VenuWorks is pleased to announce the appointment of Robert Thomas as the new Executive Director overseeing its Cedar Rapids facilities. In this role, Thomas will manage operations for the Alliant Energy PowerHouse, the historic Paramount Theatre, McGrath Amphitheatre, and the ImOn Ice Arena Cedar Rapids. He brings nearly two decades of industry experience to the position, with a strong background in multi-unit operations, talent buying, and strategic growth.

“We are excited to welcome Robert to the VenuWorks family and look forward to the fresh perspective he brings to our Cedar Rapids team,” said Steve Peters, VenuWorks Founder and CEO. “Robert’s impressive history of driving revenue growth and his deep experience in talent buying make him an exceptional choice for this leadership role. We are confident that under his direction, our venues will continue to thrive and serve as vibrant hubs for the Cedar Rapids community.”

Robert Thomas joins VenuWorks with over 18 years of experience in the music and venue management industry. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Programming & Talent Buying and President at TempleLive, where he oversaw operational performance across multiple historic venues. During his tenure, Thomas successfully grew the company to eight-figure revenue, achieving consistent year-over-year growth and facilitating expansion into new markets including Columbus, OH, and Peoria, IL.

His career also includes significant roles with Live Nation Worldwide Inc., where he spearheaded talent buying efforts that resulted in record-breaking profitability. Thomas has a proven track record of revitalizing venues, managing P&L for cost control and revenue enhancement, and developing fan-friendly environments. His booking history includes a diverse array of major acts, ranging from rock and country to comedy, demonstrating his ability to curate programming that appeals to a wide audience. “I’m honored to join VenuWorks as Executive Director in Cedar Rapids,” said Thomas. “I look forward to working with our talented team to serve the community and bring outstanding events to the city and citizens of Cedar Rapids.”

VenuWorks is known for its collaborative approach and commitment to community enrichment. The organization focuses on maximizing venue potential while maintaining the unique character of each facility. With Thomas at the helm, the Cedar Rapids venues are well-positioned to continue offering world-class entertainment that stimulates economic vitality and cultural growth in the region.

Oak View Group (OVG), the global leader in premium live entertainment infrastructure and services including venue development, venue management, hospitality, and sponsorship sales, today announced that the Board of Directors has named Chris Granger as Chief Executive Officer of Oak View Group, effective immediately. Granger had served as Interim CEO since July 2025. Prior to his appointment as Interim CEO, Granger had presided over tremendous growth in his prior role as President, OVG360. As CEO, Granger will lead all aspects of OVG’s global businesses.

“Chris’s performance during his tenure as Interim CEO has been exceptional,” said Lee Wittlinger, Chairman of the OVG Board of Directors. “He seamlessly stepped into the role during a pivotal time and demonstrated tremendous leadership. Chris understands the entire ecosystem of sports and live entertainment and the Board is confident that he is the right executive to lead OVG into its next phase of global growth.”

OVG senior partner Irving Azoff commented, “I have known and worked with Chris for nearly 20 years. No one is better for the CEO job.  He is uniquely qualified to lead OVG as we continue to build it bigger and better. He shares our passion to deliver for all our clients, fans and artists.”

Granger stated, “I’d like to thank the Board for their confidence. I am honored to serve in this role and build upon an incredible foundation. I look forward to working with our deep roster of entrepreneurial leaders and talented teammates, across North America and around the world, as we continue to deliver on our mission to disrupt positively and with purpose. We will work tirelessly on behalf of our partners, we will root for one another, and we will lift the communities in which we operate. Let’s go.”

Granger has more than 30 years of experience in the sports and entertainment industry. Prior to joining OVG360 in 2021, Granger was Group President, Sports and Entertainment of the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings and President and Chief Operating Officer of the Sacramento Kings. He also spent fourteen years in increasingly senior roles with the National Basketball Association, including as Executive Vice President of Team Marketing and Business Operations. Granger began his career at Walt Disney World and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Cornell University and an MBA from Yale University’s School of Management.

Part of the Convention Center’s new initiative to create greater food security in Raleigh

Photo courtesy RCC

The Raleigh Convention Center hosted an event on Monday afternoon to pack over 11,800 servings of soup to be donated to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina. Staff from the Convention and Performing Arts Complex and catering partner Sodexo Live!, as well as volunteers from the Convention and Visitors Bureau, hospitality partners, and other city departments lent their time and hands to supporting the effort. In addition to The Complex, Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts resident companies, the North Carolina Symphony and PineCone, both joined as first partners to support this initiative, bringing the total number of meals to 13,000.

This volunteer event launched a larger, ongoing effort from the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex to provide visitors to conventions and other events at the venues the opportunity to leave their mark on Raleigh with a soup packing event of their own. This vision provides event participants with the chance to make their time in Raleigh a meaningful experience beyond what most convention and event goers ordinarily expect. 

“We’re incredibly proud to be part of something that brings real care to our community,” said Kerry Painter, Executive Director of the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex. “There’s a special kind of energy that comes from doing good together, and our team feels it deeply. We believe in the power of kindness to create memorable moments, and we’re excited to see more events in our venue embrace that same spirit. It’s a beautiful reminder that what we do here can reach far beyond the walls of our building.”

The Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex, and its catering partner Sodexo Live! will facilitate this giving opportunity for events visiting Raleigh that want to add an impact-oriented element to their event. This effort is part of the Convention and Performing Arts Complex’s mission to continue broadening the venues’ impact as The Complex expands to bring more events to Raleigh. This ongoing vision is aimed at not only increasing the number of events in Raleigh, but also making them part of a larger legacy of meaningful community moments.

Claire Rothman, who managed the Great Western Forum, Inglewood, Calif., for 20 years and led the way for women in the venue industry, died Nov. 22 at the age of 97.

In an extensive interview in 2008, when Rothman was named one of the inaugural Women of Influence by Venues Today magazine (now part of Pollstar), Rothman advised, “You should prepare for your career with your education and experience, and then you should prepare for your retirement with the same zeal.”

And she did. She and her late husband, Edwin Hill, had resided in Las Vegas for the last decade, but she was seen at live sports and entertainment events by friends and associates to the end, usually wearing Lakers purple and several NBA championship rings.

Rothman was featured in the HBO series “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty,” played by actor Gaby Hoffmann. She had a major role with that franchise during the “Showtime” era when the Lakers won five championships over 10 years. She joined IAVM (then IAAM) in 1969 and was active in the arena and regional meetings, as well as what is now VenueConnect. Many in the industry, including Jeanie Buss, daughter of Lakers owner Jerry Buss, and even NBA star Magic Johnson, considered her a mentor.

“She was a remarkable woman who was tougher than almost all the men I met in this industry,” said Fred Rosen, retired founder and leader of Ticketmaster. “She was highly respected.”

Rosen recalled that when Ticketmaster first took over ticketing at what was then The Fabulous Forum (now Kia Forum) in 1983, “we screwed up a lot. She not only held our feet to the fire — she put them in the fire.” Once during those first six months, a very frustrated Rothman called Rosen and politely asked, “When are you changing the company name to F— itmaster?”

Rothman did not mince words in business, and she was not in Rosen’s pocket, though rumor at the time was rampant that venue managers were being paid by Ticketmaster. That included a persistent rumor that Rosen had bought Rothman a Rolls-Royce, so he bought a model Rolls-Royce, and gave it to her with a note that “now, when people say I sent you a Rolls-Royce, it’s true.”

“She was a giant in the industry,” Rosen said, a sentiment echoed by many who found her tough but supportive.

Mike McGee, CVE, retired, who once ran the Houston Summit, recalled how active Rothman was in the Major Arena Managers Assn. (MAMA), a group that shared critical information about upcoming events and shows. If McGee had a show coming that had had issues with the artist or the audience, Rothman was one of the arena managers he would call to advance the show. She would give him insight, such as knowledge that for some reason, even though it was reserved seating, a third of the audience would show up at 2 p.m., so you’ll need restrooms and water stations outdoors. If it was a crowd prone to rowdiness, she would recommend cutting off alcohol sales early to avoid releasing 16,000 people onto the street, some of whom might be drunk. It was that kind of information arena managers used to, and still do, share, and Rothman was top of the list because L.A. usually had the first shows.

“She could be very tough, especially with people who were disrespectful or tried to take advantage of her,” McGee remembered. Being a woman in this industry in the 80s and 90s was an anomaly. That’s why people like Donna Dowless, XOXO Media, retired from Ticketmaster, revered her so, and considered her a role model, he said.

Brenda Tinnen, Lee Zeidman, and Claire Rothman at the 2008 Venues Today Women of Influence party in Anaheim.

Lee Zeidman, retired from his role leading Crypto.com Arena for AEG, recalls that Rothman was the first to hire him for a major arena job after eight years working at universities. She leaned on him, keeping him on his toes. Three days into his director of ops job at the Forum, Rothman called early in the morning and told him to get down to the arena, which was about to host four nights of the Grateful Dead. The fire department was about to close down the flea market in the parking lot, the celebration the Deadheads held before shows, because there was no potable water out there. Zeidman didn’t yet know where the water hookups were, but he handled it.

On Nov. 7, 1991, he got another unexpected call from Rothman to head in early and get the Forum Club ready for a worldwide press conference, then switch it to host an NHL dinner immediately thereafter. Zeidman did as told, not knowing that the press conference was to be Earvin “Magic” Johnson’s announcement that he had HIV, which was a death sentence at the time. That memory, that moment, still brings him to tears. And that time in history is part of Claire Rothman’s story, too.

She was, throughout her career, the only woman running an NBA/NHL venue and one of the few in a major arena of any kind. She was president and general manager of the Great Western Forum, Inglewood, Calif., home of the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA and Los Angeles Kings of the NHL, from 1975 to 1995.

She started in the industry at the under-construction Philadelphia Spectrum in 1966, when there were no women running arenas. How did that happen? “It was really a funny story. I was newly divorced, and I was working for a company that manufactured stainless steel kitchen equipment, wonderful people that were so good and generous,” she recalled in that 2008 Venues Today interview. Her neighbor was headhunting for a bookkeeper for the new arena in town, and, though she did not want the job, she accepted an interview for her neighbor’s sake.

