When author and speaker Sunjay Nath comes to Toronto and VenueConnect to keynote the International Convention Center Conference sector meeting on July 25 from 9:15-10:15 a.m. (ET), he will do so knowing that he will be speaking to an audience that seeks results in their business.

No problem.

“My programs are designed to show how by focusing on your strengths you yield the highest results,” said Nath, who travels globally sharing insights on leadership and performance and who will lead a program entitled Strength-Based Leadership: The 10-80-10 Principle. “That means, the more you can spend time with your best clients, vendors, and customers, the more likely you are to create a wonderful experience. Then those people talk about what a great experience they had and that attracts more ‘best’ clients, vendors, and customers. It’s a positive cycle that reinforces itself and over time creates an organizational culture that both employees and customers look forward to interacting with one another.”

Attendees will look forward to interacting with Nath in his presentation that is delivered in a high-energy, high-content, and highly humorous manner. The 10-80-10 Principle is a framework that allows you to increase your performance and results by focusing your energy and efforts on highest yielding activities. It also helps individuals and teams operate at a dynamic level.

The principle, in short, is that every person or group already exhibits behaviors that are Top 10 (percent) and lead to high performance or achievement. What people lack is the knowledge and a framework to consistently operate at that dynamic Top 10 level. The 10-80-10 Principle program provides a methodology to reward and grow Top 10 behaviors and neutralize Bottom 10 actions.

“I would love it if people realized that by focusing on the strengths of the team, team members, and their respective venues that will increase customer experience, job satisfaction, and fun while decreasing burnout and stress,” Nath said.

As Nath prepares for his presentation, he has discovered a public assembly venue industry that is already dynamic in nature yet has many who contribute who are still “under the radar.”

“The industry is very much made up of unsung heroes,” he said. “Meetings and conventions take place all around the continent and most people do appreciate how much work it is on the backend to get the venues ready and maintain them to maximize the experience for all of those who pass through the venue. I think that they deserve much more of the spotlight than they get.”

Nath, the father of three high-energy boys who are all competitive gymnasts, has been energizing crowds for years and began an international speaking business when he was only 19. In 2005, he became the youngest Canadian and third youngest in the world to earn his Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation, the highest internationally that a speaker can aspire to achieve.

In a time of unrest and turmoil inside and outside the workplace, Phillip Ragain, director of training and human performance and partner at The RAD Group, brings some answers to the madness and will share those keen insights during a keynote presentation at the upcoming Region 6 conference at South Padres Island, TX, the morning of April 11.

Ragain will provide attendees solid learning objectives as he explains the importance of safety intervention, how to identify and minimize the effects of five biases that commonly inhibit safety intervention, and describes strategies for making “Stop Work” part of an organization’s culture.

Ragain’s presentation, entitled Hardwired Inhibitions: Forces Keeping us Silent in the Face of Disaster, poses several questions that many simply cannot or will not answer.

Why do people stand idly by as their coworkers do things that are clearly unsafe? Why do people so reliably say nothing when they know that they should? These questions plague industries, confound leaders, and underscore the frustration felt by nearly anyone who has investigated an incident. There are a surprising number of forces that inhibit people in the moment when they should speak up to employ “Stop Work Authority.” This presentation provides an overview of the more significant but often overlooked psychological and social factors that suppress safety interventions, and provides first steps for overcoming these inhibiting forces.

Ragain’s session includes practical examples and demonstrations, as well as explanations of relevant research. As a former instructor of applied ethics and logic at Texas Tech University and author of many articles on topics such as culture, human performance, and communication, Ragain has trained thousands of people around the world and led culture-change effort for organizations in a wide range of industries.

Robert Hutton “Bob” Kent, age 96, peacefully passed away on March 9, 2018. He served as then International Association of Auditorium Managers president during the 1968-69 term while employed in Greensboro, NC.

