IAVM is proud to announce that Kim Bedier, CVE, has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 Charles A. McElravy Award, the Association’s highest honor recognizing a lifetime of extraordinary contributions to the venue management profession.

Throughout a distinguished career spanning more than four decades, Bedier has become a respected leader in the industry, known for her operational excellence, servant leadership, and unwavering commitment to developing people. Today, as Chief Operating Officer of Advantage Training, she continues to inspire leaders and organizations across North America, Australia, and New Zealand through leadership development, team building, and workplace culture programs.

Bedier’s career has included leadership of some of North America’s premier public assembly venues, including Honda Center and OCVIBE in Anaheim, California, as well as the Tacoma Dome, Greater Tacoma Convention Center, historic theaters, and Cheney Stadium. Throughout her career, she has consistently demonstrated a passion for innovation, operational excellence, and building high-performing teams, earning widespread respect from peers across the industry.

Her service to IAVM has been equally remarkable. Bedier has served as Chair of the IAVM Board of Directors, Chair of the Venue Management School Board of Regents, Dean of the Leadership Institute, and as an educator for thousands of venue professionals through IAVM’s educational programs. Her leadership has helped shape future generations of venue managers while advancing governance, leadership development, diversity, and inclusion throughout the Association.

“Kim’s impact on the venue management profession is immeasurable,” said Trevor Mitchell, MBA, FASAE, CAE, CDP, President & CEO of IAVM. “Her leadership has influenced not only the venues she has served, but also the thousands of professionals she has mentored, taught, and inspired throughout her career. Kim exemplifies the servant leadership, integrity, and passion that define the Charles A. McElravy Award, and IAVM is honored to recognize her extraordinary legacy.”

The Charles A. McElravy Award recognizes individuals whose careers have profoundly shaped the venue management profession through visionary leadership, dedicated service, and a lasting commitment to advancing the industry.

“Over the course of my career, I have come to believe that our profession is not really about venues, it’s about people,” said Bedier. “To be recognized by colleagues and friends – people I love and respect – is an honor beyond anything I could ever imagine. I never expected to receive an award for doing what I love and I am extremely grateful.”

Bedier will be formally recognized during one the General Sessions at VenueConnect 2026, taking place August 9–12 in Indianapolis, Indiana. IAVM members, industry partners, and venue professionals are invited to join us as we celebrate her remarkable achievements and honor a career that has helped shape generations of leaders.

Be part of this special celebration by joining us at VenueConnect 2026. Register today by visiting www.venueconnect.iavm.org and experience the industry’s premier gathering while helping us recognize one of venue management’s most influential leaders.

Rendering of Delta Center set up for Utah Jazz game

In the summer of 2025, Smith Entertainment Group (SEG) began a multi-year transformation of the Delta Center to accommodate the addition of the NHL’s newest franchise, the Utah Mammoth, while enhancing the fan experience for Utah Jazz games as well as concerts and other events.

During the first phase of renovations, SEG installed a one-of-a-kind riser seating system, custom designed for Delta Center, which improved sightlines and added capacity for Mammoth games in the lower-bowl. SEG also lengthened the bowl by 12 feet at each end and raised the floor two feet to accommodate a new ice floor slab. Phase one resulted in full, unobstructed views for every lower-bowl seat and the addition of 1,100 new seats for Mammoth games among other enhancements to the fan experience in the second season of NHL hockey in Utah.

Rendering of Delta Center set up for Utah Mammoth game

During the 2026 and 2027 off-seasons, renovations at the Delta Center will focus on rebuilding the upper seating in the north and south end zones. SEG is adding new terrace-style ledges with full-view seating to the upper-north side, in addition to suspended gondolas on both sidelines that will provide a new birds-eye view of the event floor for over 200 fans. In 2027, the final phase of the Delta Center’s transformation will focus on the south end zone, with every seat in the arena ensuring full sightlines for both basketball and hockey.

National Search Concludes with Selection of Accomplished Internal Candidate and Longtime San Diego Convention Center Leader

Photo courtesy San Diego Convention Center

The San Diego Convention Center Corporation Board of Directors has appointed Mardeen Mattix as President & Chief Executive Officer on June 24, 2026, following a comprehensive national executive search. Mattix succeeds Clifford “Rip” Rippetoe, who is retiring after ten years in the role.

Mattix, who most recently served as Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, was selected from a highly competitive candidate pool and emerged as the Board’s choice after an extensive search process that attracted accomplished leaders from across the convention center, tourism, hospitality, and venue management industries.

“Mardeen’s depth of experience, strategic mindset, and demonstrated leadership in our organization and community made her the clear choice to lead us forward,” said the Corporation’s Board Chair Will Rodriguez-Kennedy. “She has played a critical role in the Convention Center’s success for nearly three decades, and we are confident in her ability to lead with clarity, stability, and vision for years to come.”

The executive search was led by Rodriguez-Kennedy and conducted by SearchWide Global under the leadership of Mark Gnatovic, President of Retained Search. The process was designed to identify the strongest leadership talent from across the country while ensuring a fair, transparent, and comprehensive evaluation.

A San Diego County resident and respected tourism industry leader, Mattix’s appointment builds on her 28-year career with the Convention Center. Since joining the organization in 1998, she has advanced through leadership roles in Event Management, Sales, Accounting, Finance, and Executive Administration, steadily rising through the ranks while developing a comprehensive understanding of the organization’s operations, stakeholders, workforce, governance structure, and economic impact.

