William Arthur “Bud” Cunningham, of Manteca, California, born on June 29, 1928 in Newark, New Jersey, passed away peacefully at age 89 on May 8, 2018.

William is survived by his wife of 66 years, Mary Theresa Cunningham. Mary and Bud moved to Manteca in 2001 – after 37 years in San Leandro. Their life together was filled with adventure, excitement, love, and laughter.

He is also survived by his five children: son, Bill Cunningham (Joanne); daughters, Mary Anderson (Dennis), Kathy Pietrunti (John), Nancy Calderon (Phillip), and Theresa Stevens (James); seven grandchildren: Colleen Anderson Guidi (Scott), Michael Anderson, Stephen Pietrunti (Maria), Megan Pietrunti, Lindsey Calderon, Nicole Stevens, and Andrew Stevens; and two great-grandchildren: Ryan Guidi and Mia Guidi.

William is a graduate of Panzer College, East Orange, N.J., and completed graduate business studies at The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

He was in the Facility Management industry for most of his career. He served at the Philadelphia Trade and Convention Center as an Assistant Director from 1957-1964; at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Complex as General Manager until 1980; and Coliseum Consultants as the President until retiring in 1995. He was elected President of the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) from 1973-1974, then received the Charles A. McElravy award in 1978, the industry’s highest honor, for his contributions to the organization and profession. His career coincided with multiple championships for his beloved Oakland Athletics, Oakland Raiders, and the Golden State Warriors.

“Bill Cunningham will always be remembered for his passion for the profession of public assembly venue management, his consistent willingness to mentor anyone new to the field who expressed an interest, and of course, his terrific sense of humor,” said Bob Mayer, CVE, a long-time friend and also a fellow past IAVM president. “He helped and mentored me in many ways during my years on the Board with some special guidance, direction, and advice. His love of the Association was sincere and a part of his fabric. He will be missed.”

Friends and family can pay their respects at the memorial service on Friday, May 18 from 11:00 to 12:00 p.m. at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, 6404 Washington Street, Yountville, California, 94599. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to charity in his memory.

For an article that speaks greatly to his work in the public assembly venue profession, click here.

The Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC), owned by the City of Los Angeles and managed by AEG Facilities, announced the appointment of Nancy Walker as the new vice president of sales and marketing.

Nancy joins the LACC with more than 20 years experience in the events and trade show industry, most recently as the director of sales, North America at Reed Travel Exhibitions. Prior to her work as director of sales, Walker was the vice president and associate publisher at Tradeshow Week Magazine.

“Nancy will be a great addition to the outstanding LACC sales and marketing team,” said Ellen Schwartz, assistant general manager at the LACC. “Her expertise and fresh perspective will strengthen our Sales and Marketing Department and the facility as a whole.”

Birmingham is set to host a convention of sports event professionals, and it could mean millions of dollars in future bookings for the greater Birmingham area.

The National Association of Sports Commissions announced at their meeting this month in Minneapolis that Birmingham has won the bid to host their 2021 Annual Symposium.

As the only non-profit trade association in the U.S. sport tourism industry, the NASC is considered the most essential resource for sports commissions, sports destinations, vendors, and sports event owners. Nearly 800 member organizations lead, manage and execute sports events of all sizes.

“Hosting the NASC will be a rare opportunity for us to promote area sporting facilities and to meet one-on-one with industry professionals who plan sports events,” said J. John Oros, Jr., Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau president and CEO. “From the Birmingham Crossplex and the Hoover Metropolitan Complex to the BJCC Legacy Arena, we have a lot to show off.”

More than 1,000 attendees are expected for the 2021 Annual Symposium, resulting in about 4,000 room nights. Direct visitor spending during the event is estimated by NASC officials to be more than $1 million.

“While the economic impact of this convention is important, it is bookings in the aftermath that can benefit us for years to come,” Oros said.

The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center has received a “Safest 70” award from the Louisiana Workers Compensation Corporation (LWCC), the largest workers’ compensation carrier in the state. The award acknowledges excellence, outstanding performance, and commitment to workplace safety, and is given to the top 70 of over 16,000 entities insured by LWCC.

The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center was recognized based on the effectiveness of their safety efforts in preventing injuries and maintaining a consistent workplace safety history in 2017.

“It is an honor for our facility to be recognized by LWCC,” said Michael J. Sawaya, President and General Manager of the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. “Providing a safe work environment is our highest priority and is a team effort. We consider our employees internal customers and value their input while collaborating on ways to continuously improve our facility. Philosophically, this in turn results in a safer environment for our patrons/external customers as well.”

Left to right: Brett Slocum, Assistant Director of Public Safety; Tim Tumminello, Director of Human Resources; Tanya Smith, Human Resources Coordinator; Darren J. Kimball, Lead Safety Services Consultant, LWCC; Susan Paisant, Client Relations Representative, LWCC; Mark Kaufman, Director of Public Safety.

It has been a few years since the Los Angeles Convention Center was expanded, 20 of them to be exact. Now, following a proposal by venue owner Anschutz Entertainment Group, that could change to the tune of a $1.2 billion to the facility, one that would definitely change the financial landscape for the venue and the city.

For the full scoop and story on the proposal, click here.