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InduSTry and ASSOcIATIOn nEWS: ALSD MEMber HigHLIgHTA Conversation with Dennette Thornton and John FarrellGroup Sales Manager and Premium Seating ManagerAtlanta BravesBy Jared Frank, Editor, SEAT MagazineOne is a homegrown Georgia peach. Theother has lived all over. One is the proudmother of two little boys. The other remainsa kid at heart. It takes all types torun a business.With his laid back persona, ukulele lessons, andpreference for hot tea over coffee, you might besurprised to learn that John Farrell is a road rager.His car horn is allegedly on the mend, but this isproven to be false a couple hours later while enroute to Tin Lizzy’s Cantina in Atlanta’s GrantPark (Try the spicy tilapia tacos!). Sure the hornis more of a Vespa beep than a train locomotivewhistle, and he has to cross a few exposed wires toproduce the audio, but it works. Drivers of Atlanta,beware.Thank goodness for the Atlanta Braves ticketsales department’s den mother, Dennette Thornton,who along with John form the yin and yangof Turner Field suites. Learn why with this duo ofALSD vets, no conversation is complete withoutsharing recipes or a few practical jokes.SEAT: Word on the street is you’re a Broncos diehard?And a Michigan fan? How’d that happen?John: Well, my uncle went to Michigan. And Iused to live out in Englewood [Colorado]. Myfamily moved there in 1982 – Elway’s rookie year.Dennette: He has a little bit of a man crush.John: Oh yeah, he’s the best athlete of all-time.There was “The Drive”, “The Fumble”, then “TheAss-Kicking.” But I don’t know if I should bringthat up. I know you’re from Cleveland.SEAT: Not a good start for you Farrell. I thinkwe’ll be focusing this interview mostly on Dennettefrom this point on.Dennette: Well, I’m a Michigan fan too, by marriage.So Farrell and I have that in common.John: [Laughing] Yeah, what does your husbanddo for a living?Dennette: He works here with the Braves. Wemet at Georgia Southern [University] and weredating before we both started here. [The Braves]knew we were dating and weren’t engaged at thetime, and they took a chance on hiring us.It’s funny. A lot of people don’t even know we’remarried. The joke when our ticket sales traineesstart is how long will it take for them to figureit out. We had one guy who for three monthsthought we were brother and sister.“If I pick on you, it meansthat I like you. It’s so tensein sales, and sometimespeople freak out. You haveto have a little fun too. Anddon’t forget, we’re sellingentertainment, so I like toentertain.”– John Farrell, Atlanta Braves“I do a lot in [my kids’]schools, their little leagues.I won’t call myself a soccermom, but I do a lot of thattypical soccer mom stuff.I’m the team mom for mykids’ baseball teams; I’mthe treasurer of the PTO inthe elementary school.”– Dennette Thornton, Atlanta BravesSEAT: What department does he work in? Howclosely do you work together?Dennette: He’s in ticket sales.SEAT: Oh, so not that closely.Dennette: [Laughing] Yeah, pretty closely.John: But he handles the trainees and the brokers.And she handles groups and premium with me.So it works.Dennette: It’s very business professional.SEAT: Did you always want to work in sports?Dennette: I’ve always wanted to work for theBraves. I grew up 20 minutes from here, so this hasalways been my team. I’m truly a homegrown fan.SEAT: And I understand your family vacationsalways include a trip to a baseball park?Dennette: They do. I’ve got nine ballparks left togo of the 30. My husband has 11.SEAT: Oh, you’re winning.Dennette: Yes, thanks to the ALSD, I am winning.I’ve got to check a few of them off when he’snot there. My six year old has already been to 13parks.SEAT: What’s your favorite park that you’ve beento?Dennette: My favorite park is PNC [Park] [inPittsburgh]. It has a lot of the elements that Ifeel stadiums need to have. It has the riverfront. Ithas the view. It’s intimate, but it still holds about39,000 people. It’s just a unique park.SEAT: Do your boys get into it and really appreciategetting to see all the parks?Dennette: My oldest does. My youngest is onlythree, so he’s just now figuring it out. He’s just excitedto stay in a hotel room at this point.SEAT: Where’d you go last summer?Dennette: We did Houston last year. We hookedup with Clay [Kowalski] [at the Astros]. They havea very nice park. It’s great for kids. We also went toa Dynamo game and the [Johnson] Space Center.SEAT: John, a little birdie told me that you haveterrible road rage. You seem like such a chill guy,you’ll have to explain that to me.John: [With a smile] Road rage! Who told youthat?! It’s my New Year’s resolution. The traffic inAtlanta stinks. And it seems like I’m always in arush to get somewhere. I’ve been going out formore [sales] appointments, so it’s been frustrating.You know what it is? It’s all the phones. When-28 | S E A T | www.alsd.com | #SEATWinter2013