Meet the team behind
Arena Partners.
Arena Partners delivers the ideal mix of executive-level experience found at large firms with the personal attention of a boutique agency. With this combination, we lead brands through the entire journey from identifying and defining growth strategies through to the market-facing touchpoints that bring those strategies to life. Our team members each have unique professional backgrounds, that when brought together, deliver the ultimate combination of creative and practical execution tied to real business strategies and goals. Experienced, connected, creative and practical, Arena Partners is the nimble and lean boutique solution for organizations that want to reach their audiences in meaningful ways. We love what we do and we’d like to do it for you.
President & CEO
His diverse professional background includes five years military service in Marine Helicopter Squadron One, a stint as a commercial pilot, an MBA in Marketing & International Business, and serving Fortune 500 companies globally as a management consultant with McKinsey & Company and Accenture.
John took a 3-year break from the private sector to serve as Chief Bid Officer for the U.S. Bid for the 2016 Olympic Games; a pursuit that cemented his commitment to taking on bold challenges.
John is the co-founder and inaugural chair of the Chicago Sports Commission, sits on multiple nonprofit boards, and created & produced the largest New Year’s Eve celebration in Chicago’s history - attracting 3.5 million television viewers and generating 2.5 billion global media impressions for the city.
Development Manager
She grew into a manager role and leads social media, brand and cause marketing in addition to her continued role leading the development and sponsorship efforts. As the Development Manager and Marketing Coordinator, Taylor oversees our partners’ campaign branding and development, as well as new business development.
Taylor graduated from Arcadia University where she received a degree in International Relations and worked as a research assistant for a published professor. While attending Arcadia she also worked as a Deputy Campaign Manager for a local State House race that unseated the longest serving politician in Pennsylvania House history.
Partner
Whilst building experiences across 6 continents, he became a Member of the Institute of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS) in Quantity Surveying, a LEED Accredited Professional and pursued a new career path with Faithful & Gould working across multiple sectors including Pharmaceuticals, Manufacturing, Industrial, Commercial and Retail.
It was building Flagships and Branded Event Spaces across the World for Nokia that he discovered his passion for customer-facing experiences delivering “wow” moments mixed with employing lean standards to reduce waste and add value. He now specializes in retail, hospitality and events working with owners to establish an increased market presence through managing high profile branded projects and events. The Brands he has worked for speak for themselves.
Senior Manager and Associate Producer
Sara is a 2015 graduate of Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois, where she received a degree in marketing and captained the women’s varsity volleyball team.
Marketing and Events Associate
Project Manager
We’re making moves. Check out some of our recent projects.
401 W. ONTARIO
SUITE 225
CHICAGO, IL 60654