KATRINA ADAMS: My parents have definitely influenced me in my career. The values they taught me and the support they gave me are unmatched.
TARA AUGUST: Jeff Ogan, former vice president of talent relations at Turner Sports. Seven years ago, he was the one who approached me about transitioning from the PR team over to talent, and it was one of the best decisions I’ve made. I’m forever grateful that he had the foresight to recruit me and was willing to teach me the craft of the talent business.
JUDY BOYD: David Hill, because of the emphasis on taking chances and thinking outside of the norm; being decisive; and knowing what you want.
LIZ DILULLO BROWN: A combination from my family. My mom was really independent and taught us to be that way. My dad was a coach and had a coaching personality. And my sister is a free spirit. I got something from each of them.
JENNIFER CARPER: Phillip Schilling, my boss early in my career at Schmidt und Kaiser (German sponsorship and branding agency). He taught me negotiation skills around sponsorship and business.
MICHELE CARR: Rich Lehrfeld and Nancy Smith at American Express.
REBECCA CHATMAN: My parents are sports fanatics, and growing up we were always heading to sporting events or watching them on TV. I don’t think I missed a Redskins game as a child. One of our family’s favorite stories is when my dad held me up to the television and told me to clap as we watched Hank Aaron hit home run No. 715. My grandfather was also a huge sports fan. He taught me everything about his beloved Yankees, and his reverence for golf made it even more special when I worked on my first Ryder Cup. Without my family’s influence and support, I can’t imagine that I would have chosen sports as a career.
CHRYSA CHIN: In addition to our players, there are five people who had equal impact and influence who supported my success. Charles Grantham (former executive director, NBPA): He hired me understanding that my skills from other careers were transferable and would allow me to best connect with the players. It was my first job in professional sports. David Stern and Adam Silver: David and Adam hired me, and I worked at the NBA for 17 1/2 years. They understood and supported my work. Russ Granik (former deputy commissioner, NBA): Shortly after I was hired by the NBA, Russ transferred me to player programs (now player development). I was the first woman to have a managerial role and became the first woman to be named vice president in this group. And, Mike Bantom (former senior vice president, player development): Mike understood and respected my work. He always supported my growth and made sure I had the resources and freedom to do my job.
LAURA CHITTICK: Tom Cox, managing director, JPMorgan. Tom can cut through all the numbers, legal docs and emotions to get to the core issues and get deals done.
LAURA DAY: I don’t think I can point to just one individual, as I have had the good fortune of working for and with great ownership groups and teams. Dave St. Peter, president of the Minnesota Twins, is a tremendous leader. His work ethic, creativity, strategic vision, high character, and compassion for our people inspires and motivates me (and others) to always do and give our best.
LESLEY ECCLES: I find Adam Silver to be incredibly inspiring. He has great vision and is a very authentic person. He obviously shares our vision for how daily fantasy is transforming the way people consume and enjoy sports and had enough faith in our team and our vision to become an equity partner last year.
JAIME FAULKNER: Colin (Faulkner, spouse and vice president of sales and partnerships for the Chicago Cubs). He’s been in sports for a lot longer than I have, and what I’ve learned from watching him is, he has always kept the fan first. He’s a great leader and really smart, but his perspective has always been fan first.
NORA LYNN FINCH: Kay Yow, one of America’s most inspirational coaches, whose public battle with breast cancer personified her life as a coach: hard-fought, with honesty and transparency. The disease never stole her dignity, respect for others, or love for God. We will be judged not by winning or losing but by the way we played the game.
MORGAN FLATLEY: My dad, who opened my eyes to the world of marketing.
SUSAN FULTON: My mother, Rachel Fulton, had a big impact in my career. My mother was not in the sports industry; she was in politics as a campaign organizer, an office holder, and was an advocate for human services in Iowa. She was a tireless organizer who could garner bipartisan support for the common good of a cause. From my mother I learned that all projects are possible with the support of the project team not unlike the teams that are formed for athletic sports and not unlike the building project teams that I work on today.
DRU HANCOCK: I have had many mentors who have steered me in the right direction. Among them: When I got to the Big 12 in ’95, a guy named Donnie Duncan, who was at that time the AD at the University of Oklahoma. … He took me under his wing and was a wonderful role model. He’s somebody I could go into his office any day and ask him a question, and he’d spend time with me. He retired about eight years ago, but I’ve always thought of him as a good mentor for me.
AMY HUCHTHAUSEN: Bridget Belgiovine, current athletic director at Wellesley College. Bridget was AD at UW-La Crosse during my first 2 1/2 years of college. She has been a valuable mentor and friend over the years, starting when I was a painfully shy college sophomore in need of a push. She has encouraged, challenged and supported me — professionally and personally — ever since, and I would most certainly not be where I am today without her presence in my life.
ANNA ISAACSON: 1) Joe Browne: Gave me my opportunity at the NFL and is one of the few people who continuously gives me constructive feedback purely to make me a better person and employee. 2) My mom: Through her fandom, she taught me the power of sports to influence culture and people at an early age and shaped my dream to work in this field.
JODI MARKLEY: Geoff Mason is a legend in sports production. As my mentor and, at one point in my career, my boss, he gave me a wealth of knowledge and opportunity.
