Congratulations to our latest Certified Venue Professional: Shaun Davis, CVP.  Shaun directs and manages the operations at Mountain America Expo Center.

View all of our current CVP’s here.

Thanks to the generous funding and support from the IAVM Foundation, the CVP program was launched in August 2015 at VenueConnect in Baltimore. It recognizes the competence of middle-to-senior-level managers of public assembly venues as well as assisting the managers in creating a professional roadmap in the venue industry.

The CVP designation says three important things about an individual: he or she is a capable professional, is committed to the industry, and is pledged to continued professional growth and development. Venue professionals who earn the CVP designation are recognized, by those inside and outside the industry, as skilled in their profession.

OK, even by Las Vegas standards where the biggest and the best lasts for, oh, only until the latest towering, bedazzled venue pops up, this is huge. Take it back: this is HUGE.

The story backdrop: James Dolan, chief executive of Madison Square Garden Company, home to the NBA New York Knicks, NHL New York Rangers, and otherwise known as the mecca of arenas, has one-upped even himself with the announcement of a plan to build event spaces and specifically a venue that will engage fans in a way no venue ever has. Consider it the venue of the future, and it was shared by Dolan last Thursday at the world-famous Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

The venue itself will be a mammoth, globe-shaped “sphere” that boasts walls with the capability to display 360-degree images. To be known as the MSG Sphere, the space-age features include 18,000 seats with built-in capabilities for musicians to program their own unique environments. It will be customization as has never been known before and should commence construction later in 2018 with a tentative debut in 2020, according to Dolan.

In an age of high-definition, the Sphere’s own high-def display enables patrons to feel like they are anywhere on the planet. Anywhere.

Dolan said in his comments at Radio City that the project is one he has spent the past two years on. The price tag is still unknown, but for any comparison sake the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas opened in 2016 at a cost of $375 million.

The venture into the music world is not foreign to Dolan, who leads the JD and The Straight Shot band.

“I love this. This is really what I’m about, right?” Dolan said in his NYC remarks. “This is what I want to do.”

Jack Hagler, ASTC, partner of theatre planner/lighting designer and IAVM Allied Member Schuler Shook, has always been a trend-setter. Consider it fitting that when Hagler takes the stage to receive the Joseph J. Anzivino Distinguished Allied Award at VenueConnect in Toronto from July 22-25, the moment will be marked as groundbreaking when he becomes the first performing arts Allied Member awarded the distinction.

For his part, Hagler still expressed a “no way” response upon getting the call from IAVM Immediate Past Chairman Mark Mettes, CVE, to say that a new name was ready to be added to the impressive list of award recipients.

“When Mark called to tell me I had been named the 2018 recipient of the Joseph J. Anzivino Distinguished Allied Award, I was in disbelief,” Hagler said. “I had NEVER anticipated that I would be considered for this award, much less named a recipient. I was shocked. Receiving this award is the ultimate statement of ‘We appreciate what you do.'”

Indeed, the industry is grateful for all that Hagler does, and for good reason. Hagler has more than 40 years’ experience as a designer, technician, contractor, and consultant for a variety of assembly facilities. Project types include professional, educational, and civic theatres, hotel and convention facilities, houses of worship, theme parks, and sports/entertainment arenas.

Hagler’s projects benefit greatly from his planning, design and project management experience and deep knowledge gained from working and designing a variety of assembly venues. He is continually broadening his knowledge of performing arts venue design and operation through his very active participation in the American Society of Theatre Consultants as well as IAVM.

But it is Jack Hagler the trend-setter that stands out.

An IAVM member since 1991, Hagler has been a long-time supporter of the Performing Arts Management Conference (PAMC) from its earliest years.

Interestingly, the award has been given since 1991, when the Board of Directors for IAVM bestowed this recognition to Allied Members who have made extraordinary contributions to the Association and to the profession. This award is the highest honor presented to an Allied Member by IAVM.

Hagler was one of the first Allied Members to support PAMC with a sponsorship at its third conference in 1994 and every year since then. To this day, this sector conference sets the standard when it comes to garnering sponsorship, with much of that due to Hagler’s efforts through the years.

Hagler introduced the first backstage boot camp at PAMC in 1995, another event that has been a staple since its inception and gives venue managers a look behind the scenes in the world of theatrical rigging, lighting, and sound. It ultimately grew to include everything from human flying systems, box office operations, acoustics — virtually everything that touches the performing arts world. Today, all venue sectors had boot camps at the 2017 VenueConnect.

The Performing Arts Committee in 1996 invited Hagler to participate as one of the first Allied Members to become a member of an IAVM committee. He has continued his committee support as a member and as an ex-officio advisor ever since.

“I love this organization,” Hagler said. “Everything I may do for IAVM is really what we all do for IAVM. It is always a group effort. I am so very lucky to have a wonderful group of IAVM friends and colleagues who have been a great pleasure to work with for many years.”

“Jack’s innovative approach to supporting IAVM, and its performing arts sector in particular, is a demonstration of incredible dedication and commitment to our members, our profession and our patrons. Our venues are better today because of Jack’s many contributions,” said Doug Booher, CVE, IAVM Chairman.

