To get your customers to show up at your arena and open their wallets, there is first the little matter of getting them to invest with their time. It’s a jungle out there, and one that marketing, branding, and creativity expert Ron Tite knows too well.

Tite, found and CEO of Church & State, a content marketing agency based in Toronto, will speak on the topic of “How to Thrive in the Expression Economy” during the Arena Track at VenueConnect on Tuesday, July 24, from 10:45-11:30 am.

Tite’s work includes an impressive list of clients including Air France, Evian, Hershey, Johnson & Johnson, Kraft, Intel, Microsoft, and Volvo. Addressing a variety of topics surrounding branding, corporate strategy, creativity, content, and social media, Tite’s presentations are not only information-packed, they’re also infused with his unique humour–guaranteed to have you laughing while you learn. It is that expertise that should connect Tite quite well to his VenueConnect audience.

“I spent 15 years as a touring comedian and producer,” Tite said. “Now I do 70 speeches a year all over the world so I’ve seen more venues in more towns than even I would care to admit. You know those horrible green rooms we’ve all heard about? Yup. I’ve been in all of them. I know what performers want and need for a successful show. More importantly, I’ve helped global brands create a face to face experience that creates a show worth seeing. At the end of the day, we all want (and need) to be heard. Just because we say it, doesn’t mean they’ll hear it. I’ve helped the world’s most respected brands and people win the battle for time.”

Tite went on to identify some concrete challenges that exist.

“Low production costs, easy distribution, and suddenly, everyone’s a creator,” he said. “Consumers can now fill their day with content dedicated to their hobbies, passions, and the things that interest them most. For business, that’s a problem. Consumers used to vote with their wallets. Now, they vote with their time. And you know who’s winning the battle for time? Other consumers. Right now, your customers are more creative than you are. They’re more innovative than you are. They’re more authentic than you are. Often, they’re even more helpful than you are.

“In the battle for time, your competition isn’t the category leader–it’s the consumers. It doesn’t matter if you’re selling a product, pitching a new idea, or trying to get a raise, your biggest challenge is getting a customer to willingly give you the time to do it.”

Before an edge of despair sets in, Tite said that attendees at his session will instead return home more energized and action-ready than before.

“You’ll be inspired. You’ll be informed. You’ll be entertained,” he said. “More than that, though, you’ll understand why things have changed, not just that they have. I think that’s important. There are too many thought leaders screaming, ‘You have to be more creative! You have to be more innovative,’ without providing a perspective on why.”

Tite does his own personal education survey about the public assembly venue industry and sees where he can make a difference with his personal toolbox of skills.

“Usually, I want to know what industry morale is like,” he said. “I think that’s a pretty good indicator of how business is. I like to immerse myself – but as an outsider. The strength of bringing someone from outside the industry is that you get a completely fresh perspective. So it’s doing enough research to be informed but not enough that you lose the outsider’s view.”

Expect to also have some belly laughs at the session and enjoy the elixir that comes from Tite’s comedy background.

“I was trained at Toronto’s legendary Second City,” he said about his career, which also includes producing and hosting a show called “Monkey Toast” for five years. “After performing a one-man play, I was caught in a hotel fire and had to be pulled from a 5th floor window. The next day, the headline in the paper read, “Fire no laughing matter for comedian.”

brooke porter

The Shenyang New World EXPO has begun its second operating year experiencing raving reviews by organizers, exhibitors, and visitors alike.

Immediately following its first anniversary on March 1, EXPO held four back-to-back exhibitions averaging 21,116 sqm of rental space and 13,112 visitors per event day to begin its second year of operations. The four exhibitions attracted 10,464 exhibiting companies.

“We are so very encouraged and confident that the future is bright and that Shenyang will lead northeast China in becoming a more significant part of China’s growing exhibition industry,” said EXPO General Manager Diane Chen.

The first four shows of EXPO’s second operating year were:

20th China Northeast International Dental Equipment & Affiliated Facilities Exhibition Symposium on Oral Health – March 16th to 19th, organized by Liaoning Northern Industrial and Commercial Exhibition Service Co. Ltd.

2018 Northeast China AD Exhibition & 25th Liaoning AD/Sign/LED Lighting Expo – March 23rd to 25th, organized by Shanghai Modern International Exhibition Co. Ltd. (an UFI Approved Event)

2018 the 24th China Northeast International Building & Decoration Exhibition – March 29th to 31st, organized by Liaoning Northern Industrial and Commercial Exhibition Service Co. Ltd.

