By Blair Cardinal

Oak View Group announced Debonair Oates-Primus, Ph.D. as the company’s new Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I). She joined OVG on Jan. 4, 2022.

Oates-Primus brings more than 12 years of experience in higher education, working in roles ranging from inclusive hiring and anti-bias training to culturally responsive curriculum development. She has provided DE&I strategic planning, programming, and anti-bias education to many universities, colleges, and organizations as a DE&I consultant. She comes to Oak View Group from Community College of Philadelphia, where for the past six years she has served as the DE&I Lead, Coordinator of Diversity Certificate Program, Coordinator of Black Studies Program, and Coordinator of Diversity Fellowship Program.

“Diversity, equity and inclusion is a top priority for Oak View Group, and we are delighted to bring a DE&I professional with Debonair’s experience and perspective to the team,” Ann Jackson, OVG’s Chief People & Culture Officer, said. “Throughout her career, she has focused on rebuilding systems so that they’re more equitable and inclusive, and helping organizations to reimagine the diverse composition of power and decision-making bodies.”

Chris Granger, CEO of OVG Facilities, added: “Recruiting and empowering diverse talent, and applying that talent on a global basis in the service of our clients and for the betterment of our communities, is core to our mission. Deb’s knowledge, expertise, and passion will undoubtedly amplify and accelerate our commitment to making OVG an incredible place to learn, grow, and be one’s best self every single day.”

In her new role, Oates-Primus will oversee OVG’s DE&I-related strategies, partnerships, programs, and initiatives.

“I am very excited to join Oak View Group as the first position wholly dedicated to leading this vital function,” she said. “I look forward to working with leaders and employees to shape, support and accelerate our DE&I strategic vision.”

A Philadelphia native, Oates-Primus also has worked as an independent DE&I Consultant and as an Associate Professor of English. She earned a Ph.D. in Literature and Criticism with a concentration in critical race theory and intersectional feminism from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, a master’s in Writing Studies from Saint Joseph’s University, and a bachelor’s degree in English from West Chester University.

Blair Kahora Cardinal is Vice President, Communications for Spectra.

By Liz Lytle

accesso Technology Group plc President, Operations Bruno Boehi was honored by the International Ticketing Association (INTIX), receiving its IMPACT Award at the 43rd Annual INTIX Conference & Exhibition in Orlando, FL. The IMPACT Award – given annually at the discretion of the INTIX Board of Directors Chair – recognizes professionals that have delivered “continuous, consistent, extraordinary and exemplary service and support with a lasting impact to the INTIX members, programming, conference and the live ticketing industry.”

“It is an immense honor to receive the IMPACT Award and to join such an incredible list of recipients,” remarked Boehi. “The community fostered by INTIX is one I treasure greatly, and I look forward to investing in and benefitting from it for many years to come.”

Having accrued decades of experience in ticketing operations over the course of his career, Boehi was one of the first to spearhead delivery of a fully web-based, self-managed ticketing platform to the market with introduction of the ShoWare box office ticketing product in 2001. In 2014, accesso acquired ShoWare – with the solution selling more than 20 million tickets per year at the time – and rebranded the technology to the accesso ShoWareSM name in 2016. Boehi, who previously held the role of ShoWare CEO, now serves as accesso President, Operations, where he oversees the company’s global operation, including new deployments and client service for more than 1,000 venues around the globe.

“At Accesso, our vision is to lead with purpose, passion and partnership, and Bruno embodies this vision with excellence,” said Steve Brown, accesso CEO. “Our company, clients, and industry as a whole benefit greatly from Bruno’s support, and it is wonderful to see him recognized for it by an association of INTIX’s caliber.”

Liz Lytle is Brand Communications Manager for accesso.

Photo courtesy of INTIX.

A number of IAVM member venues along with a host of convention centers in Tokyo are among the latest GBAC STAR accredited facilities.

