Leadership / 08.09.23
INTIX Members Share Their Hobbies, Part 1
Teddy Durgin
Ticketing and live event professionals work hard. And it’s tempting to write that they also “play hard.” Well, of course, many of them do. But in their downtime, many also have relaxing pursuits and special interests. We cast a wide net to see what some INTIX members’ hobbies are and how they may or may not benefit from them in the workplace.
Not surprisingly, a number of members interviewed for this piece chose the great outdoors to center their hobbies. One such pro is Wendy Brown, Associate AD of Ticket Operations for Michigan State Athletics. Gardening is her jam. Why? “Because it is completely different from my workday — peaceful, calm and quiet. Gardening helps me decompress and refocus.”
Another avid gardener is Chris Stasiuk, Box Office Treasurer for the St. James Theatre in New York City. “My mom is always puttering in the garden, so I definitely got my green thumb from her,” she says. “And honestly, once you taste homegrown tomatoes, you’ll never want a store-bought one ever again!”
You would think Daniel McBride, Senior Director of Ticketing & Experiences for the United States Golf Association (USGA), would find 18 holes a relaxing hobby in his downtime. But you would be wrong. “After growing up playing soccer competitively, I transitioned to running as an adult,” he says. “I have now completed five marathons, 25-plus half marathons, and countless 10K and 5K races. I like running because it gets me outside where I get to experience and enjoy the great outdoors. It is also a fantastic way to explore a new city when traveling. It doesn’t hurt that running is also a great way to keep active and stay in shape and helps release any built-up stress, too.”
He adds, “When running or attending large-scale races, such as the New York City Marathon, I’m always cognizant of how the registration process is structured — guaranteed entry vs. ballot/lottery; priced — variable and/or dynamic; the design and setup of the race village; spectator stands and fan festival areas. From a ticketed/access control standpoint, the ingress/egress process to on-course activations, as well as premium/hospitality spaces. There is always something to be gained or learned when attending live events that could be applicable to help drive growth and efficiencies in my role at the USGA.”
Also active is Duncan Moss, Senior Associate Director of Ticket Operations for the Ravinia festival. On weekends in the spring, summer and fall, he plays for a recreational softball league in Chicago. He says, “There are three things I love about this hobby: the people; the sport; and, of course, going to the bar for drinks and food after the game! One of my good friends invited me to start playing a couple years ago. And, although it occurs in our busiest time of year, I thought it’d be a great way to break up the busy season.”
Duncan Moss and his softball league.
Not to be outdone, Susan O’Connor, Associate Director of Audience Services for the College of New Jersey’s (TCNJ) Center for the Arts, says her first love is also the outdoors — chiefly hiking and backpacking: “I grew up more outdoors than in. I started working with horses when I was 10 years old and started backpacking on the Appalachian Trail in the mountains of Virginia when I was 18. I do more hiking than backpacking now. … The outdoors gives me a place to unplug, go off the grid, and take a break from all of the technology. It allows me to come back to it with fresh eyes and, often, new ideas.”
But some of our ticketing and live events professionals fashion themselves more as “homebodies.” They’ve spent enough time under marquees and dealing with the public. They crave home and the hobbies that go with it. David Winn, Box Office Manager for the Boston Symphony Orchestra, says his hobby is cooking. “Is cooking a hobby?” he asks with a chuckle. “My wide waistline says ‘Yes!’ I’ve hosted many parties where I’ve done 10 selections of Dim Sum. At least once a year, I cater a big event with our friends in Provincetown. Also, I’ve been known to have over 100 people at my house for a staff barbecue. Pray for sun!”
Stuart Levy, Director of Ticketing and Insights for “Wicked” at the Gershwin Theatre in New York City, fashions himself a baker and a tennis player: “For baking, I’m like a Jewish grandma and I like baking for others — and making sure they are eating. For tennis, it satisfies my quiet competitiveness. I love figuring out how things work and what steps need to take place, so baking is another area that challenges me that way. For 18 years, I ran New York’s LGBT tennis group, hosting weekly events plus two tournaments at the US Open venue. You learn to deal with all personalities and last-minute issues.”
