DENVER (June 3, 2025) – Oak View Group (OVG), a global leader in venue development, management, premium hospitality services, and 360-degree solutions, today announced the appointment of Donna Freislinger Huffman as Senior Vice President of Global Procurement. In this role, Huffman will lead the transformation of OVG’s procurement practices, driving alignment and establishing best-in-class processes across all categories to ensure cost savings and enhanced commercial viability. Huffman will report to Ade Patton, Chief Financial Officer, and Josh Pell, President of Premium Experiences and Global Strategy at OVG.
“Donna’s experience and track record for transforming sourcing organizations and driving enterprise-wide value is exactly what OVG needs as we aggressively expand our global portfolio and set the standard for operations, services, and solutions in our industry,” said Ade Patton, Chief Financial Officer, OVG. “We’re excited to continue developing our global procurement strategy as we consistently raise the bar on quality and service expectations and enhance the food and beverage experience for the guests we entertain at venues around the world,” added Josh Pell, President of Premium Experiences and Global Strategy, OVG.
As Senior Vice President of Global Procurement, Huffman will drive operational excellence, optimize cost efficiency, and foster alignment across the OVG enterprise. She will provide a sustainable, competitive advantage to Oak View Group by establishing and leading a best-in-class Global Procurement team, leveraging scale, and maximizing the value that vendors can bring to the business. Developing local and regional adaptations for companies and partners, Huffman will leverage her deep understanding of supplier diversity and sustainability practices to integrate these values within broader organizational objectives and infrastructure.
“I’m honored to join the talented team at Oak View Group. OVG’s visionary leadership and commitment to excellence across sports, live entertainment, and venue development aligns perfectly with my passion for driving strategic value and innovation through procurement. I look forward to collaborating across teams and partners to elevate our global sourcing strategies, strengthen supplier relationships, and contribute to OVG’s continued growth and impact in the industry.”
Donna Freislinger Huffman is an accomplished strategic procurement executive with over two decades of leadership experience in global sourcing, supplier management, and procurement operations. She has previously led multimillion- and multibillion-dollar spend portfolios, implemented global category management strategies, and delivered consistent savings through data-driven negotiations and vendor consolidation. Donna’s prior leadership roles at Vanderbilt University, Fresenius, Hillrom, gategroup, and United Airlines demonstrate her ability to lead global teams and modernize procurement processes. Huffman holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Illinois at Chicago and certifications including Six Sigma Green Belt. She is an active member of professional associations, including ISM, Procurement Leaders, and PMI.
About Oak View Group
Oak View Group (OVG) is the global leader in live experience venue development, management, premium hospitality services, and 360-degree solutions for a collection of world-class owned venues and a client roster of arenas, stadiums, convention centers, music festivals, performing arts centers, and cultural institutions. Founded by Tim Leiweke and Irving Azoff in 2015, OVG is the leading developer of major new venues either open or under development across four continents. Visit OakViewGroup.com, and follow OVG on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.
