Richard Andersen’s professional career includes 28 years in Major League Baseball and the National Football League. Richard served as Executive Vice President of the San Diego Padres and General Manager of PETCO Park, and as President and CEO of Joe Robbie Stadium (now Hard Rock Stadium) in Miami, Florida, current home to the Miami Dolphins and then home of the Florida (now Miami) Marlins. He has overseen Super Bowls, World Series, Olympic Games activities and a host of large sports and entertainment events – and wrestled an actual bear.

Richard’s true passion however is around maximising human potential. As CIO (Chief Illuminations Officer) of Venue Solutions Group Advantage Training, Richard is a sought-after facilitator and speaker. He draws upon his 35 plus years as a senior executive in professional sports, venues and hospitality management to design and deliver leading edge training and professional development programs that deliver those “aha moments”.
In 2022 Richard and VSG Advantage Training were named HR Magazine’s “Top Emerging International Training and Development” company as a result of their cutting-edge professional development work.
Richard also served as President and CEO of Seafair, a premier festival management organization, and President and CEO of Northlands, one of the world’s largest multi-purpose entertainment and meeting complexes. While at Northlands he starred on an episode of the popular television show, “Undercover Boss.”

Richard has volunteered in a variety of industry related leadership roles including serving as Chair of the Board of Directors for the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM). He continues to instruct at the IAVM Venue Management School and Graduate Institute and was also Chair of its Board of Regents. Additionally, he regularly teaches internationally including as part of the faculty of the Venue Management Association Asia Pacific School and Leadership Institute.
Richard holds an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz School of Business and an ICD.C (corporate director certification) from the Rotman School of Business at the University of Toronto. His many professional service honours and distinctions include Major League Baseball’s Lee McPhail Award for excellence in business operations, Virginia Citizen of the Year, and the IAVM Venue Management School Ray Ward Award for his contributions to industry education.

Kim is Senior Vice President and General Manager for Honda Center/OCVIBE in Anaheim, California, home of the National Hockey League Anaheim Ducks. She is responsible for Honda Center and the development of OCVIBE venues including a 5700 seat concert hall, located in a 95 acre mixed use district being built around Honda Center.
Kim was formerly Director of Venues and Events for the City of Tacoma, Washington where she was responsible for the iconic 21000 seat Tacoma Dome, the Greater Tacoma Convention Center, Cheney Stadium (AAA Baseball), and historic theatres.
Kim joined the City of Tacoma from Comcast Arena (now Angel of the Winds Arena) in Everett, Washington. Comcast Arena was awarded the inaugural IAVM Venue Excellence Award for Arenas in 2010. Kim previously held venue leadership positions in Toronto and Grande Prairie, Canada, with a stop at the Olympic Medals Plaza at the Salt Lake City Olympic Games.
Kim’s first job after graduating from Acadia University in Wolfville, Canada took her to the village of Igloolik in the Eastern Canadian Arctic, where she managed the construction of a recreation complex under the midnight sun.
Kim holds the Certified Venue Executive (CVE) designation from IAVM. She served as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Association in 2015. During her tenure as an IAVM senior leader, she created the Legacy Program, fostered initiatives for women in leadership and diversity and inclusion, and championed the shift to effective board governance.
Kim is former Chair of the Board of Regents of the IAVM Venue Management School and currently Dean of the IAVM Leadership Institute. She is also on the faculty of the Asia-Pacific (Australia) Venue Management School and Leadership Institute.
Kim was named one of five inaugural “Women of Influence” in venue management by trade publication Venues Today and received the Ray Ward Award for recognition of her contributions to education at IAVM’s Venue Management School. In 2018 she was named Venue Executive of the Year by the International Entertainment Buyers Association (IEBA) (and nominated again in 2023) and in 2022 industry publication Pollstar/Venues Now included her as a “Women in Live” honoree.

Michael, CEO and Founder of Venue Hospitality Solutions is a powerhouse industry veteran with unique skills in hospitality, focused on curating exceptional guest experiences. Michael started Venue Hospitality Solutions (VHS) to provide an alternative option to the many sports and entertainment venues that want to improve their hospitality programs. His approach to providing insightful, strategic and actionable feedback to his clients is one of the many reasons why he is respected globally in the sports and entertainment industry.

