By Mary Klida

Claude Molinari has been elected Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority (DRCFA,) the governing five-member board authority of Detroit’s convention center, Huntington Place. Molinari is the CEO of the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau, known as Visit Detroit.

Molinari was appointed to the DRCFA Board by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in 2021. He has over 30 years of experience in the convention and meetings industry and over 10 years of experience in expanding tourism as an economic driver in the region and state.

“We are very fortunate to have Claude serve as Chairman of the DRCFA, especially with his deep experience in operating our Convention Center in Detroit and other centers in major cities throughout the U.S.,” said Patrick Bero, CEO and CFO, DRCFA. “His experience in building partnerships and the destination as well as building Huntington Place to one of the top 20 convention centers in the country is a major advantage for us going forward.”

Molinari’s position as board chairman brings the same rich synergy to the DRCFA dynamic that his predecessor, Larry Alexander, did. Alexander was the first chairman of the DRCFA and held the position from 2009-2021. Before retiring in 2021, Alexander was also President & CEO of the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau for 25 years.

“As the 16th largest convention center in the country, Huntington Place is a major driver of visitors and economic vitality for metro Detroit and the state of Michigan,” said Sr. Director of Communications for Visit Detroit, Chris Moyer. “Claude’s leadership on the board of the DRCFA helps ensure that Visit Detroit is well positioned to be a strong partner for the convention center as we both work to bring more meetings and events to the region.”

Like most major metropolitan convention centers, Detroit’s visitor’s bureau and convention center work closely to bring in major events that have significant economic impact on the region and bring jobs to local residents.

“There has never been a better time to bring meetings and conventions to metro Detroit, and I am honored to support the work of Huntington Place,” Molinari said. “I look forward to building on past Chairs Larry Alexander and Lisa Canada’s success as we bring new business to one of the best convention centers in the country.”

Molinari was the General Manager of now Huntington Place from 2016-2021 and prior to that served as Assistant General Manager for six years. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, The Parade Company, SEMCOG, the Engineering Society of Detroit, Destinations International, and the US Travel Association.

Molinari provides the leadership and direction necessary to enable Visit Detroit to bring meetings, conventions, leisure and business visitors to metropolitan Detroit and to accelerate economic growth. He leads the creation of the annual sales and marketing plan which outlines Visit Detroit’s direction to attract tourism and meetings business to the region. He also oversees the development of the annual budget.

In his role overseeing the Detroit Sports Commission (a Visit Detroit subsidiary), Molinari leads a team responsible for securing amateur sporting events throughout the region.

Mary Klida is Senior Marketing and Communications Manager for Huntington Place.

As a member of IAVM, you know all about the inspiration, expertise, and lifelong connections that the association provides. Now is the perfect opportunity for you to pay it forward by sponsoring membership for a deserving person on your staff, an intern, peer or colleague, or a valued Allied partner.

It is quick and easy. 1) Click this link to enter your applicant’s information: Gift of IAVM Membership. 2) Submit the appropriate membership category – Student, Young Professional, Professional, Faculty, Allied or Allied Rep 3) Member Services will reach out to you for the new member’s dues when the application is processed and ready to activate. That’s it!

Because of your generosity, your chosen recipient has a chance to connect to the industry’s professional core, plug into its powerful network, be enlightened by visionaries, and be inspired by once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

Dues will depend on the membership category that is appropriate for the recipient. For your reference, categories, eligibility, and respective dues are listed below.

IAVM Membership Categories:

• Professional – Individuals who manage or are actively involved in the management, administration, or operation of a public venue. – Dues $495
• Young Professional – Individuals who are actively involved in the management, administration, or operation of a public venue at a level below the top two levels of management at the venue, i.e., Executive, General Manager or Department Head and who are 30 years of age and younger. – Dues $250
• Student – Individual enrolled at a university, college, or post-secondary technical school and is actively pursuing a degree in fields associated with, or appropriate to public venue management or operations. If the individual is employed full-time with a venue or industry provider, he or she is ineligible for Student Membership. – Dues $75
• Faculty – Open to individuals who are employed full-time as faculty of an accredited, post-secondary educational institution, providing instruction and training in disciplines and/or areas associated with the venue management industry, such as sports or venue management and/or hospitality. – Dues $180
• Allied – Any firm, organization, or individual engaged in providing product, equipment, services, or attractions for public venues. – Dues $655
• Allied Extra – Additional employee(s) of a current member company providing product, equipment, services, or attractions for public venues. A principal must already be a member to receive this rate. – Dues $495

This is a year-round campaign, but it is particularly impactful during the giving season. Click this link to add the contact information for your referral. We will advise your new member reference of your fantastic gift and share your special message if provided (included on the application form). Thank you for being a leader in our wonderful industry.

Kick off 2023 – Give the Gift of IAVM Membership Today!

Questions? Email the IAVM Membership Department.

