Speakers

J. Todd Achelpohl, RA
Associate Vice President, Director of Design
HNTB

Todd Achelpohl has created successful designs for a wide variety of public and private projects. He serves as Director of Design for HNTB Architecture and leads design for the Kansas City Architecture office. In this capacity, Mr. Achelpohl is responsible for design, client communication and management on large projects in addition to mentoring design staff throughout the practice. With a broad history of project experience and a foundation of creative thinking, he possesses unique advisory skills in leading public clients through complex capital improvement programs from the feasibility stage to ultimate completion.

Mr. Achelpohl currently leads HNTB’s Convention Center Design Studio, which provides a full range of services for this unique building type, assisting clients on all aspects of facility needs from programming, master planning and facility design to destination master planning. He is currently leading the architectural design team for the $737 million expansion and renovation of the Las Vegas Convention Center, and leads the HNTB team designing improvements to the Kansas City Convention Center complex.

Clayton Bennett
President
Dorchester Capital

Clayton I. Bennett serves as President of Dorchester Capital a diversified private investment company. Dorchester’s current investment concentration is in real estate, health care, technology, energy, professional sports and a broad variety of other investment activities. Bennett currently serves as Chairman of the Oklahoma State Fair, the Oklahoma Health Center Foundation and the Oklahoma Industries Authority. He is a past chairman of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, the Oklahoma Heritage Association and Downtown Oklahoma City, Inc.

In 1990, Bennett received the Dean A. McGee Award, which is presented annually to an individual who has made significant contributions to the development of downtown Oklahoma City. In 1996, he was awarded the Abe Lemons – Paul Hanson Award for excellence by Oklahoma City University in recognition of his efforts as President of the Oklahoma Sports Commission. In 1997, he was presented the Economic Development Citizen Leadership Award by the National Council of Urban Economic Development; this national award is presented annually to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the field of urban economic development.

Steve Bielewicz
President
Global Properties I

Steven J. Bielewicz, President of Global Properties I, is a veteran executive with 20+ years national and international experience in finance, operations and real estate development. Mr. Bielewicz is currently responsible for development of mid-sized, multi-purpose event centers in targeted communities across North America. Global Properties I is a wholly owned subsidiary of Global Entertainment, a company engaged in sports management, arena and related real estate development, facility and venue management and marketing, venue ticketing and branded licensing.

Mr. Bielewicz has worked in operations and development for such well known brand names as Eckerd’s drug stores (now under the name CVS), Denny’s restaurants, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Bruegger’s bakery chain and PepsiCo Food Systems. He has also held executive positions in corporate finance with companies such as PepsiCo, A. O. Smith Corporation and Associated Bank Corporation.

While at PepsiCo he increased sales by 500% in a three-year period in a Pizza Hut subsidiary through new markets and products. At Denny’s Corporation he served as Director of Franchise Sales and Development for the western half of North America and all international markets. During his time with Eckerd Corporation he obtained corporate approval for the development of more than 80 sites in a two-year period.

Ronnie Bryant, CEcD, FM
President and CEO
Charlotte Regional Partnership

As President and CEO of the Charlotte Regional Partnership, Ronnie Bryant leads the economic development organization that promotes the 16-county Charlotte USA region as a premier location for businesses considering expansion or relocation. With more than 23 years of managerial and economic development expertise, Bryant is nationally known for his proven track record of establishing and implementing successful economic development programs. The editors of Site Selection magazine have recognized Bryant’s excellence in the field by twice naming organizations led by him to its list of Top 10 economic development groups in the nation. Bryant has been credited with the development of job creation strategies that resulted in more than 117,000 jobs.

Prior to joining CRP, Bryant was President and Chief Operating Officer of the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance. Before working in Pittsburgh, Bryant was the Senior Vice President of the Economic Development Division for the St. Louis Regional Chamber & Growth Association. Bryant is a graduate of Louisiana State University in Shreveport and the Economic Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma in Norman. Bryant now serves as a faculty member of EDI and lectures on issues related to economic development, professional development and strategic management. Bryant is also affiliated with many professional and community organizations.

David E. Cardwell
The Cardwell Law Firm

David E. Cardwell is experienced in local government and administrative law. His primary area of practice is public law with an emphasis on local government, infrastructure, public facilities, sports facilities, redevelopment and election law. Mr. Cardwell is recognized by The Florida Bar as a Board Certified in the area of City, County, and Local Government Law. He is recognized throughout the State of Florida and nationally in the area of redevelopment and tax increment financing and has been involved in many real estate redevelopment projects, including planning, development agreements and financing.

Mr. Cardwell served as City Attorney for Lakeland, Florida. Before becoming City Attorney, Mr. Cardwell was a staff director of the Florida House of Representatives and served as state elections director and legal counsel to the Department of State, where he participated in the initial administration of several new laws including the Administrative Procedure Act, the Election Code, and the General Corporation Act. Prior to joining state government, he was a litigation attorney with a law firm in Orlando.

