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August 15, 2008      

Association News

View IAAM Proposed Bylaw Changes

Beginning a year ago, IAAM President Steve Peters, CFE introduced the Mission, Membership, and Governance Initiative (MMGI) with a singular purpose to position the association for the future. The initiative was designed to test and evaluate current organizational precepts and, where feasible, make changes.

The IAAM Board of Directors at the conclusion of the 83rd Annual Conference & Trade Show in Anaheim, California, voted unanimously to present the proposed IAAM Bylaws prepared by the Bylaws Committee for a vote of the membership in the fall of 2008.

The proposed bylaws are available for IAAM members to download at:

http://www.iaam.org/proposed_bylaws.htm

In compliance with our current bylaws this announcement serves as the required 90 day notice to the voting process. In the upcoming months, you will be receiving additional information on what these new bylaws mean to IAAM, when voting begins, and how to cast your ballot.

Should you have feedback or wish to make comments regarding the proposed bylaws, please email IAAM Past President Steve Peters, CFE at s.peters@iaam.org or call Rosanne Duke at IAAM World Headquarters at (972) 906-7441. 

IAAM Foundation Names Board Of Trustees For 2008-2009

New officers and Trustees were approved on July 26, 2008
to serve in 2008-2009:

Jay W. Parker, Chair
National Sales Manager
Daktronics, Inc.

Joan A. LeMahieu, Past Chair
President
The Parade Company

Michael S. Taormina, CFE, Vice Chair
Managing Director
Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre

Jane Kleinberger, Treasurer
Founder, Paciolan, Inc.
Ticketmaster

Denis Braham, Trustee
Chairman & CEO
Winstead

Warren Buckley, Trustee
CEO
PavCo

Dean Dennis, Trustee
GM Pueblo Convention Center/VP Business Development
Global Spectrum

Joe Floreano, CFE, Trustee
Executive Director
Rochester Riverside Convention Center

Robert Jordan, CFE, Trustee
Vice President of Design and Construction
Meadowlands Stadium

Rick Martin, AIA, Trustee
Senior Principal
HOK Sport Venue Event

Brad Mayne, CFE, Trustee
President & CEO
American Airlines Center

Craig Skiem, Trustee
Principal
CSL International

Michele Lotterio Swann, Trustee
General Manager & CEO
Cobb-Marietta Coliseum & Exhibit Hall Authority

John Vingas, Trustee
Vice President Corporate Catering
Centerplate

Scott Williams, CFE, Trustee
Senior Vice President
EnergySolutions Arena/LHM Sports & Entertainment Group

Mich Sauers, Ex-Officio
Senior Vice President, Business Development
Comcast Spectacor

Robyn Williams, CFE, Ex-Officio
Executive Director
Portland Center for the Performing Arts

Shura Lindgren, CFE, Ex-Officio
General Manager
Global Spectrum/St. Charles Convention Center

John Siehl, CFE, Ex-Officio
Executive Director
Ervin J. Nutter Center Wright State University

Rick Haycock, CFE, Ex-Officio
General Manager
Lansdowne Park  

IAAM Foundation Awards Funding For New Projects

At their recent meeting on July 26, 2008, the IAAM Foundation Board of Trustees approved new projects in advancement of the public assembly industry. The projects, which will begin in April 2009, total $80,000:

Seed funding to establish the IAAM Venue Research Institute ($50,000)
Public assembly venues offer important benefits to their communities, enriching the quality of life and increasing economic impact. Seed funding will provide for a research structure to increase support for effective day-to-day decision-making, as well as to communicate the industry’s impact and return on investment.

Start up funding for gathering IAAM oral histories and digitizing IAAM archives ($15,000)
The industry pioneer with an 83-year heritage, IAAM must capture the wisdom and history of its leaders to ensure the lessons of the past are not lost, but are instead leveraged, to provide learning opportunities for the future. This start up funding will provide infrastructure and initial groundwork for this educational initiative.

Scholarships for college students to attend the 2009 IAAM Annual Conference & Trade Show in Boston ($10,000)
Young professionals are the future of the public assembly venue industry. These scholarships will be used to enhance the academic education of college students studying and preparing to enter the industry, by offering practical, professional-level skill development as well as providing them with networking opportunities for their anticipated employment.

