Shawn Kuzmin, Vice President, Partnerships - Arenas & Venues at KLA Laboratories, Inc.
“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
Shawn is a 20 year veteran of the sports and entertainment industry who joined KLA Laboratories in April of 2019. Prior to KLA, he previously served as Vice President, Business Development-Music & Sports at Entertainment Benefits Group, a Creative Artist Agency (CAA) owned company in Aventura, Florida. Shawn’s experience in the sports and entertainment universe also included roles as General Manager at Learfield Sports - Hurricane Sports Properties, Vice President of Sales and Retention for MLB’s Pittsburgh Pirates, Vice President of Sales and Fan Experience for NHL’s Florida Panthers, and as Senior Vice President of Sales and Service at Palace Sports & Entertainment for NBA’s Detroit Pistons and Palace of Auburn Hills.
Shawn has been friends with KLA Laboratories and the O’Bryan family for over 15 years. He and Matt O’Bryan, President & CEO of KLA, worked on multiple projects together during Shawn’s time at the Palace of Auburn Hills, including installation of an arena center console and multiple audio/video projects.
As Vice President of Partnerships – Arena & Venues, Shawn oversees the growth of partnerships in the sports, entertainment, and hospitality vertical for KLA Laboratories. During the past year, he has successfully created the KLArity Partner Ecosystem for KLA Labs, which is a group of 25+ disrupting technology partners that engage and monetize venues in a variety of ways. In addition, Shawn is leading KLA Lab’s Return to Work/Play strategies, as brands continue to re-start the organizations in the current pandemic.
Shawn was raised in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Ohio University with a bachelor’s degree in Sports Management and immediately started his career with the Detroit Pistons in the summer of 1997. He enjoys spending time with his wife, Deborah, their children, and leads an active lifestyle. He enjoys sports, kayaking, biking, and walking Misha, their dog. Shawn and his family currently reside in Jupiter, Florida.