Program Productions acquires payroll services company Barney Monk

Program Productions (PPI) has acquired Barney Monk, which offers live event solutions and employment of record payroll services, broadening the family of companies in PPI’s service offering and strengthening the ability to deliver comprehensive labour solutions across North America.

Founded in 1998 and based in Cleveland, Ohio, Barney Monk has proven expertise in matching specialised skill sets and navigating complex payroll requirements. The company supports a wide range of events including concerts, trade shows, conferences, corporate gatherings, private functions and sporting events. Operating across the US and Canada, Barney Monk maintains a dependable labour pool of stagehands, riggers, AV technicians, equipment specialists and loaders – helping to ensure the execution and success of events it supports.

“We are thrilled to welcome Barney Monk to the Program Productions family of companies,” said Bob Carzoli, executive chairman of Program Productions. “With this acquisition we combine more than 100 years of collective experience in live event labour solutions, uniting unmatched expertise across both union and non-union services. This strengthens our national presence, expands our resources, and ensures we can seamlessly support our clients and partners at every venue, in every market, across North America.”

Jay Lucarelli, CEO, and Patrick Duffy, president of Barney Monk, echoed the excitement, highlighting the new opportunities this partnership creates for both clients and employees.

“On behalf of Jay and myself, I’m thrilled to share our enthusiasm about joining Program Productions,” said Duffy. “This partnership allows us to expand our reach while maintaining the high level of service our clients have always counted on.”

Lucarelli says that Program Productions, like Barney Monk, is built on deep family values and strong industry roots.

“We couldn’t be more pleased to begin this new chapter together,” he added.

Scott West, president and CEO of Program Productions, said: “This acquisition represents the next step in building a premier, long-term, human capital management firm.  With our technology, ProCrewz, we aim to change the narrative by improving workforce integration while reducing labour costs for our partners. We are committed to bringing only ‘best-in-class’ organisations into our family of companies, and Barney Monk is a perfect fit.”