PEOPLE
All-Star Event Planner
Honors a planner whose leadership, creativity, and dedication have elevated the quality and success of amateur sporting events
1. Jordan Tillotson: MADE Hoops
As senior director of operations at MADE Hoops, Jordan Tillotson exemplifies what it means to be an All-Star Event Planner, says nominator, Tessa Robinson, a communications specialist at Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board. Over the past five years, Tillotson has grown the organization’s presence in Montgomery County from a single tournament to three major annual events—each welcoming more than 150 teams and generating consistent growth in participation every year since 2022.
Tillotson’s strategic vision, attention to detail, and commitment to creating a premier experience for athletes, coaches, and families have made these tournaments stand out. His events are known for their strong organization, competitive atmosphere, and the positive feedback they consistently receive from attendees, year after year.
2. Frank Geers: American Cornhole Organization
Frank Geers is a visionary event planner who helped transform cornhole from a backyard pastime into a globally recognized sport. As president and founder of the American Cornhole Organization in 2005, Geers built a professional platform that celebrates competition, community, and fan engagement. His leadership helped propel cornhole onto national stages, including coverage in The Wall Street Journal, and partnerships with NASCAR, the National Senior Games, the Carson Palmer Foundation, and NFL Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime.
Geers’ hallmark as an all-star planner is his ability to pair structure with spectacle.
He spearheaded standardized rules and equipment, a professional ranking system, and a nationwide tour that now reaches players across Canada, Europe, and Asia. Events are designed to be inclusive, welcoming casual players and elite competitors alike while offering meaningful prize money and unforgettable experiences. Known as “The Cornhole Dude,” Geers continues to innovate through Monster Cornhole, an entry-level program that builds skills, community, and lifelong fans.
3. Debbie Crusco: PGC Basketball
Debbie Crusco sets the gold standard for event planning in youth and amateur sports, says nominator Val Royer, assistant director of Conference, Camp & Event Services at McDaniel College in Maryland. As a key planner for PGC Basketball, Crusco expertly manages every detail of both day and residential basketball camps across the United States and Canada, ensuring seamless execution and exceptional experiences for athletes, staff, and partners.
Crusco oversees site selection for camps held on college campuses, boarding schools, high schools, recreation centers, and private facilities. She negotiates pricing, executes contracts, and coordinates all logistical details required to deliver successful on-site programming. Her role also includes managing and supporting on-site staff, securing hotel accommodations, reviewing final invoices, and overseeing payment, providing end-to-end operational leadership.
A trusted partner to local convention and visitors’ bureaus, Crusco leverages community relationships to secure facilities and housing efficiently. PGC Basketball’s co-ed, educational camps serve players from fourth through 12th grade, and Crusco’s meticulous planning ensures each event runs with professionalism, consistency, and care. Her ability to combine strategic oversight with hands-on execution makes her an all-star event planner and a cornerstone of PGC Basketball’s continued success.
Rising Star in Sports Event Planning
Recognizes an emerging professional who demonstrates exceptional promise and fresh ideas in the sports events industry.
1. Pernell Edwards: Explore St. Louis
Pernell Edwards is quickly emerging as a rising star in sports event planning, bringing a rights holder’s perspective and a results-driven approach to his role as director of sports sales with Explore St. Louis. In the position, Edwards leads efforts to recruit and support sporting events and tournaments across St. Louis and surrounding counties, working closely with event owners, venues, hotels, and local partners to drive hotel room nights and economic impact.
Edwards entered the destination marketing side of the industry about a year and a half ago after previously serving as a rights holder, where he organized and hosted his own tournaments. That hands-on experience continues to shape his work, giving him insight into the challenges organizers face and allowing him to serve as a strategic connector between events and local resources.
His days are a blend of sales, relationship management, and coordination, from managing leads and proposals to building bid materials and organizing site visits. In 2025, Edwards helped secure three collegiate national championships for a previous destination, marking the first time the community hosted events of that caliber.
Now leading sports sales for a major destination, Edwards views his role as both a milestone and a foundation for pursuing larger opportunities and elevating the profile of the markets he represents.
2. Landyn Olson: Snohomish County Sports Commission
Landyn Olson is a rising star, dedicated and passionate about making Snohomish County a premier sports destination. His willingness to create a friendship with the sports event organizer rather than “just” learning about the tournament is “second nature” for him, says Snohomish County Sports Commission’s executive director, Tammy Dunn. Landyn is consistently meeting with stakeholders, new event organizers, and community members to understand how the sports commission can be a better partner. He consistently works on finding new sports events that Snohomish County can host. The work he has done over the last 1.5 years is helping make Snohomish County a premier sports destination. He is also involved in the community as a wide receiver coach at his high school alma mater, Marysville Getchell High School.
Landyn’s work has brought the following new events to Snohomish County: 2025 QuadballFest, 2025 Nitro Circus “Off the Rail”, 2025 Ninja Paintball Tournaments, 2025 Tulalip March Madness Basketball Tournament, 2025 Quantum’s Spooktacular V5 Robotics Competition, and 2026 Ignite the Northwest V5RC Signature Event.
3. Marissa Weidemann: Visit Fargo-Moorhead
Marissa Weidemann, the sports account manager at Visit Fargo-Moorhead is no doubt a rising star in the industry. Since joining the team in September 2023, Marissa has consistently demonstrated creativity, initiative, and leadership that are already making a big regional impact, says nominator, Stephonie Broughton, director of sports with Visit Fargo-Moorhead. Weidemann brings to the table her energy, precision, and collaboration. Whether managing the complex logistics of sports tournaments, coordinating with venues, partners, and local services, or ensuring the athlete and visitor experience is exceptional, she always delivers. She understands that every detail matters, from scheduling arrival times, securing accommodations, to setting up an unforgettable arrival for participants.
Her work shows not only event-by-event success but growing influence: she’s become a trusted partner to planners and stakeholders, elevating Visit Fargo-Moorhead’s reputation as a destination that gets it right. For someone still early in her career, Marissa’s footprint is impressively large, and her potential is undeniable.
Weidemann is the kind of rising star that makes people notice—not just because she works hard, but because she brings warmth, professionalism, and a genuine passion for making sports events better for everyone.
