Steve Jacobson still remembers the moment it all clicked for him. It was a conference in Atlanta in 2002, and a realization that caught him completely off guard.
“I said, ‘INTIX? What’s INTIX?’” he recalls. “I went to Atlanta … I took part in the whole conference. I thought, ‘Wow, this is incredible.’ I had no idea there was an association of ticketing professionals. I was hooked.”
Steve Jacobson
What struck Steve most was just how much of the industry had been invisible to him, even with his work in fundraising, general admission ticketing and the museum space.
“I learned that there is a whole lot more to reserved seating than there is in the GA world. I was fascinated by it because, as a consumer, you just see one side. When you get into it and understand all the issues people have with running a ticket office, looking at all the data, and analyzing it, it is so much more complex … It was a great conference. I knew I would definitely be coming every year.”
Steve stayed true to his word. Over the next quarter century, he became a fixture at the INTIX conference as a consultant, presenter, collaborator and, increasingly, one of the people others turn to for perspective.
Like many in the industry, he did not set out to build a career in ticketing, or even in the arts. “I was in economic consulting out of school for five years before I started getting involved with nonprofit organizations,” he says. “[I moved into] the arts a few years after that, probably around 1990 or ’91.”
That circuitous route is one of the things Steve finds most compelling about the professionals in this business. “When I read all these profiles of INTIX members, I am amazed at how varied people’s journeys are, because so many are not planned … It is like a series of almost accidental situations or things happen and put you on a path.”
His own path led to the founding of JCA, a firm that has spent nearly four decades helping nonprofit organizations think more clearly about technology, fundraising, ticketing, operations and strategy.
“It has been 38 years since I started this by myself,” he notes. “Today, we have a really talented team of very smart and dedicated people, about 30 of them … I think the reputation we have built in the arts world — in terms of being trusted advisors, doing research for the sector and providing consulting advice — that is something I’m really, really proud of. I don’t know if we’re the only firm out there, or maybe the biggest, that really focuses a lot on the nonprofit arts, to help them with their technology, processes and staffing from time to time. It’s a good feeling in terms of where we are, what we’ve built together and it’s not just me by any stretch.”
Over time, the way Steve led became just as important as what he built, and leadership has never been about issuing orders.
“I think it is really understanding what makes people tick,” he explains. “Because there are plenty of smart people who can get a job done. It’s understanding what motivates people. Everybody’s a little different. And how to relate to those people so that you’re all pulling together on the same team. [Leadership is] not edicts that come down from up above and say, ‘You are going to do this, you’re going to do that,’ but really understanding how collaboratively you’re going to work together to solve a problem.”
That philosophy shaped the culture at JCA and, just as importantly, the experts who have spent time with the organization.
“I’ve seen a lot of people come and go. Many of those who have gone on to other things have become leaders at other companies, which is really rewarding to see. I hope that somehow the values that I may have instilled in folks carry forward.”
Steve often talks about values, and not in the vague, laminated-poster sense. He means the day-to-day standards that determine how people treat clients, colleagues and one another.
“It all starts with having the right values, and we clearly articulate them in our company, and it’s the same for everybody, from the newest person who joins to the ones that have been here for 20 or 25 years.”
Not surprisingly, those same values influence the personal qualities he appreciates most in others.
“I think it is being genuine. Too often, you find folks who are trying to put on an air of something that they’re not. I tend to gravitate to people who are real. They just are who they are, they are down to earth, and what you see is what you get. There is other stuff about honesty and integrity and that kind of thing [that I value], but at the end of the day, it’s a relationship, so you just have to be your real self in that.”
In colleagues, Steve looks for something closely related.
“I like to see passion. We work with nonprofits pretty much exclusively. We cross over into commercial theatre every once in a while, but it’s really a passion for the business and for understanding what is going to help our clients. A lot of folks who we work with are in the industry for a particular reason, and it’s really to help nonprofits become more effective. Sort of that giving back approach.”
And in friends?
