Officials for the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) have announced the creation of an association alliance between the IAVM and the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) to enhance professional educational programs.
The IAVM is one of the world’s largest professional associations dedicated to supporting more than 4,000 venue professionals from arenas, stadiums, convention centers, performing arts halls and university complexes and allied members that support venues with services and products. The IAEE is composed of approximately 1,300 member organizations and more than 8,000 individual members. More than half of the IAEE’s members are directly involved in the planning, management and production of exhibitions and buyer-seller events.
“When our staffs met to discuss an alliance, several areas were identified where it 
makes sense for us to partner with one another,” said Cathy Braden, COO, and IAEE. “The IAEE has a philosophy that when two industry organizations can collaborate and it benefits each other’s members, every effort should be made to move forward with the collaboration. We are pleased that this has worked out.”
As part of the alliance, the two organizations will cross-market educational programs and networking events and other products developed for their memberships. The alliance will allow for cross-participation at live programs and access to digital resources from both associations. Additionally, both organizations will endorse the certifications offered to their memberships: IAVM offers a Certified Facilities Executive designation (CFE) and IAEE offers a Certified in Exhibition Management designation.
Additionally, the two associations will partner to co-support women in leadership roles in the exhibition, event and venue industries. This May, IAVM will promote IAEE’s Women’s Leadership Forum at the Fairmont Hotel, Washington, DC, and IAVM members will be able to register at the IAEE member rate for the event. The program will feature Hattie Hill as the leadership facilitator. Hill will lead conversations throughout the day with her philosophy of “smart people, smart choices, and smart processes.” Hill’s client list includes many Fortune 500 companies in the U.S., and she has facilitated training in more than 40 countries.
Hill will facilitate a panel of chief-executive females who will provide their insights on how they reached the top, how they balance their work life and personal life, and how they overcame the challenges of reaching the top. Panel members include Mary Delayer, CEO of IDG World Expo, and Christine Duffy, president and CEO, Cruise Lines International Association. Betsy Myers, a senior official in the Clinton Administration, will be the featured speaker for the program.
As part of IAVM’s efforts to recognize women in leadership roles, IAVM will present an educational session at their annual Venue Connect conference, July 27-30, focused on the development of female leaders. IAVM will also host the “Women of Influence” reception presented by Venues Today magazine, recognizing top women executives in the venue industry during the conference in New Orleans.
“We are very excited to be able to join forces with IAEE’s team and interact with their membership of highly capable and passionate event and exhibition professionals,” said Vicki Hawarden, president and CEO, IAVM. “Many of the IAVM’s goals and our basic mission overlap with the IAEE’s. The opportunity to encourage their members to participate in our educational and networking events will truly expand the quality of networking and substantially increase the depth and breadth of expertise found within both organization’s memberships.”
The IAVM was founded in 1924 as the Auditorium Managers Association and has more than 3,900 members worldwide. The IAVM is a professional association dedicated to issues relevant to the management of public assembly venues.
Formed in 1928, the IAEE is the largest association of the exhibitions and events industry in the world with a membership of show organizers, exhibitors and exhibition suppliers. Organizers of more than 20,000 exhibitions and buyer-seller events around the world are members of the IAEE.
