Peggy Daidakis, 74, was the first woman to run a major convention center in the U.S., taking the helm of The Baltimore Convention Center in 1986. Daidakis, who passed away quietly at home Dec. 12, was an icon in Baltimore, totally identified with that destination city until the day she died. 

She actually began her venue management career path before the center opened. She was working for Mayor Don Schaefer when he asked her to join a staff of two in 1978 in booking the soon-to-open Baltimore Convention Center. The center opened in 1979 with the East Building and was expanded, with Daidakis as director, in 1997 with the West Building. 

A perhaps little-known fact is that, along with her strong work ethic, innate curiosity and honed skills, Daidakis was the original “autopen” when it came to Mayor Schaefer. She was his assistant and could forge his signature perfectly, with permission of course. That was her claim to fame before she got into the business, remembered Tom Mobley, retired, who counts Daidakis as a friend and mentor. 

Mobley knew the entire Daidakis clan, including Peggy and her sister Zoe, also deceased, before they all got into the business. When he followed her down that path, “everything I needed to know about the convention center industry I learned from Peggy Daidakis,” Mobley said. 

Prior to being named director, Daidakis was co-director with Barney Levengood, per John Zerbe’s appointment. Zerbe, of Hershey fame, was in charge of the BCC and the arena for Mayor Schaefer. It was a strange setup, but they made it work, Daidakis once said in an interview. She honed her operations skills, along with her already strong sales side, and ended up being a stellar manager when given the entire job after Levengood left for Toledo. 

Several of the people who worked with her commented on both her management style and her industry knowledge. Both were recognized by IAVM, which awarded the longtime member the Convention Center Lifetime Achievement Award. She was also honored with Events Industry Council’s Hall of Leaders Award. In 2008, she was named a Woman of Influence by Venues Today (now part of Pollstar). 

“To have known Peggy was to know a true force of nature — someone who cared deeply and unwaveringly about her people, her city and her industry. Her impact on the staff of the Baltimore Convention Center will be remembered and cherished for years to come,” said Mac Campbell, CVE, Executive Director, Baltimore Convention Center. “Through her mentorship, she shaped leaders across the country and touched countless lives, including mine. I am profoundly grateful for her guidance and the example she set.” 

To walk into the convention center business as a newbie and be privileged to learn from an icon in the industry like Daidakis was a great privilege for Campbell. It was not without stress, of course. He was a millennial and full of vim and vinegar, asking endless questions and challenging ideas, to the point he raised her ire. “She would tell me, ‘You’re poking the bear. Stop poking the bear,’” he recalled. 

Mutual respect developed between the “hotshot” and the icon, to the point he became her deputy director and she was sad to see him go back to Strathmore in North Bethesda, Md., after they had survived COVID-19 in Baltimore. She advised him against the move, and rightly so for numerous practical reasons, he says now, but he’s happy to be back as director, a job he took when she retired in 2021. 

David Causton, retired, IAVM member, first met Daidakis in the mid-80s, when he went to work for her at the Baltimore Convention Center as No.2 in sales and services. “She was a great mentor. She knew anyone who was anyone in Baltimore.” 

On her desk, she kept her motto: Management by Walking Around. “It was important to get out among staff and guests to see what was going on,” Causton learned from Daidakis. “You could find her at her desk, of course, but not always. She was out making sure everything operated as it should.” 

“In a city of firsts, Peggy Daidakis cemented her legacy as a champion for Baltimore, a pioneer for equality in her field and a leader in hospitality. Throughout her career, she stayed focused on making sure the Convention Center reflected the energy and vibrancy of Baltimore and that every visitor felt welcome. Peggy understood how a thriving meeting space can lift up our entire city, a belief we absolutely share and will endeavor to uphold. Peggy will be dearly missed by the industry, the city and the entire Visit Baltimore team,” said Kireem Swinton, Interim President & CEO, Visit Baltimore, in a press release. 

In that same release, Charles “Chuck” G. Tildon, III, Chairman, Baltimore Convention & Tourism Board of Directors, lauded Daidakis’ leadership, committing “over 40 years of service to Baltimore city, always leading from a place of passion and pride. To the industry, she was a trailblazer, the first woman to hold a top executive rank in her field. To her team, she was a wonderful mentor. To me, she was a dear friend and ally in elevating this community and inviting visitors to experience Baltimore in new, exciting ways. Her spirit will continue to shine through our work, and our thoughts are with Peggy’s friends, colleagues and family at this difficult time.”  

