DJ Mackovets Previews the 2025 World Police & Fire Games
President Bruce Rogers and Rotarian Steve Ammons with DJ Mackovets
This week, the Rotary Club of Birmingham (RCB) welcomed DJ Mackovets, CEO of the 2025 World Police and Fire Games, to discuss Birmingham’s preparations to host this international event. Mackovets outlined the unique nature of the games, which will bring over 8,500 first responders from 70+ countries to compete in 67 sporting events across more than 40 venues in Central Alabama. He emphasized the games’ mission to promote fitness, camaraderie, and global unity among law enforcement, firefighters, EMS personnel, and other first responders, all while spotlighting Birmingham as a world-class host city.
Mackovets highlighted the transformative impact the games will have on the city’s visibility and economy, noting free public admission, diverse cultural programming, and an inclusive environment for athletes and spectators alike. He invited the community to get involved through volunteering, sponsorships, and participation in the Proud Host program, underscoring the powerful opportunity to celebrate and support the heroes who serve us daily.
Bio for DJ Mackovets
DJ Mackovets brings more than 40 years of event marketing and operational planning experience to this Birmingham project.
He has been involved with a variety of major events across the country during past decades including the World University Games, the Goodwill Games, two US Olympic Festivals, the 2015 World Police & Fire Games – an international Olympic style event staged in northern Virginia, DC, and Maryland for 10,000 public safety personnel from sixty-eight different countries. Mackovets was also CEO of the Local Organizing Committee for The World Games 2022 for almost three years. From 2009 until early 2012 he served as the President of the Local Organizing Committee in Houston for the 2011 Senior Games and in addition to his Transplant Games role he serves as the CEO of the Birmingham Host Committee for the 2025 World Police & Fire Games.
Mackovets was the General Manager of the largest venue built for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta – the 1400-acre Georgia International Horse Park - home of the equestrian and mountain biking competition.
For the past ten years he has served in the role of Chief of Operations for the largest pop culture festival in Texas – Comicpalooza, held annually over Memorial Day weekend in Houston’s massive George R. Brown Convention Center.
Other relevant mega event experience includes Executive Director of two NCAA Final Four Organizing Committees, Senior Vice President / Operations for two Super Bowls and the Director of the Local Organizing Committees for the US Figure Skating Championships and the Bassmaster Classic.
His early career was focused on media relations, sponsorship sales and promotions for two pro football teams, college athletics and the Peach Bowl.
DJ is now serving his fifth stint as a member of the National Senior Games Association Board having served since 2012 As a member of that Board, he Chairs both the National Games Committee and the RFP Committee seeking host cities for the Games in 2025, 2027, 2029 and 2031.
The Pocahontas, Iowa native relocated to Birmingham in early 2017 after living in Atlanta for 30 years. He and his wife of 30 years Christy Thomas, who is the Chief Financial Officer for McKinney Communications Corporation reside in Vestavia with their two rescue dogs Ellie and Luke.