It's time to vote for the 2017 Box Office Stars. We will be honoring this year's outstanding ticketing professionals during the INTIX convention in New Orleans, January 24-26, 2017. Vote now to make your voice heard.
These individuals have been nominated for their newsworthy achievement or outstanding service in their own ticket office or in the ticketing industry at large.
We will showcase the winners in the January issue of Venues Today.
The voting deadline is Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2016.
If you are a SUBSCRIBER, you may vote by choosing one of these options:
1) Login and vote online by clicking here
2) E-mail choices - select three individuals to vote@venuestoday.com
3) Fax selections (include your name and affiliation) to (714) 378-0040. If you don't include your name and affiliation, your vote will not be tallied.
If you are an INTIX MEMBER (non-subscriber), you may vote by choosing one of these options:
1) E-mail choices - select three individuals to vote@venuestoday.com
2) Fax selections (include your name and affiliation) to (714) 378-0040. If you don't include your name and affiliation, your vote will not be tallied.
*Double entries will not be valid
Subscribers, click here to login and vote.
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2017 VENUES TODAY BOX OFFICE STAR NOMINEES:
DAVID ARNOLD
BOX OFFICE DIRECTOR
AEG & KFC YUM! CENTER
LOUISVILLE, KY.
For his flexibility in handling the challenges of ticketing this year’s Muhammad Ali Memorial Service. Ali was a hometown hero so when the time came to execute the plan for his memorial service at KFC Yum! Center, Arnold ensured the event was a fitting tribute to the beloved boxing legend. Public interest, locally and nationally, in obtaining the tickets was at an unprecedented level. On the day that the tickets were to be distributed, the queue lines were wrapped around the building and nearly into the street before 7 a.m. and Arnold made the decision to begin distributing the 15,000 complimentary tickets (limited to four per person) earlier than planned for safety reasons. After all of the tickets had been distributed, Arnold and his team continued to courteously field hundreds of calls for tickets from Ali’s vast network of fans.
TRICIA BROWN
BOX OFFICE DIRECTOR, PACERS SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT, BANKERS LIFE FIELDHOUSE
INDIANAPOLIS
For ticketing the opening show for Kanye West’s tour, followed soon thereafter by the opening for Coldplay’s arena tour. Brown had to be very flexible as Kanye’s vision for a floating stage and housing the band in a popup tent in the seating bowl took shape. Seat kills were ever changing. Brown had to be responsive to a very fluid seating manifest, including several relocations. Brown takes great pride in her work and is always extremely responsive and helpful no matter the situation.
DONNA COLLINS-HERTNER
BOX OFFICE ASSISTANT MANAGER AT CANADIAN TIRE CENTRE (SENATORS SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT)
OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA.
For successfully managing the Garth Brooks on sale, which has so many moving pieces, from shows going up to shows pulled down, open inventory for this show, removing inventory for that show, all done on the fly during the on sale. However, Collins-Hertner didn't just put these events on sale - she changed the way other Paciolan (Spectra Ticketing & Fan Engagement) venues manage Garth Brooks events moving forward. From replacing forced credit card entry to how to manage the on sale and communication with fans, Collins-Hertner's focus was on ensuring an exceptional fan experience. Collins-Hertner was so successful, shows in Des Moines, Iowa and Fargo, N.D., followed her lead and it was shared at Paciolan’s annual conference as a new best practice.
VALORY DALTON
DIRECTOR OF BOX OFFICE, CHESAPEAKE ENERGY ARENA / COX CONVENTION CENTER & ARENA
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA.
For instructing and tutoring the new ticketing staff when SMG opened US Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, in 2016. They were in way over their heads in ticketing set up. Dalton went to Minneapolis to help set up their new ticketing office on proper procedures and the Ticketmaster system while maintaining and keeping event ticketing functionally operating during her absence at Chesapeake Arena, Oklahoma City.
