Louis Messina, CEO of TMG, during his Q&A with Eric Church at the IEBA conference in Nashville. (Photo courtesy of IEBA Conference Youtube.)

Legendary promoter Louis Messina, Founder and CEO of Messina Touring Group, regaled attendees at the International Entertainment Buyers Assn. (IEBA) convention with his stories about how he was kidnapped, what leads to new clients, and what motivates him every day. Eric Church, one among his roster of premier clients, asked the questions.

The October convention drew a sold-out crowd of 1,650 in Nashville, Tenn. Filled with trending concerns for buyers of talent, from arenas to festivals to clubs and theaters, the annual event also showcases up-and-coming talent each night. An awards ceremony that saw Messina inducted into the IEBA Hall of Fame closed the event.

That same night, Barclays Center, Brooklyn, N.Y., was named IEBA Arena of the Year; Orpheum Theatre, Minneapolis, and Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, Fla., tied for Theater of the Year; Hollywood Bowl, Calif., won Amphitheater of the Year; and Minnesota State Fair, St. Paul, Minn., won Fair/Expo of the Year. Venue Executive of the Year was David Kells, Bridgestone Arena, Nashville.

During the exclusive Q&A, Church was quick to ask Messina how he selected the people he works with.

“I have to have passion for what the artist does,” Messina said. “I have to have a connection.” He watches the artist interact with the audience, and with Church, he saw that connection, watching the audience’s eyes locked on the artist and their lips mouthing the words to all his songs. “I see it as a spiritual connection. When I see that, I know I’ve got to be a part of this.”

He said he only works with artists who want to work with him. “It’s got to be more than I want to go out and make money with you. We have to want to go on journeys together.”

Serendipitously, every artist Messina works with was the opening act for someone he already represents, apart from the Lumineers. Church opened for Kenny Chesney, Taylor Swift worked with George Strait. “Through Taylor, I met Ed Sheeran and Shawn Mendez; through George I met Kenny, Tim McGraw, and Faith Hill. That’s how I built “our” career. You have to trust me, and I have to trust you. It’s not just an artist/promoter relationship,” Messina said.

On Nov. 3, Messina celebrated 52 years in the industry, having learned the business with the late Allen Becker and PACE Concerts.

In the 70s, it was a different business, and a young Louis Messina was just attempting to make it in live entertainment. He was living in New Orleans and pretty much broke. He partnered with Shelly Finkle and Jimmy Koplik to promote a Led Zeppelin concert at West Palm Beach Speedway, Fla. Both thought the other had deep pockets, but that being a non-starter, they had to be creative. They decided to do mail order ticketing so they could use all that money to pay the deposits. They still had to borrow $100,000 — which would be like borrowing $5 million today — to get the ball rolling. They found Phil, a wise guy out of New Jersey, to advance the funds.

“The big day comes; the mail was coming. We must have had 20 people around the table waiting for the mailman to come so we could open sacks and sacks of mail. Finally, the mailman comes, and he didn’t have a sack. He had like 50 letters in his hand. The next day, he had 100. After a week, my partner and I went to New York to figure out how we would get money,” Messina remembers.

So they’re in their hotel room in New York, and there’s a knock on the door. These two guys say, ‘Phil wants to see you.’

“Fine, we’ll be here tomorrow.”

“Phil wants to see you now.”

Messina and his partner were packed up and on their way out the door in minutes. Where are we going? West Palm Beach.

They ended up in Florida at Phil’s place for several days. Phil finally let Messina’s partner leave to “find the money,” while Messina stayed behind as insurance. He finally said this is silly and talked his own way out.

But, it’s a great story. Messina was “kidnapped” and can say with assurance that “I’m the only concert promoter in the history of music who ever canceled Led Zeppelin for lack of ticket sales.”

