HOOVER MET COMPLEX TEAM

After a successful 20 years serving in the US Navy, John Sparks retired honorably and began his career in sports and entertainment facility management. In 1997, Sparks was hired to be the Operations & Maintenance Manager for a CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia. The following year he was made the Director of Operations for the Phillips Arena, where he oversaw the construction and development of the building prior to opening and operating until 2001. Sparks was selected to be the Assistant General Manager for the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas, where he once again was involved in the construction and development until opening in 2002. In 2004 Sparks was promoted to Vice President/General Manager of AT&T Center, where he oversaw operations of the building through three NBA Championships over the next 10 years. In 2011, he worked briefly on the construction and development of the Barclays Center in Brooklyn New York until opening his own consulting business “Sage in Sight” in August of 2012.

Sparks consulted with numerous groups and organizations throughout all areas of sports management, technical systems, staffing, operations and finance. In 2014 he joined the Orlando Venues Team (a division of the City of Orlando) as the Stadium Operations Assistant Division Manager of the Citrus Bowl, where he was in charge of numerous high-level, high-attendance events including: NCAA college bowl game, NFL Pro Bowl, MLS soccer, International Soccer Copa America, and numerous concerts and festivals.

Sparks is married to his wife, Gail, for 39 years, and the happy couple have four children, William, Daniel, Katherine, and Jonathan.

Amanda has been in the business accounting field for 12 years including management for six years. She has worked in many areas of finance, business, and customer service as well as event planning, promotions, and marketing. With a servant’s heart and positive attitude, Amanda strives to be an asset to her peers, company and community by demonstrating leadership at the office and at home. She wishes to add value to her team by using her creative and analytical skills to innovate reporting, financial strategies, and communication. “What you focus on Expands!” Is her favorite quote about growth and leadership.

Amanda graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham with her B.S. in Accounting. She is a member of the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers and is a Certified Bookkeeper. She also plans to test for the Certified Management Accounting (CMA) Exam in 2018.

Amanda has lived in Hoover and the surrounding areas her entire life and has enjoyed watching her city grow. Besides being a mother, Amanda enjoys spending time with friends and family, attending young professional and social events, watching SEC football (she’s an Auburn fan), and has a passion for painting.

Michael Pepper was born and raised in rural Mississippi and graduated from Mississippi State University. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Fitness Management and a Master’s degree in Sports Administration. Michael’s journey in the sports business has taken him from various positions in minor league baseball to his current role with the Hoover Met Complex.

Michael has been with the City of Hoover for five years and enjoys overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Hoover Met as well as planning and coordinating all the events that are booked at the Finley Center.

Michael and his wife, Hailey, have two daughters and live in nearby Vestavia. In his spare time, he enjoys playing golf, hunting, and being outdoors.

James has been with the City of Hoover for five years. His role with the City is overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Hoover Met Stadium. Prior to joining the City of Hoover, he was on staff with the Birmingham Barons for 13 seasons. During his time with the Barons, he served in multiple roles that included stadium and baseball event operations.

James is a graduate of Ohio University and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sports Management and Communications. He and his wife, Julia, live in Birmingham with their daughter. When he is not at the Met, he can be found on softball fields coaching and cheering on his daughter’s team.