Michael’s 30 plus years of industry experience includes management in global professional sports, NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS, British Premiere League, LaLiga & Serie A as well numerous NCAA division I teams. Michael has held numerous positions including Vice President of operations with Centerplate and the Boston Culinary Group, beverage and merchandise operations for the Miami Dolphins, the Florida Marlins and the University of Miami at Sunlife Stadium. During his career he has been instrumental in the successful operation of four Super Bowls, three Orange Bowls, a BCS football championships, NCAA Final Four two Stanley Cup championship series and countless blockbuster concerts.

In 2010, Michael was one of the founding leadership executives at Legends Hospitality when the NY Yankees and the Dallas Cowboys created a company intending to revolutionize the sports hospitality industry. From GM of Operations at AT&T Stadium, to COO of the hospitality division, to SVP of Innovation and Fan Experience, Michael played an integral role in pushing Legends to become a leader in the culinary, catering and merchandising industries.

His passion for hospitality is evident in his professional and personal life. He currently resides in Miami, FL with his wife and enjoys international travel, golf, fly fishing and aging his own beef.

Adam Cook CVE serves as the Director of Tacoma Venues & Events (TVE) where he is responsible for leading the operations and management of the City’s public assembly facilities. TVE manages renowned venues, including the Tacoma Dome (5,000-23,000 capacity); the Greater Tacoma Convention Center (119,000 sq.ft.); Cheney Stadium, home of the Tacoma Rainiers; and the historic Pantages and Rialto Theaters, and Theatre on the Square.

Adam has led sports and entertainment venues across North America for more than 20 years. His experience includes serving as Deputy Director for TVE, Vice President of Business Operations for Seafair (Seattle, WA), Vice President and General Manager at the Rose Quarter (Portland, OR), Venue Director and General Manager at Edmonton Expo Centre and Rexall Place (Edmonton, AB, Canada), and Acting General Manager for Global Spectrum at Comcast Arena (Everett, WA).

Adam currently serves on the Venue Management School (VMS) Board of Regents and has served on IAVM’s Governance, Arenas, and Membership committees, as a member of its Board of Directors, and as a part of Region 4’s leadership. He was named a recipient of the Venues Today Generation Next Award in 2014, and has engaged in speaking opportunities and published articles throughout the industry.

Darius U. Dunn, CVE serves as Assistant General Manager, Arena Operations of Capital One Arena in Washington, DC - home to the NHL Capitals and NBA Wizards. With twenty-five plus years of industry experience, Darius has an abundance of executive level facility operational knowledge. His event experience stretches from the 1996 Atlanta Centennial Olympic Games to the 2018 NCAA Men’s Final Four.

His career began at Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium, working venue operational support to a host of major events including primary tenants NFL Eagles and MLB Phillies, World Cup Soccer and major stadium concerts. Since then, he has opened two new 10,000 seat arena construction projects and has managed event logistics of over ten intercollegiate sport programs and special events on five university campuses that have included stadium, arena, and theatre responsibilities.

Darius has a passion for emergency preparedness training, providing both clients and patrons a great in venue experience; as well as being a vocal proponent of valuing and investing in employee development. Achieving IAVM’s Certified Venue Executive designation in 2013, he continues to volunteer on association committees and give back to an industry he loves.

Yajaira Flores has over twenty years of experience in public assembly facility management, strategic event planning, and event marketing and can be regarded as a driving force behind some of South Texas’ most significant events and cultural initiatives.

Through the years, Yajaira has fostered partnerships with promoters, civic leaders, and the community to see events develop from initial planning stages to realization.

She is currently the Director of Convention Facilities for the City of McAllen, Texas, which includes the McAllen Convention Center and the McAllen Performing Arts Center. She has spearheaded two venue grand openings, which include the Bert Ogden Arena in Edinburg, Texas; and the McAllen Performing Arts Center in McAllen, Texas.
Beginning in 2014, Yajaira has served as an Adjunct Professor for the College of Business Administration – Marketing Department. She uses her expansive network to empower and educate marketing students at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg, Texas.

In addition to her B.B.A, Yajaira obtained a master's degree from the University of Texas–Pan American in Business Administration, she is a Certified Venue Executive (CVE) and a 2018 graduate of IAVM Venue Management School; however, her real passion lies in working with the community to develop and promote the arts and radically re-conceive the guest experience.