Church noted that Messina has always been honest with him about his business and artistic opinions. He recalled that on his Heart & Soul tour, they started with a less-than-ideal stage that “looked like a Mardi Gras barge.” They were playing in the round, and the top of the barge, where everyone could “see” Church, was up really high with a railing. After rehearsal ahead of a sold-out show, Messina came into Church’s dressing room and started his hemming and hawing, “Whoo, whoo, well, do you like the stage?” he asked. It’s the night before the show. “I’m kind of getting used to it,” Church said. “Well, I hate it,” Messina declared.

“We played the show, which was incredible given the circumstances, and later we modified the stage,” Church said. “But what I want to know, Louis, is: are you as honest with all your other artists as you are with me?”

“It depends on how much I’ve had to drink,” Messina whipped back, adding, to applause, that he “stopped drinking 22 months ago, but I have to tell the truth. We’re in partnership; we’re professionals. We have to be honest with each other.”

Asked about his legacy, Messina said, “I got involved with artists who believed in me.  I’ve been with Strait for 30 years, Taylor 10 years, Chesney 25 years, you a dozen years. I want this to continue.

“I’m not a tour promoter; I’m a career promoter. I say tell me about your next 10 years. The first time I met Taylor, she was 17. I love being part of the dream.”

Church confirmed: “That’s what you’ve always said: ‘Tell me your dreams and I’ll out-dream you.’”

To watch the full IEBA 2024 Louis Messina Keynote, you can view it here.

Jeff Davis, CVE, College Park Center, Arlington, Texas, and Evelyn Ingram, Prism.fm, were among IAVM members attending IEBA. (VP Photo)

Lexie Boone, left, Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, S.C., and Scott Johnson, of the re-branded Greensboro (N.C.) Coliseum Complex which now includes First Horizon Coliseum, shop IEBA for ideas. (VP Photo)

Other 2024 IEBA industry award winners included: Club of the Year —Troubadour, W. Hollywood, Calif.; Casino — Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Hollywood, Fla.; Festival — Bourbon & Beyond, Louisville, Ky.; Club Buyer — Sonia Grover, First Avenue; Casino Buyer — Andrew Saunders, Hard Rock/Seminole Gaming; Special Events/Corporate Buyer — EastCoast Entertainment; International Buyer — Jim Cressman, Invictus Entertainment Group; Fair/Expo Buyer — Lacey Hayes, Romeo Entertainment Group; Festival Buyer — Stacy Vee, Goldenvoice; Young Professional — Kelly Mosiman, Wasserman Music; Music & Entertainment Industry Educator — Chuck Morris, Colorado State University; Agent — Keith Levy, Wasserman Music; and Promoter — Rich Schaefer, AEG Presents.

Nomination deadline for 2025 Charles A. McElravy Award, Joseph J. Anzivino Distinguished Allied Award, and Foundation Legacy Award is December 20, 2024

The nominations and letters of recommendation should be written and addressed to Trevor Mitchell, MBA, FASAE, CAE, CDP, President & CEO and submitted to Rosanne Duke electronically.  The nomination letter and all letters of recommendation must be received by close of business December 20, 2024.  Each award’s criteria process can be found below.  If you have any questions, please contact Rosanne Duke.

CHARLES A MCELRAVY AWARD:

The Charles A. McElravy Award may be awarded annually to a current or former Professional, Honorary, or Retired member of IAVM who, in the opinion of the Board of Directors has made the greatest lifetime achievement to the welfare of the Association or profession.

The following criteria are established for the McElravy Award nominees:

1. The nominee must have been a Professional, Honorary, or Retired Member of the IAVM in good standing for at least fifteen (15) years total (though not necessarily consecutively and not necessarily at the time of nomination).
2. The nominee needs to meet the minimum service to IAVM requirements for Honorary Membership but is not required to be retired.
   1. Requirements include:
      1. Attendance at no fewer than 10 Annual Conferences (VenueConnect) or Region Meetings during the past 15 years;
      2. Service as chair of at least three association or two region committees during the past 15 years;
         1. Service as either of the following at least once:
            1. Director/chair of IAVM or officer in a Region
            2. Program chair for an IAVM venue-specific or specialty meeting
            3. Member of Board of Regents, Board of Trustees, or Board of Governors.