The Board’s decision reflects confidence that a leader who helped build the organization’s success is uniquely positioned to guide its future. As both a seasoned executive and longtime member of the Convention Center team, Mattix brings a rare combination of institutional knowledge, operational expertise, financial acumen, and deep connections to the San Diego community.

In her most recent role as Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, Mattix provided leadership across financial strategy, organizational performance, governance, labor relations, capital planning, risk management, and daily business operations. Throughout her tenure, she has helped guide the Convention Center through some of its most pivotal moments, including the transformation of the facility into an emergency shelter during the COVID-19 pandemic, post-pandemic recovery efforts, and the development of business strategies that have strengthened the Convention Center’s role as one of San Diego’s most important economic engines.

Under Mattix’s leadership, the Convention Center has continued to generate significant economic benefits for the region. In fiscal year 2025, the organization generated an estimated $1.57 billion in regional economic impact, supporting local jobs, businesses, visitor spending, and tax revenues while reinforcing San Diego’s position as a premier meetings and conventions destination.

“I am honored by the Board’s confidence and excited for the opportunity to lead this remarkable organization and team” said Mattix. “For nearly 28 years, I have had the privilege of working alongside dedicated employees, industry partners, clients, community leaders, and Board members who share a commitment to San Diego’s success. I look forward to building on our strong foundation, supporting our talented team, and further strengthening the economic and community benefits we generate for our region.”

Mattix holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Western Washington University. Her leadership has been recognized throughout the industry, including being named the San Diego Business Journal’s 2023 CFO of the Year in the nonprofit category and being honored by Women in Tourism and Hospitality for her leadership and innovation.

Mount Baker Theatre’s (MBT) Facilities & Operations Director Jim Zoehrer, CVP, will take his final bow at the conclusion of MBT’s Centennial Season next year. Zoehrer’s four-decade career in the live events industry has taken him from national and international tours with world-renowned performing artists to more than 22 years of service helping care for and operate one of the Pacific Northwest’s treasured historic theatres. He will retire from his position at MBT on June 30, 2027.

Zoehrer joined MBT as a part-time House Lead Stage Technician and went on to serve as Technical Director, Facilities Director, and Facilities & Operations Director. His work at MBT has included production operations, facility improvements, safety initiatives, capital planning, preservation efforts, and the day-to-day leadership required to keep a historic performing arts venue active and thriving.
Before joining MBT, Zoehrer built an extensive career in technical production and touring working with legendary artists including Iron Maiden, KISS, Donna Summer, Carole King, and Jethro Tull. His broader industry experience has also included film, television, corporate events, circus productions, venue consulting, and support for other small theatres. “Yes, I have worked with lions, tigers, and bears — oh my,” Zoehrer joked.

As a Certified Venue Professional through the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM), Zoehrer participates in the IAVM mentor program, reflecting a long-standing commitment to helping others find their way in the events industry. At MBT, that commitment has included working with younger employees, helping them identify learning paths, develop practical skills, and see futures in production, facilities, operations, and venue leadership. He has also been developing a career day program to introduce high school students to the professional pathways available inside a working performing arts center.

“Mount Baker Theatre has been one of the great privileges of my professional life,” said Zoehrer. “Over more than two decades, I have had the opportunity to help care for a historic theatre, support the people who bring it to life, and serve a community that deeply values the arts.”

The timeline allows MBT to move through the milestone season while preparing for a smooth transition, with Zoehrer’s final year focused on continuity, training, staff development, and support for the facilities and operations work already underway.

The International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) is pleased to announce that Brittany Martin, Assistant Director of Event Services at the Georgia World Congress Center, has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 IAVM VMA Asia-Pacific Leadership Institute Scholarship.

The scholarship was announced during the graduation ceremony at the 2026 Venue Management School (VMS), recognizing Martin’s outstanding achievement and commitment to professional development within the venue management industry.

The IAVM VMA Asia-Pacific Leadership Institute Scholarship provides a unique international leadership development opportunity through IAVM’s partnership with the Venue Management Association (VMA) in Australia. The scholarship recipient receives full tuition and room and board expenses to attend the VMA Leadership Institute, along with a reimbursement stipend to assist with travel and miscellaneous expenses.

The selection process is highly competitive. Year Two VMS students who achieve one of the top three test scores in the Year One program are invited to apply, provided they are available and able to travel to Australia to attend that year’s VMA Leadership Institute. Applicants then participate in a formal interview process before a final recipient is selected.

“Brittany’s dedication to professional growth, leadership development, and the venue management profession made her an exceptional candidate for this scholarship,” said Trevor Mitchell, MBA, FASAE, CAE, CDP, President & CEO of IAVM. “We are proud to recognize her achievement and look forward to seeing the knowledge, perspectives, and global connections she will gain through this experience. On behalf of IAVM, congratulations to Brittany on this well-deserved honor.”

“I am deeply grateful and truly feel blessed to have been selected for this scholarship,” stated Martin. “This is such an exciting and unique opportunity to expand my knowledge professionally and culturally on how to be and shape better leaders, while doing what I love most – connecting with people. I’m honored to be able to represent IAVM and my fellow colleagues and look forward to sharing and learning much more with my new friends down under!”

The IAVM VMA Asia-Pacific Leadership Institute Scholarship represents the Association’s commitment to investing in the next generation of venue industry leaders. By connecting emerging professionals with global learning experiences, the program broadens perspectives, strengthens leadership capabilities, and fosters international collaboration that benefits the entire profession. As Brittany embarks on this unique opportunity, she joins a distinguished group of industry leaders who have leveraged the experience to expand their impact, build lasting international relationships, and help shape the future of venue management.