By John Meyer, CVE
CVE CORNER
Beth, when people inquire about how we venue managers hap- pened to come upon this industry for a career, many say they just fell into it out of the blue. How about you? What is your back- ground, and how did you happen to enter this industry? Where are you working now?
I’m one of those that fell into the profession. I was going to lose my uni- versity job when I graduated from college. My sister carpooled with the said I could work selling tickets until I found a full-time job. Within nine manager. Four months later, there was a management shake-up and all - sition that I really wanted. In order to get the job buying ads for events, Band … I was clueless what I doing and how it all worked, but it was work for a K-12 school district (we have 12 high schools and 117,000 students) that owns the Berry Center in northwest Houston. The facil- ity is a complex consisting of an 8,300-seat arena, a 500-seat theatre, a 16,000 square feet conference center and an 11,000-seat stadium with 4,000 parking spaces. Although I have primarily worked in arenas, the logistics of coordinating multiple events in a variety of facility types at the same time has been great fun to learn.
What is one thing that people that know you would be surprised to learn about you?
I drive a 2006 5-speed Saturn Vue that just hit 85,000 miles. I am wait- ing for driverless cars before I buy a new one.
You have achieved your CVE and have been actively involved on the IAVM Board. Why did you decide to pursue your CVE? Did you find it a challenging process? If so, in what way? Why would you encourage others to strive for this distinction?
My decision to pursue my CVE was the result of a challenge from a member. As you said, the process is challenging, so I gave myself a month to answer the essay portion, jotting down thoughts in the appro- priate section whenever I had a few minutes each day. What surprised me was as the sentences became paragraphs, my answers evolved into the philosophical reasons I work in venue management, as well as the importance of our industry to other’s lives, neither of which I’d ever considered. By the time I submitted my essay questions, I had a renewed commitment to our profession. The multiple-choice test prep was chal- lenging for me, since I hadn’t taken a test since college. Although I was on the IAVM Foundation Board when the Venue Management School was created, I had never attended it. So, to prepare for the test, I bor- rowed the monographs to use as a study guide. The oral portion was intense, because I was presenting my thoughts to my peers. This part reminded me of an oral interpretation contest in college, so I used the essay questions to prepare.
How would you respond to those who are obviously qualified to enter the CVE process when they say that they don’t have the time, that they do not perceive any value in it or that they are hesi- tant to pursue it because of fear of failure?
In the early 90’s, members would joke saying you just had to know some- Employment.” I can assure you that neither statement has ever been true. Investing the time to obtain your CVE, like anything of worth, is a decla- ration of belief in your career. It requires you dig deep into your heart to any of the steps (writing the essay is not something you can knock out on a Sunday night like you did in college!), just ask yourself, if it was easy would is a “Career Valued Experience.”
If you were not working in venue management where do you think you would be working right now? Why?
I can’t imagine there is an industry that would be as much fun or as sat- isfying that could have held my interest for so many years as venue man- agement. I struggle with that now, thinking about what I will retire to. Last year, IAVM Chair Michael Marion, CVE, and I had a conversation about knowing when it was time to retire and let someone else have a chance at the GM job. He asked me if I was still having fun. I said “Every day!”
Beth, have you read any good books lately?
I love John Grisham stories since they often have Memphis references. I started The Rooster Bar on the plane ride home from Toronto. Can’t wait
What types of music do you enjoy listening to?
the Mid-South Coliseum and at the Stax Museum for American Soul Mu- sic, my go-to music is always soul.
Gaze into your crystal ball now and tell us what you see are the future major challenges the Certification Board will be confront- ed with. How do you think the Board should be preparing to meet them?
The IAVM membership is global, but the CVE and CVP tests are written challenges is to address how to make the test available and pertinent to our international members. The addition of a CVE from Australia and from Mexico to the Board and working closely with Brad Mayne and Rosanne Duke is a good start.
IAVM 9
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60