ANDREW DOUGLAS
BOX OFFICE SUPERVISOR, ARIZONA MESA ARTS CENTER AND MESA AMPHITHEATRE
For juggling events from Shakespeare performances and ballets to rock concerts and EDM shows, often on the same event days and with extremely different demographics and demands. Being that his primary responsibilities lie with the Mesa Arts Center, when the Amphitheatre adopted the same ticketing system a few years ago, there was a concern that the priorities of both venues may not be met. That concern was unfounded when Douglas stepped up, and took on the additional responsibilities of overseeing the box office ticketing for the Mesa Amphitheatre while continuing to manage four performance venues and 14 visual and performance arts classrooms studios at Mesa Arts Center. Douglas is at every show and regardless of the challenges that arise remains calm and handles each situation with professionalism.
LEE ANN GIBBONS
DIRECTOR OF TICKETING
MESSINA TOURING GROUP
AUSTIN, TEXAS
For coordinating 200 shows going on sale (all Messina Touring Group shows) in 2016. Gibbons communicates with both artist management and individual box offices to build shows and keep holds consistent. She also sets up all internal buys, monitors and distributes tour ticket counts to agents, management and office personnel, and is a key component in all discussions involving scaling and pricing of tickets. Gibbons also oversees all the flexing of pricing as well as monitoring Pricemaster initiatives. She coordinates all the VIP tickets, Platinum and American Express plans and works closely with each tour accountant for settlement. She also oversees a full time staff of three.
INETHA GLADDEN
AGENCY COORDINATOR
TICKETFORCE
MESA, ARIZ.
For processing over $2M in ticketing revenues in the past year, all under the oversight of Gladden. Some of her notable events include wrestling events WWE and NXT; Decatur (Ga.) Civic Center, and Arizona Music Fest, which shows how she understands multiple markets and how they manage ticketing in their own unique ways. Gladden manages hundreds of events coming from hundreds of promoters each year through TicketForce’s agency service model. She must ensure that every event is moved through the build process quickly and accurately, while meeting the growing demands of as many price structures, deals, offers and revenue models. She manages the event all the way through closing and reconciling. Gladden isn’t afraid to pick up the phone and can often be seen laughing and smiling on her calls.
LENA JOULDJIAN
BOX OFFICE MANAGER
DEL MAR (CALIF.) FAIRGROUNDS
For being an integral part of breaking the San Diego County Fair’s all time attendance record in 2016. She handled the ticket sales and credentialing of 1,609,481 visitors over a 26-day period. Additionally, through a variety of strategies and working with partners such as Ticketmaster, Admit One, Goldstar and Groupon, she also achieved revenue records in ticket sales of the fair’s concert series and beer, wine and distilled spirit festivals. In addition to her fair responsibilities, she oversees the box office for the Del Mar National Horse Show, Scream Zone and other events held at the fairgrounds annually.
ERIC JUBINVILLE
DIRECTOR OF TICKETING OPERATIONS FOR CITY NATIONAL CIVIC, CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, CALIFORNIA THEATRE AND MONTGOMERY THEATER
SAN JOSE, CALIF.
For single handedly restructuring the entire ticketing department when the venues moved to TSJ Ticketing. Jubinville, who joined Team San Jose in 2016, hired 12 new staff members and trained them all with newly-created policies and procedures he developed. Jubinville operates the entire TSJ Ticketing center and box office, while also managing all events, individual promoters and clients. There are an average 600 events annually between the four theaters. Jubinville collectively works with or controls ticketing services for Broadway San Jose, Nederlander Concerts, AEG/Goldenvoice, Live Nation and many other promoters and independent clients.
SENECA MANZO
DIRECTOR OF TICKETING
NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION (NHRA)
GLENDORA, CALIF.
For her efforts resulting in the NHRA reaching its highest paid attendance in the last five years in 2016 with more than 1 million fans throughout the season. Also, she implemented experience upgrades through integration with Spectra and StubHub Primary sales, resulting in a significant ancillary revenue stream throughout the year. Manzo has a presence with INTIX and serves on the client committee for PACnet 17. She is inventive and thorough in her use of the tools in the Spectra Ticketing & Fan Engagement Platform. Manzo manages 24-multiday events across 23 tracks nationwide. For the 2015-16 season, NHRA realized a 22.3x return on investment using Google Services with Spectra.
