As updates, new procedures, and evolving resources become available regarding the current Ebola incidents, IAVM remains vigilant in ensuring that members and professionals throughout the venue industry receive the support and information needed to maintain the safe, healthy environments that are standard each and every day.

“The IAVM community is at its best right now—working together to ensure that every venue can continue to deliver an exceptional, safe experience to each guest,” said Kim Bedier, CFE, chair of the 2014-2015 IAVM Board of Directors. “The Ebola incidents have raised questions that we all take very seriously, and I am confident in IAVM’s proactive efforts.”

IAVM Ebola Task Force
At the direction of Bedier—and through collaboration with the Academy for Venue Safety & Security (AVSS) and our Industry Affairs Council (IAC)—an Ebola Task Force was formed to guide IAVM’s efforts in providing relevant support to the venue community.

Serving on the IAVM Ebola Task Force:

Fred Peterson, director of facilities operations, Massachusetts Convention Center Authority, chair of the IAVM IAC
Mark Herrera, director of education, IAVM
Andy Jabbour, managing director for the Real Estate Information Sharing & Analysis Center and preparedness director for the Financial Services Information Sharing & Analysis Center
James Hughes, board of directors, North Texas Crime Commission
John Siehl, CFE, regional vice president, VenuWorks, acting chair of AVSS, member of the IAVM VMS faculty
Mark Camillo, chair, DHS Pubic Assembly Facility Subsector Council, sanctioned and supported by the Office of Infrastructure Protection
Ryan Thorpe, director of facility operations, McCormick Place/SMG, vice chair of the IAVM IAC
Russell Read, CFE, vice president of operations, AT&T Performing Arts Center, Dallas ETCP representative on the IAVM IAC
Paul Turner, CFE, director of event operations & security, AT&T Stadium, Dallas chair of the IAVM stadiums sector, member of the AVSS Faculty
Jeff Davis, general manager, College Park Center – UT Arlington
Bill Powell, vice president of event marketing and sales, FELD Entertainment
Harvey Perriott, PSP, protective security advisor North Texas district, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Russ Simons, chief listening officer, managing partner, Venue Solutions Group

New Resource Site: IAVM.org/AVSS/Ebola
Through the efforts and collaboration of the IAVM Ebola Task Force, a new resource page has been developed for IAVM’s Academy for Venue Safety & Security. Featuring current resources and relevant updates, the Ebola Resource Site will continue to provide information sourced from trusted experts and vetted by the task force on behalf of the venue industry.

Dallas Area Venues Lead the Way
Public assembly venues throughout Dallas/Fort Worth have handled major events over the past few weeks—including a record-breaking State Fair, an NFL game, conventions, major concerts, and intercollegiate sports—all with exceptional attendance and no significant issues or impact related to local Ebola incidents.

“With over three million visitors to the annual State Fair of Texas, the well being and safety of patrons is always of concern. With the Ebola threat locally, the State Fair of Texas significantly increased the number of hand sanitizing stations available for fairgoers throughout the grounds and at all food and beverage concession stands. Messaging of such was also increased throughout park via signage, sound systems throughout the grounds, and even utilizing iconic Big Tex to remind fairgoers to wash their hands.”

—Daniel Huerta, executive general manager, Fair Park Dallas

“The Ebola incident demonstrates the importance of communication and incorporating the elements of planning — training — vigilance. At the end of the incident we take the lessons learned and begin the cycle to be prepared to execute when called upon by our community.”

—Al Rojas, assistant director, Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center

“We’ve had health issues in the past, such as a local meningitis scare, and we always react the same way: We pull down all the information available from experts and make sure the staff answering our phones can speak intelligently about the issue and reassure our guests that we are prepared and ready to host them in a safe environment. Thankfully, we had record attendance during one of our recent events, even as the Ebola scare was in the early stages, and we didn’t get many calls or concerns from our fans and we were able to proceed doing what we do best: Hosting safe and fun events for our fans.”

—Gabrielle Stevenson, president and general manager, Texas Motorplex

“Over the past several weeks, the College Park Center at UT Arlington has had record attendance numbers for Intercollegiate Athletics games. Our focus has been, and continues to be, the safety and experience of our guests. With a large international student population, our university administration started monitoring the Ebola outbreak in West Africa back in the summer, and with the recent situation in Dallas, our partnership with local and regional officials provided timely updates. This communication helped us keep our staff informed with factual information, allowing us to review internal protocols and provide an exceptional experience for those coming to events in our venue.”

