Advisory Board
The following represents our international Advisory Board. After the list is a brief biography of all our Board members.
Advisory Board
Robert E. Ammon Jr, EdD: Professor, Department of Sport Management, Slippery Rock University.
Dr. Herb Appenzeller: Jefferson-Pilot Professor of Sport Studies Emeritus, Guilford College
Richard K. Avery CPP: President – New England, Securitas Security Services USA, Inc.
Dr Ali Bakir: Principal Lecturer, Faculty of Design, Media & Management, Buckinghamshire New University, UK.
Gil Fried: Professor, University of New Haven; Principal Gil Fried & Associates, LLC
Ron Fried: Senior Instructional Design Consultant, SRI, International
Dr. Stacey A. Hall: Associate Director of the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4)
Jack Koury: Principal, Avalon Resource Group
Sam Levy: Managing Partner, Condor Security, Israel
Andrew Milsten, MD, MS, FACEP: Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Massachusetts School of Medicine
Susan Pellerin: President E&S Consulting
Dr. Michael Robinson: Master Club Manager, Robinson/Goslin:
Carl Saraceni: District Manager, Health Care Services for Sodexo
Dr. Todd Seidler: Professor University of New Mexico
Jef Thiffault: Manager, Operations, Soccer United Markeitng/Major League Soccer
Carla Varriale, Esq.: Partner, Havkins Rosenfeld Ritzert & Varriale, LLP
Michael Zanca: Senior Coordinator, Special Projects, USTA – Billie Jean King National Tennis Center (US OPEN) Flushing, New York.
Randy Zeigler: Executive Vice President, OR&L Facility Management.
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Robert E. Ammon Jr, EdD: Professor, Department of Sport Management, Slippery Rock University.
Dr. Ammon is a full Professor and Chair of the Sport Management Department at Slippery Rock University in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania. He graduated with an EdD in Sport Administration from the University of Northern Colorado and his areas of research include: legal liabilities in sport, risk management in sport and athletics, and premises liability. At SRU, he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in Risk Management in Sport Facilities and Events, Sport Law, Event and Facility Management and Senior Seminar. Dr. Ammon has written extensively with over a dozen articles in refereed journals, nine chapters in Sport Management books, and two textbooks. He has presented over 50 times at local, regional, national and international conferences on a variety of topics including facility, legal, crowd management and security issues. The past nine years have seen Dr. Ammon accompany Sport Management students to Spain, Italy, Ireland, Costa Rica, England, France and Germany to visit sport facilities. Before entering the academic arena, he was involved in intercollegiate athletics for ten years as a coach and administrator. In addition he has been associated with special events as a practitioner since 1976. Dr. Ammon has worked for himself and for two national crowd management companies (Contemporary Services Corporation & Landmark Event Staff Services) as a supervisor, manager and consultant. This experience has included various Super Bowls, collegiate athletic events and hundreds of concerts all across North America. Recently Dr Ammon has served as an “expert witness” in various court cases regarding several of these issues. In 2002, Dr. Ammon was elected as the 17th President of the North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM). In 2009 he was selected as a highly skilled trainer for the delivery of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Risk Management Training for Sports Event Security Management. This entails developing highly effective security management systems for sport events held at national intercollegiate football stadiums.
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Dr. Herb Appenzeller: Jefferson-Pilot Professor of Sport Studies Emeritus, Guilford College
Dr. Herb Appenzeller is a nationally recognized authority in the field of sport law and sport management. He became an endowed professor of sport management at Guilford College in Greensboro, NC, following 31 years as Athletics Director. The author and/or editor of 18 books, 13 in the field of sport law, he is a member of four sport Halls of Fame, and has received the Professional Service Award for the Safety Society of the American Alliance of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance and the Honor Award for the North Carolina AAHPERD.
Dr. Appenzeller has won numerous awards and served as an expert witness in numerous sport related cases. In 1999, Herb also received the leadership award for the Society for the Study of Legal Aspects of Sports and Physical Activity (SSLASPA). In 2000 SLRA presented Herb with the President’s Award. In 2004 Herb was presented with The Outstanding Award from National Association of Sport and Physical Education (NASPE). In 2006 he was awarded the Presidential Award for Risk Management by the Council of the American Association of Heath, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance. For over 20 years he has been a co-editor of the well regarded publication- From the Gym to the Jury.