Mr. Cardwell is a founder and the Executive Director and General Counsel of the Florida Grapefruit League Association. Mr. Cardwell is currently an adjunct professor in the Graduate Sports Business Program at the University of Central Florida.

Alan DeLisle, CEcD
Assistant City Manager and Director of Economic and Workforce Development
City of Durham

Alan earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication/Journalism with a concentration in print and Broadcast Journalism at St. John Fisher College, Rochester, New York and his Masters Degree in Political Science with a concentration in State and Local government at the State University of New York at Albany.

He moved to North Carolina in 2002 to work for the City of Durham as Director of the Economic and Workforce Development Department. He has since been promoted to Assistant City Manager and Director of Economic and Workforce Development. Currently, Alan is working on several Economic Development projects; including the new Durham Performing Arts Center, Phase III development of American Tobacco, West Village Phase II, Parrish Street and Neighborhood Redevelopment projects. Alan is also the Director of the Workforce Development Board and has led the effort to implement Durham’s first Strategic Workforce Development Plan.

Prior to relocating to the City of Durham, Alan held many positions which include President of Buffalo Economic Renaissance Corporation , Commissioner of Community Development for City of Buffalo, New York, Confidential Aid to the Mayor for Policy and Intergovernmental Affairs, City of Buffalo,

Donald R. Dethlefs, AIA
President
Sink Combs Dethlefs, Sports Architecture

Donald Dethlefs has built a reputation as one of the premier designers of arena and entertainment venues in the nation. Don’s professional experience has emphasized award winning state of the art architectural design in a variety of facility types including arenas, stadiums, minor league baseball parks and multipurpose cultural venues.

Innovation, creativity, flexibility and cost effectiveness characterize the designs of Don Dethlefs. He understands that an economically viable facility must have the capacity to host athletic events, yet also requires the flexibility to accommodate a variety of other functions throughout the year. He understands the needs of the spectators and facility users and works to ensure that each venue accommodates the wants and needs of each diverse group of patron.

As an Arena Design Specialist and the President of Sink Combs Dethlefs, Don serves as an industry leader in the design of state of the art sports and entertainment venues.

Tom Difiore
President
National Community Development Service, Inc

Since joining NCDS in 1995, Tom DiFiore has directed campaigns as an on-site campaign director, supervised campaigns and directors as vice president of project operations and support, and helped develop new clients and markets as a senior officer. Because of his “up-close and personal” experience with hundreds of campaigns and feasibility analyses, he offers NCDS clients valuable insight and knowledge of all fundraising issues.

As a former operations and business development manager in Fortune 100 and entrepreneurial companies, Tom brings a keen sense and intuitive approach to the challenging tasks of economic and community development. His business and fundraising careers have given him the perspective and ability to position non-profit programs and organizations to attract maximum support from corporations, foundations and governments.

His involvement in campaigns that have raised hundreds of millions of dollars for a wide range of projects is a great source of pride and satisfaction for Tom. Consequently, he makes sure to monitor an organization’s progress during and after the implementation of a project funded by an NCDS campaign.

Mark J. Erickson, Esq.

Mark Erickson is an attorney with over twenty five years of experience in virtually every aspect of real estate development and management in both corporate and private practice handling retail, office, industrial and residential projects. His experience spans such projects from their inception by conducting site acquisition to the marketing and disposition of completed projects through their sale or lease as well as every aspect in between including rezoning, site plan and other regulatory approval and construction management. In these capacities, his expertise extends to working with government regulators at the State, regional and local levels, architects and engineers, builders and developers and lenders.

Erickson recently completed several years in private practice where his clients included several prominent residential builders as well as commercial and residential developers. During this time, he also served on the real property tax review board and zoning board of appeals for a local municipality and the development process review advisory board of another municipality. Prior to entering private practice, Erickson was in-house counsel for a nationally recognized developer in Oakland County, Michigan. Prior experience also included overseeing the property management of the real property assets of a large retail chain and legal support in the acquisition of new retail locations for that company.

Ted A. Ferris
President/CEO
Arizona Sports & Tourism Authority

Ted A. Ferris has been President/CEO of the Arizona Sports & Tourism Authority (AZSTA) since January 2001. Previously, Ted served as Deputy Chief of Staff for the Governor from 1997 to 2000, where he was responsible for economic and taxation policy formulation. He represented the Governor on her “Plan B Task Force”, whose work led to the passage of Proposition 302 on the 2000 Ballot and the creation of AZSTA. Prior to joining the Governor’s staff, Ted was the Director of the Arizona Joint Legislative Budget Committee Staff for 12 years, Director of the Michigan Senate Fiscal Agency for 4 years, and Chief Economist for the Michigan SFA for 6 years. Ted holds both a Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s Degree in Economics from Western Michigan University.

