The AMB Sports and Entertainment (AMBSE) (US) recently announced that Dietmar Exler, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of AMBSE, will retire from the organization effective August 14th, 2026, following an exceptional tenure marked by operational excellence, major event leadership and meaningful contributions across the Blank Family of Businesses.
‘Mercedes-Benz STADIUM’ stated that Exler has served as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of AMBSE since July 2019 with primary responsibility for operating the 71,000-seat Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia (US). At the end of 2020, he also assumed the role of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the Arthur M. Blank Family Office serving in that capacity until August 2025.
The AMB Sports and Entertainment (AMBSE) is an American sports and entertainment holding company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Owned by The Home Depot Co-Founder Arthur M. Blank it operates the National Football League (NFL) team Atlanta Falcons, the Major League Soccer (MLS) team Atlanta United FC, the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) team Atlanta 2028, and the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Atlanta (US)-based the Blank Family of Businesses is a privately- held portfolio of companies, sports franchises and philanthropic organizations owned and chaired by Arthur M. Blank, Co-Founder of The Home Depot (an American multinational home improvement retail corporation).
Significant Operational Milestones
‘Mercedes-Benz STADIUM’ further stated that during his seven years with the Blank Family of Businesses Dietmar Exler helped lead some of the organization’s most significant operational milestones including the Mercedes-Benz Stadium being the first stadium in the world to achieve the Total Resource Use and Efficiency (TRUE) Platinum Certification (the highest level of zero waste certification) for ZeroWaste from the Green Business Certification Inc., (the premier global organization that independently verifies and certifies sustainability performance in the built environment and business practices) serving as an early voting location in 2020, operating one of the largest mass COVID-19 vaccination centers in 2021 and hosting Copa América (the primary Men’s international football tournament for South America) in 2024, the FIFA Club World Cup™ (the premier international Men’s association football tournament that determines the official world champion of club football) in 2025, and the FIFA World Cup™ in 2026.
‘Leadership and Legacy’
Asserted Arthur M. Blank, Owner and Chairman, Blank Family of Businesses, “Over seven remarkable years Dietmar Exler has embodied the very best of our values through servant leadership, operational excellence and an unwavering commitment to our people. His vision, integrity and pursuit of excellence have shaped some of the most defining moments in our organization’s history while his genuine care for others has strengthened our culture in lasting ways. His leadership and legacy will continue to inspire our family of businesses for years to come.”
In connection with Dietmar Exler’s retirement the AMBSE will realign the operational responsibilities effective August 17th, 2026, positioning the organization for continued success in its current operations and the future growth plans.
Leadership Roles
Tameka Rish has been elevated to Executive Vice-President (EVP), Chief Operating Officer (COO) of AMBSE. Doug Roberts will become the Senior Vice-President (SVP), Stadium Revenue and Events. Joe Coomer will be promoted to Senior Vice-President (SVP), Security and Guest Experience. Rish, Roberts and Coomer will all report to the AMBSE President Tim Zulawski.
Leadership Changes
Observed Zulawski, “These leadership changes reflect the depth of talent across the AMBSE and our commitment to creating opportunities for the proven leaders to grow. Tameka, Doug and Joe each bring strong experience, trusted leadership and a deep commitment to our associates, the fans, the guests, and the partners. We are excited for the impact they will continue to make in these expanded roles.”
Versatile Rish
Tameka Rish, a 21-year veteran of AMB Sports and Entertainment, will now add stadium operations and food and beverage (F&B) to her current responsibilities. Serving in various roles across the AMBSE portfolio Rish began her career in corporate partnerships for the Atlanta Falcons and then later led the team that developed and maintained corporate partnerships for the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the Atlanta Falcons and the Major League Soccer (MLS) team Atlanta United FC. She also successfully led operations and fan experience at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium including the major events, the live events and game presentation including the Atlanta United and the Atlanta Falcons earning the coveted honor of being voted No. 1 overall gameday experience by the NFL’s Voice of the Fan survey. Her most recent role included oversight of associate and fan experience.
Sales Ace
Doug Roberts came on board with the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2014 and has been instrumental in overseeing the premium sales division and growing the stadium’s major event business. Roberts will now assume additional responsibility for executing the major events bringing together the full lifecycle of the stadium events from sales to booking to event execution. In his past roles, Roberts was responsible for leading premium sales for the Atlanta Falcons, the Atlanta United FC and the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Venue Security Ace
Joe Coomer is a respected security and operations leader with more than 11 years at AMB Sports and Entertainment. He oversees security for the Atlanta Falcons and the Atlanta United FC as well as guest experience for the Mercedes-Benz Stadium bringing together two critical functions that shape the fan and guest experience. Coomer led the effort to secure SAFETY Act designation for the Mercedes-Benz Stadium and is widely recognized as a global authority on venue security regularly collaborating with the venues, the leagues and the public safety agencies around the world. His leadership in innovative screening technologies earned him the 2023 Innovation Institute for Fan Experience (IIFX) Technology Innovation Leader Award. He currently serves as the Vice-Chair of the NFL Stadium Security Committee, sits on the MLS Security Advisory Committee and has advised major international events including preparations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup™ in Qatar.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup™ was the 22nd FIFA World Cup™, the quadrennial world championship for the national football teams organized by FIFA. It took place in Qatar from November 20th-December 18th, 2022, after the country was awarded the hosting rights in 2010. It was the first World Cup to be held in the Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula and the second in an Asian country after the 2002 tournament in South Korea and Japan.
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