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Richard K. Avery CPP: President – New England, Securitas Security Services USA, Inc.
Mr. Avery brings thirty-five years of demonstrated security and management expertise to his position as Region President of Securitas Security Services, USA. As a member of ASIS for 33 years, Rick has been honored to hold leadership positions in the Boston Chapter including Chapter Chairman and is a Certified Protection Professional.
He is also a member of the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA), the High Tech Crime Association (HTCIA) and The International Association of Assembly Managers (IAAM). Rick holds a degree in Security Administration from Northeastern University. He also served on the City of Boston Homeland Security Committee, a Public-Private partnership led by the City’s Director of Homeland Security.
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Dr Ali Bakir: Principal Lecturer, Faculty of Design, Media & Management, Buckinghamshire New University, UK.
Dr Ali Bakir lectures on Strategy in Sport, Tourism and Music management courses. He studied at the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne where he graduated with BSc (Hons) in Geology and Chemistry, followed by a M.Sc. in Rock Mechanics and Engineering Geology. He was awarded a Post Graduate Certificate in Education from the Institute of Education, University of London; and MBA and PhD in Finance, Accounting and Management from the University of Essex; his PhD thesis focused on understanding strategy in organizations.
Early in his career, Dr Bakir worked in Industry mainly as Consulting Engineer in the UK and abroad; he returned to lecturing in academia in 1987. Alongside his full-time lecturing post he also worked as principal partner in Bakir & Donnelly, Management Consultants (1991-1997). His consultancy expertise focused on strategic positioning of organizations in the leisure and health industries.
Dr Bakir’s main research interests and publications are in interpretive research in strategy, particularly in exploring the tension between rational strategies and the substantive social and cultural contexts where they are implemented. He is also interested in mixed methods research in the cultural and creative industries, where his PhD students conduct their research.
Dr Bakir is founder and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Crowd Safety and Security Management: An online Journal (JCSSM), and Member of the Advisory Board of the London Journal of Tourism, Sport and Creative Industries (LJTSCI). He is a reviewer to the Annals of Tourism Research, Journal of Hospitality Marketing and Management, Tourism – An International Interdisciplinary Journal, Journal of Tourism Recreation Research, International Journal of Tourism Policy, and Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning. He also serves on a number of scientific committees and validation panels.
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Gil Fried: Professor, University of New Haven; Principal Gil Fried & Associates, LLC
Professor Fried’s opinions are based on his experience as a sport facility risk management professional. This experience includes serving as the Director of Risk Management for a facility management company that manages several facilities where alcohol has been sold at sporting and other events. He is the only known professor in the United States teaching a collegiate course on crowd management. He has written numerous articles and books which have covered sport facility safety concerns. He has worked extensively with the industry’s primary trade association, the International Association of Assembly Managers (IAAM) including writing its Academy for Venue Safety and Security handbook, serving on the five-person panel that developed the “train the trainer” program, which is used extensively in the industry to help train employees in crowd management, and he has helped develop and speak at the annual International Crowd Management Conference (ICMC). Professor Fried have been a certified trainer with the Technique for Effective Alcohol Management (TEAM) program, which trains ushers, concession, and security staffers at most major sport and entertainment venues in North America. Lastly, he serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Crowd Safety and Security Management (JCSSM), the only peer reviewed academic journal in the world (based in England) focused on crowd safety/management.
In addition to Professor Fried’s specialized work in the sport facility area, he serves as a Safety Officer (Second Lieutenant) with the Civil Air Patrol and is a Life Safety Coordinator with the American Red Cross.
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Ron Fried: Senior Instructional Design Consultant, SRI, International
Mr. Fried is a senior instructional design consultant and researcher focusing on the areas of science education, assesment, evaluation, and curriculum design. Prior to joining SRI, Mr. Fried worked as a high school and middle school science teacher with an emphasis in general and physical science. His teaching experience included designing, developing, and teaching science curriculum, advising fellow teachers on issues of science curriculum, and implementing science fairs.