You may have seen posted on IAVM social media channels recently that IAVM WHQ mailboxes and staff emails were affected by a downed email exhange server with our service provider, Rackspace.

Due to the time down and migration to a new server, emails sent to any @iavm.org account from 12:01 AM ET Friday (12/2) through 12:01 AM ET Sunday (12/4) were not received and are not recoverable.

Because of our inability to access emails during that time, we are extending the following deadlines for nominations and applications:

The deadline for nominations for the 2023 Charles A. McElravy Award, Joseph J. Anzivino Distinguished Allied Award, and Foundation Legacy Award have been extended to Monday, December 12.

We are extending the deadline for applications for the for 2nd Vice Chair of the Board of Directors through Monday, December 19.

If you have any questions regarding your nomination or application submission, please contact Rosanne Duke at rosanne.duke@iavm.org.

Please welcome our newest members who joined IAVM in November 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.

Paula Acero, SAP Center at San Jose, San Jose, CA
Ashley Andrich, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment – Group 1, Denver, CO
Victoria Andujar, The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, San Diego, CA
Vanessa Angell, RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Rob Arnold, The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, San Diego, CA
Michael Bachman, Qwick, Scottsdale, AZ
Brian Bailey, F&M Bank Arena, Clarksville, TN
Zack Barletta, F&M Bank Arena, Clarksville, TN
Cecilia Barnes, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL
Katelyn Barnhardt, F&M Bank Arena, Clarksville, TN
Dave Barr, Bank of America Performing Arts Center, Thousand Oaks, CA
Dina Bartlett, Cleburne Conference Center, Cleburne, TX
Katie Bassett, CHI Health Center Omaha, Omaha, NE
Debra Bell, Sandy Springs Performing Arts & Conference Center, Sandy Springs, GA
Andy Bennett, Sandy Springs Performing Arts & Conference Center, Sandy Springs, GA
Tiffany Bestwick, Tacoma Venues & Events, Tacoma, WA
Stacie Black, Qwick, Scottsdale, AZ
Mark Booy, RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Samantha Borgen, Tennessee Performing Arts Center, Nashville, TN
Elliott Bowman, Huntington Place, Detroit, MI
Stephanie Brindley, Portland State University, Portland, OR
Michael Browers, Tennessee Performing Arts Center, Nashville, TN
Cash Brown, Esports Stadium Arlington & Expo Center, Arlington, TX
April Carter, Bank of America Performing Arts Center, Thousand Oaks, CA
Roberto Castro, The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, San Diego, CA
Shawn Chambers, INTRUST Bank Arena, Wichita, KS
Angela Chilcott, The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, San Diego, CA
Rajiv Chopra, Huntington Place, Detroit, MI
Madi DaBell, Utah Valley Convention Center, Provo, UT
Kenneshia Dallas, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL
Brooke Daniel-Ford, RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, Columbus, GA
Kate Darden, Texas A&M Athletics, College Station, TX
Colleen Debler, Bank of America Performing Arts Center, Thousand Oaks, CA
Steve DeFelice, Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio, TX
Sylvain Descoteaux, MASTER Industrie, Long Island City, NY
Nico Diaz, Sandy Springs Performing Arts & Conference Center, Sandy Springs, GA
Emily Earle, Sandy Springs Performing Arts & Conference Center, Sandy Springs, GA
Noga Eilon, Eilon Engineering, Haifa, Israel
Tanya Espalin, Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio, TX
Bobby Fann, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment – Group 1, Denver, CO
Tiffin Feltner, Walton Arts Center/Walmart AMP, Fayetteville, AR
Megan Fessenden, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment – Group 1, Denver, CO
Andrew Flores, Lynnwood Convention Center, Lynnwood, WA
Elias Flores, SAP Center at San Jose, San Jose, CA
Josef Foster, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH
Justin Garcia, Hodgetown Stadium, Amarillo, TX
Laura Garcia, City of Stockton, Stockton, CA
Yvonne Gentry, Simmons Bank Arena, North Little Rock, AR
Keith Gill, City Parks Foundation – SummerStage, New York, NY
Kamie Gylling, Spokane Public Facilities District, Spokane, WA
Stefan Hagedorn, RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, Columbus, GA
Donavan Haney, SAP Center at San Jose, San Jose, CA
Chandler Harris, Missouri State University, Rogers, AR
Jeff Harris, F&M Bank Arena, Clarksville, TN
Marlon Harris, Qwick, Scottsdale, AZ
Abson He, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C, DC
Michael Heaslet, Esports Stadium Arlington & Expo Center, Arlington, TX
Lisa Hennessey, Huntington Place, Detroit, MI
McKenzie Hernez, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment – Group 1, Denver, CO
Matthew Hester, Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex, Raleigh, NC
Bonnie Hodge, Bank of America Performing Arts Center, Thousand Oaks, CA
Nicole Horton, Venue Management/UNC Charlotte, Charlotte, NC
David Ireland, American Airlines Center/Center Operating Company, Dallas, TX
