Charles P. “Charlie” Graviss, CVE, was a man known for giving nicknames for a number of reasons, said his son, Christopher Scott “Zeno” Graviss. In the passing of Charlie Graviss on June 16 at his home in Bakersfield, Calif., at age 92 from natural causes, we give ourselves a nickname for having known a man who loved the public assembly venue industry and who served as then IAAM president in 1976-77: blessed.

Chris said that his father passed away peacefully in his sleep in the presence of a precious granddaughter, Kimberly, who lived with Charlie and was a loving caregiver. Graviss was also a man blessed by children and grandchildren as evidenced by having six kids to go with 14 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and even one great-great-grandchild.

Chris called his father a “great mentor and someone who was very friendly. His mantra was ‘I’ll teach you anything I know if you’re willing to listen and learn.'”

“He was always very open and sharing his experiences to help make people better at their jobs and to be better managers so they could prosper in the industry,” Chris added.

Charlie Graviss is best remembered by industry friends from his service at the then Bakersfield Civic Auditorium that started in 1983. It was a place that became familiar to the children and where they loved being with their dad.

“All us kids at one time or another were there,” Chris said. “I was the youngest. One reason that my dad retired in 1992 was actually so my oldest brother Chuck could get on there at the facility. The City of Bakersfield had a nepotism law back then, so my dad retired. My brother went on to work there for another 15 years and then he retired.

“Being there was cool. It was like a second home to us all. We kind of had the run of the place but we also had to show respect for anybody who worked there.”

Chris said that he also went to the Association’s annual conference that was in San Diego the year his dad served as president and that it provided him another memory that has lasted a lifetime.

“I was probably about 13 and I thought it was really fun because everybody was always so kind,” he said. “They actually let me drive the beverage cart going around the golf course during their golf outing. I just thought that was the greatest thing in the world.”

When it came to nicknames, Chris said that his dad bestowed them since he met so many people in the normal course of managing a venue.

“It was a way he could relate to people,” Chris said. “He didn’t want to be embarrassed by not remembering names, so he would associate something to them and give them a nickname. That was his way of always being very cordial.”

A sister, Becky, and mother, Betty, are deceased, but most of the remaining kids have their own nicknames they continue to carry with them as given by Charlie. Oldest brother Chuck is actually Charles Paul Jr., while brother Corky is Arthur and another brother Rusty is David. Sister Cyndi Moreno was spared a nickname.

As for Chris being called Zeno?

“He got a little bit more creative as he had children,” Chris said. “Back in the day people would go to name books and look at names for kids. I was the last of six and Zeno was the last name in the name book and was my dad’s way to tell my mom this was it!”

Chris said that a memorial service date is undetermined, but most likely will occur in August and that a future update would be provided about the service and any memorials or donations that might be made in his dad’s memory by his many friends in the industry and elsewhere.

Patricia Muzquiz-Cantor has been named Director of Convention and Sports Facilities Department that operates the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, Alamodome, Lila Cockrell Theater, and Carver Cultural Center Community Center in San Antonio.

She had served as interim director of the of Convention and Sports Facilities Department since February and led the successful execution of operations at the convention center and Alamodome during the 2018 Men’s Final Four.

Patricia has served the City of San Antonio for 21 years, previously as the assistant director of the Convention and Sports Facilities Department and the Fiscal Administrator. She holds both a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio and Bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University at College Station.

In her new position, Muzquiz-Cantor is responsible for the oversight of the department’s facilities, development and administration of the department’s budget and ensuring efficient and quality service delivery for convention clients. She has worked within the Convention and Sports Facilities Department since 2004 and has refined skills in fiscal management, budget administration, and management of contracts and agreements.

“I am confident in her ability to continue to lead the Convention and Sports Facilities Department in elevating the experience at our facilities and attracting large scale events to San Antonio,” said Carlos J. Contreras, III, Assistant City Manager.

In addition to being an IAVM member, Muzquiz-Cantor is a graduate of Leadership San Antonio Class 41 and an active volunteer of the City of San Antonio Women’s Leadership Program.

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation released the results of a survey of employees across the nation, revealing the persistent daily challenges that have led nearly half of LGBTQ people to remain closeted at their workplaces — a rate largely unchanged over the past decade. A Workplace Divided: Understanding the Climate for LGBTQ Workers Nationwide, HRC’s third national workplace study over the past decade, shines a light on the often-intangible, nuanced issues in the workplace that keep LGBTQ workers “separate,” leaving many feeling distracted, exhausted or depressed, and believing they have nowhere to turn for help.

The survey of both LGBTQ and non-LGBTQ workers reveals that, despite significant progress in recent years — including the Supreme Court of the United State’s decision embracing marriage equality in 2015, as well as corporate policies and practices that increasing embrace LGBTQ inclusion, substantial barriers to full inclusion. Many of these barriers exist within interpersonal workplace connections, including non-work conversations or outings among coworkers.

“While LGBTQ-inclusive corporate policies are becoming the norm, LGBTQ workers too often face a climate of bias in their workplace,” said Deena Fidas, director of HRC’s Workplace Equality Program. “LGBTQ employees are still avoiding making personal and professional connections at work because they fear coming out — and that hurts not only that employee, but the company as a whole. Even the best-of-the-best private sector employers with top-rated policies and practices must do more to nurture a climate of inclusion for all.”

