Get to know the Promoter Line teamThe Promoter Line staff has over 70 years of combined experience in the entertainment and event planning industries, including production, promotion and management.
Jerry Thompson
President
jtpresents@promoterline.com
Jerry started his industry career in 1982, working as a manager in the nightclub business. From 1986-1991 he was VP of Dallas Alley, an entertainment complex located in Dallas’ Historic West End. For 10 years (1991-2001), he served as President of the Caravan of Dreams performing arts center in Fort Worth. Promoter Line, Inc. was created in 1993 as an event production arm of this world-renowned entertainment venue.Jerry's other event accomplishments include the development and execution of a nationwide NASCAR Concert Series; producer of the Sundance Square Concert Series in downtown Fort Worth; producer of the annual Charles Goodnight Awards banquet since 1993; co-producer of the 1999 grand opening and ribbon cutting festivities of the Nancy Lee & Perry R. Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth; and a former partner and producer of the National Smooth Jazz Awards that began in Fort Worth and then moved to Chicago. He was also Assistant Artist and Media Coordinator for Farm Aid in 1988 at Texas Stadium.
To read more about Jerry Thompson, click here to read an industry interview and article.
Chris “Ethel” Chaney
Director of Sports
ethel@promoterline.comEthel began her entertainment career as a General Manager and Talent Buyer for Fitzgerald’s in Houston from 1992-1995, bringing such acts to Texas like the Dave Matthews Band, Hootie and the Blowfish and the Gin Blossoms. Then from 1995-1999 she was a Booking Agent and General Manager for Alliance Entertainment Group in Dallas where she promoted local, regional and national bands and organized and executed special events such as the Dallas Observer Music Awards Showcase. After a brief stint with Parallax Entertainment, where she was responsible for the development of artists on Parallax Records, she joined the staff of Jerry Thompson at Caravan of Dreams as Marketing Director and has been working with Jerry ever since. After the closing of Caravan in 1999, their working relationship continued when she joined Promoter Line and is approaching 10 years September 2008.
Ethel is a significant part of managing the company’s events and national and regional bike tours, including the Sam’s Club MS 150 and the Audi Best Buddies Challenge among others. She is also very good at cat juggling.
Jeff McRae
Director of Operations
jeff@promoterline.comBefore joining Promoter Line 5 years ago, Jeff spent over 30 years as an Audio Engineer, touring in US and Europe with local and national acts. He also has almost 20 years experience in Event Production and has supervised the day-to-day operations of a full production company, including sound, lighting, staging, trucking and event labor. Additionally, he spent 10 years as a Manufacturer Tech for Stageline, Inc. As Operations Manager for Promoter Line, Jeff creates safe traffic flow routes, vendor placement maps, code compliant emergency exits and fire lanes, lighting for crowd safety, establishes layouts for power requirements and generator placement and coordinates all aspects of staging.
Jeff is also the General Manager for our sister company, Pro Stage Rental, where he trains and supports all tech’s involved in the setting up of the stages, responds to all client requests for quotes, tracks all equipment inventory and schedules trucking, drivers and techs for each event.
Jeff Krebs
Production Manager
jeffk@promoterline.com
Jeff began his career in the entertainment business at the age of 16, working as a DJ with Hilton hotels, and taught himself the operation and repair of sound and lighting equipment. By age 18, he was touring around the world with national acts, working as a systems technician and audio engineer. In 1992, while earning his degree in electrical engineering, Jeff worked for Akai Professional, designing leading-edge professional audio equipment for use on stages and in studios. Jeff then moved to Ultrak (Honeywell), managing products for the unique sound and CCTV needs of the entertainment, school and casino markets. After leaving Ultrak, he started on his bachelor’s in business administration and went to work for Philips (Vari*Lite, Entertainment Technology, Lightolier), managing high technology lighting products designed specifically for live entertainment and entertainment-themed architectural projects.
Jeff has also operated his own systems integration firm, providing sound, lighting and video system design, installation and consulting to a variety of clients locally and abroad. He is currently working on his LEED accreditation (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), a program administered by the US Green Building Council to help design and construct buildings which have a minimal impact on the environment, using less energy and producing fewer contaminants. Jeff is committed to completing his LEED accreditation and hopes to help new entertainment facilities meet the demanding new energy initiatives of the future.
