Longtime Tams-Witmark CEO Sargent Aborn will retire at the end of January to spend more time with his family. Aborn's tenure with the theatrical licensor has lasted more than 40 years.
Aborn joined the company in 1981 as in-house counsel, succeeding his father, Louis H. Aborn, as president in 2001. Aborn's grandfather and namesake Sargent Aborn founded the company in 1925. The company's licensing catalog, which includes such musicals as 42nd Street, Hair, Man of La Mancha, The Wizard of Oz, and You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, became part of Concord Theatricals in 2018.
"When we sold the company almost four years ago, I knew it was the right thing to do, and since that time I've truly enjoyed working with the team at Concord,” says Aborn. “I know that the Tams titles, authors, and estates will continue to be in very capable, considerate hands. Concord's licensing, marketing, materials, and royalties systems are second to none."
Going forward, Aborn's responsibilities will be handled by Concord Chief Theatricals Executive Sean Patrick Flahaven, Worldwide President Bill Gaden, Executive Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs Victoria Traube, and Senior Vice President of Client Relations and Community Engagement Abbie Van Nostrand. Concord's marketing and licensing teams will also continue their work championing the catalog, as they have done since 2018.
"It's been a genuine pleasure working with and learning from Sarge," says Flahaven. "He is a real gentleman. The team has the greatest respect for him, the business he and his family built, and the terrific shows we are proud to represent. We're sad to see him go, but wish him the best in his retirement."
