In the summer of 1995, amid all the lively chats at the INTIX summer conference in Toronto, two passionate ticketing professionals from Atlanta were inspired by a simple yet powerful idea. Sunshine Tucker, longtime Ticketing Manager (and INTIX Board Member) at the Fox Theatre, and Danny Frank, then of the Georgia Dome, were captivated when they learned about the Ontario Professional Ticketing Association (OPTA). It sparked an idea for a similar community back home, where informal interactions could evolve into a structured, supportive community. This vision led to the birth of the Georgia Professional Ticketing Association (GaPTA).
Upon their return to Atlanta, Tucker and Frank shared their excitement for a regional group that could bring together individuals from the greater Atlanta area, across the state and beyond. The anticipation of the 1996 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Atlanta, which would bring growth in the metro area and throughout the southeast, further fueled their resolve. After completing the necessary formalities with the Georgia Secretary of State, GaPTA was officially established in 1996. The year would prove to be a busy and exciting time for ticketing professionals!
GaPTA members including Dee Fowler, Jennifer Staats Moore, Akeasha Branch, James Peters, Linda V., Sunshine Tucker and Keith Ayers.
Hosted by Frank, GaPTA's inaugural meeting took place in the Club Lounge of the Georgia Dome. The founders’ ensured lunch was served, recognizing that good food could attract attendees.
The momentum from the first meeting carried over to the second, hosted by Tucker at the Fox Theatre. Here, the structure of GaPTA was further refined, and key officers were selected. The attendee lists from the early meetings read like a who's who of the area’s ticketing industry, including Keith Ayers (Ticketmaster), Dee Fowler and Judy Fraine (Lakewood Amphitheater), Jennifer Staats Moore (Rialto Center for the Arts at Georgia State University), Jack Ragsdale (Atlanta Falcons), Freddie Jones (University of Georgia Athletics), Steve Loyd (then of WWL), Brian Baker (Peach Bowl) and Jack Tyson (then of ACOG).
GaPTA members including Keith Ayers, Anthony Esposito, Jamie Dwyer, Anita Bianconi and Ian Bluett.
Future meetings were held at various venues so members could see buildings they hadn’t visited before. Most would offer behind-the-scenes tours, which drew participants and gave them insights into operations. The meetings were also a chance for venue leaders such as Kahlil Johnson, COO of Georgia Dome/GWCC, and Ed Neiss, General Manager of the Fox Theatre, to share information beyond the scope of ticketing.
GaPTA members including Cory Dallen, Kim Kettler, Ben Spaulding, Vicky Whorton, Jennifer Staats Moore, Sarah Levy, Jessica Levy, Chadwick Miller, Celeste Mercer, Keith Ayers, Amber Bell, Anthony Esposito and Janeen DenHaese.
GaPTA members, including Chadwick Miller, Anthony Esposito, Jen Kinsey, Kim Kettler, Jessica Lee and Jamie Kramer at State Farm Arena.
Since its inception, GaPTA has continually evolved to meet the changing needs of its members. How have GaPTA meetings changed since the early days? We asked Jennifer Kinsey, Vice President of GaPTA and Senior Manager, Premium Seats and Ticket Operations for the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena.
GaPTA members including Jakub Jaroszewicz, Jen Kinsey and Paul Kvidt.
"We have started mixing in social events on a more regular basis to coincide with the bi-monthly meetings,” Kinsey said. “This gives GaPTA members an opportunity to have fun and network in a more informal environment. [We have also been] adding virtual elements such as a GaPTA Teams channel and a monthly ‘GaPTA Connect’ session via Zoom.” These virtual options, along with a growing social media presence on Instagram and Facebook, have made it easier for members to stay connected and engaged.
GaPTA members including Amber Bell, Michelle Juda, Jessica Lee, Chadwick Miller, Sarah Levy, Cory Dallen and Catherine Simpson.
GaPTA's membership has also expanded geographically and across genres and vendors.
"GaPTA has broadened its scope in recent years," Kinsey explained. "We have representatives from the BJCC in Birmingham, Alabama, and Augusta National Golf, among others. We have members from a wide variety of venues, [including] theaters, arenas, amphitheaters, major league sports venues and service providers … such as Ticketmaster and Live Nation.”
GaPTA members including Jennifer Staats Moore, Sarah Levy, Catherine Simpson, Jessica Lee, Jen Kinsey, Danette Thornton, Kim Kettler, Chadwick Miller and Tijah Sikes.
