Boardroom Media (CEO News)
At CEO (Boardroom Media) we track over 1,000,000 startups and over 5,000,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top Chicago based CEO’ operating in the Events space. If you think a CEO’ is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on [email protected].
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Stan Chia
CEO of Vivid Seats
Follow Stan Chia:
About Creative Destruction Lab (CDL), Vivid Seats: Vivid Seats operates as an online ticket marketplace that connects fans with event ticket sellers.
Julie Roth Novack
CEO & Co-Founder of PartySlate
Julie is the CEO and Co-Founder of PartySlate, a marketplace for party hosts and event professionals. Before founding the company, Julie led the Sales & Service team at Vibes Media – a mobile marketing technology company. Julie brings more than 20 years of digital marketing experience working with leading brands such as State Farm, Kraft, 3M and JC Penney. Prior to Vibes, Julie held a number of leadership positions at Razorfish including the GM of the agency’s Chicago office and then GM of the Experience and Platforms Group for the Central Region. Prior to Razorfish, she served on the executive team of Agency.com for 10 years where she ran its global sales, marketing and corporate strategy organization. Julie received an MBA in marketing and finance from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and a BA in Economics from the University of Michigan. Prior to PartySlate, Julie led the Sales & Service team at Vibes, a mobile marketing SAAS company. Julie also held a number of leadership positions at Razorfish, including the GM of the agency’s Chicago office and Central Region. Prior to Razorfish, she served on the executive team of Agency.com for 10 years where she ran its global sales, marketing, and the P&L for North America.
Follow Julie Roth Novack:
About PartySlate, Women Tech Founders: PartySlate is the first digital platform designed specifically for event professionals for a better way to showcase their work.
Adam Olalde
CEO and Founder of Xtreme Xperience
After a sales and management stint in the luxury concierge industry it didn’t take Adam long to realize that people everywhere, from all walks of life, wanted the same thing: to experience the adrenaline and allure of the world’s finest automobiles in a setting that was heart-pounding, yet safe, but most of all convenient and affordable. In 2012, with a small team, Adam proved his point and hosted the first Xtreme Xperience event. Each day he uses that same mentality to continually improve the program, lead the best team, provide new experiences and, above all, help each one of Xtreme Xperience’s customers check something off of their bucket list and create memories that will last a lifetime.
Follow Adam Olalde:
About Xtreme Xperience: Xtreme Xperience makes the world’s best exotic cars accessible for everyone to enjoy on real racetracks.
Chuck Elias
Co-Founder & CEO of 42Chat
As senior vice president, strategy & corporate development, Chuck Elias works with FBHS operating unit leadership on strategies across a wide range of strategic initiatives. He also leads the company’s corporate development activities, including mergers & acquisitions. Prior to joining FBHS, Chuck served in senior leadership roles at Supervalu, a $35 billion grocery retailer/wholesaler. Most recently, he was Supervalu’s senior vice president of retail operations. Prior to joining Supervalu, Elias was a managing director for portfolio operations at Ridgeview Capital, a private equity firm. He also held several leadership positions at The Home Depot. Elias holds a Bachelor’s degree in Management, with honors, from the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn., and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration in Boston.
Follow Chuck Elias:
About 42Chat: 42Chat make AI Chatbots that provide instant answers and personalized connection over regular text (and other channels)
Mark Hodges
Founder and CEO of Hodges Advisory
Mark Hodges joined Baird Capital as an Operating Partner with more than 20 years of experience in business process outsourcing. (BPO). Mark is an acknowledged pioneer of BPO, and was responsible for a research paper which coined the term in 1989. Currently, Mark is the Founder and CEO of Hodges Advisory, LLC, a built-for-purpose advisory firm that counsels founders and their companies on high growth and liquidity alternatives. Mark serves on the board of Myelin and Vitalyst. Prior to Hodges Advisory, Mark served as Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board for EquaTerra, Inc. the global leader in outsourcing and shared services advisory services. Prior to EquaTerra, he served as Managing Partner of Strategy, Corporate Development and BPO Practice for TPI, Inc. Before TPI, Mark was the Vice President of Strategy & Corporate Development at Exult, Inc. Prior to joining Exult, Mark was the Worldwide Director of Gartner’s Dataquest IT Services (ITO and BPO) Vendor Group, and before Gartner, he served as the Chief Operating Officer of G2 Research, Inc. (G2R), where he spent 11 years before it sold to Gartner in January 1999. Mark received his bachelor’s degree in Political Economies of Industrial Societies (Economics and Political Science) from the University of California at Berkeley.
Follow Mark Hodges:
About Hodges Advisory: Hodges advisory positions themselves for multiple liquidity events in an efficient manner.
Zhu-Song Mei
Founder & CEO of BigMarker
Follow Zhu-Song Mei:
About BigMarker: Full-stack webinar hosting, marketing & automation platform
Stephanie Ping
Co-Founder and CEO of WORQ
Steph is co-founder & CEO of WORQ, where she developed the initial idea and leads the company. She was previously Head of Business Development and Investor Relations at AXIS REIT. She was instrumental in growing the REIT from RM1b to RM2b in 3.5 years – providing 27% shareholder returns per annum at its peak. This was the highest return achieved at the REIT to-date and within the industry. Average yield on the properties that she acquired was 14-16%, compared to the property industry average of 5%. Stephanie graduated in the top 5% of her department at Stanford University with a BA in Economics and MS in Management Science and Engineering. She hopes to create a similar entreprenuership community for Asia inspired by the one she experienced at Stanford. Steph also has an uncanny ability to introduce significant others who are made for each other, sometimes with success, sometimes not.
