By Nicole Pitman

The Performing Arts Center’s (PAC) Chris Miller is set to retire from his managing director role this October, after six and a half years.

Throughout that time, Miller managed the PAC’s $3 million annual operating budget and oversaw nearly 400 annual public and university events, hosting approximately 75,000 event attendees annually.

“It has been an honor and a pleasure to work with the incredible PAC staff during my tenure and support our wonderful community arts organization clients and their events,” Miller said. “The unique partnership between the university, city of SLO, and the Foundation for the Performing Arts Center that created and sustains this world-class facility is a visionary model for other communities to emulate. I’m so grateful for the outstanding community support that the PAC enjoys and to have had the opportunity to facilitate its impact on our local artists and audience members over the past six years.”

During his tenure, the PAC saw financial success with operating surpluses each fiscal year, the only exception being the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season. The PAC’s operating reserve balance has doubled, and nearly $2 million has been added to its Major Maintenance/Capital Renewal Fund.

Even with these successes, Miller is most proud of how the PAC staff overcame the significant challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the severe financial impact of no live events during fiscal year 2020-21, the staff pivoted to provide critical support for pandemic response and testing on campus, and quickly developed the capacity to produce complex virtual events, including a concert series featuring local artists.

The PAC staff worked with San Luis Obispo City leadership to host the memorial service for fallen San Luis Obispo Police Detective Luca Benedetti – demonstrating the role the PAC plays in the life of the community, not only as a venue for world-class artists but as a home for its most important events.

Miller joined the PAC staff in May 2016, succeeding Ron Regier, who retired as the founding managing director earlier that year. Miller relocated to San Luis Obispo from Seattle, where he enjoyed a 30-year career in various performing arts and venue management positions.

From 2003 to 2015, Miller was the general manager for McCaw Hall at Seattle Center, the 2,900-seat home of Pacific Northwest Ballet and Seattle Opera. He oversaw the hall’s opening after a $127 million renovation, hosted nearly 400 events and more than 350,000 patrons every year during which time he built a $3 million capital renewal fund while achieving net operating surpluses each year. Prior to McCaw Hall, Miller served as theatre operations manager at Benaroya Hall, home of the Seattle Symphony, for two years. Prior to that he spent 15 years as Pacific Northwest Ballet’s company manager and director of operations.

Miller has served the performing arts venue industry as vice chair and chair of the Performing Arts Sector Committee of IAVM as well as Performing Arts Sector representative on the IAVM board of directors. He is co-founder and co-chair of the Central Coast Coalition of Arts Leaders. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in drama from the University of Washington, and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Performing Arts Management from Brooklyn College.

His last day on campus will be Oct. 14.

Miller and his wife, Barbara plan to remain on the Central Coast for some time after retirement but expect to eventually return to the Pacific Northwest at some point, as family obligations warrant.

Ryan Gruss, current director of Patron Services and Campus Ticketing, will serve as interim managing director starting Oct. 15.

Nicole Pitman is Graphic Designer & Interim Marketing Manager for Performing Arts Center San Luis Obispo
Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, California.

By R.V. Baugus

The cover page of the September 2022 Manage HR Magazine “Learning and Development Issue” features Venue Solutions Group’s Advantage Training and their revolutionary approach to impacting employee engagement and production. VSG Advantage Training was named Top Emerging Learning and Development Services Company by HR Magazine’s editors and readers and duly recognized in the feature article.

You might also recognize the charming face on the cover as that of Richard Andersen, CVE, VSG Chief Illuminations Officer and a Past IAVM President (Chair). As our good friend shared, the profile is one that will “help our industry see as a group we are all making an impact even outside of the venue management world.” Andersen, along with fellow training partner Russ Simons, VSG Chief Listening Officer and Managing Partner, bring decades of experience, motivation, and philosophy to their approach of first understanding and then meeting client needs.

