Submitted. The City of Abbotsford today announced the appointment of Andrew Nash as the new General Manager of the Abbotsford Centre.
“A New Game ushers in a new era for the Abbotsford Centre and we’re very pleased to do so on the strength of leadership and expertise that Andrew Nash brings to our community as General Manager for the premier facility in the Fraser Valley,” said Mayor Bruce Banman on behalf of the Council of the City of Abbotsford.
Nash has specialized in the management of sports & entertainment facilities seating between 5,000 and 10,000 people, making him a perfect fit for the 7,000‐seat Abbotsford Centre. He comes to Abbotsford after six years as Assistant General Manager and Director of Operations at the Encana Events Centre in Dawson Creek, B.C. and stints at Canadian Hockey League arenas such as the Kitchener Auditorium in Kitchener, Ont. (Home of the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League) and the Hershey Centre in Mississauga, Ont. (home of the Mississauga Steelheads of the OHL and formerly the home of the Mississauga Ice Dogs of the OHL).
“I’m delighted to have the opportunity to contribute not only to the Abbotsford Centre as the region’s sports & entertainment hub for concerts, special events and community programming, but to add considerable value to the City of Abbotsford on multiple fronts and in whatever way I can,” said Nash, recognized for his operational leadership experience and customer service management. “I’m inspired by the new vision for the Abbotsford Centre and I’m thrilled by the challenge of realizing it in collaboration with Council, city management and a dedicated team here at the facility.”
Nash is a joint appointment of the City of Abbotsford and Global Spectrum, the contracted facility management company, as part of A New Game, a new integrated strategic direction for the five‐year‐old Abbotsford Centre.Given his experience, his areas of specialization and his passion, we see Andrew Nash as the perfect fit for the Abbotsford Centre and we’re very pleased to have him on board in the General Manager’s role,” said Dean Clarke, Regional Vice‐President for Global Spectrum Facility Management. “There is much work to do to achieve the right blend of community programming, concerts, special events and long‐term anchor tenants, but there’s no question that Andrew has the unique skill set to bring it all together.”
Nash has already collaborated with the City of Abbotsford’s Parks, Recreation & Culture Department in activating the first pillar of A New Game, with the launch of Abbotsford Minor Hockey Association games. The Global Spectrum team has also launched an independent adult recreational hockey.
“People are already suggesting the facility is taking on a dynamic fresh, new feel with all of the community programming we’re accommodating, yet it’s only the beginning,” said Nash. “I love the idea that the Abbotsford Centre will be the home of everything from tiny tots playing hockey to so‐called old timers, all playing alongside international concert attractions and high performance teams as future anchor tenants.”