Jeff “Frosty” Frost
Sport Coordinator
frosty@promoterline.com
Jeff manages Promoter Line, Inc.’s West Coast office in Utah and comes to Promoter Line, Inc. with over twenty years of experience in event production. From working in the ski business on the East Coast in 1989 to the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah, Jeff has managed it all. His most recent event credits include coordination of The US Mountain Bike and Road National Championships (California and Utah), The Sea Otter Classic (Monterey, CA), The Suntrust National Marathon (Washington, DC), The National Mountain Bike Series events (in Idaho, Vermont, Texas, California, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Utah, and Arizona), The TREK Women’s and Danskin Women’s Triathlon Series events (in Colorado, Vermont and New Jersey), The WPSA Snocross events (in Canada, Minnesota and Michigan) plus numerous other regional and local athletic events.
Bill Sykes
Sport Coordinator
bill@promoterline.comPromoter Line is excited to announce the addition of Bill to the Bike/Walk/Run Department. His experience includes owning 2 bike retail stores from 1974 – 1994. Bill owned and operated International Cycling, which organized Professional cycling teams from 1988 – 1995 including the IME/Panasonic Professional Cycling team and the Saab Professional Cycling team, as well as organized the Cyclo Cross Championships in 1986 and 1988. He founded the Myles Standish Stage Forest Road Race in 1980 and still is a vital part of it to this day. Since 2003, Bill has been the Logistics Director of the Best Buddies Friendship Rides. His responsibilities included organizing Federal, Local and State municipalities, vendors, venues and support staff, as well as managing, storing and maintaining Best Buddies’ 150+ rental bike fleet.
Bailey Tims
Office Manager
bailey@promoterline.comOffice Manager Bailey Tims has worked various roles in the entertainment/hospitality industry since 1997. His relationship with Promoter Line started in high school when he worked for Jerry Thompson at Caravan of Dreams in downtown Fort Worth. Originally helping with building maintenance, Bailey soon added ticket sales, front desk, crowd control and more to the list of duties he handled for the live music venue. Bailey’s event management experience with Promoter Line has ranged from gates to ticket sales, cash control, backstage management, event setup and merchandise sales, all of which he handles in addition to his daily duties at the office. Besides Caravan of Dreams and Promoter Line, Bailey has also worked as a bartender for Red Lobster, a staff accountant for CTS Accounting, and once spent a baseball season working in the Texas Rangers visitor clubhouse. A native of Fort Worth, Bailey is currently pursuing a degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Economics. He is an avid golfer, loves to snow ski, and is a serious Maverick Basketball and UT Longhorn fan.
Christie Tims Steblein
Event Manager / Ticketing
csteblein@msn.comAfter earning her degree in Accounting, Christie has primarily worked in the entertainment/hospitality industry in the Fort Worth area. Previous employers include: Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, the Fort Worth Club, Caravan of Dreams and Southwest Sports Group (owner of the Texas Rangers baseball team and Dallas Stars hockey team.) In 1996 Christie went to work with Jerry Thompson at the Caravan of Dreams as the Controller and Box Office Manager. Since the Caravan closed in 2001, Christie as worked for many Promoter Line events including: WolfDance, Evening of Jazz, Bone Bash, Grapefest, Southlake Oktoberfest, Main Street Days, Best Buddies bike rides, and many, many more events. Duties have ranged from supervising over 50 gate staff people for events with over 20,000 attendance; running merchandise for national acts such as .38 Special, Kevin Fowler, and Miranda Lambert; assisting with finish line setup and event day activities for bike rides held in Boston and Hearst Castle, along with many cash control duties at city festivals. Christie currently owns her own business, CTS Professional Services, where she has many bookkeeping/payroll clients in addition to her event ticketing and staffing services.
Kenneth Davis
Crew Chief
kenneth@promoterline.comKenneth Davis’s experience with Promoter Line dates back to 1992 when he joined the company as a runner. Quickly rising up through the ranks, he became a quintessential member of the crew and has been expanding his knowledge of stage building and production for almost 20 years now. From loading and unloading gear to specialized work with sound and lights, Kenneth has done it all. Several years ago his efforts were rewarded through his promotion to Crew Chief. Kenneth brings to Promoter Line years of experience, hard work, dedication, and a wealth of technical knowledge with over 20+plus years in the railroading industry. He would like to state for all to know that he considers it a privileged to work for Promoter Line where everyone works seamlessly together as a team to provide exquisite entertainment.