20th Public Security Exposition Northeast China – April 19th to 21st, organized by Liaoning the Great Wall Exhibition Advertising Co. Ltd.

Cliff Wallace, CVE, chairman of EXPO’s professional and private management company, said, “I cannot say enough about the support of our initial organizers and their commitment to raising all standards relative to their exhibitions. The exhibitors are impressed with the success of attendance and the venue including facilities and amenities unmatched in northeast China. Our management team and staff are amazingly enthusiastic and responsive and that is a key factor in the potential.”

In the coming months, the venue will also host two national conferences anticipated to attract upwards of 5,000 delegates each which Chen and Wallace again feel indicates confidence in the EXPO and Shenyang City.

The new, state-of-the-art multipurpose Bentley Arena is the most environmentally sustainable in the U.S. and the first standalone ice arena to earn the LEED platinum certification, the highest possible rating, according to the U.S. Green Building Council. The award for the recently opened, 76,000-square-foot arena highlights the building’s sustainable design and energy efficiency and Bentley University’s continued rise as an innovative, nationally-recognized business university.

“This first-in-the-nation rating for the Bentley Arena demonstrates Bentley’s strong and longstanding commitment to sustainability,” said Bentley University President Gloria Cordes Larson. “From our university-wide commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030, to our Sustainability Science major for students, to our campus waste reduction program that recycles more than 270 tons of material per year, Bentley acts every day on our mission of preparing environmentally conscious, socially responsible leaders.”

“Thanks to the combination of the rooftop solar technology and energy-efficient mechanical design, the overall grid energy required to power the arena will be less than half of what it would take to power a building of a similar size,” said Amanda King, director of sustainability at Bentley. “These technologies also cut the building’s carbon footprint in half.”

The Bentley Arena hosts the university’s NCAA Division I hockey team and prominent university events such as career fairs, high-profile speakers, alumni events and concerts.

The standout sustainable features of the arena include:

● A 504 kilowatt, rooftop solar array developed by Rivermoor Energy that will generate 40 percent of the building’s annual electricity needs.

● Innovative technology that captures heat generated from the rink’s ice-making equipment to heat water throughout the building.

● More glass windows than a typical arena, allowing for more natural light that decreases the amount of electricity needed to light the building’s interior.

● High-efficiency LED lighting with smart, motion-detecting controls that turn off lights when no one is present to sharply reduce electricity usage.

● Ice-making and air conditioning systems that use zero CFC-based refrigerants. Chlorofluorocarbons or “CFCs” have been found to destroy the planet’s stratospheric ozone layer.

● The highest-efficiency plumbing fixtures on the market, including waterless urinals, dual-flush toilets, and low-flow faucets and showers to reduce the demand for water.

● At least 50% of wood used in the building is sourced from forests with certified sustainable forestry practices.

● About 10% of construction and finish materials were locally sourced and about 20% of construction and finish materials contain recycled content.

“Bentley’s commitment to using solar energy to generate 40 percent of the annual electricity needs of its new state-of-the-art arena is impressive,” said John Tourtelotte, managing director of Rivermoor Energy, which partnered with Bentley to develop the 504 kilowatt solar array. “The Bentley Arena’s thoughtful use of solar technology to power a modern, energy efficient arena demonstrates leadership in building design and is a model for other universities and companies to follow.”

“At Suffolk we foster a corporate culture that embraces innovation and environmentally sustainable practices, which is why we are thrilled to have partnered with Bentley University to help make their dream for this incredible new arena a reality,” said John Fish, chairman and CEO of Suffolk Construction, which built the arena. “Congratulations to Bentley for achieving the prestigious LEED platinum certification for this state-of-the-art arena, and thank you for your unwavering commitment to sustainability and a better tomorrow for all of us.”

“The Bentley Arena’s environmentally sustainable, energy-saving construction will reduce electricity costs and provide a strong return on investment for many years,” said Penni Conner, senior vice president and chief customer officer for Eversource, which provided incentives for many of the energy efficiency measures installed throughout the building. “At Eversource, we are connecting colleges and universities across our footprint to solutions for savings. This LEED platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council is a well-deserved honor.”

