Populous
Megan Rand
Architect / Associate, Populous
Age: 27
Born: Middletown, Conn.
Education: Syracuse University, Bachelor of Architecture
About you
Could not go a day without: At the risk of sounding cliché, I couldn’t go a day without my iPhone. It wakes me up in the morning, helps me schedule my week, is the soundtrack to my commute and allows me to be in touch with my clients and teammates who are all over the country on any given day.
Most common misperception of your generation: That we are too task-oriented and look too far ahead at what is to come, wanting to have a clear path forward to advancement. … The world we grew up in did give us a desire for immediate satisfaction, but our generation is also willing to put in the hard work.
In 10 years I hope to be … : A leader in Populous’ collegiate market, developing and implementing new athletic training concepts and pushing boundaries of the fan experience for generations of fans to come.
At Populous, we’re always looking for the next innovative idea and the next biggest trend in fan experience, and it was rewarding to feel like my ideas were heard.
In the industry
Most exciting aspect of sports business: I’m most excited about the constant innovation surrounding fan experience, player engagement and elite athlete training.
How should sports address social issues? Sports bring people of all backgrounds together to cheer for a common goal and a shared culture. Sports and sports venues impact communities and spark change, creating a great opportunity for revitalization of an area or integration into a city’s fabric. The impact sports and sports venues have impact generations of people and draw people together.
Sports industry needs to do a better job of … : Addressing declining attendance. We need to introduce new fans to the industry and reach a wider audience. One trend that will help that is using stadiums as an anchor for mixed-use developments.
