WPP Exec Chair ROBERTO QUARTA is "pushing for an overhaul" of the advertising conglomerate now that former CEO MARTIN SORRELL has "left the firm." Quarta said that there "will be 'no sacred cows' in deciding how to restructure the company." He added that he "expects some minority stakes WPP holds in other firms to be sold in the second half of the year, and he didn't rule out merging some of the ad giant's flagship creative agencies, such as Young & Rubicam" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 6/8).
Gelfand had an internship with Octagon while he was in graduate school at GeorgetownN.Y. TIMES
THE REAL MVP: In N.Y., Marc Stein profiles Warriors Manager of Analytics SAMMY GELFAND, who "shoulders an array of more pressing duties for the Warriors, built around the pre- and postgame statistical reports that have been vital daily tools" for coach STEVE KERR and the rest of the team's coaching staff since Kerr’s arrival in May '14. Coaches "lean on him for his in-game video skills and statistical support to such a degree that Gelfand occupies a seat behind their bench during home games and whenever he travels with the team." Gelfand had an internship with Octagon while he was in "graduate school at Georgetown." But he "quickly soured on that side of the business when Octagon lost its bid" to represent Celtics F GORDON HAYWARD to Priority Sports. Gelfand: "I realized then that I loved sports, but I loved the game. I wanted to work for a team" (N.Y. TIMES, 6/8).
INSIDE INFO: Just after the NCAA released a report punishing Syracuse in March '15, AD DARYL GROSS "resigned, appearing to take the fall for a national embarrassment." But behind the scenes, Syracuse was "rewarding him financially." The school gave Gross a "new three-year contract" worth more than $1.5M -- all for a "vague, newly-created job that involved little public responsibility." When Gross "wanted to leave that new job just one year into the arrangement, Syracuse paid him $675,000 to help him accept a job across the country" (SYRACUSE.com, 6/7).
NAMES: NFL Jets Chair & CEO CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON, along with QB JOSH MCCOWN, OT KELVIN BEACHUM and Saints LB DEMARIO DAVIS, "continued their social justice advocacy efforts by sending a letter to top New York lawmakers Thursday pushing for bail reform before the current legislative session ends in the coming days" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 6/8)....ESPN’s JEMELE HILL will “deliver the commencement address at Detroit’s Mumford High School, her alma mater, on Monday.” On Tuesday, the school “will honor her by dedicating Mumford’s auditorium in her name” (DETROITNEWS.com, 6/7)....Heat President of Business Operations ERIC WOOLWORTH has been named an ’18 Champion of Diversity by SAVE, a South Florida organization dedicated to promoting the LGBTQ community. The award will be presented at the Champions of Equality Gala today in Miami (Heat)....The Celtics “hosted their annual carnival” for more than 1,000 students from Boston and Lawrence Public Schools, with C ARON BAYNES in attendance (BOSTONHERALD.com, 6/8)....Former NFLer SAM GASH is “auctioning the AFC Championship ring” that he received as a member of the ’96 Patriots team that lost to the Packers in Super Bowl XXXI (BOSTONGLOBE.com, 6/7).
