This year’s Academy for Venue Safety & Securty (AVSS), March 10-14, will feature a joint panel discussion for Year 1 and Year 2 students that will focus on current topics in venue & event safety and security.  The panel will feature experts Dr. Tamara D. Herold, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice and Graduate Director at UNLV, Kelly Wilson, Department of Homeland Security Protective Security Advisor (PSA), Special Agent in Charge Daron Borst, FBI, San Diego, and Akmal Ali, Principal for Catalyst Partners.

“From terror groups calling for attacks on venues and artists, to security concerns involving domestic extremism and lone actors, there are a wide variety of threats and risks venues must consider in today’s operating environment,” stated Andy Jabbour, AVSS faculty member/panel moderator and the Founder of Gate 15. “With an all-star panel of private and public sector security professionals, our AVSS 2019 Joint Session Panel Discussion will address these challenges and actions leaders can take at their venues to help prevent incidents and mitigate their potential impacts.”

Through this panel discussion, AVSS attendees will have an opportunity to learn more about the current topics and concerns facing venues and events today, as well how to address and be better prepared for some of the emerging security issues they may face in the future. In the discussion, panelists will discuss venue threats and risks, incident response, security expectations and preparedness, developing challenges and considerations, as well as other issues and ideas attendees can consider as they return to their venues.

“Safety and Security of America’s Soft Targets and Crowded Spaces is a priority initiative for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency,” said Kelly Wilson, PSA with the Department of Homeland Security. “As a protective security advisor and member of the community, it is important to me that we can enjoy our community’s event venues and know that through public-private sector partnerships, we are all working to make these events safer.”

If you haven’t already registered to join us in San Diego for AVSS 2019, there are still a few spots available.  Click here to learn more or to register!

From tsnn.com

The Dallas City Council approved a five-year contract with Spectra Venue Management to manage the day-to-day client and facility operations of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas, effective February 13.

Spectra will implement its best practices over an initial 45-day transition period, with the goal of reducing costs, increasing revenues, and achieving measurable improvements in the KBHCCD’s financial performance, customer service, and facility quality, according to Joey Zapata, assistant city manager.

Spectra currently operates 174 facilities, including 45 convention centers and 56 arenas.

“Spectra is honored and excited to have been selected as venue manager for [KBHCCD],” said Spectra President John Wentzell. “We look forward to partnering with the city of Dallas to customize growth strategies to continue elevating the convention center as a premier destination for major meetings and conventions.”

Overall responsibility for finances, contract management, and capital improvements will remain under the leadership of Convention and Event Services Interim Director Rosa Fleming, who will lead creation of a convention center master plan designed to enhance client experience, promote public transportation, and activate the convention center campus by creating outdoor spaces and placemaking that promote walkability and connectivity.

Members that attended the Diversity Reception at IAVM VenueConnect in Toronto last year were part of an amazing and energetic evening. Members gave generously to help support diversity in leadership initiatives. The Diversity & Inclusive Leadership announced that it is making two scholarships available to Venue Management School that will cover two (2) two-year commitments to applicants that meet the following criteria:
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Applicants must be American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, LGBTQIA, or a person with disabilities.
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Applicants must be a member of IAVM or become a member before scholarship can be awarded.
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Applications must be completed online and submitted no later than the deadline of March 1, 2019.
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Recipients must be able and willing to attend Venue Management School for the year in which the scholarship is awarded.
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Recipients must be willing to support the Foundation’s fundraising initiatives by providing testimonials, blogging about their experience and participating in speaking opportunities as an advocate for the Foundation as requested.

If staff at your venue may qualify, please encourage them to apply online at https://www.iavm.org/vms/vmsscholarships Applications must be received by Friday, March 1, 2019. Scholarship awards will be awarded by Friday, March 22, 2019.

Yonge-Dundas Square, a one-acre public square in downtown Toronto and host to hundreds of events annually, has selected Ungerboeck to help digitally transform its customer relationship management, event operations, financial accounting, and reporting needs. The City of Toronto-owned premier event space joins more than 50 other organizations across Canada that rely on Ungerboeck to ensure that their events run smoothly.

“We conducted a thorough RFP process to find a software solution that meets all of our needs,” said Taylor Raths, GM of Yonge-Dundas Square. “Ungerboeck was the clear choice to address our near term needs, and, more importantly, to meet our long-term objectives.”

Ungerboeck’s Canadian customer community consists of diverse and high-profile venues including Calgary Telus Convention Centre, Civic Theatres Toronto, York University, Canadian Museum of Nature, MaRS Discovery District, BC Place Stadium, and the Calgary Exhibition & Stampede.

“We’ve been supporting Canadian businesses since the early 1990s. Within the past few years we adapted our services to better align with Canadian cloud computing privacy laws and preferences,” said Manish Chandak, President and CEO of Ungerboeck. “Our commitment to the region includes the addition of a cloud data center in Canada to our global roster to ensure, when appropriate, we can keep data from crossing borders.”

“We are very excited to welcome Yonge-Dundas Square to the Ungerboeck community,” added Brad Nuccio, Ungerboeck’s Director of Entertainment Venues. “The events, finance, and management teams will be fully onboarded in six weeks making sure they are ready for their very busy Spring and Summer event seasons.”

Janet Hamilton will leave her role as general manager of the Darwin Convention Centre following record-breaking results for the venue during her tenure. Her last day is March 8.

The center, located at the billion-dollar Darwin Waterfront precinct, opened in 2008 and is operated by AEG Ogden, the leading venue management company in the Asia Pacific Region.

“Janet’s strong leadership, her marketing and major event background and understanding of Territory issues combined to deliver outstanding results for the Darwin Convention Centre,” said Geoff Donaghy, AEG Ogden’s group director for convention center. “She successfully led a team that has hosted over 61,000 national and international delegates who in turn spent $227 million in the Darwin economy. In the past 12 months, the Centre has seen a record number of bids in market and record delegate numbers attending conferences in Darwin.”

Hamilton has served as GM since August 2013, and during that time the venue has won the National MEA Award for Meeting Venue 500 delegates or more, Brolga Awards for NT Tourism Excellence, a Gold Plate, and has been ranked in the top 20 Convention Centres globally by the Association of International Congress Centres (AIPC) for four years running.

She has been a passionate advocate of Darwin and the business events industry sitting on the Tourism Top End Board, the Darwin Major Business Group and the NT Major Events Board.

Donaghy said that Hamilton would be promoted within the AEG Ogden ”Family of Facilities” with her next appointment to be announced soon.