TurnkeyZRG Expands Revenue Functional Practice

October 25, 2024 – TurnkeyZRG has expanded with the addition of Jamie Spencer as a managing director within the revenue functional practice. “Jamie Spencer has been a top revenue executive for 25+ years – especially in tickets, premium and season ticket holder programs,” said Len Perna, chairman and CEO of TurnkeyZRG. “Jamie is joining TurnkeyZRG as our managing director to lead all searches and consulting in tickets, premium hospitality and building best-in-class membership programs. Team Turnkey is built with practitioners like Jamie, who have hands-on experience in the trenches, building high-performing teams, strategies, and programs. That’s why our placements in sports are so sticky. Our placements stick because our recruiters did the jobs they now place.”
Based in the Twin Cities, Mr. Spencer has almost three decades of professional sports experience and specializes in senior executive searches across all facets of revenue, with a particular specialty in consumer and premium revenue & service, and business intelligence & analytics. He will also serve as a talent advisory specialist across all functional areas of sports and entertainment, assisting individuals, teams and organizations redefine their executive potential, navigate change, and develop a high-performance mindset and culture.
Mr. Spencer most recently served as executive vice president of revenue for the Chicago Blackhawks, where he was responsible for all functions of revenue including ticket and membership sales, corporate partnerships, retail, amateur hockey, and Fifth Third Arena operations (Chicago Blackhawks Community Rink). He guided the revenue department out of the COVID-19 pandemic and brought a new cultural philosophy to revenue that helped shape an incredibly successful model that focused on the idea that selling tickets and caring for fans is an all-organization initiative – a mindset that helped the Blackhawks set a new all-time regular-season gate revenue record last season and drove nearly a 90 percent increase in retail revenue over the last three years. Additionally, Mr. Spencer set the foundation for a “fewer, bigger, better” approach to corporate partnerships and launched several new youth hockey initiatives, including the Blackhawks Arena Network, Rivalry Series, and first-ever NIHL Youth Hockey Championships at the United Center.
Prior to the Blackhawks, Me. Spencer served as executive vice president of business development for the Minnesota Wild where he spearheaded new business ventures including Herbie’s on the Park, a quintessential social house inspired by the legacy of Herb Brooks; stateofhockey.com, a Minnesota youth hockey-inspired website; and led strategic planning and construction of TRIA Rink at Treasure Island Center, the Wild’s first-ever dedicated practice facility. From 2011-14, Mr. Spencer served as EVP of sales for the Tampa Bay Lightning where he was a force behind tripling the season ticket holder base and more than doubled overall ticket revenue and retail sales. He is one of the founding staff members that helped launch the Minnesota Wild in 1997.
“When it comes to achieving success in business, I’m a firm believer that it’s the people and their ability to collaborate as a team that makes the difference,” said Mr. Spencer. “I have always enjoyed the challenge of recruiting and developing individuals and leaders as an executive and practitioner in the industry. The opportunity to join forces with the team at TurnkeyZRG and Len Perna, and work on a much broader scale with colleagues across the sports and entertainment industry aligns perfectly with my background and passion. TurnkeyZRG’s reputation and proven track record in sourcing talent around the world are what drew me in. They are the best in the business, and I am grateful for the opportunity to work alongside such an experienced team.”
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Founded in 1996, TurnkeyZRG is a specialized talent recruitment/executive search firm filling C-level, senior-level and mid-management-level positions throughout sports, media and entertainment. Over the past 25 years, the firm has filled more than 1,400 positions. TurnkeyZRG helps teams, leagues, stadiums, arenas, theaters, college athletic departments, events, sponsors, agencies, media companies, private equity companies and other clients identify, recruit, and hire the best management talent.
Mr. Perna has 30-plus years’ experience in the sports and entertainment industry, with senior-level management experience in sales, event marketing and management, sponsorships, venue feasibility and development, facility operations, licensing, and legal affairs. Since founding Turnkey, Mr. Perna has managed over 1,400 executive searches.
New Addition
Earlier this year, TurnkeyZRG added Billy King as managing director in the private equity group and the sports group. “Too many search firms today are really just sales firms,” Mr. Perna said. ”Talent recruitment is supposed to be about building winning teams. Billy King at Duke, Billy King as a coach, Billy King in the NBA, and Billy King in his personal journey has always had a knack for spotting talent, getting the most out of talent and creating winning teams with the exact right talent choices. TurnkeyZRG is blessed to have Billy join our team.”
Mr. King has over two decades of experience in sports and entertainment. He served as general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers from 1998-2003 and president and general manager from 2003-2007 and the Nets from 2010-2016. Prior to his time with the Philadelphia 76ers, Mr. King served as an assistant coach of the Indiana Pacers for four seasons. He was also an assistant coach at Illinois State University from 1989-1993. Mr. King is a graduate of Duke University where he played basketball under legendary coach, Mike Krzyzewski. Billy was captain of the Duke basketball team in 1988 and was a part of the 1986 and 1988 Final Four teams.
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media