About Us
Our Goal is to provide Instant Access to Detailed Information that is
Technologically efficient and Environmentally friendly. Our data is relevant to the
professional exhibiting artist, crafter, musician, agent, vendor, or service
provider. We publish our event data on Thousands of Festivals, Art & Craft
Shows, Music Festivals and Other events, plus offer information on Products,
Services and Resources related to the art, craft, festival and music biz. The FNO staff has a
combined 40+ years of experience in the festival/art & craft market, the
music business, and data technology. Learn more about our
staff below. For further info, Contact
FNO, view our Privacy policy or visit our Press Page.
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| Meet
the FNO Staff |
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| Kurt Irmiter Partner Owner |
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When
Kurt was about 10 years old, he met a man his Dad was purchasing a
travel trailer from. For some reason Kurt found this man to be very
interesting and liked something about him. Later he asked his Dad
what the man did, he said "he owns a couple of different businesses, he
is a real entrepreneur." Kurt told his Dad, "That's what I want to
be!" Kurt's Mom & Dad told Kurt he could be whatever he
wanted
to be. Forty something years later after starting a lawn cutting
business at 12, Kurt has owned: an entertainment booking agency, video
taping service, festival food concession, college corner bar, ice
cream/sandwich shop, web development & hosting company, and FNO.
Along the way he managed a movie theater, delivered news papers, pumped
gas, picked peaches, sold news papers door to door, worked as an
insurance claims adjuster, boarded horses, ran a ball park concession,
managed his singer/comedian brother, Kier and managed a rock band... Currently Kurt is
co-owner of FNO and owner of BFDNet.net, (web hosting & development) and he
is involved with a new non-profit Musicforhumanity.org.
He has a BS in Financial Management from Clemson University and has 20+
years of experience in the festival business and the entertainment
business. He is on a mission to revive the word "groovy", much to the
amusement and sometimes embarrassment of his friends and wife. He
and Connie have lived in Asheville for 14 years.
Kurt plans to be an entrepreneur the rest of his life. |
| Connie Morris Partner Owner |
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Connie is co-owner of FNO and the CFO of
the company. She is a major animal enthusiast and passionate about
animal welfare. She created and manages Lost Pets of Western NC, a free
lost/found animal web site. Connie has lived in the Asheville area for
14 years with her husband and business partner, Kurt and their 2 cats.
She has a degree in Urban Planning that she, thankfully hasn't used in
a long time. She was in the special events business with Kurt for many
years. She is an avid list-maker which keeps her from wandering around
trying to remember what she was going to do next. She loves living in
Asheville and is very grateful for the wonderful people (and animals)
she has met here, especially the amazing team at FNO. Her other fun
past-times are planning special events and doing house renovations. |
| Shawn Kilby Research |
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Shawn
started with Festival Network Online in 1997. Those were the
early days when the office was in the basement of Connie and Kurt's
home. Shawn lived right around the corner from the office, so the
morning commute could be done by bicycle. Shawn started out working in
the office a couple of days a week, eventually was away from the
company for a year or so, and now does research work from home
part-time. Her full-time job, along with her husband Wesley, is raising
their young son Tanner. They share their home with four furry family
members, Chloe & Daisy (dogs) and Coco & Bitsie (cats).
Shawn enjoys gardening, camping with her family, and helping out at
Tanner's
school. |
Beth Rhatigan Marketing/Customer Service |
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Beth has been with FNO since 2001
working in a variety of capacities and locations. She is
currently responsible for Marketing and Customer Service (with Carrie),
but stay tuned that may change again shortly! That is just one of
the many ways in which FNO is a very flexible working
environment. The part of her job she enjoys the most is having
the opportunity to speak to our diverse and interesting members.
When she is not at work Beth enjoys raising her three children with her
husband Joe, spending time alone and quiet walks in the woods. |
Judith Richardson Advertising |
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For
most of her career Judith has dealt in the visual arts. She has
represented local, regional and internationally acclaimed artists.
Judith enjoys working in advertising because it enables her to work
with diverse people across North America. She enjoys the give and take
of working with clients in order to discover their individual
advertising needs. Judith has developed a loyal customer base and
approaches each prospect with a long-term relationship in mind. |
Julie Cochrane Marketing |
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Julie has been happily working with the FNO team since December 2004. She attended Dreyfoos School of the Arts and the University of Central Florida, backpacked Europe, studied in Madrid, and has exhibited her photography in shows and competitions. Visit her website. Family, art, music, plants, friends, adventures, movies, and rainy days are a few of her favorite things. Julie is expecting her first child at the end of December and is currently on maternity leave! |
| Sara Research and Database Management |
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Sara has been working for FNO since 2006. She was introduced to Kurt and Connie through her sister Shawn who just happens to work for FNO also. She enjoys spending time with her family, playing Thomas the Train with her 4 year old son Tyler and ball with her playful Boxer, Roxie. |
Carrie Harder A little bit of everything |
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Carrie
has been employed with FNO since March 2007. She studied Visual
Arts at the University of Kentucky and later went on to get her degree
in Multimedia Design from the University of North Carolina - Asheville.
She does many different things at FNO including, but not limited to,
Customer Service and design work. She lives in Asheville with her son and in
her time off she enjoys art, making things, live music, our lovely
mountains, good books and good friends. (Photo by FNO's own Julie!) |
Michelle Morrison Database Editor |
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Proving that long distance relationships
can work, Michelle now works for FNO from her home in Wheeling, WV.
Leaving the beautiful mountains of Asheville behind was not an easy
decision but she isn't further than a quick email or telephone call
away. Deciding to take her education endeavors a bit further, she is
studying historic building preservation and restoration at one of the
best schools in the country. When she is out of the wood or plaster
shop, she is lounging with her greyhound Marley and doing her best to
keep the database squeaky clean. |
Smoothy Groundskeeper |
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Smoothy works very hard at distracting
the humans at the office and gets paid in doggy
treats. She loves coming to work and her tasks include napping,
playing with her toys, running around and messing up the rugs, begging
for lunch scraps, and making sure squirrels don't get too close to the
office. She also is a big activist for Connie's website Lost Pets of Western North Carolina. When she is not at work, her hobbies include creek-swimming, sitting on the front porch, following mom (Julie) around the house, walks around the block, snow-flake-catching, and tug o' war. |
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