Dec. 21, 2010

1. Name: John Phillips

2. Current Position and Employer: Associate Director of Athletics at Embry-Riddle University (Fla.)

3. Number of Years in Current Position: This is my 14th year here at Embry-Riddle

4. Why/when did you decide to pursue a career in college athletics? Right out of college, I spent five years in sales and marketing, working approximately 40 trade shows per year. Life on the road was fun for a while, but after five years, I was ready to retire my suitcase and actually live in the house I owned.

Shortly after beginning to look for a job with less travel, I was fortunate enough to attend a booster club luncheon at Embry-Riddle and listened to our Athletics Director and Men's Basketball Coach Steve Ridder speak about the growth of the athletic department and the university. On the way out of the event, I commented to Coach Ridder that someday, the athletic program at Embry-Riddle would be big enough that he would need someone to help him market and promote the program in the local community. I told him that when that day came, I would love to be come work for him. Approximately six months later, I was hired as the University's first-ever Director of Sports Marketing & Promotions.

5. What was your path to working in collegiate marketing? Having played baseball at Embry-Riddle, I was familiar with the athletic program as a student-athlete, but had no idea that one day I would be here on the administrative side of the department. I had a great experience my senior year as a student-athlete and was willing to do anything I could to help the program as an alumnus, but never expected it would be in a full-time capacity.

6. Who do you consider to be a role model in this industry? In college athletics, no doubt it's our Athletics Director and Head Basketball Coach Steve Ridder. In sports marketing, it's probably Buck Rogers (yes, that's his real name) the General Manager for the Huntsville Stars minor league baseball team. Buck worked here in Daytona Beach for the Daytona Cubs about ten years ago and has one of the best creative minds in marketing and promotions. He's the modern day version of Bill Veeck - minus the Disco Demolition Night.

7. What are your career aspirations? I love Embry-Riddle and at this point I can't envision myself working anywhere else. Someday that may change, but for now, I have a tremendous balance in my personal and professional life here. I get to work in the overall administration of our athletic program, I am hands-on with our marketing staff on a daily basis, and most importantly still get to be there with my wife and kids as often as possible for the special events in their lives. Someday, I would love to be an athletics director, whether that's at Embry-Riddle or somewhere else, but it would have to be the right place at the right time. I'm not willing to sacrifice that balance just for a new title.

8. How important do you feel your involvement is with NACMA in terms of continuing to grow your career? My involvement with NACMA has been critical to the success of my career so far. Most of the marketing ideas that have helped build our athletic program have come from other NACMA members. The greatest "steal" of my career came from NACMA and UC-Davis. The presentation I attended about the Aggie Pack (UC-Davis's student spirit club) from NACMA several years ago, is really what helped us turn the corner with regard to engaging our student body here at Embry-Riddle. There have been numerous other great promotional ideas and marketing strategies that we have picked up over the years from other NACMA members. Hopefully, I can share a few of our ideas with others and return the favor.

9. What is your favorite memory from your job, or project you are most proud of? Favorite memory is doing the play-by-play for the national championship game that our men's basketball team won in 2000. Most proud moment was serving as tournament director for our first major national championship that we hosted here in Daytona Beach. It was the men's soccer national championship in 2005 and during the opening ceremonies, we had a skydiver land at the middle of the field with the game ball. Since it was a night jump, none of the fans could see the skydiver until he was actually below the light towers of the stadium. The skydiver's approach was in total silence, and the gasps from the crowd when he appeared were priceless!

10. Were you ever involved in a marketing blunder? If so, please explain. Can't think of too many blunders. We've definitely had some events that were less than successful, but nothing too embarrassing that I can think of. Maybe the closest was one time we were invited by a local sports bar to broadcast our basketball coaches radio show live from the bar. The show was on a Monday night and the staff at the sports bar seemed really excited to have us and we had a nice crowd turn out. However, after being on the air for just a few minutes, about half the bar started yelling and screaming and telling us to "turn it down." Lesson learned - don't ever try and broadcast a basketball show in a sports bar that lives and dies for Monday Night Football.

