From Military Bases to Multi-Country Tours: Inside Matt Giobbi’s Approach to Seamless Production
“When we do our job well, it looks effortless. But behind the scenes, we’re managing everything: movement, timing, people, pressure. That’s the kind of logistics work I love most: invisible, but essential.”
As a longtime Senior Producer and now Partner at Markham, Matt Giobbi has made a career out of delivering the nearly impossible. He has coordinated coast-to-coast bus tours, managed high-security activations on active military bases, and produced 20+ screenings across six countries. His steady presence, deep experience, and logistical precision have made him a go-to lead for some of our firm’s most complex multi-day tours and government-facing events.
Matt’s not just a planner. He’s a system-builder, a problem-solver, and, when needed, a one-man advance team. Whether solving a flat-tire situation in rural Missouri or ensuring VIPs land at the right gate in Frankfurt, his approach is marked by creative problem-solving and an unwavering sense of calm.
Matt Giobbi at Hiring Our Heroes’ 100th Summit - Fort Gordon, GA (2019)
Matt Giobbi addressing the crowd at a Hiring Our Heroes anniversary event - New York, NY (2013).
Anchored in Military Precision
Matt has spent over a decade producing hundreds of Hiring Our Heroes (HOH) events, which support veterans and transitioning service members as they enter the civilian workforce. His role often places him on the ground at U.S. military bases, navigating strict protocols, complex gate access, and ever-changing points of contact.
With military leadership teams rotating every few years, Matt and the team at Markham have become a steady source of continuity. We rebuild trust, refine the model, and grow the program year over year.
“The military is structured for turnover. We’re structured for continuity. That’s where we bring value.”
He’s played a key role in HOH’s overseas summits in Europe and Japan. U.S. based employers are flown in and guided through a white-glove, full-service experience, from ground transport to final debrief. Matt often acts as the trip director, personally ensuring bus logistics run smoothly by leapfrogging locations, problem-solving in real time, and setting the tone for the entire delegation.
“Employers always laugh and ask, ‘How are you already here?!’ That’s the goal: to make it feel like magic.”
Tours, Tires, and Trust
Matt has seen it all on the road. Flat tires, delayed flights, and unexpected pivots are part of the work. What sets him apart is how he responds: with humility, composure, and creativity.
“One time, the bus broke down in the middle of nowhere Missouri,” he recalls. “The closest rental car shop was about 30 miles away, and just closing up. We called and begged the guy to stay open. We promised a big tip, and he actually came to get us.”
It was a reminder that relationships and resourcefulness go hand in hand. “At first, the guy wasn’t excited to help. But by the time we said goodbye, he told us how glad he was that he could.”
That resilience, care and determination have been integral throughout Matt’s work at Markham, while overseeing high-security military activations and multi-country tours for service members and their families.
“Even when things don’t go wrong, it’s still intense problem-solving. When they do, that’s when your bag of tricks really gets tested.”
Matt Giobbi and Markham teammates, Rich Headley and Essam Abozid, at Schofields Barrack in Hawaii (2022).
Production as a Common Language
Matt’s experience goes far beyond HOH. As the lead for Markham’s global screening tour in 2017–2018, he helped produce 20+ events across six countries. He navigated vendors, cultural norms, languages, and time zones to keep the experience seamless for clients and attendees alike: a challenge that tested every tool in his kit.
He credits that experience with reinforcing a deeper truth: that great production transcends language. “Production is its own kind of common language,” he says. “If you come in with openness and generosity of spirit, you can make great things happen anywhere.”
Markham’s 15th Anniversary Dinner in Washington, D.C. (2021).
Matt Giobbi with Markham founders, Greg Hale and Paul Neaville at the Clinton Global Initiative in NYC (2022).
From the Early Days
Long before international screenings and multi-country activations, Matt was on the ground at some of Markham’s very first Hiring Our Heroes events, working shoulder-to-shoulder with the firm’s founders, Greg Hale and Paul Neaville.
“I’ve been with Markham for so long that when I look back at old photos from those first events, there’s Greg and Paul in the background,” he says. “It’s been wild to grow with the company and see how far we’ve come.”
It’s a quiet reminder of what consistency builds: trust, legacy, and a deep understanding of how to make every event feel personal no matter the scale.
Built on Systems, Powered by People
Matt runs on systems. He’s an expert in Google Workspace, a power-searcher of past docs and emails, and fluent in every major project tool from Slack and Zoom to Microsoft Teams. However, his real magic is how he combines those tools with human intuition: listening closely, anticipating friction points, and always keeping the audience experience at the center.
Matt Giobbi at HOH’s Military Spouse Employment Summit in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation in Washington, D.C. (2023).
Final Advice: Say Yes
When asked what advice he’d give to someone just getting started, Matt doesn’t hesitate.
“Say yes, especially to things outside your comfort zone. Be okay with being uncomfortable. That’s where the growth is.”
For someone whose career has spanned military bases, international tours, and last-minute roadside pivots, it’s advice earned from experience and proof that calm, care, and trust will always be the heart of great production.