VenuesNow, the sports and entertainment facility industry’s premier trade publication, today announced its VenuesNow All-Stars list for 2020 presented by International WELL Building Institute (Delos) and sponsored by Populous, WW and UBS. Now in its second year, the All-Star list’s 50 honorees include 42 individuals, seven venues, and one innovation award.
The list reflects the many sectors that make up the venue business ecosystem: building management, from clubs to stadiums and festivals; branding, sponsorship and sales; architecture and construction; concessions; technology; operations and security; and ticketing. Commissioners, building and franchise owners, college officials who influence arenas and stadiums, and content executives who supply the shows were all considered as well.
The VenuesNow All-Stars will be spotlighted in this special issue of VenuesNow, which prominently features eight top executives on its cover who are pushing the business forward in a variety of innovative ways. This includes Jose Mola, who oversaw the recent NBA Championship “Bubble” at ESPN Wide World of Sports at Walt Disney World; Brittanie Boyd, SVP of Marketing for the Philadelphia 76ers and chair of HBSE’s diversity and inclusion board; Kim Stone, GM of Chase Center who led the world-class arena’s GBAC Star accreditation and put together its health and hygiene department for safely reopening; and Mike Healy, SVP of venue operations and guest experience whose current bailiwick includes the MLB World Series presently underway at the new $1.2 billion Globe Life Field.
“From the major leagues to the major buildings; from innovators in technology to establishing new protocols in safety to advocates for diversity and inclusivity; from burgeoning sectors like eSports and sports betting; to performing arts centers and drive-ins, VenuesNow’s class of 2020 All-Stars is a case study in what excellence in our industry looks like,” said Rob Knapp, VenuesNow’s managing editor.
On Thursday, Oct 22 at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT, several All-Star honorees will join together on VenuesNow’s Facebook for a livestream roundtable moderated by Jeff Nickler, SVP of OVG’s Arena Alliance and former GM of the BOK Center. Panelists will include Brittanie Boyd, Jonathan Cole, Tom Garfinkel, Zach Leonsis, Jose Mola, Corissa Smith, and Kim Stone.
2020 VenuesNow All-Stars:
Executives:
Scott Bailey, Ryman Hospitality Properties
Lisa Baird, National Women’s Soccer League
Brittanie Boyd, Philadelphia 76ers
Rich Claffey, Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp.
Jonathan O’Neil Cole, Pendulum Studio LLC
Mark Davis, Las Vegas Raiders
Dayanny De la Cruz, Centerplate
Chris Donohue, See Tickets
Jonathan Emmett, Gensler
Michael Evans, Live Nation Arenas
Jaime Faulkner, E15 Group
Matt Feldberg, Hotbox
Dayna Frank, First Avenue Productions; National Independent Venue Association
Tom Garfinkel, Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium
Sean Gleason, Professional Bull Riders
Daniel Griffis, Oak View Group
Ebony Hattix, FedExForum/Memphis Grizzlies
Mike Healy, Texas Rangers
Allysa Henry, Square
Amy Howe, Ticketmaster
Susan Somersille Johnson, Prudential Financial
E. Stanley Kroenke, Los Angeles Rams, SoFi Stadium, Hollywood Park
Amy Latimer, TD Garden
Frantzer Le Blanc, OVG Facilities
Zachary Leonsis, Monumental Sports & Ent.; Monumental Sports Network
Ken Martin, Cisco
Jose Mola, ESPN’s Wide World of Sports
Patricia Olinger, Global Biorisk Advisory Council
Paula Portz, Legends Project Development
Sherri Privitera, Populous
Clifford “Rip” Rippetoe, San Diego Convention Center Corporation
Art Rodriguez, ABM Industries
Juan Rodriguez, BBVA Stadium
Erin Schnieders, National Basketball Association
Ann Marie Simpson-Einziger, Mixhalo
Corissa Smith, AECOM Hunt
Kim Stone, Chase Center
Mark Tester, Orange County Convention Center
Katie Tuten, The Hideout; Chicago Independent Venue League
Dana White, UFC
Karri Zaremba, Major League Baseball
Gillian Zucker, Los Angeles Clippers
Venues & Innovation:
All-Star Innovation: Drive-in Concerts
All-Star Stadium: Globe Life Field
All-Star Arena: Staples Center
All-Star Convention Center: Las Vegas Convention Center
All-Star PAC: Count Basie Center for the Arts
All-Star Club: Avant Gardner
All-Star New Building: Brooklyn Bowl Nashville
All-Star Renovation: Dodger Stadium
Visit the VenuesNow All-Star list hub at https://venuesnow.com/2020-all-stars-award.
To come up with the 50 All-Stars, members of the VenuesNow editorial team researched candidates, vigorously debated their merits, and consulted key members of the industry for feedback. Factors included documented excellence, innovation, financial success, commitment to diversity, leadership in their field, and more.
VenuesNow is proud that more than a third of the 42 individuals among the All-Stars are women reflecting our increasingly inclusive industry.
