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Oak View Group selects payactiv in exclusive partnership to enable Earned Wage Access for employees across 40+ U.S. Venues. Oct 22, 2026, 12:42 ET OVG is expanding financial benefits for employees nationwide through Payactiv, providing access to earned wages alongside saving, budgeting and financial wellness resources. OVG Alliance venues & teams include - Amerant Bank Arena and the Florida Panthers, UBS Arena and the NY Islanders, Gainbridge Fieldhouse and the Indiana Pacers, Rocket Arena and the Cleveland Cavaliers, Spectrum Center and the Charlotte Hornets, and Toyota Center and the Houston Rockets. DENVER, Oct 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Oak View Group (OVG) today announced that it has selected Payactiv, the access standard for earned money, to expand Earned Wage Access (EWA) and financial wellness services to employees across its U.S. operations in more than 40 locations, bringing Payactiv's services across one of the nation's largest live entertainment venue networks. Through Payactiv, OVG employees can access wages they have already earned, with no-fee access options available, while gaining access to tools designed to help manage everyday budgets, unexpected costs and long-term financial goals. The partnership gives OVG a scalable way to deliver financial flexibility across its workforce, powered by Payactiv's infrastructure connecting employers, payroll systems and financial services. "OVG strives to provide the very best guest experience at our venues, but we are equally focused on providing superior benefits to our valued employees," said Dan Griffis, President, Global Partnerships, Oak View Group. "This agreement with Payactiv enables us to give on-demand pay to employees so that they can use their hard-earned wages in the moments that matter most to them." OVG's partnership with Payactiv will roll out across more than 40 venues nationwide, including six OVG Alliance venues and teams participating: Amerant Bank Arena and the Florida Panthers, UBS Arena and the New York Islanders, Gainbridge Fieldhouse and the Indiana Pacers, Rocket Arena and the Cleveland Cavaliers, Spectrum Center and the Charlotte Hornets, and Toyota Center and the Houston Rockets. "The people who create great experiences for millions of fans deserve greater control over their own pay," said Safwan Shah, co-founder and CEO of Payactiv. "OVG is putting its people first by giving employees access to money they have already earned, when they need it. We are proud to bring Payactiv to this extraordinary network of venues and the workers who bring them to life." Beyond expanding access to financial benefits, Payactiv and OVG will use the partnership to recognize and celebrate the front-line employees who make live events possible. In-game employee recognition, annual staff appreciation events, and social, digital, and in-arena storytelling will highlight the people behind the guest experience, and spotlight how financial access supports the modern workforce. The partnership will also introduce Payactiv to millions of fans and visitors across OVG's national venue network. About Oak View Group Oak View Group (OVG) is the global leader in premium live entertainment infrastructure and services, with a platform spanning venue development and end-to-end capabilities across venue management, hospitality, and sponsorship sales. Founded in 2015, the company serves a collection of seven world-class owned venues and a client roster of the most iconic arenas, stadiums, convention centers, music festivals, performing arts centers, and cultural institutions, spanning four continents. About Payactiv Payactiv is the access standard for earned money. As the pioneer of Earned Wage Access (EWA), Payactiv powers access to earned money across employers, payroll and HCM providers, financial institutions, and workforce platforms. Its infrastructure enables more than 245,000 businesses to deliver EWA, card programs, real-time payments, and embedded financial experiences - giving people greater choice in when, where, and how they access their money. Payactiv is a Certified B Corporation and Public Benefit Corporation based in Silicon Valley. For more information, visit payactiv.com. SOURCE Payactiv

Oak View Group names Diane Neville Chief Human Resources Officer. Oct 20, 2026 In a live-entertainment and hospitality business, the product isn't just the arena or the concession stand - it's the people who run them. Oak View Group just put that belief in writing. On October 20, 2026, Oak View Group (OVG) - the global leader in premium live entertainment infrastructure and services spanning venue development, venue management, hospitality, and sponsorship sales - announced the appointment of Diane Neville as its new Chief Human Resources Officer. Neville officially joined the company on October 19, based in Denver and reporting directly to CEO Chris Granger. A hospitality-deep people leader steps in. As CHRO, Neville will oversee all human resources responsibilities globally - a sprawling mandate that covers talent acquisition, employee relations, compensation and benefits, HR compliance, onboarding, learning and development, and social impact and cultural engagement. She arrives from Alterra Mountain Company, where she most recently served as Chief People Officer leading enterprise-wide HR and workforce initiatives. That's just the latest stop in a career built squarely inside high-growth, guest-facing brands. Neville brings more than 25 years of experience driving business performance through strategic, people-first practices. Her résumé reads like a tour of operationally complex hospitality and consumer companies, including: * Shake Shack Enterprises * The Piada Group * P.F. Chang's * McKesson Corporation * Fender Musical Instruments That foodservice and hospitality pedigree matters. OVG's business lives and dies on labor-intensive, guest-facing execution - exactly the environments where Neville has spent her career aligning people strategy with business results. Translating growth into people strategy. Neville's remit goes well beyond traditional HR administration. Working across talent, rewards, HR operations, and workforce planning, she will translate company goals into concrete people strategies and organizational design - including the performance management and compensation structures that reinforce OVG's financial and operational targets. She'll also own the company's HR technology stack and standardized processes, using people analytics and workforce data to shape executive decisions and drive faster talent and business outcomes. "We're very excited to welcome Diane to OVG and tap into her vast experience leading high-performing teams with a focus on collaboration and culture building," said Chris Granger, Chief Executive Officer, Oak View Group. "There is nothing more important to the success of our organization than nurturing a strong foundation with clear values and a robust, people-first culture. As our number of services, markets and employees continues to expand, Diane and her team will help bolster the critical parts of our organization that allow OVG's people to grow and thrive." For her part, Neville framed the move as a natural progression from a career spent on the guest-services side of the business. "Working in hospitality and guest services for many years, I've admired the incredible growth and collected expertise of OVG from afar," said Neville. "I couldn't be more excited to join such a dynamic organization at a time of innovation, expansion and transition. I'm looking forward to working alongside Chris and the unparalleled group of leaders at Oak View Group, building a structure and culture that supports the organization for 2027 and beyond." Why it matters. For foodservice and hospitality operators, this appointment is a signal worth noting. OVG - which spans seven owned venues and a client roster of iconic arenas, stadiums, convention centers, music festivals, and cultural institutions across four continents - is doubling down on the idea that a scalable, people-first culture is a competitive advantage, not an HR line item. The practical takeaways for operators and talent leaders: * Culture is becoming a boardroom priority. When a company at OVG's scale ties its CHRO directly to the CEO and frames people strategy as mission-critical, it reinforces that retention, development, and values-driven culture are now central to enterprise growth - not back-office functions. * Data is reshaping the people function. Neville's mandate to optimize HR technology and lean on people analytics reflects a broader industry shift: workforce data increasingly drives staffing, compensation, and performance decisions in labor-intensive venues and restaurants. * Hospitality experience is a sought-after leadership credential. Neville's path through Shake Shack, P.F. Chang's, and The Piada Group underscores how guest-services operators are producing executive talent that scales beyond any single sector. As OVG expands its services, markets, and headcount heading into 2027, the companies that treat workforce strategy as seriously as venue development will be better positioned to compete for both guests and talent. How is your organization building a people-first culture as it scales? Explore more leadership moves shaping the industry and hospitality appointment news on Food & Beverage Magazine - then weigh in with your take in the comments.