Inaugural Advisory Board Member of the Sponsorship Marketing Association (SMA), whose mission is to grow the sponsorship industry and provide inspiration and information to help sponsorship marketers thrive.

Conceived and orchestrated a “Core 4” strategy, bringing together four Amazon business units (AWS, Prime Video, Licensed Merchandise, and Brand Marketing) to secure a robust and multi-faceted partnership with the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).Authored internal recommendation in January 2021 Identifying women’s sports as a market poised for significant growth and an ideal territory for Amazon to establish a sponsorship footprint. Led to my negotiation of a multi-year agreement with the NWSL. As predicted, the women’s sports market has seen meteoric growth in terms of media rights fees, attendance, sponsorship, ratings, and valuations.

Hired to manage all aspects of Amazon’s first major sponsorship - the naming rights for Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, inclusive of the NHL’s Seattle Kraken and the WNBA’s Seattle Storm.Led the development of high impact, branded installations throughout Climate Pledge Arena, including a 200’ long by 18’ high “Living (plant) Wall” that has become the arena’s signature feature and demonstration of Amazon’s commitment to sustainability.Developed Amazon’s first ever global sponsorship strategy and spearheaded the RFP and selection process for Amazon’s sports marketing agency.

Marketing Strategy | Brand Positioning/Architecture | Competitive/Industry Analysis | Business Development | Research Strategy and Data Analysis | Messaging and Communications | Digital Media Strategy | Linear Media Strategy | Partnership Recommendations and Outreach | Content Development | Concepting (e.g., PR, Promotion, Experiential Marketing)

Led marketing efforts for newly created Intel Sports Group. Negotiated and activated agreements with sports leagues (NFL, NBA, NCAA) and major US broadcasters to promote Intel immersive technologies. Drove partnerships with other TOP Olympic sponsors to integrate ground breaking technology for Intel’s Olympic categories across AI, 5G, VR, and Drones to reposition Intel from a microprocessor to a data company.Led Virtual Reality team to drive awareness and consumption of Intel True VR for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea. Planned and executed a multi-million-dollar campaign including NBC linear and digital media, social and programmatic, web design and partnerships with Microsoft, Google and Oculus. Resulted in a record 416,000 app downloads (+250% over Rio Games) and 61,000 hours of VR content consumed (vs. 8,000 for Rio Games).Established naming architecture, brand identities and brand standards for Intel Sports Group’s Virtual Reality and volumetric video technologies: True VR and True View.Led announcement of Intel’s partnership with Alibaba and Olympic Broadcast Service (OBS) at The Computing Conference in Hangzhou, China in September 2018. Announcement of Intel’s immersive media experiences garnered over 300 press hits and further solidified critical business partnership with Alibaba.

Led a team charged with identifying on brand events and negotiated those agreements. Developed strategy and executed those events to engage consumers with the Harley-Davidson brand, advancing them along the engagement path to sales. Scope included both motorcycle (e.g., Daytona Bike Week) and non-motorcycle events (e.g., Summer X Games).Architected Harley-Davidson’s upcoming 115th Anniversary strategy (2018) designed to increase Brand value, attendance, dealer and customer engagement, and ultimately sales. Analyzed consumer and dealer insights to identify key drivers of participation, as well as missed opportunities from previous Anniversary celebrations.Championed Harley-Davidson’s first FacebookLive event: Flat Out Friday indoor motorcycle flat track race in October 2016. Garnered 530,000 views (500,000 uniques) and 5,500 hours of viewership worldwide, with an onsite audience of merely 3,500.Appointed as Harley-Davidson’s representative to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) Board of Trustees to influence and drive expansion of H-D’s Riding Academy motorcycle training program. Played a key role in driving a 33% increase in riders trained through the H-D Riding Academy from 2015 to 2016 (45,000 to 60,000).Conceived, negotiated and executed a seventy-five year Official Motorcycle partnership between the City of Sturgis, SD and Harley-Davidson concurrent with the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally’s 75th Anniversary in August, 2015. Resulted in two waves of PR events that garnered over 82MM impressions and 800 placements, dealer activation program that resulted in 9MM miles ridden and 120,000 dealer visits.Built out Harley "Hooligan" flat track racing program to build cultural relevance and broaden brand appeal among the elusive Young Adult cohort. Prioritized Social media reach and lifestyle elements of our racers to connect with this critical target.

Represented the Voice of the Consumer for Harley-Davidson’s Core target segment (M35+), accounting for 70% of the business. Leveraged consumer analytics and insights to influence product planning and marketing efforts.Led consumer launch of Project RUSHMORE, H-D’s redesigned Touring line, in August, 2013. Assembled and led a cross-functional team including all marketing communication disciplines, events, training, product planning, dealer tools and communication and Harley-Davidson Financial Services. The launch resulted in H-D’s biggest in 20 years, driving a 30% increase in US Touring sales from mid-August through December 2013 vs. YAG.Assembled and led a team to test, redesign and rollout a new brand identity for Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.), which had been using the original logo since its inception 30 years earlier. Devised and employed a customer-led process to involve members in the process. Resulted in a successful rollout of a new, evolved brand identity that was embraced by the 900,000 membership and drove a three-fold increase in merchandise sales year over year.

