Industry Spotlight, Scott Bruscato, Discover Monroe - West Monroe

Scott Bruscato, Discover Monroe - West Monroe

What’s your current position?

I am the Executive Vice President of Sales for Discover Monroe-West Monroe. I have been with the organization for 18 and a half years. My role in the sales department is multi-faceted: identifying accounts, booking, and working with national governing bodies to bring events to Monroe-West Monroe, Louisiana, by showcasing our sports venues and providing leadership to the sales department employees.

What would you say most motivates you to do what you do?

We have excellent facilities, fantastic venue operators, and tremendous hospitality from our citizens. My motivation is to bring event owners to my community so they can experience the same love for Monroe-West Monroe that I feel for it.

My goal is to strengthen my relationships with my local venue operators so I can best serve my event owners or operators when they bring their events to our community. By working closely with local venues, I can best understand their facility, letting me know what event best fits their venue. It ultimately allows me to maximize their space and increase the number of events we can host.

What led you to this job?

My previous job as the recreational director for the University of Louisiana Monroe allowed me to learn event planning and management. This experience created a natural progression to Discover Monroe-West Monroe. The CEO, Alana Cooper, and I worked together on an AAU girls’ National Championship in 2004. She called me about the opportunity when an opening became available for the sales department.

Where did you grow up? What was it like to grow up there?

I grew up in Monroe, LA, with a large family of 6 brothers and sisters (two brothers and four sisters) with parents who were very supportive of our activities. Growing up in Monroe was terrific. I had great friends and many opportunities to play sports (football, basketball, and baseball) as a youth from elementary school through high school. I still have wonderful friendships developed through participating in those sports opportunities.

Did you go to college? Where did you go, and what was that like?

I attended the University of Louisiana Monroe, earning a degree and later a master’s in education. ULM provided an excellent environment for me to flourish, make life-long friends in the PIKE fraternity, learn valuable skills as a student worker, and later work as a graduate assistant with the Recreation Services department.

Did you have any key mentors or people who deeply influenced who you are, what you believe in, and what you’re committed to in your work and life?

1. Camile Currier was my first professional boss who gave me a solid foundation to build a career. Camile left an indelible mark on me as a leader by showing up first and leaving last, leading by example, and providing a consistent leadership style.

2. Joe Bruscato, my dad, who passed away a few years ago. My dad showed me what it means to be someone people can count on. He was at work every day regardless of how he felt and did his job to the best of his ability. He loved my mom and his family fiercely, and I hope people think of me similarly.

3. Alana Cooper, my current CEO, epitomizes a true leader. She provides a quiet strength that I hope to emulate in my role with Discover Monroe-West Monroe. She provides her staff with the support they need to excel in their jobs, and she can lead from the front of the pack or as a supportive member of the team.

What projects are you working on now?

Our community is set to open a new 100,000-squarefoot indoor facility called West Monroe Sports and Events. This path is new since we lacked indoor basketball and volleyball space.

Although we have terrific diamond fields in our community, West Monroe Sports and Events has created a unique opportunity for us to form new partnerships and relationships with NGBs and operators for basketball and volleyball.

Specific projects we are working on include the Louisiana Baseball Coaches Association All-State Underclass showcase. The uniqueness is that we will serve as the lead liaison between the LBCA and University of Louisiana Monroe facilities.

We are bringing several university departments together, such as resident life, meeting venues, and the athletic department. LBCA volunteer director Tim O’Neal is relying on our staff to pull together different university personnel, with timing being a crucial part of the equation. We must check in 100 players and coaches to the resident hall, pass out uniforms, distribute meal plans, and ultimately play the baseball games.

Scott, Discover Monroe-West Monroe has built an impressive book of business and crafted impressive facilities that offer variety to event rights holders. As the Executive Vice President of Sales, how do you and your team handle the workload and continue to create new events?

Discover Monroe-West Monroe is a team with one common goal: “to go above and beyond.” We accomplished great things because we are not concerned about who receives the recognition. By sharing the credit, our DMO continues to do amazing things.

What gets you out of bed every day to continue your drive? What motivates your work ethic?

When events come together, it is satisfying to hear that our community is one of the best locations hosting events. This drives me to try to be great at my job, but I am also grateful for the opportunity to serve others.

What would you say are your best skills?

My best skill is my ability to relate to others and bring people together for a collaborative effort. My demeanor provides a confidence that people can trust me and believe I can deliver on my promises.