By Mary-Michael Rodgers

Boise Centre has achieved the Global Biorisk Advisory Council® (GBAC) STAR™ facility accreditation, the gold standard for prepared facilities. Under the guidance of GBAC, a Division of ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association, Boise Centre has implemented the most stringent protocols for cleaning, disinfection, and infectious disease prevention in its facility. As the cleaning industry’s only outbreak prevention, response, and recovery accreditation, GBAC STAR™ helps organizations establish protocols and procedures, offers expert-led training, and assesses a facility’s readiness for biorisk situations.

To achieve the accreditation, Boise Centre was required to demonstrate compliance with the program’s 20 core elements, which range from standard operating procedures and risk assessment strategies to personal protective equipment and emergency preparedness and response measures.

“Our staff worked diligently for several months on the GBAC STAR application submittal process. We evaluated every aspect of our business to ensure we are operating in the safest possible manner for our employees, clients, and their attendees,” said Pat Rice, Boise Centre Executive Director. “The accreditation is a performance-based program that certifies Boise Centre is following strict protocols for health, sanitation, and safety. By taking this important step, we want to reassure meeting organizers that Boise Centre is committed to operating safely and we are prepared to welcome in-person events.”

In addition to the accreditation, Boise Centre has invested in the following cleaning and disinfection equipment and products:

•Thermal temperature monitoring cameras to scan employees and guests for temperatures
•Two electrostatic sprayers that utilize a positive charge to evenly coat disinfectant spray on surfaces
•Usage of a standalone ultraviolet (UV) disinfection machine and a UV wand to disinfect podiums, microphones, wireless remote controls, cell phones and tablets
•PreventX 24/7 a finish coating with on-going antimicrobial properties is applied to all high touch points throughout the venue every 30 days.

Mary-Michael Rodgers is Communications Manager for Boise Center in Boise, Idaho.

Please welcome our newest members who joined IAVM in December 2020. 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 http://www.iavm.org/i-am-venue-management-share-your-story to share your story and photo.

Brandon Baello, Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, Long Beach, CA

Aleia Bailey, Florence Events Center, Florence, OR

Eric Blanc, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL

Shirley Chan, Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, Long Beach, CA

Thomas Dyer, Owensboro Convention Center, Owensboro, KY

Paul Falzon, Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, Long Beach, CA

Lucas Fox, Otterbein University, Westerville, OH

Tra Jones, Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, Long Beach, CA

Robert Kuroda, Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, Long Beach, CA

La Shawnda Mikhael, Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, Long Beach, CA

Kyle Mikolajczyk, Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio, TX

John Nieto, Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio, TX

Monte Ortel, Infinite Energy Center, Duluth, GA

Adolfina Ortiz, Orlando Venues, Orlando, FL

Cassandra Parker-Nowicki, Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio, TX

Nicholas Parreco, University of Baltimore, Stevensville, MD

Jack Porcelli, Ethical Equations, Jackson, NJ

Veronica Quintero, Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, Long Beach, CA

Ernie Ramirez, Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio, TX

Kathleen Ross, FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, St. Catherines, ON, Canada

Logan Stewart, AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX

Teresa Vasquez-Romero, Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio, TX

Emily Vosselmann, AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX

Isiah White, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL

Miguel Williams, Orlando Venues, Orlando, FL

Casey Young, Orlando Venues, Orlando, FL

Brian Zumwalt, AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX

Many thanks to our volunteer members who are actively recruiting new members to the Association. Current leaders of the campaign are:

• Andrea Smalls – Georgia International Convention Center/GICC – 8 new members
• Jim Brown – First National Bank Arena – 3 members
• Doug Booher – Indiana University – 2 members
• Tim Hemphill – New Orleans Ernest M. Morial Convention Center – 2 members
• Erin Wylie – Kennesaw State University – 2 members

The annual recruitment campaign gives IAVM’s volunteer leaders the opportunity to recruit one new member. Who makes up the IAVM Leadership? The IAVM Board of Directors, Foundation Board of Trustees, Regents, Governors, Committees and Task Forces spread the word about the value of IAVM membership.

The previous JustOne effort ended on 12/31/19 and delivered 95 new members. Your leadership and commitment to IAVM’s growth is evident in the results!

 GOAL: We have 298 individuals involved in IAVM’s governance. If all volunteers recruit just one new member, your efforts will give us 100% participation by our leadership in 2020-2021, potentially adding another 298 new members.

Members are our best advocates in promoting membership. As of today, we’ve brought in 21 new members since we launched the campaign on August 1, 2020.

