Shelli Herman and Associates Assists of the Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority with CEO Search
December 9, 2025 – Los Angeles-based Shelli Herman and Associates has assisted in the recruitment of Adam J. Straight as the new president and CEO of the Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority (MECA) in Omaha, NE. The decision to hire Mr. Straight follows an exhaustive nationwide search to replace the current MECA President and CEO, Roger Dixon, who is retiring at the end of the calendar year after 25 years in the role.
“We are thrilled to welcome Adam and his family to Omaha,” said MECA chair Diane Duren. “During the search process, we interviewed candidates from all over the country, and Adam rose to the top of our list because of his experience leading large-scale venues, managing public-private developments, and ushering along construction projects on time and on budget. We are confident Adam will pick up where Roger Dixon left off and continue to build on the solid foundation that has already been laid at MECA over the last 25 years.”
Mr. Straight most recently served as served as COO of the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (MCCNO), the nation’s sixth largest convention center, overseeing the Convention Center’s day-to-day operations. His time in the Big Easy was defined by community partnership, pandemic response, sustainability efforts, and transformative capital projects.
In his seven years at the MCCNO, Mr. Straight managed a $73 million annual operating budget, achieved LEED Gold Certification and re-certification through comprehensive sustainability initiatives, led a $763 million Capital Improvement Plan, modernizing and renovating the interior and exterior of the Convention Center, and oversaw the planning and execution of the $1.5 billion River District Development, creating a mixed-use entertainment district adjacent to the MCCNO.
Before his time in New Orleans, Straight worked at the Georgia World Congress Center Authority (GWCCA) in Atlanta, which encompasses the Georgia World Congress Center, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and Centennial Olympic Park, where he managed daily operations as senior director of operations. Under his leadership, Mr. Straight and his team oversaw multiple large events such as NCAA Final Fours, a Super Bowl, and the NCAA College Football Playoff Championship.
Also, while in Atlanta, Mr. Straight was tapped to be the executive in charge/owners representative of Mercedes-Benz Stadium for a $1.9 billion construction project, along with heading up other prominent large-scale projects, including the Centennial Olympic Park renovation ($29 million) and the Exhibit Hall Expansion ($55 million).
In 2001, Mr. Straight’s journey in the events venue industry began at the University of Maryland. Over the span of 10 years, Straight worked his way up to director of intercollegiate athletics facilities management, overseeing operations for 14 athletic venues, including Comcast Center and Byrd Stadium. Mr. Straight also managed the planning, construction, and opening of Maryland’s $13.5 million football renovation.
Related: Shelli Herman and Associates Fills Senior Position for Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium
The Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority is a prominent organization that operates three outstanding venues, fostering regional growth and serving as hubs for innovation, collaboration, and community engagement in Omaha. Together, these three venues have welcomed over 32 million visitors and generated more than $2 billion in economic impact for the Omaha area. Building on a history of success, MECA’s operations in fiscal year 2024 set new records across all properties and events. Since starting operations on August 25, 2000, under a long-term agreement with the City of Omaha to build and manage the CHI Health Center Omaha, the Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority (MECA) has played a vital role in constructing and activating public event venues.
Proven Search Consultants
Shelli Herman and Associates Inc. serves trailblazing clients across the corporate, non-profit, and higher education sectors. The firm’s long roster of clients includes the Annenberg Foundation; the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation; BENlabs; The Capital Group Companies/American Funds Distributors; City Year, Los Angeles; the Fresno Chaffee Zoo; the Griffith Observatory Foundation; Jewish Family Service LA; Laguna College of Art and Design; Loyola Marymount University; Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium; P.S. ARTS; the Saint Louis Zoo; Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County; the University of California System; the Whitney Museum of American Art; and YWCA Greater Los Angeles.
Shelli Herman, who has more than 25 years of executive recruitment experience, has a strong record of leading searches and building upper management teams for a diverse clientele, including Fortune 500 companies. She has completed senior-level assignments in many industries, including consumer products, healthcare, high technology, and finance, as well as for non-profit, conservation, and cultural organizations. Additionally, she brings an in-depth understanding of the unique cultural environment of academia that was gained while she held significant management positions at the University of Florida and Loyola Marymount University.
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