Mr. Fried has used his background in teaching to support CTL projects focusing on science education, assessment, and evaluation. He has reviewed various large-scale science curricula programs and compared and aligned the content covered with current national science standards and tests.
Mr. Fried also has extensive experience in paper, web, and video-based training product development, human performance assessment, and program support. He has experience in project management and development of various self-study manuals, on-line courses, and videotapes. His additional experience in this area includes designing, directing, shooting, editing, and producing instructional videotapes, writing on-line courses, editing and proof reading, working with print and video vendors, and developing counselor and administrator guides, job aids, user guides, and support materials.
Mr. Fried has designed, developed, implemented, and evaluated multi-source human performance assessments, including performance simulation testing, interview-based evaluation of occupational experience assignments, paper and pencil knowledge testing, and group performance scenarios. He also has experience in logistical planning and implementation of advisory panels, faculty training, program pilots, and program launches. He has developed and conducted various training sessions for both program faculty and administrators.
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Dr. Stacey A. Hall: Associate Director of the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4)
Dr. Hall is the Associate Director of the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) and an Assistant Professor of Sport Management at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM). Dr. Hall’s expertise is in the area of sport security management. She has been published in leading sport management, homeland security, and emergency management journals, and has recently co-authored two textbooks. Dr. Hall has presented at international and national conferences, and conducted invited presentations for U.S. federal and state agencies, college athletic conferences, and professional sport leagues, including Major League Soccer (MLS).
Dr. Hall has been the principal investigator on external grant awards in excess of $4M. Funded projects included awards from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to: develop risk management curriculum for sport security personnel at NCAA institutions; conduct risk assessments at college sport stadia; and develop training programs for sport venue staff. Dr. Hall has also been involved in several service projects, including development of a risk assessment tool for U.S. sport stadia in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security and International Association of Assembly Managers; and development of a disaster mitigation plan post-Katrina for the Mississippi Regional Housing Authority.
Dr. Hall teaches undergraduate and graduate sport management courses in economics, law, finance, and security. She developed a graduate level emphasis area in sport security management for the Master’s program at Southern Miss. Dr. Hall also developed a professional certificate program in sport security and currently serves as program director.
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Jack Koury: Principal, Avalon Resource Group
Mr. Koury has over 30 years of experience in the Hospitality Industry and a 1978 graduate of Florida International University from the School of Hospitality Management. Throughout his successful career, Mr. Koury has held positions of increased responsibilities including restaurant manager, beverage manager, catering manager and general manager. In the early 90′s Mr. Koury enhanced his focus from operations to staff support working for a Division of the Dial Corporation as training and human resource manager. Utilizing his existing blended experience, Mr. Koury joined the Fine Host Corporation as corporate director of training and recruitment. While in this role, he supported operations in stadiums, convention centers, corporate dining, health care and corrections.
In October of 2000, Mr. Koury launched Avalon Resource Group, a consulting firm specializing in training and development where they partner with various hospitality organizations in key areas of alcohol awareness, food safety, client and guest service retention, management development and recruitment. The primary mission of the Avalon Resource Group is to bring value to organizations by elevating the skill set of clients’ employees and also work with organizations and associations in creating a defend-able fortress or reasonable care defense with the goal to reduce employer liability.
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Sam Levy: Managing Partner, Condor Security, Israel
Mr. Levy is a Managing Partner with Condor Security. Condor was established in 1996 as a corporation domiciled in Israel and recognized by the Israeli Ministry of Justice. Condor is a recognized supplier to the Israeli Defense Forces and Israeli Ministry of Defense. In addition, all of their consulting and training services are recognized and certified by the Department of Export Control in the Israeli Ministry of Defense.
Condor’s faculty and professional staff is composed of veterans from leading positions in the Shin Beth (Shabak) ,Mossad, Israeli Defense Forces (“IDF”), Israeli airport Authorities, Israeli Ports Authorities, Israeli Police, Israeli Border Police, and specialized consultants from the Technion, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and other research institutions. Mr. Levy provides consulting and training of the security field, including Anti-Terrorism, Executive Protection, Security Management, Combat Personnel, Corporate Security, Intelligence, Integrated Security Solutions and Professional Equipment.
