Front Office U

Two Host Tuesday Episode 3! Hosts Ryan Mene and Clayton Radl interview our very own Nathan Escobedo. Nathan Escobedo is a current Senior attending the University of Iowa Majoring in Sports and Recreation Management.  Tune in to hear about Nathan's journey during the college search and all the experiences that he has been a part of during his collegiate career. Advice on networking, and what to look for when your looking into sports management programs and your first time role in sports. 

On today's show of Front Office U Friday's our hosts Nathan and Ryan are joined by Adam Kempenaar, current Adjunct Professor at the University of Iowa, and former Vice President of Marketing and Content for the Chicago Blackhawks.  Tune in to hear the story of a 3 time Stanley Cup Champion two decade long career with one organization, who eventually returns back to his home state of Iowa to fulfill his desire of becoming a teacher. Adam shares his experiences at the University of Iowa and how he went to school wanting to become a film critic. Further along Adam and our hosts discuss the Blackhawks dynasty and what it was like to capture the story of the Blackhawks in a time with no social media, all the way to becoming the first NHL organization on Twitter.  Adam also talks about his own podcast 'Filmspotting' and how it was once an excuse to watch movies every week, became the foundation of his teachings when he made the return to the University of Iowa and became a professor.  Truly an episode you do not want to miss if you love content creation, hockey, podcasting, and want to learn how to become a VP of a department in sports.  

On this week's episode of Front Office U, Nathan and Ryan host another segment of Sports Management U Sunday's. Today they are joined by Max Pretner, Senior at the University of Arizona. Max joins the show to highlight his time as a Wildcat and to showcase his experiences in the world of sport. He holds a leadership position at his school's Sports Management Association, and recently was a Ticket Sales and Service Intern for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Max was also a part of Legend's Global Sales Training Camp, and has hopes of attaining a role in sales with a professional sports organization post-graduation.  Tune in and hear more about how networking and finding mentors has changed the trajectory of his career, along with getting to know where to find the best breakfast burrito on campus. This kid from Las Vegas Nevada has tons of great stories to share about his young career, and he wants every to know that "the job is still not finished." Max's LinkedIn

Kicking off season two, Front Office U introduces a new series: Two Host Tuesdays, where two FOU hosts interview a fellow FOU host to discuss their role in the sports industry. 

Sean Penix is the Senior Director of Collegiate Partnerships at Legends. Sean talks with Nathan Escobedo and Victor Anderson in this episode of Front Office U Friday! Hear Sean talk about his time as a student athletes, the importance of education, how he discovered careers in sports and much more. Sean began his career in sales, but not the sports industry. He started off selling insurance and soon rediscovered his passion for sports and began his experience in the sports industry in the minor leagues. Since then his career has flourished as he has gone one to hold multiple leadership roles, helped prepare and develop plans for new stadiums, and is now a Senior Director for one of the most notable companies in the sports industry.  Also, in this episode Sean gives us insight on the importance of giving back and being a leader. You will hear about his involvement in H.O.G.S (Helping Our Guys Succeed) and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  Sean Penix LinkedIn

Troy Ward is the GM of the Sioux City Muskateers of the USHL. Ward joins the show with host Ryan Kearney to discuss professionalism, analytics, scouting, and the USHL! Here his perspective on how hockey is scouted geographically, where he would love to study the game of hockey most, and what is nonnegotiable when it comes to having food at the arena. 

Chuck Swirsky is the radio Play-by-Play broadcaster for the Chicago Bulls of the NBA. Swirsky talks about his background in wanting to be a broadcaster since the age of five. Hosts Ryan Kearney and Nathan Escobedo talk with the voice of the Bulls about his advice for those interested in working in sports, his preparation for each game, and others who have influenced his career.  You can reach out to Chuck directly at cswirsky@bulls.com to continue the conversation.

On today's episode of Front Office U Friday's our host Nathan is joined by Hannah Conlisk, Guest Services Coordinator at Daytona International Speedway. Ever wondered what it would be like to work at the country's biggest event in motor sports? Well, Hannah joins us to tell us all about her role and the ins and outs of working the Daytona 500. From concerts, to the "Great American Race", there is never a dull moment working in one of the most iconic tracks in the country.  Nathan and Hannah also take a deep dive into her collegiate time at the University of Iowa. With the two Hawkeyes sitting down to have a conversation, there should be no surprise to hear all about the Sports and Recreation Management program the University has to offer. Hannah goes into detail about the importance of building relationships with professors and taking practicum courses.

In today's segment of Front Office U Friday's Clayton and Nathan are joined by Hannah Rich, Account Executive for Legends at AT&T Stadium. Hannah did not start her career off in the sports industry, but she later found her passion for the sports industry and made the transition. She is now a superstar down in Arlington, selling private events and occupying AT&T stadium whenever the Cowboys are not in town.

In our second edition of Sports Management U our hosts Clayton and Nathan are joined by Jessica Cochran, a current law student at Pepperdine University. Jessica is an awesome personality who will be a future superstar in the sports industry. Before attending Pepperdine's Caruso School of Law, she completed her undergrad at the University of Alabama, and went to grad school at the University of Southern Mississippi. Hear all about her experiences working for Alabama's athletic department and what a game day on Alabama's campus is like. At the time of the recording, Jessica was located in Africa, as she was taking part in an experience that allowed her to work with Ghana's Supreme Court. Also, in a few weeks she will be traveling to London and taking part in one of Pepperdine's unique study abroad programs. Jessica will potentially be working with Formula 1 or FIFA. Tune in to hear all about these experiences. Topics including how to prepare for law school, and the differences in opportunities that come with attending a small and large school are discussed during the show. If you want here more tips and advice on how she has navigated through her young career, this is an episode you do not want to miss.   Jessica Cochran LinkedIn Pepperdine Law School Information

