IAVM Phoenix 2011

The International Association of Venue Managers annual convention is just a few days away and soon, venue managers from all over the world will be converging on Phoenix for the five-day event.

“VenueConnect this year will have some great programming, and it’s all located downtown at the convention center, immediately adjacent to the host hotel at the Sheraton. All of our events are compact, right in the downtown area,” said Kevin Mattingly, GM of the Phoenix Convention Center, which is playing host to the conference, on a promo video.

Click here to read our guide to Phoenix Venues

Phoenix is at its heart a desert city and July is one of the city’s hottest months. The National Weather Service is forecasting a high of 102 degrees and a low of 84 next week.

“It’s going to be hot here in July. Having said that, distances downtown are close, everything is well located, everything is air conditioned and outside there are misters everywhere,” said attorney Steve Adelman, who works with IAVM’s Life Safety Council and lives in Phoenix, on a promo video. “It’s very nice in the early morning and evening, but during the heat of the day, no one does air conditioning like we do here in Phoenix. It’s a very dry heat, which means there’s no humidity, so it’s more comfortable to walk around.”

This year’s conference features two keynote speakers. On Tuesday at 9 a.m. will be author Sheldon Bowles, who co-authored the book “Raving Fans! A Revolutionary Approach to Customer Service.”

“It’s been a bible for customer service and I’ve read it many times,” said Kim Bedier from the Comcast Arena in Everett, Wash. Bedier sits on the executive committee for IAVM. “(Bowles) speaks on issues that are very relevant to our core business.”

On Wednesday at 8:30 a.m., Juliet Funt will serve as keynote. Funt is the daughter of the Candid Camera comedian Allen Funt, and her talk is titled “Overcommitted, Overwhelmed and Over It!” She will look at how professionals juggle busy lifestyles with little time to spare and offers tips on time management and keeping up with our busy to-do lists.

A replacement for longtime CEO and President Dexter King is expected to be announced during the 4 p.m. IAVM Business Meeting on Tuesday.

“My role this next year will be bridging the gap between our new leader and our association,” said Randy Brown, incoming chairman of IAVM. “The new director is going to have to bring his/her vision and evaluate where our operation is going and make decisions about where we’re headed in the future. Our organization has had a great history, but we’re also at a crossroads as we prepare to make a transition to a new level.”

Click here to read our Q&A with Randy Brown

Brown is succeeding John Siehl of VenuWorks, who will be stepping down after serving his year as leader of IAVM. Richard Andersen from Northlands in Edmonton, Alberta will be promoted to the First Vice Chair position for IAVM and John Bolton from the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla., is expected to be selected as Second Vice Chair.

This year, IAVM will launch the Social Media Lab, a staffed computer lab where venue managers can get one-on-one training in front of a PC and learn to use new interactive tools like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Cynthia Weaver, Communications director for the convention center and her intern, Richanna James, will staff the lab from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

For the second year in a row, IAVM will honor four facilities with its Venue Excellence Awards, which are given out immediately following the Chairman’s Opening Reception Monday night at 7:30 p.m. inside the Phoenix Convention Center. Kevin Twohig from the Spokane Arena is the winner of this year's prestigous McElravy Award.

Click here to read our profile on Kevin Twohig

As for the dozens of panels taking place over the five-day convention, Bedier said she’s most excited about the Wednesday forum dubbed “Your Deal Sucks 101.” It’s a twist on the agents/promoter panel, moderated by Dan Steinberg from Square Peg Concerts in Auburn, Wash. Besides Bedier, the panel also includes David Britz from Stiletto Entertainment, Harvey Cohen from Union Ltd., Rick Farrell from ICM and Jason Zink from Sherpa Concerts. The panel will be followed by a reception with the agents that includes a hosted bar.

For Gregg Wolfe, professional development manager at the IAVM, the standout panel to attend is “The Future of Sports Venue Business: Major Teams Panel,” which includes representatives from the Arizona Cardinals, the Phoenix Suns and the Phoenix Coyotes on Tuesday at 10:45 a.m.

“We’re also very enthusiastic about our trade show,” said Wolfe, which opens Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. and continues Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Thursday from noon to 4 p.m. Besides the Sustainability Showcase which will highlight green innovations for facilities, Wolfe also said to visit the Global Lounge, which will highlight the Association’s new Data Source product.

The Conference closes out Thursday with a Fun Night event at the nearby Arizona Science Center, which houses a planetarium, an Imax movie theater and plenty of food, drinks and socializing.

And don't forget to join us for our annual Women of Influence Reception, Wednesday from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Click here for more information

Interviewed for this article: Kevin Mattingly, (602) 262-6794; Kim Bedier, (425) 322-2611; Randy Brown, (260) 482-9502; Greg Wolfe, (972) 538-1024