Why is this important? In these challenging times, our collective voices make a difference with our advocacy efforts. Also, IAVM’s governance is also working hard to identify the next round of leaders that will propel IAVM into the future, but more importantly, provide you with expanded connections to give you more vibrant experiences and discussions at our schools and conferences, face-to-face and virtually.

REWARD: The Board, Committee, Council, Task Force, Region and individual that refers the most members will be recognized at VC21 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Campaign Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Questions, contact Member Services at membership@iavm.org; or email either of us at: Gina Brydson, Summer Beday or Robin Covington.

By Nan Marchand Beauvois and R.V. Baugus

The Meetings Mean Business Coalition and Lets Meet There continues to focus on industry recovery and moving forward together. To that end, the organization’s are pleased to share a Meet Safe platform.

The platform, developed in partnership with Simpleview, is designed to showcase that with the proper adherence to state and city gathering limits and health and safety best practices, in-person and hybrid meetings and events can take place now and into the future.

Event hosts, hotels and venue operators, planners, destination marketing professionals and suppliers can submit detailed information about their in-person or hybrid event which will be showcased on this page.

This resource will help planners, future meeting hosts and attendees learn best practices for meetings and events and ultimately showcase how professional meetings and events are organized responsibly with health and safety top-of-mind.

IAVM is happy to share this resource with our members and believes it is important for to gather as many examples as possible across the U.S. The goal is to use this platform to advocate on behalf of meetings and business events in several ways:

Show companies that meetings are taking place and doing so safely by showcasing a multitude of examples.

Use this tool with our elected officials to prove that business meetings and events should not be classified as a generic “gathering.” End game is to ease the restrictions and limitations to meetings and business events across the U.S.

Please visit this page with as many details as possible. Check out the best practices for submissions here and reach out to Caroline Campbell ccampbell@ustravel.org with any questions.

Nan Marchand Beauvois is Senior Vice President, Membership and Industry Relations, GM ESTO, Managing Director MMBC for U.S. Travel Association.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has confirmed that the entirety of this year’s March Madness basketball championship will be played in the state of Indiana, with the city of Indianapolis to stage the majority of games.

The NCAA first detailed the plans back in November and a tentative schedule has now been finalized. The decision to stage the showpiece event in one location is designed to enhance the safety of the tournament amid the ongoing difficulties posed by COVID-19.

Selection Sunday is scheduled for March 4 and the NCAA plans on staging the Final Four on April 3 and 4, with exact preliminary-round dates to be determined. Indianapolis had already been penciled in to stage the Final Four.

Under the new plans, games will be played on two courts inside Lucas Oil Stadium (pictured), home of the NFL Indianapolis Colts. Further games will be played at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, home of the NBA Indiana Pacers, as well as Indiana Farmers Coliseum, Mackey Arena and Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

The Indiana Convention Center will be used as a practice facility, with multiple courts to be set up inside the venue. Most of the tournament teams will be housed in Marriott properties, which will be connected to the convention center via skywalks and within a controlled environment.

The NCAA is partnering with a local health provider to administer COVID-19 testing within the controlled environment for players, coaching staffs, administrators, and officials.

The NCAA said it would continue to work with local officials to determine the feasibility of having fans attend games at any of the venues. A limited number of family members of each participating team’s athletes and coaches will be permitted to attend.

“This is a historic moment for NCAA members and the state of Indiana,” NCAA President Mark Emmert said in a statement. “We have worked tirelessly to reimagine a tournament structure that maintains our unique championship opportunity for college athletes. The reality of today’s announcement was possible thanks to the tremendous leadership of our membership, local authorities and staff.”

“The 2021 version of March Madness will be one to remember, if for no other reason than the uniqueness of the event,” said Dan Gavitt, NCAA Senior Vice President of Basketball.

“With the direction of the Men’s Basketball Committee, we are making the most of the circumstances the global pandemic has presented. We’re fortunate to have neighbors and partners in Indianapolis and surrounding communities who not only love the game of basketball as much as anyone else in the country but have a storied history when it comes to staging major sporting events.

“This is going to be complicated and difficult; there’s no question about that. We appreciate the collaboration among the Men’s Basketball Committee and staff, our hosts and local organizers, the staffs at each practice and competition venue, and our broadcast and corporate partners. We will all pull together and stage a terrific national championship.”

The NCAA is also working with the city and the state to promote “Mask Madness,” an initiative to promote health and safety by practicing social distancing and wearing a mask. Through the program, the NCAA will donate thousands of masks throughout Indiana leading up to the tournament.

The NCAA was forced to cancel last year’s March Madness due to COVID-19.