Please Respond to Survey Sharing Your VenueConnect Education Session Preferences
By R.V. Baugus
IAVM is sending out a survey this week to attendees from last year’s VenueConnect in Chicago asking for your reply to recommend education sessions you would like to have take place at this year’s VenueConnect.
“We are pushing out a survey this week with the simple question, ‘What type of education would you like to see?” said Mark Herrera, IAVM Director of Education and Life Safety. “Everything will surround itself around the current health crisis, and it is important for the sessions to speak to what is going on today. We want to take in the information and put it back out in sessions so members can apply it to their facility during this pandemic.”
Herrera said some relevant topics include leadership in a crisis, working in remote teams, business continuity plans, regulatory and procedural issues, and legal pitfalls and ramifications, among others.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, Herrera said that many of the sessions originally planned have been taken off the table to make room for providing the most needed sessions for attendees.
“It is very important to deliver a conference to continue with a focus on today’s health crisis,” Herrera said. “We want to provide cutting-edge educational offerings that are tailored and structured to your professional development but also as it pertains to the current pandemic.”
Herrera added that the deadline will likely be this Friday and stressed the urgency and importance for those receiving the survey to participate and meet the deadline.
“We are garnering feedback to take in information we might have overlooked,” he said. “VenueConnect is moving forward to deliver to our members in whatever form the conference takes place.”
The importance of being prepared to act to today’s changing environment is one that also has to be considered. Faced with novel coronavirus (COVID-19), we all know that unforeseen circumstances can get in the way of any event, including VenueConnect 2020.
“IAVM understands that our members come first as we work collectively with our federal and association partners, industry working task forces, sector committees, and certifying entities to assure reasonable efforts are made to host live events safely for the entire industry,” Herrera said. “IAVM is prepared to shift to a virtual conference that will allow us to create valuable professional connections, explore new and innovative ideas in the venue management industry, and provide impactful learning opportunities in a safe and healthy environment.”
Venue Excellence Awards and Education & Service Award to be Postponed
Due to the constantly evolving COVID-19 pandemic, applicants for Venue Excellence Award (VEA) and Education & Service Award, as well as their respective peer review committees, cannot give the attention needed to the application and selection process at this time. IAVM has recently made some difficult budgetary revisions due to the pandemic, which also affect provision of awards. Additionally, the health and safety of our members is our highest priority, and we are discovering that many venues’ travel and professional development budgets have been cut. These changes, and the fluid movement of federal/state/local governments regarding phases of re-opening, led IAVM to feel that the best course of action this year is to simply wait on the selection and presentation of both awards.
Any Venue Excellence Award/Education & Service Award applications that were received for 2020 will automatically be presented for 2021. Should you have any updates or additions to your application currently on file, you will have time to present edits with communication from IAVM staff regarding steps.
We know many of you have been faced with similar difficult decisions, and we appreciate your understanding.
A Warm Welcome To Our Newest Members
Please welcome our newest members who joined IAVM in April 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.
