(Edmonton, AB) – Oilers Entertainment Group (OEG) announced the hiring of venue management professional Michael McFaul as Assistant GM, Facility Operations and live entertainment leader Sheena Way as Assistant GM, Live Entertainment for Rogers Place.
McFaul joins OEG from B.C. Pavilion Corporation where he was the Director of Engineering and Maintenance for BC Place Stadium, a multi-purpose facility in downtown Vancouver.
In his new position, McFaul will oversee Rogers Place plant operations, building maintenance, conversions, ice plant, ice maintenance and operations, engineering, grounds keeping, housekeeping and building system operations.
As a recognized industry leader, Way brings extensive and diverse experience in the entertainment industry including retail operations, talent management and promotion, and venue management.
In her new position, Way will be responsible for booking all events for Rogers Place and new event development. She will lead a team to grow the diverse entertainment offerings at Rogers Place and solidify its standing as one of North America’s premier venues for all sports and entertainment programming.
“We are thrilled to add Mike and Sheena to the Rogers Place team. Mike brings a wealth of experience in the opening and operation of multi-use venues and is ideally suited for this position. Sheena is a dynamic addition to the team and will help bring Rogers Place alive with world-class programming and events of every variety,” said Susan Darrington, Vice President and General Manager, Rogers Place. “They join a growing team of professionals that will make Rogers Place one of North America’s preeminent venues for sports and entertainment and an amazing place to visit.”
At BC Place, McFaul was responsible for venue operations, repairs and maintenance, plus a one-of-a-kind retractable roof system along with a six-story parking structure.
Prior to that, McFaul served as Director of Facility Operations for First & Goal Inc., operators of the 68,000-seat CenturyLink Field (nee Qwest Field) and was a key member of the venue opening team. The active, multi-use venue is home to the National Football League’s Seattle Seahawks and Major League Soccer’s Seattle Sounders in Seattle, Washington.
McFaul is also a founding member of the Green Sports Alliance (GSA).
At Canucks Sports & Entertainment, Way was responsible for all bookings within Rogers Arena and building key promoter relationships across North America. Her duties also included all revenue generating events, private events, sponsorship fulfillment and community events.
Prior to that, Way spent 12 years with Live Nation and House of Blues Concerts where she was responsible for routing tours, promoting shows and executing ticketing and sponsorship deals.
McFaul and Way round out the existing Rogers Place leadership team including Vice President and General Manager Susan Darrington along with Assistant GM, Guest Experience and Events, Steinunn Parsons.
Parsons is responsible for leading the implementation of a world-class guest experience for Rogers Place. She will work closely with Way to help plan and execute successful and cost efficient events for the Oilers, Oil Kings and clients and also with Aramark and Oliver & Bonacini to develop unique and diverse Rogers Place food and beverage programming.
Parsons joined OEG with a wealth of international customer service experience gained from previous management roles with the 2010 and 2012 Olympic Games. She also has deeps roots in the Edmonton community, most recently helping develop and instruct the new Service Industry Skills program at NorQuest College – the flagship program for the college’s Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation Hospitality Institute.
“We are building a dynamic Rogers Place team – one with passion, experience and industry-leading talent. We want to redefine the sports and entertainment experience across Western Canada and make Edmonton the destination for world-class events and programming,” said Oilers Entertainment Group CEO and Vice Chair Bob Nicholson. “Through our world-class venue and our growing roster of sports and entertainment assets, OEG is fast-becoming an emerging leader in the industry.”
Rogers Place, set to open in September 2016, will be North America’s premier destination for sports and entertainment. Located in the heart of downtown Edmonton, Rogers Place is also the anchor of ICE District, the largest mixed-use sports and entertainment district in Canada.