McGraw Productions offers a wide variety of expertise in the production and
management of marketing strategies, strategic development, branded entertainment,
special event production, multi-media production, marketing, multi-media and
communications programs. Team McGraw is professionally staffed, strategically
positioned to help you achieve your goals and accelerate your brand’s potential.
BRANDED ENTERTAINMENT…STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT…MARKETING STRATEGIES…
PR/COMMUNICATIONS…MULTI-MEDIA PRODUCTION…SPECIAL EVENT PRODUCTION
About Us
These are historic, game-changing times in a variety of industries….whether sports,
entertainment, travel/tourism industry, education or non-profit management.
McGraw Productions has been uniquely positioned and structured to target each sector
and assist our clients in successfully navigating these increasingly complex, rapidlyevolving industries. Our core mission to provide outstanding service to our clients is only
trumped by our need to be socially responsible and help non-profit organizations realize
their goals through cutting-edge cause related marketing strategies. Simply put, that
translates into more personalized, consistent senior leadership attention for you and your
brand or cause.
Based in Philadelphia PA with representation in Los Angeles, Nashville and Virginia, the
senior management team of McGraw Productions are nationally recognized professionals
in the fields of sports, entertainment, tourism, pr/communications, special event and live
concert productions. We offer direct, hands-on senior strategic counsel, program
execution, management representation and uncompromising client service.
Entertainment, Special Events Production
1996 Grammy Awards
1997 MTV Awards
AFI Film Festival
1980 Philadelphia Phillies 20th Reunion
Academy of Music / Philly Pops
I Love NY Pro-Celebrity Tennis Tournament
Ryder Cup Experience
1992 NHL All Star Game
1996 MLB All Star Game
75th Anniversary U.S. Soccer Federation
Army-Navy Game and City-Wide Festival
Celebration of Heroes Festival / USO
I Love NY Pro-Celebrity Tennis Tournament
Louisville Slugger Ken Griffey Jr. Tribute
U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team
Strategic Planning Services
McGraw Productions can help your organization implement a campaign to strategically position itself as
a marketplace leader in your industry by developing a Strategic Plan that addresses marketing. public
relations and brand development. Our creative team will create a logo and promotional materials,
website development and management and social media campaigns. Our public relations team will
navigate and pitch your product for placement in major national magazines, publications industry/trade
magazines, as well as, network and cable television shows. We have created and developed strategic
plans for the organizations and clients listed below, who are now nationally recognized leaders in their I
industry.
Diane proved to be an intelligent, dedicated executive and partner in our city’s efforts to bring new business to
our community and grow existing business.”
Jerry Abramson, Mayor, City of Louisville
“Diane has done a great job of elevating the image and generating national exposure for Louisville and the
sports commission”. Craig Grant, President PNC Bank
Talent Acquisition
Personal Appearances ...Corporate & Special Events…Star Branding…
Endorsements…New Product Launches…Non-Profit Spokesperson
Live Stage Productions / Concerts
McGraw Productions and Mark Sonder
Productions have teamed up to provide over “50
years” of combined experience producing
special events, live stage events and concerts.
Working with various facilities, venues, clubs,
fairgrounds, festivals, convention centers, hotels
and municipal buildings. We provide one stop
shopping by working with your organization’s
professional
staff
and
marketing
department……and
most
importantly…….
staying within your budget!
TEAM Mc GRAW
Diane McGraw
President / Executive Producer
Mark Sonder
Live Event Producer
John Eckel
Marketing, Branding, PR
Sam DeRose
Producer/ Designer
Zorita“Rita” Dorsey
Special Event Producer
Sparky Costello
Stage Manager/Technical Director
DIANE MC GRAW, President/Executive Producer
Diane recently served as the Executive Director of Travel, Tourism and Film for the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania, overseeing 11 regions, 52 tourist promotion agencies and 9 regional film offices. She
was responsible for marketing the State both domestically and internationally as a major tourist
destination. She also marketed Pennsylvania as a premiere film, TV and commercial production
location and managed the States Film Tax Credit Program.
For the past 30 years, McGraw has served as an executive in the sports and entertainment
industry, representing 4 major U.S. Cities as the founding President of the Los Angeles Sports &
Entertainment Commission, President & CEO of the Orlando Area Sports Commission, Executive
Director of the Philadelphia Sports Congress, and President of the Louisville Sports Commission.
She represented and marketed each city and led the bid efforts to host and produce major
international and national sports and entertainment events, including the Grammy Awards, MTV
Awards, MLB All Star Game, NHL All Star Game, PGA Championships, World Cup Soccer and
several U.S. Olympic and NCAA championship events, to name a few.
Diane began her
professional career in 1978 in New York, as an Executive Assistant at the Screen Actors Guild and
Astoria Motion Picture Studios in Astoria, Queens. She created the “I Love NY Pro-Celebrity Tennis
Tournament” at Forest Hills and the National Tennis Center, which launched her into a career in
event production, sports entertainment, tourism promotion and non-profit management.