The discussions at GaPTA meetings cover many current issues in the ticketing industry. Some hot topics the group is discussing these days include ADA accessibility, security preparedness and the ticket re-sale marketplace to event cancellation protocol, guest experience, and new and innovative technology. “And the list goes on,” Kinsey shared.
L-R: GaPTA road trip to Talladega Superspeedway in 2006 including Tanishia Chapman, Elana Wilder, Hope Biber, Ben Spaulding, Shari Floyd, Jerry Anthony, Gordon McWilliams, Carol Van Leer, Akeesha Branch, Debra Davies, Chris Dreger, Sunshine Tucker, Todd Pryor, Walter Anderson, Kris Bakowski, Marc Gowan, Keith Ayers, Robert Jennings, Wende Ballew, Jennifer Staats Moore, Laura Zehe and David Manuel.
One of the upcoming highlights for GaPTA is the debut of "INTIX on the Road" with the “All Access Pass: The Ticket to Accessibility” session at its July 22, 2024, meeting. The education and leadership workshop will feature accessibility expert Dani Rose from Art-Reach and is in partnership with our colleagues at Ticketmaster.
“Accessibility has become a hot-button topic over the past few years,” Kinsey noted. “Staying compliant [with] ADA regulations is important, along with making sure the guest has an exceptional experience. Having an expert come in to speak to our GaPTA members about accessibility will hopefully give attendees a clearer sense of the picture as a whole and better tools to navigate through the process of managing ADA inventory.”
For Kinsey and many other members, the regional nature of GaPTA is one of its greatest strengths.
GaPTA members including Danette Thornton, Kim Kettler, Celeste Mercer, Anthony Esposito, Richard Morgan, Travis Watkins, Vicky Whorton, Mary Eberhard, Janeen DenHaese, Jennifer Staats Moore, Cory Dalin, Chadwick Miller, Ken Sufferen, Amber Bell, Michelle Juda, Sarah Levy, Jessica Lee, Scott McLaren and Ian Bluett.
“Ticketing is a peer-driven industry, and collaborating with other professionals in the field is vital as it allows for ideas to flow and partnerships to form,” Kinsey remarked. “Working alongside members of the ticketing community leads to strong relationships that are mutually beneficial. Issues can be resolved together through brainstorming ideas and working through problematic scenarios. Ticketing is such a niche industry, with issues and concerns that are often exclusive to the network we operate within.”
GaPTA members including Rachel Bomeli, Mary Eberhart and Kim Kettler.
Collaboration with peers outside the region is also important, so GaPTA maintains a strong relationship with INTIX. Several members attend the annual INTIX conference each January and share their insights at subsequent GaPTA meetings. "One of our GaPTA and former Board members, Jessica Lee, is on the INTIX Board this year,” Kinsey highlighted.
Jessica Lee addresses fellow GaPTA members.
GaPTA also actively supports its members by sharing job postings for those seeking new opportunities and through an INTIX scholarship. “If a GaPTA member wished to attend the conference and didn’t have the means to pay, GaPTA would help supplement the cost,” she said. “We are actively looking at ways to build that scholarship fund back up.”
Looking ahead, Kinsey has this advice to share with other regional groups and INTIX members: “It is important to have representation from a wide variety of venues … and [to] stay relevant so that the group can remain active in the long-term and not become stagnant. We have found that adding in social activities helps in this regard, as well as bringing in dynamic and engaging guest speakers.”
Stan Deak (center) speaks at a GaPTA meeting with Steve Demots and GaPTA member Jamie Vosmeier.
She continued, “[For INTIX members who haven’t yet joined a regional group], it is so important to keep your finger on the pulse of what is happening regionally, in your own backyard, so to speak. Having a network of peers that are local can be beneficial in a number of ways, not the least of which is being able to bounce ideas off one another and share opportunities for growth.”
As GaPTA continues to evolve, its founders' vision of a connected, collaborative community remains at its core. The group’s ongoing efforts to adapt, innovate and support its members ensure that it will remain a vital part of the ticketing scene in Atlanta, across Georgia and beyond for years to come.
Editor’s Note: Special thanks to LaToya King, President of GaPTA and Director of Ticketing at UniverSoul Circus, for her help in gathering information and photos for this story.
L-R: GaPTA member Jacqueline O’reilly, intern Savanna and GaPTA President LaToya King.
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