Posted on WorkInSports.com: 12/15/2005
By: Brandon McClung - Sports Business Journal
Long career in golf leads Galeski to position with Jacobsen
Michael Galeski has been involved with golf for 38 years. He started out working with his father at a country club, moved on to event management and now is working with some of the biggest names in the game. As executive vice president of Jacobsen Management Group, Galeski will be in charge of day-to-day management of JMG, the parent company of Peter Jacobsen Productions and SportsOne Inc.
Age: 49
New title: Executive vice president, Jacobsen Management Group
Previous job: Senior vice president, sports marketing, Callaway Golf Co.
First job: Working at a country club golf range
Education: Bachelor of arts, business administration (1977), Saint Michael’s College
Resides: Relocating to Portland
Grew up: Watertown, Conn.
Executive most admired: Ely Callaway, founder of Callaway Golf Co.
Brand most admired: Callaway Golf Co.
Favorite vacation spot: Whitefish, Mont.
Last book read: “The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference” by Malcolm Gladwell
Favorite movie: “Rounders”
Favorite musician: Jimmy Buffet
What is the biggest challenge in your new position?
Identifying the way we want to grow as a company and structuring our organization to be able to support that growth.
What is the biggest risk you’ve taken in your career?
After college I continued to work for my father at the golf club until winter came, and I really had nothing going on and didn’t know what I was going to do until a friend called and asked me to come to Palm Springs to work on the Bob Hope Classic. So on Jan. 1, 1978, I boarded a plane to Palm Springs without thinking about it or worrying about it. Now I look back at it and see what a big risk that was. It was something that completely changed the direction of my career.
What is your biggest professional accomplishment in your career?
As a young company in the golf industry, building up the Callaway Golf brand measured by the professionals (Phil Mickelson, Arnold Palmer, Annika Sorenstam, Michael Campbell) using, endorsing and winning with our products is a major accomplishment. Gaining their respect and trust, bringing them into the company and having them succeed with our products makes a difference for the business.
What is one element that you would like to change about the sports industry?
I think the thing out of balance is the difference in financial power that certain teams have over others in baseball. I think there needs to be some resemblance of balance come to Major League Baseball much like in the NFL. I think that is really a key to long-term success.
This career spotlight is courtesy of the Sports Business Journal. CLICK HERE to visit their official website.
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