Amanda Vought, who has spent the past six years designing and implementing processes to enhance the guest and colleague experience at venues managed by Ilitch Sports + Entertainment (IS+E), has been promoted to Vice President of Guest Strategy.
Vought was hired as IS+E’s Guest Experience Designer in 2017 and has earned three promotions throughout her tenure with the organization. She was also named Manager of Guest Strategy & Analytics in 2020, before being promoted to Director of Guest Strategy & Analytics in 2021.
In her new role, Vought will identify and measure strategies to elevate the guest and colleague experience at Little Caesars Arena, Comerica Park, the Fox Theatre, Pine Knob Music Theatre, Meadow Brook Amphitheatre and Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre. She will also serve as IS+E’s primary liaison to all food and beverage partners across all Ilitch-managed venues.
Vought will apply feedback, data and metrics from guest and colleague experience surveys to formulate short – and long-term strategies and develop training programs for event colleagues and other guest-facing departments. She will continue to be the organization’s primary liaison to KultureCity, which named Little Caesars Arena the 2021 Sensory Inclusive Venue of the Year.
“Amanda is well-deserving of this promotion to our senior leadership team, and we’re very happy for her,” said Ryan Gustafson, Ilitch Sports + Entertainment Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer. “She is passionate about elevating the guest and colleague experience and brings a data-driven approach to those strategies. Providing a tremendous guest experience at all of our venues is at the top of our priority list, and Amanda is the right person to lead those efforts.”
Prior to her current tenure at IS+E, Vought worked in training roles at Hard Rock Park (2008) in Myrtle Beach, S.C., International Theme Park Services (2008-10) in Cincinnati, Six Flags America (2010-13) in Largo, Md., and Sears (2014-16) and London Square (2016-17) in metro Detroit.
“I’m honored and humbled to receive this promotion and am thankful to Tim Padgett and Ryan Gustafson for the opportunity,” Vought said. “Metro Detroit is an incredible area for sports and entertainment, and our guests and colleagues bring passionate energy to our venues all year long. I look forward to continuing to serve them and enhancing their experience.”
Vought, born and raised in nearby St. Clair Shores, Mich., earned her bachelor’s degree in Interpersonal Communication from Michigan State University in 2005.
