Next Play Names Steve Schaff President

Next Play is proud to announce the promotion of Steve Schaff to President, marking an important step in the continued growth and evolution of the organization.

With more than 30 years of experience in the experiential, events, and exhibit industry, Steve brings a unique combination of operational knowledge, sales expertise, and executive leadership to the role. His career has spanned nearly every facet of the business, giving him a deep understanding of how strong teams, client partnerships, and disciplined execution come together to drive successful programs.

Steve began his career at Czarnowski Exhibits in 1993 as a cabinet maker and exhibit builder, later advancing to Lead Builder and Traveling Installation Leadman. He transitioned into project management in 2001 before moving into sales, establishing a career path that would ultimately lead to senior business development and leadership roles.

In 2006, Steve joined Freeman as a National Sales Manager for the company’s Corporate Events team, where he sold and managed multimillion-dollar events and custom exhibit programs. During his tenure, he worked directly with leading trade show associations and major global brands including Sony Electronics, McDonald’s, Lamborghini, Audi, and Ford.

Steve joined the organization in 2014 as Vice President of Business Development and has since played an integral role in expanding client relationships, identifying new business opportunities, and supporting the company’s continued growth.

As President of Next Play, Steve will play a key role in translating the company’s growth strategy into execution. His focus will include strengthening the connection between sales and operations, creating greater accountability across the organization, and ensuring Next Play has the people, processes, and infrastructure needed to scale successfully.

“Steve brings a powerful combination of sales experience, operational knowledge, and proven leadership to this role,” said Steven Marinchak, CEO of Next Play. “His understanding of our business, ability to build and lead teams, and focus on driving results make him exceptionally well suited to help lead Next Play forward.”

Steve’s promotion reflects Next Play’s continued investment in building a strong leadership structure as the company expands its capabilities, strengthens client partnerships, and pursues new opportunities across sports, entertainment, experiential, retail, and live events.

Please join us in congratulating Steve on his promotion to President of Next Play.