Claude Molinari, general manager of SMG/Cobo Center, announced that Cobo Center has achieved recertification to the Event Industry Council’s (EIC) Accepted Practices Exchange/American Society for Testing and Materials International (APEX/ASTM) Sustainable Meeting Standard for venues.

The Cobo Center Green Committee is also in the process of attaining LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification with the U.S Green Buildings Council, a venue rating for design, construction, operation, and maintenance of green buildings with environmental responsible practices that utilize resources efficiently.

Cobo’s sustainable operations gained the attention of the trade show industry and the facility was chosen as the site of this year’s Sustainable Brands (SB’19) conference. Detroit’s main convention and exhibition venue was the host site for Sustainable Brands’17 Detroit, and will again host the event June 4-6 this year.

“Sustainable Brands is excited to continue to partner with suppliers and venues like Cobo who demonstrate a commitment to sustainable practices. Cobo’s commitment to innovation and sustainability has demonstrated how leadership and teamwork can achieve very high goals,” said David Fiss, CMP and director of business development and event strategy for Sustainable Brands. “Doing so helps our event meet our sustainability goals, educate our attendees, and encourage other suppliers to the meeting and events industry to do the same. A sustainable event is more thoughtful and creates a better participant experience.”

A number of leading companies and organizations will be supporting the Sustainable Brands event, including Ford Motor Company, the Dow Chemical Company, BASF, General Motors, Nestle, NSF International, The Erb Institute for Global sustainable Enterprise at the University of Michigan and the Detroit Experience Factory.

“We continue to make strides in improving the sustainability of our offerings, including a new post event donation program,” Molinari said. “Getting recertified to the APEX/ASTM Green Meeting Standard and hosting Sustainable Brands for the second time signals that our efforts are truly world class.”

When looking at any space both interior and exterior you should consider how lighting will affect performance and mood.

• Poor lighting can cause eye fatigue and headaches
• Bright lighting stimulates our mind (which is why it’s great for task illumination) but excessive contrast can create eye strain
• Dim lighting can cause eye strain
• Natural lighting through windows and skylights has calming effects on our minds and emotions but has the ability to create excessive contrast
• Flat lighting (low to no contrast) makes it very hard to tract a moving object, this is especially a concern for high speed sports like tennis and hockey
• Poor natural lighting can trigger depression and has a negative effect on our immune systems when exposed over a prolonged period of time
• Uncovered globes, unfiltered LEDs or exposed light sources can actually cause irritation due to glare and or extreme contract.

We always recommend working with a trained lighting professional when lighting areas that are critical to your operations. Many lighting fixture manufactures have lighting designer on staff to help create the best lighting for your needs. You should also consider hiring a professional lighting designer for critical areas and or events.

When working with a manufacturer and or a consultant ask about the three key items that effect lighting and how these three can help improve performance in your space;

1. The quality of the light source (color, flicker, beam spread, quality of color spectrum).
2. The quantity of light (is the light enough for the task, what is the contrast between lit areas and non-lit areas, how will this affect the performance or mood).
3. Location of lights relative to all stake holders and how will affect the performers, athletes, audience, broadcasters, clients, patrons, etc.

Most of us don’t put much thought into the way light might be affecting our mood. But if you find yourself smiling on sunny days or feeling more creative with the lights turned down low, it’s no coincidence. The different kinds of light we’re exposed to can have a real impact on our emotional health and wellbeing. Light can even have an effect on the performance of athletes. The amount and wavelength of light affects the different functions of the brain, including the regulation of a person’s thoughts and feelings. With this knowledge comes a realization that simple adjustments in lighting to your space can make a lot of difference to the way a person thinks and feels. Ultimately you want everyone from staff, patrons, performers and athletes to have the best experience possible and good lighting is a step closer to that goal.

Jim Sanfilippo is the President of Nila, Inc.

Bob Skoney, long-time IAVM member and for the last 25 years general manager of the Nashville Municipal Auditorium, is retiring after more than 40 years with the iconic venue.

I moved here 42 years ago and found it so much to my liking I never left,” Skoney said. “After all, it’s Music City USA and The Nashville Auditorium has done a lot of concerts over the years which I really enjoyed as a side benefit of my job.”

Skoney calls himself “an old failed Bass guitar player,” before adding that “When the house lights go down, the show lights come up and the audience applauds. That’s my paycheck.”

Skoney joined IAAM as it was known in 1977 and has attended just about every International Conference, Arena Management Conference and District meetings.

