The Charles A. McElravy Award may be awarded annually to a Professional, Honorary, or Retired member of IAVM who, in the opinion of the Board of Directors has made the greatest lifetime achievement to the welfare of the Association or profession.

The following criteria are established for the McElravy Award nominees:
1. The nominee must have been a Professional, Honorary, or Retired Member of the IAVM in good standing for at least fifteen (15) years total (though not necessarily consecutively).
2. The nominee needs to meet the minimum service to IAVM requirements for Honorary Membership, but is not required to be retired. The following criteria must be met for a member to be eligible for consideration for Honorary Membership: 1) Attendance at no fewer than 10 Annual Conferences (VenueConnect) during the past 15 years; 2) Attendance at no fewer than 5 Region Meetings during the past 15 years; 3) Service as chair of at least three international or two Region committees during the past 15 years; 4) Service as: Director of IAVM or officer in a Region at least once during the member’s tenure with IAVM or b) Program chair for an IAVM venue-specific or specialty meeting during the member’s tenure with IAVM or c) Member of Board of Regents, Board of Trustees, or Board of Governors during member’s tenure with IAVM.
3. Any member in good standing may make a nomination, which must provide, in writing, a minimum of three examples of the nominee’s outstanding contributions to IAVM and/or the industry (for example: leadership, accomplishments, professional service/activities, projects/results).
4. At least three letters of recommendation must accompany the nomination letter.
5. No Chairman of the Board (or Past President) of IAVM is eligible for consideration until the third Annual Conference (VenueConnect) following his/her term of office.
6. Previous recipients are ineligible (and may be found on our website under Awards).

The nominations and letters of recommendation should be written to Brad Mayne, CVE, President & CEO and submitted to Rosanne Duke electronically. The nomination letter and all letters of recommendation must be received by close of business November 25, 2019. If you have any questions, please contact Rosanne Duke at 972.538.1025.

You may have taken the first step in the process toward becoming a CVE by completing the “CVE Checklist” to ascertain if you have accumulated the 300 points needed to make application and start the formal process, or perhaps this is the first time you have considered pursuing certification.

Now’s the time to take the second step and join that group of your peers who have reached the pinnacle of achievement with IAVM by becoming Certified Venue Executives. Remember – Applications and three written references are due no later than November 1, 2019.

The written essay is due by February 1, 2020 – allowing you extra time to enjoy the holidays and end of the year activities.

Don’t delay, apply today. All the information you need to begin the process is found on our web site. Make 2020 the year that you earn your CVE!

By Ashley Peacock, CVP

Our members already know that investing in the IAVM Foundation always goes to a great cause, such as supporting outstanding industry leaders, women in leadership, diversity in leadership, the development of young professionals, and advocacy for issues and legislation involving our field. All members benefit from the support of the Foundation in some way throughout their career through these initiatives.

The IAVM Foundation and the Young Professionals Committee have launched the TODAY FOR TOMORROW giving campaign to help ensure the continued success of our industry and its future leaders. This campaign is specifically geared toward raising funds to enhance the educational opportunities for our young professionals as they progress to leadership roles in their careers. Giving through the T4T campaign goes toward ensuring the young professionals of today are able to obtain the training and education they need, because they are the tomorrow of IAVM, the Foundation, and of our industry.

Our goal is to reach these young leaders, industry veterans, and all of our members and allies for support in this cause: INVEST IN YOUR FOUNDATION TODAY! This is a great way to give back for those who have ever been the recipient of an award, scholarship, or other gift from the IAVM Foundation.

The process is quick and easy, and you can make a donation in whatever amount you’re comfortable giving. Any amount is appreciated so whether you can spare the cost of a coffee break or give a larger donation right after pay day, it will still go to this great cause. You can donate just this one time or even set up monthly reoccurring donations so you don’t even have to think about it and the money is already set aside.

If you are unable to donate today, that’s alright – share the link to this campaign with your friends and colleagues by email, phone call, text message, social media post, or however you are able to spread the word. If every person could get just three people to donate, even a small amount, we can reach our goal by the end of October when this campaign ends!

On behalf of the Young Professionals Committee, we appreciate consideration of investing in young professionals and encourage you to please share this campaign as well. Thank you!

To invest in your Foundation today, click here.

Ashley Peacock, CVP, is senior events manager at the SMG-managed Cox Business Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

By Kristi Mexia

LA Stadium and Entertainment District at Hollywood Park (Hollywood Park) and SoFi are partnering in a 20-year agreement that makes the digital personal finance company the exclusive naming rights partner of the new SoFi Stadium, the future home of the Los Angeles Chargers and the Los Angeles Rams. In addition, SoFi will be an official partner of each of the teams as well as a partner of the performance venue and surrounding entertainment district.

Opening summer 2020, SoFi Stadium is the centerpiece of Hollywood Park, a 298-acre world-class sports and entertainment destination being developed by Los Angeles Rams Owner/Chairman E. Stanley Kroenke. SoFi Stadium will hold year-round sports and entertainment events and will be the host of Super Bowl LVI in 2022, the College Football National Championship game in 2023, and the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2028 Olympic Games.