Development of Public Assembly Facility Evacuation Procedures Template and Training Syllabus ($5,000)
This project will draw upon the collective experiences, existing procedure documents, lessons learned, expertise and collective wisdom to create a model document for use in the preparation of a venue’s evacuation procedures. Additionally, it will create the syllabus and training plan for a class in the development of a public assembly facilities evacuation plan, which will be held at the IAAM Academy for Venue Safety and Security.

Hurry! Time is running out to take advantage of the early-bird savings to attend this year’s 19th Annual Arena Management Conference hosted September 13-16 in Kansas City, MO.
This conference focuses on issues relevant to arenas such as increasing attendance, upcoming concert tours and new shows, publicity and advertising, merchandising, ethics, safety and security, and additional revenue sources.

CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS:
• Guest Relations Training Expert
• Customer Service Disaster – Averted!
• Safe Not Sorry: Working Together for Venue Safety
• Brand X: The Power of National Brands in Arena’s Food & Beverage
• It’s the Law: Facility Legal Issues
• Ed Burch Memorial Golf Tournament at Ironhorse Golf Club
• The ever popular ICE CREAM SOCIAL

Register today. 

IAAM is very aware of the economy and the impact traveling has on attending meetings and conferences. However, you can’t afford to miss what these programs have to offer. IAAM always negotiates a 5% air fare discount with American Airlines. You can find the details on how to use the promotional code and instructions located on each meeting page under the travel section.

You will also find other travel discounts including a car rental coupon with Avis and tons of helpful information.

Take advantage of these savings and plan on attending all the IAAM conference and meetings. You will be investing in your professional future and it will pay for itself.

When making your travel plans to attend AMC in Kansas City, MO you can receive a 5% discount off the published fare with American Airlines. The discount is good for travel between September 7-22, 2008. Go to www.aa.com to book your flight or call American Airlines at 1-800-433-1790 and refer to Promotional Code: A7898AX when making your reservation. 

ICMC Early Bird Registration Ends August 25

The International Crowd Management Conference is headed to Phoenix October 25-29 for its 26th year with an enhanced playbook that we are excited to share! This year’s conference theme is: A Good Offense is your Best Defense. The line-up for the conference includes great networking opportunities and educational sessions designed to provide crowd management professionals the skills to “move the ball” against any challenge.

2008 ICMC GAME PLAN:
• Golf Tournament at Aguila Golf Course
• Intensive Crowd Management Boot Camp for rookies, featuring Larry B. Perkins, CFE (Assistant General Manager of the RBC Center), Frank Poe (CEO Dallas Convention Center), and Stacey Gregg (Guest Services Manager for the San Diego Padres)
• Tours of all the major sports and entertainment facilities in the Phoenix area:
o University of Phoenix Stadium (home of the NFL Arizona Cardinals and Super Bowl XLII)
o Jobing.com Arena (home of the NHL Phoenix Coyotes)
o Chase Field (home of the MLB Arizona Diamondbacks)
o US Airways Center (home of the NBA Phoenix Suns)
• Crowd Management Technology Expo
REGISTER today.  

Membership... Delivering the Promise

IAAM welcomes its 72 new members who joined in June & July 2008. Why not take a few minutes to welcome them aboard? If you'd like to find out more about their facility or products and services, go to www.iaam.org., click on the "Member Directory" link and login. The Online Membership Guide has the most up-to-date information on all members of IAAM. You can also update your own membership record.

The new member listing appears in each newsletter distributed on the 15th of each month. If you have any questions, contact Gina Brydson, Membership Marketing Manager, at gina.brydson@iaam.org or (972) 906-7441.


