Congratulations to the following individual who was recently awarded the Certified Venue Professional (CVP) designation.

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.

Harold Peterson, CVP

If I wasn’t doing this I’d be a: public relations consultant.

Most impressive person I’ve ever met is: Boni Johnson. She is a former board member who has become a dear friend. She is vivacious, artistic, quirky, fun, and a person who loves her community and friends with her full heart. She embodies the true definition of be who you are by walking to her own beat.

I unwind by: listening to music and spending time with my husband on our boat.

On my desk right now is: paperwork, my beta fish, Sunset, a few pelicans (I collect them), and a “take what you need” box that contains happiness, inspiration, patience, and other medallions for when someone is having a bad day.

My favorite IAVM program I ever attended was: while I have enjoyed all of them, the Senior Executive Symposium. It was a tremendous opportunity to supplement my leadership skills and style through classes taught by leading professors in the hospitality industry and build lifelong relationships all while soaking in the beautiful campus at Cornell.

If I were on the other side of the seats, I’d be a: show promoter. I co-founded a mentor program for women, so I would enjoy the opportunity to produce events designed to empower and bring women of all ages together.

One trait an up-and-coming venue manager should have is: the ability to remain calm under any given situation while thinking on your feet for creative solutions.

One of my goals for this year is to: successfully manage our facility’s election efforts to renew our operational millage in December and ensure funding for the next 10 years. I also intend to complete the CFE process.

How do you plan to help elevate the profession? I will continue to perform my job in the most professional, ethical, and efficient manner possible, while providing development opportunities for our team members to grow in the industry. I will also continue to volunteer and assist the efforts of IAVM in whatever capacity I can to move our profession forward.

Where do you see new growth opportunities in the profession? Technology is certainly a focus for continuing to improve efficiency. However, I think that there is a growing opportunity for a refocus on personal and one-on-one experiences. The personal touches are what people—our clients, sponsors, and the community—will remember long after they walk out of our doors. People will never forget how you made them feel.

How do you stay current with industry trends and developments? Involvement in IAVM, reading research and industry publications, and interacting with fellow industry professionals.

Who are three people you’d invite to a dinner party and why? I would invite my three daughters. Because as they continue to grow older and have families of their own and as I continue to maintain the busy schedule that is the norm in venue management, I’d love to have just a quiet evening reconnecting with them.

Kathy Lowrey is the General Manager at Northshore Harbor Center in Slidell, Louisiana.

Industry veteran Jason Rittenberry, the former chief strategy officer for Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, has been named the president and chief executive officer for the Kentucky State Fair Board, which manages the Kentucky Exposition Center and the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville.

“Jason is a go-getter and brings new energy and insight to the work of the Kentucky State Fair Board and its two properties,” said Dr. Mark Lynn, chairman of the board. “Jason is a proven venue, entertainment and sports professional and the board was drawn to him as a forward-thinking executive. The board recognizes the benefit in his experience with entrepreneurial revenue generation and strategic business development.”

Rittenberry will oversee the operations of the two venues as well as the shows operated by the Fair Board — the Kentucky State Fair, the North American International Livestock Expo and the National Farm Machinery Show. In his new position, Rittenberry serves in the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet for the Commonwealth, on the Louisville Convention & Visitors Commission, and on the Board of Directors of the Kentucky Derby Festival.

“The board is confident that Jason can bring additional bookings and business, and increased revenue while improving the guest experience at the venues,” said Amanda Storment, vice president of communications of the board.

The Fair Board is charged with contributing to the economic progress of the Commonwealth and advancing Kentucky’s agriculture and tourism industries through conventions, trade shows, public gatherings, and other events at the Kentucky Exposition Center and the downtown convention center.

I drove from the IAVM Headquarters near Dallas back in early 2013 to visit Dean Justice, CFE, in Austin and to view the association’s archives that he oversaw at an off-campus location from the University of Texas at Austin. As the former IAVM president in 1981-82 greeted me, I could tell that he did not want to waste any time in showing me the mammoth collection from the industry that ran decades and decades back into a history that Justice devoured and loved.

More than three years later, Justice would pass away peacefully from colon cancer on October 29 with his son, Blake, daughter, Tracy, and wife, Sharon, at his side at home. He was 88.

“He loved the industry even to the end,” Sharon said. “The minister would come out every 10 days or so and Dean would often talk about the entertainment industry. He would talk about shows that had been at the Erwin Center and about the IAAM and the membership. It was nice to hear him tell those stories of different acts and stay positive.”

Continue Reading →

The IAVM iCommit campaign is still going strong. You have just over a month to refer a friend or colleague for your chance to win some amazing prizes! 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, 112 active venues are participating as group members.

What’s In It For You?

Continue Reading →