Happy Foundation Friday from wonderful Chicago!  IAVM staff members have been in Chicago since Wednesday for a sight visit for VenueConnect 2019.  From everything I’ve seen, toured, and tasted, it looks like next summer’s conference will be FANTASTIC.  I had my first taste of Chicago-style deep dish pizza last night with Chicago local and Foundation Trustee Bill “Sparky” Bavirsha, Brad Mayne, and Amy Fitzpatrick. THAT will definitely be on the list for my VC19 experience!  Thank you to Sparky for taking me to see the probable golf course for the VC19 golf outing. It’s going to be amazing!  More on that another time.

It’s a very exciting and energizing time in the life of your Foundation.  Next week will be time to get busy on finalization of the Foundation Strategic Plan.  Members of the Board of Trustees Executive Committee will be heading to IAVM Headquarters in Dallas for a work session on September 12^th facilitated by Steven Foster of Foster and Fathom. The strategic plan will be honed down and completed so that the Foundation and the trustees can move forward with firm guidelines in place for the ongoing forward momentum in support of our member’s professional development and the industry as a whole.  A huge thank you to our executive committee, and all of our trustees, for the commitment and dedication you have shown towards the Foundation.

Your Foundation continues to work for you and your colleagues so that you might excel in your career with the support of a strong public assembly industry.  Won’t you please consider lending us your support by investing today in the Foundation?  It truly is YOUR Foundation…YOUR Future.  Invest Now!

Members tell us why they invest in their IAVM Foundation –

“I give back to our Foundation to support our members who may not to be able to attend the amazing educational opportunities IAVM provides without scholarships. The Foundation had provided me with scholarship opportunities in the past that have helped me further my education and network with some of the best in the industry.”

-Abby Jo Lady | Marketing Director | Show Me Center

“I see support for the IAVM Foundation as my duty.  My career has been super, and the ongoing ability for the next generation to present the arts, entertainment and sports to enhance the lives others is paramount.  Our Foundation offers support, opportunity and education to help ensure the stability and credibility of our industry.  My duty is to support the future of the industry”.

-John Siehl, CVE | VenuWorks | VP and Chief Operating Officer

“The Foundation creates and maintains the programing that indoctrinates venue management into the DNA of the leaders of our industry. I’ve benefited from the fruits of the Foundation and I refuse to allow future venue managers to miss out on the same opportunity.  I make a monthly pledge in support of the existing and future programing stemming from the Foundation’s hard work and strongly urge others to as well.”

-Mac Campbell, CVP, CTA | Deputy Director | Baltimore Convention Center

“My career success has always begun with the support of IAVM. When we come together we can do unimaginable and powerful, great things to change the next career. For me, giving my donation dollars to IAVM is an easy choice to make.”

-Kerry Painter, CVE, CEM, CMP | Assistant General Manager | Cox Business Center 

“Why do I invest in the Foundation?  Simply put, it’s the right thing to do.  Over thirty years ago the Foundation invested in an idea now known as Venue Management School.  Without that seed money, the greatest educational program in IAVM history wouldn’t exist.  That one move has directly impacted thousands of us, from front line staff to venue executives.  That’s why I support our Foundation.” 

-Todd Hunt, CVE | Executive Director | BancorpSouth Arena and Conference Center
 

“The Foundation is something I have great passion for. Given my experiences at both Venue Management School and Senior Executive Symposium, I have seen first-hand the impact that these programs have had on people’s careers. The Foundation continues to invest in our member’s career development and does so much to keep our biggest talents in the business.”

-Bob Hunter, CVE | Chief Product Development Officer | Scotiabank Arena

“30 years ago, in 1988, I had a boss who took a chance on me, got me involved in facility management and introduced me to IAVM.  I can’t imagine not being involved in facility management and I couldn’t have reached my goal as GM of a performing arts venue without the support and education I’ve received from being a part of IAVM. I am the “I” in IAVM, and so are you!   For every dollar you donate to the Foundation, you will reap the benefits ten-fold!   I have and I know you will too. Invest in yourself and your career today by donating to your Foundation.”