David Greusel, AIA
Principal
HOK Venue

David Greusel is a principal with HOK Venue, a division of the HOK Sport companies. David’s 28 years of experience includes designing convention centers, arenas and ballparks across the country. He has designed such projects as the Grand River Center in Dubuque, Iowa, and Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas. David is a frequent author and speaker on not only the architecture of these public spaces, but also the experience they provide to guests and fans. He has written for Facility Manager and Auditoria magazines and has spoken at the International Convention Center Conference, the American Institute of Architects national conference and If You Build It.

Donald Grinberg, FAIA
Principal Architect and Director of Convention Center Architecture
HNTB Architecture

As leader of HNTB’s convention center planning and design practice, Don Grinberg has been involved in the firm’s diverse convention center work over the past twenty years. With a particular focus on technically-sophisticated downtown convention centers that are part of broader economic development and pedestrian-friendly urban design strategies, his diverse award-winning work includes centers in San Diego, Ontario, Ft. Wayne, Boston, Providence, Lake Placid and many other cities. Don’s professional contributions as a leading convention center architect were recognized in 1999 when he was elected as a Fellow of the AIA. He is a graduate of Harvard College, the Harvard Graduate School of Design, and the Delft University of Technology in Holland.

John Holland
Executive Vice President
Oppenheimer & Co. Inc

John M. Holland, “Jack,” is a Managing Director and Co-Manager of the Public Finance Department at Oppenheimer. He entered the investment banking business in 1976 after receiving his B.A. and J.D. from the University of Missouri. Mr. Holland is a member of the Missouri Bar, Kansas City Bar Association and has been active in the Section of Local Government Law of the American Bar Association. His experience includes a broad range of public finance activities with a special emphasis in the development and implementation of non-traditional financing methods. Mr. Holland has been involved in more than $10 billion in public financings for issuers throughout the Midwest and Southwest and has participated in many of Kansas City’s most significant financings over the last 20 years including: the Brush Creek Improvement Plan, Sprint Arena, KCI Airport, Truman Sports Complex and the Kansas Speedway.

Mr. Holland serves on the Board of Trustees of Avila University, is a member of the Board of the Kansas REACH Healthcare Foundation and is past President of Kansas City Consensus.

Michael Hughes
Associate Publisher & Director of Research Services
Tradeshow Week

As Tradeshow Week’s Associate Publisher & Director of Research Services, Michael Hughes is a convention center industry analyst, consultant, columnist and speaker. His primary role since 1995 has been running the magazine’s research and consulting group – Tradeshow Week Custom Research. His team develops industry analysis and recommendations for leading show producers, corporate exhibitors, service providers, venues and CVBs, as well as entrepreneurs and investors. He is frequently quoted by major newspapers and national magazines such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and Newsweek. In addition, Michael has been invited to speak at over 60 industry conferences and for private organizations.

Robin Scott Hunden
President
Hunden Strategic Partners

Mr. Hunden offers extensive experience in the economics of major real estate projects. He has provided expertise for over 200 projects including the Kansas City Power & Light District, 4th Street Live! (Louisville), the Indianapolis Downtown Marriott, Chicago’s Union Station redevelopment, the New Yorker Hotel, Conseco Fieldhouse, Fort Worth Omni, and numerous convention hotels, convention centers and mixed-use districts (Aspen, Boca Raton, Chicago). Prior to starting HSP, he served as Vice President of Johnson Consulting in Chicago. There, he led specialized work on hotels, conference centers, sports, urban entertainment-retail districts and convention centers. He worked on real estate finance and transactions at Landauer Associates and Grubb & Ellis. His public-sector experience includes managing projects for the Indianapolis Bond Bank and the Indianapolis Mayor’s Office, including the 1999 Indiana Convention Center expansion, the RCA Dome expansion, and Conseco Fieldhouse. He has written articles on convention hotel development and taught college-level Destination Development courses.

Mr. Hunden is a member of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC), ULI, IEDC, IDA, ICMA, and GFOA. He has conducted IEDC panel discussions and taught professional development courses for IEDC. He has also spoken at the Greek Conference on Tourism and the Bond Buyer’s “Tourism as Economic Development” conference in 2006.

Don Hunter
President
Hunter Interests Inc.

Don Hunter is president of Hunter Interests Inc., a real estate investment, development, and consulting firm headquartered in Annapolis, MD. Hunter Interests specializes in economic development strategies and action plans, and has assisted in the successful revitalization of downtowns throughout North America. The firm prepares revitalization plans and action programs, and helps its clients implement them. It specializes in large scale, mixed use developments and complex public/private ventures in urban areas. In addition to being an urban economist, Mr. Hunter is a real estate developer who has constructed numerous successful development projects during his 38-year career. Consulting assignments in which his firm’s services caused development to occur total $3.8 billion in value. Mr. Hunter is a member of the Board of Directors of the International Economic Development Council, and is a former member of the Board of the International Downtown Association (IDA). He is also active in ULI, APA and ICSC. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kansas and a master’s degree from the University of California at Berkeley.