3. The nominee must have financially supported the IAVM Foundation no fewer than 7 of the past 10 years.
4. Any member in good standing may make a nomination, which must provide, in writing, a minimum of three examples of the nominee’s outstanding contributions to IAVM and/or the industry (for example: leadership, accomplishments, professional service/activities, projects/results).
5. At least three letters of recommendation must accompany the nomination letter.
6. No Chairman of the Board (or Past President) of IAVM is eligible for consideration until the third Annual Conference (VenueConnect) following their term of office.
7. Previous recipients are ineligible (and may be found on our website under Awards).
8. Nominations must be presented to the IAVM President and CEO. The award may be given posthumously.

JOSEPH J ANZIVINO DISTINGUISHED ALLIED AWARD:

The Joseph J. Anzivino Distinguished Allied Award may be awarded annually by the Board of Directors to an individual currently or previously employed by a firm which is or was an Allied member in good standing.  The President and CEO will provide evidence the nominee meets the criteria.

The following criteria are established for the Anzivino Award nominees:

1. The nominee must have been an IAVM member for at least ten (10) years total, which need not be consecutive and not necessarily at the time of the nomination.
2. During the nominee’s status as an Allied member, the nominee must have served IAVM by:
   1. Attendance at no fewer than 7 Annual Conferences (VenueConnect) or Region meetings in the past 10 years;
   2. Being chair of at least 2 IAVM committees or sub-committees;
   3. Being a member of IAVM Board of Directors, IAVM Foundation Board of Trustees, Board of Regents, or Board of Governors during the member’s tenure with IAVM;
   4. Being a member of an IAVM program, campaign, task force or committee.
3. The nominee or the nominee’s company must have financially supported the IAVM Foundation no fewer than 7 of the past 10 years.
4. Any member may make a nomination, which must provide a minimum of three examples of the nominee’s exemplary service and contributions to IAVM and/or the industry (for example: leadership, accomplishments, professional service/activities, projects/results).
5. At least three letters of recommendation must accompany the nomination.
6. No Chair of the Allied Committee is eligible for consideration until the second Annual Conference (VenueConnect) following their term of office.
7. Previous recipients are ineligible (and may be found on our website under Awards).
8. The award may be given posthumously.

FOUNDATION LEGACY AWARD:

The IAVM Foundation Legacy Award may be awarded annually by the Board of Trustees to an individual or organization who, in the opinion of the IAVM Foundation has made a significant financial and/or non-financial contribution to benefit the mission and objectives of the IAVM Foundation. The Foundation Chief Executive Officer will provide evidence the nominee meets the criteria.

The following criteria are established for the Legacy Award nominees:

1. The nominee may be from any membership category of IAVM or from outside of the Association in a related field.
2. Any current or past contributor to the IAVM Foundation may make a nomination, which must provide, in writing, specific examples of the nominee’s outstanding contributions to the IAVM Foundation.
3. At least three letters of recommendation must accompany the nomination.
4. No Chair of IAVM or Chair of the IAVM Foundation is eligible for consideration until the third Annual Conference (VenueConnect) following their term of office.
5. Previous recipients are ineligible (and may be found on our website under Awards).
6. The award may be given posthumously.

Chef Waylon Cornelius, Will Rogers Memorial Center

Craft Culinary Concepts, the preferred food and beverage provider at Will Rogers Memorial Center (WRMC), has named Waylon Cornelius executive chef of the center’s catering and concessions.

A native of Mansfield, Texas, and 2003 graduate of AIMS Academy of Culinary Arts in Dallas, Cornelius is shifting the expectations of the center’s guests from a typical “BBQ and beans” menu to a bill of fare satisfying both the palates of the world’s greatest horsemen and DFW’s most discerning gala planner.

“We always have fajitas ready to go, but we also make a beautiful Beef Wellington or baked salmon with a pink salt crust” for a social event, said Cornelius.

For consumer trade shows and horse shows, Craft and its partners Caribou and Taco Heads offer more choices for the thousands of guests who attend events at WRMC annually.