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Andrew Milsten, MD, MS, FACEP: Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Massachusetts School of Medicine
Dr Milsten is a board certified emergency medicine attending physician and Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Massachusetts School of Medicine. Dr Milsten completed an EMS / Disaster Medicine fellowship and an EHS master’s degree from the University of Maryland. While at University of Maryland, Dr. Milsten focused his research on mass gathering medicine. At Baltimore Washington Medical Center, Dr. Milsten was the community medicine residency coordinator for the University of Maryland emergency medicine residency. Dr. Milsten also served as medical director for the Anne Arundel County Fire Department (located outside of Baltimore) as well as Expresscare critical care transport ambulance service. In his capacity with Expresscare, he was the medical director for fan operations at Raven’s stadium (NFL games, college lacrosse, marathons, rock concerts). He has worked overseas as a visiting scholar and EMS consultant to Prishtina, Kosova (July 2001) for John Hopkin’s ER Development Project as well as an emergency preparedness/disaster medicine trainer in Amman, Jordan (October 2005) for University of Maryland’s NIH/Iraqi MOH sponsored program. Dr Milsten is currently a certified Instructor for the Basic and Advanced Disaster Life Support Courses, the director of the UMass Disaster Medicine and Emergency Management Fellowship and on the Disaster Committee of the National American College of Emergency Physicians.
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Susan Pellerin: President E&S Consulting
Ms. Pellerin is President and Founder of E&S Consulting, a human resources consulting firm specializing in HR strategic plan design, organizational development related audits, integrate talent management, and career oriented performance management.
Ms. Pellerin serves as an adjunct faculty member at various universities where she teaches diversity and ethics, Strategic HR management, negotiation and conflict resolution, and organizational development. Ms. Pellerin has presented programs for various business based associations throughout the Northeast. She is a member of two initiatives seeking to understand the educational issues associated with STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) in the Connecticut public schools. As a member of the Society of Human Resource Management CT State HR Council she has served as Director, Education Co-Chair, past chair college relations and program chair for the CT, MA, and RI Tri-state HR Conference. Currently she is director at-large and the Co-Chair of the workforce readiness/workforce development core leadership initiatives.
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Dr. Michael Robinson: Master Club Manager, Robinson/Goslin:
After serving in the Air Force, Michael attended Paul Smith’s College when he graduated with honors in the Hotel and Restaurant Management Program. He has also earned an MBA at University of New Haven. Most recently, Michael earned a Ph.D. in Organization and Management, with a specialization in Leadership at Capella University. He has also taught club management at University of New Haven and Golden Gate University in San Francisco. At Santa Rosa Junior College (CA) he taught Service In The Hospitality Industry.
Early in his hospitality career, Michael worked in resorts, executive conference centers, country inns and restaurants. In 1980, Michael began his club management career as General Manager of Tumble Book Country Club in Bloomfield, Connecticut. He subsequently managed the Locust Club of Philadelphia, Portage Country Club in Akron Ohio and The Victoria Club in Riverside, California. Michael finished his 25 year span of club management in 2005 as General Manager of Meadow Club, Fairfax, CA.
Michael has made a practice of sharing his knowledge and giving back to his professional association by conducting educational programs and by mentoring aspiring club managers. Within the Club Managers Association of America (CMAA), Michael has served as Connecticut Chapter President, on numerous national and state committees and earned the coveted Master Club Manager (MCM) designation. Michael’s Ph.D. research on club manger tenure is some of the most comprehensive in the world of club management.