“I think all my friends like to have a good time,” Steve says. “They are not the wild, crazy party types, because we are all older, but it is really just leaving all the seriousness behind and having fun. With that, there are other things, like loyalty. That you know somebody is going to be there for you if you need it, always available to do a favor if you need them. There is a lot of reciprocity that goes into that. Just folks that you can hang with, be yourself with and enjoy their company.”
Steve pauses when asked about the greatest love of his life, aware of the tightrope. “I’m married, so I would say my wife and my kids … but I’ve poured 38 years into this company, and maybe that’s kind of the love of my life. I don’t know if you can really love an entity, but it’s certainly where I devote all my attention, or have been. Now that I’m kind of stepping back a little bit, it’s a little different … It has certainly been a focus, and I've loved every, well, not every minute, but I've loved a lot of it, that's for sure.”
Steve with his wife, Clarice, daughter, Leah, and son, Charlie, in New Jersey for Thanksgiving in 2024.
That step back became official on April 1, 2026, when Steve transitioned from CEO to Chief Relationship Officer. It was not a sudden move, and it was not undertaken lightly.
“For so many people, their identity is wrapped up in their work, and I’m not that different. I have a good team in place, and we’ve been planning this transition for quite a while now, so I have full confidence in the folks who will be taking over the active management of the company. All of those kinds of things are there, but at the end of the day, when you are not in that meeting to make that decision, it’s a little strange, a little different.”
After decades of working alongside performers and arts professionals, there is one talent Steve wishes he had developed himself.
“I can’t sing worth a lick, which is very frustrating, because I love music, and I just wish I could actually sing better ... A lot of the folks that have joined our company over the years, they’re all from the arts world. They are so talented. They play musical instruments, and they sing. We had someone who did a lot of dancing, and I’m kind of jealous of that too.”
As for his musical tastes, Steve says that has become a running joke with his family.
“My daughter kids me that I have the musical taste of a teenage girl … [I like] Taylor Swift, P!nk and a lot of other young female artists, including Olivia Rodrigo.” But it’s not just these hit makers in his playlists. He is also a fan of Matchbox Twenty and lead singer Rob Thomas, the Goo Goo Dolls and musical artists from the 90s and early 2000s.
Steve and Leah at Charlie’s wedding in Sonoma, November 2024.
When asked about the best live event he has ever seen, Steve goes straight to Broadway and to a show that mattered to him both personally and professionally.
“It was The Producers in 2001, 2002-ish … and it was Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick. Funny, irreverent, good storyline. It had a lot of different things, a little singing and dancing too. And it was the first Broadway show to crack $100 per ticket. Now we don’t even think about $100. $100 maybe gives you the balcony. But back then, that was such a big deal, and I think that was a huge turning point in the industry.”
That blend of personal delight and business curiosity is classic Steve. He not only loves the event, but also the mechanics behind it. That may be why he struggles to name a single favorite venue, for he has seen so many.
“As a consultant, it’s great because we get to go to all these venues. We are never locked into one that you would take for granted. I spend a lot of my time in museums and performing arts venues. When you are walking through halls like the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the Art Institute of Chicago, it’s so cool when you see this art, and then you go off and spend the whole day in the conference room. Then, in performing arts, too, it’s like being at Carnegie Hall or being in the Hollywood Bowl. Seeing these iconic places makes you feel so lucky to be in the industry, to be a part of it and to help these kinds of organizations.”
Sometimes that access leads to unforgettable moments. One of them came on the Grand Ole Opry stage.
“There’s a circle piece from the original Grand Ole Opry that’s cut into the centerstage floor of the stage. To stand there and understand the history of what’s been there before you, I mean, obviously, I’m not performing, I’m just a nobody, but the people that were there in that spot, it’s just mind-blowing. And that’s the coolest thing about being in this business.”
Steve standing on the stage of the old Grand Ole Opry following a client visit to the Ryman Auditorium.
Steve is also a baseball and hockey fan. The Yankees and the New Jersey Devils are his favorite teams, and he admires stars like Aaron Judge and Jack Hughes. But he is especially drawn to a certain kind of player.