Todd Hunt, CVE is currently Senior Vice President for Venue Coalition, a live entertainment consulting company focused on booking artists, attractions, and touring productions in arena and theatre venues. Prior to assuming this role in May 2020, Hunt was Executive Director of the Cadence Bank Arena and Conference Center in Tupelo, MS for thirteen years. In that position he converted a struggling venue in a tertiary market into a source of pride for the community, landing artists such as Sir Elton John, Jason Aldean, James Taylor, Chris Stapleton, Tim & Faith, Cirque du Soleil, Eric Church, and many more. He oversaw various capital improvement projects focused on keeping the property current and was also instrumental in extending the facility’s naming rights deal through 2035.

Hunt is very active in IAVM, currently serving as a member of the Arenas committee as well as on the Board of Regents for VMS. He chaired the VMS Board of Regents from 2018-2019 in addition to serving as a board member from 2015-2021. He has also served on the IAVM Board of Directors three separate times in addition to chairing the Arenas Committee. In 2022, Hunt received the Ray Ward Award at VMS, an honor recognizing his dedicated service and extraordinary contributions to the overall success and quality of the school.
From 1999-2007, Hunt was the Director of Humphrey Coliseum and Athletic Concessions for Mississippi State University. He held his first general manager position from 1997-99 at the Tupelo Coliseum, where he negotiated the first venue naming rights deal in the state of Mississippi and brought professional sports (ice hockey and indoor soccer) to the area for the first time. He also held positions at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga and Auburn University, and he served as assistant venue manager of the Ocoee Whitewater Center during the 1996 Olympic Games.

A native of Starkville, Mississippi, Hunt holds a bachelor’s degree from Mississippi State University and a master’s degree from the University of Mississippi. Venue management runs in the family, as Hunt’s father was a longtime member of what was then the International Association of Assembly Managers and his daughter Abby is currently Manager of Events at the Landers Center in Southaven, MS.

Phil Jordan has more than 35 years of management experience in venue development (design and construction) and operations, theatrical production, special events and community coalition building.

“What drives my decision-making is my belief that Performing Arts and Events dynamically grow local and regional economies, and are the gateway for long term growth. My vision is performers of all kinds make indelible positive impact and thrive on audience feedback while those audiences engage in live experiences that bring value.”
A committed arts and event management professional, Jordan is a Certified Venue Executive (CVE) with the International Association of Venue Managers, a member of the IAVM Venue Management School Faculty and Chair of its Board of Regents.
Most recently, Jordan has launched Performative Solutions, LLC, a boutique consulting service specific to cultural facilities development projects. Since 2005, Jordan served as the Division Director for the Salt Lake County Center for the Arts in Salt Lake County, Utah. He managed a $12 million annual operating budget together with a 54-member team that administered 5 major venues and ticketing services including: the 2,800-seat Maurice Abravanel Concert Hall, 1,870-seat historic Capitol Theatre, 3 theatres at Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center, Utah Museum of Contemporary Art (UMOCA), and ArtTix ticketing services. In 2016, the new 2,500 seat George S. and Delores Dore Eccles Theater was added to his portfolio following eight years of planning and construction specifically targeted for enhanced commercial programming in the Salt Lake regional market. The patron response to the new theater and programming has exceeded expectations in every outcome. In 2017, Jordan was promoted to Cultural Planning & Projects Director to continue the County’s expansion of innovative community arts facilities and programs.

Prior to his engagement with Salt Lake County, Jordan managed the Soldier Hollow cross-country and biathlon competition venue for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. He worked in Las Vegas with the Cirque du Soleil organization for the complex production and initial operations of “O” at Bellagio and for 18 years as the Director of Production for the Boston Ballet Company.

Born and raised in Tupelo, MS

Graduated with an MBA from MS State University in 1978 and advised the concert committee, known as Music Maker Productions, booking Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, and Jimmy Buffett and others.

Worked as an agent for Triad Artists in Los Angeles representing such artists as Tina Turner, Steve Winwood, and Whitney Houston for 6 years.

Director of the Tupelo Coliseum (Now Cadence Arena) for 5 years booking artists like Eagles, Tom Petty, and Van Halen

Served as GM of Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock, AR from 1997 to present. The arena has hosted such artists as The Rolling Stones, Kevin Hart, Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks, NCAA basketball opening rounds, and many other touring artists.