“We’re thrilled to be introducing SoFi Stadium to the world, through our partnership with Hollywood Park,” said Anthony Noto, CEO of SoFi. “This is a giant leap toward achieving our company’s mission of helping people get their money right by reaching our members where they are. The partnership with this transformative project taking shape under Stan Kroenke’s leadership is the perfect opportunity to drive awareness and trust in the SoFi brand as we continue to grow and reach members on a national level.”

Said Kroenke: “It would be impossible to build a stadium and entertainment district of this magnitude without incredible and innovative partners who share our ambitions for Los Angeles, our fans worldwide and the National Football League. Since breaking ground at Hollywood Park, more than 12,000 people have worked side-by-side on this project, and we are proud to now have SoFi join us on this journey as we prepare to open in the summer of 2020.

“From our first meeting with Anthony Noto and his team, it was clear that SoFi wants to transform not only the financial industry but also the lives of its members. SoFi has a deep appreciation of the aspirations of its members – quality education, home ownership and achieve their ambitions. They are helping millions of people achieve their dreams and helping us realize our own promise at SoFi Stadium.

“Customer service and the fan experience is tantamount to everything we’ll do at SoFi Stadium. It was critical for us to find a tech-focused partner who is on the cutting edge and genuinely understands the needs of all of our constituents and who challenges us to think in creative ways to make every visitor to SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park feel special and at home.”

SoFi Stadium will have a seating capacity of approximately 70,000, expandable up to 100,000, with 260 luxury suites, more than 13,000 premium seats, and over three million square feet of usable space. A 27,000 square foot SoFi-branded VIP activation space inside the stadium will be utilized for special events, including a dedicated SoFi lounge for its members to access, one of the exclusive opportunities the company plans to offer members as part of this partnership.

“SoFi’s commitment to disrupting the status quo within its own industry and becoming a leading innovator in financial services makes them the ideal naming rights partner for our new home,” said Chargers President of Business Operations A.G. Spanos. “SoFi Stadium is reimagining how a stadium looks, feels, and functions on gameday the same way SoFi is redefining access to financial tools for the next generation. We couldn’t be more excited to be aligned with a company as forward-thinking as SoFi, both as the naming rights partner for our new Hollywood Park home and as an official partner of the Los Angeles Chargers beginning in 2020.”

“We are working to deliver a fan-first stadium consistent with Mr. Kroenke’s dream to build a global sports and entertainment destination,” said Jason Gannon, Managing Director, SoFi Stadium. “SoFi Stadium will be a gathering place for the community, and we couldn’t have found a better partner to help us welcome the world when the building opens next summer.”

SoFi Stadium is the first indoor-outdoor stadium to be constructed. Adjacent to the stadium and under the same roof canopy is a 6,000-seat performance venue and the 2.5-acre American Airlines Plaza. The performance venue will host a variety of events, including concerts, esports events, award shows, as well as community gatherings. Hollywood Park will feature more than 1.5 million square feet of retail and office space initially, 2,500 residences, a hotel, and more than 20 acres of parks.

“In less than a year, the Rams will be running out of the tunnel into SoFi Stadium as people around the world see Mr. Kroenke’s creativity, dedication and hard work come to life through this game-changing building,” said Los Angeles Rams COO Kevin Demoff. “We are thrilled to be teaming with SoFi on a partnership that will extend beyond the columns of the stadium, one that will combine our passions for inspiring people to realize their ambition and climb higher.”

Community partnerships and programs will be announced in the coming months, leading up to the opening of the stadium.

Hollywood Park was represented by Legends Global Partnerships division, which sourced, negotiated and represented Hollywood Park in securing this wide-ranging partnership with SoFi. Financial terms of the agreement will not be disclosed.

Kristi Mexia is director corporate communications at LA Stadium & Entertainment District at Hollywood Park.

By Detra Page, APR

GES, a global, full-service provider for live events, and the Edmonton EXPO Centre announced the appointment of GES Canada as the Centre’s official general services provider. Edmonton Economic Development Corporation (EEDC), the operator and manager of the Edmonton EXPO Centre, selected GES Canada following a thorough bid process and review.

“After we conducted a detailed review of potential general services providers in the market, it became clear to us that we already have the best solution in place,” said Vice President of Venue Management for EEDC Arlindo Gomes. “GES has proven their commitment to the service and support of the Edmonton EXPO Centre and our mutual clients, and we look forward to continuing this partnership.”

GES and the Edmonton EXPO Centre have partnered since 2000 to create world-class events. As the leading events provider for Canada’s top shows, GES is a trusted partner of the Edmonton EXPO Centre. Through this agreement, GES is the preferred official services provider for exhibitions, conventions, trade shows, corporate events, sales meetings, and special events.

“We share the commitment of the entire Edmonton EXPO Centre team of providing exceptional service,” said GES Canada Sr. Vice President and General Manager Patrick Lukan. “We are proud to be associated with this facility and look forward to continuing to provide high-impact, worry-free execution to our mutual clients.”

Edmonton EXPO Centre is one of Western Canada’s premier trade show and convention facilities, offering 522,000 square feet of flexible, adaptable, indoor space to make room for the biggest and best in trade and consumer shows, conferences and special events. It boasts seven exhibit halls, a grand ballroom and world-class conference and catering services. The new three-year agreement builds on the organizations’ long and successful partnership.

Detra Page is senior manager of corporate communications for GES.