Front Office U welcomes Darryl Wolski

Darryl sheds light on a career as a player agent. He shares about his experiences in hockey, including working at the World Juniors hockey tournament and navigating a changing landscape in the agency world.

Connect with Darryl on LinkedIn

Front Office U welcomes Michael Nieckula!

Michael joins us from the Minnesota Wild and shares his career experiences. Attending school at the University of Iowa and gaining valuable experience with the Chicago Blackhawks and Sioux Falls Stampede helped him earn a full-time role in the NHL.

Connect with Michael on LinkedIn

Front Office U Weclomes Nathan Tauke!

Nathan shares about his experience in premium sales service. He shares about his early experiences in sales working for Cutco, going to the Mount Union sales conference, and getting connected with the Coyotes for his first full time job.

Nathan shares about his perspective on how networking and outreach helped him.

Connect with Nathan on LinkedIn

Alex explains how he was deciding on what major to choose (biology, psychology, or sports management). He chose sports management because of the opportunity to grow and the sports management program at UMSL. He explained the big reason for his decision was Karen Boleska, PhD and how she has helped students get sports experience in college.

Tune in to hear about Alex's journey from getting college experience at major sporting events to his current role at Chaifetz Arena as a Box Officer Supervisor (recently promoted to this role).

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 Front Office U Friday's episode, our hosts Ryan Mene and Victor Anderson meet with Savannah McVoy to discuss her career background in sports sales from her experiences with the Pittsburgh Pirates to previous tenures with Memphis 901 FC and the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros. Tune in to hear Savannah's perspective on venturing into new roles, as well as the benefits and opportunities by getting out of her comfort zone! 

On this Front Office Fridays we have Greg Pai who is the Director of Corporate Partnerships with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. Victor goes on to ask about his college experience and Greg first explains his journey in college at West Virginia University and how it helped him learn what a career in sports could be. He also explains his first position in sales as a territory manager for Stone Systems of New Jersey and how that experience gave the sales experience that led to his first position with the New York Boulders. A quote that stood out to me "I don't look to my left I don't look to my right and I never look back I always look forward" which has to do with not thinking about others as you can only focus on your results as well as not trying to be someone else. 

On this Front Office U Podcast, we have a bonus guest! Greg Krug accepted a new job with Navigate as their Senior Director of Client Strategy. January 16th is Greg's first official day with the company. As part of our Congratulations to Greg in his new role, we are releasing his Front Office U podcast with hosts Ryan Mene and Ryan Kearney.

Greg highlights what he's looking forward to in his new role at Navigate, as well as his previous experiences as a student-athlete at La Salle University and his three years while working for the Philadelphia Eagles. 

Connect with Greg and enjoy the podcast!

Sports Management University Sundays is back with Spencer Loane. Hosts Victor Anderson and Ryan Kearney chat with the Aurora University student about his experiences as a scout for the Chicago Steel hockey team and coaching for Team Illinois AAA Hockey. Spencer talks about his use of social media, learning about working in hockey, and balancing his school schedule with work experience. 

Spencer's LinkedIn

On this Front Office U Friday's episode, our hosts Ryan Mene and Victor Anderson meet with Alexander Collins to discuss his career background in sports agency and marketing from his tenure with Octagon to his previous experiences while at Grand Canyon University. Tune in to hear Alex's perspective on adjusting to new roles in a short time frame and how building connections through organic networking impacted his career!

On this Front Office U Friday's episode, our host Ryan Mene meets with William Ord to discuss his career journey in sports from his college experiences at Brock University to transitioning at his roles with the Toronto Blue Jays and the Jays Care Foundation. Tune in to hear William's perspective on seizing opportunities in college, living with disabilities, and creating memorable experiences working in sports! 

On this Front Office U Friday's episode, our hosts Ryan Kearney and Ryan Mene meet with Antonio Pierfelice to discuss his career background in sports operations from his tenure with Champlain College to his role with youth hockey development at the Montréal Canadiens. Tune in to hear Antonio's perspective on Montréal's sports scene and how learning crucial skillsets can translate into a fulfilling career in sports! 

Two Host Tuesday Episode 2! Hosts Ryan Kearney and Clayton Radl interview fellow host Victor Anderson of the Seattle Sounders. With the Sounders, Victor is a Membership Executive within the MLS team's front office. Victor is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Lacrosse and also has experience working with the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League (AHL). 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/victor-w-anderson/

Front Office U Friday welcomes Ryan Gibson!

Ryan has served as the Assistant General Manager for the Kindersley Klippers junior hockey team since 2023. He attended the University of Saskatchewan and graduated in 2024 and shares about his experiences there and how he went about gaining experience in hockey operations.

Connect with Ryan on LinkedIn

On Front Office Fridays, our host Ryan Kearney and Victor go on to talk to Patrick Buzzard about his journey to where he is now today. They first go on to ask about what made him choose his colleges all the way to how he received his first opportunity in the sports industry. Listen to hear Patrick's story and how he continues to be a helpful hand for other young professionals!

On this Front Office U Friday's episode, our hosts Ryan Mene and Victor Anderson meet with Ryan Bucciarelli to discuss his career working in sales from his time with the Philadelphia 76ers to his role as Premium Sales Executive with the St. Louis Blues. Tune in to hear how Ryan's sales philosophy yields record growth and how upcoming professionals can transfer any background into a successful career in sports sales! 

On Front Office Friday we have a guest from the Nashville Predators Sydney Haykel as she explains her time at Penn State and what helped land her role with the Predators. She goes on to explain about working in golf, fencing and then transitioning to hockey. Being from California she made a move but just wrapped up her first year the Nashville Predators.

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. 