“Facilities like airports, convention centers, hotels, schools, and others need to understand the fundamentals behind cleaning, disinfection, and infection prevention,” said GBAC Executive Director Patricia Olinger. “GBAC STAR accreditation is an incredible tool for not only educating cleaning professionals, but for giving building visitors greater peace of mind about their health and safety.”

The performance-based GBAC STAR program requires facilities to meet specific requirements in order to earn accreditation and display the seal that promotes their commitment to public health and safety. Thousands of facilities have either achieved or are currently working towards accreditation so that their teams understand how to prepare for, respond to, and recover from biorisks. Outsourced commercial cleaning providers, destinations, and events can also achieve accreditation through the GBAC STAR™ Service, GBAC STAR™ Destination, and GBAC STAR™ Event accreditation programs respectively.

The latest facilities to achieve GBAC STAR Facility Accreditation include:

Convention Centers

Ariake Central Tower Hall & Conference, Magnet Studio in Tokyo
Centro Citibanamex in Mexico City
Georgia International Convention Center in College Park, Ga.
Kanda Myoujin Hall, Magnet Studio in Tokyo
Nihonbashi Mitsui Hall, Magnet Studio in Tokyo
Osaki Bright Core Hall, Magnet Studio in Tokyo
Otemachi Mitsui Hall, Magnet Studio in Tokyo
PA Farm Show Complex & Expo Center in Harrisburg, Pa.
Portland Exposition Building/City of Portland, Maine in Portland, Maine
Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, Calif.
Sapporo Convention Center in Hokkaido, Japan
Shinagawa Front Building Conference, Magnet Studio in Tokyo
Shinagawa Intercity Hall & Conference, Magnet Studio in Tokyo
St. Charles Convention Center in Saint Charles, Mo.
The Grand Hall, Magnet Studio in Tokyo

Stadiums or Arenas

Simmons Bank Arena in Little Rock, Ark.

Theatres or Performing Arts Centers

Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco
Harris Theater in Pittsburgh
Kimmel Center Inc. in Philadelphia

Learn more and apply for GBAC STAR Accreditation at gbac.org/star. 

The Prudential Center and New Jersey Devils announced that Stephen Rosebrook has been named Executive Vice President, General Manager of Prudential Center in downtown Newark, New Jersey. Rosebrook will serve as the lead operations executive for the home of the National Hockey League’s (NHL) three-time Stanley Cup Champion New Jersey Devils, Seton Hall University’s NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball program, and more than 175 concerts, family shows, and special events each year. Rosebrook’s return marks a homecoming as he worked with AEG Facilities when the group helped open the doors of Prudential Center in October 2007. He will report to Jake Reynolds, President, Prudential Center and New Jersey Devils.

“Steve’s experience in running state-of-the art facilities throughout North America and his history leading organizations as they open, operate, and excel make him the ideal individual to oversee Prudential Center and join our elite management team,” said Jake Reynolds, President, Prudential Center and New Jersey Devils. “As we enter our next chapter in the arena’s evolution as one of the top venues in North America, Steve’s knowledge of building a fan-centric experience and an environment of inclusivity for our staff will be paramount as he will be looked upon to guide our Facilities Management, Arena Operations, Event Operations, and Facilities Integration teams.”

“I am honored to join the HBSE team,” said Rosebrook. “I want to thank HBSE CEO Tad Brown and Prudential Center President Jake Reynolds for giving me the opportunity to work with such a respected and well-run organization. I’m excited to bring my 32 years of arena experience to bear to lead the existing group of professionals and help execute management’s vision for Prudential Center and their other assets.”

