More changes are taking place at the Northshore Harbor Center.

Sales and Marketing Manager Kathy Lowrey has been named the facility’s interim general manager. The nomination came during a meeting of the Board of Commissioners Wednesday, in which the board weighed its options in the impending departure of its current general manager, Kerry Painter.

“This will be a lengthy process,” said former board chairman Deb Morel. “It is absolutely important to have a single authority here to handle the daily operations until we reach a permanent solution.”

Kathy Lowrey

Lowrey’s term has not yet been decided. While recruiting for the position has been conducted on a national level, the board is also considering a private management firm to run the center. Two such companies, Global Spectrum and VenuWorks, made their pitch during the meeting.

Global Spectrum manages 71 venues around the country, including several university arenas and municipal convention centers. The firm is a subsidiary of Comcast-Spectacor, a Philadelphia-based sports and entertainment company that also owns the Philadelphia Flyers hockey team and the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team.

“When you lose a GM like Kerry, who has been through the tough times with the Harbor Center, you worry about stability,” said Dean Dennis, Global Spectrum’s vice president of business development and client relations.

Several board members expressed concern that an added layer of management would make it difficult to offer affordable rates for local groups. Dennis pointed out his group has the resources to offer more big-name events with increased attendance and is able to put up some of its own corporate funds to attract the smaller groups.

VenuWorks, based in Ames, Iowa, specializes in smaller, mid-size markets such as Slidell. Formerly known as Compass Facility Management, the group provided consulting services to the Harbor Center in its early days several years ago.

“We’re in the dreams business,” said Steven Peters, president of VenuWorks. “There’s a dream behind buildings like this, and our job is to help you realize that dream.”

Peters’ company manages 26 facilities in 15 markets across the country.

He stressed his company will never put revenue ahead of serving the public, and that liability insurance has not increased in more than two years due to its risk management policies.

Both companies would leave current Harbor Center staff in place, while allowing them to take full advantage of health benefits and retirement plans. Extra support staff would occasionally be brought in on a per-case basis to help with events.

The Harbor Center has extended its recruiting deadline for the position and intends to proceed cautiously in making its decision. Board chairman Kurt Bozant emphasized that no one firm or candidate has the advantage, and the board will accept bids and resumes from anyone who is interested.

In other business, the board approved an increase in the billing rate for its legal representation.

Michael Botnick of Gordon, Arata, McCollam, Duplantis & Eagan initially made the request for an increase last May. Botnick sought an increase from $175 to $250 per hour, and an increase for his partner, Tina White, to $225 per hour.

The board agreed to table the matter until the beginning of this fiscal year and when they could get approval from the State Attorney General. The Attorney General agreed, setting the rate at $250 per hour for attorneys with 25 or more years in practice and $225 for those with between 10 to 25 years in practice.

In addition, the board approved the nomination of Michelle Pichon to the office of secretary/treasurer. Board member Gwen Wade was appointed to the position last December, but decided to step down due to prior commitments.

“I looked at the long list of commitments I had, and I just said ‘no way’,” said Wade, who serves on the board of United Way and is also involved in a women’s leadership group, as well as the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

“I believe in the Harbor Center, but they need someone who can devote more time and energy to it,” she said.