SMG and Lubbock (TX) Entertainment and Performing Arts Association announced the appointment of Charlton Northington as the new general manager of Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts & Sciences.

“Charlton is the right person to lead our SMG team in Lubbock,” said Bob Papke, Vice President of Theaters, SMG. “From his time working for a Broadway presenter, to managing venues in Reno, Hurst, Texas, Shreveport, and Alexandria, La., Charlton has demonstrated the commitment, professionalism, and vision to help us succeed at Buddy Holly Hall. Being a Texas Tech grad and coming home to Lubbock is a huge win for the venue and for the community.”

“The LEPAA Board and staff are thrilled to welcome Charlton Northington back to the Lubbock community as the general manager for The Buddy Holly Hall,” said Tim Collins, LEPAA Board Chair. “We truly could not have imagined a better person at the helm of this incredible performing arts campus than Charlton. He is a first-class individual who will bring his tremendous energy, ideas, and decades of experience to The Buddy Holly Hall in a manner befitting of such a world-class facility.”

Northington is a 25-year industry veteran who has managed entertainment and convention facilities throughout the U.S.

Once completed, The Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences will total more than 220,000 square feet, including a 2,200 seat theater, a 425-seat theater design for Lubbock ISD, a 6,000-square-foot multipurpose-space, and a bistro by Market Street.

Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre announce Vickie Hubbard as its next Managing Director. She follows industry veteran Sandie Aaron, who retired after a three-year tenure.

“Our executive search committee did an exceptional job vetting applicants and finalizing their recommendation of Vickie,” said Michele Swann, General Manager and CEO of the Cobb-Marietta Coliseum & Exhibit Hall Authority. “Her vast experience in the public assembly management industry, as well as her vision for CEPAC, makes her the ideal choice to further drive the theatre’s success.”

Hubbard brings more than 30 years of progressive, hands-on experience in the overall management, promotion, and operation of arts, entertainment, and sports venues. Most recently, she was Executive Director of the H. Ric Luhrs Performing Arts Center on the campus of Shippensburg University in Shippensburg, PA.

“I am honored to join such an outstanding organization and look forward to working with this passionate and talented group of individuals,” Hubbard said. “The Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre is truly a beautiful and first-class venue. It will be a privilege to contribute to CEPAC’s great legacy.”

Live Nation and Ticketmaster plan to raise the standards of accessibility at live events throughout Australia and New Zealand through a partnership with disability advocacy group Get Skilled Access.

Ticketmaster, which is owned by Live Nation, has begun testing an enhanced online booking experience across its channels (website and app) giving fans with accessible needs more flexibility and choice when buying tickets.

As for Live Nation, Get Skilled Access has already provided accessibility training to 150 employees across Australia and New Zealand. The firm is also working toward providing new levels of accessibility on its stadium tours, including the upcoming U2 Joshua Tree 2019 Tour.

Get Skilled Access was co-founded by Dylan Alcott, the three-time Paralympic gold medallist, eight-time wheelchair tennis grand slam winner and disability advocate.

The partnership with the live entertainment industry giants will see a host of initiatives launched across their portfolio of companies in Australia and New Zealand.

“Every fan has the right to equal access of live entertainment,” said Roger Field, chief executive of Live Nation Australasia. “We’re delighted to be working closely with Dylan Alcott and Get Skilled Access to make sure that real change happens. It is essential that the industry comes together to achieve this and now is the time for us all to find solutions.”

As part of the partnership, Alcott and Get Skilled Access co-founder Nick Morris addressed 400 venue industry professionals at the recent Venue Management Association Asia-Pacific Congress.

“It’s Get Skilled Access and my mission to help people understand disability by driving organisations to be more inclusive,” Alcott said. “With my passions being sport and music, it’s a game changer to work with Live Nation and Ticketmaster to make live more accessible and inclusive for all. If we can start by getting more fans with accessibility needs to events, not only we will change people’s lives through the power of live but we will improve the industry overall.”