JOHN ECKEL, Marketing, Branding, Public Relations
John Eckel, President of Rock & ‘Sockem Marketing is a strategic partner of McGraw Productions. He has
spent more than 25 years creating award-winning sports and entertainment marketing and PR programs,
events, sponsorships, new product launches, commercial endorsements, cause marketing campaigns,
crisis management efforts and media relations programs for many of the world’s leading corporations,
governing bodies, universities, entertainment properties and star personalities. He has forged a successful
career on both the corporate and celebrity talent sides of the negotiation table, with a proven track
record as:
 President and CEO of leading advertising agency Grey Global Group’s global entertainment division,
Alliance (famous for the e*Trade baby, NFL, DirecTV and Procter & Gamble’s Cover Girl brand
campaigns).
 A senior commercial endorsements talent agent with the world’s #1 talent agency, Creative Artists
Agency (CAA).
 Senior Vice President and founder of leading PR firm Hill and Knowlton’s global sports marketing
practice. During his 14-year tenure with Hill and Knowlton, he also forged a joint venture called
BrandStruck with WPP sister company J. Walter Thompson, serving as its Chief Creative Officer.
 Vice president and co-founder of the U.S. Sports Marketing Division of #1 global PR firm Edelman
Worldwide.
Sam De Rose, Producer/Designer, established GaGa Web Design in 2004 as a
consulting firm providing solutions and strategies for business owners and
entrepreneurs through web design and Internet marketing campaigns. GaGa
is a strategic partner of McGraw Productions and is part of a larger network of
graphic designers, audio engineers, video and animation artist's, website
developers and Internet marketing/advertising specialists working together to
help clients interface the Internet to increase their business assets.
 Website Design
 Product Branding
 Social Media Management
 Logo Design
 Audio/ Video Production
ZORITA
ZORITA “RITA” DORSEY, Special Event Producer
Rita has over 10+ years of experience as a Live Event Professional organizing and planning
large scale international and high security events. Her expertise spans across a wide variety of
event planning and production, volunteer management, operations, sponsor activation,
logistical execution, transportation, credential database management and stage production.
She has been part of the production team for various high level events for the City of
Philadelphia, including Welcome America 4th of July Festival (attended by over 750,000+ on the
Benjamin Franklin Parkway,) the Philadelphia Flower Show, 6ABC Thanksgiving Day Parade,
Philadelphia Mayoral Inauguration and the NBA All Star Game. She also worked and on high
profile political functions, including the Clinton Global Initiative, National Cherry Blossom
Parade, Kennedy Center Honors, National Memorial Day Event, 2011 APEC Summit, Republican
National Convention and the Philadelphia Mayoral Inauguration
Rita graduated with a BA in English from Temple University with a certificate in Event
Management. Her dedication, hard work and excellent organizational skills are a proven
success unmatched by her infectious personality. We are proud to welcome her to the
McGraw Production team.
MARK SONDER, Concert Production and Talent Acquisition
Mark Sonder is an award winning entertainment producer and talent agent who delivers
complete entertainment program packages to associations, corporations, facilities, casinos,
and concerts. Mark has provided entertainment for over 2,300 events and has received
numerous awards, including Best Production Co. by American Entertainment Magazine's
Readers Choice Award.
Sonder provided talent to the producers of NBC TV Network’s “America’s Got Talent” with a
weekly viewership of 12,000 million people. He has worked with Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra,
John Mayer, Eddie Money, Sammy Davis, Jr., Blood Sweat & Tears, Joan Jett, Blondie, to name
a few.
He also specializes in strategic planning, development and management of multi-million
dollar entertainment projects. He is the author of a full length hardcover book entitled
“Event Entertainment and Production” and has presented at over 80 international trade
shows and expositions on the topics of entertainment and event production. He is on the
academic faculty at George Washington University, University of Nevada at Las Vegas,
Stanford University, George Mason University, New York University, University of the West
Indies (Trinidad) and Northern Virginia Community College.
BRIAN “SPARKY” COSTELLO, Stage Manager, Technical Producer
Sparky Costello oversees all stage production for McGraw Production concert events. His
music industry experience includes a variety of services including: Music Production, Sound,
Stage, Lighting, Monitor, FOH Engineering and has worked with a “who’s who” in the music
industry including
Garth Brooks
Ray Price
Johnny Cash
Travis Tritt
Eddie Rabbitt
Crystal Gayle
Charlie Daniels
Buck Owens
Marie Osmond
Ray Charles
B.J. Thomas
Waylon Jennings
Ronnie Milsap
Charlie Rich Jr.
Lorrie Morgan
Patty Loveless
Dan Seals
Tanya Tucker
Alan Jackson
Emmylou Harris
Tammy Wynette
Pam Tillis
Conway Twitty
Lee Greenwood
Gatlin Brothers
Desert Rose Band
Mel Tillis,
Ricky Skaggs
Carlene Carter
Mary Chapin Carpenter
Sawyer Brown
Billy Ray Cyrus
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Kris Kristoferson
Marshall Tucker Band
The Fifth Dimension
Frankie Avalon
Davy Jones
Charo
The Osmonds
Ben Vereen
Domenick Allen / Foreigner
Mark Preston / The Lettermen
Bobby Rydell
Patty Labelle
The Temptations
The O’jays
The Tramps
Contact Information
484-420-4660 502-640-5551
www.mcgrawproductions.com
diane@mcgrawproductions.com
STRATEGIC PARTNERS