GAIL MUND
DIRECTOR OF TICKETING, SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS
REGINA
For directing conversion of Saskatchewan Roughriders ticketholders to a new venue in 2016, retaining 95 percent (24,000 seats) of the season ticket holders, which turned out to be the largest season ticket holder transition in recent Canadian sports history. Mund is a recognized leader in the ticketing industry in Canada. The 95 percentage retention rate is despite significant disruption in fan seating (yardage) and sightlines and an obvious increase in ticket pricing; fans who sat in the same seats with the same friends for decades have been reseated in new locations in a totally new facility and pay higher prices. The Roughriders have had the worst record in the league in the past two years, which has led to fan frustration, yet the transition process has been an overwhelming success.
JEFF NEWSOME
TICKET OFFICE MANAGER
TULSA (OKLA.) PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
For successfully implementing ticket software enhancements in 2016, including more responsive Tickets@Home delivery, interactive seat maps and overall online functionality. He effectively leads a top-notch customer service team that sold tickets to 555 PAC performances in 2016. The PAC team recorded a total of $7.5 million in gross sales for PAC events and another $8 million through the PAC’s regional ticketing network, MyTicketOffice.com. Newsome is a master of data who continuously finds intelligent and creative ways to organize large amounts of ticketing data. He produces streamlined and useful solutions and reports for PAC clients, his in-house team and regional ticketing network ticket office managers.
KARA OSBURN
BOX OFFICE COORDINATOR
TEMPE (ARIZ.) CENTER FOR THE ARTS
For organizing ticketing for self-produced, self-promoted shows at what had been a straight rental house. This year, the city implemented a new arts and culture plan that funds a marketing, producing and promoting budget for the Tempe Center for the Arts. The first self-produced festival will be in the spring. Osborn is handling the logistics of ticketing the event, which means diving deep into CRM and developing a subscriber base. Osborn has been at Tempe Center for the Arts for years, constantly going over and beyond for clients, her staff and their patrons. Being a unique, mixed-used space brings a variety of clientele, but Osborn is flexible, calm and compassionate with everyone.
KATHLEEN PETRILLO-BAIR
BOX OFFICE MANAGER, FLORIDA THEATRE
JACKSONVILLE
For being a critical part of the amazing machine that is Florida Theatre, a historic theatre in Downtown Jacksonville, Fla. It’s not always easy getting folks to not only come downtown, let alone come early, stay late and maybe come down weeks before the show to buy tickets. But the folks in box office at Florida Theatre stay motivated and supported by Petrillo-Bair to provide excellent customer service and a fantastic event experience. Petrillo-Bair is attentive, kind, passionate and she has great communication skills.
CHRISTINE SCOTT
BOX OFFICE MANAGER
FRANK ERWIN CENTER
AUSTIN, TEXAS
For reorganizing the box office, outlets and phone operations at Erwin Center to be more efficient and effective in 2016. Scott coordinated the building of all shows and the sales and the training of the sellers of concerts and athletic events plus supporting the Performing Arts Center and the local Star of Texas Rodeo ticket sales operations. Over the last two years the building of shows, phone operations, outlets and internet operations were consolidated under Scott’s management.
MIKE TANDA
SENIOR DIRECTOR OF ARENA TICKETING
SPECTRUM CENTER, CHARLOTTE, N.C.
For designing and building a will call tracking program in 2016 that helps log and track thousands of internal and external box office will call tickets each year, allowing multiple users to add, search and edit simultaneously. In addition to this great box office feature, he has also built an internal website that integrates ticketing information from past and future shows showing comparisons, projections and current sold maps. This has been a great tool for upper management.
NATASHA ZARZOSA
DIRECTOR OF TICKETING
VALLEY VIEW CASINO CENTER
SAN DIEGO, CALIF.
For overseeing the implementation of a new ticketing system, Veritix, in 2016. She also employed ABI Mastermind, a new timekeeping system, and developed a new procedure for scheduling and timekeeping in conjunction with the accounting department. She spearheaded the selection of an advanced, cloud-based, hosted telephone system delivering business-grade voice service over Cox Business’ private network. 2016 will be the most profitable year in the Valley View Casino Center’s 50-year history.