2024 OPRA Leadership Summit

Event Date: 11/12/2024 - 11/13/2024
10:00 AM - 1:30 PM

The Plaza Hotel Columbus at Capitol Square
75 East State Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215

Capacity:

131/250
Event Overview

Presented By

Register today for the highly anticipated OPRA Leadership Summit on November 12-13 at the Plaza Hotel Columbus at Capitol Square (formerly the Sheraton) in downtown Columbus. Annually one of OPRA’s highest rated events, this year’s Summit features high-profile speakers from a wide variety of settings gathering to help make attendees more effective leaders.

Agenda

November 12, 2024
10:00am Mary Beth O'Dell, 
Retired Director, Kettering Parks, Recreation & Cultural Arts
11:45am Lunch:  On your own
1:15pm Antony Bonavita, Executive Vice President of Venue Operations, Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse
2:45pm Eugene Partridge III, Global Head of Strategic Sourcing & Supplier Management, Pinterest
4:15pm Woody Woodward, Executive Director, OPRA
5:30pm Legislative Reception


November 13, 2024
8:30am Julie Cromer,
Director of Athletics, Ohio University
10:00am Amanda Gehres, Recreation Superintendent, Reynoldsburg Parks & Recreation and Melissa Hindman, Recreation Manager, City of Powell 11:30am David Wilhelm, Chief Strategy Officer, Hecate Energy

Registration Form
Bulk Registration File

Location

The Plaza Hotel Columbus at Capitol Square (formerly the Sheraton)
75 East State Street
Columbus, OH  43215
Phone:  (614) 365-4500
Book Online

Group rate of $131 per room (or prevailing government rate) until October 12, 2024 or until block is full.

This event is eligible for 0.6 CEUs.

Cost
Member:  $150
Non-Member:  $200
An additional $50 fee will be applied to any registrations received after October 15th.

Click here for the substitution and cancellation policy for this workshop.

Thank You to Our Partners!

 

 

 

Speaker Information

 

Mary Beth O’Dell, Retired Director, Kettering Parks, Recreation & Cultural Arts

A native Ohioan, Mary Beth has worked in Texas, Illinois, and Ohio. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Bowling Green State University where she competed on the women’s swim team. During her time at Kettering, the department was awarded the prestigious National Gold Medal by the National Recreation and Parks Association. As director, she oversaw efforts to refurbish much of the city’s parks, recreation, and cultural arts infrastructure and led the effort to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Kettering Parks Foundation.

Antony Bonavita, Executive Vice President of Venue Operations, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse

Antony is responsible for the day-to-day operations, guest experience, ticket operations, and project management. His scope additionally includes all venue operations under the Cleveland Cavaliers organizational umbrella. He joined the Cavaliers as Vice President of Facility Operations in June 2010 after serving as Assistant General Manager for the San Antonio Spurs and AT&T Center. Prior to that, he spent 13 years in collegiate athletics at Stony Brook University, New York. Antony earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Master’s degree in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Leadership and Management from Stony Brook.

Eugene Partridge III, Global Head of Strategic Sourcing & Supplier Management, Pinterest

Eugene recently joined Pinterest bringing nearly two decades of expertise in transforming procurement operations for Fortune 500 companies and high-growth startups. Previously, he served as Sr. Director of Global Marketing, Meetings & Events, and Travel Sourcing at Salesforce. Throughout his career, he has consistently delivered multimillion-dollar savings while scaling operations and driving innovation. Eugene excels in building high-performing teams and fostering strategic supplier relationships, combining hands-on experience with visionary leadership. His diverse background spans established industry leaders and dynamic startups, equipping him with a comprehensive skill set to tackle complex sourcing challenges and drive organizational success.

Julie Cromer, Director of Athletics, Ohio University

Julie Cromer is entering her fifth year as Ohio University’s Director of Athletics. Cromer’s involvement in the advancement and improvement of college athletics has earned her national recognition, highlighted by co-chairing the NCAA Transformation Committee. She has earned numerous accolades. Most recently, Cromer was named to the Sports Business Journal 2022 Game Changers class, the 2023 Nike Executive of the Year by Women Leaders in College Sports and was one of the 2023-24 NADCA AD’S of the Year. Prior to her tenure at OU, the Missouri native held positions at Wright State University, Indiana University, the University of Arkansas and the NCAA.

Melissa Hindman, Recreation Manager, City of Powell
Amanda Gehres, Recreation Superintendent, Reynoldsburg Parks and Recreation

Melissa and Amanda are both professionals in the field, overseeing recreation programming, sports leagues, special events, community outreach, and administration for their respective departments. Both graduates of The Ohio State University, they bring a combined 43 years of experience and passion to their roles. Amanda and Melissa create unforgettable experiences and moments that bring joy and lasting impact to people’s lives. Even on days when their philosophy leans towards “What I hear when I’m being yelled at is people caring loudly at me”.

David Wilhelm, Chief Strategy Officer, Hecate Energy

David burst onto the national political scene as campaign manager for then Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton during his 1992 Presidential campaign. Following his election, President Clinton tapped Wilhelm to serve as Chair of the Democratic National Committee, making him the youngest national party chair in American history. His career has spanned the worlds of energy, finance, politics, academia, and public policy. Today, he is a Partner at Hecate Energy, where he leads efforts to link solar project development to job creation in places ranging from the coal fields of the Ohio River Valley to the high plains of Central Tanzania. He is also founder of Empower, an energy technology company promoting energy efficiency strategies and shared solar projects.



 
Registration

Online Registration

Member - Regular: $150.00 Purchase Now

Non-Member - Regular: $200.00 Purchase Now