Hoyt Sherman Place Recognizes and Promotes Three Staff Members with New Titles

Hoyt Sherman Place CEO, Robert Warren, and the Foundation’s Board of Directors are pleased to announce new titles for three of its staffers in recognition of their exceptional work within the organization. Former Director of Booking and Event Services, Allison Johnson, is now Chief Operating Officer, Dana Hanson, formerly Director of Sales and Marketing, is now Chief Marketing and Sales Officer and Alicia Ver Huel, who was Finance Director, is now Chief Financial Officer.

“I have known and worked with these three very professional individuals for several years,” Board President, John Krantz, said. “I couldn’t be more delighted that Alicia, Allison and Dana are receiving this overdue recognition for their valuable contributions to the overall success of this amazing historic cultural destination. With their skills and dedication, I am confident that Hoyt Sherman Place will be in good hands for the future!” 

Allison Johnson – Chief Operating Officer
Allison has over 15 years of experience at Hoyt Sherman Place, and during that time, she has held the roles of Director of Booking and Event Services, Event Manager and Volunteer Coordinator. In her current role, she oversees every aspect of event production from the initial booking inquiry to the final settlement and all of the arrangements in between. Additional professional experiences include assisting with patron entry at the 2012 Super Bowl (XLVI) in Indianapolis, IN and attending the IAVM Venue Management School at Oglebay Resort in Wheeling, West Virginia, after being awarded a 2-year scholarship. In February 2017, Allison was named the YP Creative of the Year by the Young Professionals Connection. She currently lives in Beaverdale with her husband Trent, daughter Lucy and dog Bailey.

Dana Hanson – Chief Marketing and Sales Officer
Dana Hanson has 15+ years of experience at Hoyt Sherman Place overseeing all event ticketing processes as well as working with local and national promoters to advertise their events. Along with marketing each event, Dana promotes the venue by managing the organization’s website, social media, and email campaigns. Dana recently worked as the organization’s project manager during a branding initiative which included collaborating with a brand consultant, Gwen Friedow, and an advertising and design agency, Project7 Design, to complete a new brand identity for Hoyt Sherman Place. The branding project concluded with a complete revamp of the organization’s website. Previous positions within the organization include Director of Sales and Marketing and Box Office and Marketing Manager. 

Alicia Ver Huel – Chief Financial Officer
Alicia is an Iowa native and has worked in nonprofit and government accounting her entire career, including receiving a master’s degree in Nonprofit Accounting.  Alicia joined the Hoyt Sherman Place Foundation staff in March 2020 and has helped guide the organization through the challenges and triumphs of operating a community focused arts and entertainment venue and preserving an important piece of Des Moines’ history.

In her role, Alicia has overall responsibility for the organization’s financial activities, leads the development of the annual budgeting and forecasting, and the development of important reports for the staff, board, and community.  She also oversees the human resources of the organization, which includes creating a robust HSPF culture in addition to administrating payroll and benefits for HSPF’s growing staff.

When not crunching numbers, Alicia enjoys traveling, reading, crafts, and attending hockey games with her family.