John Bolton Returns to IEBA’s Board of DirectorsNASHVILLE, Tenn. (June 17, 2014) – The members of IEBA (International Entertainment Buyers Association), the leading non-profit trade organization for live entertainment industry professionals, have elected John Bolton, Vice President of Entertainment for SMG, to their Board of Directors in the “Buyer/Promoter” category.As part of the corporate team at SMG Entertainment, the world leader in venue management, Bolton works with record-breaking stadiums and arenas across the country in the presentation of over 28,000 live events annually. Bolton supervises a national network of Regional Marketing Directors who are responsible for some 140 arena marketing professionals.
Bolton has had a significant impact on the entertainment business in his 25-year career. In addition to his role as General Manager for SMG in Tulsa, where he managed a multi-complex campus of venues, Bolton acted as Regional Vice President for SMG for its venues in Puerto Rico and the West Coast. Bolton was responsible for creating five new festivals and events in Tulsa that attract more than 200,000 people per year. His success in booking, programming, and marketing consistently placed BOK Center as one of the Top 10 venues in the nation and earned Bolton “Venue Executive of the Year” recognition from IEBA in 2011 and from Pollstar in 2012, as well the “Venue Excellence Award” from the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) in 2011. He fulfilled two terms on IEBA’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee from 2005 to 2008 and from 2009 to 2012. Bolton also serves as the current Chair of the Board of Directors for IAVM.
“My work on IEBA’s Board allows me to collaborate with the best and the brightest in the business,” says Bolton. “IEBA’s goals for the industry mirror my goals at SMG: to provide leadership and support for initiatives in entertainment booking and marketing. We are committed to achieving our objectives through innovation and teamwork. We are dedicated to maximizing our brands and our businesses. With our collective industry expertise, we can set new standards for success.”
Bolton replaces outgoing Director, Leslie Master of Live Nation. “Leslie was an invaluable asset to IEBA and we appreciate her dedicated service,” said Pam Matthews, IEBA Executive Director.
IEBA’s 44th Annual Conference will be held September 27-30, 2014 at the Omni Nashville. Registration is open now. For more information, including a Conference schedule, please visit www.ieba.org.