JANEY MARKS: Don Dixon, who hired me in 1980 at A-B, because without him taking a chance on me to be part of what they were doing, I would not be where I am today.
MARY MCCARTHY: My boss, Craig Harnett, the NHL’s CFO. Not only has his guidance over the past 20 years helped me succeed at the NHL, but he taught me by example how to make the tough decisions by gathering information, analyzing the impact, and not second-guessing yourself.
JAYMEE MESSLER: Derek Jeter. From working with him for many years to now being his business partner at The Players’ Tribune, I’ve learned a lot from him. He’s incredibly focused and was instrumental in shaping the company. Our goal was to build a platform for professional athletes that was based on trust and respect, and no one understands the importance of that more than Derek.
KELLEY EARNHARDT MILLER: My dad, for making us work from the ground up and not handing us anything, and Mr. Rick Hendrick more recently in my actual career, because of his experience and shared advice.
BENITA FITZGERALD MOSLEY: Anita DeFrantz. As a result of her advice, I had the opportunity to work for the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games, then became director of the Chula Vista Olympic Training Center, and the rest is history.
COURTNEY NALLY: It’s a tie. My dad: He worked in the golf apparel industry, and I think my love of sports and my work ethic are a result of watching him and how he’s carried himself. The second and equally as important would be Ann Wool, president of Ketchum Sports & Entertainment. I was her first intern at Ketchum, and she is hands-down the reason I went into this line of work. I still have my first sponsorship evaluation that I did while interning for her many, many years ago.
ALISON OVERHOLT: John Walsh. Years ago he reached out to me and told me to write him a memo about the future of the publishing business. And then he’d pop up every few months in my inbox peppering me to send him ideas. He introduced me to people, he ripped apart my ideas — then helped me build them back up. Even now, he’s retired, and yet [recently] I got a note from him that just said, “Jen Welter. Training diary.” Nothing else, and nothing else was needed. He’s still five steps ahead of me.
BETH PARETTA: Roger Penske. Although I met him through the dealership side of his business, I’ve been fortunate to work with him on the racing side, which he is quite passionate about. He has the respect of so many, and great working relationships with many manufacturers and stakeholders. He’s taught me that relationships are the most important thing and your word is your bond. Having his trust means a lot to me.
AMY PERKO: Bob Frederick and Bill Friday. Integrity and treating others with respect were hallmarks of their careers, and I had the great honor to be mentored by both. They both were passionate about the educational role college sports should play in the lives of college athletes. Both gave me tremendous professional opportunities and advice that lasts a lifetime.
VICKY PICCA: My mother; I followed her lead in loving sports.
SHERRI PRIVITERA: I have had the blessing of being impacted by three successful professionals who have all impacted my career in different ways. The common thread is that they all believed in me and encouraged me to develop in my own way. Mike Handelman, former vice president at HNTB, was my mentor and teacher early in my career. He played an important role in teaching me how to interact with clients, understand the business and be a strategic thinker. Scott Radecic, senior principal at Populous, taught me how to listen to clients, lead challenging conversations and truly enjoy the business. Earl Santee, senior principal at Populous, taught me how to think bigger and see projects independently from any other project.
SUZANNE SMITH: There were two guys at CBS who were mentors to me. They were both directors. One was Joe Aceti. He actually received a DGA Lifetime Achievement Award, so a lot of people thought very highly of him, not just me. And Larry Cavolina, who was at CBS for many years. … Those two guys took me under their wings from the time I was a production assistant and then associate director. They taught me a lot of the different techniques in directing. They both had big personalities and were funny guys. I’m not a funny person by nature, but they both showed me how you can get through a stressful situation with humor and how to treat everybody. I remember Larry sitting down with a whiteboard and saying, “Here’s where you put this camera and why,” and “When you do a football game, you do this. Now, let’s do a chart of a basketball game.” The two of them took me under their wings to explain the product of the job and then also how to manage the people and manage what you’re doing. The other thing for me that was good: They were protective of me. … I started at CBS in 1983. There are many more men who work in the business than women, and at times, it’s not easy for women being in the business for a lot of reasons. And the two of them were always very protective of me. No question, without the two of them, my career would’ve been different. The two of them took care of me, and I hope to be able to do that for somebody now.
 |
KAREN SPENCER: Martha Fuller and Peter McLoughlin have had the biggest impact on my career. Martha, our former CFO, was a great mentor and friend. Martha made sure that I was prepared to step into her shoes. When Peter McLoughlin was hired as president in 2010, he challenged and empowered me to become a more impactful contributor to our organization.
KIM STONE: Our president, Eric Woolworth, has been my champion for many years, providing me with so many opportunities within our company to grow. … He knows that I love a good challenge and, at times, he has often believed in me more than I have believed in myself. In 2006, when he asked me to be the new GM of the arena, I was a very unorthodox choice as I did not have facility management experience. … However, as Eric reminded me when he offered me the position, “I am hiring you for your leadership skills, not for your ability to change the light bulbs.”
LORI WARREN: Rick Pych, our president. We have worked together for 21 years, and he continues to challenge me to get outside my comfort zone each day.
ERIN WEINBERG: Former head of PR for an NFL team who told me there were practically no women in sports for a reason. Great motivation for my 20-year-old self.
SUZY WHALEY: My mom. She encouraged me to play all sports for the enjoyment and the health benefits they offered.
