GM News
Sue and I got to spend an afternoon in the Wolf Bar and Restaurant recently with Dan Hawley and his wife Anne and their two daughters, Hayden and Henley. It wasn’t just an ordinary bar. It belonged to Dan’s uncle and aunt on the other side of the “Snowys” in beautiful Saratoga, WY. We had a great afternoon with them.
Today I’ve learned that he’s taking a new job at Learfield as GM of Boise State–a new property for us. I remember Dan in Laramie when we first signed Wyoming where he worked as Corporate Sales manager for the University of Wyoming. Congratulations, Dan!
Jared Newland moves up to the GM job at Wyoming from Senior AE. Like Dan, Jared is also a UW graduate. He worked seven years as the Athletics Development Officer for the Cowboy Joe Club.
Just before joining Learfield he was Western Region Director for Red Foxx Solutions and has experience at Texas/San Antonio and Utah State. Jared also was an account executive for GEM Group.
Also I’ve learned today that Joe Weiss is the new GM at New Mexico. He’s been the AGM there for three years and before that–for ten years–was the Lobos Assistant Athletic Director for Sales and Marketing. Joe and his wife, Roxanne, are true Lobos. Joe has an MBA from there; Roxanne has both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from there. Darren Dunn, our good friend who has led LSP, is off to the University of Houston Athletics Department.
–clyde
Advisory Board of Directors
Today and tomorrow our Advisory Board meets for the first time. I told you about this some six months ago. In my view it is part of the “new” Learfield as we morph into a larger and better company. “Why?” you ask.
- It delineates between operations and oversight; between strategy and policy; and between day-to-day performance and stakeholder interests.
- It serves as a sounding board, a backstop, a initiator for management
- The Board sets broad vision
- The Board, using management’s long-term strategic plan, works to insure its fulfillment.
- With the CFO, the Board reviews the annual audit
- The Board reviews and gives suggestions about company finances
- Learfield needs a separation between management and stakeholder interests.
I’ve invited five great and capable people to serve as Directors. They are (in alphabetical order):
- Jason Andrews, from Kansas City, is a manager/representative for Intuitive Surgical. He’s also my Son-in-Law. Young and bright, Jason brings a strong base of business knowledge to Learfield. He graduated from MU with a degree in business. He is married and has three children
- Steve Hughes, of Vienna, Va, is now in a private consulting practice currently leading Keel Point, Inc. He was one of the initial few which started SRA International and became its CFO. He is a CPA and attended James Madison University. He is married and has four children
- Jerry Jonker, Grand Rapids, MI, started Home Acres Building Supply with a buddy and sold the half-Billion-dollar company two years ago. Jerry and his wife have six children. They were presenters on money management at our Life Skills event two years ago.
- Marty Sherman, Annapolis, MD, has been advising Learfield as a consultant for nearly twenty years. He works with businessmen and government leaders around the world helping them build relational environments. He is married and has 4 children. He presented at our Life Skills Seminar on building friendships.
- Steve South, Monument, CO, is Sr. V.P. of CEO Forum, Inc., working with leaders of major companies around the globe. He is married with four children. Steve and his wife, Cheryl, presented on having a successful marriage at Life Skills.
Our meetings begin with dinner this evening and go through the day tomorrow in Jefferson City.
–clyde
D.J. Volko lands in Louisville
New AE D.J. Volko has joined our Louisville Arena Sports and Entertainment Properties (LASEP) to help Lynn Saltzman tackle the numerous sponsorship sales initiatives for that city’s downtown arena which opens November, 2010.
D.J. earned his master’s degree at Louisville and then worked as a sales executive for the University for two years. Most recently he was VP for Momentum Worldwide, managing the US Army and Coca-Cola accounts. Prior to that he was account manager at Relay Worldwide. D.J. has a ten year old son, Ryan and enjoys basketball and golf.
–clyde
Berridge new media guru
Kirk Berridge joins us a dual role next month: a Regional VP in the Pacific Region and head of digital media. Until he moves to Dallas, he’s helping us in a consulting role. Kirk was the founder and head of Fan Media Network, an independent news and entertainment media company that featured fan video journalism and social media for sports fans.
That’s exciting for me and for Learfield because he’s got a depth of understanding in an area that is defining tomorrow’s media. We feel we’re a leader already, but Kirk gives us a decided edge in the marketplace. Our schools will definitely see this strength as will our advertisers. So, Kirk is a real strong fit for us.
He was founder of SportsAdMarketplace, a online ad network of official pro and college sports team web sites. Isn’t that cool? He sold corporate partnerships for the 49ers, iSL/Big Ten Conference, San Jose Sharks, Cincinnati Cycloses, and the Atlanta Knights. Kirk has a journalism degree from the University of Indianapolis, where he was a scholar athlete competing in pole vault, triple jump and 4X100 relay. Kirk has a five-year-old daughter, Sophia.
