Tim Reese
Partner
A 33-year veteran in the management of on-campus facilities at the University of Tennessee, Tim Reese served as Director of Thompson-Boling Arena since 1987 prior to his retirement in early 2021. Reese coordinated the daily functions of the third largest on-campus arena in the country with a capacity of over 21,000. In addition to assisting with preparation for men’s and women’s basketball, as well women’s volleyball, he was responsible for the planning and implementation of all special events, concerts and community events at the building. From Garth Brooks and the Eagles, to significant national events like the Bassmaster’s Classic, Reese interacted with a variety of national promoters and event managers. The fiscal management of the building, as well as the daily scheduling component, were also housed within the Arena Management Office. Prior to his time at Thompson-Boling Arena, Reese served as Director of Student Activities at both Wake Forest University and the University of Tennessee. He holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Lebanon Valley College and a Master’s of Education in Counselor Education from Penn State University. He was in the first class to graduate from the International Association of Venue Managers Venue Management School.
David Elliott
Partner
David Elliott is a 30-year veteran in the Event Management field, serving as primary manager of Neyland Stadium at the University of Tennessee. As Associate Athletic Director for Event Management, he managed over 20 home athletic team events, managed the budget and scheduling of facilities, wrote policies and emergency procedures, and had direct responsibility of all events in Neyland Stadium including but not limited to football games, large scale concerts, graduations, Top-Golf, marathons, and multiple special events. For over 25 years, he coordinated football travel for UT’s football team, including 20 plus bowl games. He, along with partners Reese and Maples, successfully hosted two large-scale concerts in Neyland Stadium, Kenny Chesney, 2003, with over 63,000 attendees and Garth Brooks, 2019, with over 82,000. Elliott was also responsible for the gameday management of UT men’s basketball games in Thompson-Boling Arena, and the NCAA Basketball Tournament Manager for the 1994 and 1999 “Sweet 16” held at Thompson-Boling Arena. Additionally, Elliott worked with campus officials, and city and county government to navigate the 9-11 and Covid-19 crisis that forced us to re-write and implement new venue guidelines. In September of 2016, over 156,000 people attended the world’s largest football game, The Battle at Bristol at Bristol Motor Speedway, of which Elliott was the co-architect and game manager. David has a BS in Finance from the University of Tennessee and a Masters in Sports Management. He was on the leadership group for the SEC Event Managers and is a member of NACDA and the IAVM.
Jeff Maples
Partner
Jeff Maples served 31 plus years in various executive management roles at the University of Tennessee. For the last 17 years, Maples served as Senior Associate Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration and was the chief operations officer for the Knoxville campus. He was tasked to plan for and supervise large athletic events and other significant campus events, such as concerts and conferences. The key units under his supervision included Parking and Transit Services, Facilities Services, Campus Police, Emergency Management, Dining Services, Thompson-Boling Arena, Fleet Management and Conferences/Event Services. Collaborating together, along with UTK Athletics, Maples efficiently planned for all annual sporting events and major concerts in both Neyland Stadium (100,000+) and Thompson-Boling Arena (21,000+). It is his belief that all operational units must maintain open lines of communication and be willing to be flexible in order to ensure the success of all events. Maples co-authored the revised stadium security plan after the 9-11 attacks and also updated the campus emergency action plan prior to hiring the first full-time Director of Emergency Management. In addition, he was actively involved in negotiating and securing two major concerts at Neyland Stadium, the Kenny Chesney concert in 2003 (63,000+) and Garth Brooks in 2019 (82,000+). Jeff has a BS degree in Business Administration from the University of Tennessee and he is a graduate of the FBI Citizen’s Academy.