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CSE
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PROFESSIONAL
What I Like …
■ An insight: While all community initiatives are beneficial, programs that support kids by giving them positive outlets like playgrounds, green spaces and structured after-school recreation have the deepest impact.
■ An influential person in my career: Ruth Alexander at the University of Florida, a pioneer in Title IX legislation.
ADAM ZIMMERMAN
President, marketing,
CSE
■ Where I'm From: Born in Ann Arbor, Mich., grew up on the west coast of Florida, and now reside in Atlanta.
■ Where I Went to School: B.A., history, and M.S., sport management, University of Florida.
■ My First Job: Camp counselor at a Florida wildlife preserve.
■ A timeless idea: Face-to-face interactions are the best means of communication.
■ A business deal: The ability of the NFL players union and owners to work toward a mutually beneficial deal — a lesson for the U.S. government.
■ A sports facility: Fenway Park.
■ A sports event: Wednesday at the Masters.
■ A strategy: Service what you sell.
■ A hire: Mark Lazarus as chairman of NBC Sports.
■ A brand: Starbucks. They created their own category, suffered setbacks, reconnected with the core brand and built next-generation revenue extensions.
■ A trend: The need for all brands to understand and utilize mobile as a go-to market strategy.
■ A pro league or team business initiative: The efforts of Mark Emmert to begin reform of the NCAA.
■ A story that bears watching: The lack of P.E. in schools, as well as the loss of community facilities. This will have implications for the next generation of fans.
■ A fantasy job: U.S. congressman.
What I Like About …
■ My job: Variety of opportunities for ongoing learning.
■ Sports: Its ability to foster community.
■ Sports business: In the eyes of academia and corporate America, no longer an oxymoron.
■ Sports media: Increasingly allows for fans to have a voice.
■ Sports technology: Will continue to be fertile ground for companies/products looking to target early adopters and trendsetters.
■ Competing: Endless opportunities for improvement.
■ The future of sports business: Continued mainstream acceptance by corporate America as a business-driving tool on equal footing with other marketing disciplines.
■ Sports fans: The lifeblood and foundation of our industry.
What I Would Like To …
■ Change: The lack of civility in our discourse on a personal and national level.
■ Change in what I do: Find time to become an adjunct professor in sports business to better connect with the next generation of sports marketers.
■ See more of in sports: Safer environments for fans.
■ See less of in sports business: Selling inventory rather than what is best for the client.
■ Eliminate: Selfishness.
What I Don’t Like ...
■ In general: Narcissism.
■ Pet peeve: People who park in emergency/fire lanes.
■ In sports: Excessive celebration of mundane achievement.
■ About sports fans: Those who spoil the family experience.
PERSONAL
What I Like …
■ People: Those who are authentic and have a sense of humor.
■ That would surprise those who know me: I started college as a track athlete at University of Nevada, Reno.
■ About myself: I am a good friend.
■ Heroes: My mom and dad: wonderful examples of fidelity, love and mutual respect.
■ Possession: My maternal grandfather’s 50-year-old Boston Red Sox shirt.
■ Players: Barry Sanders. Walked away at the peak of his greatness and played the game with maximum effort and minimal fanfare.
■ Teams: Florida Gators and Boston Red Sox.
■ City: Cork, Ireland.
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■ Memento: My credentials from the 1996 Olympics.
■ Time of year: July 4, because it is the pinnacle of what is good about summer and America.
■ Music: U2, Radiohead and the Black Keys.
■ Books: “The Compassionate Instinct: The Science of Human Goodness” and “The Progress Principle: Using Small Wins to Ignite Joy, Engagement, and Creativity at Work.”
■ Authors: Anything by Nick Hornby or Dave Eggers.
■ Magazines: Harvard Business Review and Esquire.
■ Gadget: iPad.
■ Chores: Since I am perennially out of food and like to cook, my answer would be grocery shopping.
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Hobbies: Fitness and travel.
■ Movies: Indies. I went to the Sundance Film Festival for the first time this year, and it was fantastic.
■ TV: “Burn Notice,” “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” and “Real Time With Bill Maher.”
■ Concert: U2, Tampa Theatre, early ’80s.
■ Food: Grilled grouper on the beach.
■ Dessert: Pumpkin pie.
■ Drink: Local brews from wherever I travel.
■ Vacation spots: North Carolina mountains.
■ Cars: Would use mass transit if I could.
■ Singer: Ryan Adams: a fantastic and prolific lyricist who plays everything from alternative country to rock.
■ Quote: My paternal grandfather’s credo: “For when the one great scorer comes to mark against your name, he writes not that you won or lost, but how you played the game.” (Grantland Rice)
