Looking back 10 years ago, DAN FABER would have said he was on track to be a school superintendent or working in higher education. But now, the former D-III tennis player is right where he wants to be as executive director of the USTA Foundation. The former fourth-grade teacher joined the USTA nearly six years ago indirectly via a job as a summer tennis coach and now helps oversee some of the organization's biggest projects, while also serving as one of its chief fundraisers. Faber recently caught up with THE DAILY to walk us through what a typical day looks like.
5:30am: I get up and grab an espresso. Since it's so early I typically grab a banana and yogurt and eat it in the car.
7:00-9:00am: I live in New Jersey and our office is in White Plains. If I'm going up there -- usually 2-3 days a week -- it's about a 2-hour commute. The other days I'm in Manhattan. If I go to White Plains I'll usually stop about halfway at a Starbucks. Usually on the drive I'll have a call with one of our board members and then another with our directors in Orlando.
9:00-10:00am: When I get to the office I use that time to look at my daily schedule and grab another cup of coffee. I'm pretty wired by 9:00. I kind of shut my door and that's my time to prepare.
10:00-11:00am: I'll have a meeting or another phone call.
11:00am-12:00pm: We have team meetings with other departments within the USTA. We're preparing for the 50th anniversary of the National Junior Tennis & Learning, which has chapters around the country. So we're planning and strategizing around that. After that I'll either meet or have a call with CEO & Exec Dir GORDON SMITH or another senior leader to make sure we're connecting dots.
12:00-12:30pm: We have a huge project going on the West Coast. We're in partnership with the Tiger Woods Foundation and the Kimmelman Foundation and AEG. We're helping to design and execute this tennis and education campus in L.A. So I have a call every day to go over that with our team out there.
12:30-1:00pm: During my lunch I try to refuel but also spend some time with the staff. We have a cafeteria -- we tend to grab our food and eat up in a conference room. If I'm feeling healthy I'll go to the salad bar. But if I want to reward myself or need a little extra, I'll get a grilled chicken wrap. I don't typically go out, but occasionally my team will order Chipotle or sushi and have it delivered.
Faber tries to have a daily call with Chris Evert, who chairs the foundation's BODusta
1:00-5:00pm: I'll have a call with my board president or board chair CHRIS EVERT. I have calls with her about various things. We're having an event April 10 where Chris and some of our celebrity council members will host a luncheon with the media so they can learn more about the foundation and what we're trying to accomplish. So we're busy planning that. I'll have more meetings throughout the day.
5:00-7:00pm: I'll have a directors call on the way home. Sometimes I'll travel into N.Y. for a partner dinner.
7:00-10:00pm: My wife, daughter and I will take our three dogs for a good 2-mile walk. We'll talk about things and then usually grab dinner. Down the street we have a local restaurant, TJ's, where we know everyone. We also might cook something at home. My specialties are salmon, steaks or grilled chicken sandwiches. After dinner my daughter and I will watch hockey. She's a ballerina by day and a huge Predators fan by night. My wife went to Vanderbilt, so that's where we have the Nashville tie.
10:00pm-midnight: I'm back on the computer answering emails I didn't get to throughout the day. I usually shut down the computer around midnight and my wife and I will close out the evening watching JIMMY FALLON.
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