| |
Putting the “I” In International
During former IAAM president Dick Walsh’s term in office, he embarked upon
an aggressive campaign to truly make IAAM the international association for
the public assembly facility management industry. He often said that he
wanted to put the “I” in international. Dick’s vision of a global
association was right on target. Like anything else, however, the road ahead
sometimes requires an occasional detour — although each IAAM president since
has championed his vision.
 I
strongly believe that we here in North America can learn a great deal from
those in other parts of the world. In fact, those abroad are more apt to
travel to attend educational conferences and schools here in the mainland
than we are to travel overseas for that same reason. IAAM past president
Cliff Wallace, CFE, managing director of the Hong Kong Convention &
Exhibition Centre, reminded me that the cost to send a person to the United
States in some cases is the equivalent of a three-month salary.
Many parts of the world are ahead of us in the use of advance technology, as
well as access control procedures and establishing Industry standards. Thus,
this year, I have decided to continue the quest to become more global. At
the Annual Conference in Salt Lake City, which will be centered around an
Olympic theme, the president’s opening night reception has been renamed the
“President’s International Reception.”
As the acknowledged leader in the public assembly industry, and recognizing
our role on the world stage, the International Steering Committee, headed by
Bob Mayer, CFE, and IAAM ambassadors will be inviting distinguished
international guests to this year’s conference. This year, at the entrance
to the trade show floor, we will establish an International Pavilion with
the theme “Building Global Relations.” There, you’ll have an opportunity to
meet and talk with those delegates to share ideas and explore opportunities
to advance our industry and the professionalism of those who manage and
operate venues around the world.
It is IAAM’s mission to provide leadership, to educate, to inform and to
cultivate friendships among individuals involved in the management,
operation and support of public assembly facilities. Building global
relationships is at the heart of our mission.
IAAM and American Red Cross Agreement
As many of you have read, on February 27, 2007, IAAM and the
American Red Cross entered a partnership for mega shelters across the United
States by signing a Memorandum of Understanding. Dexter King, CFE and I
signed the MOU.
As president of this great association, I was humbled and pleased to sign
this document on behalf of our members. The document provides a framework
from which to start the collaboration among our organizations. Our
partnership allows the Red Cross to integrate the expertise and resources of
many of our members. Facilities are listed as shelters or may become
shelters.
Through our partnership, IAAM will help establish effective channels of
communication, develop educational material and provide training, establish
a strike force that can respond on a moments notice to a part of the
country. We will help facilitate the development technology as it relates to
credentialing and creating a national database and more. We will assist ARC
in their endeavor to deal with mega-shelters that involve our industry, and
at the same time, IAAM will do its part to assist our members as well.
“Building global relationships is at the heart of our mission.”
Additionally, and most importantly for our members, IAAM will be working
with ARC to establish a model contract for the benefit of our members who
are asked or made, in some cases, to become mega-shelters. This model
template will delineate all of the elements of not only the requirements
needed to establish and operate a mega shelter, but also the costs of
services, rental rates and agreed upon reimbursements process associated
with being a mega-shelter.
It should be understood that the agreement is on a national level; at this
time, it is not on the local level. Whether the local jurisdiction can honor
those initiatives will remain a local consideration, but as the industry
leader we will address these matters as they are revealed. Our role is to
assist in providing our membership templates from which information, support
and guidance can be gained. We believe that this agreement will help our
members make an informed decision way before a major disaster happens.
I would be remiss if I didn’t thank those who have worked so tirelessly on
this document to make this day possible — namely, Frank Poe, Greg Davis,
Turner Madden, Dexter King, Harold Hansen and our wonderful IAAM
headquarters staff. Everyone did an outstanding job!
|
 |
Larry
Perkins, CFE, CPP, CMP
IAAM President
|
|
|
Back to Facility Manager
Contents