Voting is now open and will remain so through July 12, 2019. The complete slate including biographical information and photos can be viewed on the IAVM web site.  Our voting process has changed with the introduction of a new nomination/application process for sector directors.  The ballot you will see this year will only include the Second Vice Chair election, and if you identified as one of the following sectors: Convention Centers, Performing Arts Centers, or Stadiums you will find the election for that Sector Director.  At most, you will be voting for two incoming positions on the 2019-2020 Board of Directors.

As you know, each regions’ members elect their slate of officers (to include Region Director) and does not require a ballot for the entire IAVM membership’s approval.

All voting members should have received an email titled “2019-2020 IAVM Board of Directors Election-login information below”. The email contains a generated user name and password to use when logging in to submit votes.  If you haven’t received the email, please contact Rosanne Duke via email or by calling 972.538.1025.

Once again, the ballot is available through Survey & Ballot Systems allowing complete confidentiality and security to our members.

The results of the voting will be posted following the closing of the ballot on July 12.  However, join us in Chicago for VenueConnect, July 21 – 24 and have the opportunity to meet the new board members in person.  Every minute of this year’s program is exceptional, offering new dynamic sessions, topic roundtables, boot camps, and the largest industry trade show and networking events only possible at VenueConnect! 

Bill Carl “BC” Johnson, Chief Listening Officer of the BCJ Group, will keynote speak at the Amphitheaters & Fairgrounds sector meeting at VenueConnect in Chicago on “Creating the RIGHT Culture for Your Organization.”

As one who worked in the hospitality and tourism industry for 20 years at The Walt Disney World Resort and led major client engagements for the world-renowned Disney Institute, consider Johnson way beyond qualified to speak on the topic of culture.

In addition to his stellar work with Disney, Johnson has worked with the NFL on five Super Bowls, launched a league wide customer service initiative for the NBA, shaped the cultures of multiple franchises, and crafted strategic plans for major college athletic departments.

With that impressive background, it was time to catch up with BC before VC.

You will speak on Creating the RIGHT Culture for Your Organization. Does that right culture vary from organization to organization?

Whether they realize it or not, every organization has a culture that drives behaviors. Cultures are either carefully designed or happen by default. In order to optimize success, the culture needs to support the values and mission of the organization. So yes, cultures can and should vary from organization to organization. For example, the culture of a cruise ship is going to be very different than the culture of a government agency.

How do you best get customers and employees to love you, which is obviously more preferable than tolerating you?

Very simply, you have to ask for a heart before you can ask for a hand. When employees feel cared for, valued, and appreciated, they will more likely be committed and not just compliant. Employees, like customers, have options on where they work. Committed employees demonstrate the culture and behaviors of the organization which helps to drive customer loyalty. Customer love is tricky. Customers will say they are loyal and love you but it only takes a few service failures that aren’t handled properly and then they are gone. That’s why it is so important for employees to be committed and aim to do the right thing on a consistent basis.

What are some of the vaunted Disney best practices you can share that will enable literally any organization to be successful?

Intuitively, organizations know that in order to drive business results, they need to have happy customers, motivated employees, and inspiring leadership. Disney understands that you need to have equal investment in the leadership experience, employee experience, and customer experience to drive exceptional business results.

You have worked successfully with the NFL and NBA. We have members who obviously are involved with those leagues. How would you describe those cultures?

The NFL and NBA both clearly understand that their customers have two very valuable assets … their time and their money. The cultures of both leagues are carefully designed to promote creativity and innovation. Expectations of fans are influenced by companies like Netflix, Amazon, Uber, etc., and they bring these expectations to the stadium/arena. This means their experience expectations are going up fast and continuously.

You will have folks in your session from all of our sector types. Are there lessons and takeaways that regardless of sector type they can learn and take back to their respective venues?

The sun rises and sets on leadership. When an area is underperforming, there is a high probability that the root cause can be traced back to things leaders are or aren’t doing. If you want to immediately improve your organization, focus on leaders and how you develop them.