Successfully negotiated multi-year partnerships with the US Open (USTA), Latin Grammys, Coachella Valley Music Festival, Austin City Limits Music Festival, Nokia Theatre (NYC) and the Apollo Theater.Developed brand-centric, proprietary properties in addition to securing and activating sponsorships:- Music: Heineken Red Star Soul concert tours (2006, 2007) targeting African American consumers; Heineken Thirst Studio Global Finale in Las Vegas in May 2007.- Entertainment: Heineken Red Star Award (Independent Film) launched at Sundance Film Festival in January ’07; NYU (’06) and USC (’07) Film School Programs.

Promoted in January 2006 to lead department of 15 at Heineken USA, the #2 US beer importer and most profitable operating company of Dutch multinational parent Heineken N.V. Reporting to the CMO, built a specialized practice charged with developing and activating sponsorship and event strategies across all ethnicities for Heineken USA’s portfolio of seven brands. Led all marketing mix elements: interactive, advertising, media, public relations, events.Managed ten agencies in the development of interactive and promotional programming, as well as sponsorship activation across the portfolio, inclusive of strategy development, execution and fee negotiation.Developed Heineken’s first-ever national on-premise sampling program in March 2006 to support the launch of Heineken Premium Light. Developed and sold in program to distributor network and secured financial commitments from them. This $3MM program sampled 500,000 consumers over a five-month period, and was instrumental in driving trial and achieving 7MM cases in its first year.Led Marketing Services team, directing the sourcing, production and fulfillment of Heineken USA’s POS/display materials and premium merchandise, representing over $100MM worth of merchandise fulfilled per annum. Raised order accuracy from 95% to 99% during tenure.

Drove Heineken brand volume growth of 4% CAGR from 2002-06 in flat beer market (0.2% CAGR over same period).Deployed $100MM+ brand budget. Reduced Heineken median drinker age from 40 to 31 in four years by evolving Heineken advertising campaign, retooling media strategy, and identifying and developing music and entertainment as Heineken’s key marketing platforms.Managed testing and rollout of new packages including Heineken aluminum bottle, 3 and 1.5 liter magnums, 18-pack, 24 oz. keg can and 5 Liter DraughtKeg. 5L DraughtKeg has dramatically exceeded expectations, contributing 60% of Brand Heineken incremental cases in 2007, and experienced product shortages as demand significantly outstripped supply.Led search for interactive agency; developed a comprehensive RFP, selected and hired an interactive AOR. Led development of Heineken’s online marketing strategy and programming.Led Heineken’s fully integrated, $10MM advertising and promotional tie-in with The Matrix Reloaded in May 2003, resulting in: 6% sales increase vs. prior year in off premise accounts; 26% unaided TV ad awareness among target consumers; 415% increase in traffic to Heineken.com.Conceived, developed and led the production of AmsterJam, Heineken’s first ever self-produced concert event (NYC, August ’05; repeated in ‘06). Oversaw all aspects of activation: on-site, online, public relations, on air and in store. Concert achieved sell-out status (30,500), $5MM in publicity, +15% volume over prior period throughout NE.

Recruited as one of four Officers to build this still operating awards and promotional products company from concept stage. Assembled and led a team of agencies and a department of 15 in development and execution of: look/feel and navigation of web site, corporate logo and identity, 68-page catalog and circulation plan, $6MM Year I advertising plan and public relations strategy.Spearheaded aggressive Business Development strategy, resulting in the successful negotiation of licensing and/or sponsorship relationships with MLB, MLS, NBA, NFL, NHL, Road Runners’ Club of America, Strike Ten Entertainment (Bowling), Men’s Senior Baseball, USA Baseball, Pop Warner Football, American Congress of State Games.Assumed Sales responsibilities in January 2001, whereupon I created a Corporate Sales team and took over Inbound Sales, resulting in Corporate Sales representing $800,000 in incremental revenue in 2001 (16% of total sales). Hired and trained a new Inbound Sales team, instituting a commission-based pay structure, resulting in a 42% increase in average order value.

Promoted to create and lead the Pepsi Sports Group, bringing numerous flagship Brand sponsorships under one umbrella: NASCAR, Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, U.S. Soccer.Negotiated sponsorship of NASCAR Busch Series Pepsi Chevrolet driven by Jeff Gordon, resulting in a multi-million dollar licensed merchandise program. Secured contracts with International Speedway Corporation and Penske Motorsports, resulting in multi-year agreements with multiple tracks and pouring rights dominance over competition. Negotiated Pepsi’s Major League Baseball sponsorship, securing Restaurant channel pass-through rights and All Star Balloting rights. Sold in All Star Balloting to Wal-Mart, resulting in over 500,000 incremental cases sold. Conceived, developed and deployed Pepsi's first grassroots program (youth baseball), reaching 700,000 kids in Year 1, and driving statistically significant gains in Pepsi KPI’s.