David Hyslop

David Hyslop's 43-year career in arts management includes 32 years serving as Chief Executive Officer for three of the nation’s top symphony orchestras — Minnesota Orchestra (1991-2003), St. Louis Symphony (1978-1991), and Oregon Symphony (1972-1978). During his long tenures in Minnesota and St. Louis, he was also responsible for the operation of Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis and Powell Hall in St. Louis.

Since 2004 Mr. Hyslop has consulted for a number of organizations including the Buffalo Philharmonic, Santa Fe Opera, West Virginia Symphony, Sun Valley Arts Center, Wheaton Grand Theater and many more .He has served on the boards of the Greater Minneapolis Convention and Visitors Association, Minneapolis Downtown Council, American Symphony Orchestra League, and the Minnesota State Fair Foundation.

Mr. Hyslop’s illustrious career has brought him many honors. Among these, a Minnesota Orchestra Subscription Concert was dedicated to him in his final season with the Orchestra. The David J. Hyslop Trumpet Chair was Endowed in Perpetuity by the St. Louis Symphony in 1991. Fanfare for D.H. was composed for Mr. Hyslop’s 10th Anniversary with the Symphony by Pulitzer-winning composer Joseph Schwantner. He was awarded the Martha Baird Rockefeller Grant by the American Symphony Orchestra League in 1966.

Mr. Hyslop received his B.S. in Music Education from Ithaca College.

Mike Kirchhoff, CEcD
Vice President of Business Retention and Recruitment
Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, Missouri

Mike Kirchhoff is Vice President of Business Retention and Recruitment for the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, Missouri. During more than 17 years in economic development, he has served in downtown redevelopment, tourism, and industrial development roles at the state, regional, and local levels. Kirchhoff’s economic development background includes leadership positions in Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri in state, utility, regional and local economic development organizations. He is also Principal of DPI Group, an economic development consulting firm based in Kansas City. The firm specializes in organizational restructuring, marketing/industry analysis, economic development education, and opportunity identification.

Kirchhoff teaches courses in economic development marketing, retention, organizational structure, and other topics and has presented sessions for the USDA, the Illinois Development Council, Illinois Main Street, Mid-America Economic Development Council, The Competitive Communities Initiative, International Economic Development Council, Indiana BEDC, Illinois BEDC, and numerous other organizations. In addition, Kirchhoff is a frequent public speaker on economic development topics and is the author of a wide range of articles, handbooks and related economic development literature.

Bill Krueger
Director
CSL International

Mr. Krueger has experience with more than 200 studies relating to the convention, conference, exhibition, arena, civic, sports, spectator and hotel/visitor industries. Areas of project focus have included facility development and expansion feasibility, projection of financial operating performance, facility/organization performance evaluation, community economic growth strategy formulation, and facility/CVB organizational structure and policy review. Clients have included cities, counties, convention and visitors bureaus, chambers of commerce, state organizations and private entities. Bill has managed and directed studies in communities of all sizes throughout North America, nearly all of which have involved analysis of financial operations. Bill has experience providing various types of analyses and advisory services, including: Market Demand Analysis; Facility Sizing/ Program Analysis; Financial Operating Analysis; Economic and Fiscal Impact Analysis; Project Funding Analysis; Site Location Analysis; Operational/Mgmt. Analysis; and Marketing Strategy Development.

Bill graduated from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Science in Business with an emphasis in Marketing and Finance.

Timothy Leiweke
President & CEO
AEG

Timothy J. Leiweke serves as President & CEO of AEG, a collection of companies owned or operated by the organization considered to be one of the world’s leading presenters of sports and entertainment programming.

Recently selected by the Los Angeles Times as one of the 100 most influential people in southern California, Leiweke has acquired or merged more than 40 divisions and companies whose alliances create a global live entertainment organization capable of developing, producing, promoting, marketing and managing sports and entertainment programming in both facilities owned and operated by AEG (such as STAPLES Center and The Home Depot Center) as well as other venues.

Under Leiweke’s direction, AEG Development is currently focused on the creation of several multi-faceted sports and entertainment districts worldwide including L.A. Live, a four million square foot / $2.5 billion sports and entertainment district adjacent to STAPLES Center as well as The O2, a 23,000-seat arena and over 650,000sf of leisure and entertainment use within London’s Millennium Dome and O2 World an arena and multi-faceted sports and entertainment district on 45-acres in central Berlin.

Before moving to Los Angeles, Leiweke served as president and CEO for U.S. Skiing, a post he assumed after serving four seasons as President of the Denver Nuggets (1991-95). The first employee hired by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1988, Leiweke served as Vice President for the NBA franchise for four seasons after operating several MISL franchises beginning in 1979.

