James J. Callanan

President & CEO

James “Jimmy” Callanan is the owner and founder of JCALPRO Inc., an entertainment infrastructure company serving Boston, New England and beyond. In his career in the entertainment field spanning over 40 years, he has held many prominent positions, from technical director to stage manager to head rigger and the list goes on. Jimmy has worked with many prestigious companies including, The Boston Garden, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Ballet, Houston Symphony Orchestra, Warner Bros, Castle Rock Pictures, MGM, Universal Pictures and Columbia Pictures. Jimmy also has toured the world with several of these companies, and has also worked on hundreds of rock and roll shows that also took him all over the world. JCALPRO currently holds various contracts including the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, the Hynes Auditorium, Gillette Stadium and with Cirque Du Soleil.

Jimmy was born and raised in South Boston, and he truly believes in giving back to the community that he comes from. He serves on the boards of the South Boston Neighborhood House, Laboure and the Saint Peter’s Academy. In addition Jimmy has served on many committees including Fallen Heroes, Medal of Honor, and the South Boston Health Center fundraising committee. Through a combination of hard work, perseverance and a little luck, Jimmy and JCALPRO have continued to succeed in the industry, allowing him to continue and grow his philanthropic support.

Russell Jones

Vice President of Production

Russell has extensive expertise in staging design and techniques. He has been a member of the International Association of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), Local #11 for over 30 years. He has planned, developed, and directed rigging and production at the BCEC since it opened Russell also has experience in industrial productions, film productions and concerts. Gaining theatrical experience, Russell was production electrician/ sound engineer at the Wilbur Theater, and handled all aspects of production for the Citi Performing Arts Center (formerly the Wang Center) for 12 years. Working with the Boston Ballet for 10 years, he helped develop eight new ballet premieres. Russell is an ETCP Certified Arena Rigger.

Brendan Murray

Technical Director

Brendan brings over 20 years of lighting and event experience to JCALPRO. He earned his BA in lighting design at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and spent two years as the Master Electrician for the Williamstown Theater Festival. For 11 years, he worked as a Project Manager and later Production Manager for a Boston-based lighting firm. Brendan was an adjunct professor at Boston University in stage production and is an avid draftsperson, programmer, and is ETCP certified. He has experience in theater, live events, trade shows, and live television. Brendan was our Lighting Director for 4 years and recently moved in to the Technical Director position where he oversees general sessions and special events while overseeing exhibits lighting.

Maria McMahon

Operations & Exhibits Manager

Maria joined the JCALPRO team in 2015 after working as a Sr. Exhibitor Services Associate at the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority. Her knowledge of the operations and procedures of the BCEC and the Hynes convention centers has proven to be invaluable to our clients in her current role as Operations & Exhibits Manager. Maria is an Emerson College graduate with a Bachelors Degree in Marketing Communication: Advertising and Public Relations.

Jen Lawlor

Event Account Manager

Jen became a valued member of our full-time staff in 2016 after completing a co-op position through Northeastern University, prior to graduating. She quickly progressed from university into her account manager position with JCALPRO, working on general sessions and special events. Jen’s business communication and public relations background, garnered from her experience working in music industry and non-profit organizations, allows her to bring a dynamic approach to the event production process.

Paige Mitrik

Event Production Coordinator

Paige joined JCALPRO in the fall of 2017 after graduating from Ohio University with a degree in Hospitality and Business. Paige has a passion for event planning that she developed while working in special events and customer service throughout college. She gained tradeshow and expo experience by coordinating the Student Research and Creative Expo that took place on Ohio University’s campus with over 2,000 attendees. Through her experiences, Paige gained a well-rounded set of professional skills that will be utilized on our exhibits team.