Jose Arroyo, BBVA Stadium, Houston, TX, United States
Symone Audain, Robert F. Kennedy Stadium, Washington, DC, United States
Charlotte Austin, Robert F. Kennedy Stadium, Washington, DC, United States
Erin Balserak, Rice-Eccles Stadium/Jon M. Huntsman Center, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
Scott Banks, Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
Andre Barette, Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Rachel Barlow, Rice-Eccles Stadium/Jon M. Huntsman Center, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
Tiffany Barnes, Team San Jose, San Jose, CA, United States
Tyler Bates, Prudential Center, Newark, NJ, United States
Sara Beesley, Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, Vienna, VA, United States
Dan Bergstrom, BBVA Stadium, Houston, TX, United States
Josh Blass, Stephen C. O’Connell Center, Gainesville, FL, United States
John Boer, BBVA Stadium, Houston, TX, United States
Parris Bradley, Mullen Center for the Performing Arts, Villanova, PA, United States
Jasmine Cabral, MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ, United States
Larry Cannon, BBVA Stadium, Houston, TX, United States
Sean Carroll, Performing Arts Fort Worth, Fort Worth, TX, United States
James Carter, Rice-Eccles Stadium/Jon M. Huntsman Center, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
John Charles, Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Eric Chiu, Neal S. Blaisdell Center Department of Enterprise Services, Honolulu, HI, United States
Kathie Cronk, Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Amy Dalin, Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Samantha Davis, University of Central Florida, Mascoutah, IL, United States
Ken Deans, W3 Entertainment Group, Walla Walla, WA, United States
Scott Derkacz, Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Elizabeth Devore, Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Brianne Dobbs, UWG Coliseum, Carrollton, GA, United States
Luis Duarte, Robert F. Kennedy Stadium, Washington, DC, United States
Zac Emmons, BBVA Stadium, Houston, TX, United States
Matt Farrell, TO Live, Toronto, ON, Canada
Richard Fedesco, Rose Quarter, Portland, OR, United States
Emma Fitzgerald, Owensboro Convention Center, Owensboro, KY, United States
Craig Flor, TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN, United States
Elyssa Garza, Frank Erwin Center, Austin, TX, United States
Rebecca Gebhart, Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, MN, United States
Angela Gennari, TITAN Global Enterprises, Chamblee, GA, United States
Chris Goddard, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, Denver, CO, United States
Eric Hagenbarth, Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Lawrence Hamm, Robert F. Kennedy Stadium, Washington, DC, United States
Amanda Hansen, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, Denver, CO, United States
Anthony Harris, NFL Players Association, Washington, DC, United States
Eileen Harris, Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Brendan Heitz, Duke University Athletics, Durham, NC, United States
Justin Horbacz, Stephen C. O’Connell Center, Gainesville, FL, United States
Zach Hrinuk, Prudential Center, Newark, NJ, United States
Doug Huggins, SumTur Amphitheater, Bellevue, NE, United States
Kevin Hurley, Texas A&M Athletics, College Station, TX, United States
Erin Jones, Texas A&M Athletics, College Station, TX, United States
Anja Kelley, Sottile Theatre – College of Charleston, Charleston, SC, United States
Jennifer Kelly, Wolstein Center at Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH, United States
Chris Kim, Stephen C. O’Connell Center, Gainesville, FL, United States
Lisa Kingham-Mork, Winnipeg Football Club – IG Field, Winnepeg, MB, Canada
Everett Knowles, TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN, United States
Kelly Kowalchuk, Winnipeg Football Club – IG Field, Winnepeg, MB, Canada
Taneshia Laird, Newark Symphony Hall, Newark, NJ, United States
Matthew Lally, Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Kevin Lambert, BBVA Stadium, Houston, TX, United States
Patrick Landers, Robert F. Kennedy Stadium, Washington, DC, United States
Tom Lane, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa, CA, United States
Jessica Lopez, Rice-Eccles Stadium/Jon M. Huntsman Center, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
Louie Loya, BBVA Stadium, Houston, TX, United States
John Madden, Robert F. Kennedy Stadium, Washington, DC, United States
Stephanie Manzo, MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ, United States
Laura Marsh, Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Euronn McCloud-Armstrong, Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Ryan McKenzie, MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ, United States
