Forty Under 40

Photo by: IMG

Zambuto always assumed he would work in his family’s trucking business, but he got bit by the marketing bug during his junior year at the University of Miami, while interning at a boutique Miami marketing agency. Zambuto gained enough knowledge and developed enough gumption that he presented a plan to Miami’s athletic department on how to increase attendance at Hurricanes basketball games by tapping into fraternities and sororities and providing them with transportation to the arena.

The athletic department gave Zambuto a budget, and that project was “at the top of my résumé,” Zambuto said. That résumé went to 22 offices of IMG; 21 sent it back. But the Boca Raton, Fla., office kept his materials, and soon after graduation, Zambuto was promoting and managing ATP, WTA and senior tennis tournaments across the country, rising to director of events and operations at IMG Racquet Sports.

In 2002, Zambuto was looking for a new challenge, and IMG was staffing up to service new client Verizon. The switch from events to consulting clicked. “I liked building and running things, but I wanted to be the person developing strategy,” Zambuto said. He soon moved on to other large clients, including RBS, DHL and more recently, NRG.

“Justin is the ‘velvet hammer’ of sponsorship negotiations,” said NRG/Reliant Energy Chief Marketing Officer Karen Jones, who has worked with Zambuto for more than 10 years. “He comes off as almost shy and innocent, but he knows how to go for the kill. He knows the value of every property and he knows how to get the best for his clients.”

Age: 38 TITLE: Vice president COMPANY: IMG Consulting EDUCATION: B.S., double major: organizational communication and English literature, University of Miami FAMILY: Wife, Euie CAREER: IMG Racquet Sports, director of events and operations (1996-2002); IMG Consulting, account director/account manager (2002-08); vice president (2008-present) FIRST JOB: Working in my dad’s freight forwarding business on Long Island BEST BUSINESS ADVICE RECEIVED: Hire good people around you and give them room to grow.

WORST ADVICE RECEIVED: Do it, and we’ll figure out how to pay for it later. IPOD PLAYLIST: Grateful Dead and Green Day FARTHEST TRAVELED FROM U.S.: Beijing REACTION TO FORTY UNDER 40 SELECTION: I didn’t think I’d have a chance until I turned 39. STRESS RELEASE: A good bottle of pinot noir GUILTY PLEASURE: Reading or watching TV shows about ancient Greece and Rome FANTASY JOB: Head football coach for an SEC team FAVORITE MOVIE LINE: “You’re gonna need a bigger boat!” (“Jaws”)