By Celebrity Access

Venue management giant ASM Global announced the expansion of its ASM Global College Collective partnership initiative with the addition of key sports and entertainment facilities at the University of Colorado.

Through the partnership, ASM Global will provide consulting, event booking, and venue services for the operations and programming for the university’s Folsom Field and the Event Center.

The addition of the University of Colorado to the initiative brings ASM Global’s portfolio of higher education partners to 18 universities representing 25 total venues throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Recent additions to that list include Texas A&M University (Kyle Field and Reed Arena), Rutgers University (Jersey Mike’s Arena; SHI Stadium), Wake Forest University (Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum; Truist Field; David F. Couch) and Wright State University (Nutter Center).

“These collaborations are truly an honor for us. Our expansion has been explosive in this category over the past six months. We have a long history of sterling partnerships with many of the top universities across the U.S. With our unparalleled worldwide experience in this category and the amazing locations and amazing venues we’ve recently begun working with it’s definitely a transformational moment to dramatically expand all of these iconic venues’ entertainment offerings beyond athletics,” said ASM Global President and CEO Ron Bension.

Photo by University of Colorado Athletics

Please welcome our newest members who joined IAVM in October 2022. Thank you for being a part of the association! Also, let us get to know you better by participating in the I Am Venue Management series. Please visit http://www.iavm.org/i-am-venue-management-share-your-story to share your story and photo.

Hakeem Allonce, Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Damon Anderson, Fort Worth Convention Center, Fort Worth, TX
Sarah Andrews, Austin Theatre Alliance, Austin, TX
Rial Baird, Portland Expo Center, Portland, OR
Ethan Balmer, Austin Theatre Alliance, Austin, TX
Jonathan Benedek, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
Noel Bilbro, Old National Events Plaza, Evansville, IN
Bob Blair, Credit Union of Texas Event Center, Allen, TX
Olivier Brunache, Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Kelly Bua, Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, Santa Rosa, CA
Deb Campbell, Alliant Energy PowerHouse, Cedar Rapids, IA
Diane Cassimire, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
Lisa Clark, BC Place, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Pamela Cluff, Covey Center for the Arts, Provo, UT
Hannah Conlisk, AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
Amber Diallo, Events DC, Washington, DC
A.J. Dinkel, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
Mario Espindola, Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA
Spencer Farnsworth, ExtraMile Arena, Boise, ID
Sara Felice, FedExField, Landover, MD
Morgan Finney, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
Rich Gagnon, Amarillo Civic Center Complex, Amarillo, TX
Christopher Gardner, Walter E Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC
Paige Grasby, Bonnetts Energy Centre, Grande Prairie, AB, Canada
Simone Green, Duke Energy Convention Center, Cincinnati, OH
Keith Haines, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL
Andra Haynes, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL
Robert Helmy, Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA
David Hernandez, Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA
Hannah Holbrook, Moss Arts Center, Blacksburg, VA
Jonathan Humphrey, Austin Theatre Alliance, Austin, TX
John Impelido, Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, Santa Rosa, CA
Cambria Jones, Credit Union of Texas Event Center, Allen, TX
Sean Kearns, Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, Santa Rosa, CA
Mark Kerney, Old National Events Plaza, Evansville, IN
Julie Krilich, Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, Santa Rosa, CA
Ashlyn Kyte, Old National Events Plaza, Evansville, IN
Ben Liang, Desert Diamond Arena, Glendale, AZ
Jake Lopez, Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Trey Lyon, Virginia Beach Convention Center, Virginia Beach, VA
Jorge Madrid, Bradenton Area Convention Center, Palmetto, FL
Derek Mayfield, Trail Drive Management Corp./Dickies Arena, Fort Worth, TX
Cathy McDonald, Austin Theatre Alliance, Austin, TX
Kasey McFadden, Lansing Entertainment & Public Facilities Authority (LEPFA), Lansing, MI
Liz McFadden, MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
Molly McGraw, Cincinnati Music Hall | Cincinnati Arts Association, Cincinnati, OH
Timothy Mendolia, Florence Events Center, Florence, OR
Julia Miller, Bristol Event Center, Bristol, CT
Taylor Money, Old National Events Plaza, Evansville, IN
Henry Mosley, Events DC, Washington, DC
Meredith Mulcahy, Broadway in Boston, Boston, MA
Mia O’Leary, Boise Centre, Boise, ID
Amanda Overby, Old National Events Plaza, Evansville, IN
Dan Parker, Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, Santa Rosa, CA
Jacqueline Parriott, Virginia Beach Convention Center, Virginia Beach, VA
Kristin Perrone, Qwick, Phoenix, AZ
Scott Pocius, Trail Drive Management Corp./Dickies Arena, Fort Worth, TX
Geovana Ponce, Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Nathaniel Reid, Austin Theatre Alliance, Austin, TX
Kristen Retzlaff, Desert Diamond Arena, Glendale, AZ
Laura Reynolds, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL
Scott Sanger, Walter E Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC
David Sawler, Patriot One Technologies Inc., Toronto, ON, Canada
Brandon Schenk, Old National Events Plaza, Evansville, IN
Callie Schuette, Austin Theatre Alliance, Austin, TX
Angela Sees, Lansing Entertainment & Public Facilities Authority (LEPFA), Lansing, MI
Sheree Selby, Virginia Beach Convention Center, Virginia Beach, VA
Tyler Shadle, Boise Centre, Boise, ID
Sarah Shaffer, Amarillo Civic Center Complex, Amarillo, TX
Eden Shimon, Amarillo Civic Center Complex, Amarillo, TX
Susynn Snyder, Williwaw Social, Anchorage, AK
Linley Stockman, Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Sawyer Stolz, Austin Theatre Alliance, Austin, TX
Robbie Stone, Town of Cary, Cary, NC
Kami Testa, SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
Kristi Thomson, Portland Expo Center, Portland, OR
Nancy Trevino, Fort Worth Convention Center, Fort Worth, TX
Will Trimble, Boise Centre, Boise, ID
Travis Van Ells, Credit Union of Texas Event Center, Allen, TX
Marie Vargas, Austin Theatre Alliance, Austin, TX
Deira Vicencio, Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, Santa Rosa, CA
Alex Walsh, MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
Claire Wiens, INTRUST Bank Arena, Wichita, KS
Brett Williams, Orpheum Theatre Group, Memphis, TN
Holly Zimmerman, New York University, New York, NY

