Mission:
The Municipal Special Events Association exists to address a critical gap in how cities manage events, entertainment, and nightlife, where responsibility is often fragmented, enforcement is reactive, and expectations are inconsistent. The MSEA brings together municipal leaders, public safety professionals, and industry stakeholders to create a coordinated approach through shared practices, professional development, and national dialogue, improving how events are planned, permitted, and executed with a focus on safety, accountability, and real-world application, ultimately driving better outcomes for cities, stronger relationships with industry, and environments where public experiences can thrive.
Vision:
The Municipal Special Events Association envisions a future where cities approach the experience economy with clarity, coordination, and confidence, treating it not as isolated issues or enforcement challenges but as integrated systems that connect public safety, operations, economic development, and community impact. In this future, cities operate from shared standards informed by data and experience, supported by professionals who understand both risk and opportunity, and recognize events, entertainment districts, and nightlife as assets to be managed intentionally, contributing to safer communities, stronger economies, and more vibrant public life.
Edward Grant
President &
Chief Executive Officer
Edward Grant is the Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of the Municipal Special Events Association (MSEA), a national organization focused on advancing education, operational excellence, and collaboration across the municipal special events industry.
With more than two decades of leadership experience spanning public safety, event operations, nightlife governance, tourism, and municipal administration, Grant has overseen major event initiatives, entertainment district strategy, and operational planning efforts supporting thousands of events and millions of attendees.
Prior to founding MSEA, Grant served in senior municipal leadership roles focused on special events, film, tourism, nightlife management, public safety coordination, and experience economy development. His work has included large-scale event operations, entertainment district policy development, interdepartmental coordination, emergency planning, and municipal permitting systems.
Grant is recognized for bringing together professionals across planning, permitting, public safety, tourism, entertainment, and event operations to improve collaboration and strengthen the long-term success of public events and civic experiences nationwide.
Board of Directors
MSEA’s Board of Directors represents a cross-section of professionals in public events, public safety, tourism, entertainment, and municipal operations.
Together, the board helps guide the organization’s mission to strengthen collaboration, education, and operational excellence across the experience economy.
Kirk Archer II
Vice-President
City of Durham, NC
Sharon Spain
Treasurer
City of Springfield, MO
Jessica Hill
Secretary
City of Frederick, CO
Kyndra Brewer
Director
City of Knoxville, TN
Iby Setzer
Director
City of Austin, TX
Mason Handke
Director
City of Roanoke, VA
Trey Baggett
Director
City of Fuquay-Varina, NC
Summit Planning Committee
The Summit Planning Committee serves as a collaborative leadership group supporting the vision, planning, and execution of the Municipal Special Events Summit. Drawing on expertise from across the industry, committee members help guide programming, partnerships, and attendee experiences while advancing the Association's mission of professional development.
Chris Octetree
Summit Planning Committee
NCSU - Emergency Management
Shaun Wilson
Summit Planning Committee
Charlotte Fire Department, NC
It's What We Do
The MSEA brings clarity to one of the most complex spaces cities manage, where events, nightlife, public safety, and economic impact collide.
Through national convenings, professional development, and applied strategy, we equip city leaders to operate with alignment, reduce friction, and deliver experiences that are both safe and economically impactful.