Nathan and Clayton host today's episode of Front Office U Friday's and are joined by Alex Marsh, Senior Manager of Ticketing at Major League Baseball. Tune in as they have a conversation that goes over Alex's career, what it is like to work in MLB's corporate offices in New York, and how Alex would love to be Steph Curry's personal assistant. An episode you do not want to miss, as more is shared from the creator of the MLB's on Deck Sales Program and his advice on whether or not grad school is necessary for everyone to break into the industry. Alex Marsh LinkedIn Profile More Information on MLB's on Deck Sales Program

Carli Baldwin, Social Media Associate for the Seattle Mariners, joins our hosts Nathan and Victor. On this weeks edition of Front Office U Friday’s Carli and the boys discuss topics like moving out of state for a career in sports, the importance of networking, and taking advantage of remote opportunities. Carli is a rising star in the sports industry and is navigating through her first year out of college working for the Seattle Mariners. Hear her story on how she managed being a student athlete and worked multiple internships throughout college, in order to help herself attain her dream role in Major League Baseball. If you are interested in learning what it is like to work in social media and want to learn what it takes to work in the sports industry, this is an episode you do not want to miss.  Linked Down Below is Carli's Contact Information: LinkedIn: https: www.linkedin.com/in/carli-baldwin/ Instagram/TikTok/: carli_baldwin

Tune in as our host Nathan has a conversation with John Tierney, the Vice President of Ticketing at Major League Baseball. Hear John's story on how he went from starting his career working in Minor League Baseball, to attaining a Vice President role in one of the largest sports leagues in the country. John has worked in Major League Baseball's offices in New York for over a decade now, and he shares his advice on developing as a professional and how relationships and networking are key to securing your next role in the industry.  Nathan and John also go into detail on how they met, which was through Major League Baseball's On Deck Sales Program. A program meant to help aspiring sports professionals of diverse backgrounds, learn about the sales career path and various other career opportunities the sports industry has to offer. More information on the program is provided in the show, including how to apply and how it has helped those who have been a part of the program. Linked down below is John's contact information and websites relating to career opportunities at Major League Baseball.  https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-tierney-8357a254/ https://www.mlb.com/careers/programs/on-deck https://www.mlb.com/careers/home **Trigger Warning**: Conversations on the Covid-19 Pandemic and the tragedy of George Floyd were spoken on during the conversation. Starts around the 25 min mark. 

Want to know what it is like to create content for some of the biggest event in sports like the Super Bowl, College Football National Title Game, or the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix? Tune in to today's episode of Front Office U Friday's as our hosts Nathan and Ryan interview Billy Quach, the Creative Director at Let it Fly Media. Here his story on how he went from filming Quidditch his Freshmen year of college, to shooting content at the Super Bowl for the Kansas City Chiefs a few years later. An episode you do not want to miss that goes into detail about how to get started in content creation, what opportunities to look out for, and how to create a name for yourself in this industry. Linked down below are Billy's contact information. Be sure to give him a follow and let him know we sent you!  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billyquachfilms/ Instagram: @billyquachfilms Twitter: @billyquachfilms 

Front Office U Friday's returns with special guest Abigail Gahart! Abbe works within the Partnership Marketing Department at the Chicago Bulls. Tune in as Nathan catches up with one of his mentors as they take a deep dive into what partnership marketing is all about. Hear stories about how Abbe was able to secure multiple internships while in college, and how being a part of her sports business club completely changed the direction of her career. Abbe has worked with some of the biggest brands in the country, and has been able to help grow communities all over the city of Chicago through her role working with the team and their corporate sponsors. Every pro basketball player would dream of playing for the Bulls, and Abbe shares how the Bulls are also a top notch organization when it comes to employment and company cultures. Linked down below are Abbe's contact information and opportunities that she has shared that are available within the Bulls organization! https://www.linkedin.com/in/abigail-gahart-kimpler-93a918116/ https://www.nba.com/bulls/career-opportunities

On today's episode of Front Office U Friday's we have Christopher Thorkilsen joining our two hosts RK and Nathan. Want to know what it is like to work alongside Fortune 500 companies and some of the biggest rap artists in the industry? Tune in and hear what a career in partnership activation is all about. I bet you would not have guessed that working with the Atlanta Hawks would lead to working with some of the most well known rappers in the industry such as Gunna, Young Thug, and so many more. Also, hear about Christopher's experience working in ESports and how to get involved in the growing industry.  LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherthorkilsen/

Victor hosts episode 5 of the podcast and the topic of conversation is self-motivation. Tune in as our hosts go into detail about what motivates them and who has helped to push them to continue to be successful in the sports industry. Also, listen as everyone shares how they have overcome the struggles of the pandemic effecting the sports industry. 

On today's episode of Front Office Friday's Nathan welcomes his former bosses Scott Foley and Evan Gersonde. Both Scott and Evan are Managers in the sales department for the Chicago Dogs and they join us on today's episode to speak on their experiences working in minor league sports. Don't think you have the experience to apply for a job in sports? Tune in and hear how selling gym memberships or being a bartender may help you land your next job in sports.

Clayton Radl hosts episode 4 of the podcast where the crew goes into detail about what it means to be a leader and how to showcase leadership. In college, students who are Presidents or on the board of their respective Sports Management Clubs are considered leaders, but how else can you be a leader without the official titles? Tune in and hear how Victor and RK have continued to be leaders in their new careers out of college and how leadership has changed for them since graduating. 

We have saved this episode for some weeks now and we thought it would be the best one to upload for the new year. Tune in as Ryan Mene hosts the show and the boys go into detail about how they network and where to get started. Here stories from some of their first calls with professionals and how networking started for them before they even created LinkedIn accounts.