Former White House Communications Dir and Mavericks VP/Communications KEVIN SULLIVAN was profiled by the DALLAS MORNING NEWS' Barry Horn, who writes there has "not been a more respected sports public relations type in this market." Sullivan came to the Mavs in their inaugural '80 season as a "wet-behind-the-ears assistant from Purdue," and after 18 years with the team he "left a grizzled veteran." Sullivan then "unsuccessfully tried to woo the Summer Olympics to North Texas," and later moved to N.Y. as NBCUniversal Senior VP/Corporate Communications & Media Relations, before going on to become White House Communications Dir and Assistant Secretary of Education under former President GEORGE W. BUSH. Sullivan said of what he learned while working for Mavericks Founder DONALD CARTER, former NBC Sports Group Chair DICK EBERSOL and Bush, "Mr. C always said, 'If you have an opportunity to do something for someone they will remember for the rest of their life, don’t hesitate to do it.' Dick Ebersol taught me not to issue a standard press release but think like a television producer. He wanted me to tell stories same as he did. President Bush created a family-friendly workplace. Wives and children were welcome. Not a month goes by when The History Channel doesn't show its documentary about Air Force One and someone calls to tell me they’ve seen me in it. I’m in a staged scene handing the president some documents at his desk. I was trying to stay out of the shot, but he wanted me in it so my family could see it. He knew what it would mean to my wife and children in later years. He was right" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 4/27).