Erick McNair, Robert F. Kennedy Stadium, Washington, DC, United States
Joseph Mendoza, BBVA Stadium, Houston, TX, United States
Amy Miller, Credit Union 1 Arena, Chicago, IL, United States
Edgar Moctezuma, BBVA Stadium, Houston, TX, United States
Kiley Monson, Rice-Eccles Stadium/Jon M. Huntsman Center, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
Susana Montes, Stephen C. O’Connell Center, Gainesville, FL, United States
Will Moore, Prudential Center, Newark, NJ, United States
Sean Moriarty, TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN, United States
Ralph Morton, Robert F. Kennedy Stadium, Washington, DC, United States
Jessica Moxey, Robert F. Kennedy Stadium, Washington, DC, United States
Dirk Muncy, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, Denver, CO, United States
Joseph Pacheco, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco, CA, United States
Nicole Panunti, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta, GA, United States
David Perez, BBVA Stadium, Houston, TX, United States
Anthony Perez, Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
Chloe Pfanz, Stephen C. O’Connell Center, Gainesville, FL, United States
Nicole Punicki-Lauber, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, Denver, CO, United States
Dale Rabinov, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco, CA, United States
Minerva Ramirez, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco, CA, United States
Phaidra Reed, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, Denver, CO, United States
Alan Resendez, BBVA Stadium, Houston, TX, United States
Valeria Robles, SaskTel Centre, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
Allie Roby, BBVA Stadium, Houston, TX, United States
King Rogers, Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Lindsay Rosetti, Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Adam Roush, Texas A&M Athletics, College Station, TX, United States
Emily Ryan, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, Denver, CO, United States
Ti’Nesha Sampson, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, Denver, CO, United States
Presley Savarino, Texas A&M Athletics, College Station, TX, United States
Kaitlyn Schindler, Texas A&M Athletics, College Station, TX, United States
Harold Scott, Robert F. Kennedy Stadium, Washington, DC, United States
Brett Shaw, Owensboro Convention Center, Owensboro, KY, United States
Layne Shinaberry, Frank Erwin Center, Austin, TX, United States
Jennifer Silas, Infinite Energy Center, Duluth, GA, United States
Quintan Sims, Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
Brian Skow, Angel of the Winds Arena, Everett, WA, United States
Morgan Sommer, Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Kaitlin Sorensen, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, Denver, CO, United States
Corey Speights, UWG Coliseum, Carrollton, GA, United States
Chelsea Stilwell, Stephen C. O’Connell Center, Gainesville, FL, United States
Ed Stock, Revel Media Group, Kaysville, UT, United States
Matthew Suydam, Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Tammy Sweeney, Canalta Centre, Medicine Hat, AB, Canada
Brian Theobald, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, Denver, CO, United States
Dorian Valenzuela, BBVA Stadium, Houston, TX, United States
Heather Vickers, Virginia Beach Convention Center, Virginia Beach, VA, United States
Bridgette Vogan, Robert F. Kennedy Stadium, Washington, DC, United States
John Walker, BBVA Stadium, Houston, TX, United States
Shannon Walsh, Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Jessica Wedler, Revolution Place, Grande Prairie, AB, Canada
Michelle Young, BBVA Stadium, Houston, TX, United States
Benjamin Zagrobelny, Palm Beach County Convention Center, West Palm Beach, FL, United States
Events Industry Council Announces APEX COVID-19 Business Recovery Task Force
By R.V. Baugus
The Events Industry Council announced the members of the APEX COVID-19 Business Recovery Task Force, a global and inclusive body that will work toward providing resources that support the industry’s recovery globally and will curate accepted practices across the events eco-system to provide framework for meeting face to face again safely. IAVM Director of Education & Life Safety Mark Herrera is among the esteemed group named to the task force.
“We are seeing a number of comprehensive industrywide efforts focused on developing standards to ensure the 
safety and wellness of attendees, as well as the duty of care protocols essential to reinforce attendee confidence in attending live business events,” said Paul Van Deventer, Chair of the Events Industry Council. “The work of this task force is crucial to curate those efforts and present them in a comprehensive way that translates into practical solutions for professionals across our eco-system.”
