FILO Sponsors The Sanneh Foundation Gala 4 Goals

FILO is proud to be a sponsor of The Sanneh Foundation and its 3^rd Annual Gala 4 Goals held earlier this month. The Foundation, started by St. Paul native and international soccer star Tony Sanneh, is a youth development organization that provides life skills programs for at-risk children using soccer as the catalyst to empower kids, improve lives and unite communities (www.thesannehfoundation.org). The event drew about 1,000 supporters and raised over $100,000.

“Giving back to our community is a priority for FILO. Tony and his organization are doing wonderful work,” said CEO Kevin Weinhandl.  “Like them, we too are passionate about sports and helping kids so it’s a perfect fit for us.”

2013 Launch Party

On January 25^th, FILO celebrated our new leadership, new location and new website (www.filoproductions.com) with a launch party on the top floor of the Crowne Plaza Riverfront in downtown St. Paul. Family, friends, clients, vendors and partners all gathered to talk with new owner, but forever FILO, Kevin Weinhandl. We also unveiled our refreshed logo and the First In Last Out brand ambassadors were all there to make a lasting impression.

Meet Our Newest FILO

Lou Bavaro joined the FILO team this month as Director of New Business, bringing over a decade of experience in sports marketing and a proven history building successful businesses.

Most recently, Lou managed the grocery and foodservice line of Michelbob's Championship Ribs of Naples, FL and Hickory House Ribs of Aspen, CO., developing their retail products from scratch, while negotiating national distribution as well as local partnerships with Lunds, Byerly’s, Kowalski’s, the Minnesota Twins and Gabes by the Park.

BBQ is in Lou’s blood (literally…he married MichelBob’s daughter), but his true passion is sports.  From 2001-2005 he was President of the Opposite Field, Inc., a company he co-founded to produce creative marketing campaigns for clients like: the Minnesota Timberwolves, Minnesota Twins, Fox Sports, and United Airlines. He also produced an original sports television program called The Show to be Named Later… and recently helped develop a free mobile sports APP for 3M Racing and NASCAR.

Born and raised in New York, Lou's first job in sports was taking dictation for the Associated Press on the overnight baseball desk in NYC from 1997-1998. In 1999, he moved to Minnesota to report on professional and amateur sports, fell in love with his wife’s hometown St. Paul and has lived here ever since. He covered everything from high school hockey to the NBA Western Conference Finals before earning his MBA at Carlson School of Management in 2003.

As Director of New Business, Lou is responsible for promoting FILO's best-in-class services in event management, experiential marketing and mobile touring, while increasing  sales and developing new strategic partnerships.