Daidakis was predeceased by her husband, Joseph Louis Werner, Jr., and her sister and brother-in-law, Zoe and George Piendak.  She is survived by her brother, Art (Susan) Daidakis; nieces Emily (Christian) Vainieri; great-nieces and nephews; stepdaughter Tracy (Joseph) Rammacca and step-grandsons Andrew, Michael, and David; and several cousins.  

For more information on arrangements or to send condolences to Peggy’s family, please visit ruckfuneralhomes.com.

Please welcome our newest members who joined IAVM in November 2025. 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 here to share your story and photo.

Nouran Abdelrazik, BC Place, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Joshua Antonio, Portland’5 Centers for the Arts, Portland, OR
Rebecca Atkinson, Koka Booth Amphitheatre, Cary, NC
Kathy Ball, Portland’5 Centers for the Arts, Portland, OR
Nathalia Barros, Inter Miami CF | Chase Stadium, Miami, FL
Andrew Bass, Inter Miami CF | Chase Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Sade Battle, Orlando Venues, Orlando, FL
Scott Blackledge, Albuquerque Convention Center, Albuquerque, NM
Kimberly Blaurock, Gas South District, Duluth, GA
Alexander Boutzalis, College of Charleston, Manhasset, NY
Andrew Bowman, Koka Booth Amphitheatre, Cary, NC
Clinton Box, Scope Arena, Norfolk, VA
Jim Burbridge, Waterloo Convention Center at Sullivan Brothers Plaza, Waterloo, IA
Alyssa Byrns, TCU Place, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
Zack Cannon, Scope Arena, Norfolk, VA
Gabrielle Cipolla, Seattle Convention Center (SCC), Seattle, WA
Ali Curtis, Inter Miami CF | Chase Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Callaway Depenbrock, Inter Miami CF | Chase Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Hannah Dominique, Scope Arena, Norfolk, VA
Luke Ferrando, Manhattanville University, Purchase, NY
Ryan Folsom, Orlando Venues, Orlando, FL
Jack Foster, University of Oklahoma Athletics, Norman, OK
Annie Gardner, Seattle Convention Center (SCC), Seattle, WA
Chelsea Gibbs, Koka Booth Amphitheatre, Cary, NC
Devin Green, Music City Center, Nashville, TN
Kathy Hains, Koka Booth Amphitheatre, Cary, NC
Ed Harris, Kia Forum, Inglewood, CA
Jeff Henry, Inter Miami CF | Chase Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Surdonicus Hilliard, Orpheum Theatre Group, Memphis, TN
Stephen Jackson, Will Rogers Memorial Center, Fort Worth, TX
Kianna Jackson-Small, Inter Miami CF | Chase Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Eric Johnson, Orlando Venues, Orlando, FL
Matt Johnson, Kentucky Venues, Louisville, KY
Frank Keefer, Koka Booth Amphitheatre, Cary, NC
Audra Kellogg, Koka Booth Amphitheatre, Cary, NC
Kamir Larin, Inter Miami CF | Chase Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Amy Lawton, Portland’5 Centers for the Arts, Portland, OR
Jaclyn Le Roy, BC Place, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Jessica Levasseur, Koka Booth Amphitheatre, Cary, NC
Ellie Lopez, Vibrant Arena at The MARK, Moline, IL
Tiffany Loushin, Alameda County Fair & Event Center, Pleasanton, CA
Jacob Marks, Virginia Beach Convention Center, Virginia Beach, VA
Julia Martin, Utah Valley Convention Center – OVG, Provo, UT
Olivia Mason, RATstands Ltd, Witham,
Jonathan McLain, Will Rogers Memorial Center, Fort Worth, TX
Christian Mua, Canopy Team, Baltimore, MD
Delaney Myers, Inter Miami CF | Chase Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Gary Nassibian, Walter P Moore, Dallas, TX
Luis Nazario Soto, Virginia Beach Convention Center, Virginia Beach, VA
Silver Nelson, Virginia Beach Convention Center, Virginia Beach, VA
Logan Osborn, University of Oklahoma Athletics, Norman, OK
Marieliz Pagan, Orlando Venues, Orlando, FL
Meagan Pasternak, BC Place, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Jana Ponce, Green Music Center, Rohnert Park, CA
Jenny Quach, Inter Miami CF | Chase Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Jamie Rauch, MTS Seating, Temperance, MI
Dazhuna Reed, Virginia Beach Convention Center, Virginia Beach, VA
Marcus Richardson, Kia Forum, Inglewood, CA
Jackie Riggleman, Canopy Team, Baltimore, MD
Luis Rojo, Inter Miami CF | Chase Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Anna Rookyard, Town of Oakville, Oakville, ON, Canada
Roxie Ruckriegel, Kentucky Venues, Louisville, KY
Haydee Russ, Kia Forum, Inglewood, CA
Dereth Salchak, Portland’5 Centers for the Arts, Portland, OR
Zach Shapiro, Inter Miami CF | Chase Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Alana Shields, Walter E Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC
Linda Sholtis, First Presbyterian Church and FPC Arts Center, Greenville, SC
Tomas Sluiter, Portland’5 Centers for the Arts, Portland, OR
Ryan Smith, Koka Booth Amphitheatre, Cary, NC
Brittany Taylor, City of San Angelo, San Angelo, TX
Dervin Taylor, Ski Hi Complex, Monte Vista, CO
Matthew Taylor, Trail Drive Management Corp./Dickies Arena, Fort Worth, TX
Robert Tellez, UC San Diego University Centers, La Jolla, CA
Nicole Thompson, Inter Miami CF | Chase Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Shawn Thomson, Weber County Culture, Parks and Recreation, Ogden, UT
Antonio Torres-Roman, Inter Miami CF | Chase Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Jane Tubbs, Utah Valley Convention Center – OVG, Provo, UT
Drake Vessels, University of Oklahoma Athletics, Norman, OK
Ashley Wells, Koka Booth Amphitheatre, Cary, NC
Will Whitaker, University of Oklahoma Athletics, Norman, OK
Kiona White, Inter Miami CF | Chase Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, FL
John Whitty, Canopy Team, Baltimore, MD
Kristy Wolford, Weber County Culture, Parks and Recreation, Ogden, UT
Michael Wright, Inter Miami CF | Chase Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Felipe Zavalia, Inter Miami CF | Chase Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Jeff Zearfoss, The Broadmoor World Arena, Colorado Springs, CO

