Throughout the month of November, fans attending events at SMG-managed Van Andel Arena and DeVos Performance Hall in Grand Rapids, Michigan, are encouraged to bring “Thank You” cards for active duty military. In an effort to honor military personnel surrounding Veterans Day, SMG will collect cards from the public at all events throughout the entire month andsend them to troops and veterans.

Fans can bring unsealed “Thank You” cards to any event in November and leave them at the Guest Services booth (behind Section 104 on the main concourse) at Van Andel Arena and at coat check at DeVos Performance Hall. Anyone
who submits a “Thank You” card will be entered to win a pair of tickets to see Kelly Clarkson at Van Andel Arena on
February 14, 2019.

SMG collected cards at Van Andel Arena last year as well as cards from Grand Rapids Children’s Museum and Grand
Rapids Civic Theatre visitors. Students at local elementary schools also created cards of their own for the troops last year.

After the success of last year’s campaign, which saw more than 450 cards collected, SMG has expanded the collection to
DeVos Performance Hall as well.

Happy Friday!  #GivingTuesday is the global movement where millions of people around the U.S. and the world come together to support causes they believe in. This will be an opportunity for YOU, our members, to show support of the IAVM Foundation and the overall well being of the venue industry we all work in.

We hope that you will begin to consider and reflect on YOUR experiences in the venue industry, and that you will realize the importance of YOUR investment to the IAVM Foundation. Over the past 35 years, donations to the foundation have helped to create amazing programs such as VMS, the IAVM research department (VDS), safety and security initiatives (EMSSI), and scholarship and internship programs for the future of the industry. #GivingTuesday is a time to give back, so the IAVM Foundation can continue to develop programs and education that improve every aspect of our venue industry.

Your support, in any amount, makes a difference!  Please consider giving back on #GivingTuesday. CLICK HERE to invest now!

With the holiday season right around the corner, the IAVM Foundation will be holding a Holiday Online Auction to raise additional dollars to fund the programs that provide professional development opportunities to our members and to strengthen our industry as a whole. 

We already have a few donated items, but to enhance this auction we need more.  Tickets for bowl games, concerts, events, autographed memorabilia, hotel packages and gift cards, or anything that might be a coveted Christmas gift would all be awesome additions. What do you have to donate to a Holiday Auction? Any event or item that can be used between Christmas and June 30, 2019 would be fantastic. 

If you are able to donate an item, we’ve made it really easy! Please send word to Kathryn Eades, Director of Development, at kathryn.eades@iavm.org by November 15, and include the Auction Donor Form.  Remember, it’s for a worthy cause and will help to strengthen our industry and the professionals that are employed in public venues across the globe.  Your organization will receive recognition on the Foundation web page and on each item’s description page on the online auction.

Thank you in advance for your support . 

On Wednesday, you received a communication concerning purchasing tickets to this year’s Cotton Bowl Classic. This initiative is a fundraiser for the Foundation, while making a  perk available to our members. The Cotton Bowl Classic is part of the College Football Playoff (CFP) which will pit two of the top four teams that will be pursuing the National Championship Game being played in Santa Clara, California.

The Cotton Bowl is one of two Bowl Games that will host the CFP Semi- Finals and will host two of the four highest ranked teams as determined by the CPP Rankings at the end of the college football season. The top ten teams in the current CFP Rankings include: Alabama, Clemson, LSU, Notre Dame, Michigan, Georgia, Oklahoma, Washington State, Kentucky, and Ohio State.  As you can see, these are the storied college football programs from the major conferences so the tickets will be sought after.

The Cotton Bowl Game is sold out, and tickets are being sold on the secondary market for increased pricing. IAVM Foundation has a limited number of great tickets so if you want to purchase a pair of tickets, e-mail Tiffany.Jackson@IAVM.org immediately.

This is a win-win opportunity, as when you purchase these tickets from the Foundation, a portion of the funds will be a donation in your name to the Foundation. The Foundation funds professional development programs for our IAVM Members.

Seek the e-mail sent to you on Wednesday for more information and links to the Cotton Bowl website for specific information. You have until next Wednesday to purchase tickets.

The IAVM Leadership Development Committee is seeking candidates who are well-versed in all areas of venue management, invested in their own professional growth and the growth of others, are dedicated to the advancement of the venue industry as a whole and have the demonstrated ability to lead the Association.

The application process and criteria are available here. The deadline to submit your application to Rosanne Duke, Director of Governance/Operations, is December 31, 2018.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Must have attained CVE designation and maintain the designation throughout the term of office;
• Must be a dues-paying (either Individual or Group Membership), Professional Member of IAVM and remain as such throughout the term of office;
• Must have previously served at least one full term on the IAVM Board of Directors;
• Must have served at least one full year as Chair of:
• an IAVM Committee,
• the Board of Regents,
• the Board of Governors, or
• the IAVM Foundation Board of Trustees;
• Must have served on any combination of at least 3 of the following:
• IAVM Committees,
• Board of Regents,
• Board of Governors, or
• Board of Trustees;
• Must have been employed in one of the 2 top positions in a venue for at least 10 years;
• Must have completed at least 1 of the following IAVM school programs:
• Venue Management School
• Graduate Institute
• Senior Executive Symposium
• Academy for Venue Safety & Security
• Must have attended VenueConnect at least 3 times, and any combination of at least 3 other programs (from the list below) in the previous 6 years:
• Additional years at VenueConnect;
• Other IAVM school programs;
• Sector Conferences
• Region Meetings
• Chapter Meetings

The nomination process is Member-initiated. The web site directs the interested members to review the criteria and utilize the online self-assessment tool to help determine their individual eligibility as a candidate for senior officer, and to ultimately submit an application form should they wish to be considered as a candidate.

The application and supporting documentation is due by December 31, 2018.