EVMC Reveals Award Honorees and Keynote Speaker for June Conference

Ahead of its annual gathering in Sacramento June 10-12, the Event Venue and Marketing Conference has announced its award honorees and keynote speaker.

Kate Bean, Director of Marketing and Public Relations at State College, Pennsylvania’s Bryce Jordan Center will be honored with the Gigi Award of Excellence. Pacers Sports & Entertainment’s Jeff Johnson to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, “Rescue a Reef” with Miami’s Kaseya Center will be awarded the Impact Award and Alyson Katz, Senior Brand Manager at CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore, is named the Breakthrough Professional of the Year. Johnny Cupcakes, the visionary founder behind the cult brand, will lead the Keynote address.

The annual EVMC Awards Ceremony will be June 11 at the Hyatt Regency Sacramento, hosted  by Ari Waller, the in-arena host for NBA Golden State Warriors and WNBA Golden State Valkyries, featuring DJ Stace Lace. This year’s ceremony is presented by Atmosphere TV.

Each year EVMC recognizes professionals across the entertainment industry for their outstanding  contributions. The organization’s top honor is the Gigi Award of Excellence, named after the late  Gigi Pilhofer, one of the founders of EVMC. The award celebrates a professional’s dedication to the  conference and their commitment to educating the live entertainment industry.   This year’s honoree Bean manages the complex intersection between concerts, family shows, and collegiate athletics while driving revenue through integrated digital strategies. Her greatest achievement as a  leader is rooted in mentorship. A dedicated EVMC member since 2013, Bean has contributed  significantly to the organization, serving on the Intern & Scholarship Committee, the EVMC Board and the Executive Board as Secretary. Her tenure as Chair of the Intern & Scholarship Committee was particularly impactful, as she worked to lower barriers for emerging professionals. Furthermore,  as a founding member of the DEI Committee since 2020, Kate has been a vocal advocate for  nclusion, ensuring the industry evolves to be more accessible and representative.

Jeff Johnson is this year’s Hall of Fame inductee. A titan of the sports and entertainment industry  with a career spanning over 40 years, Johnson joined Pacers Sports & Entertainment (PS&E) more  than 27 years ago to open what is now Gainbridge Fieldhouse. As a marketing expert, he oversaw  the events department while managing media buying, promotions, and branding. His diverse  portfolio ranges from the Indiana Pacers and Fever to the complex conversion of the arena into a natatorium for the World Swimming Championships. Johnson’s legacy includes work on two NBA  Finals, the 2024 NBA All-Star Game, the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game, and the historic 2021 Men’s Final Four. A  dedicated supporter of EVMC, he was instrumental in launching the First-Time Attendee program  and helped lead the committee that brought the conference to Indianapolis in 2011.

The Impact Award recognizes an individual or organization making a change for the good within their  community or the live entertainment industry and this year’s recipient is Kaseya Center. The Kaseya Center partnered with the University of Miami’s Rescue a Reef program, donating one dollar for  every pound of recycled post-event waste to fund the restoration of South Florida’s coral reefs. This  initiative successfully planted over 300 heat-resilient corals, demonstrating a scalable model for how  major entertainment venues can integrate environmental stewardship into their operations.

Alyson Katz, Senior Brand Manager at CFG Bank Arena, has been named EVMC’s Breakthrough  Professional of the Year. In less than a year after CFG Bank Arena’s reopening, Katz transformed its digital presence from zero to 14 million views while orchestrating 360-degree marketing campaigns that drive its status as a top-grossing global venue. Her award-winning approach to experiential  marketing blends digital strategy with bespoke creative touches, such as hand-crafted gifts for artists that deepen the connection between performers and the arena. A respected leader and mentor,  Katz’s ability to execute flawless activations while fostering a culture of innovation makes her a  deserving recipient of this honor.

Keynote speaker, Johnny Cupcakes, is the founder of the cult favorite Johnny Cupcakes brand. In his keynote, “The Unexpected Sprinkles: Recipes for Building  Brand Loyalty Through Holy Sh* t Experiences,” Johnny will share his signature approach to creating  unforgettable customer moments, turning fans into lifelong advocates, and building a brand that  stands out in a crowded marketplace. Known for blending storytelling, creativity, and experiential  marketing, his session will deliver both inspiration and actionable ideas for attendees looking to  elevate their audience engagement strategies.

_Originally reported by [Pollstar](https://news.pollstar.com/2026/05/06/evmc-announces-honorees-keynote/)._