In February 2021, the SMA Board voted in the 2021-2022 Slate.

Dr. Brian Crow, Slippery Rock University, Slippery, PA, was named President; Logan Gerken, Mortenson, Minneapolis, MN was named Vice President; Ken Curry, Covermaster, Rexdale, ON, was named Treasurer/Secretary; and Rob Vanderhei, Amfab Steel, Inc, Bernadillo, NM, Past President.

Courtney Alexander-Smith, Ford Field, Detroit, MI; Chris Lamberth, tvsdesign, Atlanta, GA; Coke Irwin, Irwin Seating Company, Grand Rapids, MI; Pam McNealy Powell, AECOM Hunt, Indianapolis, IN; Roland Hayden, Pritchard Sports & Entertainment, Crofton, MD; Todd Stewart, Show Pros Entertainment Services, Charlotte, NC; and Rusty Lenners, Daktronics, Flagstaff, AZ were elected to serve on the Foundation Board.

Ex-Officio advisors include Justin Durfey, BYU LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, UT; Dr. Michael Jackson, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA; Mickey Farrell, Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL; Troy Hoberg, AECOM Hunt, Phoenix, AZ and Ron Labinski, Fairway, KS.

The mission of the SMA Foundation is simple: provide tuition assistance for educational purposes, special projects and programs that will facilitate the advancement and dissemination of knowledge in the field of stadium management and related fields.

The 2021 seminar was filled with informative content, engaging speakers and two highly entertaining emcees! From keynoter Joe Maddon to the Stadium Manager Panel and everything in between, we hope you learned something new, made some connections and enjoyed a few laughs over the two days.

We can never say this enough... thank you to our speakers, sponsors, technology team, our hosts Rick Nafe and Jim Folk, participants and Raymond James Stadium for making this year a successful seminar!

2021 New Board Members
The annual meeting was held in conjunction with Seminar and included a vote for two open board positions. Please welcome incumbent Mario Coutinho and Kevin Kahn!

2021-2022 SMA Officers:
Mario Coutinho- President
Angie Nix - Vice President
Justin Durfey - Treasurer
Matt Kastel - Past President 

Save the Date!
February 6-10, 2022 in Margaritaville, Florida!

The Stadium Managers Association (SMA) held its annual vote for the 2021 Board of Directors at the Association’s February hybrid seminar.

Following the general election, the Board elected officers to serve a term of one year beginning in February 2021.

Mario Coutinho, Rogers Centre, Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Club was elected as President. Angie Nix, Levi’s Stadium, San Francisco 49ers, was elected as Vice President. Justin Durfey, BYU LaVell Edwards Stadium, was elected as Secretary/Treasurer. Matt Kastel, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Maryland Stadium Authority will serve as Past President.

Nicole Andrews, Matrax, Inc; Matt Kenny, Kansas City Chiefs Football Club; Kelsey Smith, CenturyLink Field, Seattle Seahawks and Kevin Kahn, Coors Field Colorado Rockies, were elected to serve on the SMA Board of Directors.

The Board recognized Joe Abernathy, St. Louis Cardinals, for his 14 years of board service including serving on a variety of committees, as Treasurer, Vice President, President, and most recently, as the ex-officio Chair of the Alumni Committee.

Ex-Officio advisors include Seminar Chair Rick Nafe, (retired), Seminar Co-Chair, Jim Folk, Progressive Field, Cleveland Indians, Legal Counsel Mike McCormick, McCormick & Associates, LLC, Advisory Council, Troy Brown, Alumni Chair, FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland Browns, and Historian, Bill Wilson.

The Stadium Managers Association (SMA) is an organization that educates and provides industry resources to assist professional and collegiate stadium managers in achieving the highest levels of facility administration and operation. SMA supports and promotes the professional relationships and networking among stadium managers, league officials and industry suppliers that contribute to the success of our members.

The Association is committed to being the primary industry resource for Sports Facility Managers and Leading Suppliers in the stadium industry.

SBA Launches Portal to Begin Accepting Shuttered Venue Operators Grant Applications on April 8
National informational webinar to review application process on March 30

Release Date: March 19, 2021 Contact: Press_Office@sba.gov
Release Number: 21-22 Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Blogs & Instagram

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration is launching a splash page for the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) application portal today in anticipation of opening applications for the much-anticipated critical economic relief program on Thursday, April 8, 2021.

“Help is here for venue operators hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. The SBA has worked diligently to build the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program from the ground up to assist and address the diverse eligibility requirements of each type of applicant and we will open for applications on April 8,” SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman said. “The SBA knows these venues are critical to America's economy and understands how hard they've been impacted, as they were among the first to shutter. This vital economic aid will provide a much-needed lifeline for live venues, museums, movie theatres and many more.”

Prior to the official SVOG application opening, the SBA will host a national informational webinar to highlight the application process for potential eligible entities from 2:30 to 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 30, 2021. Those interested in participating can register here.

The SVOG program was established by the Economic Aid to Hard Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits and Venues Act, which appropriated $15 billion for it. The American Rescue Plan Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 11, 2021, appropriated an additional $1.25 billion, bringing the program funding to a total of $16.25 billion, with more than $16 billion allocated for grants.

To ensure eligible venues do not miss a window to receive assistance through the Paycheck Protection Program, the American Rescue Plan Act also amended the SVOG program so entities that apply for a PPP loan after Dec. 27, 2020, can also apply for an SVOG, with the eligible entity’s SVOG to be reduced by the PPP loan amount. The PPP loan applications have been updated to reflect this.

As the SBA builds and prepares to open the program, the dedicated SBA website, www.sba.gov/svogrant, which includes frequently asked questions, video tutorials and other SVOG details, is the best source for information for those looking to apply for a grant. To prepare in advance of the SVOG application portal opening on April 8, potential applicants should get registered in the federal government’s System for Award Management (SAM.gov), as this is required for an entity to receive an SVOG, and reference the preliminary application checklist and eligibility requirements.

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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start and grow their businesses. It delivers services to people through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.