The International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) is pleased to announce that it will hold the 2021 (August 3-5) VenueConnect Annual Conference & Trade Show in Atlanta, Georgia at Georgia World Congress Center. IAVM’s VenueConnect is the leading industry conference that provides targeted education created specifically for more than 2,000 arena, stadium, convention center, performing arts center, amphitheater & fairgrounds, and college & university venue professionals.

VenueConnect 2021 will bring the conference and trade show back to Atlanta for the first time since 2002. Georgia World Congress Center Authority’s (GWCCA) ever-evolving campus spans 220-plus acres and includes Centennial Olympic Park, the lasting legacy of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United, and opening in 2022, GWCCA’s headquarter hotel Signia Hilton.

GWCCA, a self-sustained state agency, is entrusted as stewards of these state-owned assets, and has invested more than $360 million over the last decade to improve connectivity between its facilities and downtown Atlanta’s surrounding hospitality district.

“IAVM is excited to bring VenueConnect 2021 to Atlanta,” said Brad Mayne, CVE, IAVM CEO and President.  “The GWCCA offers unique backdrops to the VenueConnect experience, but also access to the communities and venues that the Association serves for our attendees.  Georgia World Congress Center will provide unique opportunities for our attendees to learn and network.”

Atlanta will provide the perfect setting for attendees from all sectors, and GWCCA provides quick access.  From State Farm Arena, home to the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, the Fox Theatre, College Football Hall of Fame, Center for Civil and Human Rights, CNN Studio Tours and more, conference participants will have many historic and cultural venue options to explore.

More information regarding VenueConnect 2021 will be announced at a later time at www.iavm.org.

About IAVM: Representing public assembly venues from around the globe, IAVM’s 6,800+ active members include managers and senior executives from auditoriums, arenas, convention centers, exhibit halls, stadiums, performing arts centers, university complexes, racetracks, and amphitheaters. IAVM’s mission is to educate, advocate for, and inspire public assembly venue professionals worldwide. More information about IAVM is available at www.IAVM.org or via @IAVMWHQ on Twitter.

From Paciolan news release

Paciolan has announced that Jane Kleinberger will retire from the company she co-founded after nearly four decades.

Since founding Paciolan in 1980, Kleinberger helped grow the company into the second-largest primary ticketing solution provider in North America. Today, Paciolan is a force in ticketing as the largest provider in college athletics, with over 135 clients, along with a large footprint in arenas, professional sports, and performing arts.

Kleinberger was the first female CEO of a major ticketing company, and her strong legacy is upheld today by President and CEO, Kim Damron, along with CFO, Kim Boren, and many other talented female leaders at Paciolan.

Kleinberger has long been a ticketing industry icon. She served as a board member and eventual chairperson for the International Ticketing Association (INTIX), worked as a member and active participant of the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM), was a regular guest lecturer on the university circuit and worked closely with many other industry organizations throughout her career.

The recipient of several prestigious industry awards, Kleinberger was recognized in the inaugural class of Sports Business Journal Game Changers, and she received IAVM’s Joseph J. Anzivino Distinguished Allied Award, the Venues Now Woman of Influence Award and the Patricia G. Spira Lifetime Achievement Award from INTIX.

“Jane has been an inspiration as a founder and leader in the ticketing industry and we are grateful for all of her accomplishments,” Damron said. “Her vision and perseverance helped grow Paciolan into the thriving business that it is today by forging long-term relationships with clients and our community.”

Paciolan was the first ticketing company to introduce the “venue enablement model” providing teams and venues with the ability to sell directly to customers under their own brand. This model continues to grow as a strong opportunity for live entertainment organizations to increase revenue and build lifetime customer relationships.

“I’ve known Jane for my entire career and her passion and vision is what brought me to Paciolan over 16 years ago,” said Steve Demots, CRO of Paciolan. “It has been an honor working alongside her to help grow the business.”

Although she is retiring from the advisory role that she held for the past two years at Paciolan, Jane plans to stay close to the live entertainment space, look for opportunities to give back, and provide guidance to the next generation of entrepreneurs.

