Hastings gave Rosen College students an inside look at the inner workings of the multifaceted facility and their risk management strategy, a critical aspect of venue operations. Through this unique experience, the students saw the concepts they learned in class come to life.

“The goal was to show the students that quality event locations incorporate risk management policies and procedures into everyday operations policies and procedures– they are never separate if you intend for them to work,” said Avery. “Some of the concepts I discuss in class seem far-fetched…that is until you see them in place, being used and working.”

Hastings’ assistant Josh Blackman, ’13, who attended Rosen College and double majored in event management and hospitality management, accompanied the students and discussed Amway Center security, emergency management and essential operations. Blackman is currently a 麻豆原创 graduate student studying emergency management, but says Rosen College gave him the necessary foundation to excel in his current role.

“My education at Rosen College provided me with instructors who had a balance of academic and industry specific experience, and could offer insight about what to expect in the workplace as an event and venue operator,” said Blackman. “It is very different seeing what you are learning in action rather than simply reading or hearing about it in the classroom. This is why I was so excited about the opportunity to give the Amway Center tour and share my experiences with current Rosen College students.”

For more information about hospitality and event management education at Rosen College, please visit .

So it was a natural extension for the 麻豆原创 graduate and teaching assistant to start an events-staffing company using his two decades of service experience 鈥� and sharing what he has learned with students he hires from 麻豆原创鈥檚 Rosen College of Hospitality Management.

Avery has worked at Busch Gardens, SeaWorld and other attractions and events companies, and has studied what it takes to please visitors and bring them back.

鈥淵ou need to customize the experience. It鈥檚 in the details,鈥� Avery said. 鈥淐reate an experience that shows you care about the details and minutiae.鈥�

Avery, who is working on his Ph.D. in Education/Hospitality Education at Rosen, started Frontline Event Staffing last year to staff corporate and hospitality events in Central Florida. Of the company鈥檚 150 employees, about 90 of the part-timers are Rosen students

鈥淲e鈥檙e a service-based and driven economy, and 麻豆原创 does an amazing job preparing students for the workplace,鈥� he said.

Rosen Dean Abe Pizam said Avery鈥檚 business model of staffing largely with Rosen students is 鈥渜uite unique and interesting,” and Paul Rompf, an associate professor and director of graduate studies, said so many Rosen students are hired because Avery 鈥渂elieves they make a more informed, dedicated staff member.鈥�

Avery has a long background with the university.

He has a Master of Science in Hospitality and Tourism Management from Rosen, a post-Baccalaureate Graduate Certificate in Industrial Engineering, and has been a graduate teaching assistant since 2010. He was an adjunct professor from 2008-2010 and a graduate research assistant a couple years before that. He also has a background in safety and risk management, and has authored four safety manuals for the events and attractions industry.

Avery said that when he was a student, he learned that applying the academics to a workplace environment went hand-in-hand, and he hopes Frontline can provide that same opportunity for 麻豆原创 students who gain experience in registration and admissions, catering, concessions, ushering, promotions and other fields.

鈥淭he goal is to provide them with different opportunities鈥� at trade shows, conventions, outdoor music concerts and other events, he said. 聽鈥淭hey have to have a firm understanding of the job and they have to provide exceptional service. If you鈥檙e not seen as a professional in this industry, you won鈥檛 go very far.鈥�

He said some of the student employees have even received full-time employment as a result of working with his company.

鈥淩osen College is not just a place for seeking a job,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t is for seeking a career opportunity.鈥�

Partners Brian Avery, Andrea Gillman and Jessica Rivers recently launched 10×10 Solutions, a tradeshow marketing, consulting and staffing firm. 10×10 Solutions provides exhibiting companies with personalized strategies to attract quality tradeshow attendees, generate positive buzz on the showroom floor and increase business leads and profitability.

The trio met at Rosen College while Rivers and Gillman pursued their degrees in Event Management.聽 Avery, an alumnus with his Master鈥檚 Degree 聽in Hospitality and Tourism Management, and pursuing his Ph.D. in Hospitality Education, instructed Rivers and Gillman in his course on Hospitality & Event Risk Management. 聽Avery quickly became their favorite professor as a result of his industry know-how and applicability of concepts.

After graduating in the midst of an economic slump, Rivers and Gillman hit a wall when applying for jobs as they were either described as 鈥榦verqualified鈥� or told that companies were only hiring interns.聽 During this time, they recognized a need in the Orlando market for a company dedicated exclusively to tradeshow marketing services.聽 聽Rivers shares, 鈥淲e were so surprised when we started doing research that there were only secretarial and modeling agencies out there.鈥澛� Gillman adds, 鈥淔eedback from companies that hired a model for their booth was that although attractive, he/she couldn鈥檛 effectively market the company鈥檚 services.鈥澛� Realizing that paid booth staff could all at once be eye-catching, hospitable and knowledgeable, the two launched a business model and shared it with Avery for professional guidance.

Avery uncovered similar industry needs and instantly jumped on board with the project.聽 The three shared vision, passion and a background of entrepreneurial-minded homes, so the next step was logical.聽 They combined their collective 40-year experience with the Central Florida hospitality and events industry to initiate a recipe for success.聽 As the partners describe, 鈥淎fter several pots of diner coffee, waffles, biscuits and gravy and Tabasco-covered eggs later, 10×10 Solutions was born.鈥澛� The company name was easily agreed upon, as it鈥檚 understood by industry professionals and will receive top billing in phone books and online searches.

Although sharing a great deal of common ground, they each bring a different attribute to the table: Gillman is organized; Rivers is creative; and Avery possesses a wealth of knowledge.

In reflecting on their Rosen College roots, Rivers and Gillman are particularly indebted to the classes of Art Sims, Dr. David Kwun and Dr. Deborah Breiter, for their practical application to 10×10 Solutions.聽 Rivers describes 鈥淭he college as a whole feels like a family and is a professional environment.鈥澛� The three hope to cultivate a strong partnership by hiring our students and collaborating with faculty.

Avery calls this 鈥渏ust the beginning鈥� and plans to add additional staffing features in the future.聽 Promoting heavily through social media such as Facebook and Twitter, unveiling a fresh logo and a new website complete with professional photography, the young company is quickly making strides.

Rivers describes the successful partnership and shares, 鈥淲e鈥檙e completely in synch with one another.鈥�

To learn more, please visit .