Amber Patton, Ticketing and Box Office Manager for the Pullo Center on the Penn State York campus in Pennsylvania, lists reading as her top hobby. “I was a voracious reader in my youth,” she says. “I would always do those BookIt Programs in elementary school. I kind of lost the luster after university, because I had to read so much for my degrees in history. I recently took it up again and made it a goal to read the number of books of the year. So, this year, I made it a goal to read 23 books in 2023. I just finished my 42nd book!”
She continues, “It relaxes me and allows me to get away from the everyday stress of the world. I definitely find that reading is like a nice, weighted blanket after a stressful day of dealing with customers and contracts and ticket system issues. And I have even had really great book conversations with customers.”
Ebony Hattix, Director of Guest Relations and Arena Operations for the Memphis Grizzlies, is also a voracious reader. And she also loves binge-watching old TV series. “Dang! Netflix, Disney+, Hulu and amazing authors everywhere!” she exclaims. “All of my friends either recommend a show or book and it leads to hours of conversation. It is a way to jump into conversations or start a team huddle. I have always had a passion for books and great movies. These are two things that when I work a lot, I miss them. And yes, I usually have bacon while participating in one of these activities.”
Some of our INTIX professionals enjoy working with their hands in their downtime. John Grassey, Group Product Manager at AudienceView, says his passion outside of work is woodworking: “From gifts to commissions, I like to build all sorts of projects. I've made large furniture pieces, outdoor signs, toy trucks and more. I love that woodworking is all about problem-solving. Whether I'm figuring out the best way to attach two boards together or how to hide a mistake, I'm constantly challenged to come up with unique ways to create the end result. I enjoy learning new things and there's never a shortage of woodworking techniques, tools and styles to explore.”
John Grassey's woodworking creation.
Hatti Simpson, Head of Ticketing for Nimax Theatres, says her main hobby is cross-stitching: “I grew up in a very crafty home, so I picked it up when I was a kid and have been doing it on and off ever since. I find it's a great way to clear my mind. It stops me looking at screens all the time, and I make a lot of my own patterns — in spreadsheets, of course! — so I really enjoy coming up with ideas and working with my hands to get the finished result. I love crafting of all types from sewing to pompom-making, to painting and resin moulding. But cross-stitch is my favorite.”
Hatti Simpson's cross-stitchings.
Simpson would be good friends with Kacy Woody, Box Office Manager for High Point Theatre in North Carolina, who loves to crochet. “Most of the time I make figures,” she says. “I find it very meditative, very calming. I can lose myself in the rhythm of the patterns. I learned how to crochet when I was a kid, but I picked it back up about eight or nine years ago. I found a book of patterns to make ‘Star Wars’ characters and found that I really like making the little figures. I’ve made a few sets of animals or characters and given them away to friends and family. I find joy in creating things and in seeing the happiness that they bring to the people I give them to.”
Kacy Woody's crochet characters.
In turn, Woody would be good friend with Chadwick Miller, Audience Services Manager at Georgia State University’s Rialto Center for the Arts. His main hobby is collecting “Star Wars” memorabilia. He says, “Initially, I started out collecting everything — action figures, food packaging, bedding, fast food giveaways — everything. My earliest memory in life is seeing ‘Return of the Jedi’ in theaters in 1983. Growing up I remember eating the ‘Return of the Jedi’ cookies from Pepperidge Farm, getting the glasses from Burger King, and getting my first X-Wing from my grandmother and aunt one birthday. I still have a couple items from my childhood, and they are some of the more prized items in my collection.”
Chadwick Miller and Carrie Fisher, who played Princess Leia in the "Star Wars" franchise.