“I am so very proud of what Paciolan has become and the exceptional team of diverse leaders that continue to drive it forward,” Kleinberger said. “It has been my privilege to work with them as well as so many wonderful clients and friends in this industry that means so much to me.”

By Michele Remenschneider

As part of our annual All Employees Meeting, the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum invited IAVM Director of Education Mark Herrera to talk to our staff members. When we were in the planning stages Mr. Herrera suggested we could include some of our local venue partners to join in on the training.

We ended up holding two training sessions. The first one included members of our local law enforcement agencies, sports teams, local theatres, our zoo, airport, and others involved in putting on events. We were excited to host the gathering of colleagues. The training was well received and provided a platform to share contact information and resources.

Our annual meeting was attended by all of our staff as part of our gearing up for the busy time of year. Mark did the Situational Awareness training and once again it was a huge win. His ability to relate to the crowd, share his experiences, as well as provide tips and best practices for providing a safe environment was a great training opportunity. I know our awareness level was raised and we are better equipped to see something, say something and especially do something!

Mark trained nearly 400 people during his time in Fort Wayne. Our building is truly grateful to Mark and the IAVM for their commitment to education, training, and safety.

Michele Remenschneider is vice president of event services for Allen County War Memorial Stadium in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

By Mary Klida

Claude Molinari, general manager of ASM Global/TCF Center, announced that TCF Center has been awarded LEED Gold Certification. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is the foremost program for buildings, homes and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained and operated for improved environmental and human health performance. With 2.4 million square feet in the venue, TCF Center becomes the largest LEED certified building in the state of Michigan.

The certification plaque was presented to Molinari in a ceremony at TCF Center by Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO, USGBC.

“LEED is a transformative tool that is helping communities build spaces that are not only better for the environment, but for people too,” Ramanujam said. “By prioritizing sustainability, TCF Center is leading the way in its industry. It is moving beyond construction and efficiency and finding ways to help us improve our quality of life by creating spaces that prioritize health and well-being.”

TCF Center opened as the largest convention center in the United States in 1960 and underwent a major renovation in 1989. Its Green Committee was formed in 2011 with members from every administrative department and vendor company in the building, obtaining the venue’s green certifications and developing sustainable operations. The facility’s most recent $279 million renovation in 2015 included significant upgrades in energy HVAC saving equipment, water saving fixtures, and a living green roof. With a grant from the Smart Buildings Detroit Energy Conservation Program, the venue also installed overall energy reduction enhancements. Those include $9.9 million in insulation, computerized mechanical and lighting controls, induction lighting in all exhibit halls, enclosed loading docks and energy efficient escalators.

“We continue to make strides in improving the sustainability of our offerings,” Molinari said. “Receiving our LEED Gold Certification signals that our venue is truly world-class with all of the benefits a sustainable environment offers.”

The ongoing improvements in sustainable operations over the years at TCF Center got the attention of some of the event industry’s most influential trade shows that promote global environmentalism such as Sustainable Brands, an association of global brand leaders shaping the future of commerce. It held its first event at TCF Center in 2017 where it recorded a 92 percent waste diversion rate. Sustainable Brands once again selected TCF Center for its SB’19 Conference because of the venue’s commitment to sustainability and efforts in encouraging suppliers to follow best practices. The conference held June 4-6 2019 achieved zero waste status by recording a 100 percent diversion rate.

“TCF Center’s commitment to sustainability and reducing its environmental impact was an important factor in why we wanted to bring our global event to Detroit. We are excited to hear about TCF Center’s new LEED certification and hope that this will help attract similar events to Detroit and to TCF Center,” said David Fiss, director business development, partnerships and event strategy for Sustainable Brands.

TCF Center was recognized by LEED for several best practices resulting in the certification. High efficiency of having 1,200 parking spaces on the roof top was noted, along with the reflective surfaces of the roof and the venue’s Living Green Roof. Efficiency of water use was highly rated as was the venue’s sustainability marketing efforts with specific credit to the “Sustainability Lives Here” campaign designed by Detroit-based Lovio George Communications.

