Clear Channel Entertainment – Music has made three executive promotions.
Patrick Leahy, a 25-year industry veteran, has been appointed senior vice president of Operations; he was most recently vice president of National Venue Operations and regional vice president of Operations, Central Region for the Music division. In Leahy's new role, he will be an integral part of the Music division's senior management team working closely with the executive vice president of Operations, Dominic Roncace, in overseeing all division operations, sales, and business development.
Leahy began his career in 1978 as a production assistant and production manager in the amusement park and touring theater industry, holding positions in theater production and live concert production. In 1990, he joined Amphitheater Entertainment Corporation as a key member of the executive team overseeing production management, operations management and development of the now Cricket Pavilion, Phoenix, Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, Charlotte and Glen Helen Amphitheater, Devore, CA. He also played an important role in the renovation of the Greensboro Coliseum Complex in Greensboro NC. In 1994, Leahy joined Sunshine Promotions and Belkin Productions as executive director and project manager in the development and operation of Polaris Amphitheater. In 1998, he was appointed vice president of Venue Operations and then Regional Vice President of Operations, Central Region when CCE Music put a new regional structure in place in 2000.
Tom Mendenhall has been promoted to vice president of Operations, Central Region, replacing Leahy. A CPA by trade, he joined the Sunshine Group of Companies in 1989. During his tenure at Sunshine, he has been controller and CFO, and had various top-level management responsibilities in finance, administration and operations during those years. The Sunshine Group included current CCE venues or businesses such as Verizon-Indianapolis, Polaris Amphitheater, the Murat Centre, TourDesign and Suntex. After Sunshine's sale to SFX Broadcasting in 1997, he continued to fill the same role for the former Sunshine Companies through 2000. Since early 2001, Mendenhall has been the regional vice president of Finance for Music's Central Region.
Tammy Fruits has been appointed vice president of Premium Seat Sales for Clear Channel Entertainment-Music. Fruits was most recently regional vice president for Live Entertainment Sales (LES) for the Music Division's Central and North Central regions. She will now be responsible for overseeing all Music division Premium Seat business working closely with executive and regional management.
Fruits began her career in entertainment in 1988 with a five-year stint at the Kansas Expocentre Arena Complex in Topeka as Box Office Manager and then Entertainment Arena Manager. In 1993, she joined the Contemporary team as they acquired what is now the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater.
