Gene Hallman

Gene Hallman Jr. (born December 22, 1959) is an American sports marketing and event management entrepreneur based in Birmingham, Alabama and named "one of Alabama's most influential sports businesspeople". Hallman co-founded Bruno Event Team in 1996, growing the company to provide sporting event management services to a wide variety of sports in more than 30 states, Canada, and Bermuda.

The company was renamed Eventive Sports in March 2023. Eventive Sports was acquired by Troon, the world’s largest golf-related hospitality service company, in January 2024. Hallman serves as the President of Eventive Sports, which has more than 80 employees in the United States and Bermuda.

In 2022, Hallman was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame as a Distinguished American Sportsman and the Birmingham Golf Hall of Fame in 2012. He was named the 2017 Birmingham Business Journal CEO of the Year, the 1995 Birmingham Person of the Year, the 1996 Birmingham Man of the Year, the 1996 Alabama Marketer of the Year by the American Marketing Association, and the 2003 Citizen of the Year by the March of Dimes.

Early life and education

Hallman was born circa 1960 in Anderson, South Carolina. His family moved to Irmo, South Carolina when he was a child. Hallman graduated from Irmo High School. Hallman received his bachelor's degree in economics from the College of Charleston in 1982, then completed his MBA from the University of South Carolina in 1985.

Career  

A native of South Carolina, Hallman moved to Birmingham in 1991 after being named Tournament Director for the inaugural Bruno's Memorial Classic golf tournament, an official Senior PGA Tour event. He currently serves as Executive Director of the tournament, now known as the Regions Tradition, a major championship on the PGA TOUR Champions.

Hallman has directed professional golf tournaments on the PGA Tour, PGA Tour Champions, LPGA Tour, and Korn Ferry Tour. Additionally, Hallman has managed major golf championships such as the U.S. Senior Open, U.S. Women's Open, and the 2013 Walker Cup.

In 1996, Hallman served as CEO of Birmingham Olympic Soccer, which managed the men's soccer matches held in Birmingham as part of the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics. The success of the Olympic Soccer event led to Hallman managing a 2005 Men's World Cup qualifier, a 2015 USA Women’s World Cup Victory Tour friendly, additional USA team friendlies, and two NCAA Championships in 2011-12.

Since 2007, Hallman's company has managed Gameday Operations for the University of Alabama's football, basketball, and gymnastics programs. It also manages Football Gameday Operations for Auburn University football, UAB football, and Alabama State University football.

Hallman brought IndyCar racing to Birmingham with the Children of Alabama Indy Grand Prix at Barber Motorsports Park in 2010. It has since grown into one of the highest-attended events on the IndyCar calendar. In 2023, Hallman secured IndyCar’s extension of the race until 2027.

Hallman also worked with Barber Motorsports Park to create the annual Barber Vintage Motorcycle Festival, the country's largest Vintage Motorcycle Festival.

Hallman led the efforts and successfully brought the Southeastern Conference Baseball Tournament to Hoover, AL, in 1996 and managed the event from 1998 to 2022. Hallman also recruited and managed the 2004 Olympic Marathon Trials in Birmingham, two Davis Cup ties and a Fed Cup tie in tennis, the 2014 NCAA Gymnastics Championship, and numerous SEC Gymnastics Championships. Between 2015 and 2017, Hallman recruited and promoted four World Boxing Championships Heavyweight Title Fights featuring Tuscaloosa native Deontay Wilder in Birmingham.

In 2021, Hallman spearheaded KICK COVID, a statewide campaign encouraging football fans to get their COVID-19 vaccines at select college football games during the season. Hallman recruited University of Alabama Coach Nick Saban to help promote the campaign.

Hallman also directed marketing, sponsorship sales, and venue operations for the 2022 World Games in Birmingham. In 2022, he also worked with Fox Sports to bring the USFL to Birmingham, AL. Eventive Sports manages the marketing efforts and Gameday Operations for the USFL's Birmingham Stallions 

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hallman, Gene
American businesspeople
Sports marketing
1959 births
Living people