The APEX COVID-19 Business Recovery Task force members include:
Co-Chair Michael Dominguez, President and CEO, Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI)
Co-Chair Kristin Horstman, Senior Director, Strategic Events, Salesforce
Amanda Armstrong, Assistant Vice President, Global Meetings and Travel, Enterprise Holdings
Cleo Battle, Chief Operating Officer, Louisville Tourism
Scott Beck, President & CEO, Tourism Toronto
David Blansfield, Executive Vice President and Group Publisher, Northstar Travel Group
Amy Calvert, CEO, Events Industry Council
Rod Cameron, CEO, AIPC, Joint Meetings Industry Council
Gregg Caren, Executive Vice President Sales & Business Development – Convention Centers, ASM Global
Jerry Cito, Executive Vice President, Convention Development, NYC & Company
Nalan Emre, COO, IMEX Group
Heather Farley, COO, Access Intelligence
Kelly Fox, CAE, Senior Vice President, Meetings, Learning and Business Partnerships, Institute of Food Technologists (IFT)
Peggy Fritz, Event Services Supervisor, Toyota North America
Stephanie Glanzer, CMP, Chief Sales Officer & Senior Vice President, MGM Resorts
Chuck Ghoorah, Co-Founder and President of Worldwide Sales and Marketing, Cvent
Linda Gray Martin, Sr. Director & General Manager, RSA Conference
Stephanie Harris, President, The Incentive Research Foundation
Mark Herrera, Director of Education & Life Safety, International Association of Venue Managers
Juli Jones, Vice President, Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI)
David Kliman, President, The Kliman Group
Mary Kreins, CASE, Sr. National Sales Director, Disney Meetings & Events, The Walt Disney Company
Amy Ledoux, CAE, CMP, Chief Learning & Meetings Officer, ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership
Tony Lorenz, Founder, Headsail
Karen Malone, Vice President Meetings, HIMMS
Richard Maranville, EVP, Chief Digital Officer, The Freeman Company
Frank Passanante, Senior Vice President, Hilton Worldwide Sales – Americas
Tammy Routh, Senior Vice President Global Sales, Marriott International
Stuart Ruff-Lyon, Vice President, Events and Exhibitions, Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS)
Gary Schirmacher, CMP, Senior Vice President, Industry Presence & Strategic Development, Maritz
Cathy Schlosberg, Senior Vice President Marketing, PSAV
Peter Scialla, President and COO, Delos
Bita Seow, Executive Director, Singapore Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers (SACEOS)
Julie Smith, CEM, CTA, Senior Vice President, Exhibition Sales, Global Experience Specialists
Scott Solombrino, CEO, Global Business Travel Association
Yen Tsutsumi, Sr. Vice President, Operations, George P Johnson Experience Marketing
Paul Van Deventer, President and CEO, Meeting Professionals International (MPI)
Liz Warwick, Vice President, Meeting Management and Event Strategy, Liberty Mutual Insurance
Brad Weaber, Principal, Brad Weaber Consulting Group, LLC
Johnnie White, CEO, American Society of Appraisers
“We all look forward to the day that we can meet face to face again,” said Co-Chair Kristin Horstman. “First, we have to focus on making sure our attendees, employees, partners, and community are as safe as possible when we gather together. The urgency of the current crisis demands our focus and our very best thought leaders to help guide and offer solutions.”
“Our work will be guided by a roadmap to accepted practices,” added Co-Chair Michael Dominguez. “The sub-groups will follow a process that looks at resources, gaps, stakeholders, policies and procedures, the 360 degree attendee/customer experience, and risk management guidelines. This comprehensive and global work will result in a resource that will be invaluable across all sectors.”
The task force plans to meet bi-weekly and will share updates as its work progresses. It will follow two parallel paths. The first path is to address the immediate need for guidance on accepted practices and work already underway to reopen the industry when it’s safe to do so. The second path addresses the long-term need to examine adaptation and transformation for the future stability of our workforce, and the relevance and resiliency of our industry.
“We are a global industry of 26 million professionals who fundamentally believe in the value of face-to-face meetings,” said Amy Calvert, CEO, Events Industry Council. “We know the impact we have on the communities we serve, and we are grounded in our common beliefs and commitment to social responsibility and sustainable practices.