Follow Stephanie Ping:
About WORQ: WORQ is Malaysia’s biggest co-working space.
Lisa Carrel
CEO & Co-Founder of Proxfinity
Lisa is CEO/Co-Founder at Proxfinity, a Chicago-based tech startup. Lisa is an optimistic, driven and enthusiastic leader. She focuses on developing a strategic path, implementing growth strategies and leading her team toward successful, measurable results. She has helped her company create a market category in the meetings and events industry and successfully grow its pipeline. She is also a motivating speaker particularly at industry events and focuses on the importance of networking, helping people understand why it’s hard and teaching how technology can aid in unlocking potential and to overcome bias.
Follow Lisa Carrel:
About Proxfinity: Inspire Conversations. Measure Results.
Ernesto Pedroza
Founder, CEO of PromoShare
Over 15 years experience in event strategy, marketing and technology.
Follow Ernesto Pedroza:
About Alta Vista Graphic Corporation, PromoShare: PromoShare is a platform that empowers event producers and sports teams to transform their biggest fans into ticket selling ambassadors.
Joe Lee
Chief Executive Officer of Gamerjibe
Follow Joe Lee:
About Gamerjibe: Metaverse-as-a-service platform for branded experiences and large-scale events
Ari Driessen
Co-founder & CEO of RSVPify
Follow Ari Driessen:
About ChangeTower, RSVPify: RSVPify is a leading event management and ticketing platform, powering millions of events around the globe.
Mike Fisher
CEO of Storymix Media
Mike Fisher is the Co-Founder, Co-Owner & Chief Executive Officer of Storymix Media.
Follow Mike Fisher:
About Storymix Media: Storymix Media is a crowdsourced automated video creation platform for digital agencies and content marketers.
Tim Alberts
CEO and Co-Founder of FanLyst
Follow Tim Alberts:
About FanLyst: FanLyst empowers fans with professional ticket selling technology to auto-list and easily manage their tickets on all major online sites.
Talia Mashiach
CEO, Founder & Product Architect of Eved
Talia Mashiach is the CEO, Founder & Product Architect at Eved.
Follow Talia Mashiach:
About Eved: Eved is an event commerce company built by event experts for event experts.
Andre Gieniec
Chief Executive Officer of Hyperlocal
Follow Andre Gieniec:
About Hyperlocal: Event Intelligence Platform
Reza Barissi
Founder and CEO of Trytn
Reza Barissi is Founder at Trytn.
Follow Reza Barissi:
About Trytn: The most reliable activity reservation system for tour operators.
Jennifer Gary
Co-Founder/CEO of FLIG, LLC
Jennifer loves the synergy that happens when great people and unique ideas generate momentum. Wanting to create a niche brand within the Chicago music industry, she hopes to initiate a massive shift in the status quo. As co-founder, she paints the broad vision and forms critical partnerships to iterate into the future. Her greatest desire is to give individuals the opportunity and the means to pursue their life’s purpose.
Follow Jennifer Gary:
About FLIG, LLC: FLIG, LLC is a platform for an industry-curated community, where talented people come together to create memorable experiences..
Alicia Driskill
Founder and CEO of EvolveHer
Alicia Driskill is the founder and CEO at EvolveHer.
Follow Alicia Driskill:
About EvolveHer: EvolveHer is a centralized hub that aggregates resources, tools & best in class events to advance women personally & professionally.
Alicia Driskill
Founder and CEO of EvolveHer
Alicia Driskill is the founder and CEO at EvolveHer.
Follow Alicia Driskill:
About EvolveHer: EvolveHer is a centralized hub that aggregates resources, tools & best in class events to advance women personally & professionally.
David Soderna
Founder and CEO of Gameday Radio
Mr. Soderna is a proven information technology and business leader with 30 years of experience delivering high value outcomes within complex corporate IT, consulting, and software development environments.
Follow David Soderna:
About Gameday Radio: Gameday Radio is an internet radio broadcasting company that delivers play-by-play of baseball games and other sporting events.
Steven Whittington
Founder and CEO of LifeWorking Coworking
US Army veteran 20+ year P&G veteran Mobility & Secure Data Comms Corp intrapreneur/scale ups Corporate Strategy & Event Mgmt. Board Chair, Love Inc, Lake County
Follow Steven Whittington:
About LifeWorking Coworking: A professionally managed, tech-enabled coworking center and community innovation hub that focuses on “urbanizing” suburban communities.
Tiffany Mikell
CEO of AerialSpaces
Follow Tiffany Mikell:
About AerialSpaces: AerialSpaces is a full-service virtual event SaaS platform.
Leasa Navarro
Co-Founder and CEO of KickSprout
Leasa Navarro is Co-Founder and CEO at KickSprout.
Follow Leasa Navarro:
About KickSprout: KickSprout is a social and supportive community that connects moms, moms-to-be, and families through local events.
