Episodes
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Singles Record: 27-11 duals, 55-24 overall
Highest Singles Ranking: No. 18 (Feb. 21, 2023)
Doubles Record: 30-10 duals, 53-20 overall
Highest Doubles Ranking: No. 4 (Final 2023)
Honors
⢠Doubles All-American (2023)
⢠Big Ten Freshman of the Year (2022)
⢠Second-Team All-Big Ten (2023)
⢠ITA Midwest Freshman of the Year (2022)
⢠Second-Team All-Big Ten
⢠Academic All-Big Ten (2023)
⢠ITA Scholar-Athlete Award (2022)
⢠Qualified for the NCAA Doubles Championship (2022, 2023)
⢠NCAA Singles Championship (2023)
⢠Big Ten Fall Singles Champion (2021)
Senior Year (2023-24)
⢠ITA All-America Championships semifinalist
⢠Qualified for ITA Fall Nationals in singles
Junior Year (2022-23)
Match-by-Match Statistics
⢠All-American in doubles
⢠Second-Team All-B1G
⢠Competed in both the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships
⢠Had a 13-8 dual singles mark (2-3 at No. 3, 7-3 at No. 4, 4-2 at No. 5) and was 4-3 in the B1G
⢠Strung together a seven-match win streak in the spring, matching a career best
⢠Posted a 24-14 overall singles record
⢠Went 1-1 in the NCAA Singles Championship, after orginally being an alternate, defeating Ozolins (Illinois) in the Round of 64 before falling to Zheng (Columbia) in the Round of 32
⢠Ranked in the ITA singles rankings 8 of 12 weeks, reaching a career high of No. 35 on March 7)
⢠Ranked all season in doubles with partner Andrew Fenty as they put together a 26-7 record
⢠Posted a dual doubles mark of 18-3, going a perfect 7-0 in the B1G
⢠Went 9-2 against ranked pairs and was 30-9 in dual/individual doubles combined
⢠Reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA Doubles Championship, defeating a pair from Presbyterian and UCF in straight sets before falling to Georgia Tech in the quarterfinals
⢠Finished No. 5 in the ITA doubles rankings, the highest ranking in school history for a doubles team
Sophomore Year (2021-22)
⢠Posted a 14-3 dual singles mark (2-0 at No. 3, 4-2 at No. 4, 8-1 at No. 5) and was 7-1 in the B1G
⢠Had an 11-3 fall record for a 25-6 overall record and ended the season on a two-match win streak
⢠Big Ten Fall Singles Champion
⢠Had a seven-match win streak during the season
⢠Recorded a 12-7 dual doubles record (1-1 at No. 1, 6-3 at No. 2, 5-3 at No. 3)
⢠Posted a 4-2 fall doubles mark for a 16-9 overall record
⢠Qualified for the NCAA Doubles Championship with Ondrej Styler but did not compete due to an injury
⢠The pair picked up wins over the both the No. 3 and 5 duos
⢠Final ITA rankings of No. 117 in singles and No. 40 in doubles
At Minnesota
⢠Attended University of Minnesota in 2020-21
Before Michigan
⢠Captain at Eastview High School
⢠Four-time all-state qualifier and all-conference selection
⢠The Lightning were runners-up at states in 2019
⢠Won the 2021 USTA L1 Spring Nationals and the 2019 USTA L2
⢠Finished as runner up at the 2021 Atlanta PTT UTR and was a three-time ITA circuit winner
Personal
⢠Born September 17, 2002
⢠Son of Geoff (Northwestern '94) and Dana Young (Minnesota '96)
⢠Has a younger sister Karin (Oregon '25) and younger brother Alexander
⢠Father is the head coach of the men's tennis team at Purdue
⢠Major is economics with a minor in entrepreneurship -
Sean Feeney is Vice President and Head of US Options at Nasdaq. In this role, he leads the business management of Nasdaqâs US Options Exchanges. Prior to this role, Sean served in roles leading US Options Product Strategy as well as US Options Sales at Nasdaq, responsible for the business development of Nasdaqâs options markets.
Sean also serves as a member of the Security Traders Associationâs Listed Options Committee and the Options Price Reporting Authority Management Committee, representing Nasdaqâs interests while driving innovation and thought leadership across the industry.
Sean began his career as a market maker and options specialist on the American Stock Exchange in April 1999. Since then, he has served as managing partner of his own trading firm, Vice President at Knight Capital Group, and led portfolio management and trading at Forty Four Asset Management. Sean studied Applied Math and Statistics at Stony Brook University.
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J.W. Craft is an accomplished individual whose journey has been marked by a steadfast commitment to innovation, community, and the arts.