The HRC Foundation survey found that:
•Forty-six percent of LGBTQ workers say they are closeted at work, compared to 50 percent in HRC’s groundbreaking 2008 Degrees of Equality report;
•One in five LGBTQ workers report having been told or had coworkers imply that they should dress in a more feminine or masculine manner;
•Fifty-three percent of LGBTQ workers report hearing jokes about lesbian or gay people at least once in a while;
•Thirty-one percent of LGBTQ workers say they have felt unhappy or depressed at work;
•And the top reason LGBTQ workers don’t report negative comments they hear about LGBTQ people to a supervisor or human resources? They don’t think anything would be done about it — and they don’t want to hurt their relationships with coworkers

These survey results come at a time when the HRC Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index which measures LGBTQ-inclusive workplace policies and practices at Fortune 500 companies and top law firms, reported this year that a record-breaking 609 businesses earned a top score of 100 — up from 517 last year. This set a new high water mark for corporate leadership over the 16-year history of the CEI. However, despite these explicit protections across the nation’s top companies, 59 percent of non-LGBTQ workers surveyed by the HRC Foundation in a range of workplace sectors say they think it’s unprofessional to talk about sexual orientation and gender identity in the workplace, even though by their own self-reporting they regularly talk about these subjects through everyday conversations about spouses, families and life outside of work. The double standard LGBTQ workers are held to remains a persistent barrier to full inclusion on the job.

The Human Rights Campaign’s top federal legislative priority is to win passage of the Equality Act, a bipartisan bill that would add comprehensive protections for LGBTQ people into our nation’s existing civil rights laws. More than 246 bipartisan cosponsors in Congress and 111 leading American companies have endorsed the bill and are continuing to build momentum for its passage in order to secure full federal equality for LGBTQ people.

The full report, A Workplace Divided: Understanding the Climate for LGBTQ Workers Nationwide, can be found here.

Daktronics announced the upcoming installation of a new LED video display system at Northern Illinois University’s (NIU) Convocation Center in Dekalb, Illinois. Installation is scheduled for this summer to have the system up and running for the fall sports seasons.

“I cannot wait to see the new videoboard hanging in the NIU Convocation Center,” said NIU Associate Vice-President and Director of Athletics Sean T. Frazier. “Thanks to our Board of Trustees, NIU Vice-President for Administration and Finance Sarah McGill and staff of both NIU Athletics and the NIU Procurement Office for navigating this process from start to finish. This scoreboard system, and especially the videoboard, is going to give the whole arena a new look and feel, bringing even more excitement to our basketball games and events in the Convo. I’m especially excited for our fans as this will significantly improve the in-game experience for people in the stands during our basketball games, and will also make the arena more marketable as we look at bringing in other events.”

The displays in the four-sided centerhung will each measure more than 8 feet high by 14.5 feet wide and will feature a tight 4-millimeter line spacing bringing greater resolution to crisp, clear images for fans throughout the venue. Upper and lower LED ring displays will provide space for game information, fan engagement elements and sponsorships.

“The new LED display system at NIU Convocation Center will surround Huskies fans with video and animations creating a fully immersive atmosphere,” said Joey Hulsebus, Daktronics sales representative. “The new center hung system will bring a new level of resolution to the venue that will have a significant impact on fans. Pairing those displays with the end wall video displays ensures that nobody will miss a moment of the action. I can’t wait to see the completed system in action this fall.”

In addition to the centerhung configuration, two new end wall video displays will be installed on the east and west ends of the Convocation Center. These displays will measure more than 9 feet high by 15.5 feet wide and will feature 10-millimeter line spacing to bring additional views to Huskies fans.

The main centerhung and end wall video displays are capable of variable content zoning allowing each to show one large image or to be divided into multiple different zones. The displays can show any combination of live video, instant replays, game statistics and information, graphics and animations, and sponsorship messages.

In addition to the LED displays, the Convocation Center will also receive new shot clocks and upgraded display panels on the Lincoln Highway marquee. Digital content provided by Daktronics Creative Services is also included with the installation to bring the displays to life.

The Minneapolis Convention Center is going to be the center of activity in downtown Minneapolis this summer, with more than 25,000 visitors attending three upcoming conventions, starting at the end of June. The National Education Association (NEA) will hold its Annual Meeting and Representative Assembly beginning June 30, followed by the American Legion’s 100th National Convention starting August 23, and culminating with the National Baptist Convention, USA, starting Labor Day weekend.

Cumulatively, these three conventions represent 65,000 room nights for local hotels this summer, bringing additional money and tax revenue to the local economy. These events add to what is shaping up to be a banner year for the Minneapolis Convention Center (MCC). As of June 30, the MCC will have hosted 195 events for the year including Super Bowl-related events, and is currently on pace to exceed its goal of securing $20 million in revenue for the year.

By the Numbers:

National Education Association’s Annual Meeting and Representative Assembly
•June 30 – July 5
•Expecting more than 7,500 attendees and exhibitors
•More than 40,000 room nights in the greater Minneapolis area

American Legion 2018 National Convention
•August 23 – August 29
•More than 9,500 attendees and exhibitors expected
•Approximately 15,000 room nights in Minneapolis

National Baptist Convention USA, Inc.
•September 2 – September 7
•An estimated 8,000 attendees and exhibitors
•More than 10,000 room nights in Minneapolis

“Those outside of our industry might have anticipated a letdown in our business levels after Super Bowl LII. Nothing could be further from the truth,” said Meet Minneapolis President and CEO, Melvin Tennant. “Thanks to the sales and marketing groundwork laid by our team and our community partners, we have a bevy of diverse events set for the rest of 2018 that will allow us to sustain our strong start to the year. That’s good news for our local economy and the more than 36,000 individuals working in the travel and hospitality industry in Minneapolis.”

Another highlight for 2018 will be in the fourth quarter when the MCC hosts nearly 6,000 women engineers for the Society of Women Engineers’ 2018 Annual Conference in October. In all, Meet Minneapolis will bring well over 600 events to the city and region this year, including more than 300 events to the MCC.