“Bentley University has demonstrated extraordinary leadership in sustainable design by achieving LEED platinum certification for the arena project,” said Amanda Garvey Lehman, associate at Thornton Tomasetti, Bentley’s LEED consultants for the arena. “Energy conservation measures and sustainable design initiatives were prioritized throughout design and construction, resulting in a building that is leading the way in areas of human and environmental health.”

The Darwin Convention Centre was awarded winner of the Meeting Venue – 500 delegates or more category at the 2017 National Meetings & Events Australia (MEA) Industry Awards. The awards ceremony took place on May 8 at the Adelaide Convention Centre, where the industry’s leading businesses and individuals were competing for recognition across 28 categories.

The Meeting Venue – 500 delegates or more category was judged on across a range of business criteria and the year in review, including their impact on

the meetings and events industry as a whole. The judging panel comprises a cross section of industry experts, selected for their knowledge and experience. The national winner is determined by the final highest score in that category.

The Darwin Convention Centre competed with other convention centres around Australia to take out the award, including ICC Sydney, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Adelaide Convention Centre, and Brisbane Exhibition and Convention Centre.

Janet Hamilton, Darwin Convention Centre general manager, said, “Our passion is always to showcase the Darwin Convention Centre as a world-class venue with outstanding dining experiences and exceptional service. The team at the Darwin Convention Centre are like a family; we all work very closely together to ensure all our clients have an amazing experience. Everyone at the centre has contributed to winning this award.”

The award was accepted by Darwin Convention Centre Event Planner Madeliene Van Eerden, who was awarded the 2017 Northern Territory MEA Ungerboeck Young Professional Scholarship.

Meeting & Events Australia is a national, independent not for profit organisation dedicated to servicing the needs of the meetings & events industry and promoting professionalism and excellence in all aspects of meetings and event management. It also promotes the value and effectiveness of meetings and events as an important high-yield sector of business travel and tourism.

The iCommit member referral campaign launched mid-February. There are just 7 weeks left to reach our goal – June 30!

With your support, we have now added 44 new members due to your recommendations (the last update shared was March 15, the referral count was 13 new members).

For each new member you refer, your name will be entered in a raffle to win great prizes! The current leaderboard is shown below:

• Mount Allen, CVE – 15  – new group members
• Jason Beckett – 1 – new allied
• Alexis Berggren – 8 – new group member
• Sara Blayne – 1 – new professional 
• Kathryn Carlson, CVP – 1- new young professional
• Shannon Caudill – 1 – new professional
• Kenny Gaudinez, CVP – 1 – new student
• Troy Hoberg – 1 – new allied
• Dwight Johnson – 1 – new young professional
• Bryan Jones – 1 – new professional
• Billy Langenstein – 1 – new young professional
• Robert Olson – 1 – new professional
• Andy Pate – 1 – new professional
• Patrick Rice – 1 – new professional
• Chris Sanders – 1 – new professional
• Timothy Savona – 1 – new young professional
• John Siehl, CVE – 1 – new professional
• Kevin Spence, CVE – 1 – new student
• Jay Thomas, CVE-  1 – new student 
• Beth Wade, CVE – 1 – new young professional
• Jessica Wickey – 1 new student
• Russ Simons – 1 professional 
• Jennifer Norris – 1 professional

 

Do you have interns, students or young professionals working for you now? Is there a long-time employee who hasn’t gotten involved yet? Encourage them to become a part of our network.

If you know of a venue in your community that is not a part of IAVM, encourage them to consider Group Membership. As of today, 157 venues are participating as group members.

Do you have a vendor that is not an Allied Member? Urge them to join now and experience all that membership has to offer!

To ensure you are eligible to win one of the prizes, ask your new member to do the following:

• List your name in the Application Section titled, “Who Recommended IAVM To You/How Did You Hear About IAVM?”
• Enter “iCommit” in the Promotional Code field in the online membership application
• For new Professional or Allied members only, the $150 one-time initiation fee will be waived

 

Prizes

• The grand prize will be a complimentary registration to VenueConnect 2019 (value up to $1,000).
• Win one of five, $500 Apple Gift cards
•  The IAVM Region that adds the most new members will have one CVP application fee waived (value $125)

 

We will continue to share monthly updates as we strive to meet our goal of adding 550 new members. It’s a lofty goal but we can do it! The campaign ends June 30, 2018.