Following his time at Yale, he ventured into the internet start-up landscape of San Francisco, where he played a pivotal role in the growth of TheScience.com. From there he moved to Blockbuster in Dallas where he wore multiple hats, including marketing, finance, and strategy.
In 2007, his journey led him to Alliance Resource Partners, where he assumed the role of Vice President of Marketing.
Beyond his professional endeavors, J.W. Craft is deeply rooted in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He actively supports and participates in numerous charitable organizations, including the Mental Health Association of Oklahoma, Holland Hall School, Tulsa Area United Way, Tulsa Regional Chamber, and Philbrook Museum of Art and Gardens.
J.W. Craft's passion for community extends to the world of sports, as evidenced by his role as co-owner of FC Tulsa.
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Daniel Sillman is the CEO at Relevent Sports Group (RSG). Sillman leads the largest privately-owned football company in North America which owns and operates international football properties and negotiates international broadcast rights for top leagues and governing bodies.
Sillmanâs initial foray into football was leading the strategy to bring El ClaĚsico to the U.S. for the first time in 2017 creating a week of events and entertainment, resulting in the highest grossing football match in history.
Sillman has led RSG to exponential growth, driving the companyâs holistic approach to growing footballâs popularity in America. He created new properties including the the Womenâs ICC Tournament and the ICC Futuresâ Tournament. He also negotiated and completed the landmark deal, a first-of-its-kind 20-year deal with LaLiga, a 50/50 joint venture to promote LaLiga in North America.
In 2018, Sillman shifted RSGâs business strategy from solely an events company to a global media rights operator, selling premium football rights. This delivered record setting results. Sillman negotiated more than $2 billion in international media rights for LaLiga in North America, inking partnerships with Disney/ESPN in the US & Canada and Televisa in Mexico & Central America. The ESPN deal was the largest football media rights deals ever in the US & Canada at the time.
The success of the media rights deals has led to further unprecedented opportunities for RSG. This year RSG secured the rights to sell UEFAâs club competitions media rights in the US. This is the first time UEFA has used a new media rights sales partner since the formation of the champions league over 30 years ago.
The LaLiga media deals and securing the media rights sales mandate from UEFA has positioned RSG as one of the most influential and important football companies in the world.
Prior to joining RSG, Sillman served as the Director of Business Development at RSE Ventures, responsible for new investments. Sillman started his career founding and operating a multi-family office for professional athletes, Compass Management, which he later sold to FFO in 2015. Sillman was awarded the 2019 Sports Business Journalâs forty under 40 and Forbesâ Sports 30 under 30 for 2018.
Sillman lives in New York City, holds a B.B.A. from the University of Michigan, Ross School of Business. He serves as Chairman of the NextGen Council at the University of Michigan.
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Mike Tannenbaum joined ESPN as an NFL Front Office Insider in April 2019. A former NFL executive with more than two decades of experience in team front offices, he appears on a variety of ESPN platforms, including Get Up, First Take, SportsCenter and NFL Live. Tannenbaum has also contributed to ESPNâs coverage of the NFL Draft since 2019, serving as an analyst on ESPN Radio.
In addition to his ESPN role, Tannenbaum is the founder of football think tank The 33rd Team, and he teaches Football Business Management: The Inner Workings of the NFL at Columbia University.
Prior to ESPN, Tannenbaum worked for several NFL franchises, most notably as executive vice president of football operations for the Miami Dolphins (2015-18), and executive vice president and general manager for the New York Jets (2006-12).
Under Tannenbaumâs leadership, the Dolphins made the playoffs in 2016 for the first time in eight seasons, and the Jets advanced to the playoffs in three seasons, won four playoff games and made two AFC Championship game appearances. Tannenbaumâs tenure as general manager of the Jets marked the most successful seven-year period in franchise history.
Between executive roles with the Jets and Dolphins, Tannenbaum represented head coaches Steve Kerr (Golden State Warriors), David Blatt (then with the Cleveland Cavaliers) and others serving as an agent and principal at Priority Sports and Entertainment from 2013-14.
Tannenbaum began his NFL career as an intern for the New Orleans Saints in 1994. He went on to the Cleveland Browns as a player personnel assistant in 1995, then returned to the Saints for the 1996 season.
In 1997, then-New York Jets head coach Bill Parcells, now a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, hired Tannenbaum as director of player contracts, launching his 16-year career with the team. From there, Tannenbaum advanced to director of pro player development/player contracts in 2000, assistant general manager/director of pro personnel in 2001 and general manager/senior vice president of football operations in 2006.
Tannenbaum graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst with a degree in accounting and then, while working for the Saints, earned his certificate in sports law, graduating cum laude from Tulane University Law School.
In 2008, while serving as a member of the American Bar Association in the sports and entertainment division, Tannenbaum was appointed to the Sports Lawyers Association board of directors. In the same year, he was also appointed to the NFL General Managers Advisory Committee.