Active Members

District 1

Lisa Bagley - XL Center/Northland AEG;  lbagley@xlcenter.com
Bob Quigley - Dartmouth Sportsplex;  quigleb@halifax.ca
Sander Van Stiphout - Amsterdam ArenA Advisory;  s.van.stiphout@amsterdamarena.nl

District 2

Michael Dunneback - University of Dayton; dunnebmb@notes.udayton.edu
Edward Labonte - Philadelphia Eagles Lincoln Finanacial Field; elabonte@eagles.nfl.com
Chanaya Sadler - La Porte Civic Auditorium; civicdirector@cityoflaporte.com
Barton Shaw - Dayton Convention Center; barton.shaw@cityofdayton.org

District 3

Eric Jones - Alltel Center; ejones@alltelcenter.com
Erika Newton - Sioux City Convention Center/Tyson Events Center/Orpheum Theatre; enewton@sioux-city.org
Jeff Hamand - The Chicago Theatre; jeff.hamand@thegarden.com
Tom Reller - Target Center Arena; tomreller@targetcenter.com
Michael Sheggeby - Eden Prairie Community Center; msheggeby@edenprairie.org

District 4

Brett Dovala - Casper Events Center; bdovala@cityofcasperwy.com
Tiffine Canepa - Casper Events Center; tcanepa@cityofcasperwy.com
Sarah Elswick - Qwest Field Event Center/First & Goal; sarahe@qwestfield.com
Elizabeth Kloxin - Ted Ferry Civic Center City of Ketchikan; lizk@city.ketchikan.ak.us
Christine Maligec - Northlands Park; cmaligec@northlands.com

District 5

Sandy Coulter - Memorial Auditorium / Tivoli Theatre; coulter_san@mail.chattanooga.gov
Wesley Cullen - SMG, Coliseo de Puerto Rico; wcullen@smgpr.com
Wes Dickerson - North Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center; wdickerson@knology.net
Shashank Gairola - Global Spectrum / The Colonial Center; sgairola@globalspectrum.com
Shawn Krauel - Americraft Expo Center; Shawn@SouthFloridafair.com
Jeffrey Mann - Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority; jeff.mann@crva-arenaops.com
Deirdra McBride - Chesapeake Conference Center; dmcbride@cityofchesapeake.net
Elizabeth McCaslin - UNE; elizabeth.mccaslin@gmail.com
Joanna Shillingford-Holder - Frank Collymore Hall; joshillingford-holder@centralbank.org.bb
Bill Tripet - Charlotte Convention Center; bill.tripet@crva.com
Sam Voisin - Shreveport Convention Center / SMG; svoisin@shreveportcenter.com

District 6

Joe Jondahl - SMG/Ford Center; jjondahl@coxconventioncenter.com
Rob Matwick - Texas Ranagers Baseball Club; rmatwick@texasrangers.com
Rick McLaughlin - Dallas Stars Hockey Club; rmclaughlin@dallasstars.com
Roy Medina - Laredo Entertainment Center; rmedina@lecarena.com
Chris Presson - Intrust Bank Arena; cpresson@smgwichita.com
Juan G Tamez Ramirez - Cintermex Convention & Exposition Facility; jgtamez@cintermex.com
Norma Reed - Dallas Convention Center City of Dallas; norma.reed@dallasconventioncenter.com
Louis Rivera - Ford Park; lrivera@fordpark.com
James Sexson - Bartlesville Community Center; bsexson@bartlesvillecommunitycenter.com
Brian Stovall - University of Texas at Austin; brianstovall@mail.utexas.edu

District 7

Darcy Carozza - Palm Springs Convention Center - SMG; dcarozza@palmspringscc.com
Thomas R. Sadler - Arizona Sports & Tourism Authority; tsadler@az-sta.com
Shari Woodbridge - Palm Springs Convention Center - SMG; swoodbridge@palmspringscc.com

District 8

Olexandr Atamanenko - Stadion Shakhtar Ltd; a.atamanenko@shakhtar.com
Stanislava Doubravova - BESTSPORT akciova spolecnost/O2 Arena; doubravova@best.sazka.cz
Felix Frei - Hallenstadion Zurich; frei@hallenstadion.ch
Alexandr Kokunko - BESTSPORT/O2 Arena; kokunko@best.sazka.cz