—Jeff Davis, CMP, general manager, College Park Center – UT Arlington

“At AT&T Stadium, we continue to work closely with our local and state public health officials. The Arlington Fire Department serves as our direct connection to our local resources, and they provided us with regular updates and briefings regarding the Ebola virus issue in the Dallas area. Because we work so closely with our public safety and public health professionals on a regular basis, we had established lines of communication, existing procedures and protocols, and solid working relationships in place. This allowed us to handle what has been a very intense matter with relative ease. My advice to venue managers is to create, develop, and maintain your relationships with your local authorities so that when you need to respond to issues you can focus on the matter at hand and not be additionally burdened with trying to decide roles, responsibilities and authority.”

—Paul Turner, CFE, director of event operations & security, AT&T Stadium, chair of the IAVM stadiums sector, member of the AVSS Faculty

“The AT&T Performing Arts Center’s position is to reduce panic in our staff, volunteers, and guests. In accordance with our standard infectious disease and bloodborne pathogen procedure, we have automatic hand sanitizer dispensers in each restroom and open lobby areas. There has been no decrease in attendance due to the recent events in Dallas, and our visitors feel safe when on campus. The center has procedures and policies in place to deal with any perceived threat to the health and safety of our staff, volunteers, and guests.”

—Russell Read, CFE, vice president of operations, AT&T Performing Arts Center, ETCP representative on the IAVM Industry Affairs Council

“Even though we are outside our season, we still have a number of events at the ballpark and in the entertainment district with which we are involved. Our First Responder community, particularly the Arlington Fire Department, provided important information from public health officials that we were able to distribute to all of our staff. The detail provided us a blueprint for response and also went a long way toward calming concerns among staff and guests. This type of collaboration is critical for the safety of our guests and the success of our businesses.”

—Rob Matwick, executive vice president, business operations, Texas Rangers

“These venues were prepared, and it is a testimony to the exceptional care and planning that venue professionals apply to their facilities and staff on an ongoing basis. Challenges arise, and tomorrow’s may be different than today’s, but being committed to guest safety—and being connected to a community like IAVM for support and training—ensures that we are equipped as an industry to always operate our venues with the highest regard for the safety and security of our staff, clients, and guests walking through the doors every day.”

—Mark Herrera, director of education, IAVM

(photo credit: NIAID via photopin cc)

The IAVM Foundation has recently launched a new program—100 Women of IAVM—specifically created for women by women. By paying it forward and giving US$100 each, we can provide three women with a full scholarship to IAVM conferences each year! There is a new generation of female students, young professionals, and future female leaders, and this is OUR chance to help these women in our industry further develop their careers and skill sets.

BUT, the Foundation needs OUR help in supporting this amazing initiative. The idea is simple—100 Women each giving $100 means $10,000 each year!

I’d like to encourage you to join this elite group of women by visiting the 100 Women of IAVM fundraising page to make your donation today.

Also, when you make your donation you will be asked if you’re willing to mentor one of our female IAVM students. It can be as little as one phone call/email or as much as a life-long mentorship – you decide!

The Foundation remains committed to our success, and I want to ask you to join me in ensuring that they continue to be there when we need them. I’m proud to show my support as one of the 100 Women of IAVM, and I hope you, too, will join me.

Thank you for your support!

Research is linking increased risk of heart attack, high blood pressure, sleep problems, and anxiety to chronic stress caused by daily interactions with a “bad boss.”

“The evidence is clear that the leadership qualities of ‘bad’ bosses over time exert a heavy toll on employees’ health,” said Jonathan D. Quick, an instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School and a co-author of the book Preventive Stress Management in Organizations. (From Rebecca Shannonhouse / The Washington Post)

In a 2011 article for Psychology Today, Ray Williams references several workplace studies, citing that “a study of 6,000 British office workers found employees who felt that their supervisors treated them fairly had a 30 percent lower risk of heart disease. A 2008 meta-analysis of the connection between health and leadership by Jana Kuoppala and associates concluded that good leadership was associated with a 27 percent reduction in sick leave and a 46 percent reduction in disability pensions. The same study concluded that employees with good leaders were 40 percent more likely to report the highest levels of psychological well being including lower levels of anxiety and depression.”

