The International Association of Venue Managers has named Amy Duncan as its new Membership Sales Specialist. Amy joined the team on April 23, 2018. She was previously the Membership and Fitness Benefits Coordinator for the Aaron Family Jewish Community Center of Dallas, where she increased membership sales by over 18% during her tenure.

“I was at a point in my professional career where I wanted more of a challenge,” stated Amy. “When I saw the opening on LinkedIn, it literally felt like everything I had been wanting and praying for!”

Amy’s primary focus will be to generate new business and new members across all sectors, as well as help drive revenue growth.

“The nerd in me is looking forward to the globalization aspect of our association,” she noted. “Being able to communicate with people from different cultures, backgrounds, and socioeconomic points of view is really awe-inspiring. The geography of the Earth is so massive but with technology our tangible world has become really small. I mean, I had to Google what time it was in New Zealand this morning to see if it was an appropriate time to send an email. How cool is that???”

Amy is originally from Louisiana, but she called Dallas home in 2001 when her family moved to Texas. She is wrapping up her Associate of Science in Business Administration at Richland College. An avid live concertgoer, she is looking forward to seeing events at our member venues!

Yesterday was a difficult and sad day at IAVM with word received of the passing of two of the greatest men to serve in the history of the public assembly venue industry and within the Association in Ray Ward, CVE, and William “Bill” Cunningham, CVE.

Ray Ward passed away on May 2 while Bill Cunningham passed on May 8. Ward served as an assistant to Cunningham and eventually followed Cunningham in guiding the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Cunningham served as president of IAAM (as both were known at the time) in 1973-74 while Ward held the reins in 1988-89. They were both in their positions in Oakland at the time they served as the top volunteer leaders in the Association.

Both share a massive list of accomplishments within the industry. For brevity at this time, Ward’s legacy will carry on after the establishment of the Ray Ward Award bestowed annually at his beloved Venue Management School at Oglebay Park. The award recognizes an individual associated with VMS whose dedicated service and extraordinary contributions over a period of at least six years have resulted in significant and long lasting improvements to the overall success and quality of the school. The award was created and initially presented to Ward in August 1996. Those who have earned the award over the years cite Ward in their remarks for his contributions to the school and the industry.

Cunningham began his industry career in 1957 as an assistant director at the Philadelphia Trade & Convention Center before moving to Oakland in 1964 to help open the Coliseum. He was among the first 27 recipients to receive the newly created Certified Facilities Executive (now Certified Venue Executive) designation in 1976. In an article that appeared in Facility Manager magazine, Cunningham cited as his most tangible accomplishment during his term as president the publication of the Industry Profile Survey, a compilation of the most comprehensive statistical analysis ever published in the public assembly field.

Those who knew the icons best expressed their sadness upon hearing the news.

“Bill was simply a mentor beyond mentors while Ray was another dear, dear friend,” said Cliff Wallace, CVE, who served as Association president in 1984-85. “Goodness, a tough day.”

Mike Kobluk, Association president in 1990-91, said upon receiving the news about Cunningham that, “Bill was a fine gentleman, an ultimate professional with a wonderful sense of humor. In many ways I considered him to be a major part of the backbone of our industry, one who was always willing to share his thoughts, ideas, and procedures, and was always there when you needed answers or just a smile and a word of encouragement. Though I haven’t been in contact with Bill since my retirement from the industry some years ago, I will always have fond memories of my times with Bill.”

While I did not personally know Cunningham, I certainly knew of him from what his friends shared throughout the years about a man almost bigger than life. In this profession, it is safe to say that he was larger than life.

Ray Ward will always be memorable to me for not just occasionally calling to the office to tell me that I was doing a good job with the magazine, but for his presence at VenueConnect in the later years of his life when he used a cane to walk around. While many utilize the benefit of networking at the annual conference, Ward would do that, but he was also always a constant presence on the front row of education sessions, a man who by example proved you are never to old to want to learn.