District 9

Daniel Andrews - Western Australian Cricket Association; daniel.andrews@waca.com.au
Roger Desailly - Stockland Park; roger@stocklandpark.com.au
Paul Drennan - Crown Melbourne Limited; pauld@crownmelbourne.com.au
Lisa Sherlock - Melbourne & Olympic Parks; lsherlock@mopt.vic.gov.au

Allied Members

District 1

Paul Claro - Tiburon Lockers, USA; jwilson@tiburonlockers.com
Jeff Harvey - International Micro Systems, Inc.; jharvey@ims-pos.com
Michael Rowe - Anthony James Partners; mrowe@anthonyjamespartners.com
Temitayo Samuel - Miss Computer College; temitayo_samuel2010@yahoo.com

District 2

Dave Watroba - LSI Graphic Solutions Plus; david.watroba@lsi-industries.com

District 3

Anita David - Dyson B2B Inc.; anita.david@dyson.com
Chris Guertin - Sport Resource Group; chris@sportresourcegroup.com
Matt LaLonde - Interkal, LLC; mlalonde@interkal.com
Derek Mertz - Bag Tags, Inc.; derek_mertz@bagtagsinc.com
Philip C. Potter - VenuWorks; ppotter@venuworks.com

District 5

Pierre D'Amours - Axcess Sports & Entertainment; pierre.damours@axcesssports.com
Larry Hughes - HiTech Electronic Displays Inc.; lhughes@hitechled.com
Robert McMyne - Hertron International of LA LLC; hertron@bellsouth.net

District 6

Paul R. Artt - QNC, Inc./Quik N' Crispy; ALREP paul@q-n-c.com
Ray Clopton - Smart Transaction Systems, Inc.; ray@smarttransactions.com
John Gormley - StoneCare of Texas; stonecareoftexas@yahoo.com
Martin Ragain - M-E Engineers, Inc.; eragain@me-engineers.com
Gil Shoshan - National Dairy Brands; gil@nationaldairybrands.com

District 7

Tony V. Bouie - Halo Cups, Inc.; corporate@halocups.com
Dion Camp-Sanders - Pacific Edison; dion@pacificedison.com
Jonathan Goldrich - CAPS Universal, Inc.; jgoldrich@capsuniversalpayroll.com
Mark Haley - Smart City ALEXT; mhaley@smartcity.com
Rip Rippetoe - Rippetoe Solutions Group LLC; rip@rsgnow.com

Student Members

District 5

James Wedel - Johnson & Wales University; JayW124@aol.com

District 6

Robert Davis - Texas A & M University The Bush School of Government & Public Service; obtdavis1@aol.com
Adrian Gonzalez - Northwood University; gonzalez856@northwood.edu
Jason Reese - Texas A & M University; reese.jd@hotmail.com
Steven Rodriguez - Northwood University; rodrique@northwood.edu   
 

INDUSTRY NEWS

In Memoriam: Robert B. Horning Jr.

Robert B. “Bob” Horning Jr., a former IAAM member and director of the Carolina Coliseum in Columbia, SC, passed away on July 30 at the age of 84.

“Although Bob attended the annual meeting over the years, I got to know him after moving to South Carolina in 1992,” said Dean H. Phillips, IAAM Past President in 1981-82. “He was a fine gentleman and very knowledgeable about the business.”

Any acknowledgments should be sent to his wife, Genet Covey Horning, at 1537 Shady Lane, Columbia, SC 29206. 

In Memoriam: Betty T. Graviss

Betty Tucker Graviss, wife of IAAM Past President Charles Graviss, passed away shortly before midnight on Wednesday, August 6 at the age of 78.

Her husband noted that in their 59-year marriage, Betty traveled to every state except Alaska to support her husband’s 40-year career in auditorium management, including his most recent position as manager of the Bakersfield (CA) Civic Auditorium.

She and Charlie married in 1949 and would have six children. She enjoyed art and painting and became well known for her beautiful seascapes and landscapes painted from the images and volumes of pictures taken in her travel throughout the United States, Mexico and Canada.

She is survived by husband, Charles, children Charles Jr., Cynthia, Arthur, Rebecca, David and Christopher, as well as 13 grandchildren. Donations may be made on behalf of Betty T. Graviss to the Bakersfield Art Association, American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, or the Kern Kiwanis Foundation in the name of Betty Graviss. 

