Thomas E.

Ward
Davidson, North Carolina 28036
E-mail:teward73@gmail.com Cell phone: (504) 416-5678

EXECUTIVE EXPERIENCE
Senior Sales and Marketing Executive
Professional Profile:
Leadership: A proven and progressive leader with a twenty five year track record of success in developing and
managing a team of sales and marketing professionals to achieve extraordinary results
Marketing: An innovative and accomplished marketing executive with a portfolio of achievements that includes
driving revenue/profits, brand awareness and creating award winning advertising campaigns
Team Builder: Experienced in navigating teams through changing and evolving environments; launched three
professional sports expansion franchises and rebuilt two relocation teams
Sales: A dynamic and results oriented sales executive that consistently meets and exceeds sales goals through a
hands on approach while also mentoring staff to maximize personal potential
Areas of Expertise Include:
Marketing Management
Sales Management/Strategy

Sponsorship Marketing
Market Research

Cause Marketing
Business Development

Professional History
IMG College, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Regional Vice President, East

2013 - 2016

Responsibilities:
Oversee ten (10) college properties in the East region from Virginia to New England including Virginia Tech, West
Virginia, Pittsburgh, Boston College, Syracuse, University Connecticut, Rutgers, etc.
Maximize the multimedia sponsorship rights for the East region college properties to meet and exceed the annual
$50M revenue budget
Manage the ten college General Managers and their staff as well as develop and maintain relationships with the
Athletic Departments and University administration
Cultivate local, regional and national sponsors within the Mid Atlantic Northeast region to market multi
property college sponsorship programs (i.e. Geico, Comcast/Xfinity, Sunoco, etc.)
Philadelphia 76ers, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Senior Vice President Corporate Partnerships and Broadcasting

2012 2013

Responsibilities:
Drive all marketing, promotions, sales and service for corporate sponsorship activity for the 76ers, including
advertising sales, tickets sales and corporate hospitality.
Direct television and radio broadcasting relationships, including the sale of advertising inventory.
Serve as an advisor to the CEO on all business matters relating to the running of the 76ers
Manage a staff of ten front office employees in the sales, service and broadcast departments
Franchise Achievements:
Started a new 76ers sponsorship team from scratch, hiring six sales/service employees in 2012.
Increased revenue by over 50% in the first year despite missing all but one month of the peak sales season (MayOctober).
Upsold ten (10) existing sponsors - $1MM in new revenue.
Expanded radio network from one (1) to five (5) stations.
Implemented new management systems: Stone Timber River (CRM), SkyView Networks (broadcasting), Repucom
(Signage impressions analysis).
Created new community based platforms Keystone Community Champions designed to generate new revenue
streams for the franchise targeting non-traditional corporate partner categories.

Thomas E. Ward
Davidson, North Carolina 28036
E-mail:teward73@gmail.com Cell phone: (504) 416-5678

New Orleans Hornets; New Orleans, Louisiana

2008 2012

Senior Vice President, Corporate Partnerships and Premium Seating

Responsibilities:
Oversee all sponsorship revenue streams for the franchise including TV, radio, signage, internet, publications,
promotions, community relations/cause marketing programs, Arena Naming Rights
Manage the premium seating sales/service staff and develop the annual sales and service strategic plans and
budgets
Franchise Achievements:
Spearheaded 75% + growth in revenue for the Hornets corporate sponsorship department, raising revenue from
$11.3M to $20M over four seasons, a $8.7M increase during that time frame.
During the 2011-12 NBA season the Hornets ranked #2 in new sponsorship revenue in the NBA (behind NY), and
the sales team generated just under $5M in new revenue eclipsing the $20M revenue milestone, both franchise
revenue records despite a prorated season of 66 games due to the NBA lockout.
Created several new sponsorship programs that are listed as NBA Best Practices. Despite the NBA lockout the
Hornets sold three partners at the $1M+ sponsorship investment level during the off season. Highlights are listed
below:
o Chevron MVP Program (Most Valuable Pupil),
o Entergy Corporation - doubled their investment per season as the presenting partner of Planet
Rebound the Hornets environmental platform resulting in a multi-year contract extension,
o Ochsner Health Systems: Created the Bee-Fit youth health and fitness program with 35,000 Jefferson
Parish students participating,
o Community Cause Marketing Programs: The Hornets lead the NBA in sponsor-supported Community
Relations programs with 20 sponsors spending over a $1M in cause-related CR programs.
Washington Nationals; Washington DC
Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer

2006 - 2008

Responsibilities:
Oversee all team and stadium revenue streams for the franchise

Manage the following departments - marketing, broadcasting, game operations, sponsorship, ticket and suite
sales/service
Franchise Achievements:
Developed the Business Plan for the Inaugural MLB season for the new ballpark including the advertising, season
ticket/sponsorship sales as well as the pricing models for all tickets, suites and sponsorship plans and programs.
Design integration of all stadium signage and sponsor activation areas/elements incorporated into the ballpark
for the inaugural season in the nations capital.
Generated 18,800 season tickets for the first season in the new stadium a 30% increase in the season ticket base
from the previous season at RFK Stadium.
Increased sponsorship sales to $21M in the first season of the new ballpark a 35% increase in sponsorship
revenue from previous season at RFK Stadium.
Created the award winning advertising campaigns for the final season at RFK: Paint the Town Red; and the first
season in the new ballpark: Welcome Home Washington.
Charlotte Bobcats; Charlotte, North Carolina
Executive Vice President of Business Operations and Chief Marketing Officer

2003 - 2005

Responsibilities:
The Chief Marketing Officer responsibilities include managing all team and arena revenue streams
Direct department reports included - ticket sales (suites, premium seating, season tickets, etc.), sponsorship sales,
marketing, merchandising, promotions, game operations and oversight of business operations budgets.

Thomas E. Ward
Davidson, North Carolina 28036
E-mail:teward73@gmail.com Cell phone: (504) 416-5678

Franchise Achievements:
Developed the Bobcats Business Plan, which included a six-phase milestone marketing strategy spanning the
eighteen-month time frame leading up to the inaugural season.
Generated over 10,000 season tickets despite playing first season in the Charlotte Coliseum
Spearheaded a two-step sponsorship sales strategy (year one- old Coliseum, year two new arena), resulting in
the acquisition of 50 new sponsors plus five founding partnerships in the seven-figure per year range (more than
a year before the new arena was scheduled to open)
Created the award-winning inaugural season advertising campaign: Basketball, Its in Our Blood; showcasing
the heritage, history and tradition of basketball in the Carolinas
Nashville Predators; Nashville, Tennessee
Executive Vice President of Business Operations

1997 - 2003

Responsibilities:
Managed all aspects of the teams business operations and revenue streams including marketing, ticket and suite
sales, broadcasting, sponsorship sales, merchandising, and game operations.
Franchise Achievements:
In less than a seven-month span (September 1997 March 1998), orchestrated a season ticket sales and
marketing campaign that resulted in 12,000 season tickets sold, securing the franchise and setting a record for the
number of season ticket sold by an NHL team in that time frame
Engineered an aggressive advertising and sales strategy during the teams inaugural season that generated
attendance figures higher than any NHL city with a population of under two million
Lead negotiator and architect for the Nashville Arena Naming Rights Agreement, resulting in a 20-year $80M
arena entitlement with Gaylord Entertainment, placing the Predators in the top 10% of NHL naming rights
agreements at that time
Served on the six-member Marketing Advisory Board to NHL Enterprises, one of the first board members to serve
on both the NBA and NHL advisory boards.
Introduced the Predators advertising theme: SMASHVILLE which was used for several seasons and
reintroduced by the team and is still being used as their marketing campaign today
Charlotte Hornets; Charlotte, North Carolina
Vice President of Marketing

1988 - 1997

Responsibilities:
Managed all marketing and sales functions for the franchise
Oversaw the following departments - ticket sales, sponsorship sales (television, radio, signage, promotion,
publications, etc.), marketing and game operations
Franchise Achievements:
Developed the marketing strategy and season ticket sales campaign that resulted in an NBA league-leading season
ticket base that was capped at 21,500 season tickets and a waiting list of 5,000
Spearheaded a corporate sponsorship campaign that generated $15 million in annual sponsorship revenue.
Created a series of brand-building advertising campaigns including the highly successful slogan Hornets
Hardball.

EDUCATION
James Madison University; Harrisonburg, Virginia
Bachelors Degree, Marketing and Management