GREGG TYSON
DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMMING
TENNESSEE THEATRE, KNOXVILLE
HOMETOWN: Baltimore
UNIVERSITY: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
FIRST JOB IN THE INDUSTRY: I began my career as a stagehand at the Clarence Brown Theatre for the Performing Arts, which is on the campus of UT. I slowly worked my way up the ranks, first to the development office and then eventually to cultural affairs. I left in 2007 to begin my current role.
MENTORS: My father William remains my top mentor and the first person I contact whenever I make a decision about my career. He really helps me walk through all of my decision-making and take a long-term perspective.
FAVORITE PART OF YOUR JOB: The diversity of what we do. One week we will be preparing for a choral concert and the next we’re booking George Thorogood and the Destroyers for their 40th anniversary show.
BEST MOMENT SO FAR: The birth of my daughter Bethany in January 2013. That has really changed everything — you can prepare as much as you want, but you’ll never feel ready until the moment you first hold that child in your arms.
SOMETHING PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO LEARN ABOUT YOU: I’ve never learned to swim.
(865) 694-1200
CHRIS KIBLER
AGM & DIRECTOR OF FINANCE
INTRUST BANK ARENA, WICHITA, KAN.
HOMETOWN: El Dorado, Kan.
UNIVERSITY: I have three bachelor’s degrees — two from Kansas State in Manhattan and one from Wichita State.
FIRST JOB IN THE INDUSTRY: I had been a public accountant at Ernst & Young for several years and had been following the arena as it was being planned and built. I love sports and entertainment and I thought it would be a great place to work. I started with SMG in May 2009 and we moved over to the new building in November 2009.
FAVORITE PART OF THE JOB: I love connecting with our guests and trying to improve the guest experience. We want visits to the building to be memorable so that guests can feel great spending their entertainment dollars with us.
MENTORS: I have mentors from all aspects of my life. In accounting, Melissa Dick was one of my first professional mentors and taught me to believe in myself, set goals and follow through. Here at the venue, our GM A.J. Boleski has taught me everything about the industry and how things work behind the scenes.
BEST ADVICE EVER RECEIVED: Stay levelheaded and don’t take anything personally. Everyone has a bad day and their own way of showing it.
ONE THING PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO LEARN ABOUT YOU: I change the color of the walls in my house often as a form of stress relief. I think I’ve repainted them six times in six years – about once a year I hit a point where I need something different.
(316) 440-9016
GEORGIANA YOUNG
CHIEF PROGRAMMING AND MARKETING OFFICER
DAVID A. STRAZ JR. CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, TAMPA, FLA.
HOMETOWN: Houston
UNIVERSITY: Rice University, Houston
FIRST JOB: Pace Entertainment, where I spent 25 years mostly with the theatrical group and eventually moved into business development and spent some time in their London office. Eventually, I took what was supposed to be a 12-week sabbatical in Guatemala. It turned into a four-year career, where I was working for the Paiz Foundation as their executive director.
BEST ADVICE: The people you work with can be more important than the actual job itself. Sharing the vision is one of the most important things in the workplace.
MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT: When I was in Guatemala, we held an event inside a 17th century cathedral at a coffee plantation, just outside of Antigua. About 10 minutes before we opened the doors the house manager informed me that he had neglected to number the seats. We grabbed paper and pens and numbered every single one of them.
MENTOR: PACE Concert’s Allen Becker. I started working for him when I was 21. He has the talent to make people feel good about working with him.
HOBBIES: I still travel frequently and make return trips to Guatemala and helped create a U.S. foundation to promote cultural exchange.
(813) 222-1050