SCRN on top of big story
South Carolina’s Second District Congressman Joe Wilson was virtually unknown until he cried out, “You lie!” during President Barack Obama’s speech to a joint session of Congress. Though he apologized to President Obama ever since, he has been the subject of derision, ridicule and even adulation throughout the U.S.
The South Carolina Radio Network covers him, along with the Congressional delegation on a regular basis. An in-studio interview was scheduled before his outburst, and immediately after the media onslaught, his office called to say they planned to honor it, thanks to our attention to the issues that concerned him when he was lesser-known. It was a great opportunity to talk to him about life after “You lie!” and other hot-button legislation. Wilson serves the largest military constituency in the state, from Ft. Jackson to Parris Island Marine base.
–clyde
Kay Henderson makes top reporter list
Iowa’s Kay Henderson is recognized by the Washington Post as one of the top political reporters (and bloggers) in the US. Congrats, Kay! Good work.
–clyde
Management restructuring
Clyde shared some changes with you last week about our management team. I’d like to share some more with you today. We’ve designed all these changes with YOU in mind. We want to give you the very best support, service & autonomy possible to enable you to help us win in the marketplace. Here goes…
Stan Koenigsfeld has agreed to take over the senior level management duties for the Midwest (Heartland) Region in Sports. This is a major part of our company containing 18 sports properties. In addition, Stan will have senior level oversight of the News Division. Given this considerable new responsibility for Stan, he will soon be adding additional management muscle to the News division to give it the day to day leadership and focus it requires. Stan will be an Executive Vice President and will remain in the Jefferson City office.
Now, let me clearly state that the continued success, development and independence of the News Division is critical to us as a company. It’s the heritage part of our company and the market leader in farm & news broadcasting and content development. Stan’s new role allows the company to more broadly tap into his considerable leadership skills, and by adding additional management support for the News Division, it ensures that the business continues to get the direct attention it needs to remain as robust and profitable as possible.
Andy Rawlings is being named COO for Learfield. In addition to his duties leading the Sports Division, he’ll have day to day responsibility for the Sales and Operations for the entire company. Andy will be an Executive Vice President and will remain in the Dallas office.
Roger Gardner is ramping up a variety of new innovative business opportunities that Clyde touched on in his recent blog entry. In addition to his leadership in the development of new businesses, Roger will also oversee all future acquisitions. Roger will also give continued leadership to the areas of diversity, and professional development across all company business units.
Paul Schofer will remain CFO and head up the ISG group, which structurally remains as it is today with accounting, human resources, engineering and information technology.
Some of you have been asking about the timing of my move to the Jefferson City office. I realize however that the curiosity stems mostly from the desire from my coworkers here to confiscate all the belongings from my office. My daughter just changed schools this year, so my current plan (though subject to change) is to allow my kids to finish the school year here in Plano and move in the spring. In the meantime I will go back and forth as needed. I understand there are spare cubes in the Accounting and IT areas, so maybe I’ll float back and forth between those areas for my Jefferson City office location. I’ve heard rumblings that both areas are in quite a fuss over the chance to get me to office with them….Ha!
All kidding aside, there are tremendous opportunities out there for our company and I am going to do my very best to serve you all and help us capitalize on those opportunities to make our company the very best it can be. Please join me in congratulating these gentlemen in their new roles.
– Greg
KC crew pitches in at Ronald McDonald House
Monday the Kansas City office, wives and kids, helped serve a meal at the Ronald McDonald House. Left to right are Jenni and Mike Behymer, Mark and Jenell Puett, Laird Veatch, Joshua and Ginny Madden and a whole bunch of their kids.
–clyde
Go Buffs!
Can you believe it? We’ve been successfully operating Colorado’s property for all these years without a contract! Finally we got it fully executed. It shows the mutual trust the Buffaloes had in Learfield and us in them. Got the deal inked yesterday in Boulder. L-R: Mike Bohn, Athletic Director; Andrew Wheeler, GM Buffalo Sports Properties; Clyde Lear; Greg Brown; Tom McGrath, Senior Associate Athletic Director [larger version of photo]
–clyde
Louisville Arena to host tournament in 2012
Yesterday the NCAA announced the sites for the 2012 men’s basketball tournament and the Louisville Arena will host first and second-round games. The new arena is scheduled for completion in 2010, in time for the Louisville men’s and women’s basketball seasons. WDRB-TV’s Chris Turner has good story on the big news, along with a video package. The Arena’s advertising and sponsorship sales are handled by Learfield Sports’ Louisville Arena Sports & Entertainment Properties (LASEP).
–clyde