With the news of the passing of Ray Ward and Bill Cunningham fresh, we will update with information about services, memorials, and donations as they become available in the next few days, along with additional comments from industry colleagues and friends.

The IAVM Foundation has announced the 30|UNDER|30 Class of 2018.  The program, in its fourth year, is made possible thanks to the ongoing support of co-founding partners SearchWide and Ungerboeck Software International, as well as many IAVM Foundation donors.

“There were many extremely qualified and worthy applicants this year,” stated Kathryn Eades, IAVM Foundation Director of Development.  “Tough choices were made by the Foundation’s large group of judges, which included members from the Foundation Board of Trustees and numerous CVP’s.  Those chosen exemplify the characteristics of leadership and developing talent necessary to the future of our industry.”

Designed to engage the best and brightest young professionals in the venue management industry, the 30|UNDER|30 program recognizes emerging leaders – and their talents – which help accelerate the industry and carry it into the future. The Class of 2018 will convene for the first time at IAVM’s VenueConnect Annual Conference and Trade Show in Toronto, July 22-25.

Award recipients will receive full complimentary registration to VenueConnect, as well as an $800 travel stipend.  They will also be provided opportunities for professional development in the venue industry to help better prepare them for continued career growth.

“As we embark on the fourth year as the founding partner, we continue to be proud of this program and thank IAVM for their commitment to it,” said Mark Gnatovic, Senior Vice President of SearchWide and a Foundation Trustee. “The 30 individuals selected this year show remarkable leadership potential in the venue management industry. We are confident the industry will be excited to meet these young professionals and offer guidance and mentorship to them as they continue their career paths.”

Meet the IAVM Foundation’s 30|UNDER|30 Class of 2018:

Billy Langenstein, Director Event Services, U.S. Bank Stadium (SMG)
Matt Christine, Marketing Manager, SMG Managed Santander Arena and Santander Performing Arts Center
Jericha McGill, Event Coordinator, SMG/Cox Convention Center & SMG/Chesapeake Energy Arena
Jack Wentzell, Senior Operations Manager, Spectra Venue Management/CFE Arena at UCF
Megan Dennis, Patron Services Manager , Wintrust Arena 
Carly Cuene, HR Generalist, Resch Center
Sarah Mathis, Senior Manager of Fan Experience, Jacksonville Jaguars- EverBank Field
Mevisha Maistry, Marketing and Communications Specialist , Shaw Conference Centre 
Craig Spillman, Director of Food and Beverage, VenuWorks of Ames / Iowa State Center
Geri Koenig, Visual & User Experience Designer, San Diego Convention Center
Justin Carlson, Senior Event Coordinator, Minneapolis Convention Center
Meghan Foehl, Engagement Coordinator, Walton Arts Center
Kevin Murphy, Event Services Manager, SMG Tulsa/BOK Center
Andrew Landrigan, Event & Meeting Coordinator, Exhibition Place
Courtney Urquhart, Event Manager, EventsDC/Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Justin Brand, Operations Manager , Charlotte Harbor Event and Conference Center 
Shannon Thomas, Event Manager , Walton Arts Center
Shelby Rich, Denver County Fair Event Manager/Complex Event Coordinator, National Western Complex
Kalyn Smith, House Manager, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
Zachary Sloman, Booking & Marketing Manager, SMG/John Paul Jones Arena
KelVon Greer, Events Services Specialist, City of Dallas/ Fair Park
Alexandra Capitolo, Event Manager, San Francisco Giants
Grant Jones, Operations Manager , SMG/INTRUST Bank Arena 
Lisa Niess, Marketing and Communications Manager, U.S. Bank Stadium – SMG
Mario Duran, Operations Manager, Event Center at San Jose State University
Kaitlin Higgins, Venue Manager, Old Town School of Folk Music
Myra Palacios, Event Coordinator, Curtis Culwell Center
Andrias JW Murdaugh, Senior Event Manager, Events DC at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Taylor Hight, Senior House Manager, Walton Arts Center
Philip Costa, Director of Client Services, Baltimore Convention Center

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.