Ian Fried is the Director of Recruiting for Western Michigan University's football team. Ian talks about his background in getting experience in a variety of Division I football programs while in school and transitioning to Kalamazoo in an impact role for the Broncos. Front Office U host Ryan Kearney (RK) talks with Ian and puts him on the hot seat in our final Flash Friday segment of the show. Connect with Ian on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-fried/

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

Jared Ginsburg is the Director of Premium and Ticket Sales at the Oiler Entertainment Group in Edmonton, Canada. Jared joins the show with host, Ryan Mene to share his career in the business of hockey, elaborate on key signals for outstanding candidates, and managing adjustments with moving to a new arena with the Oilers. Furthermore, we learn more about Jared's process of earning opportunities abroad and finding your position in the sports industry through engaging experiences. 

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. 

Front Office U Welcomes on Jeremy Blumes!

Jeremy takes pride in his role of seeing guys move on to college hockey and being a part of their development.

His experience led him to have six weeks to put together a team when he was hired by the Ontario Jr Reign. He quickly recognized the importance of community service, budgeting, and the business side as much as the on the bench and recruiting strategy in his role.

Connect with Jeremy on LinkedIn

On this week's Front Office Friday we have AJ Tomeny, the Director, Service & Inside Sales at the Nashville Predators. AJ explains his journey to where he was today and knows his past experiences set him up with his position now. He explained the start of his sports career with the Hudson Valley Renegades (Baseball Affiliate to the NY Yankees) and the positions at the Aspire Group, Iowa Wild, and Minnesota Wild before his transition to the Nashville Predators. AJ explains his passion for hockey and how he loves what he does as well as others. Lastly, he explains how crucial having a mentor is as well as understanding when to move in one's sports career. We can't thank him enough for helping our host with his transition from the Iowa Wild to the Seattle Sounders. Take a listen to learn more about AJ's story!

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 Ryan are joined by Jess Torres, Manager in Group Sales at the Ontario Reign. Jess developed his passion for sports through his wrestling career and coach, learning along the way the importance of strong leadership with each career move. He is a great leader in Ontario, utilizing his experiences and guidance to boost his group sales team. 

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.

Connect with Hannah on LinkedIn

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

Ryan Kearney hosts episode 6 of our host roundtable discussion to go over what each of us has been up to over the past few months, along with advice for those seeking professional development. Tune in as Clayton Radl, Victor Anderson, Ryan Mene, and Nathan Escobedo all share their experiences and recommendations for our listeners. 

Jamar Root recent graduate of Temple University explains his career path and how he built his brand before he got to Temple University. A mentor to many professionals around the world Jamar has his own podcast called the Root of Everything which helps dig into the passion behind people's reasons why they do what they love. His podcast continues to grow and many people listen around the world. We are happy to have Jamar on the podcast to advise others who once were in his position. 

Michael Kwasnik is a Senior at Temple University. He joins hosts Nathan Escobedo and Victor Anderson on the very first edition of 'Sports Management University Sundays' segment of Front Office U. SMU Sundays gives our hosts a chance to spotlight a current student pursuing a career in sports. Tune in and hear all about what Temple University has to offer, such as clubs, courses, and career fairs. Also, hear about Michael's favorite places and what the city of Philadelphia has to offer. Connect with Michael, our hosts, and Front Office U on social media!

Michael Kwasnik LinkedIn

Nathan Escobedo LinkedIn 

Victor Anderson LinkedIn 

Front Office U LinkedIn 

Front Office U Instagram 

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

Front Office U Welcomes Douglas Plocki. Doug had a passion for pursuing careers in hockey, which led him to a career with the Washington Little Caps.

Doug is also the CEO of Probility AI and shares great insight into how far AI has come and where he believes it will go in the next five years.

Connect with Doug on LinkedIn

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 

Front Office U Friday features Kirby Paulson! Kirby works with the NHL's Boston Bruins making an impact with their team foundation. Kirby has also gained experience in ticketing with the Boston Red Sox and while in college at Quinnipiac University. Hosts Ryan Kearney and Victor Anderson chat with Kirby about how he got to his roles in his career and advice for those who aspire to work in pro sports at the highest level. 

In today's episode of Front Office U Friday's we have Brett Dawson who is an AE of Membership Services with the Iowa Wild where he explains his start in the sports industry as well as his passion for servicing season ticket holders with the Wild. Brett has helped our host Victor   Anderson when he was with the Iowa Wild in the service side of sports as well as how important it is to be positive in the sports industry. He goes on to explain his story of being a zamboni driver and how he was able to get that position.

Front Office U Friday returns with Leevi Kinnunen. Leevi is a 2003-born defenseman from Espoo, Finland. After playing previous seasons in Finland, Norway, and Austria, Leevi will be playing 2022-2023 in the United States in the NCDC Tier II Junior League. His goal is to play college hockey. Today, he shares about the importance of networking, his mindset, and life in Europe. Hosts Ryan Kearney and Victor Anderson talk with Leevi to get a new perspective on the sports industry from someone out on the ice. 

In today's episode of Front Office U Friday's we have Professor Schmidt who goes in-depth on his journey to where he is now in sports and how he learned networking is crucial during your time as a student. Schmidt has helped students at the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse find the experience as well as bring in sports professionals to class. He also goes on to explain how he found the experience and kept in touch with his old advisor Dr. Yu from UWL.

His time as an inside rep with the Flyers.

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. 

Front Office U Welcomes Livy Delage!

Livy is our first guest to represent USA Archery. In her role, she focuses on youth and collegiate programs. Listen to her experience including attending school at the University of North Carolina Charlotte and working for the Carolina Panthers.

Connect with Livy on LinkedIn

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.