Robert Lewis, CEcD, AICP
Principal and President
Development Strategies

Bob directs economic research and planning projects at Development Strategies, based in St. Louis. He was part of the team that created Development Strategies in 1988 after ten years with Team Four and two years with the St. Louis County Department of Planning. He was named president in 2000.

The focus of his professional work is analyzing the market, economic, and organizational forces that influ-ence urban planning, economic growth, and real estate development. His consulting services typically yield strategic recommendations for clients seeking to maximize economic value. Clients include private property owners, corporations, government agencies, non-profits, and institutions all around the United States.

Bob holds a master's degree in city and regional planning from Southern Illi¬nois University at Edwardsville (1976) and a bachelor's degree in business economics from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio (1973). He is a certified economic developer (CEcD) within the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) and a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) of the American Planning Association (APA). He is also a former president of APA’s Missouri Chapter and recently served as secretary-treasurer of the Economic Development Division of the APA.

Will Lofdahl
Director
Pan American Center and Aggie Memorial Stadium

For the past nine years, Will Lofdahl has managed both the Pan American Center (13,000 seat arena) and Aggie Memorial Stadium (30,000 seats) which are located on the campus of New Mexico State University. Mr. Lofdahl played an integral role in a thirty million dollar renovation to the Pan American Center. This project took a forty year old facility that was near the end of its useful life and transformed that facility into a vibrant and contributing component of the university and community.

Prior to assuming his current position, Will held positions at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, WA, and at the Show Me Center on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University. He has over eighteen years of experience in the public assembly facility and special event management fields.

Andy Long
National Director of Business Development
Compass Facility Management, Inc.

Andy E. Long, National Director of Business Development for Compass Facility Management, Inc., is a long-time industry executive with extensive experience in marketing, management, and opening of public assembly facilities. He most recently managed the opening of the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines, a four-building complex anchored by the 17,000-seat multi-purpose Wells Fargo Arena and the 100,000 sq. ft. HyVee Hall Convention Facility. Prior to Des Moines, Andy opened and operated Wachovia Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, a 10,500-seat entertainment and sports arena. He has also served as Director of Marketing at the North Charleston Coliseum, The Iowa State Center in Ames, Iowa , and the Ervin J. Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio. He has also been a regional Marketing Director for Feld Entertainment with Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Combined Shows. His multi-venue background has given him effective and results-based knowledge in the design and operation of every type of venue and event, and he provides an invaluable resource to the Compass consulting and facility management programs while heading up new business development. Andy is a graduate of Iowa State University, is married to his wife Karen and the father of two children, Samantha and Eric.

Bob Marcusee
President and CEO
Kansas City Area Development Council

Bob has close to 30 years of experience in economic development. He has an extensive background working with international companies, especially from Asia and Europe. Since his tenure with KCADC he has lead the way with KC’s Animal Health Initiative and KC SmartPort. Bob is an active participant to help companies locate their businesses to Kansas City.

Ken Martin, AIA
Principal
DLR Group

Ken Martin is a principal with DLR Group and is the firm’s hospitality sector leader. He has more than 17 years of experience on a variety of large scale project types including numerous conference/convention centers and hotels. Ken has a passion for the design of these hospitality facilities and focuses on creating the best guest and visitor experience for his clients. He has worked closely with cities, developers, and hoteliers around the country using a creative style and approach so that everyone has input on the total facility design and functionality.

Ken was the project manager for the new Overland Park Convention Center and attached 412-room Sheraton Hotel. This convention center features 60,000 SF of exhibit space and nearly 30,000 SF of ballroom/multi-purpose space and 15,000 SF of meeting space.

Ken is currently the project leader for a conference center and hotel in Lubbock, Texas featuring a 47,400 SF conference center and 11,400 SF ballroom with an adjoined 15-story, 304-room hotel.

DLR Group also completed the Qwest Center in Omaha, Nebraska, featuring a 254,000 SF Convention Center and attached 400,000 SF Arena, and the expansion and renovation of the Sacramento Convention Center.

Stephen D. Moffett, CPA
President, Hospitality Division
Garfield Traub

Stephen Moffett, CPA is President of Garfield Traub Hospitality Division. Mr. Moffett has over 30 years experience in public accounting, corporate finance and real estate finance. For the past 20 years, he has been actively involved in real estate finance, development and consulting.

Prior to joining Garfield Traub, Mr. Moffett formed SDM Financial, Inc. As Founder and President of this independently owned real estate financial advisory firm, Mr. Moffett specialized in the raising of private debt and equity in public/private capital structures. Since the mid-1990’s, he negotiated and closed over $200 million in private debt and equity finance for the company.

