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AS I WRITE THIS
COLUMN TODAY, our IAVM Annual Conference and Trade Show-VenueConnect is
just a couple of weeks away. Looking ahead to the next several weeks as well
as the year ahead, there is much to be done. We are in the final planning
stages for the gathering in Phoenix. The IAVM Executive Committee will meet
later this week in Chicago and interview the finalists for the President and
CEO position. We plan to introduce our new President and CEO to you at
VenueConnect. So as I pull back the curtain and give you a glimpse of some
of the behind the scenes moving parts of the association, let me share with
you some of my thoughts on the year ahead.
Today we have an 86-year-old association that is the
acknowledged leader in venue management. We have programs and content that
are the envy of the industry. We have a stable membership with more than
4,000 members. Our association has a history of strong leadership with a
focus that is member driven.
With the September retirement of our current President
and CEO, Dexter King, CFE, change is imminent. Dexter took over management
of the association at a time when stability, vision and leadership were
needed. His 10 years of leading the association have been a time of change
and innovation. His legacy will be one of handing over an organization with
strong fundamentals, financial stability and with a caring and skillful
staff.
Our new President and CEO will face some interesting
challenges. The entertainment, sports, convention and meetings industry has
seen a downturn and consolidation like nothing that we have seen before.
Unemployment rates and fuel costs are at high levels. Many of our venues
have had to reduce the number of staff. We are all doing more with less. Our
members are facing the same predicament with their volunteerism. They have
to make decisions on how and where to commit their volunteer time in order
to achieve the highest return on their investment. Our new President and CEO
will have to be mindful of members’ time and place a high value on its use.
Going hand-in-hand with respecting member time is how
we attract young professionals to association membership. Keeping IAVM
relevant to our members is the first step. Once we have attracted young
professionals, we must get them engaged in association activities so that
they develop a connection. The perceived value of IAVM membership must
translate into a must have philosophy. So how do we do this? We took the
initial step earlier last year with the launch of VenueNet, our social media
network. With this platform, our members have a tool to communicate with
others and address issues that are immediate and important to them.
Moreover, we are nearing the launch of the new
VenueDataSource research platform. This
program funded by the IAVM Foundation is going to be a game changer for the
association. We have heard for years that members have wanted comparative
data on salaries, facility operating revenue and expenses as well as a host
of other variables. Members will be able to set search parameters to
benchmark their facility against other comparable venues. This innovative
member-defined database will be the program that sets IAVM apart from the
competition. Additional modules of the
VenueDataSource platform will be rolled out over the next three
years. Having the comparable data and research will be the foundation for
the future success of IAVM. However, the data is only as good as what we put
in. It will fall on all of us to do everything possible to encourage all of
the venues within our home markets to participate in the data collection.
Another challenge facing our new President and CEO will
be how to keep IAVM responsive to the needs of a diverse membership as the
organization grows. All levels of the association, councils, committees and
headquarters staff must be sensitive to the needs and requests of the
membership and respond in a thorough and timely manner. With our new
information and research platforms, our members will be expecting feedback
to be nearly instantaneous.
Looking to the year ahead, the launching of our new
research initiative VenueDataSource,
increasing the relevance of the association, monitoring and improving our
responsiveness to member needs will advance IAVM’s reputation. The year
ahead will pose some unique opportunities and challenges for our new
President and CEO along with the new Chairman of the Board. I will do all
that I can to make this SUPER SIZED transition as seamless as possible. IAVM
is positioned for greatness. I will do all that I can to see that our
association continues to be recognized as the worldwide leader in venue
management. I hope that you enjoy Venue- Connect. I look forward to seeing
you in Phoenix!
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Randy L. Brown,
CFE
Chairman of the Board |
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