The City of Oklahoma City approved the renewal of their agreement with SMG to continue managing the Cox Business Convention Center and Ford Center. SMG has been operating the facilities since 1999.

“The unanimous vote from the Oklahoma City Council is a testament to the partnership Oklahoma City and SMG have built over the past nine years,” said Gary Desjardins, general manager of the Ford Center and Cox Business Convention Center. “At the same time, it demonstrates the quality of the performance the SMG staff provides. SMG will continue to build upon our relationship with the City of Oklahoma City and will stay dedicated to providing first-class management to Oklahoma City residents and the patrons of their facilities.”

“SMG is a true partner with Oklahoma City and its residents,” added Tom Anderson, executive manager of special projects under the office of city manager. “The City of Oklahoma City has been very pleased with the overall performance provided by SMG.”

Texas Motorplex Engages Management Firm

Texas Motorplex has engaged Glenn Menard, owner of GEM Consulting event and facility management firm, to provide management services to the metro Texas Motorplex that is home to the O’Reilly Auto Parts Super Start Battery Fall Nationals September 18-21, 2008.

Menard will provide on-site management services as interim general manager, prepare for this year’s NHRA event, and provide recruitment services to identify a permanent General Manager.

With an extensive background in event and facility management for events ranging from top-tier, live entertainment to professional, collegiate and amateur sporting events, Menard has directed operations for more than 100 concerts, Super Bowl XXXVI and NFL regular season games, three NCAA Final Fours, BCS Championship, NBA basketball, Olympic tennis in Atlanta and World Cup soccer in Dallas.

“Glenn’s extensive experience and deep understanding of big events makes him the ideal fit for the Texas Motorplex as we ramp up for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Super Start Battery Fall Nationals,” said Billy Meyer, Texas Motorplex president. “More importantly, his knowledge of and passion for drag racing is well known in the racing community, making his insights invaluable within the sport.”

Menard was most recently the general manager of the Louisiana Superdome and New Orleans Arena, where he led the team responsible for the reconstruction and reopening of the two facilities following Hurricane Katrina, including the renovation of the Superdome for the historic return of the New Orleans Saints a year following the devastating storm, as well as the NBA’s New Orleans Hornets the same year.

The Board of Directors of the International Association of Congress Centres (AIPC) announced that the winner of the 2008 AIPC Apex Award for “World’s Best Convention Centre” is the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre in Canada. The Award presentation was made at this year’s AIPC 50th Anniversary Annual Conference in Singapore, from a field of 18 finalists who had qualified to compete for this highly sought-after recognition.

“This year’s Award is of particular significance for two reasons,” said AIPC President
Edgar Hirt. “First, it covers the period of the past two years, since it is now a biannual award out of respect for the investment of time it requires from the center clients whose assessments form the basis for the evaluation. Secondly, this is the first time in the history of the AIPC Apex Award that it has been won by a previous AIPC Apex Award winner. We therefore want to particularly commend the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre for what is an unprecedented achievement.”

The AIPC Apex Award recipient is identified through a comprehensive performance and customer satisfaction analysis carried out under the auspices of the Solvay Business School of the University of Brussels. The "blind" evaluation used in the selection process ensures an objective analysis of the data arising from a series of surveys covering such topics as congress facilities, project management, customer relations, catering and technology. AIPC Apex Award surveys are completed by event organizers and meeting planners and provided in confidence directly to the evaluation team, who rate centres accordingly. 

New Lancaster County Convention Center And Lancaster Marriott At Penn Square
Crowns City Emergence

The Lancaster County Convention Center (LCCC) and Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square, the $170 million cornerstone to the revitalization of downtown Lancaster, Pa., are the most important regional economic development undertaking in decades. The new, integrated facility of both the convention center and adjoining 300-room hotel, representing a combined 90,000 square feet of meeting space, are currently being built within the façade of the historic Watt & Shand department store site. Unique from traditional northeast meeting locations, Lancaster blends the convenience of being centrally located to the metropolitan cities of Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and New York, with quiet sophistication. Both the convention center and hotel are scheduled to open in March 2009.