“I have made great connections with my colleagues in other cities who mentored me in ways that I’ll never forget,” he said. “Great guys like Cliff Wallace, Todd Hunt, Terry Butler, David Ross, Al Antee, Bobby Highsmith, Charles Starks, Elisa Putman, Russ Simons, and David Kells, just to name a few.”

As for the impending retirement, it’s time for some fun and family.

“I will spend more time, bass fishing, snow skiing, traveling, and having fun with my wife, Lesa, of 30 years. After 42 years at one building, it’s time.”

As for his venue and colleagues in the industry, the people will miss Bob Skoney.

Skoney’s history with the venue actually dates to 1977 at a time when the facility served as pretty much Nashville’s only building to play to audiences of more than 9,000. Did they ever play, as a list including the likes of Elvis Presley, Bruce Springsteen, Prince, The Jackson 5, Linda Ronstadt, and Bob Dylan attest.

As the city built and splashy professional sports venues arrived on the scene, the auditorium faced new challenges which Skoney, of course, met head on to serve even more diverse programming including minor league hockey, basketball, cheer, dance competitions, rodeo, and circus.

In essence, even in evolving times Skoney and the facility opened its doors to the community to present events to keep people coming back.

The venue is now the ripe age of 56, and still relevant in the community. Post Malone and Paramore played the Auditorium last year, and it even served as rehearsal space for Weezer earlier this year.

The history of Skoney’s home venue also lives on, thanks to the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum moving into the floor beneath the stage level and with it an array of rock artifacts.

The legacy of Bob Skoney will also always live on in Nashville.

From Andy Greenwell Family

Andrew Daffron “Andy” Greenwell, 89, passed away Friday, January 25, 2019, at Patriots Colony, Williamsburg. Andrew, or Andy, as he was called in Hampton, was the proud father of six daughters and the loving husband of Jean Greenwell, his wife of 55 years, before she preceded him in death in 2014.

Andy, or “Daff,” as he was known in his hometown of Leonardtown, Maryland, was born on Oct. 29, 1929, to Florence Daffron Greenwell and Charles Benedict Greenwell. Daff was one of four children. He attended Leonard Hall and St. Mary’s Academy, where he met our mother, who was a boarder at St. Mary’s. Their first date was with one another to a class dance at the age of 15. Our mother often said that “God broke the mold when he made Dad.” She wasn’t kidding.

Dad did not follow a direct path after graduating from St. Mary’s in 1948. He became a chartered member of B Company, 121st “C” Engineer Battalion, 29th Infantry Division, Maryland-Virginia National Guard. He served in the U.S. Merchant Marine and the U.S. Army, including one year of service with the United Nations Forces in Korea 1953 to 1954. He bounced from the Merchant Marine to the University of Maryland, graduating with a B.S. Degree in Business and Public Administration in 1960. He later earned an MPA from Golden Gate University, where he lectured close to 10 years at Golden Gate’s graduate center in Hampton.

He began his career as a journalist in Hampton with the Newport News-Hampton Daily Press, where he became known as Andrew (Andy). According to Dad, after accepting the position of staff reporter, the editor insisted that his byline name be changed to Andrew because he didn’t want any disgruntled readers to refer to him as that “daffy” reporter. He served as a reporter covering local news for four years before accepting a position with the City of Hampton as director of the Hampton Department of Commerce from 1964 to 1975. This began his career with the City of Hampton, where he also became director of the city’s Department of Conventions & Tourism (1976 to 1990), and which culminated most notably as the Director of the Hampton Coliseum, serving from 1975 to 1995.

Dad always joked that he had no idea how a small-town boy managed to draw world-class entertainment. His determination to book acts to appeal to all audiences resulted in bookings including The Who, Rolling Stones, U2, Elvis, Kenny Rogers, Alabama, Grateful Dead, and events such as the Jazz Festival, Ice Capades, sporting events, rodeos, and graduations.

In addition to serving as director of the Hampton Coliseum, he was a member of the Virginia Governor’s Tourism Advisory Board, chairman of the Virginia Travel Council, chairman of the board of trustees of Hampton Elks Lodge 366 and chairman of the Hampton Roads Chapter, American Red Cross. In addition, he was an original Hampton delegate sent to visit Anyang, Korea, to establish a sister city affiliation. He was a participant in the Governor’s Civic Leaders Tour to Israel relative to the Virginia-Israel Commission. He was a life member of the VFW.

Dad was instrumental in the naming of the Ruppert Leon Sargent Memorial City Administration Building in honor of the late U.S. Army 1st Lt. Ruppert Leon Sargent of Hampton, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for combat action in Vietnam.