Indeed, our members are making such an impact, and it begins with organizations such as Venue Solutions Group and their Advantage Training that delivers leading-edge programming covering a comprehensive list of organizational needs, helping create meaningful change through rich “aha moments.” Participants are engaged through the latest in adult education techniques, customized activities, and real-life examples.

To give you an idea of the success of the program, VSG Advantage Training earned top honors in the 2022 list of Top Emerging Learning and Development Services Companies recognized by Manage HR Magazine.

The lead-up to the article notes that Andersen “encourages readers, just like he encourages his clients, to see the power of human potential and the opportunity to positively impact lives and organizational culture through VSGAT’s unique approach to training.”

“Central to Andersen and Simons’ approach for VSG Advantage Training’s game-changing programs was to build their model on the best materials available, while incorporating the latest in adult education techniques,” the magazine added. “Backed by their industry knowledge, their work is largely focused on illuminating human potential and inspiring program participants to achieve excellence by equipping people with the tools they need to grow. Patrick Scanlon, Vice President of Guest Experience for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Rock Entertainment Group summed it up best. ‘The VSG approach was simply a great learning session for ALL involved and quite frankly a game-changer for me.’”

“We love building around self-discovery, the Confucius approach of ‘tell me and I forget, show me and I remember, let me do and I understand,’” Andersen said.

Congratulations Richard and Russ! To read the article, click here.

By Enzo Carannante

The Siouxland (IA) Expo Center is getting a new name as a result of a multi-year partnership with Seaboard Triumph Foods. The venue is being renamed the Seaboard Triumph Foods Expo Center, effective immediately, according to OVG360, whose Global Partnerships’ team brokered the deal. OVG360 provides booking and management services and sales efforts for the Expo Center.

The naming rights agreement includes a variety of assets such as a new name and logo for the facility, branding integration throughout the Seaboard Triumph Foods Expo Center space, and other internal signage to be unveiled at a later date. Transition to the new name has been completed.

“We are pleased to enter into this partnership with Seaboard Triumph Foods,” said Dirk Lohry, President of the Expo Center Board. “With Siouxland’s strong history in the stockyards, working with a community partner that shares our values and history is important to us.”

Since opening in September 2020, the Seaboard Triumph Foods Expo Center has hosted over 1,500 events, including the Siouxland Volleyball Showdown, Midwest Pool Tournament, Home Builders Association of Greater Siouxland’s Home Show, Heartland States Basketball Championship, and more. The Expo Center is also home to the Sioux City Parks and Recreation Department.

“This is only the beginning for the expansion of our roots in the Siouxland community,” said Frank Koekkoek Jr., Vice President and General Manager of Seaboard Triumph Foods. “Our hopes are to continue to support the community that our team members reside and work in, and this partnership does exactly that.”

“We are excited to be forming a long-term Naming Rights partnership with Seaboard Triumph Foods,” said Oak View Group’s Meghan Carannante, OVG360 Global Partnerships Director. “Seaboard Triumph is dedicated and committed to the Siouxland community, and we are eager to be working alongside a well-respected community partner.”

Enzo Carannante is Assistant General Manager & Director of Marketing Tyson Events Center / Fleet Farm Arena & Orpheum Theatre

By Amy Procaccini

Beginning this month, Strathmore will once again provide expansive dining options before performances in its venues. Supported by new hospitality partner Sodexo Live! and under the leadership of a new chef, the food and beverage experience for patrons at Strathmore’s Music Center and AMP will be customized to the season and event – “a perfect culinary harmony.”

Philadelphia native and culinary artist, Chef LaTasha Stevenson, will lead the Strathmore Culinary Arts team. With a degree from the Art Institute of Philadelphia and years of experience in hotel and country club food operations, Chef LaTasha then moved to Washington, D.C. where she learned to combine her love of Southern US, African, and mid-Atlantic cuisine.