Kathleen Jackson, Sandy Springs Performing Arts & Conference Center, Sandy Springs, GA
Kylie James, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH
Aubrey Jeffreys, Utah Valley Convention Center, Provo, UT
Sean Jones, Bank of America Performing Arts Center, Thousand Oaks, CA
Dustie Joseph, Skyfold, Montreal, QC, Canada
Drew Kaler, University of Southern California, Thornton School of Music, Los Angeles, CA
Sean Kennedy, The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, San Diego, CA
Camden Krenz, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment – Group 1, Denver, CO
Danny La, The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, San Diego, CA
Cheryl Langelier, Oilers Entertainment Group Canada Corp., Edmonton, AB, Canada
Shari Lashlee, Esports Stadium Arlington & Expo Center, Arlington, TX
Todd Lawing, Liston B Ramsey Regional Activity Center, Cullowhee, NC
Diane Littlejohn, The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, San Diego, CA
Nancy Loncto, Bank of America Performing Arts Center, Thousand Oaks, CA
Jose Lopez, The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, San Diego, CA
Madison Lozada, City of Stockton, Stockton, CA
Miles Markiewicz, F&M Bank Arena, Clarksville, TN
Steve Marsh, Spokane Public Facilities District, Spokane, WA
Joseph Martinez, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment – Group 1, Denver, CO
Robert McCachren, Venue Management/UNC Charlotte, Charlotte, NC
Darren Mora, Bank of America Performing Arts Center, Thousand Oaks, CA
Patrick Mortenson, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment – Group 2, Denver, CO
Grace Motahari, Sandy Springs Performing Arts & Conference Center, Sandy Springs, GA
Danny Nichols, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment – Group 2, Denver, CO
Rick Nickle, Qwick, Scottsdale, AZ
Maggie Oliphant, Liberty First Credit Union Arena, Ralston, NE
Chelsey Oliver, American Airlines Center/Center Operating Company, Dallas, TX
Curt Owens, Walton Arts Center/Walmart AMP, Fayetteville, AR
Robin Peacock, RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, Columbus, GA
Navella Pedraza, Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio, TX
Eric Petracek, Oilers Entertainment Group Canada Corp., Edmonton, AB, Canada
Laekyn Pham, Utah Valley Convention Center, Provo, UT
James Powell, Ungerboeck, O’Fallon, MO
Cameron Probe, Bank of America Performing Arts Center, Thousand Oaks, CA
Rebecca Reid, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH
Forrest Reyes, Midland University, Happy Valley, OR
Niki Richardson, Bank of America Performing Arts Center, Thousand Oaks, CA
Aaron Rieschick, INTRUST Bank Arena, Wichita, KS
Sherry Riley, City of Stockton, Stockton, CA
Chris Rogers, Belmont University, Strategic Venues and Event Services, Nashville, TN
Jamel Rottier, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment – Group 2, Denver, CO
America Saldana, Bank of America Performing Arts Center, Thousand Oaks, CA
Amber Samson, RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Paige Satter, The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, San Diego, CA
Demarcus Thurman, Esports Stadium Arlington & Expo Center, Arlington, TX
Patrick Traux, RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Cedric Turnbore, Huntington Place, Detroit, MI
Brigetta U’Tai, F&M Bank Arena, Clarksville, TN
Andrea Valencia, Portland State University, Portland, OR
Al Vasquez, Huntington Place, Detroit, MI
Jeremiah Vierling, Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek, CA
Blase Vitti, Qwick, Scottsdale, AZ
Casandra Vossler, Adams County Fairgrounds & Riverdale Regional Park, Brighton, CO
Rachel Waterstone, Bank of America Performing Arts Center, Thousand Oaks, CA
Marlon Wilson, Huntington Place, Detroit, MI
Travis Wininger, The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, San Diego, CA
Philip Wray, Sandy Springs Performing Arts & Conference Center, Sandy Springs, GA
Alexandria Wright, Angel of the Winds Arena, Everett, WA
John Yaniglos, F&M Bank Arena, Clarksville, TN
Josh Yarnell, Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek, CA
Mercedes Youngston, Portland State University, Portland, OR

By R.V. Baugus

Congratulations to our good friend Donna Miller-Brown, MFA, CVP, upon her new appointment as Director of Events and Operations with VenuWorks of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Miller-Brown most recently served as Production Services Manager at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City, Missouri. She started her position there as a Production Services Supervisor in 2011 and helped open the building.

“I’m excited for this opportunity to grow my skills with a great group of people,” Miller-Brown said. VenuWorks is a stalwart of the industry and I feel lucky to join the team!”

Miller-Brown is also very active in IAVM. Yours truly holds her in special regard as the person who coordinates the outstanding Mentor Connector profiles that you read in every issue of Venue Professional magazine. In addition to serving as a member of the Mentoring Committee, Miller-Brown is also on the Performing Arts Committee and serves as the current Region 3 secretary.