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.

Photo source: dignitymemorial.com

John Fredric Bolin, former General Manager of the University of South Carolina’s Carolina Coliseum, passed away Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at the age of 81.

Bolin was born to parents Ambers Lee and Elizabeth Gold Bolin on November 12, 1944, in Gaffney, S.C. “He was often described as ‘a boy of high adventure,’” according to his obituary. “His constant delight in learning about life’s bounteous opportunities to grow in knowledge, savor experiences, and discern differences in how other people move through life, made John a happy and delightful person to know.”

He began his professional career in education, teaching children with special needs. After a few years, he returned to his alma mater of North Greenville Junior College as Associate Director of Admissions, where he was later promoted to Director of Admissions. Bolin was then invited to the University of South Carolina (USC) in Columbia, S.C., to serve as Director of Undergraduate Admissions and Administration Projects Manager.

In 1993, Bolin became General Manager of USC’s Carolina Coliseum and an Adjunct Professor of Sports and Entertainment.

Michael Marion, CVE, GM of Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock, Ark., was Director of the Tupelo Coliseum at the time. Marion, who worked as a talent agent before becoming a venue manager, recalls Bolin fondly.

“In my agent days, Columbia was always on the route,” he said. “When I started in Tupelo, we stayed in touch. In 1996, we had Reba and Brooks & Dunn do rehearsals for three weeks. At the end she did a press conference that made the national AP, talking about how nice the Tupelo Coliseum was.”

Bolin responded via fax:

“It is unusual for me to get exercised over such — tolerant and thick skinned arena manager that I am — but there comes a time when even I — John Bolin (aka Master of the House, Promoter, Presenter and Hey You, Yeah You the Short Guy) HAS IT UP TO HERE WITH ALL THIS MICHAEL MARION STUFF. It’s bad enough that I have to see you in ABOUT EVERY [expletive] POLLSTAR AND AMUSEMENT BUSINESS because you’ve SOLD ALL THE FRIGGING TICKETS IN MISSISSIPPI AND CONTIGUOUS STATES to some attraction that I can’t give away but now I pick up my own State Newspaper in my own hometown and I GET TO SEE YOU ONE MORE [expletive] TIME.

Please take this in the spirit in which it is scrawled — and go play golf or something and GIVE IT A REST.”

It is a testament to Bolin that Marion has held onto the letter for the past three decades — and serves to reinforce that “the ‘boy of high adventure’ enjoyed it all and loved being a part of something greater than himself,” according to his obituary. “He loved the work and the people who shared his work until the end of his life.”

He is survived by his wife, Patricia Pearce; two daughters, Angela Nichole (Niki) and Heather Dawn Bolin Francis; a son-in-law, John Francis; and grandson, Niko Francis.

Bolin’s Celebration of Life will be held at Trenholm Road United Methodist Church in Columbia, S.C., on July 12, 2026, at 3:00 PM with a reception to follow.

For the first time, the event venue industry has a shared sustainability benchmark — and the data is already in. Now it’s time to learn how to use it.

In April 2026, Venue Sustainalytics — a first-of-its-kind sustainability benchmarking program developed by IAVM, Trade Show News Network (TSNN), and Honeycomb Strategies — released its inaugural results. The free, publicly available dashboard and industry report offer an unprecedented snapshot of where the event venue industry stands on sustainability today.

Raw data only becomes useful when people know how to read it, compare against it, and act on it. That’s exactly what this webinar is designed to do. Join us Tuesday, June 23 at 1:00 p.m. Central Time for an informative session on Venue Sustainalytics.

What This Session Covers

Moderated by Danica Tormohlen of TSNN, the session brings together Tim Trefzer and Daniel Foster of Honeycomb Strategies and Trevor Mitchell of IAVM — the founding partners behind Venue Sustainalytics — for a practical, results-focused walkthrough of the program’s tools and findings.

Whether you manage a convention center, arena, or performing arts venue — or you’re a planner, vendor, or destination professional — this session will show you how to put the benchmark data to work across your planning, operations, compliance, and even your sales and marketing efforts.

What You’ll Take Away

• A clear overview of industry-wide sustainability data from Venue Sustainalytics’ first year
• A practical ability to navigate the free public dashboard and interpret the results
• The tools to compare your venue’s individual performance against the benchmark
• Guidance on preparing your data for the 2025 Venue Sustainalytics survey submission
• Knowledge of where to find help and what to expect from the process

This is a rare opportunity to hear directly from the minds behind the program — and to ask the questions that matter most to your venue and your team.

Reserve Your Spot — It’s Free

Join venue professionals, event planners, and industry leaders for this live session on navigating the Venue Sustainalytics dashboard and benchmark data.

>>Register for the Webinar<<

Free to attend  ·  Live Q&A included  ·  Recording available to registrants