LEED is the most widely used green building rating system and a symbol of international excellence. Green buildings allow venues like TCF Center to operate more sustainably and provide a healthier, more comfortable space for people to enjoy. More than 98,500 commercial and institutional projects are currently participating in LEED, comprising more than 21 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and more than 175 countries and territories. There are 213 LEED certified buildings in the Metro Detroit area.

“TCF Center has actively been working to push the needle on sustainable operations since 2011,” said Joel Howrani Heeres, director, Office of Sustainability for the City of Detroit. “This LEED Gold certification recognizes their efforts to reduce their environmental impact while still being a leader in the tourism and events industry. TCF Center serves as an excellent example to other building owners in Detroit. The changes they’ve made to both their operations and organizational culture will help the city as it moves towards a future as a sustainable and resilient city.”

Mary Klida is senior marketing & communications manager at TCF Center, formerly Cobo Center.

By Tyler Koonce

Henderson Engineers announced the promotion of Julie Pierce to senior vice president. This promotion was a natural next step for Pierce who stepped into a business unit leader role at Henderson last year following her successful tenure as the director of operations for the firm’s Kansas City, Missouri office. Pierce will help guide the firm’s growth along with its executive leadership team.

Since joining Henderson in 1998, Pierce has risen through the ranks from project manager to team leader to senior leadership. She will continue to operate as a business unit leader for Henderson, overseeing engineering teams that specialize in K-12 education, sports and recreation, venue, higher education, and workplace projects. Pierce also leads the firm’s architectural lighting design group, which she cofounded in 2002.

“Julie has been a crucial part of our firm’s development since she joined us more than 21 years ago,” President and CEO Rich Smith said. “Her positive energy, diligence, integrity with clients, passion, and technical skill for her craft is unmatched. Julie has been a mentor and friend to so many during her tenure and has played a huge role in our record growth as a firm.”

“I am incredibly thankful to Rich and the entire leadership team for having the faith in me to grow into this exciting new challenge,” Pierce said. “Throughout my career at Henderson, I’ve been able to connect my passions to provide engineering solutions for our clients, mentoring and professional development to colleagues and students, and contribute to the revitalization and development of Kansas City. I am beyond grateful and can’t wait to see our firm continue to grow and change the industry.”

At Henderson, Pierce is passionate about professional development and cofounded Empow[HER], the firm’s dedicated women’s network. Created for women by women, the Empow[HER] program was designed to help propel women within the company and industry through collaboration and connections. Empow[HER] offers educational sessions, networking, and programs that foster the growth of professional relationships and encourages girls and young women to develop an interest in and eventually pursue careers in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) fields. Since the program was launched in 2014, membership has grown to more than 100 individuals. The group produces more than 15 internal and external programs each year, including the popular Junior Engineering Day.

Pierce also is a member of numerous civic initiatives throughout Kansas City, including serving as the incoming chair of the Downtown Council of Kansas City. After serving as vice chair of the organization and chair of the business retention and attraction committee, Pierce is poised to take over as the chair on Nov. 1 and is looking forward to helping advance key initiatives such as the Downtown KC 2030 Strategic Plan.

She is a member of the KC Chamber’s Executive Women’s Leadership Council, served on the board of directors for the American Institute of Architects (AIA) – Kansas City chapter, participates as a mentor in Lead to Read KC, and was a judge and mentor for Future City. In 2018, she was honored in the Kansas City Business Journal’s “Women Who Mean Business” class and received the Groundbreaking Leadership STEMMy Award from Central Exchange.

Also in 2018, Pierce was inducted into the Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering Academy (CEAE) at the University of Kansas. This prestigious recognition honors distinguished alumni and friends in recognition of professional achievements, civic service, advocacy, and support for KU CEAE. Pierce graduated from KU in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science in architectural engineering.

Tyler Koonce is communications manager for Henderson Engineers.