“As the Executive Chef at Strathmore, my focus will be on fresh, local, and sustainable ingredients,” Stevenson said. “The food we showcase will reflect my passion for the art and highlight the decency, dignity, and love I have for the craft of culinary services. Guests will be delighted to an array of offerings that are sure to leave a lasting impression.”

Reflective of the vibrant programming at Strathmore, the culinary team will incorporate unique and familiar dishes with a distinct take on sustainable, seasonal, mid-Atlantic favorites. Specific themed menus will be shared the week leading up to each performance.

The team from Sodexo Live! will power the program, as they do for such institutions as London’s Royal Academy of Arts, Madrid’s Museo del Prado, the Scottish National Gallery, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C.

At the Music Center’s Allegro Kitchen, guests can enjoy dinner and bar service 90 minutes before the performance. Features will include the best ingredients of the season including carving stations with creative sides, cheese and charcuterie boards, and themed, light bites.

At AMP by Strathmore, menus will be customized and sharable, including “Jazzy” Crab Salsa, Poco Chicken Salad Bites, and delectable desserts. Paired with innovative cocktails and local, craft beer, patrons can enjoy a truly “audible, edible” experience at the 144-seat lounge—which has recently been revamped to allow extra space for guests.

Strathmore Culinary Arts will also provide on-site catering services for weddings, milestone celebrations, and other private events at Strathmore’s Mansion and other spaces.

“We feel passionately that the art created in the kitchen is just as important as the art on our stages or in our galleries,” said Mac Campbell, Vice President of Operations at Strathmore. “We’re excited to watch Chef Stevenson and the Culinary Arts team bring their passion and creativity to the forefront, making for a truly experiential patron experience from the minute they walk through our doors.”

“I couldn’t be more excited to kick off this partnership,” said Steve Pangburn, CEO, Sodexo Live! North America. “From the National Gallery of Art to the Baltimore Convention Center, this is a region we understand quite well and one where we have strong local ties. Strathmore is a stunning venue that showcases both the local community and world’s best talent in a wonderful light, and we look forward to helping enhance the dining experience here.”

Amy Procaccini is Strategic Brand Communications Manager for Sodexo Live!

The Kansas City Current announced a partnership with Levy to craft a one-of-a-kind food and beverage experience for the first stadium purpose-built for a women’s professional soccer team, opening in 2024. Levy will work with the Current to showcase local vendors in its downtown stadium.

The Current and Levy are committed to bringing local restaurants and culinary talent that reflect the rich culture of downtown Kansas City. Levy is known for creating the food and beverage experience at many of the country’s iconic and cutting-edge sports and entertainment venues, including Q2 Stadium, Barclays Center, Crypto.com Arena, Lower.com Field, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, T-Mobile Arena, TQL Stadium, United Center and the home of the 2022 NWSL Championship, Audi Field.

Fans can also expect a flexible and unique experience that features many ways to access food and beverage based on their own preferences, including mobile ordering and self-service, among other tech-driven hospitality initiatives. More information about the food and beverage experience will be shared over the coming months.

“We are thrilled to work in conjunction with Levy to create a truly bespoke food and beverage experience for Kansas City Current fans,” said team president Allison Howard. “It was essential for us to find a partner who excels at innovation while staying genuine to our Kansas City roots. Levy has a strong track record of success working with groundbreaking technology to build an experience worthy of our cutting-edge stadium.”

“From the moment we heard the idea for a world-class purpose-built stadium for women’s soccer, we wanted to be involved,” said Andy Lansing, CEO of Levy. “We couldn’t be more excited to partner with an incredible organization in the Kansas City Current to create an experience that is authentic to the Kansas City community and Current fans, and that we hope will inspire many more in the future.”

The soccer-specific stadium at Berkley Riverfront Park will be the first stadium purpose-built for an NWSL team, seating 11,500 and opening for the 2024 season. As part of a 50-year lease agreement with Port KC, the stadium will be built on a 7.08-acre site on the east end of the park in Kansas City, Missouri.