Kerry Painter Will Receive IAVM Convention Center Lifetime Achievement Award

Kerry Painter CVE, CMP, CEM, Executive Director of the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex (The Complex), has been named the recipient of the 2025 Convention Center Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM). The award will be presented at IAVM’s annual VenueConnect event in New Orleans this July 28-31.

The Convention Center Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes exceptional career-long contributions to convention center management, and Painter joins an elite group of leaders who have shaped the industry. Before joining Raleigh in 2018, Painter built a distinguished career managing premier venues in 6 different cities across North America, consistently driving operational excellence, revenue growth, and market expansion. Beyond her leadership of these venues, Painter has an extensive track record of contributing to the industry as a whole. She previously served as the chair of the board of IAVM, leading its 7,000+ members in addition to many other industry and community boards, founded the 100+ Women of IAVM campaign, taught at IAVM Venue Management School, and internationally with IAEE. She is an active member of IAVM, IAEE, ASAE, and PCMA. She has previously been recognized with the Venues Today Woman of Influence Award and the Woman of Distinction Award.

“It means a lot to be recognized by my peers in IAVM, who themselves have all made great contributions to our industry,” said Painter. “This is exciting and motivating for me to continue doing what has always been important to me, creating exceptional moments for everyone who comes to our venues and creating opportunities for everyone in our industry.”

Painter has led the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex to new levels of success and growth, hosting over 1,300 events and performances per year, and has seen a 12% increase in diverse events since taking the helm. Prominent events her team has brought to Raleigh include The Kennedy Center Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability Conference, the World Anti-Bullying Forum, making its debut in the US market, and ESL One Raleigh, a major global e-sports competition returning to the US after a decade. Since 2018, the Painter-led Raleigh Convention Center has welcomed over 2.2 million guests and contributed over $450 million in economic impact to Downtown Raleigh. All of Painter’s venues have consistently outperformed revenue and booking goals while achieving excellence in sustainability, accessibility, and inclusivity.

Painter is currently spearheading the upcoming major expansion of the Raleigh Convention Center, a transformational project that creates the opportunity for many new events to bring their economic impact to downtown Raleigh. This marks the fourth new venue that Painter will have opened in her career.

“There are so many great things happening right now at our Complex, from events to construction. Just like all of Raleigh, The Complex is vibrant and growing, and we’re glad to be strategically positioned to build on this momentum and continue elevating Raleigh as a global destination.”

Raleigh Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. WAITRESS: THE MUSICAL (Theatre Raleigh)

15.2% of votes

2. LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (Playmakers Reperatory Company)

13% of votes

3. TUCK EVERLASTING (Studio 1)

10% of votes

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