Tim and Cheryl Swanson enjoy traveling and recently spent time in Italy.
Whether opening a facility or turning one around, Cheryl Swanson, executive director at Alerus Center in Grand Forks, N.D., has PROVED she can do it all.
Venue management actually wasn’t the first choice for Swanson, who began her career as a registered nurse before transitioning into health care administration. She began her second career in the industry as Bookings manager for the Sioux City (Iowa) Convention Center, Auditorium and Tourism Bureau, which is when she first went to Venue Management School and became involved with the International Association of Venue Managers.
She credits her experiences at Venue Management School and IAVM with igniting her passion for the industry. Swanson has gone on to serve on numerous committees with IAVM as well as graduate from the Senior Executive Symposium and participate in the Mentor Connect program.
Swanson said that through the different buildings and varying day-to-day, one thing that hasn’t changed is her belief in the team management concept.
“I always like to get input and direction from the affected staff and know what direction they’d like to go,” said Swanson.
Bob LeBarron, assistant director at Alerus Center, said that Swanson’s willingness to reach out to everyone fosters a group effort.
“She gets that input from everyone, not just those at the top level, which creates a good environment to work in,” he said. “If someone has a better idea, she’s not afraid to try it.”
He said two events stand out for him since joining Alerus Center. The facility landed a date for George Strait’s farewell tour Feb. 16, 2013, which grossed nearly $1.7 million and, the very next month, hosted Jason Aldean March 23 with a gross of more than $750,000.
“Those were two huge shows for the city and the building, and to pull our resources and staff together in a short amount of time was a big deal,” said LeBarron, who added that there are smaller successes at the facility each day. “Those smaller, everyday-type successes are as important as being able to do the George Straits and Jason Aldeans of the world.”
“The smaller successes really magnify the bigger ones,” he added.
Former Executive Director of IAVM Dexter King said that Swanson is building an incredible legacy through her work with the organization and her staff.
“I would say that her passion has increased over the years,” he said. “It’s all about the legacy you leave in others. It’s not just your children, it’s everyone you come into contact with.”
“You make a difference in their lives if you care and your beliefs, commitment, character and passion will pass on to others,” he added. “Cheryl’s work is carried on in other people.”
In 1981 Swanson became executive director and opened a 9,500-capacity arena at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, where she also managed the performing arts theater, Pease Auditorium, and front of house for the football stadium. She then accepted a position as executive director of the Breslin Center at Michigan State University.
Swanson considers working at universities one of the highlights of her career, though she says they’re very different from nonuniversity venues. She even served on IAVM’s Textbook Task Force to contribute to, edit and review “Public Assembly Facility Management: Principals and Practices,” and served on the universities committee.
Art Timko, who worked at the radio station at Eastern Michigan University, remembers the delicate balance that Swanson maintained between the venue and the athletic director.
“She put up with a lot of stuff that, quite frankly, I wouldn’t have put up with, but she succeeded in turning that facility into a profitable building,” said Timko.
King, who has experience managing university venues, also mentioned Swanson’s response to adversity and ability to rise above.
“There’s been adversity she’s had to face numerous times, but she’s overcome those emotionally, mentally and politically in a grand way,” King added.
She’s the type of person that employees will follow to different facilities, as evidenced by Bill Folk, event operations manager at Alerus Center. This is the third facility at which he’s worked with Swanson. He said that when you find a boss that you work with so well, you don’t take it for granted.
“She has her expectations of what needs to be done and she’ll set you on your way to do it and trust that you’ll finish,” said Folk. “If you need help in any way she’s more than willing to help share her experience and knowledge to help you be the best that you can be, but at the same time she lets you do the things that you really know how to do without being a ‘hoverer.’”
“If I stay in the business long enough I hope to achieve half of what she’s done,” he added.
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Cheryl Swanson (center) poses with her family, Chrissa, TJ, Tim and Melissa.
Swanson began her duties as executive director of Alerus Center in November 2010. The harsh weather and ‘winter that starts at the end of August’ had Swanson resolved not to come to North Dakota again, where she and her husband of 37 years have lived in the past, but the facility changed her mind. During the interview process she came to the building a few times and saw lots of opportunity. Not only does the facility have a 135,000-sq.-ft. conference center, but also a 22,000-capacity arena that is the home of University of North Dakota Football.
The variety intrigued her. It also ended up being a great fit for her husband Tim, a Professional Golfer’s Association of America professional who found a position as head coach at the university.
Keeping family close has always been a top priority for Swanson, who said she was able to blend her venue management career, which she considers a “lifestyle,” with her family, including daughters Chrissa and Melissa and son T.J.
When she was in Sioux City, her son played hockey at the arena where she worked and both daughters’ high school graduations were in the facility. Swanson said her mother, who recently passed away, would have been so proud of her recognition as a Venues Today Woman of Influence, especially having spent countless nights talking with her daughter about work.
Swanson recalled stopping by her parent’s house on the way home from work, still reeling from the “post-event high.”
“We’d chat half the night and I’d tell her about my evening,” said Swanson. “I just loved that. It was the blending of family and career.”
Her family has had a positive effect on her career. Swanson first took up golf purely to spend time on the links with her pro husband, only later developing a passion for the sport. She said she believes getting out during IAVM golf events and sharing an interest with her male counterparts helped her integrate into the industry.
“Sometimes business will take Cheryl and her husband to Florida and we’ll go to the course and play catch up, and then realize we’re supposed to be playing golf, too,” said Timko, who’s now retired in Florida. “It’s really embarrassing when the three of us go out and play and she’s better than he or me.”
Swanson is poised to sink the shot.
As important as being a good venue manager is to Swanson, being a good person and a good friend is as — if not more — vital. Everyone knows Swanson walks away affected.
Kathy Tinney, who served as the associate VP at Eastern Michigan University, hired Swanson for her first executive director position and served as a mentor.
“She’s been successful in leadership roles nationally and locally and has increased revenue at all of the venues she’s been in charge of; I don’t think you can ask for more than that,” said Tinney.
She said that hiring Swanson was the best decision the university ever made and forged a lifelong friendship. Due to a battle with melanoma, after successfully beating leukemia, Tinney has retired from the industry. Throughout the changes in jobs and the illness, Swanson has stayed a friend.
“A lot of times when you have someone that’s as sick as I have been, people kind of disappear, but Cheryl hasn’t been that way at all,” said Tinney. “She visits and brings me different food and things she’s made. Cheryl’s just a tremendous person.”
Timko said that, throughout all his years of knowing her, what impresses him most about Swanson is her ethics.
For her part, Swanson credits her work ethic to her father who, at 88 years old, is still working fulltime simply because he likes to work. She may just be in the same position in the distant future.
“I know a lot of people in other industries or career paths that have been able to retire and collect their pensions, but that’s not for me,” she said. “I have no interest in retiring for a very long time because I enjoy what I do.”
“I absolutely think every day in this industry is so much fun,” Swanson added.