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Hamilton venue Claudelands has been named New Zealand's 'Supreme Venue of the Year' at the 2014 Entertainment Venues Association of New Zealand (EVANZ) Venue Awards, with Eden Park Operations Manager Keith Parker named Supreme Venue Person of the Year.

Claudelands was also named Large Venue of the Year at the Awards, presented on Monday (1st December) during the EVANZ annual conference in Dunedin.

Judges acknowledged Claudelands as "a brilliant venue" that has "in a very short time secured a reputation as a successful multi-purpose venue attracting bookings from international, national and local event promotors and organisers."

Parker's Award recognised "Keith as one of the best operations managers in the country (who) continually looks to raise the bar and set standards in operational delivery never believing that he has learnt all that there is to learn and always looking to push the bounds in his team's delivery of (Eden) Park to the hirer and patrons alike."

Keith Parker was a triple winner at the Awards, also receiving the Operations Manager of the Year Award and EVANZ's Industry Contribution Award for his role in increasing membership of EVANZ particularly in the stadium and arena sector by organising operations forums for EVANZ members and potential members, setting up the annual Event Scholarships for EVANZ venue staff fand his role in the development of EVANZ having served two terms on the Association's Executive.

Roger Farr Manager of the Ashburton Events Centre Trust received the Priava Rising Star Award, with Priava sponsoring his attendance at the 2015 Venue Management School on Queensland's Gold Coast.

Winners in the 11 award categories were: 

• TicketDirect Supreme Venue of the Year - Claudelands, Hamilton
• Supreme Venue Person of the Year - Keith Parker, Eden Park
• Excellence in Customer Service - Auckland Live
• ITicket Excellence in Innovation - Vector Arena, Auckland
• Ticketmaster Large Venue of the Year - Claudelands
• Prestige Loos Medium Venue of the Year - Regent Theatre Dunedin
• Small Venue of the Year - Q Theatre, Auckland
• Ticketek Venue Executive of the Year - Glenys Coughlan, Positively Wellington Venues 
• Carlton Party Hire Operational Manager of the Year - Keith Parker
• Priava Rising Star Award - Roger Farr, Ashburton Events Centre Trust
• Industry Contribution Award - Keith Parker

EVANZ is the peak body representing the venue industry in New Zealand with a membership of 88 venues nationally. This includes 40 theatres, 30 event centres, 10 outdoor stadia and eight convention centres.

Image shows Claudelands Director of Business Development Murray Jeffrey and Venue Manager Andy Boulton accepting Claudelands' Supreme Venue of the Year Awards from Matt Davey, Managing Director of sponsor TicketDirect. 

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