Gary Jacobus
President, Business Development | ASM Global
Gary Jacobus has a lot to be proud of these days, considering ASM Global is on record pace for new business wins in 2023. With its roots in the stalwart SMG and AEG Facilities, ASM Global may seem like a long-standing firm, but as Jacobus says, “We are still a young company as we were formed in 2019.”
“Most of my team is new to the company and we continue to expand,” he said. “My biggest challenge is keeping up with the fast growth rate while working to get each team member up to speed and performing at full productivity. I try to spend at least half of my day developing, guiding, and mentoring the executives on my team. The new business opportunities are truly endless, and our new business pipeline is extremely deep. I wrote a three-year business plan when I joined the company last year and we are constantly updating and refreshing our plan as the business grows.”
Jacobus points out that ASM Global is branching out from its traditional business verticals of arenas, stadiums, theaters and convention centers to include new verticals and real estate development partnerships.
Jacobus brings a unique set of work experience to his current post, which he has held since November of 2022, after two years as vice president of business development for Zippin, a tech firm tied to autonomous retail systems. He taught an MBA course, “Managing Facilities and Events in Sports, Entertainment and Media Business,” as an adjunct professor at Iona University, has served as head of business development for sports and entertainment for Aramark and has held sponsorship development positions with the NBA and USTA.
He calls DEI a critical factor in organizational success in today’s business climate.
“Fresh perspectives lead to innovative ideas,” he said. “It’s great when you encourage people to constantly ask, ‘What if we did it this way?’ We find people are more satisfied and feel more comfortable and connected in inclusive environments.”
As for sustainability, he calls it one of the key pillars of ASM’s business.
“I hope the focus on inclusivity and sustainability continues to expand across all industries and organizations,” he said. “Both movements are truly
critical to building a better,more productive, more rewarding world for generations to come.” — James Zoltak
