to accreditation, GBAC also launched its GBAC STAR Facility Directory, which allows users to filter based on keyword, facility type, location, and accreditation status. The public can enter these facilities with confidence since GBAC STAR accreditation provides clear direction on cleaning procedures and ensures that leadership and frontline cleaning staff are committed to a higher standard of cleanliness. Additional information for the public is available at gbac.org/info.

“Cleaning, disinfection, and infection prevention are all crucial areas of focus during and after a pandemic, even when dealing with an airborne virus,” said ISSA Executive Director John Barrett. “Continuously upholding cleanliness is key to preventing future outbreaks and pandemics, and GBAC STAR accreditation gives facilities the tools to do just that.”

Learn more and apply for GBAC STAR Facility Accreditation via the new GBAC website at gbac.org/star.

Locate accredited and committed facilities via gbac.org/directory.

By R.V. Baugus

The Venue Managers Mom’s Affinity Group, created for networking and to support opportunities for women in the venue management profession who are mothers, will launch with its first meeting scheduled for May 18 at 3pm EST/2pm CST. Meetings will be held monthly on the third Tuesday.

“The intent is to create space, virtually and eventually in-person, where women can gather to support one another, to speak from various perspectives, and to learn from one another,” said Jennifer Norris, CVE, Assistant Managing Director, San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center. “The group will be inclusive – adoptive mothers, biological mothers, stepmothers, single mothers, partnered mothers of any and all sexualities.”

Norris noted that the group is IAVM member-created, although IAVM membership is not required to participate. That said, individuals must be IAVM members in order to access the group on VenueNet. “It came about organically as a result of the April IAVM Foundation E3 focused on Working Moms and the Women in Leadership Roundtables,” she said.

Here is what the some of the members who came together to form the planning committee for this group are saying about why it is important to them and what they hope to create with and for each other:

“I jumped at the opportunity to help build the Venue Managers Mom’s Affinity Group because being a mom in this industry can feel very isolating. I love the idea of having a ‘safe’ space to share all of my mom related joys and frustrations. It is incredibly uplifting to talk to a group of powerful women who can understand all the intricacies that go into being a working mom in our industry. I can’t wait to simply have a conversation with all the awesome moms out there!”
Sara Beatty, CVP
Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

“Being a mom is often tough and being a mom in this industry can add additional challenges. I’m looking forward to meeting moms who share the same passions, but also connecting over things not related to our day jobs. Having a space to air frustrations, share milestones or learn about new mom trends is an invaluable resource, especially after the past year where moms seemed to have added even more to their plates. I can’t wait to connect with other moms and build on the support we all need.”
Lauren Burch
Old National Events Plaza

“Having a group of fellow moms to connect with in IAVM and our industry has already been so beneficial to me. Even in our planning meetings to put the group together, we’ve been able to laugh and complain about our kiddos while doing video chats with babies and toddlers hanging on us. I so look forward to starting this meet-up so we can all learn from each other, connect with one another, and hopefully help us all through this experience in the ever-crazy venue and events industry!”
Ashley Peacock, CVP
COX Business Convention Center

“I became a mom at the very beginning of the pandemic–the world literally shut down as I was in the hospital. It’s been 14 months of really high personal highs and really low professional lows, all during a time when the professional and personal lines have become blurred into non-existence. I am so excited to help get this group started to help provide a much-needed respite from the isolation and constant white-knuckling we do to get through every day. Our calls so far have been one of the few times I haven’t felt the need to apologize for my reality, which currently is a teething toddler who only takes zoom calls on the top of my head! As venue professionals, our strength is keeping all the balls in the air and always having backup and contingency plans. The uncertainty of this year has made it impossible to plan and impossible to keep juggling all the balls. Connecting with other women in our industry who are doing the best they can with humor, grace, and a ‘show must go on’ attitude has been inspiring and vital. I look forward to meeting new friends and colleagues and celebrating our successes, commiserating about our struggles, discovering my next favorite Netflix show, and building a community where we all feel a little less alone!”
Annie Wilson, CPA
The 5th Avenue Theatre

Interested moms should register here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcudOyoqTIvGta4Gr61Qddf5dTyPJDL4aOR

And for moms that are members we hope you will join our VenueNet Community titled Venue Moms’ Group
https://venuenet.iavm.org/communities/community-home?CommunityKey=794c3767-ee7f-486e-ac19-5a833bcd867e

By NBC 12 News

The Arizona Diamondbacks announced that as of May 25, they will be lifting all COVID-19 seating restrictions at Chase Field.

The first set of home games following the restriction lift will be May 25 and 26 against the San Francisco Giants and May 27 through May 30 against the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Diamondbacks said that fans will still be required to wear masks and social distancing as much as possible is still encouraged.

“We continue to hear from our season ticket holders that they want to return to their original seats and we feel that they can do so safely,” said D-backs President & CEO Derrick Hall said in a release. “While the seating restrictions will no longer be in place, we believe seat selection for the majority of games should still allow fans to spread out. We continue to work very hard to provide a safe and comfortable environment for fans and will monitor their feedback throughout the season.”

The Dbacks were initially only going to allow about 12,000 fans for their home opener, but expanded it to 20,000 and have been going with that capacity since.

The Texas Rangers were the first team to allow full capacity as they started the season allowing 100% capacity at home games.