New marketing director to help Show Me Center celebrate 25 years

In 1987, the Show Me Center's executive director, David Ross, wrote a letter about the future of the venue and included it in a time capsule. Staff will open the capsule next summer as they celebrate the Show Me Center's 25th anniversary.

"I was thinking it would be cute, so I am interested to see what it says. I predicted what would be the fate of the building over time. We'll see if I am a good prognosticator," Ross said, adding that he's forgotten a few of his prophecies.

For Ross, those 25 years have passed quickly. During that time, the venue has shown flexibility and brought a variety of entertainment to the community, Ross said. The center has overcome challenges, like the opening of the River Campus and the Osage Centre, which can compete for entertainment and meeting space. He anticipates the opening of Isle of Capri casino will present yet another challenge, but at the same time will be an asset because of the additional visitors it will bring to the area.

Helping Ross oversee anniversary events will be the Show Me Center's new marketing director, Josh Hanlon. Making sure the Show Me Center stays a relevant force as a major venue in the region is one of Hanlon's unofficial duties.

Ross said Hanlon's experience as a successful sales manager helped in the decision to hire him out of a pool of more than 75 applicants.

"That is important for us, because his position goes in both directions," Ross said.

Hanlon's duties include selling advertising within the building, signage and sponsorship for events, as well as buying advertising for the shows.

The Show Me Center will move into the next 25 years with a national reputation for flexibility and good customer service, Ross said. Since 1997, the venue has won an award every year for facility and event management.

It hosts sporting events like the annual Christmas tournament and a recent state volleyball tournament. It routinely draws large crowds to concerts like the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and country artist Miranda Lambert.

Ross said country works well here because Cape Girardeau is in the path of Nashville acts as they look for opportunities to make a round trip including a concert in several locations over three or four days.

The Show Me Center has not been completely spared by bad economic times, Ross said. The center has had trouble breaking even in a few recent years, but revenue in 2010 helped make up for a tougher times, he said. With planning for the future and financial stability, Ross said the center only plans a year in advance and he would be working with Hanlon soon on the next schedule.

In his new job, Hanlon is already finding he will wear many hats.

Broad duties

While his prime responsibility is to market shows and events which come to the venue so an aware public will buy tickets, once a show begins, his job can turn into pretty much any duty in the Show Me Center, he said, from assisting with crowd control to handling media inquiries.

Hanlon's past experiences are in sales management. In his last position as the sales manager for Withers Broadcasting, he dealt directly with the former marketing director, Shannon Buford. Buford left his position to join Metro Business College as an instructor.

Hanlon said he learned about Buford's duties when they worked together and that is what attracted him to apply for the position.

"I started wanting a position like that," Hanlon said. "It seemed like a very productive environment and, well, fun."

While meeting celebrities is a perk of the job, said Hanlon, who spoke with actor Michael J. Fox after his appearance for the university's speaker series last month, that wasn't the real reason he wanted to become the marketing director. Hanlon said he felt his experience dealing on the other side of the table from his time in radio sales would benefit the Show Me Center.

"When it comes down to determining how much advertising dollars to spend with each medium, that takes experience and knowledge," he said. "I have that, and I know how and when to place something so it gets the most exposure possible."

Ross said Hanlon is considered a key member of the 13-person administration and operations staff because he is able to bring a media background and a sales background to the table when decisions are being made.

"My main role is to let as many people as possible know what is going on here," Hanlon said. "There is a lot of learning involved, like with any new job, but I plan to make an immediate impact."

Ross said by and large, the Show Me Center wants to continue to be a strong community asset and one that will continue to accommodate events for years to come.

eragan@semissourian.com

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