IAAM Moves To Europe

Europe looks as if it will soon have another venues organization. The International Association of Assembly Managers will be launching its European division through a series of meetings in Vienna April 19-21.

In May 2005, the IAAM – whose current membership is mostly from U.S. and Australasian venues – met at Budapest’s Papp Laszlo Sport Arena and set up a steering committee to get the association off the ground in Europe.

Peter Gruber from Vienna Stadthalle took the chairman’s role and Henk Markerink (Amsterdam Arena) Terry Selzer (Copenhagen Star Arena), Rolf Neumann (Basle St. Jakobshalle), Linda Bull from the U.K.’s Birmingham arenas and Carl Martin from the Papp Lazlo made up the committee. Next month’s talks will be held at Vienna Stadthalle.

Martin, who is also IAAM’s services director for Europe and runs his own stadium and arena-building consultancy, said he sees no reason the new organization can’t sit side by side with the well-established European Arenas’ Association. He said many people might want to belong to both.

“The EAA is different because it’s only for venues, they allow a maximum of two per country and membership is by invitation only,” he said. “The IAAM is individual membership and that membership just goes with you if you change jobs.

“I was an EAA member until recently and, having talked to other current members, I know the two will work alongside each other.”

At next month’s meeting, which is also open to interested non-members, IAAM will formally elect its board and host three days of seminars and panels.

–John Gammon