ICMC 2012 explores all aspects of crowd management, safety and security, guest services and the enhancement of the guest experience.

In addition to increasing your value and gaining essential skills, you will also have the opportunity to participate in the Guest Services Professional (GSP) program. The program was created to develop and recognize the professionalism of individuals in the guest services and crowd management disciplines of the venue management industry, in earning a Guest Services Professional designation.

GSP is the only program of its kind within the industry and is only available through attendance and participation in the educational programming at ICMC and other required educational programs.

Antony Bonavita, Chair of the International Crowd Management Committee and Vice President, Facility Operations, Cavaliers Operating Company/Quicken Loans Arena welcomes ICMC 2012 attendees to Phoenix:

On behalf of the ICMC committee and the IAVM leadership, it is my pleasure to welcome you to beautiful Phoenix, AZ for the International Crowd Management Conference. Congratulations on making a commitment to your own professional development, which will allow our industry to continue being the benchmark in providing Great Guest Experiences.

We are confident that you will gain valuable experiences and lessons over the next few days and maybe even have some fun along the way. We have a full slate for you this week starting on Sunday with the evacuation exercise at University of Phoenix Stadium. Thank you to John Drum and Peter Sullivan and their staffs for allowing us to use their venue for this exercise. We keep you busy on Monday with a full day of sessions, capped by a review of the operation exercise at the US Airways Center during the Suns/Nuggets game. Un grande ringraziamento (a big thank you) to Ralph Marchetta and team at the US Airways Center for providing us the opportunity to review them in action. Also, thanks to Russ Simons and Venue Solutions Group for setting up the review procedure and sponsoring the session. Last but not least, thank you to the Phoenix Convention Center for opening their doors to us on Monday and for their support throughout the program development process.

Thank you to all our sponsors, who without their support this conference would be much more difficult to plan and for you to attend.

To those of you that are on the Guest Services Professional (GSP) track, congratulations. We are excited that some of you are completing the three year curriculum and ready to earn your GSP designation. We hope others will follow suit. The safety, security, and guest services areas of our industry are critical to our venue's success, and what keeps people coming back. THANK YOU to all the ICMC committee members, past and present for their hard work and effort as we strived to take this conference from for good to GREAT. I appreciate you making some new ideas a reality. I am a better professional because of all of you and I am blessed to have made so many new friendships. I hope you are proud of what we have accomplished together and wish you all the best as you take this conference to even greater heights. To my friend Randy Vogel, ICMC is under your leadership now, it makes me feel good knowing this conference is in good hands ... best of luck my friend.

Be Safe, Be Great...

Antony

Antony Bonavita
Chair, International Crowd Management Committee
Vice President, Facility Operations, Cavaliers Operating Company/Quicken Loans Arena