Before founding SDM Financial, Mr. Moffett was the sole outside consultant to a Greenwich, Connecticut-based Japanese finance company and a Los Angeles-based real estate partnership. Mr. Moffett’s initial real estate exposure came as a Chief Financial Officer and partner with the Trammell Crow Residential Company. During his five and one-half years there, he financed the start up of a newly formed Senior Housing Division and negotiated and closed over $100 million in equity joint ventures and debt financing with a variety of U.S. and Japanese lending institutions. Mr. Moffett is a Certified Public Accountant in the state of Texas and a member of the Board of Governors for the University of North Texas School of Hospitality Management.

John M. Nachbar
City Manager
Overland Park, Kansas

John Nachbar returned in January 2000 as City Manager of Overland Park, Kansas, which he left in 1987 after serving as Assistant City Manager from 1982.

From 1994 to December 1999, John was Deputy City Manager in Tucson, Arizona. Before Tucson, John was City Administrator in Albany, California and City Manager in Patterson, California.

John graduated from The University of Kansas with a Master of Public Administration degree in 1980 and a Bachelor of General Studies degree in 1978. He is a native of Shawnee, Kansas.

Moira Quinn
Senior Vice President of Communications & Chief Operating Officer
Charlotte Center City Partners

Moira Quinn is Charlotte Center City Partner's Senior Vice President for Communications and Chief Operating Officer. Moira joined CCCP in September 2002. Her responsibilities include overseeing communications and public relations for CCCP and the oversight of all budgetary and administrative functions of the organization.

Moira came to CCCP from WBTV in Charlotte, where she spent 26 years working both behind the scenes and in front of the camera. Moira began her career as an intern from Queens College in Charlotte. She worked on the production staff, was the first woman to work as a full-time news photographer in Charlotte. In 1979, She joined Bob Lacey for a 9-year run as Host/Producer for PM Magazine, a nationally syndicated entertainment show. Moira has been a specialty reporter in the television news department, morning show co-host on 1110-WBT, and anchor of WBTV's morning and noon news shows. When Moira came to CCCP, she was a manager for WBTV News, working as Executive Producer.

Moira graduated Summa Cum Laude from Queens College in Charlotte, with Bachelor of Arts degrees in English and Drama.

Robin Roberts, FM
Executive Vice President
Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce

Robin Roberts is Executive Vice President of Economic Development for the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, and leads the 10-county region in international and domestic business recruitment, expansion and retention, research and strategy development.

Roberts is a native of Oregon, and has over a decade of public service in the economic development and public policy arena. She served as a Regional Coordinator for the Governor’s office focusing on developing cooperation between local, community and state government on economic development projects.

Previously Roberts served as Director of Economic Development for the Portland Development Commission, Executive Director of Economic Development for Central Oregon, and International and Product Development Manager for the Oregon Tourism Commission, part of the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department. Roberts spent several years in the private sector before entering public service.

Brad Schrock, AIA
Principal
360 Architecture

For 22 years, Brad Schrock has been designing buildings that inspire people and contribute positively to the built environment. Brad’s designs for major sports, public assembly, multi-use and commercial facilities across the United State have been recognized for establishing breakthrough solutions to urban design challenges. His work includes: Safeco Field, Seattle; Sprint Center, Kansas City, Missouri; Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio; America West Arena, Phoenix; Stockton Events Center, Stockton, California; American Airlines Arena, Miami; and Coors Field, Denver. He is a founding principal of 360 Architecture, a full-scope architectural and interior design firm based in Kansas City, Missouri.

Gregory Shelko
Downtown Development Director
City of Tucson, AZ

Appointed by the Tucson City Manager in June 2004 to implement a voter-approved comprehensive master plan for the revitalization of it’s downtown. With funds derived from a tax increment district, the City of Tucson is making a series of strategic investments to stimulate the marketplace and support new private sector commercial and residential development. The plan contemplates the public expenditure of more than $550 million over the next 5 to 10 years. That is expected to leverage in excess of several billion dollars in related private and institutional investments, direct and indirect economic impacts and increased tax revenue over the life of the district. Prior to moving to Tucson he worked for the City of Milwaukee Wisconsin for 26 years, most recently as Asst. Executive Director-Secretary of its Redevelopment Authority. There he oversaw a wide range of development activities throughout Milwaukee’s neighborhoods that added 100’s of millions of dollars to the local tax base. He was an invited speaker at local community development conferences on neighborhood revitalization strategies and brownfield redevelopment. He attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Marquette University.

Barry Silberman
Chief Operating Officer
Charlotte Bobcats Arena

In a career that spans more than three decades, Barry Silberman has established an international reputation for his achievements in the development and management of sports and entertainment facilities. Silberman supervised the creation of Charlotte Bobcats Arena, working hand-in-hand with the project architects, city officials and vendors who were involved in the construction of the facility. He now is responsible for the management of Charlotte Bobcats Arena.

