Ticket industry veteran Fred Maglione is leaving TopTix/SeatGeek at the end of the month and re-launching his consulting practice.

Maglione is an accomplished ticket industry executive with more than 40 years of experience working with various organizations in the live sports and entertainment business. He specializes in helping business owners scale their enterprises as they develop strategies for fundraising, domestic and international sales, product positioning, management of acquisitions, or a successful exit. During his career, Maglione has been instrumental in helping company founders negotiate exits with a cumulative valuation of more than $130,000,000.

“I started with TopTix as a consultant to help the founders, Yehuda Yuval and Eli Dagan, develop their strategy for North America and explore the opportunity to raise additional funds to grow the business,” Maglione said. “As I learned more about the power of their technology platform SRO, I was hooked and came on full time as their Executive Chairman Americas.

“The goal was to either find a partner or strategic investor to help us grow the business. Mission accomplished with the SeatGeek merger this past April. Now that the dust has settled and the two companies are working as one, it’s time for me to move on and start my next project.”

“Fred played a key role in SeatGeek and TopTix coming together,” said SeatGeek co-founder Russ D’Souza. “Fred quickly saw the potential of SeatGeek Open and how SRO would complement and accelerate our strategy.”

“I’ve had an interesting and varied career in this industry, from working with venue managers to educate them on how and why to sell tickets on this thing called the Internet in the early 90’s to working with the Italian Lottery when they launched TicketOne (later acquired by Eventim),” added Maglione. “There’s a lot of value I can bring to the right organizations.”

In addition to TopTix, Maglione is the former CEO of Comcast Spectacor subsidiary New Era Tickets and FanOne Marketing, and held senior management roles, both domestically and internationally, with Tickets.com, Select Technologies, Globe Information Systems, and the Philadelphia 76ers.

Maglione can be reached at Fred@FredMaglione.com.

APPI Energy announced that it has been selected as ABC (aggregator, broker, and consultant) of the Year by The Energy Professionals Association (TEPA). This is TEPA’s third year presenting the award, which recognizes one company on its promise and innovation in areas such as contract negotiation, ethical business practices, and customer service. The winner is selected by a vote of the association’s supplier membership.

“We’re pleased to be recognized for our commitment to customer service and best practices,” said Walter Moore, President and CEO of APPI Energy. “None of this would be possible without the hard work and dedication of our team, and the culture of communication and ethics we’ve built over 21 years in the industry. APPI Energy is more than a group of consultants; we’re a coordinated team of professionals, with an obligation to do the right thing for our customers.”

“The retail energy market is incredibly dynamic and largely driven by data and stats,” said Andrew Barth, president of the National TEPA Board. “But a company’s success goes far beyond simply crunching numbers for the best possible price. The TEPA ABC of the Year award recognizes our member companies who also strive to connect with their customers and partners to effect positive change in our industry. We appreciate APPI Energy’s efforts in these regards and congratulate them on earning this recent award.”

Founded in 1996, APPI Energy provides data-driven procurement solutions to commercial, industrial, and nonprofit customers in every deregulated energy market in the U.S. APPI Energy delivers superior consulting, coordination of energy management strategies, and world-class customer service. The firm reduces and manages electricity and natural gas costs for members of the 155 affinity groups that endorse us as their energy consultant.

The Energy Professionals Association (TEPA) is a 501(c)(6) organization that establishes a standard code of conduct, serves as an educational resource and advocates legislative initiatives for the deregulated energy markets across the country. TEPA members include aggregators, brokers and consultants (ABCs), retail electricity providers (REPs) and affiliate members. TEPA members exhibit expertise, ethical practices and a high level of professionalism to help consumers buy electricity in the restructured national marketplace.

We did it! The 2017 100 + Women of IAVM campaign was a great success because of YOUR commitment to your IAVM Foundation. Your donations raised $11,000+ and made it possible for five women to attend sector conferences at VenueConnect17 and one woman to go to an IAVM school.

“The support and response for the 100 Women Campaign is overwhelmingly heartwarming. To know that together we have changed the professional lives of 6 women is so gratifying. When we come together we can do unimaginable and powerful great things!” stated Kerry Painter, CFE, CEM, CMP Assistant General Manager of Cox Business Center, IAVM Foundation Board of Trustee member, and champion of the campaign. Echoing her words is IAVM Foundation Board of Trustee, Chair Stephanie Curran, CFE, “On behalf of the Board of Trustees, we are extremely grateful for the continuous support so many of our members give. This initiative (or campaign) is one such example of members coming together to support your Foundation and the future of our industry. These tremendous things would not happen without you. Thank you!”

In its 35^th year, your IAVM Foundation has funded several scholarships and internships for VMS, AVSS, VenueConnect, and Sector Conferences at VenueConnect. Through the continued support of our members, these scholarships and internships are made possible. Our success is your success and the success of the whole industry. Thank you for making a difference!

Please welcome our newest members who joined IAVM in September 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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Robert “Bob” Johnson, President and General Manager of the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, concluded his impressive 46-year facilities industry career on September 25, 2017 – his 70th birthday. Johnson has served as the facility’s senior director since 2007.

To celebrate Johnson and his legacy, employees, colleagues and friends gave him a true New Orleans-style send-off complete with a traditional brass band and a second line parade. There was much clapping, dancing, handkerchief waving, singing, cheering, and even tears, as Johnson exited the building for the final time.

Johnson has led the nation’s 6th largest convention and exhibition hall through numerous renovations and improvements, including the addition of the $52 million Great Hall and Julia Street entry plaza. Most recently Johnson has been the primary visionary and driver behind the facility’s planned renaissance of Convention Center Boulevard to include a more pedestrian-friendly linear park, as well as the development of a series of mixed use hotel, residential, entertainment and hospitality and retail complexes onto upriver acreage owned by and adjacent to the Convention Center. These over $1 billion in improvements and investments are expected to be game changers in New Orleans’ effort to stay competitive in the meetings and convention industry.

“Bob Johnson has been instrumental in every major advancement undertaken by the Convention Center over the past 10 years,” said Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority Chair Melvin Rodrigue. The entire state’s hospitality industry is deeply indebted to Bob for his leadership and tenacity in helping to make our Convention Center one of the most utilized and recognized in the country.”

Among Johnson’s notable accomplishments are his leadership of the Convention Center’s recovery and ultimately, the City’s hospitality industry’s recovery following the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina. The Center’s occupancy has returned to pre-Katrina levels and the City’s recently announced record number of visitors reflects that level of business improvement. Johnson has led several industry- pioneering initiatives including Center owned and produced events, a widely recognized customer excellence program and owning its own UPS Store franchise among others.

“I’ve had the most enriching career a venue manager could want through my early years at the Dome and culminating with my time at the Convention Center. Through my work, I’ve traveled around the globe but promoting New Orleans has always been my passion,” Johnson said. “I could not be more proud of what we have accomplished during my tenure at the Center, which is blessed with the most dedicated staff of any venue.”

Johnson’s venue management career spanned 46 years beginning in Winston-Salem, North Carolina where he graduated from Wake Forest University. Prior to joining the Convention Center staff, Johnson opened UNO’s Lakefront Arena which became recognized nationally as a leading concert venue of its size. He had a distinguished career with global facilities management company SMG, including a 10 year stint in New Orleans as the General Manager of the Superdome where he oversaw the hosting of NCAA Final Four Tournaments, Super Bowls, a Republican National Convention and the Papal visit.

Johnson is a long-time active member of IAVM and was a founding member of the New Orleans Sports Foundation.