Shawn Kuzmin is currently the Director of Sales for Palace Sports & Entertainment, overseeing the new sales and renewal efforts for the Detroit Pistons (NBA), Shock (WNBA), DTE Energy Music Theater and Meadowbrook Music Festival.
A 1997 graduate of Ohio University, Kuzmin started his career by taking on various work/study opportunities in the OU Athletic Department and Equipment Room. Working with other students, he stumbled upon the Sports Industry major and the affinity to a "job in sports" was created. Upon graduation, he strongly considered staying at OU to continue his post-graduate education but the Detroit Pistons came calling … .
In July, 1997, Shawn anxiously started his first glorious job with Palace Sports & Entertainment, as an unpaid intern. Thankfully, due to high sales volume, he was promoted after 3 weeks of selling on their Night Sales group. The climb to management with Palace Sports included time honing skills in the Group, Corporate and Premium Sales departments. In 2002, he took over the day to day management of the sales staff and had the opportunity to help fill the Palace of Auburn Hills for a wide array of events. When The Palace opened in 1988, it kicked off with an unprecedented 245 straight games that sold out. Shawn and his staff helped to break that record by selling out 259 straight games. Starting in 2004, this streak eventually came to an end in 2009.
Shawn, 35, was born in Erie, Pennsylvania but calls Pittsburgh his second home. He currently resides in Rochester Hills, Michigan, with his wife, Trisha, and his own basketball team of 5 sons, Nate (12), Alek (8), AJ (4), Carter (2) and LJ (newborn).
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