Venuworks has announced the following promotions to new positions at its corporate office in Ames, IA. Tim Sullivan assumed the title of chief financial officer. In this role, Sullivan is responsible for monitoring financial reporting and budgeting activities of VenuWorks’ managed facilities, and VenuWorks’ corporate office. Since 2008, he has served as VenuWorks’ corporate director of finance. Andy Long was named regional vice president and continues to work out of the Ames office. In this current position, Long provides oversight and corporate support for multiple venues with an emphasis on arenas. His work has included the direct support for the opening of several new facilities for VenuWorks. 

Wes Westley, SMG President and CEO, announced the appointment of Rob Goodman, Casey Sparks, Mitzi Evans and Cheryl Cohen as regional directors of marketing for the company’s Arena and Stadium division. By providing extra support to the venues as it relates to marketing, public relations, media buying and sponsorships, these four talented individuals will support the ongoing efforts and development of the local marketers of SMG facilities. Goodman is the assistant general manager/director of marketing at Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He has been with SMG for more than 10 years. Goodman has more than 24 years of sports and entertainment marketing experience, and in August will move over to the new 18,500-seat Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh. Sparks currently is the director of sales and marketing for the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma with over eight years in the industry. She joined SMG at the AT&T Center in San Antonio as the marketing manager before coming to the BOK Center. Evans is the director of marketing and sales for the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California and has been part of the SMG team for five years. Her background includes television news reporting and producing, media buying and radio advertising sales. She is also a former promotion director for Ice Capades and traveled worldwide with the show for seven years. Cohen is the marketing director of the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island. She has been with SMG for more than eight years. Prior to joining the arena in Providence, she was a senior marketing representative for World Wrestling Entertainment. 

he Lansing (MI) Entertainment & Public Facilities Authority’s (LEPFA) Board of Commissioners has announced their unanimous appointment of Scott Keith as the Authority’s permanent president and CEO. LEPFA Board Chairman James W. Butler, III called Keith, “a crucial figure in the success plan of LEPFA,” and that, “Scott has the Board’s full support. He has proven above and beyond to all of us that he is the right person to continue the great strides made in recent years. ” Expressing appreciation for his nomination, Keith said, “I am excited to lead a dynamic organization with a talented team of professionals and a supportive Board of Commissioners. I look forward to continuing the Authority’s progress as we move forward to increase relationships in the community while developing new, regional business. I would like to express my gratitude to the staff and Board for their support and validation of my efforts to lead this organization.” Keith’s highly successful experience in managing hospitality companies includes nearly nine years at LEPFA, comprising of more than four years as operations manager and an additional four as vice president of operations. During the last two years he has also held a dual title of executive vice president. Professionally, his background has featured both a prominent, local role as assistant general manager at The Summit, and a national one with JRV Management, Inc, a private sports and recreation facility management firm. While at JRV, Keith worked throughout the United States managing and consulting on sports and entertainment facilities. Prior to that, he worked in the University of Michigan’s athletic department as an events manager for the University’s sports facilities.

Jon Elbaum has been named executive director of the Burnsville Performing Arts Center in Burnsville, MN. The announcement was made by Steve Peters, CFE, president and CEO of VenuWorks. Elbaum has worked in the performing arts and facility management industry since 1991. He comes to Burnsville from the Bridge View Center in Ottumwa, IA, where he has been the general manager since 2006. Prior to his current position, he worked 14 years for the Denver Performing Arts Center in Denver, CO, serving as the director of building services. “I am excited about this new challenge in Burnsville and believe my experience of working in a major metropolitan market and a smaller community in booking diverse programming will be beneficial,” said Elbaum. “I will begin working with our staff to balance revenue yield and facility usage within the context of BPAC’s organizational mission.” “Jon has developed the reputation for providing outstanding customer service and finding events,” Peters said. “BPAC is a beautiful facility that Jon and the staff will work to utilize to its full potential as we move into the second year of operation.

TicketForce announced key changes in the senior management positions held by owners Brad and Lynne Smith. Effective immediately, Lynne Smith, former chief operating officer, has been named chief executive officer, and Brad Smith, former chief executive officer, has been named chief business development officer. The move is expected to improve managerial depth and increase development for the company. Brad Smith will continue to have an integral role in the sales department in addition to furthering business development for TicketForce. The smooth hand-off of the CEO position will allow Lynne, previously COO for the last six years, to use her managerial expertise to facilitate operational changes at TicketForce. The CEO shift and introduction of the CBDO were implemented in order to increase profitability through aggressive growth and streamlined efficiency.

The Office of Governor Donald L. Carcieri announced that J.L. "Lynn" Singleton, president of the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC) and Professional Facilities Management, Inc. (PFM), has been appointed to a three-year term on the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (EDC) Board of Directors. The new appointments will assist the EDC in becoming more responsive to Rhode Island businesses, more supportive of building new industries, and improving Rhode Island's economy. Singleton said, "Serving on the EDC Board is a privilege and an honor; I hope my experience in and concern for Rhode Island will enable me to make significant contributions as a Board Member. I'd like to thank the Governor's Office for the nomination and the Rhode Island Senate for the confirmation of my appointment. I'd also like to thank the PPAC staff, whose hard work and dedication has helped make the Theatre so successful." Singleton has been the President of PPAC since 1983 and the President of PFM since 1989. He is a board member of the Rhode Island Hospitality Association and a trustee of the RIC Foundation at Rhode Island College.

Pascal Beaute has been named executive chef of ARAMARK, the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center’s exclusive food service provider. Beaute comes to New Orleans from the Tampa Convention Center. At New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, he will oversee large-scale event catering for as many as 10,000 people at a time. In addition, Beaute will oversee food preparation for the Center’s restaurants and concession areas including the 400-seat Atrium restaurant, 200-seat Lagniappe Food Court, 100-seat Jazz City Café and the Ma Maison private dining suite. With 20 years of culinary experience, Beaute has worked at hotels and resorts worldwide and also served as a chef at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing. Prior to joining ARAMARK, Beaute operated his own fine dining restaurant, Pascal’s Downtown Bistro, in Titusville, Florida. He was the executive chef at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and was a key participant in opening the EuroDisneyland Resort in Paris.

The San Diego Convention Center Corporation (SDCCC) announced the appointment of Phil Blair, executive officer of Manpower Staffing of San Diego, Inc., to its board of directors. Mayor Jerry Sanders and the City Council confirmed the appointment last month, replacing attorney Cheryl Fisher, who resigned from the board in December 2008. Blair is one of San Diego’s most visible and respected business leaders. Since 1977, he along with partner Mel Katz have built Manpower of San Diego into the largest Manpower franchise in the U.S. with annual revenues exceeding $100 million. Manpower provides quality employment opportunities, training and workforce solutions. It has become San Diego’s fourth largest local for-profit employer providing approximately 2,500 jobs daily through its six countywide branches.