Staff
STAFF
Greg Fante, President and CEO
Office: 502-560-1479
Cell: 502-472-6021
email: gfante@louisvillesports.org
Greg Fante was named president and CEO of the Louisville Sports Commission (LSC) on Jan. 1, 2023. He has been with the organization since 2007 and helped the Sports Commission team attract and support events that have generated more than $1 billion in local economic benefits for the community. He oversees a team of professionals who have led Louisville’s strategic planning, marketing, and sales efforts for sports event attraction and creation for the region. Before joining the LSC, Fante served as national sales manager for Louisville Tourism. He began his career in the local hotel industry. He currently serves on the Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center board. He previously served on the boards of Louisville’s lodging association, the Louisville hotel sales association and the National Association of Sports Commissions.
Julie Howell, Chief Revenue Officer
Office: 502-587-6742
Cell: 502-376-6450
email: jhowell@louisvillesports.org
Julie Howell joined the Louisville Sports Commission in September 2009. During her time with the Sports Commission, Howell has increased the number of companies supporting the organization from 10 to more than 250, leading to a 750 percent increase in annual contributed revenue. The organization’s revenue-producing activities created and overseen by Howell include event sponsorships, the Corporate Partners program and the annual Golden Ticket raffle. She has secured sponsorship portfolios for the following owned and operated events: the Paul Hornung Award presented by Texas Roadhouse, Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame, Live in Lou Cross Country Classic, the Urban Bourbon Half Marathon, Louisville Pure Tap® 5k, Norton Sports Health 4-Miler the Louisville Corporate Games and the Louisville Indoor Games. Howell also played an integral part in obtaining funding to host the 2013 UCI Cyclocross World Championships and has been instrumental in securing sponsorships for IRONMAN® Louisville. In 2016, Howell led the effort to secure funding for a $1 million facility enhancement of the BMX Track at E.P. “Tom” Sawyer State Park. Prior to that, Howell was director of development for the Louisville Ballet. Before she moved to the Ballet, she was vice president, partnerships for the Fund for the Arts.
Lisa Mills, Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations
Office: 502-814-0200
Cell: 502-689-2976
email: lmills@louisvillesports.org
Lisa Mills joined the Louisville Sports Commission in October 2011. In her role as vice president of marketing & PR, Mills is responsible for developing and implementing marketing and public relations initiatives for the Louisville Sports Commission and its owned and operated events, as well as for inbound third-party sports events hosted in full or in partnership with the Sports Commission. She also is responsible for the implementation and oversight of the organization’s Louisville Active community engagement programs: Kids Finish First, Playing it Forward, Sports Fun(d) and We Play. She previously worked with Fellon-McCord, an energy management company where she oversaw the company’s internal and external marketing efforts. Mills also provided leadership for Faulkner Real Estate’s overall marketing, communications and public relations strategies. She served as marketing director for Greater Louisville Inc. (GLI) where she spent more than 15 years providing marketing leadership and support for market research, advertising and special projects. Mills is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Spalding University, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing. She currently is a member of the Spalding University Athletic Advisory Council, Spalding University Business Advisory Council and the Cabbage Patch Marketing & PR Committee.
Vicki Baumgardner, Accounting Manager
Office: 502-587-7767
email: vbaumgardner@louisvillesports.org
Vicki Baumgardner joined the Louisville Sports Commission in May 2021 as accounting manager. Baumgardner provides primary oversight for the organization’s financial records. She oversees, implements and maintains accounting systems, procedures and policies; and ensures that the organization is in good standing with the Kentucky Department of Charitable Gaming. Baumgardner is also the organization’s liaison with its external auditors for the preparation of annual financial and 401K audits. A Louisville native, she worked in public accounting before joining KFC’s International Group. Baumgardner also held a number of positions with Churchill Downs Inc., including vice president of finance. She also worked with the National Thoroughbred Racing Association as vice president of finance. Baumgardner holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from the University of Louisville and a Master’s Degree in Accounting from the University of Kentucky.
Corbin Maynard, Director of Event Operations
Office: 502-587-6730
Cell: 502-619-0001
email: cmaynard@louisvillesports.org
Corbin Maynard joined the Louisville Sports Commission in June 2023. As director of event operations, Maynard is responsible for the planning, organization and execution of the Sports Commission’s owned and operated sports events and activities, as well as hosted client events. In this position, he serves as the organization’s primary liaison between rights holders and local agencies, facility operators and other entities that impact the success of an event. A Louisville native, Maynard attended Bellarmine University where he played basketball from 2011 to 2015, was a part of two NCAA Final Fours (2012, 2015). He graduated from Bellarmine with a Bachelor of Science in Communications with a Business Administration minor. From 2018-2022, he served as director of basketball operations at Eastern Kentucky University. During his stint at Eastern, he was a part of 18 program records and graduated with a Masters of Sports Administration.
MiKayla Morton, Manager of Events and Programs
Office: 502-379-6052
Cell: 502-553-4748
email: mmorton@louisvillesports.org
MiKayla Morton joined the Louisville Sports Commission in June 2022. As manager of events and programs, Morton manages outreach and support of the Sports Fun(d) active lifestyle initiative; provides support for Kids Finish First, Playing it Forward and We Play community programs, and assists with the Louisville Sports Commission hosted and owned/operated events. She also provides operational support for LSC owned/operated events and hosted events. Morton was selected to participate in the 2022 Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission Professional Development Program Summit. She is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of the University of Louisville, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Administration. While attending UofL on a Woodford R. Porter Scholarship, she earned the Savannah Walker Award for Social Justice and held a leadership peer mentoring role for African American freshman with Caring of New Students Experiencing College Transition.
Zach Norris, Manager of Partnership Activation
Cell: 859-240-59163
email: znorris@louisvillesports.org
Zach Norris joined the Louisville Sports Commission in Jan. 2025 as manager of partnership engagement. In this role, he supports the maintenance, growth and creation of revenue streams through philanthropic gifts, event sponsorships, special events and raffles. He has taken a lead role in the launch and execution of a 50/50 raffle in partnership with the Louisville Bats. Norris also assists with connecting revenue initiatives with marketing, public relations and operations to create ideal participant and client experiences. He aids with the planning, organization and execution of the Sports Commission’s owned and operated events and activities, as well as hosted client events. Norris graduated from the University of Louisville Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Sport Administration with a minor in Management. While at UofL, he was the mascot for 2.5 years where he managed social media and marketing efforts for the program.
Dave Patrone, Director of Sports Development
Office: 502-736-3498
Cell: 502-552-0013
email: dpatrone@louisvillesports.org
Dave Patrone joined the Louisville Sports Commission in Jan. 2023 as director of sports development. Patrone is charged with developing and implementing the Louisville Sports Commission’s hosted event sales plan. This includes the coordination of all bid development efforts, as well as the successful execution of those bids and events once awarded. Prior to joining the Sports Commission, he worked with ASM Global to position the Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center as a location to host sports, concerts, corporate events and more. He spent two decades building Louisville’s convention and trade show market for Kentucky Venues as the vice president of client services. While there, he helped attract some of Louisville’s largest and most notable sports events including the Dew Action Sports Tour, National Senior Games, Junior Volleyball Association World Challenge, National Archery in the Schools National Tournament, National Wheelchair Basketball Association National Championship, National Veteran’s Wheelchair Games, Run 4 the Roses girls’ exposure basketball tournament and more. Before joining Kentucky Venues, he spent five years at Richfield Coliseum and Rocket Mortgage Field House in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, where he served as front-of-house manager.
