Two Global Spectrum employees have been promoted to the team in Hartford, Conn., where the company operates XL Center. Erin Bilton will serve as director of Marketing. Previously, she spent three years as director of Marketing at the Sears Centre, Hoffman Estates, Ill. Adam Goldberg will serve as director of business development. He will primarily focus on the American Hockey League. Goldberg spent three seasons at AutoZonePark in Memphis, Tenn.
Joe Bocherer has been appointed VP of Sales at Experience Columbus, Ohio. Most recently, Bocherer served as corporate director of Sales and Marketing for White Lodging Services.
Two regional Sales directors have been appointed to the Melbourne Convention Bureau’s offices in Asia. Jessica Chang will serve as regional Sales director — North Asia in Shanghai. She previously held the position of director, MICE Project Office at the Bureau of Foreign Trade in Taiwan. Edward Kwek will be heading up the Singapore office as regional Sales director — South Asia. He joins the company from the Institute of Technical Education where he served as Section Head, Leisure & Travel Operations.
Royal International Convention Centre (RICC) in Brisbane, Australia, has appointed Sean Cummings as executive chef. Most recently, Cummings served as executive chef at the Park Hyatt Melbourne, Australia, and Hyatt Regency Auckland, New Zealand.
Chris Edmonds has been promoted to chairman and executive vice president of international strategic partnerships at Ticketmaster UK. He has been with Ticketmaster for the last eight years.
SterlingRisk Insurance Services has appointed Mark Escobedo to vice president of Sales for
the company’s Utah division. Escobedo has more than 20 years in the insurance business, especially in property and casualty insurance.
Jennifer Estes has been hired at Edlen Electrical Services as senior event services manager for the company’s Chicago office. She brings nearly 15 years of hospitality and event operations services.
Three new hires have joined ground-transportation company ETS International. Tracey Fitzgibbon will serve as assistant controller, where she will be responsible for all accounting, payroll, and human services. She previously served as controller for Hill & Partners. Thomas Montgomery has been hired as Afternoon Dispatch Supervisor. He previously worked as executive director of analysis and operations for Apex Express. Stephen Fairfax has been promoted to dispatcher. Previously, he worked as a chauffeur with ETS.
Todd Frederickson has been named president of American Hockey League’s Iowa Wild. Most recently, he served as the AHL’s VP, team business services, since 2008. Frederickson previously served as director of ticket sales for Arena Football League’s Georgia Force. Before that, he spent 10 years in the ticketing department of American Hockey League’s Chicago Wolves.
Independent record label New West Records has named Joel Habbeshaw as VP of national radio promotions. He brings more than 20 years of promotion experience to his new position, including positions at Maverick Records, Hollywood Records, and Gold Circle Records. He most recently worked at Kirtland Records.
As Event Facilities and Library Director for the City of Beaumont, Texas, Claudie Hawkins has overseen the Civic Center, the Julie Rogers Theatre, the Jefferson Theatre, Riverfront Park, and the new Event Centre. After 35 very busy years, Hawkins is set to retire May 31. She began her career with the Civic Center as secretary to then facility director Gene Woods in May 1978.
Jerome Hoban has been selected as CEO of Alameda (Calif.) County Fair. Previously, Hoban served as CEO of the Orange County Fair in Costa Mesa, Calif., where he had previously served as VP, Operations. He spent more than 20 years at OC Fair. He replaces Rick Pickering, who left Alameda County Fair to become GM at Cal Expo in Sacramento, Calif. Doug Lofstrom, who worked for O.C. Fair & Event Center for more than 10 years, has come out of retirement to serve as interim CEO in Costa Mesa.
Dave Howard, executive vice president for business operations at Major League Baseball’s New York Mets, has been named president of MSG Sports at Madison Square Garden Company. Howard is now in charge of the business operations of the National Basketball Association’s New York Knicks, National Hockey League’s New York Rangers, Women’s National Basketball Association’s New York Liberty, and American Hockey League’s Connecticut Whale. Previously, Howard spent more than two decades with the Mets and MLB. He was also responsible for the minor league business operations of the St. Lucie (Fla.) Mets and the Brooklyn (N.Y.) Cyclones.