“Together we will positively impact our recovery. We will offer our collective leadership through these necessary adaptations and leverage this moment to transform so that our industry is better understood, supported and relevant now and into the future.”
Anyone interested in contributing may contact covidtaskforce@eventscouncil.org.
A Lonely Day at El Fenix Restaurant
By R.V. Baugus
Last Friday we here in Texas were granted permission for our restaurants to open to no more than 25 percent capacity. It came as Phase 1 as the state slowly reopens businesses and hopefully the economy.
Being the investigative journalist that I am, I considered it my job — nay, my obligation and duty — to frequent for lunch on that day a drive to a local El Fenix Restaurant (est: 1918 by the Martinez family) to sample the finest in Tex-Mex fare and get the temperature (so to speak) of the establishment on the first day back in dining-room business after a shutdown of several weeks.
Mind you, there are a number of El Fenix Restaurants across the Dallas/Fort Worth area, but only a handful reopened their dining rooms, which meant the closest to me was a drive halfway across Dallas. Hey, a guy’s gotta do what a guy’s gotta do.
To avoid wasting a drive and the $1.19 per gallon of gas (there are some advantages in the midst of all this!), 
I called the restaurant to be sure I would not be stuck in some crazy line of people who like me were having Mexican food withdrawals and could not wait to bust through the restaurant’s doors. The friendly lady on the phone assured me that my planned arrival around 3 pm should allow me fast seating. That was good news in light of the fact I had heard stories from coworkers about how some other restaurants in nearby cities that opened earlier by local proclamation before the governor’s order eventually superceded local ruling endured long waiting lines to enter.
I arrived on time and indeed there were some cars parked outside the restaurant. The curbside and takeout options enjoyed brisk business with people loading up on tacos, enchiladas, and salsa. The first thing I noticed upon entering El Fenix was distinctive arrow markings on the floor to show ingress and egress. I was seated in a small seating area and noticed a couple of tables with “closed” signs on them, all to maintain social distancing. Hand sanitizing stations were also very evident.
My waiter, Javier, took my order from a very scaled down and disposable menu, a good move to avoid reusing menus and the many hands touching them. Javier, of course, wore a mask, as did I upon entering the restaurant.
I don’t have to tell you how a tear nearly came to my eye when the fresh plate of chips and hot sauce arrived. Never mind, I just did.
I brought a magazine along for some reading and catching up and was pretty much glued to it while waiting for my food to arrive. After a few minutes I looked up and could not help but notice that, hey, I don’t see anyone else in here, save for the four or five waiters and waitresses just standing around all wearing their masks.
Suffice to say not only did I have my own personal waiter, but it turned out I had my own personal restaurant for the hour that I ate. Cars continued pulling up to pick up food orders, but I did not see one other customer enter in the time I was there.
The entire dining experience felt surreal. As this past week has sped by, I have noticed that other restaurants near us have opened, but the parking lots are not full as a part of me thought they might be.
Moral: this is going to take some time, folks, for people to feel comfortable and want to go to restaurants, for the most part. It could be that, or due to so many people out of work the money is not there to go out and spend. Or it could be a combination.
I read a story recently about habits. For weeks now, we have transitioned to new habits, mainly stay safe, stay home. Once in those routines and dining in the comfort of one’s home, it takes some time to return to the habits of yore. So maybe factor in habits as a third reason.
How this will transition to our industry and the habits of people going to events of mass gatherings is yet unknown. As many have said about the many states who are reopening businesses, this is not like a light switch you just flip on and people storm down the doors. This takes time. How much? Who knows, but it will take time. Jobs need to be gained, comfort levels have to be met, and habits have to be retrained.
As for me, I would not have minded a few more customers and hearing their voices inside El Fenix. Plus, it would have kept Javier busier with other tables and made it not so easy for me to ask for that second bowl of chips and hot sauce from him.