If you are unfamiliar with him, here’s a snippet from his obituary. “Mike’s entrepreneurial journey began with humble roots and immense ambition. In 1992, with just $100, he founded VIP Tour Company, a testament to his strong work ethic and keen sales acumen, in the event ticketing industry. This passion evolved into the creation of TicketsNow.com in 1999, an innovative online marketplace that revolutionized secondary ticket sales. Under Mike’s leadership, TicketsNow grew exponentially, earning recognition from publications like Inc. Magazine and Crain’s Chicago Business, which named him to its prestigious “40 Under 40″ list and as one of Chicago’s top entrepreneurs. His pioneering spirit led TicketsNow to become the world’s largest and most trusted online marketplace for premium event tickets, culminating in its acquisition by TicketMaster.” Read the full obituary here Mike Domek
NATB has just announced they are establishing a new award, in honor of Mike, the Mike Domek Industry Pioneer Award to be awarded this month at the World Ticket Conference. The first recipient will be Mike himself, posthumously. His wife Amy will be there to accept the award on his behalf.
Make sure to attend the Award Lunch hosted by Ace Tickets on Wednesday, the second day of the conference, to see the presentation of the award.
Brian knew Mike Domek personally and credits him for playing a key role in the early days of his ticket selling career. Long before Ticket Attendant existed, Mike offered guidance and support, and his business savvy and passion were always apparent. He had a genuine desire to help the little guy – Brian included. To all who knew him, Mike was a “true gentleman and a generous soul.”
