Hamilton and Potter Join Company’s University Partnership Group
PLANO, Texas — Two long-time veterans of college athletics, Mike Hamilton and Joe Potter, are joining Learfield, the collegiate marketer announced today. The executives will be leading the company’s University Partnership Group, which is responsible for developing Learfield’s business relationships with schools and conferences. Hamilton has been named executive vice president and will lead the University Partnership Group, and Potter joins the company as senior vice president with the same group.
Hamilton is the former athletic director at the University of Tennessee, while Potter has held a variety of leadership roles with ISP Sports and its successor, IMG College.
“I’m very pleased to have these two respected executives join our company,” said Learfield President and CEO Greg Brown. “I’ve known both of them for many years and have not only witnessed the great work they’ve done but also admired the manner in which they do their work. Both of these guys are highly respected throughout college athletics and beyond.”
After receiving his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Clemson, Hamilton worked at his alma mater, followed by stints at Wake Forest and Tennessee, where he rose to the role of athletic director, serving in that leadership capacity from 2003-2011. Under his leadership, the Vols consistently finished in the top 16 of the Learfield Directors’ Cup annual competition. Since then, he has devoted his time and effort to the non-profit community as president of Blood:Water, which partners with African grassroots organizations to address the water and HIV/AIDS crises; and most recently he was executive director of Show Hope, an organization dedicated to caring for orphans and reducing barriers to adoption.
“This is an exciting opportunity for me, and I’m thrilled to be joining Learfield,” said Hamilton. “I’ve long admired the company and the work it does in college athletics. Given my background, this is a great fit professionally and the culture of Learfield makes it a great fit personally.”
Hamilton and Potter have worked together before. Potter is a 28-year veteran of the collegiate multi-media business, having served the vast majority of his time in various leadership roles with IMG College. Potter is an Indiana University alum and earned his graduate degree in sports administration from Ohio University. His first job after graduate school was in the marketing department at Wake Forest, where he worked alongside Hamilton for a brief period of time. Potter served in a number of operational and management roles with IMG College and ISP Sports, prior to its acquisition by IMG in 2011. He was deeply involved in ISP’s growth initiatives while serving as the company’s chief operating officer.
“I’ve known and admired the folks at Learfield for the bulk of my professional life,” said Potter. “I couldn’t be happier about joining the Learfield team and continuing my career in collegiate athletics, working with many of my friends who are administrators and executives throughout the industry.”
Bob Agramonte, who has served as Learfield’s chief business development officer and has led the University Partnership Group, will be transitioning to an advisory role in the company. “Bob has been a superstar in our company for many years,” said Brown. “He’s led a school property, managed a region, and most recently has created and managed the University Partnership Group. Bob’s been with us 16 years, and I support his desire to do some other things. I’m pleased that he will still be connected to the company and contributing to our future growth.”
Hamilton and Potter will begin transitioning into their respective roles immediately.
ABOUT LEARFIELD
Learfield unlocks the value of college sports for brands, fans and universities. A fully integrated sports marketing and solutions platform, Learfield manages multimedia rights and sponsorships for nearly 130 collegiate institutions, conferences and arenas. Through its family of solutions, Learfield provides access to professional concessions and ticket sales; branding, licensing and commerce management; digital and social expertise; campus-wide business and sponsorship development; and venue technology systems. Learfield proudly supports athletic departments at all competitive levels as title sponsor of the prestigious Learfield Directors’ Cup.