Page 51 - July 2017 inLeague and Conference Program

Conference Speakers Continued

Molly Fortune became the Executive Director of the Newberry Opera House in South Carolina in September
2015. Prior to relocating to Newberry, Molly served as the Director of Restoration & Operations for the Fox
Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia until April 2015. A fiercely protected National Landmark and nationally acclaimed
theatre, the Fox is a multi-purpose performing arts venue which hosts over 450 events and has more than
780,000 patrons per year. During her tenure at the Fox, Molly was influential in the development and
implementation of new strategic initiatives such as the Fox Theatre Institute, an outreach and consulting division
for which she served as Restoration Consultant. However, her main focus was on the one and only in-house
restoration department of a theatre anywhere in the country. She was with the Fox's Restoration Department in
2001. Projects completed under her tenure as the Restoration Director of the Fox included: carpet re-weaving,
handrail installation, ceiling restoration, Landmarks Lounge creation, historic finishes documentation, furniture
appraisal, lighting appraisals, organ restoration; lighting restoration and improvements, exterior lighting, boiler
and air wash restoration to name just a few. The Restoration Department spends over $1 million in capital
improvements each year. Molly received her BFA in Interior Design from Converse College, studied architecture
at the University of Kansas, and received an MFA Summa Cum Laude with Distinction in Historic Preservation
from the Savannah College of Art and Design. In addition to her active involvement with LHAT, she is on the
Board of Advisors for the Savannah College of Art and Design as well as Converse College. She is also active
as a mentor and peer reviewer for several professional Preservation and Museum oriented organizations and
publications.

Laura Fredricks is the Billion Dollar A$K Maker Powerhouse, who, as CEO and Founder of THE A$K©, trains and
coaches nonprofits and businesses on How to A$K for Money…and More of It. She is the first to combine the
most trusted professions, law and philanthropy, to show how any person, charity or business can raise money
to unprecedented levels. For over 25 years, she has advised organizations around the globe on current
trends within the philanthropic world and emerging thoughts on management of their assets, personnel, and
organizational structure. Her five books, including THE A$K©, are the international industry leading go-to guides.
Her latest book: “THE ASK: For Business, For Philanthropy, and Every Day Living” will be out October 2017. Laura is
today’s Money Wellness Expert and Media Personality.

Roger Fricke has more than 30 years of experience in the construction industry and oversees MATT's
preconstruction services. His construction experience in Southern California includes The Broad, the Petersen
Automotive Museum, The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, and Wilshire Boulevard Temple. In
his early career, he restored historic homes in the Seattle area. Currently, Roger's historic projects include two
adaptive reuse projects: the Howard Hughes Spruce Goose hangar and a historic theatre.

Robert Friend has more than 30 years of leadership in the nonprofit arts and entertainment industry with
extensive experience in strategic and financial business operations, fundraising, marketing, sales and
technology. As VP of Business Development and Consulting for Patron Technology, Robert is responsible
for developing and implementing market strategies to drive sales, intelligence, and revenue growth for the
PatronManager community. He is the author and lead consultant for the PatronInsight professional consulting
services program and plays a major role in the company's growth and transformation objectives. Robert is an
Adjunct for Brooklyn College's Graduate Program in Performing Arts Management. He served as Director of
Institutional Advancement for Connecticut's Historic Garde Arts Center, Director of Marketing and Operations
for California's Tony Award winning La Jolla Playhouse, and Associate Director of Marketing for Connecticut's
Tony Award winning Long Wharf Theater. He served as founder and lead consultant for Strategic Entertainment
Group, providing insight and support for arts organizations across North America. Robert is a graduate of
Boston's Emerson College and serves on the College's Board of Trustees. He is a past member of the League of
Historic American Theatres Board of Directors and currently serves as Board Secretary for INTIX, the International
Ticketing Association.

Jeffrey Gabel is the Founding Executive Director of Gettysburg College’s Majestic Theater in the heart of
historic, downtown Gettysburg. Hired in 2003, Gabel supervised the successful $16.5 capital campaign and
building project to fully restore the 1925 Colonial Revival vaudeville and silent movie theater and expand it into
the 60,000 square foot Jennifer and David LeVan Performing Arts Center which includes the 800 seat historic
theater and two cinemas, an art gallery, café, lobbies, backstage rehearsal hall and production facilities,
and a roof top swimming pool for the adjacent Hotel Gettysburg. Gabel also created the center’s business
plan, including branding, staffing, programming, marketing, fundraising and concessions. Since its grand re-
opening in 2005, the center has presented over 1,400 live performances with leading artists from around the
world, nearly 10,000 daily showings of first-run independent art films, raised $1.4 million for local non-profits from
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