11. Who has been your favorite coach to work with? (either present or past job) I've been fortunate to work with some great coaches here at Embry-Riddle, so no way I can pick just one. But if I had to narrow it down, I would say the coaches that I played for as a student-athlete, Greg and Todd Guilliams. The relationship between player and coach is often times a very special one but in most cases it's restricted to four or five years -- at least in terms of daily interaction. In my case, not only did I get to play for them, I got to work side-by-side with them for ten years as an administrator as we helped grow our athletic program.

12. What do you feel is the most important quality for those early in the profession to possess? Most important? Tough call. Here's a few: Passion, work ethic and creativity. Love what you do, do it to the best of your ability and don't be afraid to try new things.

13. What is the best advice anyone has ever given you? "Stay in good company." Those four words were written on the back of my 6th grade school photo by one of the janitors at my elementary school (Miss Bertha). I probably didn't realize how important it was back then, but even today, some 30 years later, those words still ring true. Surround yourself with good people!

14. What advice would you give to those who are looking to venture into the field of collegiate athletics marketing? Be passionate, go for broke and give it your all; don't be afraid to try new things; and my personal favorite, don't worry about the things you can't control.

15. In your opinion, where is collegiate athletics marketing headed in the future? The internet and social media continue to change our business on an almost daily basis. We have to be careful to not lose the personal touch with our customers. Those that can continue to find the right balance between social marketing and personal interaction will continue to have success.

16. Who are the people that have influenced you the most? Clearly personally, that starts with my parents. I was fortunate to grow up in a two-parent family. My mom and dad are both still living, they are still married and I couldn't have had any better role models.

In college athletics, the greatest influence was probably my baseball coaches, Greg and Todd Guilliams. Prior to their arrival at Embry-Riddle, I played two years for a different coach and honestly, the experience wasn't very good. If I hadn't had a chance to play for the Guilliams brothers, there's no way I would have stayed as connected to Embry-Riddle and therefore, no way I would be in the position I am in today.

In addition, there's no way a discussion about those who have influenced me can be had without mention of our Athletics Director, Steve Ridder. Obviously he's the one who hired me in the first place, but beyond that, the lessons I learn from him everyday about leadership and character are invaluable. There's no doubt he's among the best in the country in college athletics - at any level.

17. How would you describe your typical work week? Not too many typical work weeks in college athletics - which is a good thing in my opinion. Here at Embry-Riddle we start each week with a Monday morning staff meeting to make sure we're all on the same page schedule wise, but after that meeting ends, it's never the same week twice. In addition to my role as associate AD, I also do the play-by-play for our men's basketball team, so basketball season is unlike the others. Obviously, I have to be at every game, both home and away. This time of year is probably when the work week is the least typical for me. Basketball takes priority on my schedule and everything else has to battle for the leftover hours. Thank goodness for charter buses with Wi-Fi, my iPhone and laptop computers. And plenty of Mountain Dew.

18. How do you maintain balance between your professional and personal life? I try to attend as many of our home sporting events as possible, but not at the expense of the important things in my kid's lives. Our staff does a great job managing our events and honestly, they really don't need me there most of the time. Even though I love to be there to cheer for our teams, I never feel obligated to attend. I coach both my son's little league team and my daughter's soccer team -- and as long as I'm in town, I try to never miss a practice or a game. Sometimes that means coming back to the office after the kids are in bed, but I feel like it's extremely important to be there for the kid's events.

19. What is your favorite NACMA memory? Probably meeting Cal Ripken at NACMA in Dallas a few years back. Having grown up in Maryland, Cal Ripken was the Baltimore Orioles. As a kid, he was the best player on my favorite team. As an adult, he represents the blue-collar work ethic of coming to play. Everyday.

20. What are you most looking forward to at the upcoming NACMA Convention in Orlando? As always, the chance to reconnect with old friends, meet some new people and steal ideas. The Orlando conventions are always well attended and they're close to home. Also, really looking forward to my first Convention as a new board member.