IAVM is thrilled to introduce a new exclusive member benefit through a strategic partnership with Advantage Training, creators of the Leading the Crowd trained crowd manager program. This collaboration brings members practical, scalable training solutions that strengthen event-day readiness and elevate the guest experience across all venue types.

This new benefit underscores IAVM’s commitment to delivering education and resources that directly support members’ operational success—whether preparing seasonal staff, onboarding new hires, or developing supervisors and leadership teams.

Why This New Member Benefit Matters

Members consistently tell us that one of their biggest challenges is ensuring staff are confident, informed, and ready for the unexpected. Leading the Crowd responds to that need with training designed specifically for workers in live event environments.

With this partnership, IAVM members now gain preferred access to training that:

• Enhances event safety and situational awareness
• Strengthens crowd management and guest flow skills
• Builds communication and teamwork during high-pressure moments
• Reinforces guest experience and service excellence
• Supports consistent operational readiness across all departments

This is training that not only prepares teams—it sticks.

Leaders on the Partnership

Kim Bedier, Chief Operations Officer at Advantage Training, shared:

“At Advantage Training our goal is to provide foundational material to everyone who works in a venue, to support the creation and enhancement of great guest experience. Partnering with IAVM provides venues access to content that helps them build a strategic approach and be better prepared to respond when it matters most.”

Trevor Mitchell, IAVM President and CEO, emphasized how this partnership strengthens IAVM’s commitment to its members:

“Training is one of the most meaningful ways we can support our members’ success. This partnership with Advantage Training expands access to education that is practical, scalable, and immediately applicable. Leading the Crowd helps our members build teams that are confident, prepared, and centered on delivering exceptional experiences. We are excited to provide this valuable new benefit to the IAVM community.”

