By 1978, Siehl had been promoted to assistant general manager and had taken on some additional duties of building superintendent and operations. And in 1982, he was named general manager at Hara and remained in that position until 1989, when he decided to step out of the industry and take a breather.
“I was tired and found myself wondering what I ought to be doing in the world,” Siehl said.
Siehl had graduated from the University of Dayton with his bachelor’s degree with the intention of going into teaching. But before he could commit to that career path completely, the new facility in town, Wright State University’s Nutter Center, came knocking.
“They (Nutter) asked me to interview for a job and I started in June of 1990,” Siehl said. “I ended up working there for a total of 20 years, as general manager and then eventually as executive director.”
With a successful career under his belt and then a master’s degree in counseling, which he received in 1994, Siehl could have easily transitioned out of the entertainment world after his stint at Nutter, but he said he felt he still had more to do. It was then he recalled a conversation he had with his friend, Steve Peters, years before.
“He said to give him a call if I ever decided to leave Nutter,” Siehl said. “And he would put me to work.”
And Siehl did just that, moving into a business development position with a company called VenuWorks, which provides full service venue management, food and beverage and other solutions to arenas, theaters and convention centers. Today, as vice president and chief operating officer, he has oversight for the VenuWorks accounts along with the operations.
But throughout his long career, Siehl remained devoted to volunteering and became involved with the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM), a nonprofit organization that provides networking, leadership, innovation, education, advocacy and connection to venue professionals from around the globe.
“I became very active with IAVM in the early ’90s,” Siehl said. “I worked specifically for their arena managers segment and their board of education.”
Siehl began writing a textbook designed for those working in the sports and entertainment industry and eventually he said that matured into other involvement, including the safety council. He also started teaching courses in facility law and crowd management and politics. Eventually he was elected chairman of the board of IAVM.
And this year, as he continues into his seventh year at VenuWorks, Siehl was surprised and then honored when he was told he was to receive the Charles A. McElravy award, which is the sports and entertainment venue’s most prestigious recognition. Siehl became the 44th recipient of this award in August in Nashville.
“It’s seen as a lifetime achievement award,” Siehl said. “It’s recognition for both volunteer efforts and the work an individual has done on the worldwide stage.”
The fact that this award signifies a lifetime of work still humbles Siehl, who said he never knew there was a career in this business out there for him.
“I really did intend to be a school teacher, but I got hooked on the glitz and glamour and excitement (of the entertainment industry),” Siehl said. “No day is ever the same in this business, and I suppose somebody figured out that I was pretty good at it.”
Siehl said that though the industry continues to change rapidly, particularly in the realm of technology, he values that “personal touch” he learned so many years ago at Hara.
“Essentially the older facilities like Hara that are not publicly supported are up against the hundreds of new, state of the art facilities,” Siehl said. “The challenge is to stay current, keep the operation open and welcoming and keep a balance. Mentoring programs are also important because younger people are demanding a different work model. Technology has changed the way we market.”
In addition to his full-time job with VenuWorks, Siehl serves on boards for several local organizations, including the Ronald McDonald House, Aullwood Audubon Center, Greene County Foundation and A Special Wish. He also volunteers with Hospice of Dayton.
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