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Carl Saraceni: District Manager, Health Care Services for Sodexo
Mr. Saraceni if the District Manager, Health Care Services for Sodexo, is responsible for delivering the mission of “improving the quality of daily life” for clients, patients and customers. With over 30 years of experience in the health care industry he is responsible for providing operational excellence in food and nutrition services, patient transport, and environmental services in a variety of acute care settings while supporting his client and Sodexo’s organizational, operational and financial objectives. He is responsible for managing over 750 employees in Connecticut and New York. He is currently a member of the University of New Haven’s Nutrition and Dietetics Advisory Committee, Sodexo’s University Relations Management Program and has been a mentor for Sodexo’s Spirit of Mentoring Program. Additionally, he is a member of Sodexo’s cross-divisional network groups; African American Leadership, Women’s Network and Intergenerational Network Groups. He has been an area leader for Sodexo’s annual Wellness Challenge. He has a BS in Clinical Dietetics from Georgia College and State University.
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Dr. Todd Seidler: Professor University of New Mexico
Dr. Seidler is currently the coordinator of the graduate program in Sport Administration at the University of New Mexico, one of only a few programs that offer both the Master’s and Doctorate in Sport Administration. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from San Diego State University and taught and coached in high school. He then went on to graduate school and earned his Master’s and Ph.D. in Sports Administration from the University of New Mexico. Prior to returning to U.N.M., Dr. Seidler spent six years as the coordinator of the graduate Sports Administration program at Wayne State University and two years as the coordinator of the undergraduate Sport Management Program at Guilford College in North Carolina. He is currently in his 12th year at U.N.M. Dr. Seidler is serving as Executive Director and is a Past-President of the Sport and Recreation Law Association (SRLA), a professional organization for those interested in teaching Sport Law and Risk Management. In 2006, he was awarded the Betty van der Smissen Leadership Award by SRLA. He has also served on the Executive Board of the Safety and Risk Management Council, as Chair of both the Sport Management Council and the Council on Facilities and Equipment within the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) and is an active member of the North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM). Dr. Seidler is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (C.S.C.S., 1987) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (N.S.C.A.). Dr. Seidler’s primary areas of interest include risk management and legal issues in sport and in planning and managing sports facilities. He is active as a consultant on facility planning and risk management for sport and recreation and frequently presents, publishes, and teaches classes such as Risk Management in Sport, Sport Facility Planning and Design, Facility and Event Management, Legal Aspects of Sport and Intro to Sport Administration.
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Jef Thiffault: Manager, Operations, Soccer United Markeitng/Major League Soccer
Mr. Thiffault has been in charge of game day operations with Major League Soccer for the past 11 years. He has worked intimately in the day-to-day requirements for putting on major events and has now turned his responsibilities more to managing major international soccer events held in the United States in conjunction with MLS.
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Carla Varriale, Esq.: Partner, Havkins Rosenfeld Ritzert & Varriale, LLP
Ms. Varriale is a litigator who has represented Major League Baseball (MLB) teams and players, minor league teams and clients in the recreation and sports industries. Carla writes and lectures on various issues of interest to sports, recreation and entertainment venues, including water parks and amusement parks. She has appeared as a legal commentator on Court TV Radio and FoxNews’ Cases and Cops. She also has also regularly presents across America related to crowd related issues, foul ball liability, and intoxicated fans.
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Michael Zanca: Senior Coordinator, Special Projects, USTA – Billie Jean King National Tennis Center (US OPEN) Flushing, New York.
Mr. Zanca joined the United States Tennis Association (USTA) in July 2004. Mr. Zanca is responsible for sponsorship, merchandise and hospitality during the US Open (as it relates to the facility). He is also very heavily involved in off-season capital expenditure projects, site-wide facility upgrades and ADA concerns. Located all year round at the USTA – Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, he is also charged with the creation and execution of the After Action Report which assists the US Open management staff in preparing and planning the “highest annually attended sporting event” in the world, the US Open. Prior to joining the USTA, Mr. Zanca worked at Madison Square Garden and with the Orlando Magic.
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Randy Zeigler: Executive Vice President, OR&L Facility Management.
Mr. Zeigler is one of the biggest names in facility management with over 30 years experience managing large public assembly facilities. He is the former CEO, of industry innovator and leader Fine Host. He ran international operations servicing convention centers and other major public assembly facilities. He received the Joseph J. Anzivino Distinguished Allied Award, and is a Legacy of Leaders award from the International Association of Assembly Managers (IAAM).
He currently directs the facility management operations in Florida and other states for OR&L Facility Management.