From Tuesday, May 24 to Thursday, May 26, the Innovation Institute for Fan Experience (IIFX) will host its first in-person FANCENTRIC™ International Conference & Expo at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Conference & Expo will bring together leading thought leaders, subject matter experts and vendors from all aspects of the sports and entertainment industry, and the organization just added five new speakers to the lineup.
Joining the confirmed speakers Larry Olmsted, Russ Simons, Lee Zeidman, Kim Stone, Mario Coutinho, and Jim Mercurio are five niche thought leaders who will share their expertise.
Register for the FANCENTRIC Conference & Expo
Paul Turner, CVE, CSSP is a 30-plus year veteran of the venue and event management industry. He has held positions with the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Portland Trailblazers, Theatre Projects Consultants and the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts. Paul is well known for developing industry standards and practices for customer service, event management, security and venue operations. He has created many training and development programs and has presented at industry conferences in the United States, Northern Ireland, Germany, Australia, and the Middle East.
Jessica Ragsdale currently serves as Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Official ASM Global where she partner closely with senior executive leadership to establish innovative and strategic D&I plans. Jessica previously served as a senior leader at Microsoft, building an operating structure to advance D&I initiatives while partnering with colleagues on the communications team to drive positive growth across multiple channels. She has also managed culture programs and driven the execution of employee-centered programs such as developing community involvement and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives at the local level.
Scott McCartney is currently Director of Team Security for the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs, having retired from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department after 27 years. Scott has also served as the Project Director of the Large Stadium Initiative and as an Active Shooter Training Coordinator with the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and Homeland Security. He’s earned national recognition as a Master Exercise Practitioner (MEP) from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Scott has been invited to testify before the Congressional Committee on Homeland Security to testify on the importance of collaborating with Sports Venues, Colleges and Universities regarding the need to prepare for, respond to, and recover from national incidents and disasters.
As Senior Managing Director of Petrone Risk, John Petrone implements corporate growth strategies and oversees legal risk management analysis, SAFETY Act initiatives, and emergency preparedness initiatives. The scope of his risk management practice includes professional athletic organizations, stadium and arena ownership and management, collegiate athletic facilities, cultural institutions, convention centers, commercial facilities, event service contractors, technology solutions and vendors, municipal, governmental, not-for-profit and for-profit organizations. John is also a current member of the Stadium Manager’s Association Emergency Preparedness Committee, IAVM COVID-19 Industry Advisory Group, and the Syracuse University Board of Athletics.
Shawn Trell serves as Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, and General Counsel for Los Angeles based AEG Presents, one of the world’s leading presenters of live events. Shawn is responsible for overseeing all legal and business affairs for AEG Presents and its subsidiary divisions including that of its thirteen regional offices. In addition, Shawn also oversees Human Resources, the Information & Technology group, sponsorship, and the company’s Special Event business unit, as well as having responsibility for the growth and operation of AEG Presents’s venue portfolio.
“The Innovation Institute for Fan Experience is hard at work adding speakers to the FANCENTRIC Panel every day. Our goal is to have three days of informative networking in Las Vegas” said Dr. Lou Marciani, director and co-founder of IIFX and former director of the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4).
Visit the official FANCENTRIC website to learn more about conference details, hotel accommodations, and sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities. To register, you can purchase a ticket HERE.