In 2004 named Pollstar Magazine’s Facility Executive of the Year

In 2006 earned the designation of Certified Venue Executive

Instructor, VMS 2009- present

Chair, Venue Management School, 2014-15

Ray Ward Award Recipient- 2018

Chair, IAVM 2018-2019

Michael has seen Bruce Springsteen over 30 times.

Married to former Triad agent Meg Goldenberg and has a 26 year old son, Jonah.

Kerry Painter CEM, CMP, CFE is the General Manager/Director of the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex which encompasses the Raleigh Convention Center, Duke Energy Performing Arts Center, Red Hat Amphitheater and Walnut Creek Amphitheater. Previously, Kerry was the AGM in Tulsa Oklahoma where the convention center won the Venue Excellence award in 2017. Earlier to that, Kerry was the President/GM in Niagara Falls Canada and has assisted in constructing/opening five venues in total throughout her lengthy career.

Kerry is a member of IAVM, IAEE and PCMA, and has served on several boards/committees both within the industry and in her communities. Kerry currently serves as First Vice Chair of the IAVM Board of Directors and as the Treasurer on the IAVM Foundation. She was awarded Venues Today Woman of Influence in 2015, and Woman of Distinction in 2017. She teaches at the Venue Management School yearly for IAVM and both domestic as well as internationally for CEM classes through IAEE (Korea and Bangkok), and advises for Meredith woman’s college. Kerry is a graduate of University of Michigan majoring in Business, Economics and Communications. She has a son Garrett who is 17 years old, and they live with their new cat Bachelor, a bearded dragon named Kermit and a 36-year-old box turtle Mr. B in Raleigh.

With a demonstrated record of improving financially challenged venues, Cheryl’s original career path was in health care as a registered nurse. She quickly advanced into health care administration managing one of the largest health care facilities in Iowa. She provided leadership to numerous health related organizations and taught classes to health care providers at the community college.
Cheryl transitioned into venue management as Bookings Manager for the Sioux City (IA) Convention Center, Auditorium and Tourism Bureau. During this time Cheryl attended Public Assembly Facility Management School (now Venue Management School) and became dedicated to IAVM.
In the position of Executive Director, Cheryl opened an arena at Eastern Michigan University, managed a performing arts theater and football stadium. At Michigan State University, she was the Executive Director of the Breslin Center. From there she transitioned to North Dakota managing a complex housing an NCAA D-I indoor football stadium, arena and conference center. She is currently with Experience Columbia (South Carolina) as the Vice President and General Manager of the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.
Cheryl is also an adjunct faculty member for the world ranked University of South Carolina College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sports Management teaching Introduction to Event and Venue Management.
With a lifelong passion for learning, Cheryl holds degrees in nursing, health care administration, business & psychology as well as a Master’s Degree in Sports & Event Marketing/Technology Management. She also has taught or guest lectured at universities in Michigan, North Dakota and South Carolina. Serving on the faculty for Venue Management School provided the opportunity to teach in the similar program in Australia. She has also presented on various industry topics at IAVM conferences, USC’s Sports, Entertainment, Venues Today Conference and RISE (Raising the Industry in Sports & Entertainment).
Throughout her career, Cheryl has provided leadership and service in every community through executive boards for chambers of commerce, hospitals, nursing homes, service clubs, health care organizations, young professional advisory boards and an Honorary Commander with the Grand Forks Air Force Base.
Attending Public Assembly Facility Management School (the original name for Venue Management School) planted a passion for service to IAVM. While currently a regent, Cheryl has served as the Chair of the VMS Board of Regents, served on IAVM Board of Directors on 3 occasions, served as chair of the Board of Governors for Senior Executive Symposium at Cornell University, Professional Education Council, Research Task Force, and District Chair. Throughout the past 20 years, she has served on multiple committees including Arenas, Universities, Convention Center, Conference Planning, Governance, Textbook Review and E Book Review. Cheryl has provided coaching in IAVM’s Mentor Connector program for several years as well.
Besides local recognition from various community service organizations, Cheryl was recognized as a Venue’s Today Women of Influence Award and as a Luminary Entertainment Venue Executive.