Steve after losing a bet following the Yankees' loss to the Blue Jays in the playoffs last year.
“I tend to gravitate to those players that either weren’t drafted very high or maybe they were a little undersized, and the only reason they’re there is because of the hard work and effort that they put in. They may not have all the natural talent. Brett Gardner from the Yankees was one of those guys, and Stephen Gionta from the Devils was one of those guys over the years.”
His favorite writers are James Patterson and Brad Thor, with Tom Clancy in the earlier years. “I like that kind of police detective work, solving crimes,” he says of Patterson, especially the Alex Cross series. As for Thor’s Scot Harvath novels, he says, “It’s kind of the mystery thriller action kind of series. It is great to decompress after a day of work and read that.”
Away from work, Steve keeps active. He plays tennis, runs, walks a lot and plays softball occasionally, including on his daughter’s co-ed teams. “I’ve got that coming up in the summer,” he says. “I’m looking forward to it.”
Still, when the conversation turns to what brings him the greatest joy, his focus is unmistakable.
The Jacobson family travels to San Francisco to celebrate son Charlie’s birthday in March 2026.
“It’s definitely spending time with family. I’m from a pretty small family, and my wife is from a small family, so we don’t have a lot of relatives to see. So, it really focuses more on just the four of us, [meaning my wife and two kids]. When we get the chance to meet up for somebody’s birthday, we’re traveling or people are traveling here. That’s really what it’s all about for me.”
Steve is happy where he lives now, mostly in northern New Jersey, where he has been since leaving New York City more than three decades ago, and on the west coast of Florida outside Sarasota during the winter. But if he had to imagine living somewhere else, one place stays in his mind.
“Sevilla, Spain, was probably one of my favorite places … [It has] perfect weather, bright blue sky and I remember as the sun was going down, the way the sky kind of turned this really cool shade of darker blue until it bled into night. It was so peaceful and so much fun. The food was great. The people were nice. I speak a little bit of Spanish, and it was just a very easygoing place.”
Travel, in general, has become one of his life’s joys. Italy is next on his list. Steve also mentioned the Nordic countries, particularly Iceland, as places he wants to visit. “I like getting lost in different cultures,” he says.
Steve and his wife, Clarice, in Prague during the summer of 2025.
All of that personal texture helps explain why INTIX resonated with him so strongly. It was never just a conference. It was a revelation and then a community. His route into INTIX began through Chuck Reif and Tessitura, back when Tessitura was still new and Reif was at the Metropolitan Opera. After Reif gave him an initial look at the system being developed, Steve was invited to Atlanta to meet the rest of the team. That first trip became his most memorable INTIX moment, even beating out the infamously frigid Chicago conference.
“I won’t mention Chicago, where I, along with everyone else, was freezing,” he says. “They canceled the flight [when I was heading home], so I had to stay overnight and get out the next morning.” But then he circles back to Atlanta. “I didn’t know what BOMI (now INTIX) was or had been. I knew nothing. To find these people that all had this other life, I was like, ‘Wow, this is so cool, and this is what they do and to learn about it, that was just a seminal moment for me.”
What Steve gets from INTIX is layered.
“It’s not just the professional stuff but the personal stuff as well. I have made a lot of friends,” he says.
There is professional development, too, and the sheer breadth of topics.
“Some of the stuff I just need to be familiar with. I don’t need to know it in depth, like ADA requirements ... I need to be aware of what they are. But that’s the thing about INTIX. If you want to learn more about fraud prevention or strategies for filling the house or whatever, there’s something for everyone there that’s involved with a venue.”
Then there is the exhibit hall, where Steve goes looking for ideas his clients may not yet have considered. “Lately, it’s all about AI and what folks are doing with it,” he says. “It’s an exciting time.”
Steve uses INTIX in practical ways, too. He occasionally goes into the online directory to look people up and reach out. He participates in regional groups like Tri-Tix in the New York City tri-state area. As a consultant, he does not use every INTIX offering the way a venue professional might, but he highly values the organization because it helps him stay connected.