-Leslee Stewart | General Manager |Paramount Theatre
 

“I value the experiences and opportunities the Foundation provides to IAVM Members through scholarships and educational opportunities. I support 100 Women of IAVM so the Foundation can send future leaders to sector conferences and expose more women to IAVM events. When I was a student and young professional member, I received scholarships from the Foundation. Now is my opportunity to pay it forward.”

-Kathryn Carlson, CVP | Guest Services & Front of House Manager | Infinite Energy Center

So, why do YOU invest in the Foundation?  Tell us!  Send your story of why giving back to your Foundation is important to you!

When I was asked to share some thoughts about the Foundation and being a new trustee, I have to admit, I stared at the computer screen for a while.  I thought back to the first time I was approached about serving the Foundation… I had about a year under my belt in a new position, at a new venue and in new surroundings.  My personal life was undergoing some radical changes.  So yeah, it seemed like a pretty normal and manageable time for me to take something else on… ha!  In all seriousness though, even though I’d never thought critically about the Foundation, when people like Mark Gnatovic, Stephanie Curran and Robyn Williams talk, you listen.  You learn.  You do some research, and what I realized was how transformative the Foundation has really been for my career.

Truth be told, the most thought I’d probably given the Foundation over the last several years extended to my 100+ Women donations.  But when I looked further, and read into why the Foundation exists, I realized how critical its formation and contributions to the venue industry have been.  Did you realize the Foundation was formed as a response to The Who concert tragedy in 1979 to implement crowd management safety standards?  And that, since then, it has provided over $4 million in funding for professional advancement and education, research and best practices development?

I am over 15 years into my career as a venue manager; it’s the only career I’ve ever really pursued in my adult life.  I am steeped in education, experience and evidence that speaks to the importance of a strong “foundation” for one’s career. And our Foundation, the IAVM Foundation, has provided for those moments and relationships that have shaped my path.  From the flagship programs, like Venue Management School, to the development opportunities, like professional certification programs, the Foundation is not the Association’s piggy bank.  Quite the contrary.  It is meant to be a force that lobbies for our membership and boosts our academic resources and industry influence.  The Foundation must be nimble in how it supports and strengthens our assets and promotes the special characteristics of our unique business.   

Yes, those enormous responsibilities and goals are best achieved through funding and contributions.  Your investment in the IAVM Foundation increases our industry’s capacity to respond to a changing world that demands a workforce more prepared and capable than ever.  And now that I better understand all this, my personal hope in serving as a trustee is that I can help provide ideas and advancement opportunities for the Foundation to do the valuable work it was designed to carry out.  I hope to educate more of our membership about its worthy mission, because IAVM Foundation supporters demonstrate that they value the future of our profession and, perhaps more importantly, that they value all who enter their venues and are thus taken into their care.

Alexis Berggren

Trustee, IAVM Foundation

It was in 1990 that I first met Ed Cohen, then the man – THE MAN – responsible for routing and booking World Wrestling Federation (as it was known then) events at IAVM member venues around the world. I had just started working at IAAM (as we were known then) and had an early conversation with Ed. During the course of that talk, I mentioned a segment that aired from the company’s old Tuesday Night Titans (TNT) program in 1984 that was one for the ages. Before I could get another word out, Ed asked me if I would like a copy of that program and that he was only too happy to mail it to me.

A few days later, the old video arrived with a Post-It not from Ed telling me to enjoy the viewing.

Typical Ed.

Our friend passed away on August 25 at the age of 62, leaving countless in the industry to mourn the loss of a true champion and friend.

After getting the sad news, I decided to call one of Ed’s closest working colleagues, Sally Presutto, to get her thoughts on her former colleague and friend. Sally instantly came to mind if for no other reason that when you saw Ed at the IAVM Annual Conference & Trade Show (pre-VenueConnect), you saw Sally.

Ed, Sally, and the entire WWF family happened to be very good friends of the Association. They were mostly known for sponsoring the opening of the trade show. It was always a highlight to see which of their wrestling talent would be present to cut the ribbon to usher the beginning of the trade show. There were always hundreds of IAVM members standing outside the ribbon waiting for the cutting and the opportunity to enter the trade show to network and spend some time with Ed and the talent at their own booth to collect a Polaroid, an autograph, and a hearty conversation with Ed.

