BY HILLARY VIDERS
SPECIAL TO NORTHERN VALLEY PRESS
ENGLEWOOD, N.J. —— Dominic Roncace is the CEO of the Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC) in Englewood—a home to hundreds of world class performances that reach audiences of over 150,000 each year.
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The bergenPAC embraces the spectrum of the arts from rock to classical to dance to comedy, with more than 200 events each year. BergenPAC also provides a home for innovative arts and educational programs that reach out to thousands of families via its Performing Arts School.
Roncace is a senior operating and business development executive with over 30 years of experience in the live entertainment business and venue industry. He has successfully developed large public/private partnerships, led entrepreneurial starts-ups and served in senior executive positions in small, medium and large public company businesses.
At one time, Roncace held various executive positions with Clear Channel Entertainment, Music (now Live Nation), including executive director of the PNC Bank Arts Center, regional vice president for all of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, and chief operating officer of the division overseeing a national platform of 100-plus clubs, theaters and amphitheaters.
Roncace is known as an exceptional operator, innovator and dealmaker with an extensive background in running businesses as well as creating diverse new opportunities, revenue streams and organizations that consistently deliver financial and strategic results.
He is also recognized for hard work, integrity and the ability to build great teams and effectively leverage significant entertainment contacts and relationships across multiple business sectors; including concerts, entertainment venues, sponsorships, restaurants, hotels, resorts and travel, often in highly complex, challenging and politically-charged circumstances.
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Hillary Viders: With all your extraordinary business and leadership experience, what attracted you to the bergenPAC?
Dominic Roncace: I had never worked in the nonprofit sector before, so at this point in my career I welcomed the new and different challenge. After I spent decades climbing the ladder in the for-profit world, raising my family and getting my kids out and on their way, my priorities changed. Quality of life became very important to me. Also, I appreciated the type of work that bergenPAC did. I knew firsthand with my children that it was vitally important to expose and educate young people in the arts and prepare them for necessary life skills. I also liked how bergenPAC was keeping the arts alive across all genres of music and the positive impact all of this had on the community.
HV: How many years have you been CEO of the bergenPAC?
DR: Five and a half.
HV: What are the most significant changes that you have brought about at the bergenPAC since you took over as CEO?
DR: The first thing that I want to say is that all the positive changes that have occurred were brought about by the team at bergenPAC. Every department has great and talented people working hard in their disciplines every day. From our core business and operations people, to great educators and managers at our performing arts school, to our programming, marketing, box office and development departments, all these teams synergistically work together to deliver results. That is what makes it work. What I do is steward that process lending insight based on experience. Additionally, the board of trustees, theater volunteers and the donors provide absolutely critical support to the success equation also.
Over the past 5.5 years, what we are all proud of is how the performing arts school and theater have grown. Not only do we educate hundreds of young people in dance, theater, music and production at our school adjacent to the theater, but we also have partnerships in 130 schools across nine counties and 67 school districts, that educate tens of thousands, and those numbers continue to expand every day. In addition, we now do approximately 50 more shows and have about 60,000 more people a year than we did when I came to the bergenPAC. Everyone that has anything to do with bergenPAC feels good about that.
HV: Has sponsorship increased?
DR: Yes, and I think from the point of view of corporate, business and foundation sponsorship, the main reason is the expansion of our non-profit programs. Our story today is better than it ever has been, and that has brought us a higher level of visibility and credibility. When you are partnering with 130 schools and doing 200 performances a year for 150,000 people, it has far reaching positive community impacts that funders appreciate.
HV: You have extensive experience in managing live entertainment venues. Do you have a background in theater or the arts?
DR: My background and the path I found at an early stage of my career was in the business of live music, but I have no personal theater or arts background. Occasionally, when I speak from the stage, I like to tell the audience that I am the least talented person they will ever see up there, and don’t worry, the star will be coming out soon! That latter part of that sentence always gets the applause.
HV: You have run businesses, brokered contracts in concerts, entertainment centers, restaurants, hotels, resorts and travel. Which of these venues is the most challenging to work with?
DR: I would say the non-profit sector, because you just don’t have the resources that you do in the for-profit world. When you work for a multi-billion dollar company, you have the freedom to innovate and risk-take to a much higher level. In the nonprofit sector your margin of error is razor thin. That said, ultimately, whatever arena you are in, all excellence is equally difficult.
HV: Who are some performers that you would love to have at the bergenPAC?
DR: Every major artist that’s out there. I want them all!
HV: You are ultimately responsible for bringing the talent to the bergenPAC. Can you recall any performers who were particularly difficult to get?
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DR: The biggest challenge we have in getting performers is competition. We compete with theaters in New York City, Port Chester and multiple spots in New Jersey. A major artist can only play so many dates in the region, and all the venues want and compete for those dates. Realistically, nobody is ever going to get everybody they want, but you just have to battle in the trenches every day to do the best you can. Our programming department does that exceptionally well.
HV: Of the thousands of performers that you’ve had here at the bergenPAC, do you have a favorite?
DR: No, I love them all, and that is not just a stock answer to a loaded question. All the artists that have the ability to perform on the stage at bergenPAC are all phenomenal in their own way. From my first day in the business until today, I still appreciate that special quality with every artist that comes through. They are all truly remarkable, and I love the diversity of talent they each possess.
HV: You said that you have worked in “politically-charged circumstances.” Can you give us an example?
DR: When I came to the PNC Bank Arts Center, which historically was known as the Garden State Arts Center, they didn’t serve alcohol. So when Gov. Christine Todd Whitman issued an RFP [request for proposals] and our company won the bid, serving alcohol had to be a part of it to remain competitive. Little did we/I know the firestorm we were in for with the community, some politicians, law enforcement, etc. once we started presenting shows. We managed through it and made it work.
Fundamentally, you have to understand that whenever you do a public/private partnership or any type of high-profile impact project, it’s going to be politically charged in one way or another. There will always be people opposed and people in favor. Therefore, you have to manage that dynamic and it takes many years to become adept at it. It isn’t taught, and it isn’t a particular prevalent skill set with live music/concert managers.
HV: The bergenPAC is a cultural mecca for all of Bergen County. Do you envision expanding its reach even more in the coming years?
DR: One of the surprising things to people about bergenPAC is our current reach selling tickets. We sell 55 percent of our tickets outside of Bergen County. Therefore, in respect to reach, one of our major development goals it to expand with donors, businesses and foundations in western, northern and southern Bergen County to support bergenPAC. Right now, the majority of our support comes from eastern Bergen County and that reach needs to be widened. We need to get out there and tell our story “far and wide.”
HV: What characteristics of Englewood make it an ideal location for the bergenPAC?
DR: Well there are many, but I will name just a few. It has a rich history and is a wonderful city to come into before and after a show, which is a great compliment to our patrons’ overall experience.
The political leadership from the mayor and city council support and help us. They get how important it is to their constituents for us to be here and succeed, so we greatly appreciate that support.
Our location in a densely populated area is a big plus for ticket sales, donor support and performing arts school participation. The proximity to New York City is an advantage in respect to artist logistics, ticket pricing and patron convenience.
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Englewood is home to a sophisticated audience that knows and appreciates the arts of all kinds, and it has exceptional diversity across many cultures, which goes right to the heart of our mission: to have something for everyone in the community. The diversity of Englewood is truly something special.
Photo courtesy Dominic Roncace