He adds, “This hobby has benefited me in my ticketing career in many ways. First and foremost, the ginormous Excel spreadsheet I use to keep track of everything in the collection. I taught myself how to use Excel and many of the functions, just to keep up with my ever-expanding collection. The need for organization and detailed focus has aided me in the precise aspects of ticketing and events. ‘Star Wars’ collecting also helps in my ticketing job by being a way for me to connect with potential clients and staff. ‘Star Wars’ is universal and beloved by people worldwide. Everyone knows Darth Vader and Baby Yoda, it’s an easy way to break the ice and quickly build a relationship. Finally, because I am regularly at events related to my collecting and often must do limited-edition online purchases, I am able to see what new systems are being utilized, what works and what doesn’t.”
A great travel buddy for Miller might be Cait Schumann, Vice President of Ticketing for Nationwide Arena & Columbus Arena Sports and Entertainment. “I love to travel anytime and anywhere,” she says. “Travel allows me to realize that I am just a small part of this world, and it allows me to experience other cultures and new things. It is mind-opening and exciting.”
Then, there are those INTIX members who don’t stray far from the live events limelight and energy to stoke their special interests. One such man is Craig Ricks, Chief Marketing Officer for Paciolan. He says, “One of my favorite hobbies is attending live sports and entertainment events. In recent years, I've found myself attending more live events than ever before and love the live entertainment experience. Whether it's cheering for my favorite college football team, enjoying a Broadway show, or taking my daughters to see concerts like Harry Styles, the thrill of live performances has never been more exhilarating.”
Some of our interviewees are even performers themselves. Harmony McGivney, Box Office Manager at the Kaye Playhouse in New York City, performs in a country/rock cover band with her husband, simply titled Zach & Harmony. “I have been a performer all my life and have a BFA in acting,” she says. “When my husband and I first started dating, we bonded over our love of music. He played guitar in bands in college, and I thought, ‘Why not give playing music together a shot?’ Living in New York City there is no shortage of open mic nights. We would go to open mics as a date night, a way to hone our craft and to build community. Then after years of practice, we started booking gigs and now have a three-hour set list!”
Margo Malone, Senior Manager of Season Ticket Memberships & Special Projects for the San Francisco Giants, is also a singer in her spare time. In fact, she is a member of the Rockridge Chorale, a small community choir. “We perform one local concert annually, do ‘sing outs’ at senior living centers for the holidays, and join other choral groups for a collaborative international trip every few years.
Margo Malone and the Rockridge Chorale.
Their repertoire ranges from classical and sacred to Broadway show tunes and popular songs. “Over the past three years, my choir travelled to Hawaii, London and New York City for performances,” she says. “In each locale, I made mental notes of the ticketing operations for the concert venues. How are tickets printed and distributed for guests of the performers? Is there will call on the day of the event? Will the Lincoln Center staff their box office for our small concert? Being tourists and having the opportunity to take in shows, especially in New York City, was key. As the ticketing professional, I researched which mobile apps provided the best user experience.”
Finally, there are those INTIX members with hobbies that defy categorization. Bradley King, information systems analyst for the Fringe Theatre in Edmonton, doesn’t stray far from his job in listing web development as his top hobby. “From simple sites to full-scale web apps, I love tinkering around with technology to see what’s possible,” he says.
Jonathan Boulter, Director of Ticketing and Patron Services for Virginia Tech University’s Moss Arts Center, loves to volunteer his time with the American Red Cross by donating platelets and plasma every two-to-three weeks throughout the year. “Plasma donations can take two-to-three hours. So, a perk you get is watching Netflix! This grants me scheduled downtime, free from the demands of answering emails, phone calls or any other distractions.”
Finally, there is Jill Nunez, Box Office Manager at the Madison Center for the Arts. Much of her time outside of work is spent in the whiskey and cigar community. She says, “The appeal has always been the methodical ritual of the process that allows that moment in time — a good one-to-two hours of complete relaxation. With how crazy the ticket industry gets, having that time of complete relaxation, disconnection from the outside world, but connection with friends, is so important. It's such a large but close community. You can go anywhere in the world and feel like you're visiting friends.”
Want to contribute to Part 2 to this article? It will mostly consist of INTIX members who have read Part 1 and also have an interesting hobby they would like to share. If you are one of those people, please email this article’s author, Teddy Durgin, at tdurgin@smithbucklin.com.
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Tags: Leadership , Hobbies