Event Management & Development

Our President and CEO Matt Nelligan has a lifetime of experience in developing and managing special events and tourism related projects.

From 2015-2020 Matt served as the Chief of Staff to Senator Rich Funke. From 2016-2018 Senator Funke served as the Chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Parks, Recreation and Tourism. As the lead Staffer for Senator Funke, Matt maintained very positive relationships with local tourism associations, worked to increase tourism matching grants, and was a frequent participant in conversations with the hotel. Hospitality, tourism, and gaming industries about ways to improve tourism throughout the State of New York.
 

During his 15 years in the State Senate Matt also served as Chief of Staff to Senator George Maziarz. He was the lead fundraiser for all these individuals where he organized numerous golf tournaments, dinners, cocktail parties and events and successfully solicited corporate and union sponsorships.

One of the highlights of Matt’s tourism efforts was being involved with the effort to pass legislation to allow Nic Wallenda to walk across Niagara Falls on a high wire in 2012. He wrote the enabling legislation and then led the effort to solicit the needed sponsorship money to ensure the event would go off without a hitch. On June 15, 2012, Wallenda successfully traversed the Falls with millions watching both in person and on television. This would not have been possible without Matt’s efforts to make it happen.

Outside of Government Matt was the longtime Chairman and Executive Director of the Irish 2000 Music and Arts Festival in the Albany area. From 1997-2019, the festival drew more than 10,000 people on the third weekend in September, for a celebration of Irish Music and Culture. Some of the biggest names in Celtic and Irish Music performed at the event, which also included dozens of food and craft Vendors and a significant entertainment and
marketing budget.

Matt also worked as a consultant to the city if Albany in the early 2000’s on their Alive at Five concert series, and chaired and promoted dozens of local concerts and shows. During his time as a State and National officer in the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Matt Chaired two State Conventions and one national convention.