West Conshohocken, PA (August 20, 2014) - SMG venues and employees received several nominations from the International Entertainment Buyers Association (IEBA) for its annual honors and awards. BOK Center (Tulsa, Okla.) and INTRUST Bank Arena (Wichita, Kan.) were nominated for Venue of the Year. John Bolton, who served as BOK Center General Manager until his recent promotion to the SMG Corporate office, was nominated for Venue Executive of the Year and Michael Owens, director of booking for SMG Tulsa, received a nomination for Rookie of the Year.
Winners will be announced at IEBA’s 44th Annual Conference, which will be held September 27-30, 2014 in Nashville and are voted on by IEBA members.
“Congratulations to the staff of both BOK Center and INTRUST Bank Arena. SMG has a long reputation of not only providing exceptional services to our clients, but also outstanding executive leadership. I appreciate IEBA for recognizing both our venues and employees with these nominations,” said SMG President and CEO, Wes Westley.
“SMG also congratulates John and Michael for their individual honors,” said Doug Thornton, SMG Executive Vice President – Stadiums and Arena. “John was an integral part of BOK Center from the beginning, establishing one of the most successful venues in the nation and maintaining that level of success long past the honeymoon period.
“Michael has proven himself as a rising star in the industry and has contributed greatly to BOK Center’s success in booking the most sought-after concerts and events,” Thornton said.
Bolton, who previously won Venue Executive of the Year in 2011, served as the General Manager of BOK Center and Cox Business Center from 2007 until this past February when he was named Vice President of SMG Entertainment relocating to the SMG Corporate offices in West Conshohocken, PA. This past June, Bolton was elected to the IEBA Board of Directors in the “Buyer/Promoter” category.
Venue Executive of the Year nominees are selected by IEBA membership. The venue they manage must have bought or promoted at least ten (10) concerts/engagements during the prior calendar year, be in good standing with all agents and help promote live music.
Owens joined the SMG Tulsa team in August 2012 as Booking and Special Events Manager. He was promoted to Director of Booking this past July. As Director of Booking, Owens works with both regional and national promoters and agents to develop content for BOK Center and Cox Business Center.
The Rookie of the Year award is presented to an outstanding IEBA Young Professional member. Nominees are recognized as a young professional who have shown outstanding performance and a significant breakthrough in his/her career. The Young Professional can belong to any IEBA Membership Category and must be younger than 30.
IEBA is a non-profit trade organization for live entertainment industry professionals. Founded in 1970, IEBA provides networking, showcasing and educational opportunities to strengthen relationships, foster growth and increase revenue for the live entertainment industry.
