Posted on WorkInSports.com: 8/30/2005
By: Brandon McClung - Sports Business Journal
Age: 46
New title: Senior director of business development, SportsMark Management Group
Previous title: Executive director and vice president of national sales, Host Communications
First job: Country club grounds crew
Education: Bachelor of arts, history (1981), UNC Charlotte
Resides: Roswell, Ga.
Grew up: Roswell, Ga.
Executive most admired: Homer Rice, former Georgia Tech director of athletics
Brand most admired: Coca-Cola
Favorite vacation spot: Tulum, Mexico
Last movie seen: “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie”
Favorite movies: “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” and “The Godfather ”
Favorite musician: Bruce Springsteen
Kevin Bryant joins SportsMark Management Group, a subsidiary of Omnicom’s The Radiate Group, after 11 years with Host Communications. With the opening of its new office in Atlanta, SportsMark hopes to further penetrate collegiate sports marketing, NASCAR and the Olympics. Bryant’s career in sports marketing began in collegiate athletics at Georgia Tech.
What will be the biggest challenge in your new position?
Understanding the Radiate system and what each company does. It will also be a challenge and a goal to help SportsMark get to the next level as a company.
What is the biggest risk you’ve taken in your career?
When I left the comfort zone I had while at Georgia Tech and opened a regional office for Host Communications.
What is your biggest professional accomplishment?
Being on the team that helped sign the deal with Coca-Cola and the NCAA. It was the largest partnership deal of its kind at that time.
What is your biggest professional disappointment?
In the mid-1980s at Georgia Tech, we tried to sell corporate sponsorships for single athletic games. We were really beaten up by the media both locally and nationally for trying that idea. We in turn used the bad publicity as a motivational tool.
What career advice do you have for people wanting into this industry?
You need to tie everything into revenue generating. Some people do not like the risk that is in sales, but you can create sales anywhere and be successful.
What is one story you are continuing to watch in sports today?
The movement of teams and conferences that has been going on throughout college football and the whole BCS story line. Things change, and that is just a part of sports.
This career spotlight is courtesy of the Sports Business Journal. CLICK HERE to visit their official website.
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