“I met Hal Freeman. You know how you meet someone, and you click? He liked to attend to details,” said the detail-oriented Rothman. He offered her the job for $7,000 a year. She countered with $7,500. The rest is history. Ten days into the new job, she was made office manager, and nine months later, business manager.

Freeman was president of the Spectrum, which was built with private funding by a developer named Jerry Wolman, whom Rothman considered a counterpart of Lakers Owner Jerry Buss, her last boss. She felt her life had bookends. The Spectrum, Madison Square Garden in New York, and the Forum all opened in 1967, when the NHL went from six to 12 teams.

Circumstances like a bank loan at seven percent led the Spectrum into bankruptcy. Rothman stayed the course, and five years later, they emerged, paying 100 percent on the dollar. Concerts saved the day, she remembered. Live entertainment was just becoming big business in the early ‘70s. Rothman was able to strike a deal with Electric Factory Concerts, which kept the Spectrum in business.

In her day, the promoter/arena relationship was different. Arenas were generally managed by the in-pocket/out-of-pocket method of finance. Rothman devised a settlement sheet with expense and income details. “I found colored plastic folders. Believe it or not, the folders were the most exciting part about it for the people I settled with.”

Rothman’s toughness in negotiations was renowned, but so was her fairness, common sense, and humorous outlook. Every step of her career, she evaluated the situation realistically. In 1972, she was lured to Orlando by “silly money,” as she put it, to open the Wild Kingdom, which also went bankrupt. As they were auctioning off the animals, Rothman remembered thinking, “Am I the kiss of death?”

Her next stop was Cleveland to open the Coliseum for Charlie Joiwazas, another bean counter and dear friend. When he left, she started looking. Jack Kent Cooke, who owned the Forum at the time, hired her to manage his building. Later, Rothman introduced Cooke to Buss, who was producing a tennis tournament she wanted to book.

At the time, Cooke wanted to sell the Forum and the teams, but he didn’t want to give the buyer any numbers. Buss was about the only businessman who could deal with that, Rothman remembered, and he bought the Forum in 1979. He actually bought the Forum, the Lakers, the Kings, and a ranch from Cooke. He immediately made Rothman vice president and general manager.

In 1995, with rumors of a new arena downtown, which became Staples Center (now Crypto.com Arena), and foreknowledge that Buss would not own the new building, just the Lakers, Rothman moved on to Ticketmaster, where she worked for Rosen from 1995-1999 as executive VP.

Claire Rothman, center, with husband Edwin Hill and Peggy Daidakis in 2008.

Rothman married and had kids before her career in venue management. Her son Barry and daughter Karen were 18 and 16, respectively, when she began that demanding career path. Once she was established at the Forum and felt she could manage without being at the arena 200 nights a year, and because she met the love of her life, she married Hill.

Event management had already changed considerably 20 years ago. Rothman saw no reason an arena manager had to be there for every one of 29 performances of the circus. “You’d go stark raving mad,” she said.

But she didn’t. She managed a major arena with the best of the best and made a lot of friends and memories while inventing a career that everyone can aspire to.

Rothman is survived by her son, daughter, grandchildren, and numerous cousins.

Following an award-winning expansion that has firmly established Milwaukee as a premier destination for major events, the Wisconsin Center District (WCD), owners and operators of Baird Center, Miller High Life Theatre and UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, announces the promotion of Megan Seppmann to Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer (CCO).

“Megan has consistently shown strong leadership in our industry,” said Wisconsin Center District President and CEO Marty Brooks. “She has helped raise our profile for local and national events and has been a valuable contributor across our organization, offering a broad strategic perspective and supporting the modernization of our growing District.”

Since joining the WCD as Vice President of Sales in December 2018, Seppmann has been instrumental in positioning Baird Center on the national map. She helped spearhead efforts that brought in marquee events including the Republican National Convention, the Democratic National Convention and the 2024 Connect Marketplace. Her leadership has also helped drive Baird Center’s occupancy from below 40% to more than 85% today.

She has also established herself within the industry as a thought leader, strategic planner and expert in sustainability. Her reputation has earned her invitations to speak at top-tier industry events such as Informa Connect and IAEE’s Expo! Expo!, which Baird Center will host in 2026.

In this new role, Seppmann will lead strategic planning for the WCD’s long- and short- term plans alongside the President and CEO, develop dashboards, KPIs and performance metrics to measure results and inform decision-making across the organization while partnering with marketing, operations and event services to ensure seamless execution from sales to service delivery.

“This new position doesn’t just elevate my role—it reflects the District’s momentum as a polished, forward-thinking organization with its eyes firmly on the future,” Seppmann said. “We intentionally designed this role to grow alongside both the organization and the ever-evolving events industry, embracing the exciting, new opportunities that lie ahead for convention centers. I’m truly energized to help guide us forward as we continue to position Baird Center and this entire organization as a true force in the meetings, conventions and events industry.”

Seppmann will officially assume her new role on January 1, 2026.