“There were a couple of times when people thought we were married,” Sally told me. “When I started it was a temp position. I never left. I started as Ed’s administrative assistant worked very, very closely with him. Ed eventually promoted me to manager for booking, so he and I worked together on bookings and routing. I learned a lot from him. Ed never went home until he returned the last phone call of the day. That’s just the work ethic he had. I’m thankful for that because he taught me that if somebody calls you then you return the phone call or send an email. He always thought not returning a phone call was disrespectful.”

In this instant era of communication, it is too convenient to “never receive the email,” “not have the call come through,” or any other myriad of excuses often found for delaying conversation. Ed Cohen would have none of it.

Sally shared that Ed would later be diagnosed with sarcoma, a tumor that occurs in the bones and soft tissues and is rare with fewer than 200,000 case per year in the United States.

“It was in his leg and also his back,” she said. “His first operation was in his spine. They actually took out a tumor the size of a baseball. It was tough because it was intertwined in the muscle. After that he went for treatments. He bounced back but in another two or three years it just came back and he had to have another operation.”

Even after operations and during treatments, Ed stayed strong and retired from the company, but made sure to attend a WrestleMania while undergoing treatment. “That just shows you the strength of his character,” Sally said.

Sally added that as hard as Ed worked, he played just as hard and loved just as hard.

“He was a very, very, generous man,” she said. “When it came to the company’s money he was cheap. But he was the first one to put his hand in his pocket when it came to his own money to help someone. He was as generous as they come. He had a heart as big as the Grand Canyon. If he trusted you and you were loyal to him, there was nothing this man wouldn’t do for you. Really, part of the reason when he called me to become a manager was that he did it so my husband and I could get a house. I mean, he knew I could do the job but he also did it to help us get our house.”

Sally said that when she married and had her list for where she was registered that Ed purchased all the china that was on the list for the new couple. “I was floored, I was so touched,” she said. “And to know his parents was to know that’s the type of person Ed was. I had the pleasure of meeting his mom and dad when they were both alive. We had private conversations after Ed was diagnosed. They would call me on the fly to find out how he was doing and make sure he was OK. I just adored them.”

Ed was also quite old-school in the kindest sense of the word.

“His word and his handshake were better than any written contract,” Sally said. “They don’t make them like that anymore. He also had a memory like you can’t imagine. He knew all the markets, who was going to headline the card. Phenomenal, phenomenal.”

It’s the best way to describe Ed’s life.

He is survived by wife, Cheryl; mother-in-law, Joan Schadone; brother-in-law Gregory Schadone; sister-in-law, Tina Schadone; niece, Danielle Schadone; nephew, Matthew Schnadone; and family friend Ryan Perry. Those wishing may make donations to the Providence Animal Rescue League, 34 Elbow St., Providence, RI 02903, or to the CharterCare Foundation, 7 Waterman Ave., North Providence, RI 02911.

SMG has named Chris Anderson as the new director of facilities. Anderson will have oversight at Van Andel Arena®, DeVos Place®, and DeVos Performance Hall in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Anderson has been with SMG since 2003 with progressive responsibility, first as a maintenance technician and more recently as chief engineer. Anderson has nearly 25 years of maintenance experience, beginning his career with Prince Machine and Jefferson Commons before coming to SMG.

“I’m excited to take on this new role and continue my career with SMG,” Anderson said. “I am appreciative of the opportunity ahead of me, and I am eager to continue working with the team here as I transition into and make this role my own.”

A native of Dorr, MI, Anderson is also involved in his local community holding various head coaching positions throughout the years as well as volunteer roles at Life Change Community Church and becoming a Youth Group Leader in 2016.

“We are very pleased that Chris has agreed to become the director of facilities,” said SMG Regional General Manager at Van Andel Arena, DeVos Place, and DeVos Performance Hall Rich MacKeigan. “He has been with us a number of years, and we look forward to his continued exceptional service in his new role.”