Tim Leiweke has been named president and chief executive officer of Toronto’s Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE). MLSE’s properties include National Hockey League’s Maple Leafs, National Basketball Association’s Raptors, and Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC. Air Canada Centre in Toronto is also owned by MLSE. Leiweke previously served as CEO of Anschutz Entertainment Group.
Ingrid Maab has been appointed chief operating officer of Messe Berlin, a company that organizes international trade fairs and congresses. She will begin her new position Aug. 1. Previously she worked with KPMG Consulting, IKB Private Equity, and the Industrial Investment Council. Dr. Christian Göke has been chosen to replace current CEO Raimund Hosch, who will retire at the end of June.
DC Media has named Michael Mahan its new president. DC Media is the parent company of Dick Clark Productions (DCP). Mahan has served as president of the TV Guide Network, as well as co-owner of Direct Holdings Global. Before that, Mahan worked as SVP of Corporate Development for Dick Clark Productions.
Mercedes Miller has been named executive director at the Georgia International Convention Center (GICC) in Atlanta. She had been serving as interim executive director. Miller has been with the GICC since 1999.
Declan Mullin, director of ballpark operations for Major League Baseball’s Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park, left at the end of March after 11 years with the facility. After coming to the U.S. from Northern Ireland, he assisted with operations at the Louisiana Superdome, and the Memphis (Tenn.) Cook Convention Center. Shawn Brown is filling in as interim director of operations.
Liz Morentin has left Live Nation to begin a new position at Dick Clark Productions. Morentin served as VP, Communications and Media Relations at Live Nation for five years. Jacqueline Peterson is currently handling media relations for the company.
Pat Nagle, longtime employee at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill., has been promoted to executive director of both Allstate Arena and Rosemont Theatre. Nagle previously served as general manager. He took over after Harry Pappas retired in March.
Renae Williams Niles has been promoted to vice president of programming for The Music Center in Los Angeles. Most recently, Niles served as director of programming. She was responsible for leading The Music Center’s dance series.
There have been two key appointments at the California Exposition and State Fair in Sacramento. Michelle Prater has been hired
as the new Marketing and Public Relations manager. Most recently, she served as Environmental Sustainability and Marketing manager at Best Buy. She has also held positions with Maloof Sports and Entertainment, and TAMALON Meeting and Events. Carrie Wright will serve as programs manager for the California Exposition and State Fair. She has held various positions at the Western Fairs Association since 2008, including Marketing director.
Marc Solis serves as the GM for the newly opened Toyota Field in San Antonio. He previously held the general manager position at the Alamodome in San Antonio, his hometown. Solis has also worked throughout Texas as GM for the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, and in a dual role as Asst. GM for Laredo Entertainment Center and executive VP of the Laredo Bucks. Nicholas Langella is now GM for the Alamodome.
After 33 years, Ron Spencer is set to retire. His last day as executive director of the Tallahassee (Fla.)-Leon County Civic Center has been scheduled for May 15. Spencer has been instrumental in introducing ice hockey, arena football, and indoor soccer to Tallahassee, hosting games of minor league teams. Through the Tallahassee Broadway Series, more than 120 Broadway shows have been presented at the Civic Center. Spencer is active in the Florida Facility Managers Association and the International Association of Venue Managers.
MTS Seating has promoted Josh Swy to director of design. Swy was named product designer in 2012. He is a third-generation member of the founding family of MTS Seating, and graduated from Northern Michigan University in 2009.
Belén Timmins has been named event manager at The George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. Previously, Timmins worked at Quilts, Inc.
Meeting Professionals Inter-national has named Paul Van Deventer as president and CEO. Most recently, Van Deventer served as vice president in the Health & Wellness Division at Walgreens. He also spent 22 years with American Express.
PASSINGS
Bill Dawson — 74, former manager of the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center, March 2 at his home in Long Beach, Calif. Dawson spent the majority of his career in the amusement park industry, but started his sports and entertainment career when he was hired in the 1970’s to manage the new convention center and associated attractions, including the Queen Mary, in Long Beach. Born in Kansas City, Kan., Dawson graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in journalism. His first job in the industry was with Six Flags Entertainment Corp. in Atlanta. He was well-known for his marketing expertise. He then bought Resort Parks International, of which he was president until several years ago. He is survived by his wife, Vickie; two daughters, Jill and Claire; sisters Dee Dee Higley and Cindy Crows, and nieces and nephews.