AudienceView Acquires UniversityTickets
By Christine Payne
AudienceView, a leader in e-commerce software for events and entertainment organizations, has acquired New York-based UniversityTickets, a ticketing and event management solution built specifically for higher education campuses and college athletics. With this addition, AudienceView cements its portfolio and leadership in the higher education space with more than 900 institutions processing more than 20 million tickets per year.
AudienceView’s newest acquisition further enhances an already extensive network of solutions. UniversityTickets 
brings unique product features designed to meet the needs of the entire campus across colleges and universities, including specialized commencement and student life features.
“Our success in driving innovation and targeted solutions throughout the live event industry continues with the addition of UniversityTickets in the higher education space,” said Mark Fowlie, CEO of AudienceView. “We understand the complex needs that come with running events on a campus and the need to provide integrated tools for students, faculty, alumni, and other key groups that support the higher education mission. We’re thrilled with how this acquisition strengthens our product portfolio.”
“We are extremely proud of the company we’ve built over the past 20 years of UniversityTickets, but we are now ready to take it to the next level. The momentum that AudienceView has created over the past few years gave us confidence that they were the right organization to whom we can entrust our clients as we move forward,” said Gordon Capreol, co-founder of UniversityTickets. “Our UniversityTickets clients are becoming a part of something very special. I’m confident that they will benefit from the thriving community of new peer organizations and the investment in development that only an industry-leading organization like AudienceView can provide.”
Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. AQ Technology Partners served as transaction advisers to AudienceView.
Christine Payne is president of Primoris Group.
Access VenueNet Anytime Via MemberCentric
To download:
Search “MemberCentric” in your app store (iTunes, Google). When you install the app and log-in as a member, it will take you to VenueNet
For a mobile-web version, go to www.memberc
Member Access
You’ll need a member login to access members’ only content online. Your username is your email address. If you need to reset your password, here’s what you do:
Step 1: Go to the IAVM Password Reset page: http://www.
Step 2: Enter the email address that you use for IAVM membership (enter email only, no need to check any boxes) then click Reset My Password
Step 3: An email will be sent to you, click on the link provided in that email
Step 4: Choose your own password, click continue and you’re done! Your password is now changed. On the next screen, you can return to the IAVM home page or update your mailing address
The IAVM Buyers Guide lists all current Allied Members. Inclusion is a benefit of membership. You can search for products and services by company name or product category. Companies may also add a description of your products and services along with an email and web address. This enables a venue to easily locate you and review expanded details about your offerings on your website. It’s a great idea to review your listing at least once a year to ensure it is accurate. Note: The membership directory and the buyers guide are not connected. To make edits in either program, you will need to review them separately. If you need assistance, please reach out to membership@iavm.org.
Ask the Allieds: An Appealing Repealing
The longtime industry standard governing the flammability of materials used in public seating is no more. California Technical Bulletin (TB) 133 was repealed in January by the California Bureau of Electronic and Appliance Repair, Home Furnishings, and Thermal Insulation (BEARHFTI), the governing body responsible for overseeing testing for such materials. Eliminating the outdated regulations of TB 133 allows for more cost effective, environmentally sustainable and aesthetically pleasing public seating.
Why was TB 133 repealed?
Technical Bulletin 133 had been in place since 1991 and mandated an “open flame” test for any furniture that could be used in a public setting. The test, which manufacturers typically passed with heavy use of flame retardant materials, was controversial for multiple reasons.
The test was thought to inaccurately represent the situations in which a fire was likely to spread to furniture. In the nearly three decades since TB 133 went into effect, the furniture manufacturing industry and BEARHFTI developed other standards, like TB 117-2013 that more accurately tested the fire performance standards for furniture used in public settings.
What’s more, the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (BIFMA) says TB 133 hadn’t done much in the way of preventing fires.
“BIFMA manufacturers have reviewed fire safety statistics for several years and questioned the need for California TB 133 given no statistical differences between the state of California and other states not requiring TB 133,” said David Panning, Director of Technical Services at BIFMA. “in addition to our furniture industry, the scientific community and firefighters pressed for California to repeal TB 133 given their concern with fire retardant chemicals.”
Many of the flame-retardant materials used in response to TB 133 carried significant health risks. Some, including those often used for furniture in college dormitories, were known carcinogens, forcing a choice between compliance with fire performance standards and health considerations.
For these and other reasons, BEARHFTI determined that TB 133 was obsolete and voted to repeal it in January, a move supported by the scientific community, firefighters and the furniture manufacturing industry.
What does this mean for furniture manufacturers and end users?
While TB 133 is no longer in effect, furniture manufacturers must still comply with TB 116 and TB 117-2013, both of which mandate different testing standards for material flammability.