“Lancaster County has a wide variety of entertainment, historic sites and a reputation for value. The local community is preparing to welcome new visitors with a special touch of Lancaster hospitality. Several great meeting and convention prospects are already in the works,” says Chris Barrett, president and CEO, Pennsylvania Dutch Convention and Visitors Bureau.

With more than 48,000 square feet of unobstructed meeting and exhibit space and two ballrooms of more than 9,000 square feet each, the Lancaster County Convention Center offers meeting planners abundant, flexible space for groups of a wide variety of sizes. The convention center and hotel provide savvy travelers with the latest state-of-the-future, high-tech amenities.

Crowning the downtown district, the convention center and hotel are built in the historical context of the charming city of Lancaster by incorporating the façade of the nearly 110-year-old Watt & Shand department store. The luxurious interiors of both the hotel and convention center exude a modern, cosmopolitan look -- reflecting rich hues of olive, gold and burnt orange accented with cherry wood.   

Daktronics Undertakes Biggest Project In History Of Company

Daktronics has been selected to provide one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive integrated LED video display and scoring systems for the new stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. The stadium is scheduled to open in the fall of 2010. The project, which is still subject to parties entering into a final agreement, is expected to exceed $45 million and would be the largest in Daktronics history.

“The selection of Daktronics as the designer and manufacturer of an incredible, integrated display system is another big step toward the opening of the new stadium,” said Mark Lamping, president and CEO of the New Meadowlands Stadium Company.
The advanced digital display system will allow for both the New York Jets and New York Giants to customize their in-game presentations and their team branding and messages to maximize excitement and entertainment for their fans.

Ovations Food Services Selects Radiant Systems As Preferred Point-Of-Sale And Back Office Provider

Radiant Systems announced that Ovations Food Services has selected the company’s Quest point of sale (POS) and VenueManager back office as its preferred solution for existing and future venues.
“After an extensive search for a technology partner, we chose Radiant because of the company’s satisfied customers and superior venue-management capabilities,” said Todd Wickner, principal and COO of Ovations Food Services. “We were impressed by the exceptional reliability of Quest VenueManager, and we are confident the solution will allow us to provide quick, efficient food and beverage service to our event venue customers nationwide.”

The Quest POS and VenueManager technology will enable faster customer service for concession stands, in-seat ordering, suite catering and retail merchandise operations.

Santa Clara CC Purchases Clean Renewable Energy

Having won the Waste Reduction Awards Program (WRAP) award for five consecutive years, the Santa Clara Convention Center has long been a leader in saving energy and waste. Now, the center has purchased over 1.5 million kilowatt hours of clean, renewable energy or one-half of the output of one large-scale turbine on an annual basis.

This new commitment in partnership with Silicon Valley Power will provide environmental savings through preventing the release of 933 tons of carbon dioxide, a key greenhouse gas. This is the climate impact equivalent to planting 777 acres of forest or taking 171 cars off the road for one year.
“This is only the beginning of a broad set of initiatives we plan on implementing to conserve energy and minimize our impact on the environment,” said Lisa Moreno, convention center general manager.
 

RI Convention Center Authority Commences Operations At VMA

The Rhode Island Convention Center Authority’s (RICCA) Board of Commissioners approved a resolution enabling the Authority to assume the lease of the Veterans Memorial Auditorium (VMA) from the State’s Department of Administration. The Authority’s Board also approved a resolution to take over operations of the VMA and enter into a management agreement with Professional Facilities Management (PFM) of Providence.

“Veterans Memorial Auditorium is a critical asset for the state’s arts and veterans communities,” said David Duffy, chair, Rhode Island Convention Center Authority. “The state has invested millions of dollars to keep this facility running and without it, organizations like the Rhode Island Philharmonic and Festival Ballet would be left without a performance space.”

PFM quickly named Stephen Habl to the top management position at the theater. Habl had been special events manager at the Twin River Casino. He also was the technical director for the Warwick Musical Theatre for nearly five years. 

News : On The Move : Career Opportunities : Internships
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