Williams alludes to a liability question that may be an inevitable next chapter: If research begins providing conclusive evidence that a bad supervisor is a root cause of serious illness, does this create new liabilities for the employing organization?

(photo credit: Sean MacEntee via photopin cc)

Reading a play is one thing, but seeing it performed live is another. And while I believe one can get a lot out of reading one, more can be gained from seeing in person. If you’re feeling doubtful, let me cue up some recent research from the University of Arkansas.

In a new study, researchers found that students who attended high-quality theater productions gained better knowledge of a play’s plot, increased their vocabularies, grew their tolerances, and improved their abilities to read other people’s emotions.

“What we determined from this research is that seeing live theater produced positive effects that reading a play or watching a movie of the play does not produce,” said Jay Greene, professor of education reform at the University of Arkansas. “Plays are meant to be seen performed live. You can’t always take your kids to a play but if you can, you should. The story can be conveyed in a movie, but it doesn’t engage the viewer in the same way.”

The researchers studied a group of random students, grades 7 through 12, who saw productions of Hamlet and A Christmas Carol. Some participants in the control group and the treatment group also watched movie versions or read the play.

Surveys were then administered around six weeks after the performances. Students who attended the live productions improved their knowledge of the play by a large margin compared to the control group. For example, more than 94 percent of the live-attendance group knew that Ophelia drowns in Hamlet (spoiler alert!), compared to 62 percent of the control group. The students who attended a live performance also scored higher on tolerance and emotional measures compared to the control group.

The study, “Learning from Live Theater: Students realize gains in knowledge, tolerance, and more” is available on the Education Next website.

(photo credit: Burns Library, Boston College via photopin cc)

I have attended the University of Montana in Missoula for the past four-and-a-half years, and the growing trend of technology is continuing to impact the way we live and learn as students. I have personally seen and felt the effects of these changes as they have impacted my collegiate career.

Laptops vs. Handwriting Notes

One decision we face as college students that has a large impact on our academic performance is determining which method of note taking to use: typing on a laptop or handwritten. According to research, those who take notes by hand have better long-term comprehension, and this is the method of note taking I personally prefer. Students who write out their notes by hand have a stronger conceptual understanding and are more successful in applying and integrating the material than those who use their laptops. Students who use their laptops tend to have high verbatim note content, which is associated with lower retention of the lecture material. Students who use laptops can take notes fairly fast, mindlessly, and with little analysis. This fails to promote an understanding or application of the information given.

Online Classes vs. Physical Classes

As college undergrads, we have the option of either taking class at specific time, day, in a specific room, with a professor, or online at anytime, anywhere, and with no instructor. Online schooling has become more popular with the technological resources that are now available. Times are changing everyday, and technology is growing at a rapid pace. As a student, I find learning from a classroom, with a teacher, on the whiteboard to be much more effective. Being able to ask questions, engage in activity, and apply the frameworks is a lot more valuable than any answer Google can offer. There is something to be said about collaboration with others and the benefits group work offers. Talking through the difficult scenarios with others and then being able to explain it to someone else is how we as individuals truly retain knowledge. These benefits are lost by taking a class online. Most people take for granted the power of hands-on learning.

Textbooks vs. Ebooks

With technology growing, as a student I now have the ability to purchase a physical textbook or an online version in a PDF. This issue can be very opinion based. Students now days will more then likely choose the online version, because it is less expensive and more convenient. For me, I like to have the physical copy in hand. I usually end up writing all over it with pen, pencil, and highlighter.

Many will ask what does this have to do with technology? I think that it is important to remember that life is always changing and—whether we are students, have a career, or stay at home—we must adapt to the changes of society. What I don’t think, though, is that we have to completely change our ways. Some things will always be more efficient like computers or technology, but they are not always as effective. As humans, it is in our nature to feel the desire to want to interact with one another and complete our tasks by hand, which is why, using new forms of technology may not come as naturally to me.

(photo credit: danielfoster437 via photopin cc)