Dad enjoyed an active social life, particularly as a member of the Hampton Elks Lodge, where he loved to play cards with friends. After he retired, he made sure he could get there early for a seat at the card table. He looked forward to spending time with his son-in-law, Carl, on Thursday nights at the Hampton Yacht Club to meet up with friends.

Dad had a zest for living. He became a private pilot. He flew on an orientation flight in an F-15 Eagle jet fighter, was a guest of the skipper of USS Hampton for a four-day cruise submerged from Virginia to Florida and traveled extensively visiting more than 50 countries on six continents. His favorite memories were taking our mother to many of those countries, including fulfilling her wish to visit the Vatican.

But mostly, Dad loved to spend time with his family. He always said that the best thing that happened to him was marriage and family. As a father, he could be counted on to give us encouragement, guidance and confidence. He always felt we could accomplish any goals we set to achieve and never understood why none of his six girls wanted to become a fighter pilot. Sorry, Dad, that we didn’t make that happen.

Dad was as generous with his heart as with his wallet. Our mother always said he would give the shirt off his back to a stranger. His generosity gave him happiness in his heart. His idea of money was that it couldn’t be taken with him, so share with those who could benefit.

Dad enjoyed life and lived life to its fullest and because of that his favorite saying was, “Don’t cry for me Argentina.” Dad, we love you and will miss you.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Jean; sister, Barbara Ann Barry; and brother, Charles Benedict Greenwell Jr. He is survived by six daughters, Karen (Carl) Voglewede, Carol Hardy, Ann (John) Malarkey, Cathy Medders, Helen (Steve) Mallon and Beth (Lance) Heater; brother, Robert C. Greenwell; and close to a couple dozen grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Disabled American Veterans.

For the full obituary click here.

Paul Abe, a long-time IAVM member until his retirement in 2007, passed away on February 6 at the age of 77 while on a visit with his wife, Diane, to visit their granddaughter at college in Virginia when he suffered a heart attack in the couple’s hotel room.

“Paul had a passion for the venue management business and his commitment to living life to the fullest,” Diane said. “He was a kind and honorable man who is missed dearly. Needless to say, I was and will forever be devastated.”

Paul was born in Sacramento, CA on July 20th, 1941 and lived in Tempe, AZ. Paul was preceded in death by his brother Alan, father Hershel, mother Gladys, beloved dog Cassie and cats Jetta and Prini. He leaves behind his wife of 17 years, Diane; daughter Stacie Robles and husband Juan; daughter Tania Cuellar and husband Mark; granddaughters Kaila and Isabella Cuellar; beloved sister-in-law Kathy Abe; nephew Brian Abe and wife Cheryl and great nephews Chase and Austin; nephew Kevin Abe and wife Yuko and great nieces Maia and Emika; sister-in-law Linda Heppe; mother-in-laws Deja Heppe and Pat Wolf; and his fur children Kiki, and the “kittens” Zoe and Cali.

Paul, a Japanese American, spent the first few years of his life in the Jerome Relocation Center during World War II. The family was sponsored out and relocated to Pueblo and then moved to Sterling, CO where he spent his adolescent years. He earned his Bachelor’s in Theatre from the University of Northern Colorado, Greeley and a Masters in Technical Theatre from Purdue University, Lafayette. Upon earning his Masters, Paul was a faculty member at various colleges teaching lighting design and technical theatre but found his true calling and passion directing the opening and renovations of convention centers, performing arts theatres, and arenas. Some of the many buildings he managed included the Farmington Civic Center in New Mexico, Lima Civic and Convention Center in Ohio, and the OnCenter in Syracuse, New York.

He desired to relocate to the warm southwest sun and moved to Albuquerque, NM in 1995 where he met the love of his life and soulmate, Diane while working together at Popejoy Hall. They later settled in Tempe and were married on the beautiful island of Maui, HI in 2001 and shared a wonderful life together with their fur children. After retiring from ASU Gammage, he was able to fully enjoy his hobbies which included becoming a certified HAM radio operator, off-roading in his Jeep Wrangler (JJ), golfing, cooking and hosting many gatherings. He and Diane enjoyed spending time at their cabin in Payson, AZ also known as their little piece of paradise. They enjoyed traveling the world and filled up their passports by visiting Costa Rica, Cuba, United Kingdom, Ireland, Japan, Canada, and also traveled throughout the USA including Hawaii and Alaska. Their greatest highlight every year was “Camp Grandma and Grandpa” where their granddaughters would visit from Texas for a fun filled week of adventure.

Paul was a quick witted, honorable man with a lovely spirit who cherished his wife and family. He will be dearly missed by all who were blessed to know him.

Donations may be made to the Arizona Humane Society at www.azhumane.org.