UPDATED INFORMATION SHARED BY MORGAN BREWSTER, NEPHEW OF DAN CONCEPCION

Thank you so much for your note. Uncle Dan was tremendously proud of the impact he was able to have on his industry and took a lot of pride in being a mentor to those earlier in their careers. We have not finalized a date yet but are planning to have the memorial in mid-January so that his sister from Italy can attend. We would love to have as many of his friends attend as possible. He passed away suddenly of natural causes between the 26th and 28th of October. We believe he passed away from suddenly losing consciousness following a GI episode, an outcome which is exceedingly rare. As such, we can all take solace in the fact that he was not in pain.

By R.V. Baugus

It is with extreme sadness that we share the recent passing of our dear industry friend and colleague, Dan Concepcion, CVE. Dan most recently served as a general manager for Edlen Electrical Exhibition Services at the San Jose Convention Center and was preparing to retire on December 4 and move to Nashville.

Dan’s niece, Ashley Brewster, shared that her uncle’s passing was “quite sudden and unexpected – unfortunately the cause was an undiagnosed health issue. My family is in the process of organizing a memorial service, likely in January so his sister’s family who live in Italy will be able to attend.”

There is no gentler smile and warmer laugh than what Dan possessed. He was a fast friend to anyone who knew him, including yours truly. Dan was also very involved through the years in various IAVM volunteer roles, including the Certification Board (pictured, second from left) and the Mentor Connector Program. He believed in “paying it forward” to help equip the next generation of venue managers.

