Sharon Cummins back to manage Cedar Rapids entertainment venues

Sharon Cummins is back to reprise her role for management firm VenuWorks as executive director of the city's U.S. Cellular Center, Paramount Theatre, Ice Arena and McGrath Amphitheatre.

Cummins served in the Cedar Rapids role for the Ames-based venue-management firm from 1997 through 2007, when she moved to VenuWorks' corporate office to work as national director of planning and development.

Cummins has been in Cedar Rapids since October 2013 working as interim director of the city's four entertainment venues.

"I am thrilled to be back," she said in a company statement. "The revitalization of our downtown venues plus the addition of the McGrath Amphitheatre makes for a very exciting time."

In her previous stint in Cedar Rapids, she secured the first successful naming rights agreement with U.S. Cellular for the city's arena, led a $7.8-million renovation of the Paramount Theatre in 2003-2004 and supervised a management transition at the Ice Arena.