By R.V. Baugus
Adina Erwin, CVE, wrapped up her productive year as IAVM Chair by passing the gavel to Kerry Painter, CVE, to for the most part conclude activities during VenueConnect.
Erwin recounted her most recent column in Venue Professional magazine in which she equated the role of chair to a four-person relay race.
“The role (of chair) is like running a relay race to emerge stronger out of the pandemic,” Erwin said. 
“Each leader has a different role. Coming out of the pandemic we were blessed to have four people who had a different role in the race but with the same objective — win the race.” Those four, of course, were Eric Hart, CVE, Tammy Koolbeck, CVE, Rip Rippetoe, CVE, and Painter.
“IAVM navigated this tough time in keeping its promises to its members,” Erwin said.
Painter took the stage and accepted the gavel from Erwin before beginning her remarks. “Our focus is continued sustainability of IAVM,” she said. “Instead of new themes, like the relay race it continues on.
“My word is ‘belonging,'” she added. “In collaboration with the CEO (Brad Mayne, CVE), my intention is to make the group members feel this organization is a benefit to them. This membership is your way in. We want to make sure this membership is beneficial to all.”
Painter talked about diversity initiatives and the work that consultant Zoe Moore and University of Kentucky’s Jill Schinberg is doing for IAVM in this area.
Finally, Painter talked about how IAVM has benefited her through the years.
“I know in my heart that I owe every job I have had to IAVM,’ she said. “All I know about running first-class venues has been due to IAVM.”
