A Texas man who is the assistant director of the Dallas Convention Center has been named executive director of the Vicksburg Convention Center and Auditorium, VenuWorks President Steve Peters said. VenuWorks manages the venues for the City of Vicksburg.

Troy Thorn, 41, succeeds Larry Gawronski, who was recently hired to manage VenuWorks’ Bridge View Center in Ottumwa, Iowa. Thorn is scheduled to begin work in Vicksburg on Jan. 1, but he said he expects to be in Vicksburg two more times before officially taking over as director.

“I’ve had the opportunity to meet with the staff, and I am impressed with them,” he said. “They are an extremely talented team there in Vicksburg. They’re a small but productive staff.”

He said he also has met with three members of the convention center board and members of the Vicksburg Convention and Visitors Board of Directors.

“All of the people I have met seem to have a progressive outlook and want to take Vicksburg to the next level while keeping its heritage,” he said.

Thorn said he learned about the convention center director’s opening through VenuWorks, adding, “I have been following VenuWorks for a number of years. I took my family to Vicksburg for a weekend vacation to experience the area. I visited the venues and thought, ‘this is a place with great possibilities and potential.’”

A Chicago native who grew up in Texas, Thorn has a bachelor’s degree in operations from Georgetown University. He and his wife, Irene, have two children.

“We are excited to bring Troy Thorn into the VenuWorks family as the leader of our facilities in Vicksburg,” Peters said. “He will bring his experience and creativity, along with his knowledge of multi-purpose venues, to these facilities.”

Thorn has more than 20 years of destination and venue management experience. As assistant director, he was responsible for a number of venues, including the Dallas Convention Center, the city’s farmers’ market and special events, as well as marketing and event coordination.