MEET THE TEAM

Clyde Betts is the visionary force leading ADV Productions. He founded ADV in 2006 with the aim to take audio/visual event production to a whole new level of efficiency, creativity, and realization. Clients marvel at his ability to effortlessly capture their ideas, communicate them to his team of skilled technicians, and transform the simplest to most complex concepts into an exquisitely produced corporate, high-end fashion or philanthropic event that is better than they could have ever imagined.

An “almost” native of Arizona (having moved to Scottsdale, AZ when he was just a year old), Clyde began his career in his high school theater as a technical stagehand. Realizing his talent early on, he was brought on board to support a variety of local commercial and cinematography projects, which eventually led to Clyde working fulltime in scenic productions while still in school. Soon he was producing all things audio/visual for major turnkey events both locally and nationally.

Having garnered years of hands-on experience doing what he loves, Clyde decided to venture out on his own and start ADV. He hasn’t looked back since and now proudly supports clients such as Microsoft, the National Football League (NFL), Red Bull, Oscar de la Renta, Glenmorangie Distillery, and Discovery Channel, among others, while continuing to donate over $200,000 every year to various charities throughout the Arizona Valley.

When Clyde isn’t at the top of a scissor lift making sure every venue detail is laid out just right or negotiating an equipment list for a show in Singapore, you’ll find him sailing in a catamaran, showing his son how to tie sailor knots. But you can be assured that no matter how far he sails, he’s coming right back to produce the next show of a lifetime.

“My plan and my goal are to continue growing ADV as long as we can provide the same level of service that we have always provided.”

~ Clyde

Born and raised in Mesa, Arizona, Melissa Howard is the operational hub of ADV Productions. When you meet her, she will kindly introduce herself as both Girl Friday and the company’s official Administrative Catalyst – the person behind the scenes making the things happen that need to happen.

From answering the phones to managing the budget to ensure her freelance family is taken care of to everything in between both imagined and unimagined (including, but not limited to managing client relations, processing invoices, scheduling shipping, content management, personal assistance, and making sure everyone has eaten breakfast) – Melissa is there with her invisible superhero cape, ensuring the success of her team and ADV’s event productions.

All while championing the numerous tasks ADV sends her way, Melissa has managed to earn an Associate of Applied Sciences Degree in Human Nutrition from Mesa Community College and is now working her way towards a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance with a Minor in Chemistry from the University of Alabama “Bama By Distance” Program. (Roll tide!)

With so much going on, what really drives this 5-foot-4 left-brained, right-brained wonder (besides lots of coffee) is her family, which includes her three beautiful children and the entire ADV team.

“I may be turning the gears that make the ADV operations run, but my greatest joy comes from seeing my colleagues succeed. Not only for themselves, but for their families.”

~ Melissa

Rowley Sisson is one of ADV Productions’ first official employees, rising through the ranks by first driving a truck of equipment from point A to point B nearly a decade ago to now leading live event productions from concept to completion.

You’ll find Rowley overseeing a lot of the logistics and inventory, directing quality control of the equipment when it returns from an event and checking it again before it leaves the warehouse to be driven across town or flown to another country. When he’s on location, he prefers to be in the video department where he is in charge of running the visual content. As Project Manager, he is responsible for providing the step-by-step cues that keep an event running smoothly.

Rowley thrives on the challenge of bringing the client’s creative vision together with event logistics so all the pieces fall into place. Whether his job is to press one button at the precise second so ESPN can broadcast live from Super Bowl XLIX or if he’s building a Barrett Jackson auction hall the size of three football fields only to have it torn down in two weeks, Rowley is dedicated to producing every event with absolute precision while enjoying the process along the way.

Even though he’s known since day one that he struck gold by joining the ADV team, Rowley will tell you the coolest project he’s ever worked on was actually not with ADV. It’s being the father of his nine-year-old daughter.

“My worst day in production doesn’t scratch my best day working in retail, sales or restaurant management. It’s just refreshing. At ADV, you feel part of the bigger picture.”

~ Rowley