“Dan and I would ‘sneak off’ after many of our board meetings to walk the cities of our VenueConnect locations,” said Jody Lake, CVE, Retired. “How much fun we had exploring. He spread so much joy and light.”

“Dan was an extraordinary individual who always had a smile, a warm welcome, and a real zest for life,” shared Frank Bradshaw, Retired. “I know my life was enriched by knowing and working with Dan. He will be missed by all who knew him.”

We will share details on the memorial service and any of Dan’s charities once they become known.

(Editor’s Note: The first time I met Steve Romer was on his home turf of Sydney, Australia back in 2009. I was on a whirlwind two-week assignment for then Facility Manager magazine and Sydney would be my final stop and where I would meet a number of venue managers from throughout Australia to have a roundtable interview about the challenges and successes of Australian venues. Steve was the first IAVM member I saw upon arriving in Sydney and was my host. He took me out for a delightful lunch just across from the iconic Sydney Opera House and then gave a tour of the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre that he oversaw. I just remember Steve’s warmth, ever-present smile, and of course his awesome Australian accent. We struck up a solid friendship that very day that has continued until this day. God bless you in your retirement and whatever comes next in your life, mate! –R.V.)

After almost four decades of working with some of Australia’s most iconic entertainment venues, live music festivals and event venues, industry veteran Steve Romer will retire on November 11, 2022.

Romer worked through two years of COVID health directives and managed to stage some 350+ events in his final role as General Manager of The Events Centre Caloundra (TEC). The venue proved to be one of the busiest regional venues in the country and recorded its largest profitability ever during Romer’s tenure.
Romer held various leadership roles with venues including Byron Bay’s Bluesfest, the Sydney Entertainment Centre, the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre, Blacktown International Sports Park, SeaWorld, Dreamworld, and other many other major venues.

On reviewing the highlights of his career, Romer was most proud of his contribution to the venue management industry, including nine years as a Board Director of the Venue Management Association Asia Pacific (VMA), including three years as VMA Chairman.

He was instrumental in setting up VMA’s formal affiliation with the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM), where he also served as a Director on IAVM’s Board for three years.

Romer spent five years on the Board of the Talent Development Project (TDP), a professional program nurturing the creative talents of aspiring artists, and most recently served four years on the Board of HOTA (Home of the Arts – Gold Coast).

As the General Manager of the Sydney Entertainment Centre (2009 – 2013), Romer was extremely proud to have the venue ranked as the #2 arena in the world in 2012, according to respected industry magazine “Billboard”.

Romer was also named as the recipient of VMA’s “Venue Professional of the Year” award in 2012.

Romer’s plans include extensive travel, spending time with family and friends, and enjoying an active life with his partner Debbie on the Sunshine Coast.

By Teresa Shum

Emmanuel “Manny” Thomas has been named General Manager of Hard Rock Live at Seminole/Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood (FL). In his new role, Thomas will oversee and manage all venue operations for the 6,500-seat venue.

Since its 2019 expansion, Hard Rock Live has amplified South Florida’s entertainment offerings with headlining acts such as Guns N’ Roses, Elton John, Billy Joel, Chris Rock, and Metallica.

Thomas joins Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood from the Chase Center in San Francisco, home of the Golden State Warriors, where he was Vice President of Event Services. There, he was an integral part of the Chase Center’s grand opening in 2019, navigating 15 large-scale arena events in the building’s first 30 days, and the Golden State Warrior’s NBA World Championship during the 2021-2022 season.

With more than 25 years of entertainment and sports experience, Thomas got his start in 1996 as a ball boy for the New York Knicks before quickly working his way up through the organization, transitioning to Building Operations, Event Services and finally, as Director of Event Productions. During his time at the renowned Madison Square Garden, he produced more than 500 live sporting, entertainment, catering functions, and special events annually.

Thomas holds a bachelor’s degree in Athletic Administration from St. John’s University and a master’s in Health and Physical Education with a concentration in Sport Management from East Stroudsburg University.

Teresa Shum is Director of Public Relations for Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood.