2025 Impact NextGen Honoree: Ross Schwartz

ROSS SCHWARTZ
Programming Coordinator
OC Sports & Entertainment (OCSE)

FROM DIY TO OCVIBE
Grew up in SoCal DIY scene going to The Growlers’ Beach Goth fest.

Ross Schwartz grew up in Orange County, California, attending The Growlers’ annual Beach Goth festival and was enamored with the DIY culture of the scene. Seeing how it was possible to throw events even with a limited budget, he jumped in headfirst.

“I was producing DIY art shows and concerts with local talent and got approached by the owner of Vestal, an accessories brand based around music,” he says. “I was hired to curate monthly live music showcases and book artists for the brand’s largest marketing effort, Vestal Village, an exclusive private event during weekend one of Coachella.”

His commitment and dedication to music has blossomed into his position today at OC Sports & Entertainment, part of the multibil- lion-dollar OCVibe development that includes the Honda Center arena in Anaheim, and includes management of the popular Grove of Anaheim theater that sits just blocks away from Disneyland and Angel Stadium. At OCSE, Schwartz has helped with hosting a sold-out Jack White show at the Grove as their first event since taking on manage- ment at the venue, and he recently joined the company’s programming team, transitioning from marketing.

Over the years, Schwartz has had many great mentors, including Ryan Bonifas, whom he met through IAVM’s Mentor Connector program, Kim Bedier, Eric Bresler, Tom Alexander and Bill Dwight at OCSE. He’s observed them closely to learn how to become a great leader, something he hopes to become himself one day.

“I’ve been lucky enough to have a lot of great leadership over the course of my career that I can emulate,” he says. “I’m naturally curious, genuinely interested in learning, and always try to approach things with an open mind. I treat everyone with respect and recognize the individual impor- tance of all roles involved in putting together an event. I’m also not afraid to get into the weeds and step in where needed to achieve shared goals.”

Schwartz believes that with today’s world of connectivity, more doors are opened for others to enter the music industry and make their mark. “We have endless opportunities to learn in non-traditional formats

and have access to so much information,” he says. “There is also less of a stigma about not attending college and finding your own path.”

As a music fan, Schwartz recently enjoyed alt-country upstart Charley Crockett at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. “It was my first time back at the Greek Theatre in over a decade and first time seeing Charley live,” he says. “He’s a true showman and even tossed in some L.A. references throughout his set. The lore of the venue and ambiance were the perfect complement to his music.”