“Jack Hagler’s passion for the industry and our Association has positively impacted all of our members by encouraging a peer-to-peer relationship among Professional and Allied Members, all the while spearheading annual efforts that brought in record support from Allied Members for the performing arts sector and PAMC,” Mettes said.

When Robyn Williams, CVE, returned the phone call of long-time friend and IAVM Second Vice Chair Tammy Koolbeck, CVE, Williams thought it was just to chat as part of a check-in conversation that was common and frequent between the two.

So, when instead Koolbeck delivered the news that Williams was named to receive the Charles A. McElravy Award, the public assembly venue industry’s most prestigious honor and designation, the response came back thusly from Williams: “Really? Are you serious?”

And then, “I actually started crying; it was kind of unbelievable.”

Unbelievable, maybe, but very deserving for Williams, who served as the final IAVM president in 2008-09 before the position’s name was changed to chairman. To celebrate the honor, Williams will be recognized at VenueConnect in Toronto on July 22-25.

“This is kind of overwhelming, quite frankly, because it is our industry’s highest honor,” said Williams, who serves as the executive director of Portland’5 Centers for the Arts. “You look at all the people who received it before you and go, how do I even measure up to those folks? There are so many who haven’t gotten it yet and you think, why was this my turn?”

That answer, once again, is that Williams is deserving of an award that was established in 1963 and is granted for extraordinary contributions to IAVM and the professional venue management industry it serves.

Joe Durr, Portland’5 Centers for the Arts director of event services and a long-time colleague of Williams, put her contributions in perspective. “For Portland’5 employees and volunteers, we benefit from, and observe first-hand, that for Robyn there is no such status as business as usual,” he said. “Robyn always seeks and encourages her staff, colleagues, stakeholders, and community toward the next levels of customer service, safety and security, equity, and implementing the next great thing. She is widely known for supporting and insisting that her mid- and senior-level managers participate in IAVM and industry training—for their personal advancements and safety, for the betterment of the venues, and adding to the IAVM body of knowledge.”

Indeed, Williams has logged countless hours in IAVM volunteer capacities since she joined in 1987, including serving as chair of the Performing Arts Committee while helping create the first sector meeting for performing arts; as instructor and past chair of the Board of Regents for the Venue Management School (VMS); as a recipient of the Ray Ward Award honoring her contributions to VMS; and, of course, as a past president. She currently serves on the IAVM Foundation Board of Trustees.

“Robyn’s career-long connections to IAVM are both deep and exhaustive. Even after serving as the IAVM president in 2008-2009, she continued to seek new and meaningful ways to contribute to our association and industry,” said Doug Booher, CVE, IAVM Chairman. “Today, we are grateful that she shares her keen intellect and ability to motivate others to build an even brighter future for IAVM.”

Perhaps most impressive and definitely a passion for Williams at this time is the re-launch of the Diversity & Inclusive Leadership Committee, for which she not only serves as vice chair but during an impassioned speech at the committee’s reception in Nashville at the most recent VenueConnect raised more than $20,000 in less than 10 minutes for the committee’s initiatives.

“I am so freaking passionate about the committee,” Williams said in her typically unbridled and enthusiastic voice. “I have been active in the industry for a really long time, but being involved with this committee is the most important role I will have ever done for the Association, quite frankly.

“You see these things and you can’t sit back and go, well, somebody needs to fix that or somebody else needs to do that. I have always felt like, well, you should raise your hand. Hey, I’ll help with this. I mean, people rarely turn volunteers down. We’re an Association that relies on our volunteers.”

IAVM has certainly relied on Williams. For her part, Williams has more than given back. The fruits of that labor are now evident when the newest name is etched on the Charles A. McElravy Award.

Peter William Anthony Bergin, president of Palm Desert, California-based Caddy Products, Inc., and a loyal and dedicated member of IAVM since January 1, 1977, passed away suddenly on January 9, 2018 in Rancho Mirage, California. He was 61.

Caddy Products, Inc is a world leader in design, development and the manufacturing of innovative products for the entertainment, movie, and sports industries. Peter was a friend to countless colleagues in the public assembly venue industry who mourn his passing. He was also a presence at IAVM’s VenueConnect as an exhibitor for his company.

Born August 25, 1956 to Joseph and Doraldean Bergin in Guelph, Ontario, Canada, Bergin was best known as an inventor, entrepreneur and businessman.

“Peter is an industry leader, innovator, and a valued customer and friend. Primary Colors, Inc. will miss him greatly and be grateful for the enrichment he brought to our work life,” commented Jim Brown, just one of Bergin’s close work associates.

Peter is survived by children Peter (Nikki) Bergin Jr. of North Hollywood, California, and Kaylee Bergin of Rancho Mirage, California; sisters Dolores Bergin of Guelph, Ontario, Canada, and Mary Bergin of Alberta, Canada; brother Michael Bergin of Guelph, Ontario, Canada; and nieces Patience and Alannah.

Those wishing to leave condolences may do so here.