Neal Gunn, CFE, passed away on December 20 following a two-year battle with cancer. He was 74.

“Yesterday was a very difficult day for me,” said Mike McGee, CFE, Gunn’s friend of 62 years since both grew up in Monroe, Louisiana. “There is a sense of emptiness that I don’t have that guy to call for some crazy conversation. We shared so many things that I can’t even fathom, and it is certainly going to be different.”

Gunn grew up in Monroe (“712 Plum Street,” said McGee) and excelled at sports, most notably football. He was offered some 36 college scholarships to play and was close to accepting one from the University of Arkansas before the governor of Louisiana made a personal visit to see Gunn. “He came to Neal’s house and said, ‘You’re a good Louisiana boy, you don’t need to be going to Arkansas,'” McGee said. “When the governor comes to your house and knocks on your front door … you need to go to the state university.” Gunn did just that and played and graduated from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.

Gunn got his start in the industry with the new hometown Monroe Civic Center. He was working for Sears, Roebuck and Company in the credit department when he applied for and became the controller of the new venue in September 1967. The position was the first in a career that would span 42 years and include stops at the Lakeland (FL) Civic Center, Superdome, Astrodome, and Ticketmaster.

Many of those positions were intertwined with his good friend Mike McGee. “I worked at a TV station in Monroe when Neal was hired at the civic center,” McGee said. “I would often go to the venue to cover their events and do film clips. They needed a marketing and publicity person so I talked to Neal, who had become the director. I went to work there on December 3, 1970.”

Gunn left Monroe to manage the Lakeland Civic Center and shortly thereafter brought McGee in to be his assistant director. The inseparable friends would eventually land together in Houston where Gunn worked at the Astrodome while McGee was at The Summit arena. The two co-promoted some events outside of the market, leading to the formation of Facility Management Marketing, which later became Leisure Management International.

Things came full circle later on when McGee joined Ticketmaster to oversee North American business operations, where he was rejoined with Gunn. “Neal became an employee reporting to me,” McGee said. “It all worked out and we got along fine. We never got angry or upset with the other … ever.”

Gunn most recently served as president and owner of Neal Gunn Enterprises in Houston, a company that specialized in providing business solutions, marketing, sponsorship sales, as well as promoting and operation of events and activities. Through it all, McGee remained in close contact with his dear friend.

“Neal went through all of the treatments after he was diagnosed with lung cancer a little over two years ago,” McGee said. “He was pronounced cancer-free about a year ago, but then started having trouble getting his stamina to return. His lungs were having trouble functioning again and then his heart. He went to the hospital about four months ago and was stabilized. About two or three weeks ago he was readmitted and placed in ICU and finally life support.”

McGee said that Gunn will be remembered in the industry as someone who was very outgoing and gregarious.

“People liked Neal because he expressed an interest in them,” McGee said. “He had a bunch of tomfoolery with him and loved to play practical jokes, which I think brought people closer to him. Everybody has their Neal story and what Neal meant to them. He was a mentor to so many and had time to give advice. I believe he will be remembered as someone engaged and passionate about what he did and who really loved people. He generously invested his time and his heart in people and their circumstances. There was no barrier or precursor to knowing Neal whether you were in the highest office or on the street asking for a quarter. You can’t spend over 50 years in this industry or be successful without touching people’s lives.”

While McGee said that he was as reasonably prepared as possible for his close friend’s passing, there is still great sadness.

“Neal and I were friends for 62 years and in business for 47 years,” he said. “I won’t experience that again.”

This story will be updated with information regarding services for Neal Gunn.

We would like to thank all of our members and our volunteers for making 2017 another successful year for IAVM. Your dedication and support of the association are incredible, and we are sincerely appreciative of everything you do to give back to the industry. Take a peek at IAVM’s success of 2017 in our Year In Review video, starring Brad Mayne, CFE, and also, Brad Mayne, CFE. We’re looking forward to the future! Are you?! 

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Please welcome our newest members who joined IAVM in November 2017. Thank you for being a part of the association!

Also, let us get to know you better by participating in the I Am Venue Management series. Please visit http://www.iavm.org/i-am-venue-management-share-your-story to share your story and photo.

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AEG Ogden-managed Dubai Arena announced the appointment of Thomas Ovesen as the venue’s vice president – programming, becoming the first member of Chief Executive Guy Ngata’s senior management team.

AEG Ogden CEO and Chairman Harvey Lister said that securing was a coup not only for the venue but for the future development of the live entertainment industry in the region.

“As the CEO of live events company 117 Live, a Dubai-based conglomerate with a large media and entertainment portfolio, Mr. Ovesen comes well equipped to handle the challenge of delivering a world-class events calendar for Dubai and the Middle East region,” Lister said. “Thomas oversaw the launch of the new Autism Rocks Arena and an impressive events calendar that featured among others Nicky Minaj, Gabriel Iglesias, Elton John, Bryan Adams, Guns ‘N Roses, Justin Bieber and Ed Sheeran. It’s quality international standard acts such as those plus more that we’re looking to bring to Dubai Arena. His understanding of the region and the local live entertainment scene and its players will be vital to Guy and his management team as they plan an event schedule second to none anywhere, ahead of the Arena’s opening in 2019.”

Including 117 Live, Ovesen has spent almost 17 years with Mirage Promotions, AEG Live and Done Events and has a proven track record in events management and delivering large-scale concerts and is the recipient of many industry awards for achievements in the Middle East. He is looking forward to his new role and to be joining the AEG international family from the beginning of 2018.

“I am really excited joining Guy and the Dubai Arena project for what will be a game changer for live entertainment here in the Middle East,” Ovesen said. “I intend to tap into the AEG touring and venue network and most importantly, working with all the regional promoters as well as the top talents, their agents and managers of the global touring and music world.”

AEG Ogden will operate the 17,000 seat Dubai Arena on behalf of Meraas, a Dubai-based holding company committed to creating and delivering unique experiences. It is part of AEG Ogden’s growing network in the Asia Pacific region which includes arenas in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, and Newcastle and three in China, convention centers with entertainment theatre inclusions in Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Kuala Lumpur, and Oman, plus the 52,000 seat Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane and will be a valued addition to AEG Facilities’ family of 150 plus iconic venues worldwide.