The International Association of Venue Managers Foundation (IAVMF) is pleased to announce, Bill Waldo, as recipient of the Legacy Award. Waldo will be honored on July 23 during VenueConnect 2012 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
"I would not be as successful in my career without IAVM programs. To which many of those programs have been funded and were generated through funds from companies and individuals who have made significant donations to the Foundation. If not for the support from the Foundation, we would not have an Association nor would many of us be where we are today," said Waldo, Director of Major Projects, Irwin Seating Company in Cape Coral, Florida.
The Legacy Award is the first and only award presented by the IAVM Foundation. The purpose of this prestigious award is to recognize significant financial or nonfinancial contributions by an individual or company. These contributions support the mission and objectives of the IAVM Foundation, leaving a legacy for the advancement of the venue management industry
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"Bill is a true unsung hero in our industry. For years, he has gone above and beyond in representing the Foundation by coordinating and personally taking the lead on one of the Foundation's largest fundraisers – the annual golf tournament. This award could not go to a more deserving individual," said Mich Sauers, Senior Vice President, Comcast-Spectacor and Chair of IAVM Chair's Advisory Council.
Waldo began his career in 1969 working for Hoover Brother's, Inc., selling school equipment to the state of Nebraska. In 1979, Waldo moved to Michigan to work for Country Roads, Inc., where he began his sales and marketing career within the auditorium and arena industry, and began attending IAVM (formerly IAAM) conferences. In 2000, Irwin Seating Company purchased Country Roads, Inc. and two years later, Waldo was promoted to Director of Major Projects, which is still his role today.
The IAVM Foundation accredits Waldo in the naming of the Carl F. Hammond Memorial Golf Tournament, a longtime friend and business associate. This was only the beginning of a lasting partnership with IAVM's Foundation and his fellow Allied members. Waldo has served on many committees and received several awards including; the Allied Members Chair, IAVM's Board of Directors, the Foundation Chair and the Distinguished Allied Award (which is now known as the Joe Anzivino Award).