“Some of our equestrian guests are away from home and here for several days, and they need more than popcorn and hot dogs,” Cornelius said. “Our concessions offer biscuits and gravy, burritos made in-house, strawberry salad, fruit and yogurt cups.”

Cornelius grew up helping in a farm-to-table kitchen. He was raised on a farm with his mother, grandmother and grandfather — a Vietnam veteran who enjoyed vegetable gardens and raising hogs and chickens. Cornelius studied computer science after high school and holds an associate’s degree in Cultural Resource Management and Policy Analysis from Tarrant County College. But he kept being drawn back to the kitchen. 

He then enrolled at AIMS Academy. While training as assistant executive sous chef at the AAA four-diamond Grand Hyatt DFW, he was mentored by Executive Chef Sutti Sripolpa. He also learned from Chef de Cuisine Eric Dryer, who went on to be Oprah Winfrey’s personal chef. He also worked with Executive Chef Jean-Claude Plihon, who honed his French cooking skills.

As executive sous chef at the opening of Perry’s Steakhouse and Grille in Southlake, Cornelius had his first experience with volume. While at H&G Supplies for two years learning about gluten-free items and other food allergies, he crossed paths with Chef James R. Schell III.

Schell, now Craft’s general manager at WRMC, recruited Cornelius to Fort Worth’s 120-acre entertainment and equestrian complex this summer.

“James said he needed someone who can hit moving targets, push the culinary team to be more avant-garde and use locally sourced, seasonal ingredients. So here I am,” said Cornelius. “Culinary is a small world.”

Schell seeks to ensure WRMC guests get superior experience with food quality, variety and selections.

“I want people to say, ‘When we were in Fort Worth, you won’t believe what we got at Will Rogers!’” he said. “Even the celebrities who perform [in the auditorium] are surprised. When Chicago played here recently and we served dinner backstage, they said they felt treated like the Rolling Stones.”

John B. Meyer Jr., CVE, one of IAVM’s more passionate advocates of certification, passed from this life on Oct. 31 at the age of 77.

Meyer, who was director of convention center operations and special projects for SMG at American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas, joined IAVM in 1977 and received his CVE in 2002. Meyer served on several committees, including Chair of the Bylaws Committee from 2002 to 2010 and the Certification Board from 2002-2021.

Both Jody Lake, CVE, retired, and Tom Cornwall, CVE, retired, emphasized Meyer’s commitment to certification in their work with him on the certification board for IAVM. “John never shied away from a difficult task,” Lake said. “He was so smart and articulate and compassionate when it came to alternative viewpoints and thoughts.”

John Meyer, CVE – picture taken from the IAVM archives, circa 2002-2004

Lake was most impressed by his ability to take things to heart and do the research. Specifically, when the Certification Board was researching certifying its own certification program with ANSI (American National Standards Institute), something they all wanted to accomplish, it was determined to be too expensive by far. Rather than sit back and say that’s that then, Meyer declared that though they could not go for ANSI certification fiscally, they certainly could attain the ANSI standards in practice. It wasn’t about piece of paper; it was about that standard of excellence in IAVM’s certification program.

Rosanne Duke, IAVM director of Governance and Operations, noted in an email that “John was a mentor to so many in the industry.  He was also an outstanding member of the Certification Board. He advocated for our CVE program to become ANSI certification ready.”

“I met John in early 2000, when I worked with him on a project to update the association’s bylaws, and immediately felt like I was working with a friend that I’d known for many years.”

Rick Haycock, CVE, retired, was also part of the “certification family,” often sitting side-by-side with Meyer at Certification Board meetings at World Headquarters. “His depth of knowledge about program accreditation and his respect for the process were instrumental in advancing the integrity and validity of IAVM’s certification programs. I learned a great deal from him and stayed in touch long after he left the Certification Board.”

A Vietnam vet, Meyer was religious, doted on his family and had a great sense of humor, said his wife, Tala, on a Facebook post. “He loved his crosswords, reading, scuba diving with his daughter and traveling. Rome was his favorite city in the world.”

