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LISA ZECHMEISTER
DIRECTOR OF ARENA TOURING AND LOGISTICS
INVICTUS ENTERTAINMENT GROUP
HOMETOWN: Hamilton, Ontario
FIRST JOB IN THE INDUSTRY: John Labatt Centre (now Budweiser Gardens in London, Ontario). I was a marketing assistant and I handed out a lot of fliers after shows. I certainly developed an intimate relationship with the copy machine. I moved to Penticton, B.C., to work at the South Okanagan Events Centre when I met Jim Cressman and, in 2013, took a job at Invictus.
FAVORITE PART OF THE JOB: I get a glimpse of all different sides of the industry. We have ZZ Top on tour and I hopped on the bus for the first time and worked shows in Brandon, Manitoba, at the Keystone Centre, and then Mosaic Place in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, and finally the Cold Lake (Alberta) Energy Centre. I earned my bus legs, doing 18-19 hour days and trying to find some rest whenever possible.
MENTORS: Brian Ohl, GM of the Budweiser Gardens in London. I peppered him with hundreds of questions and he was very open with sharing knowledge. I also worked with Barry Strafacci, and he was a great asset for me.
ONE THING PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO LEARN ABOUT YOU: I am a huge venue nerd – if there is a locked door, I want to be behind it.
(403) 262-2245
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CLARK MOSS
REGIONAL MANAGER, SPOKANE, WASH.
TICKETSWEST
HOMETOWN: Portland, Ore.
FIRST JOB IN THE INDUSTRY: I started wanting to be a concert promoter and was hounding David Leiken at Double Tee promotions for an internship. He had started Fasttixx and got me a job answering phones. I quickly realized that I didn’t have the capital to be a promoter on my own, and there were already so many fish in that sea that it would have been impossible for me to try and swim with them. So I stuck with ticketing.
CURRENT POSITION: In 1999, Fastixx was sold to TicketsWest and I was grandfathered into the company. Our offices remained in the Roseland Theatre for years until about 2006, when we were moved to offices in Portland, and then about a year later I moved to become regional manager of Spokane. I went from mostly clubs and small theater shows to covering arenas, colleges and much larger venues.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO BE DOING IN YOU WEREN’T IN TICKETING: I have no idea. I’ve been doing this for 20 years. I know I would be playing pinball in a bar somewhere, but I don’t know how I would be earning those quarters.
HOBBIES: I have a year-and-a-half-old son named Davis and that takes up all my free time.
SOMETHING PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO LEARN ABOUT YOU: I know sign language — my parents were both hard of hearing and I grew up in the deaf community. I have been able to use it at the box office window, helping folks get their tickets and issues resolved.
(509) 325-7320
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JOE FURIN
GENERAL MANAGER
LOS ANGELES MEMORIAL COLISEUM AND SPORTS ARENA
HOMETOWN: Born in San Gabriel, Calif. Grew up in Rosemead, Calif.
UNIVERSITY: University of Southern California
FIRST JOB IN THE INDUSTRY: I was an intern at the Sports Arena, which was across from the campus, working for Scott Carmichael, director of marketing. I ran the scoreboard during events. One of my first events, I put up all the sponsor thank-yous on the board during Mickey Thompson’s supercross and it read, Thank You, Dirt Bag Magazine, instead of Dirt Bike. Fortunately I wasn’t fired on the spot.
FAVORITE PART OF THE JOB: Seeing fans leave the stadium satisfied.
WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING IF NOT THIS: I like history and geography. Would I be a deckhand for Christopher Columbus or part of Marco Polo’s caravan on the Silk Road? I love to explore new lands and see the world and cultures. If I could do that, that would be the ultimate joy for me.
MENTORS: Joel Ralph and Peter Luukko. Joel is a man of class and professionalism. From Peter I learned to take ownership. The first day, the first meeting, he said we are going to take responsibility and we’re going to run this place.
WHAT DO YOU DO WITH YOUR FREE TIME: Spend quality time with my family.
TOP SONG ON IPOD: I’m a big Johnny Cash fan, so it’s Folsom Prison Blues or I Walk the Line.
(213) 765-6342