 A new direction may be in the near future for the International Association of Assembly Managers (IAAM), the leading worldwide organization representing public assembly managers worldwide. At the annual meeting of the organization, the 82nd Annual IAAM Conference & Trade Show, held July 20-24 at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, incoming IAAM president, Steven L. Peters, CFE, spoke of the need to change but insisted that first the direction of that change must be determined. “We have the opportunity re-examine our goals and start embarking on exciting and global challenges,” said Peters. “I am delighted to serve as president for the association as we begin new adventures this year.”
Peters, who is president of VenuWorks, a newly "rebranded" venue management company , selected "Making a  World of Difference" as the theme of his inaugural speech, noting that his tenure will focus on examining the association’s mission, membership, and governance in order to identify where and how to make that difference. "Over the course of the next two years, virtually every council, committee and task force of the IAAM will be touched by the process," he promised.
 Peters also emphasized the need of a closer relationship with the IAAM Foundation. He said, "It is a pleasure to work with the Foundation and I look forward seeing an increase in membership participation by 10 percent this year," Peters added.
 The event, the 82nd Annual IAAM Conference & Trade Show, drew approximately 2,400 attendees. The combined trade show with the National Association of Concessionaires featured a total of 327 exhibiting companies. While the numbers of both attendees and exhibitors experienced a slight dip compared to last year’s convention, overall the end result was a success. "We were very pleased with this year's annual conference," said Meredith Craig, IAAM Public Relations Manager. "Our walk-up registration greatly exceeded our expectations and our revenue was the highest on record."
 For exclusive photographs from the 82nd Annual IAAM Conference & Trade Show, click here.
Highlights of the conference portion of the event included gold medal gymnast Mary Lou Retton , who gave a  seminar entitled, "The Competitive Edge," and corporate consultant, Kevin Carroll, who spoke on the topic, "Rediscovering Play: Bringing Fun and Passion to Your Work…and Life." Other events at the the 82nd Annual IAAM Conference & Trade Show included the New Member/First Timer Breakfast and the Past Presidents Dinner, which was sponsored by Facilities Magazine, which is part of the Facilities Media Group (publishers of this website, facilitiesonline.com)
At the event, new office holders were announced, including Robyn Williams, CFE, Executive Director of the Portland Center for the Performing Arts, was moved to first vice president of the association, and Shura Lindgren, CFE, General Manager of the St. Charles Convention Center, was voted in by the membership as second vice president.
Outgoing president, Larry Perkins, CFE, General Manager of the RBC Center in Raleigh, NC awarded Presidential Citations in recognition of contributions to the association and the industry. Recipients included, Peggy Daidakis, Executive Director of the Baltimore Convention Center, Adonis "Sporty" Jeralds, CFE, instructor at Johnson and Wales University and Sandy Webb, Director, of IAAM Meetings and Events.
 Additional awards presented to recognize service to IAAM included the Charles A. McElravy Award and the Joseph J. Anzivino Distinguished Allied Award. Lionel J. Dubay, Director of the Stephen C. O'Connell Center at the University of Florida, was presented with the Charles A. McElravy Award and Chris Bigelow, President of The Bigelow Companies, Inc., received the Joseph J. Anzivino Distinguished Allied Award.
|