Rosebrook joins Prudential Center after a decade in a leadership position with AEG Facilities as a Regional Vice President and Regional GM/VP, Operations in New York City. Over those ten years, he developed and executed arena openings, facilitated operational plans and served as a key voice in new, existing and re-development projects for various stadiums, arenas and theaters in the AEG portfolio. Included among his highlights: partnering with new business and existing accounts throughout the United States, Canada & Puerto Rico; being a key steward with the initial team responsible for the opening/operations of Barclays Center in Brooklyn (Regional GM, 2013-2018); overseeing the re-opening and operations of The New Nassau Coliseum in Long Island after a $160M extensive re-development, and heading the transition team that hosted over 180 events annually and migrated between Barclays Center and Nassau Coliseum.

Prior to his decade on New York City-based projects, Rosebrook spent five years with AEG in Hartford, CT as Assistant GM/Regional Director of Operations where he was with management support teams that travelled and opened high-profile venues including: Mercedes-Benz Arena (Berlin, Germany), BBVA Compass Stadium (Houston, Texas), the previously mentioned Prudential Center (Newark, New Jersey); and oversaw consulting on other AEG Facilities venues worldwide in the U.S., Sweden, Spain, and Canada.

Rosebrook joined AEG following four seasons with Clutch City Sports & Entertainment where he was the Sr. Director, Operations / Assistant General Manager of the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. While there, he facilitated the arena’s Grand Opening, oversaw the non-event budget and coordinated programs with the NBA, City of Houston, and other stakeholders to put on the 2006 NBA All-Star Game. He also worked in operations for Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario (formerly Air Canada Centre), and The Liacouras Center at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Rosebrook’s expertise focuses on event execution, development and strategic planning in business & arena operations, approval of capital projects, RFP’s, budgets, labor negotiations, and contractors.

By Jim Kelley

As Fern heads into 2022, the organization is pleased to announce several personnel changes. These changes, driven by Fern’s growth, will allow the company to continue to meet the evolving needs of show organizer clients and maintain its focus on exhibitor solutions and service while providing an increased level of operational efficiencies across the organization.

As of January 3rd, the following changes have occurred:

Steve Larsen has been promoted to Chief Operation Officer, reporting to Aaron Bludworth, CEO. “Steve has been performing many of the COO duties temporarily throughout the pandemic and has done a tremendous job. Since joining Fern, he has always been thoughtful and deliberate in his decisions while at the same time being quick to act and has had the best interests of the customer, team members, and company at every turn,” said Bludworth.

Larsen added, “I am looking forward to the new role and continuing to support the mission and vision of Fern that keeps us focused on our customers and their exhibitors. Along with the company’s mission and vision, our values have been and will continue to be guideposts for me as COO.”

Neil McMullin’s current role as Senior Vice President of Shared Services has expanded to include leadership of Fern’s Exhibitor Sales and Solutions Team. This expanded role will allow McMullin to guide the exhibitor experience while developing new products and solutions. This role is very familiar to McMullin as he was instrumental in developing Fern OneView and 1Rate, both of which are industry-leading solutions for exhibitors and show organizers.

At the Branch Level, Chris Meecha will assume the role of General Manager of the Louisville Branch. Meecha has long been a leader in the Louisville location, managing many key accounts, and will carry on the strong legacy Fern has in Louisville. In Atlanta, Zach Schlag will assume the role of General Manager. As a member of the Fern team serving major show portfolios, Schlag has proven himself capable of leading some of Fern’s most complex projects while keeping a keen focus on client relationships and service delivery.

Robin Mullins will take on the newly created role of Director, National Support Services. As the company returns to a pre-pandemic like show schedule in 2022, the importance of internal operational efficiencies and efficiencies within Fern’s vendor network have been magnified. Mullins will work closely with the account service & operations teams to determine how production processes can improve, resulting in an enhanced service experience for clients.

“While the pandemic certainly presented our industry and organization with unprecedented challenges, it provided us a rare opportunity to slow down, step back and look under the hood internally,” Bludworth said. “Based on that, we were able to make changes that we are confident will provide a better experience for our clients while continuing to provide our employees an excellent work environment they can be proud of.”

Jim Kelley is Vice President, Marketing & Industry Relations for Fern.