He worked for the city of Corpus Christi for more than 40 years, first managing the Memorial Coliseum, starting in 1973, and then as convention center manager at American Bank Center. He retired in 2017.

Meyer was a board member of the Corpus Christi Literacy Council, Casa d’amor, and president of the Ronald McDonald House. He also served in many capacities at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Port Aransas and was a 4th degree Knight of Columbus.

“He doted on his family, had a gentle heart and loved teasing folks,” his widow wrote. “He had special nicknames for all he loved. He was a reader and a lover of history and languages. He spoke Vietnamese, Latin, Italian, Spanish and parts of several other languages”.

Meyer was a native of Pequannock, New Jersey, and graduated from the University of Corpus Christi (TAMUCC) summa cum laude in three years with an English degree. He also took graduate courses in computer science. He served in Vietnam as a military policeman.

Meyer is survived by his wife, Tala, of Corpus Christi; his daughters, Jennifer (Aaron Lozano) and Jessica Arredondo (Eric), both of Corpus Christi; one step-son, Bradley Stevens, of Scottsdale, Ariz.; sisters Barbara Jacobs, Mary Meyer and Michael Ann Meyer (Kait Casey), all of San Diego; one brother, Joseph Meyer (Mary) of Lebanon, N.J; one sister-in-law, Sharon Meyer (Thomas) of Sussex, N.J.; grandchildren Blake Stevens of Tucson, Ariz.; Caden and Julian Meyer and Ava and Harlow Arredondo and Aislynn Lozano, all of Corpus Christi; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Bernadine Meyer; his brother, Thomas, and his brother and sister-in-law, Jeff and Karen Meyer.

Visitation for will be held from 5-8 p.m. on Nov. 11 at Maxwell P. Dunne Funeral Service in Corpus Christi, with a Rosary beginning at 6:30 p.m. and eulogies to follow. A Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 11 a.m. on Nov. 12 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Port Aransas. Committal and Final Military Honors will begin at 2 p.m. at the Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery, Corpus Christi, with a bagpipe tribute.

Don Clark, founder of Biosaphe, a company that specializes in building and maintaining athletic fields, is bringing his expertise and connections to help those affected by the devastation in North Western Carolina.

Clark and his company work closely with professional sports teams, universities, and golf courses. Now, he and his team are using their expertise to help those affected by Hurricane Helene in North Western Carolina.

“After witnessing the destruction firsthand and consulting with our teams who are active in the region, I feel compelled to act. While many are providing essential relief like cleaning homes and clearing debris, we believe that our skills can offer something equally vital—hope and community healing. That’s why we have committed to building new baseball fields for the children whose seasons were so abruptly interrupted,” stated Clark.

You might wonder why a baseball field is Clark’s focus when there are other urgent needs. The answer lies in the importance of restoring a sense of normalcy. Communities in crisis need places where they can come together, where children can play and families can reconnect. “Our experience in building fields gives us a unique opportunity to contribute in a way that not only serves the present but also fosters long-term community growth and healing,” Clark noted.

Clark has already received support from several major and minor league baseball teams, universities in the Southeastern and Atlantic Coast Conferences, the Sports Field Managers Association in Virginia, North and South Carolina, as well as Golf Course Superintendent Associations. Vendors such as Modern Turf, Precision Turf, Dura EDGE, SCG Bulldog, and other private corporations from across the region are also helping bring this project to life.

“However, to accomplish this, we will need contributions in the form of people, materials, and financial resources. Our plan goes beyond just building the field—we intend to create a community hub where we can serve meals, distribute clothing, blankets, and medical supplies, and involve local residents in the construction. This initiative will show the power of collaboration, love, and hope in rebuilding not just structures but spirits.”

Clark is asking any IAVM member or venue that is willing to help with resources to reach out to him directly at executive@biospahe.com.  Those able to contribute financially are asked to do so through their GoFundMe page.

“As part of our mission, we will proudly recognize every organization and individual involved by displaying banners and wearing shirts that highlight your support. Together, we can make a lasting impact on the lives of those in need.”