Page 50 - July 2018 inLeague with Conference Program
P. 50

Darlene (“Dee”) Smolik is Principal of Plymouth Soundings, LLC. She has been the tax credit coordinator for
        several of LHAT member theatres wishing to access the benefits of HTCs and NMTCs. She has closed over
        $900,000,000 in projects to date. Dee has been a member of the LHAT Board, has served as Treasurer, head of
        the Audit Committee, and most recently was honored with being named as a member of the Board Emeritus.

        Safiatou Soumana is with Envision Creative in Austin, Texas.


        Terry Stewart was born and raised in Daphne, Alabama. He earned 4 degrees from Rutgers and Cornell and
        currently is the Chairman/CEO of El Dorado Festivals & Events in El Dorado, Arkansas. Previously, he was the
        President/CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, as well as the President/COO of Marvel
        Entertainment in New York City, where he was recognized as the CNBC Marketing Executive of the year.

        Alec Stoll, ASTC has 15 years of nationwide experience backstage and a further 18 in theatre consulting. He
        is internationally respected as a theatre planner and designer. Alec has played integral roles in well over 100
        academic, professional and community venues as well as historic renovation and restoration projects. Alec is a
        past board member of the American Society of Theatre Consultants, the League of Historic American Theatres
        and the RCHP Affordable Housing Corporation. Alec holds an MFA in Theater Production Management from
        Brandeis University and a BFA in Technical Theatre from Emerson College.


        Kevin Sullivan joined MDP in 2014 as a Client Executive in our National Trust Insurance Services program.  On
        the NTIS team, Kevin oversees the retail (client-direct) service team and works on new business for all retail
        accounts. Prior to MDP Kevin was a Client Executive in the Real Estate Practice Group at RCM&D. Growing up
        in Baltimore, Kevin attended Boys Latin School followed by Denison University.  He earned an MBA from the
        University of Baltimore and is a Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC).

        Tom Sullivan has worked for more than 30 years in theatre production and stage craft. Before joining Rose
        Brand 8 years ago, Tom spent a decade at The Metropolitan Opera designing and building scenery. Later at
        Hudson Scenic in New York City he managed the engineering department, designing solutions for hundreds
        of Broadway productions, commercials and industrials. Tom is an adjunct Professor of Stage Craft at SUNY
        Purchase and holds an MFA from Yale School of Drama.


        Scott Swenson for more than 30 years, Scott has been bringing stories to life as a Writer, Director, Producer and
        Performer for theme parks, consumer events, live theater and television. His 21-year career with SeaWorld Parks
        and Entertainment included being part of the original development team for the “Howl-O-Scream” event at
        Busch Gardens Tampa. In 2014, Scott formed Scott Swenson Creative Development LLC, working as a creative
        consultant to write live shows, create and implement themed festivals, and develop communication-based
        training classes. He is the Writer and Creative Director for “The Vault of Souls,” an historically based atmospheric
        theatre piece in Tampa’s 1923 Exchange National Bank building; a regular contributor to The Haunt Journal
        magazine; and host of the haunt how-to podcast, “A Scott in the Dark.” In 2017, he was recognized by The
        Haunted Attraction Association for his “…unprecedented investment and support for the haunted attraction
        industry.” Scott and his co-presenter, Jill Witecki, have presented together countless times since 2004, and have
        performed together as part of Tampa’s WIT Improv troupe for the past 12 years.


        Alex Szilvas is a Partner in the Cleveland office of Baker Hostetler, a national law firm with 14 offices throughout
        the country, which is nationally recognized in the field of Tax Credit Financing. Alex has been practicing law
        at Baker Hostetler for almost 30 years. He is the Co-leader of the firm’s Tax Credit Finance and Economic
        Development Incentives Practice as well as the leader of the Real Estate Tax Transactions Team. Alex has
        extensive experience in the structuring and financing of projects utilizing federal and state HTCs and NMTCs.

        Kelly Updike has been the Executive Director of the Embassy Theatre in Fort Wayne, Indiana, since June 2006.
        One of the largest historic theaters in the state, the Embassy seats 2,471 and is a rental facility for national
        headliners, Broadway touring companies, private and corporate events and home to the Fort Wayne
        Philharmonic. Kelly oversees all aspects of the nonprofit theater, including facility maintenance and renovation,
        staff management, board and community relations and finance. Prior to joining the Embassy, she was director
        of communications & marketing for The Leona Group, a national charter schools management company.
        She also has held communications and media relations positions at Lincoln Financial Group and Fort Wayne

         PAGE 48  |  INLEAGUE      League of Historic American Theatres
   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52