Born on February 14, 1922, in Olcott, W. Va., he was one of Ernest and Midge Hatfield Kent’s nine children. It was during high school in Mount Hope, WV, that he met the love of his life, Nancy-Ellen Feazell. A talented athlete, he excelled in football, basketball, and baseball and was awarded a basketball scholarship at North Carolina State University. Bob’s college career was interrupted by the advent of World War II when he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. As an Army Air Force officer, Bob, a 1st Lt., was a flight instructor in the Gulf Coast Training Command and was stationed in Texas, South Dakota, and Arkansas. Throughout the war years, Bob persistently courted Nancy, and after her graduation from Sweet Briar College, they were married on October 23, 1945, and briefly lived in Little Rock.

After Bob’s honorable discharge from the Army Air Corps, he and Nancy returned to live in Mount Hope. Their first child, Drema Walker (Dede) Kent, was born on July 8, 1946, and their second daughter, Nancy Hutton (Hutton) Kent was born on February 4, 1949. During the early years of his marriage, Bob owned a sporting goods store in Beckley, refereed football games, coached basketball at Beckley College (now Mountain State University), wrote for the local newspaper, and was the sports broadcaster for WOAY-TV in Oak Hill, WV. As the Beckley College coach, Bob met Press Maravich (father of basketball legend Pete Maravich), who coached a rival team. Bob and Press became lifelong friends.

In 1954, Bob became the general manager of the newly built War Memorial Auditorium in Fayetteville, WV. Arena management was Bob’s calling, and in 1958, he was recruited to become the general manager of the Greensboro Coliseum, then under construction, in Greensboro, NC. Under Bob’s steady and innovative management, the Greensboro Coliseum hosted countless musical and entertainment events as well as numerous ACC basketball tournaments. It was during these years that Bob formed enduring friendships with legendary college basketball coaches Dean Smith, Adolph Rupp, Lefty Driesell and Vic Bubas.

In 1969, developer Tom Cousins tapped Bob to be come the president of the Omni Coliseum, then under construction. Under Bob’s management, the Omni hosted myriad performers, including Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Bob Hope, Sammy Davis Jr., Liza Minnelli, Liberace, Pavarotti, Willie Nelson, James Brown (whose career he helped resurrect in the 1970s), Bruce Springsteen and the Grateful Dead to name a few. Bob was instrumental in bringing other exciting attractions to the Omni including numerous ACC basketball tournaments, the 1977 Final Four NCAA tournament, the 1988 Democratic National Convention, Ringling Bros. Circus, Holiday on Ice, Ice Capades, the Harlem Globetrotters and professional wrestling.

For several years, Bob served as president of the Atlanta Hawks, during which time Bob persuaded the legendary Pete Maravich, the son of his old friend Press Maravich, to join the Hawks. Bob worked on the original proposal for Atlanta’s successful 1972 bid for a National Hockey League franchise, the Atlanta Flames. Bob served as president of the Flames until their sale to Calgary in 1980.

Bob was involved in a number of professional organizations including the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and was elected president of IAAM. He also served as a consultant on more than 30 projects throughout the US. He loved his work in Atlanta and turned down offers from other arenas including Madison Square Garden, the Superdome, and the Boston Garden. Bob was named “The Best in the Business” by Sports Illustrated magazine. He was an ordained elder in the Presbyterian church and a longtime member of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Atlanta.

Bob and Nancy loved to travel and enjoyed numerous trips to Europe, several times traveling aboard the Queen Elizabeth II and the Concorde. They especially loved the American West, spending many winters in Arizona. An avid golfer, Bob counted among his friends the legendary Sam Snead and Dow Finsterwald. Bob and Nancy treated their family to numerous vacations over the years, their favorite resort destinations including the Greenbrier, Pebble Beach and the Broadmoor. In the mid-1980s, Bob and Nancy built a house at Hilton Head, SC. For the next 30 years, the family gathered there for long summer vacations and holidays throughout the year. Many happy and hilarious times were enjoyed at the beach house, those memories treasured by the family.

Despite his numerous achievements, Bob, known as Daddy Bob by his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, led a humble, low-key life that focused primarily on his devoted family.

