Barbara Wiggins, M. Ed. Email and Phone Number

Phoenix Business Consulting is dedicated to optimizing resource utilization and improving the overall productivity of our clients’ businesses and establishing effective project and business operations management standards.

Director of Food and Beverage at the largest downstate event facility in Illinois. We have an 11,330 seat arena, 2,196 seat theater and 110,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space. We are the home of the Bradley University Braves men's basketball team, the Peoria Rivermen Hockey team, the Peoria Symphony Orchestra and the Ameren Illinois Broadway in Peoria series.

Oversaw the final phase of the $17 million renovation of Holland Civic Center Place. The civic center was originally built in the 1950’s. The renovation increased its size by 50%. Responsibilities included liaising between the management company, the construction manager, the construction supervisor, the vendors and the City of Holland, Michigan.

Provided internal operations support for the Houston Super Bowl Host Committee as we prepared for Super Bowl LI. Each Super Bowl is a public/private partnership between the NFL, the host city and state, the surrounding counties and the local business community.

Identified traffic flow and parking challenges associated with a major college campus with over 40,000 students and potential sellout crowds at the new $120 million, 40,000-seat TDECU football stadium. Worked with the City of Houston, University of Houston Police Department and UH Parking and Transportation Services to verify facts, create specialized maps and finalize the plan. Successfully implemented the first ever traffic flow and parking plan for TDECU stadium’s inaugural season.

As the Special Projects Manager, I worked on a number of operational and venue development activities with the Vice President for Development for VenuWorks and the National Director of Planning and Development for VenuWorks corporate.

Led rebranding effort for the Topeka Performing Arts Center. The Topeka Performing Arts Center is a nonprofit organization and a received 25% of its annual funding from the City of Topeka’s General Fund. TPAC was regarded by the community as a waste of taxpayer money due to its history of financial instability. Working closely with the local media to produce positive PSA’s and finishing the fiscal year in the black for the first time in the venue’s 15-year history helped change the public’s opinion. The Topeka community started to view TPAC as a revenue-generating entertainment venue at the forefront of the City’s downtown redevelopment plans.

Successfully opened $55 million, 6,500-seat Chevrolet Centre arena in Youngstown, Ohio. Mastered functionality of all operating systems. Oversaw installation of access management ticket scanning system. Recruited, hired and oversaw training of entertainment industry professionals with backgrounds in event management and facility operations. Supervised installation of $2.4 million in furniture, fixtures and equipment. Opened the facility with eight events in 10 days, including performances by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Tony Bennett.

My primary job responsibilities were to assist the venue’s General Manager with day-to-day operations and event operations at the Verizon Wireless Theatre which hosted over 200 events per year, including concerts, theatrical productions and private functions.

Supervised ticket operations for a four-week run of Phantom of the Opera. Duties included but were not limited to developing the group sales plan for 32 performances of this touring Broadway show at the Saenger Theatre in New Orleans, Louisiana and managing the day-to-day ticket operations for an eight show Broadway Across America New Orleans season series at the Saenger Theatre.