Who is Don Vaccaro
Don Vaccaro is an American business magnate and philanthropist. A serial entrepreneur, Vaccaro has started and owns several successful companies. He has also been a driving force in the ticketing industry as a founding member and former president of several ticket brokers associations, as well as the founder of the largest ticket broker conference in the industry.
His companies provide employment and business opportunities for hundreds of families both at home and internationally. His passion does not begin or end with starting businesses to make more money, but instead to provide a place for others to grow their talents and fulfill their potential. This enthusiasm for providing opportunities and giving back grew out of the values he learned from his parents. His mother Ruth has an office at his company and provides invaluable insight.
Entrepreneur
Don Vaccaro started his business almost by accident. As a very young man he was in line to purchase tickets to a concert. The prices for the tickets were so good that he had a few dollars left over. He decided to purchase a few extra and sell them for a profit, giving birth to Ticket World, his first company which he sold for a hefty profit a few years later. He eventually co-founded and is the CEO of TicketNetwork®, Inc., one of the leading online ticket exchanges in the country. Vaccaro has more than 30 years of experience in the secondary ticket market, including 10 years in industry-related software development, pioneering the creation of the company’s signature software – TicketNetwork® Point-of-Sale. Vaccaro is also the founder of Ticket Galaxy, one of the largest ticket brokerage firms in the country. He is a founding member and former president of the Connecticut Ticket Brokers Association, and was also founder and first president of the Massachusetts Ticket Brokers Association. He is the founder of Ticket Summit, the leading conference and trade show for ticketing and live entertainment executives. Don is also the Founder and CEO of RCN Capital.
Philanthropy
Don Vaccaro’s success has blessed him with means to help others in a meaningful way. In addition to his company’s three areas of focus – assistance to those affected by cancer, wounded warriors and urban development – he also continues to support causes of importance to him, including youth organizations, the arts, education, and the disabled.
He also is a strong supporter of protecting the environment, and has nurtured several ventures including an animal sanctuary, community garden and farm on his property, and has recently started a tree farm. In 2014 TicketNetwork was awarded the Beautification Award for its garden and farm, and Business of the Year by the South Windsor Chamber of Commerce.
Don is a supporter of community churches and non-profit organizations and in 2016 founded Grace Church Websites with Rev. Dr. Boise Kimber to provide free websites to churches and non-profits.
More About Don
- Watch Don’s interview with Fox Business TV
- Connect with Don on Flickr
Don Vaccaro In The News
- 08/17/20 – South Windsor biotech debuts 3D printed mask frame
- 08/13/20 – State officials tour new biotech start-up company that produces 3D-printed face mask frames
- 08/13/20 – Governor Tours CT Company Making Face Mask Frames
- 08/13/20 – South Windsor’s Connecticut Biotech crafts custom mask frames using layered 3-D printing
- 08/13/20 – New Connecticut Company Seeks to Solve COVID Mask Slippage
- 05/22/20 – TicketNetwork Outlines ‘What It Takes’ To Reopen Larger Office
- 02/26/20 – Ticketmaster, StubHub Execs Are Testifying Before a Congressional Panel on Excessive Ticket Costs
- 12/18/19 – S. Windsor’s TicketNetwork to adopt $15 min. wage
- 09/15/19 – Ticketnetwork, Inc. Ceo Donald Vaccaro Tries To Save The Community’S Bank, The Only Minority-Owned Bank In The State Of Connecticut
- 06/10/16 – More Transparency in Ticket Sales, and No More Bots
- 06/07/16 – TicketNetwork inks deal with Yelp
- 03/29/16 – Grace Church Websites Provide Technology To Low-Income Churches Across The Nation
- 03/23/16 – Grace Church Websites Reaches Milestone, Services 100 Churches in Underserved Communities
- 03/20/16 – Church Hopes That Building Will Be ‘Anchor’ in Hartford’s Promise Zone
- 02/01/16 – Don Vaccaro: Connecticut tribes need another casino to address competition
- 01/31/16 – Keeping CT Casinos Strong Is Vital
- 01/07/16 – Adele and Bruce Springsteen Tours Spark Battle Behind Jacked-Up ‘Spec Pricing’
- 11/20/15 – Tech Company (Ticket Network) Uses Black Churches to Find Potential Employees to Expand Diversity
- 10/16/15 – North End Church Revitalization Nearly Completed with RCN Loan
- 09/15/13 – TicketNetwork, Inc. CEO Donald Vaccaro Tries to Save The Community’s Bank, the Only Minority-Owned Bank in the State of Connecticut
- 09/14/13 – State Has First Bank Failure in a Decade
- 01/10/13 – Moose Peak Lighthouse off Jonesport sold at auction to a Connecticut buyer
- 01/05/10 – TicketNetwork dedicates early computer learning center to Connecticut school