Strengthening the Member Experience Today and the Industry Tomorrow

This new member benefit reflects IAVM’s ongoing mission to inspire, educate, and connect venue professionals with resources that support operational excellence and industry advancement. By partnering with Advantage Training, we are helping venues build stronger teams and more resilient operations, all while keeping the guest experience at the heart of every event.

Want help integrating Leading the Crowd into your training strategy? Stay tuned for upcoming webinars, onboarding guides, and member-exclusive opportunities!

The Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA) is pleased to announce two key additions to the leadership team at the Charlotte Convention Center: Andre Haston as Fire Safety & Life Systems Compliance Manager and Haley Cornell as Senior Event Manager.

Both professionals bring deep expertise in their respective areas and a proven commitment to operational excellence within the live events and venue management industry.

Andre Haston joins the Charlotte Convention Center from Bank of America Stadium, where he served as Manager of Compliance and Standards for Tepper Sports and Entertainment. With more than 15 years of experience in event security, life safety systems, and emergency response, he has coordinated safety operations for major NFL, MLS, and international events. At the Convention Center, Andre will oversee life safety and code compliance across all events, working with clients, contractors, and inspectors to ensure safe, efficient, and seamless event execution.

Haley Cornell has been promoted to Senior Event Manager at the Charlotte Convention Center following more than a decade of experience across venue operations, event services, and client relations. Her background includes leadership roles at the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and the Cabarrus Arena and Events Center, where she managed complex conventions, trade shows, and corporate events.

“We’re excited to see these two industry professionals, both leaders in their field, move into important roles with the Charlotte Convention Center,” said Alexis Berggren, General Manager. “It’s exciting to be attracting and retaining talent of their caliber—people who strengthen our commitment to safety, service, and the guest experience.”

Together, Haston and Cornell will continue advancing the Center’s mission of providing a safe, efficient, and welcoming environment for all clients and guests, reinforcing Charlotte’s reputation as a premier meetings and events destination.

Ribbon Cutting celebrates $95 million in upgrades, modernization

Photo credit: City of Fort Worth

The City of Fort Worth marked a major milestone in the first phase of the Fort Worth Convention Center’s expansion with a VIP ribbon cutting Monday, December 8.

New additions to the center, which remained operational during the past two years of construction, are now fully complete and open to convention clients and to the public.

Elected and tourism officials, business leaders and construction partners gathered at the striking new southeast entrance, which includes a lantern box atrium lobby and retail coffee bar called Beltbuckle Brew.

Speakers at the ceremony were Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker, City Councilmember Elizabeth Beck (Dist. 9), Public Events Director Mike Crum, and Visit Fort Worth President & CEO Bob Jameson.

“Fort Worth provides the Texas experience that meeting planners want, and the Phase I convention center expansion and modernization exceeds those expectations,” said Mayor Parker. “This milestone, along with Phase II construction, will increase capacity to host conferences from across the nation, bolstering our already impressive convention and tourism industry.”

Tourism is a $3.5 billion industry for Fort Worth and one of its largest employers with more than 30,000 jobs, according to Visit Fort Worth. In 2024, Fort Worth welcomed 11.5 million visitors, generating $251 million in state and local taxes. The convention center expansion is part of the city’s larger economic development strategy to attract meetings from across the state and nation.

“This is only the first step in a bolder future for Fort Worth as a convention destination,” said Crum.  “We’ve delivered Phase 1 on budget and on time, and design is almost complete for the second phase of expansion and modernization. We will have floor plans and renderings to share within the next few months that will illustrate big horizons ahead for Fort Worth’s meeting business.”

The expansion is taking place in two phases and the facility is remaining operational during both. Totaling 76,794 square feet, the $95 million Phase I includes a grand Southeast entrance and terrace, state-of-the-art food & beverage facilities, a retail coffee bar for casual networking, 11 new loading docks (up from seven), and realignment of Commerce Street to create a site pad for a future convention hotel and additional retail or restaurants.

The project emphasizes pedestrian access and improving the area’s walkability and connection to the surrounding neighborhood, which includes the Water Gardens, Trinity Metro Central Station, the new Texas A&M Fort Worth campus and surrounding hotels.

Phase II construction, estimated at $606 million, is anticipated to begin in late 2026 and run through early 2030.