Erie Sports Commission Team

Ben Huggler, STS

Interim Executive Director

The Erie Sports Commission named Ben Huggler as interim executive director on May 4, after Executive Director Mark Jeanneret was named president and CEO of VisitErie.

In July 2018, Huggler first started at the Erie Sports Commission as the Event Services Manager. He was promoted to Event Services Director in January 2020, and earned his Sports Tourism Strategist designation from Sports ETA in 2022.

Originally from Erie, Huggler has more than 15 years of experience in planning and executing large-scale national events. Most recently, he served as the director of events for VertMarkets out of Erie, where he oversaw all logistics for life science and software-focused events, including staffing, budgets, venues and event execution.

Prior to joining VertMarkets, Huggler was the assistant director of global partnerships for Feld Entertainment. There, he was responsible for the development and implementation of sponsorships for the company’s live touring events, including Disney on Ice, Disney Live!, Monster Jam, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and Monster Energy Supercross.

Huggler has a Bachelor of Science degree in Recreation Management and Tourism from Slippery Rock University. He lives in Millcreek with his wife, a teacher at Fairview Middle School, and two daughters.