CULTURE & LEISURE
Scott Altman
Jeff Berding
Ric Booth
PRESIDENT AND CEO Cincinnati Ballet
PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER FC Cincinnati
G E NE R A L M A NAG E R Duke Energy Convention Center
Altman, who joined the company in 2016 from Ballet West in Salt Lake City, oversaw the fundraising, design, and construction for the Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance near Eden Park that opened in September. The space features nine studios, recording booth, catering kitchen, and lounge for the dancers. Artistic Director Victoria Morgan, who has transformed the company on stage and off in her 25-year tenure, will retire after the 2021–22 season.
Berding is the public face of the professional soccer team that opened privately-financed TQL Stadium this past spring in the West End. The franchise has cultivated an engaged fan base that’s flocked to games since joining Major League Soccer in 2019.
Booth has led operations at the region’s largest meeting venue since 2006. It hosts an array of events that include conventions, trade shows, charity benefits, and fundraisers in a space occupying three city blocks, with three exhibition halls, 750,000 square feet of event space, and 30 deluxe meeting rooms.
Hometown: New York City Education: UNY Purchase
(undergraduate), Manhattan School of Music (master’s)
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Miami University (undergraduate), Xavier University (MBA) What has been the toughest challenge for you as a business leader during the COVID-19 pandemic? Keeping the staff team together
and the stadium project on track, running the business with no revenue, and so much more. Has your leadership approach changed because of the pandemic? It’s been consistent but improved in terms of sensitivity to feelings of staff, more health conscientious, greater support for flexible work environment, and regular communication/ meetings with all staff.
Hometown: Phoenix Education: Northeastern State University (undergraduate) What has been the toughest challenge for you as a business leader during the COVID-19 pandemic? Staying focused on being positive and not
getting frustrated with all the stops, starts and in general bad, negative, and false information circulating at every turn. We’ll be remembered for the way we responded to this time. Staying true to our fellow team members and being good partners to all of our stakeholders and clients in the long run will be what counts in the future.
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