For 15 years, Silberman was president and CEO of Centre Management, an arena management company that supervised event bookings and relationships at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC. As president of entertainment and development of Washington Sports and Entertainment, he was intimately involved in the creation and opening of the Verizon Center, and managed the organization’s relationships with governmental and transportation agencies, unions, concessionaires and community and special interest groups.

Steven Spickard
Senior Vice President
Economic Research Associates

In support of ERA's consulting practice, Mr. Spickard advises policy-makers on the development and operation of rock & roll concert halls, conference and convention facilities, event centers, museum attractions, and other civic facilities. A specific passion of Steve’s has been public/private partnerships for public assembly facilities with services ranging from concept development and feasibility assessment to operations projections and economic impact analysis.

During his 29 years with ERA, Mr. Spickard has analyzed the economics of a wide variety of commercial attractions, from small specialty retail centers to major urban mixed-use developments. Mr. Spickard graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of California, Berkeley, with a B.A. degree in economics. He later returned to Berkeley to earn a Masters degree in City and Regional Planning.

Louise Stevens
President
ArtsMarket, Inc.

Louise Stevens is founder and president of ArtsMarket, Inc., which has for 25 years led cultural development studies and plans throughout the US and Canada. ArtsMarket has twice been honored by IEDC for its research for cultural development projects, and its projects have been the focus of past If you Build it They Will Come panels. Ms. Stevens is author of numerous books and articles on cultural planning, and teaches cultural development planning at Rutgers University Bloustein School of Planning and Policy. She can be reached at lstevens@ArtsMarket.com.

Robert Swerdling
Managing Director
Piper Jaffray & Co.

Robert Swerdling currently heads Piper Jaffray’s efforts in municipal hospitality. He has 22 years experience in public finance and has been providing investment banking services to municipal finance clients for approximately 12 years. Mr. Swerdling’s business focuses on hospitality financings and also includes general state and local governmental financings. He provides extensive experience in all aspects of hotel financings and has been the lead banker on numerous deals including: the Austin Convention Center Hotel (2001), the Denver Convention Center Hotel (2003), the Austin-Bergstrom Airport Hotel (1999), the Omaha Convention Center Hotel (2002), and the Baltimore Hilton Convention Center Hotel (2006).

Jason Thompson
Project Manager
Brailsford & Dunlavey

Jason Thompson is a Project Manager with Brailsford & Dunlavey and leads the company’s sports practice. Brailsford & Dunlavey is a facility planning and project management firm with expertise in market and financial analyses, facility lease negotiations, management of design and construction processes, and business planning. With a city planning and municipal finance background, Mr. Thompson has experience in tax credit programs, incremental financing mechanisms, land use planning, and economic development. At Brailsford & Dunlavey, he has utilized his understanding of public-private partnerships and modern planning principles to lead the planning of over 40 sports facilities and districts for universities, municipalities, and franchise owners. Mr. Thompson represented the District of Columbia Sports and Entertainment Commission and the Deputy Mayor’s Office during the planning and relocation process for the Montreal Expos / Washington Nationals and is currently the Owner’s Representative for the Nashville Sounds and the development of a $250M ballpark district. Other recent work includes new arena in Charlottesville, VA, Everett, WA, and Bridgeport, CT; new ballparks in Cincinnati, Toledo, and Eastlake, OH, Washington, DC, and Manchester, NH; and football stadia in Baltimore, MD, Los Angeles, CA, Minneapolis, MN and San Diego, CA. Mr. Thompson is an adjunct professor in George Washington University’s Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management and teaches in the Sports Management concentration.

Randy Tritz, CTS-D
Managing Partner
Shen Milsom & Wilke, Inc.

Randy S. Tritz is the Managing Partner of SM&W’s Chicago office. His experience encompasses over 31 years of field and senior level management experience in the design, engineering, and installation of audio, video, command and control, teleconferencing, and multimedia systems. A number of Randy’s projects have achieved national recognition by the presentations industry as some of the best designed and installed systems in the business. Mr. Tritz has designed multimedia systems for a number of facilities within the hospitality industry; including the Las Vegas Convention Center, Grand Wayne Convention Center, Hyatt hotels in Indianapolis and Chicago and the Encore at the Wynn Las Vegas. Randy holds a Bachelor of Arts from Marquette University and is a Certified Technology Specialist in Design (CTS-D) by the International Information Communications Industry Association.

Paul Tyler
Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City

Paul Tyler has been working at the Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City for over five years, since moving to Missouri in late 2001. In the fall of 2005 he began work on research and planning for the ArtsKC Fund, the new united arts fund for the Kansas City region that was launched in the spring of 2007, and he now serves as Grants Director for the fund. Previous work at the Arts Council focused on research, arts advocacy, economic development and the arts, and arts marketing. He has been Project Director for two NEA grants to the Arts Council, supervising all three phases of the Collaborative Cultural Audience Development Initiative.

