Lee A. Esckilsen
Department Chair & Associate Professor
JWU Faculty Since 2002
Lee Esckilsen began his teaching career at Johnson & Wales University in the department of Sports, Entertainment, Event — Management in 2001.
Esckilsen has been instrumental in the development of courses and course content in the areas of venue management, ticketing and access management. He teaches both undergraduate- and graduate-level courses.
Prior to beginning his academic career, Esckilsen was involved in the development and management of international and national public assembly venues and events. He continues his involvement in the sports and entertainment, venue and event, development, and management business as the Principal of ESVenues.
Esckilsen has co-authored three textbooks for the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) during his 20 years at Johnson & Wales University. These textbooks were developed and written for students and entry-level professionals in the sports and entertainment venue management business. The textbooks are used at more than 100 colleges and universities in North America and as a professional resource internationally. Esckilsen and his co-authors completed the next edition of the IAVM textbook in August 2020.
Education
- M.S., Sports Management, Indiana University
- B.S., Recreational Sports Administration, Bowling Green State University
- A.S., Recreational Leadership, Dean College
Teaching Interests
Facilities Management
Public Assembly
Ticket Operations
Tournaments
Venue Management
Venue Safety and Security
Professional Affiliations
- International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM)
- International Ticketing Association (INTIX)
CERTIFICATION:
Certified Venue Executive
Publications
- Co-authored • Public Assembly Facility Management: Principles and Practices, 2nd edition. IAVM Publishing. 2009.
- Co-authored • Public Assembly Venue Management: Sports, Entertainment, Meeting, and Convention Venues. Brown Publishing. 2015.
- Co-authored • Public Assembly Venue Management: Sports, Entertainment, Meeting, and Convention Venues. 2nd edition. Kendall Hunt Publishing. 2020.