Bob was predeceased by his parents and his eight brothers and sisters. He is survived by his beloved wife of 72 years, Nancy; his two daughters, Drema “Dede” Kent Natale (Paul) and Hutton Kent Dhue (former son-in-law Bob); four grandchildren, Laurie Walker Dhue, Nancy Dhue Suh (Chris), Natalie Natale Hinkle (Steve), all of Atlanta, and Paul Michael Natale Jr. (Emily) of Chicago; and six great-grandchildren, Robert Christopher Suh and Thomas Hutton Suh of Atlanta, Cecilia Katherine Hinkle and Walker Joseph Hinkle of Atlanta, and Paul Michael Natale III and Olivia Marie Natale of Chicago, as well as many nieces and nephews.

For friends wishing to make memorial gifts, the family suggests The Atlanta Humane Society, Trinity Presbyterian Church, or Save the Children.

Wakeham + Associates Marketing, Inc. (WAM) announced that it has secured a naming rights agreement with CAA Club Group for the former the Powerade Centre in Brampton, Ontario, on behalf of its owner operator, Realstar Group. The multi-million-dollar agreement is for a 10-year term. The facility will be named CAA Centre.

WAM was responsible for establishing a strategic plan and sponsorship valuation for the naming rights associated with the facility, conducting the naming rights sales campaign, and negotiating the agreement.

It is expected that the rebranding transition from Powerade Centre to CAA Centre will be completed by late Spring 2018. Built in 1998, the multi-purpose arena has become the city’s sports and culture hub, hosting hundreds of events each year including major sporting events, headlining concerts, and trade shows, and is the home of ECHL’s Brampton Beast Hockey Club.

“On behalf of the City and my colleagues on the Council, we welcome CAA’s investment in Brampton. We look forward to many years of working together to bring Bramptonians exciting sporting and cultural experiences,” said Brampton Mayor Linda Jeffrey. “This arena has been a visible landmark to the Brampton community and surrounding area. It has hosted and supported local sports teams and significant cultural events that showcase the wonderful diversity of our vibrant city.”

CAA recently made a significant investment to relocate and renovate its Brampton retail store, and the new CAA Centre builds on that established community presence. The CAA Centre is part of a strategy to provide the 56 million CAA and AAA members across North America with increased access to cultural experiences and benefits beyond roadside assistance. As part of the deal, CAA members will gain access to special offers, events, and unique experiences at the Centre. “We are thrilled that CAA’s name will appear on this iconic building for the next 10 years,” said Rhonda English, chief marketing officer, CAA SCO. “We are dedicated to bringing our members value and havemade it a priority to invest in their communities.”

“Sports and entertainment venues are the epicentre of a community, so it was important for us to find a partner understanding of the fabric of such a diverse and lively city as Brampton,” said Jonas Prince, Chairman, Realstar Group. “With CAA we have found a dedicated and collaborative partner interested in building a synergistic relationship with our many stakeholders.”

Hugh Wakeham, President of Wakeham + Associates Marketing, Inc. said, “We are pleased to have secured CAA Club Group as the naming rights partner for the former Powerade Centre. We look forward to helping them to activate their partnership and create special offers for their two million members in the south-central Ontario area. The CAA Centre serves the Greater Toronto Area and is one of Canada’s most utilized sports and entertainment facilities with 1.2 million annual visitors.”

Clifford “Rip” Rippetoe, president and chief executive officer of the San Diego Convention Center, was recently honored as the inaugural winner of the “Catalyst for Change” at the Women of Influence Awards. This first-of-its-kind award “recognizes a man who has shown by deed, actions and accomplishments the advancement of other businesswomen and has a track record of success and accomplishments by mentoring and/or supporting women in their profession, industry or enterprise.”

Rip’s executive team at the San Diego Convention Center is led by a diverse group of professionals, the majority of whom are women including Executive Vice President & General Manager Karen Totaro, Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer Mardeen Mattix, Executive Director of Communications Barbara Moreno, and Executive Director of Human Resources Terry Kurtenbach.

IAVM congratulates Rip for his work at the venue, in the community, and in serving as a true catalyst for change!