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going on and saw the technical aspects of the job, I knew it was what I wanted to do.” Jimmy was a little hesitant to encourage his son in to the profession.


He says he talked with several friends about it and they made him realize that it is a good profession with a good future. “As much as I tried to guide him in another direction, he was deter- mined to go anyway,” Jimmy jokes. “I think that I really wanted him to make sure he had explored all of his options.” Jimmy was frank with his son about the duties required of both himself and his team when it comes to managing a facility and putting together an event. It was Jabari’s mom who warned him about the hours required to be success- ful, but in the end his dad was incredibly supportive, he says, and helped him develop necessary skills. Jimmy encouraged Jabari to get involved with IAVM and other professional development programs, and impressed upon him the importance of making his own connections. Jabari, 25, received his undergraduate degree in International Busi- ness Management at the University of Texas at San Antonio and his MBA from the University of the Incarnate Word focusing on sports and facility management. He recently launched his career as an event  While he mostly works with the ballet and opera – no Radiohead concerts any time soon – Jabari says that the technical side of the busi- ness is the same. No matter where you are, he says, your job is to take care of your client and ensure that the visitors to your venue have a


good experience. “I know it’s cliché, but when you get down to it, this job is about


providing people with a good experience,” he says. Jimmy, who began his career in 1977 at the Amarillo Civic Cen-


ter, says he has many memories of his family coming along on IAVM trade shows – where getting candy from the various booths was half the fun – and, of course, attending the circus and other family shows. “I remember when Jabari was re-


“When I was a kid I thought it was pretty cool. I thought my dad hung out with celebrities and watched basketball games all the time.”


ally young he had a pair of shoes that would light up when you walked,” Jim- my recalls. “He was three or four and I was carrying him through the arena then had to put him down for a minute. Right then the lights went down and he              


light from his shoes.” Having those personal memories is the driving force behind both


Jimmy and Jabari’s passion for their jobs. Knowing how special it meant to them to be part of events gives them the desire to ensure that others experience lasting memories as well. “It’s all about shared experiences and creating memories,” Jimmy


says. FM Kelly Pedone is a freelance writer based in Charlottesville, Virginia.


 public assembly venue industry. Share those names with us so we may  


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