Beyond these valuable benefits, what INTIX gives him that nothing else quite does, he says, is perspective.
“Working with nonprofit organizations, we have to amass knowledge and expertise around fundraising and membership, and that bleeds into finance and customer service and [other areas]. INTIX gives us a different perspective than all of that stuff. It is also good to hear from various speakers who are working in the nonprofit side and what they are up to, because we can’t know everything that’s going on.”
He especially values cross-sector learning from pro sports, college athletics and museums to attractions, performing arts and more. Each has its own pressures, but each also reveals various things that can benefit others.
“Professional sports have bigger budgets, and they are able to do a lot more, so they are sort of on that leading edge. You can understand what they are doing and then try to think about how we can cut that down in cost by X percent and make it affordable in our part of the market.”
And then there are the people.
“I have met a lot of my closest industry folks at INTIX,” he says. “It’s a mobile bunch. People move around a lot. There is always a new story of somebody who’s gone from place to place. Keeping up with all of that, the conference is really the place to do it, because that’s the one place that’s consistent. You’ll see them there.”
As for mentorship, Steve feels he is now in a position to be one himself.
“I think I’m at this stage now where I don’t really have one. I try to be there for other folks when they want to understand the industry and so forth. If people want to know the ins and outs of a box office, I might not be the best person, because I’ve never really worked in a box office … But it’s sharing that experience, and it’s more the career journey. People will ask what it’s like to be a consultant, because some people stay with venues all their lives, and others branch out and want to do something on their own. So, I feel like I can provide a pretty good perspective on what that life is like.”
That instinct, helping people see what is possible and what is next, is also what inspires him.
“I think it’s people and organizations that really aspire to get to that next level. You look at them and think, ‘Wow, this organization is successful,’ but they don’t stop there. They want to get better. They want to move into a new line of programming, for instance, or employ a technology that’s going to help them even though they’re doing fine. That really inspires me to think about how perhaps we can help them.”
That, in turn, connects directly to what Steve loves most about the industry itself.
“It’s always changing. There is always something new to learn. When you look at all the bad actors that are out there trying to hack into systems, or fraud … it is like staying one step ahead of the bad guys … Strategy-wise, I think the industry has become, over the years, a lot more sophisticated in the types of analysis that they do. Keeping up with that is exciting. It’s just fun.”
If he could go back in time, Steve’s advice to himself would be less about business and more about living in the moment.
“I think [it would be] to recognize the moments for what they are … I’m in these iconic venues, whether they are museums or performing arts halls and other venues. We also do a lot of work in zoos and aquariums. Even in your personal life, when you go see this stuff, you have to really sit back and say, ‘Wow, this is great. This is wild, this is wonderful.’ I think too often you’re just in too much of a rush to get through your day or what you need to accomplish, and you don’t enjoy where you are at the time either. Sometimes that's taking an extra day on a trip when you've got a client for two or three days, and you want to get back home, but sometimes maybe you should just take that fourth day and see whatever city you're in or explore and see other things.”
Steve and his son at Newark Liberty Airport following Charlie’s 2021 visit.
By the end of the interview, and maybe by this stage of his life, Steve circles back to gratitude. He says there is nothing else he needs to add to define himself, but then, in answering, he does exactly that.
“I’ve always been on the sidelines on the consulting side, understanding what the issues are and what they’re facing and helping build solutions, whether that’s a software product or consulting help or something else to try and help. It’s just a different slice. But I just feel so fortunate to be part of the community and to provide help where I can and to have our team be a part of our clients’ successes.”
That may be the best way to understand Steve Jacobson. Not as the loudest voice in the room, or the person at the center of the stage, but as someone who has spent nearly four decades helping organizations, colleagues and clients do their work a little better, a little smarter and, when it counted, with a little more confidence. The INTIX community is grateful for the leadership and perspective he has shared over the years and looks forward to all that he will continue to contribute in his next chapter.
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