It’s not every day that one gets to witness history in the making. But on a late November day, ticketing professionals from the Greater Niagara area, spanning both sides of the border, had the unique opportunity to do just that.
That morning, we arrived from near and far to the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre in St. Catharines, Ontario, just 12 miles from the Canada-US border at Niagara Falls.
L-R: Carlos Robayo, Theresa Kennedy, Carrie Paolone, John Randazzo, Daria Symolot, Audrey Arseneau, Ty Murray, Anja Arvo, Rob Harte, Christine Payne, and kneeling for the snapshot, Alison Barry.
The occasion was the inaugural meeting of the Greater Niagara Ticketing Professionals (GNTP), the newest and first cross-border regional group. The idea was born when co-founders Anja Arvo, Senior Sales Lead for Ferve Tickets, and Carlos Robayo, Director of Finance and Administration at FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, talked over pizza and beer a couple of times in New York and Niagara.
“We felt there was a need to create a group where members could attend events in person in our region,” Arvo and Robayo told INTIX Access. “Ontario is a very large province and New York is a very large state with long drives and traffic challenges across each of them. We knew about the other regional ticketing groups that were not province or state based and were interested in that concept and thought it could work well here. We were a great example of this. We both lived in Niagara, worked very close to each other, we are part of other organizations, and didn’t know each other. We also had a concept that, if we were going to do this, we wanted to create a very participation-focused, interactive and dynamic ticketing group.”
The first meeting delivered all this and more. Attendees started the day with speed networking, breaking the ice and building connections. Next, everyone gained valuable insights on regional recruitment during a presentation by Robayo and his FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre colleague, Rob Harte. The formal session concluded with a roundtable discussion on the purpose and mandate of GNTP, inviting feedback and ideas from members. Following the meeting, members enjoyed a behind-the-scenes tour of the beautiful performance spaces at the Arts Centre. The day concluded with ticketing pros gathering for food, drinks and lively conversation at a nearby pub.
Anja Avro
“The energy and enthusiasm of members stood out the most!” Arvo and Robayo excitedly shared. “We particularly loved the opening speed networking session, as members jumped in and immediate networking and conversation began. Many members found out they were only one or two degrees of separation from each other, and it confirmed the need to have this type of group in the region. We might know about the ticketed places and people around here, but we don’t all truly know many of our ticketing colleagues at this professional level. We also loved all the different levels of career stages in ticketing, and that we attracted marketing and finance professionals who manage and/or support the ticket office.”
It took approximately seven to eight months to bring this new regional group to life. At the outset, Arvo and Robayo held weekly planning meetings to decide on key details such as the group’s name, logo, website, hosting platform, Gmail address, LinkedIn Group and Instagram account. With their vision of creating a cross-border community, they explored various organizational structures and, after consulting with other regionals, chose an informal participatory model centered on formal in-person meetings. They built GNTP’s base membership by reaching out to individuals through LinkedIn, email and referrals, prioritizing a personal touch to generate interest. To ensure the first meeting would be accessible, they surveyed members to determine the best days and times for travel, especially considering border crossings.
Arvo and Robayo have many hopes and dreams for GNTP, but they first want to evolve it with the input of the membership. “We will be planning ahead for our 2025 meetings to get those in place with locations and content,” they shared. “Our most immediate plan is to establish our American co-organizer counterparts, which has always been part of the structure. In 2025, we are planning for our Q1 meeting in Buffalo, New York.”
As GNTP looks ahead, we asked Arvo and Robayo who should join the regional group and why.
“Anyone who works in ticketing, but also works in other roles that support ticketing such as marketing, finance and management, and who live and work in the greater Niagara area is our target membership,” they said. “We loosely define this as within a few hour's driving distance of the border, with GNTP being the closest regional group to the member. Our aim is to ‘connect, learn and innovate.’ We believe this multidisciplinary network can truly elevate individuals as professionals while creating the space for collaboration and knowledge-sharing across organizations and region-wide.”
There are many reasons for having a regional group in the Niagara area. Among them, it is a very special area filled with far too many fabulous, ticketed events and attractions to count.
“Besides the breathtaking scenery, both sides of the border have many ticketed venues, festivals, events, attractions, convention centers, casinos, sporting clubs, theaters, stadiums and arenas,” emphasized Arvo and Robayo. “It is unique because it is a world-renowned tourism mecca, there are three borders in close proximity to two countries, and over 12 million visitors a year, combined with millions of residents on both sides of the border and surrounding area. There are so many opportunities to network, collaborate, and inspire each other in ticketing in reference to these highly unique regional characteristics.”
Carlos Robayo
They added, “Our hope is that the sharing of knowledge, new partnerships, new friendships, job opportunities, and innovation in ticketing emerge because of the group.”
For Arvo and Robayo, a standout aspect of founding a regional group has been the generous support and guidance offered by other regionals and ticketing professionals.
“Other ticketing professionals will support your mission, and if you’re thinking about it, it’s very likely others are too in your area,” they said. “Whether it’s two people or 200, there is always value in collaboration in ticketing and connecting at this level. Other regional groups and ticketing professionals were very willing to share their stories with us. This motivated us and helped us identify a path forward. We learned that there isn't one specific or best way to start a regional group. Rather, take stock of your resources, capacity and goals and pace your approach accordingly.”
Arvo and Robayo added, “The best advice we had was around the consideration of the structure of the group as we evaluated different types, the types of professionals and organizations to include, ways to collaborate at the co-regional group level, and what to consider as an area-specific group.”
GNTP was helped along the way by veterans of ticketing and regionals, including Russ Stanley and Carolyn Uroz from the Bay Area Professional Ticketing Association (BAPTA), Christina Allen from OTT-TIX, Jon Secunda from the Midwest Regional Ticketing Association (MRTA) and Jo Michel, Lori Murphy, and Duncan Moss from the regional groups committee.
“We would like to thank [them] … for their willingness to provide us with guidance, support and ongoing collaborations,” said Arvo and Robayo. “Thanks also to Rob Raulings from Ferve Tickets and the team for being so supportive and cheering us on from abroad. An extra special thanks to Robert Harte and Colleen A. Smith from the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre for their support and role in our inaugural meeting.”
These dynamic and dedicated co-founders also have some advice for INTIX members and ticketing professionals who have not yet joined a regional group.
“Look for your closest one now! Your regional group is unique to your surroundings, and everyone, including you, is an important part of that shared exchange,” they emphasized. “You will not only be expanding your network but creating long-lasting relationships and friends.”
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