TB 117-2013 itself is an updated version of a California Technical Bulletin originally passed in 1975. The revised version still employs a modified version of the open flame test in addition to what’s called the Resilient Filling Material Test, which measures how likely filling materials are to ignite in the presence of a smoldering heat source, like a non-filter cigarette. BIFMA considers the test a more than adequate replacement for TB 133. “California TB 117-2013 has been the de facto national standard for six years in both residential and commercial environments for upholstered furniture,” said Panning. “Fire safety statistics continue to show favorable trends which are attributed to relevant furniture standards (and other standards beyond furniture), sprinklers, smoke detection, and cultural views on smoking.”
As a result of these tests, manufacturers and end users may have more flexibility in their material choices. While TB 133 resulted in potentially carcinogenic materials being used regularly in furniture manufacturing, its repeal could open the door to healthier, more environmentally friendly materials gaining wider use.
Eileen Kulish is an Allied Member and the National Accounts Manager for MTS Seating
IAVM Partners with Venue Solutions Group to Present/Produce the Venue Operations Summit
The International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) has joined in a strategic partnership with Venue Solutions Group (VSG) to present/produce the Venue Operations Summit (VOS) beginning in 2020. Building upon five years of success, VSG and IAVM join together to upgrade and enhance the educational offerings at VOS.
The Venue Operations Summit is the only industry conference dedicated to public assembly facility operations/engineering professionals. VOS remains dedicated to providing the highest quality educational, practical, and networking experiences for public assembly facility operations and engineering practitioners. VSG Managing Partner, Russ Simons said, “Our collaboration with IAVM will allow us to offer even greater opportunities to conference attendees from all facility types, we look forward to welcoming attendees to the 2020 fall conference.”
“IAVM is honored to partner with Venue Solutions Group to provide an education and networking program for hands on Director/Manager of Operations, Engineers, Technicians, Tradesmen, and others that get their hands dirty in fulfilling their role in the operations of public venues.” stated Brad Mayne, CVE, IAVM President and CEO. “In most of IAVM member venues, the operations department is the largest department and the summit is aimed to serve this portion of our membership.”
The Venue Operations Summit will be held August 24-26, 2020 in Indianapolis, IN, at the Westin Hotel. Space will be limited.
For more information, please contact Amy Fitzpatrick, IAVM Director of Marketing, at amy.fitzpatrick@iavm.org.
Los Angeles Convention Center Donates 26 Tons of Event Items & Carpet to Several Los Angeles Nonprofit Organizations
The Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC), owned by the City of Los Angeles and managed by AEG Facilities, recently collected and donated 14.1 tons of remaining event items and 12 tons of carpet to several Los Angeles-based nonprofit organizations. The recent donations underscore the LACC’s commitment to zero waste management and service to the community.
Organizations including Habitat for Humanity, The Salvation Army L.A. Red Shield Youth & Community Center, St. 
Francis Center and EduCare Foundation received furniture, art supplies, tote bags, fixtures, water bottles, lanyards, clothing and more. Additionally, the LACC donated 72 four-stream recycling bins to The Salvation Army Red Shield Community Center in Downtown LA to be used to educate students at schools and camps about how to responsibly dispose of waste.
“The Los Angeles Convention Center has been an outstanding partner for our community,” said Irene Lewis, Director, The Salvation Army Red Shield Community Center. “Their dedication has provided impactful services for the children and adults that walk through our doors.”
In addition to donating thousands of hard goods per year, the LACC continues to give back to the community through numerous volunteer opportunities. In 2018, more than 25 employees from the LACC and in-house vendor teams participated in a service day at The Salvation Army Red Shield Community Center in the Pico Union district. The volunteers worked with students in an afterschool program by completing arts and crafts projects, tutoring, participating in sports and playing games.
During the LACC’s third annual day of service in 2019, the LACC teamed up with the Downtown Women’s Center (DWC) where 30 LACC and Taste of LA by Levy employees prepared and served home-style meals and sorted donations for the Made by DWC retail store and women in need.
This spring, a team of LACC volunteers visited the Hope Street Margolis Family Center to give back to the neighborhood, and a group painted part of the Shaping LA mural by Portraits of Hope that is currently displayed on South Hall’s curved wall facing the 110 freeway.
“The LACC team takes AEG’s mission, ‘giving the world a reason to cheer’ and applies it to the heart of our business approach,” said Ellen Schwartz, General Manager, LACC. “We are a facility committed to impacting the community for the better, continuously seeking ways to reduce our environmental footprint and serve those in need.”
Michelle Riehle-Ludtke is Marketing & Community Relations Specialist for the Los Angeles Convention Center