Casey Redish is an Event Manager with Spurs Sports & Entertainment at the AT&T Center where she specializes in managing the arena’s top concert events. Prior to finding her dream job in the Venue Management industry, Casey spent 4 years coordinating magical meetings and events for the Walt Disney Company at Walt Disney World. Casey holds a Bachelor’s degree in Event Management and Hospitality Management from The University of Central Florida

“I felt a wave of shock, excitement, and gratitude. I am passionate about this industry and what we get to do each day, so to be recognized for this honor is extremely gratifying.”

Join your Foundation in congratulating Casey on being honored as one of the 30|UNDER|30 Class of 2020 and don’t forget to come back each Thursday as we spotlight another honoree!

By Mary-Michael Rodgers

Boise Centre has achieved the Global Biorisk Advisory Council® (GBAC) STAR™ facility accreditation, the gold standard for prepared facilities. Under the guidance of GBAC, a Division of ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association, Boise Centre has implemented the most stringent protocols for cleaning, disinfection, and infectious disease prevention in its facility. As the cleaning industry’s only outbreak prevention, response, and recovery accreditation, GBAC STAR™ helps organizations establish protocols and procedures, offers expert-led training, and assesses a facility’s readiness for biorisk situations.

To achieve the accreditation, Boise Centre was required to demonstrate compliance with the program’s 20 core elements, which range from standard operating procedures and risk assessment strategies to personal protective equipment and emergency preparedness and response measures.

“Our staff worked diligently for several months on the GBAC STAR application submittal process. We evaluated every aspect of our business to ensure we are operating in the safest possible manner for our employees, clients, and their attendees,” said Pat Rice, Boise Centre Executive Director. “The accreditation is a performance-based program that certifies Boise Centre is following strict protocols for health, sanitation, and safety. By taking this important step, we want to reassure meeting organizers that Boise Centre is committed to operating safely and we are prepared to welcome in-person events.”

In addition to the accreditation, Boise Centre has invested in the following cleaning and disinfection equipment and products:

•Thermal temperature monitoring cameras to scan employees and guests for temperatures
•Two electrostatic sprayers that utilize a positive charge to evenly coat disinfectant spray on surfaces
•Usage of a standalone ultraviolet (UV) disinfection machine and a UV wand to disinfect podiums, microphones, wireless remote controls, cell phones and tablets
•PreventX 24/7 a finish coating with on-going antimicrobial properties is applied to all high touch points throughout the venue every 30 days.

Mary-Michael Rodgers is Communications Manager for Boise Center in Boise, Idaho.

Please welcome our newest members who joined IAVM in December 2020. 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.

Brandon Baello, Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, Long Beach, CA

Aleia Bailey, Florence Events Center, Florence, OR

Eric Blanc, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL

Shirley Chan, Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, Long Beach, CA

Thomas Dyer, Owensboro Convention Center, Owensboro, KY

Paul Falzon, Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, Long Beach, CA

Lucas Fox, Otterbein University, Westerville, OH

Tra Jones, Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, Long Beach, CA

Robert Kuroda, Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, Long Beach, CA

La Shawnda Mikhael, Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, Long Beach, CA

Kyle Mikolajczyk, Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio, TX

John Nieto, Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio, TX

Monte Ortel, Infinite Energy Center, Duluth, GA

Adolfina Ortiz, Orlando Venues, Orlando, FL

Cassandra Parker-Nowicki, Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio, TX

Nicholas Parreco, University of Baltimore, Stevensville, MD

Jack Porcelli, Ethical Equations, Jackson, NJ

Veronica Quintero, Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, Long Beach, CA

Ernie Ramirez, Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio, TX

Kathleen Ross, FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, St. Catherines, ON, Canada

Logan Stewart, AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX

Teresa Vasquez-Romero, Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio, TX

Emily Vosselmann, AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX

Isiah White, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL

Miguel Williams, Orlando Venues, Orlando, FL

Casey Young, Orlando Venues, Orlando, FL

Brian Zumwalt, AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX

Many thanks to our volunteer members who are actively recruiting new members to the Association. Current leaders of the campaign are:

• Andrea Smalls – Georgia International Convention Center/GICC – 8 new members
• Jim Brown – First National Bank Arena – 3 members
• Doug Booher – Indiana University – 2 members
• Tim Hemphill – New Orleans Ernest M. Morial Convention Center – 2 members
• Erin Wylie – Kennesaw State University – 2 members

The annual recruitment campaign gives IAVM’s volunteer leaders the opportunity to recruit one new member. Who makes up the IAVM Leadership? The IAVM Board of Directors, Foundation Board of Trustees, Regents, Governors, Committees and Task Forces spread the word about the value of IAVM membership.

The previous JustOne effort ended on 12/31/19 and delivered 95 new members. Your leadership and commitment to IAVM’s growth is evident in the results!

 GOAL: We have 298 individuals involved in IAVM’s governance. If all volunteers recruit just one new member, your efforts will give us 100% participation by our leadership in 2020-2021, potentially adding another 298 new members.

Members are our best advocates in promoting membership. As of today, we’ve brought in 21 new members since we launched the campaign on August 1, 2020.

Why is this important? In these challenging times, our collective voices make a difference with our advocacy efforts. Also, IAVM’s governance is also working hard to identify the next round of leaders that will propel IAVM into the future, but more importantly, provide you with expanded connections to give you more vibrant experiences and discussions at our schools and conferences, face-to-face and virtually.

REWARD: The Board, Committee, Council, Task Force, Region and individual that refers the most members will be recognized at VC21 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Campaign Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Questions, contact Member Services at membership@iavm.org; or email either of us at: Gina Brydson, Summer Beday or Robin Covington.

By Nan Marchand Beauvois and R.V. Baugus

The Meetings Mean Business Coalition and Lets Meet There continues to focus on industry recovery and moving forward together. To that end, the organization’s are pleased to share a Meet Safe platform.

The platform, developed in partnership with Simpleview, is designed to showcase that with the proper adherence to state and city gathering limits and health and safety best practices, in-person and hybrid meetings and events can take place now and into the future.

Event hosts, hotels and venue operators, planners, destination marketing professionals and suppliers can submit detailed information about their in-person or hybrid event which will be showcased on this page.

This resource will help planners, future meeting hosts and attendees learn best practices for meetings and events and ultimately showcase how professional meetings and events are organized responsibly with health and safety top-of-mind.

IAVM is happy to share this resource with our members and believes it is important for to gather as many examples as possible across the U.S. The goal is to use this platform to advocate on behalf of meetings and business events in several ways:

Show companies that meetings are taking place and doing so safely by showcasing a multitude of examples.

Use this tool with our elected officials to prove that business meetings and events should not be classified as a generic “gathering.” End game is to ease the restrictions and limitations to meetings and business events across the U.S.

Please visit this page with as many details as possible. Check out the best practices for submissions here and reach out to Caroline Campbell ccampbell@ustravel.org with any questions.

Nan Marchand Beauvois is Senior Vice President, Membership and Industry Relations, GM ESTO, Managing Director MMBC for U.S. Travel Association.