Tyler served for seven years as Deputy Director of the state arts agency in Virginia, the Virginia Commission for the Arts, where he supervised financial reporting and tracking for an average of $4.5 million in grants disbursed annually. A graduate of the University of Virginia with a BA in English and Drama, Paul has over twenty years of experience related to financial management and administration in the arts. His earlier career experience includes work in professional theatre, dance and museum management at non-profit organizations such as TheatreVirginia, the Richmond Ballet, and the Valentine Museum in Richmond.

Richard Ward, CEcD
Chief Executive Officer
Development Strategies

Richard C. Ward, founder and chief executive officer of Develop¬ment Strategies, is a seasoned consultant in real estate, economic, and community development. His experience and expertise include: economic development strategies and techniques; creative “deal” structuring and public/private partnerships; urban revitalization and redevelopment; project feasibility; strategic and land use planning; real estate counseling; investment incentives including tax credits, tax increment financing, tax abatement, and special districts; and expert testimony in support of litigation relative to redevelopment, zoning, and highest and best use. Richard holds gradu¬ate degrees in business administration and in urban de¬sign from Washington University in St. Louis, and in urban and regional planning from Virginia Tech. He is certified as a Counselor of Real Estate (CRE), a member of the American Insti¬tute of Certi¬fied Planners (AICP), a professional economic developer (CEcD), a serves as Vice Chairman and member of the Executive Committee of the International Economic Development Council, and Chairman of the Public / Private Partnership Council (Blue Flight) of the Urban Land Institute (ULI).

Eric J. Wenger, P.E.
OCMAPS Program Manager
City of Oklahoma City

Eric Wenger began his career with the City of Oklahoma City in 1994. He was actively involved in the original MAPS Program as a project manager for the Bricktown Ballpark and Ford Center projects. In December 2001, Mr. Wenger was appointed as program manager of the $700 million MAPS for Kids Program. The program provides for the construction and renovation of 75 Oklahoma City Public School District facilities, district-wide technology upgrades, bus fleet replacement and a grant program for the 23 suburban school districts located within Oklahoma City.

Mr. Wenger is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma and is a registered professional engineer. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, American Public Works Association and National Society of Professional Engineers.

Bennett Westbrook
Senior Vice President of Development and Design & Construction
Gaylord Entertainment Company

Bennett Westbrook is Senior Vice President of Development and Design & Construction for Gaylord Entertainment Company, the diversified hospitality, entertainment and attractions company whose holdings include the Gaylord Hotels, the Grand Ole Opry and ResortQuest. Westbrook leads the company’s development efforts on new resort hotel and convention center project and other real estate and investment related projects.

Westbrook joined Gaylord Entertainment Company in October 2001 from Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc., a public company headquartered in Las Vegas. He was Corporate Director of Development, leading the company’s development department on new casino and hotel projects, expansions, business negotiations, acquisitions and dispositions. From 1994-1997, Westbrook was also with Harrah’s Entertainment in Memphis, Tenn. as the Director of Development.

Westbrook was the Regional Real Estate Manager for Federated Department Stores in Cincinnati from 1997-2000. He handled the real estate business of Federated’s Stern’s Department Store division in the metro New York City area and Aeropostale specialty store division.

Dave Wilcox , FM, FAICP
Senior Vice President
Economics Research Associates

Mr. Wilcox has focused upon community revitalization and redevelopment during a wide- ranging career in economic development. His practice has included city marketing strategies, business improvement district programming, transit-oriented district planning, and tourism development business plans. Recent assignments have focused upon employment development, the impacts of technology on job locations and value creation, and the evolution of retail patterns. New work under way is targeted toward economic activity sustainability. He has successfully assisted communities in the formation of enterprise zones, redevelopment corridors and business improvement districts. A specialty he has developed within the firm focuses upon Native American cultural centers.

Since the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, he has been consistently engaged in forecasting the impacts of very large-scale mass attraction events in North America. Mr. Wilcox continues to concentrate on community redevelopment project implementation, including tax increment funded projects. Current assignments involve linking redevelopment, BIDs, and transit placemaking in comprehensive implementation delivery programs.

Prior to joining ERA, he held positions in the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, and the Los Angles Community Redevelopment Agency; he continues as Adjunct Professor at the USC School of Policy Planning and Development.

Mike Wooley
Associate Principal
HOK Sport Venue Event

Mike Wooley has 10 years of direct experience in the operational, marketing and opening of public assembly facilities. An associate principal with HOK Sport Venue Event, Wooley is an integral part of the firm’s Nashville office that focuses on facility operation, evaluation and analysis. In the past year alone, the group has completed more than 12 facility evaluations at professional, minor league and collegiate venues across the country. The facility operations and analysis group adds an interesting, hands-on perspective to the building operation process. Wooley is a member of the International Association of Assembly Managers and is a frequent speaker at facility management conferences across the country.

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