Event Safety and Security Panel to Highlight 2020 Running USA Industry Conference

The programming line-up of the world’s largest conference on the running business will include a panel discussion with experts on safety and security, seen as one of the top concerns for event producers today.

The 2020 Running USA Industry Conference presented by Race Roster is set for February 9-11 at Caesars Palace Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Neveda.

Event Safety and Security: Managing Today’s Risks is set for Monday, February 10 between 15:30 and 4:45 local. It will be moderated by Kirsten Fleming, CEO of Run Calgary and the co-emcee of the conference along with TK Skenderian.

“Races of all sizes will benefit from this group dialogue on safety and security, which has become an important focus for our industry,” said Christine Bowen, Vice President of Programming, Partnerships and Operations for Running USA.

“We’ll hear from the world’s largest triathlon corporation, IRONMAN, as well as the special events officer for the Las Vegas Police Department, which manages hundreds of events each year.”

The panelists are:

• Chip Hazewski, Senior Director of Global Running Operations for World Triathlon Corp. (IRONMAN), which owns and operates the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series. Before joining IRONMAN, Hazewski oversaw global operations for Competitor Group.
• Rick Nogues, Special Events Police Officer for the Las Vegas Metro Police Department, a role he has held for 14 years. He has worked on the Las Vegas Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon, which shuts down the Las Vegas Strip at night, as well as music, car racing, PGA, NASCAR and many other special events.
• Charlotte Brookes, Event Director of the Canada Running Series. In this role she oversees the CRS team and operations serving over 70,000 event participants, in four different cities, including the IAAF Gold Label Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. She is a past recipient of the Industry Leader Under 40 Award from NCS4.

A schedule of general sessions and smaller breakouts on topics important to the running industry has already been announced, with highlights including:

• The opening session panel on the evolution of the road racing industry, featuring Kara Goucher (US Olympian), Patrick Stiegman (ESPN) and Paul Rabil (co-founder, Premiere Lacrosse League).
• Conversations on climate leadership in a rapidly changing world with top professionals from Chicago Event Management (CEM), one of the top production companies in the sustainability space as well as Shelley Villalobos, representing the Council for Responsible Sport.
• A general session with Todd Dalhausser, president of Altra Running, a product expert who will focus on speaking directly to the needs and desires of the running consumer.

Since its origins as a small gathering of Running USA’s founders in Southern California in 2004, the Running USA Conference presented by Race Roster has grown to become… ‘the best-attended, most esteemed gathering of running industry professionals from around the USA and the world.’

Now moving locations each year, the conference has been held in Los Angeles, San Diego, Savannah, Houston, San Antonio, Orlando, New Orleans, San Juan, Puerto Rico and now Las Vegas, Nevada.

www.RunningUSA.org