Pollstar Co-Founder Gary Smith To Receive TJ Martell’s Spirit Of Excellence Award

– Gary Smith

Pollstar co-founder Gary Smith is among those being honored as a Spirit of Excellence recipient by the T.J. Martell Foundation. He joins Scott Rodger, CEO of Quest Management and partner of Maverick; and Dr. Deepa Bhojwani, MD Director of the Leukemia and Lymphona Program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. The Spirit of Excellence Awards Dinner, a benefit event hosted by comedian Bill Bellamy, takes place at the Luxe Sunset Boulevard Hotel Oct. 22.Tickets are available to the public for a limited time at T.J. Martell Foundation’s website, with proceeds benefiting the organization’s cancer research programs at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Smith announced his retirement earlier this year, after 38 years at the helm of Pollstar with partner Gary Bongiovanni, who retired in 2018. Together, they established the world’s premiere live entertainment data and information resource and publication. Sponsored by CBS, the Spirit of Excellence Dinner program consists of an elegant dinner, silent and live auctions, entertainment including host Bellamy as well as others to be announced. Previous years entertainment has included performers like Meghan Trainor, Andy Grammar, Richie Sambora + Oriantha and many others. This year’s event committee is co-chaired by industry veterans Larry Mattera, GM and EVP, commerce and marketing for Warner Records; and Jack Sussman, EVP, specials, music and live events for CBS Entertainment. The Spirit of Excellence Dinner will follow the Foundation’s popular LA Family Day presented by Citi that will take place Oct. 5 at the Grove. Both events bring together supporters and leaders from the music, entertainment and business communities for events filled with celebration, fun and fundraising for the T.J. Martell Foundation’s cutting-edge cancer research programs.