Devoted to philanthropic endeavors and helping young people get their start in sports, Tannenbaum remains true to one of his core values that education and knowledge will always pave a successful path. In keeping with these beliefs, the Tannenbaum family instituted scholarship programs with Tannenbaumâs alma maters, UMass and Tulane Law School, as well as a New Jersey YMCA to afford young professionals the opportunity to pursue their passion in the sports industry without the burden of living expenses.
A native of Needham, Mass., Tannenbaum resides in Boca Raton, Fla., with his wife and their two children.
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Matt Higgins is a proven operator, investor and business builder with a knack for helping founders at pivotal growth moments achieve breakout success. He serves as CEO of RSE Ventures, a private firm that incubates and invests in companies across sports and entertainment, food and lifestyle, media and marketing, and technology.
Higgins co-founded RSE with Miami Dolphins owner, Stephen M. Ross, the most prominent private developer in the U.S. and a serial entrepreneur. Together Higgins and Ross have helped build enterprises from scratch, including the largest privately owned soccer tournament in the world (International Champions Cup) and leading brand strategy and communications agency Derris.
As an incubator, RSE has helped build leading restaurant software company RESY and the world's premier drone racing circuit, the Drone Racing League. Higgins was the first client of marketing guru Gary Vaynerchuk, before becoming a co-owner of VaynerMedia and a partner with early-stage venture fund Vayner/RSE. RSE most recently built a portfolio of dynamic restaurant brands by partnering with Momofuku, Milk Bar, &pizza and Bluestone Lane, and invested in cybersecurity with the acquisition of SkOUT.
Higgins began his career as the youngest press secretary in New York City history, where he helped manage the global press response during 9/11. He has been an executive for two NFL teams â currently serving as vice chairman of the Miami Dolphins.
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On this episode, Host Krish Kumar sits down with Mat Cashman,
the Principal of Investor Education at the Options Clearing Corporation.
Mat Cashman is a Financial Services professional with 20 years of experience trading all segments of the Derivatives market. He started his career on the trading floor of the Chicago Board of Options Exchange in 2000 and has since traded multiple asset classes across a wide array of exchanges including the CME, CBOT, and the Eurex Exchange. In 2005, Mat helped launch the London trading desk of DRW, a Chicago-based options trading firm, and was instrumental in building the DRW presence in the London trading community. After his time in London, Mat returned to Chicago to join Toro Trading, and was quickly named a partner, overseeing all aspects of their growing U.S. Index Options trading business. During Matâs time in the options industry, he has always been heavily involved in training and overseeing new traders and has created multiple options education programs along the way to share his knowledge of trading and optionality with people new to the industry. At OCC, Mat is responsible for providing support to a comprehensive options resource center that provides information and education about options. In addition to his responsibilities with OCC, Mat also serves as an instructor of The Options Industry Council (OIC), conducting option seminars and presenting online webinars to all segments of the investing community, including registered representatives and advisors as well as individual investors. -
On this episode, Host Krish Kumar sits down with Ishwara Glassman Chrein.
Ishwara Glassman Chrein was the Head of Sports Partnerships and Business Development at Yahoo Sports / Verizon Media, where she led relationships and negotiations with the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, BetMGM, and NBC, as well as other sports leagues, broadcasters, streamers, data companies, and technology companies.
While at Yahoo Sports / Verizon Media, she also oversaw gaming strategy, evaluated sports rights acquisition deals across the globe, and worked with sports technology start-ups. She began her career at McKinsey & Company and Lehman Brothers, before spending nine years at WME IMG Sports, Entertainment and Media, most recently as Senior Vice President and Global Head of Sales Operations and Strategic Planning.
She graduated magna cum laude from Columbia University with a degree in economics and political science and received her Master in International Affairs (International Finance) from the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs.
Glassman Chrein was a 2020 recipient of the Sports Business Journalâs Forty Under 40 award. She lives in Lincoln Park, Chicago, with her husband, two kids, and one enormous golden retriever. She is believed to be only the fourth woman in league history to serve in this role. -
On this episode, Host Krish Kumar sits down with Drew Bentley, the Vice President of DC United.
Drew Bentley has a diverse work experience, starting with their role at Myers Tree Farm as a Landscaper from April 2011 to August 2013. Drew then worked at Hy-Vee Inc. as a Cashier/Stocker from August 2006 to March 2014. Following that, they had multiple roles at Kingdom Hoops Basketball, including Marketing and Operations Intern, Site Director, and Tournament Director, from January 2013 to April 2014.In 2014, Drew joined Simpson College as an On-Air Talent for 88.9 The Storm, from January 2014 to April 2014. Drew then transitioned to NASCAR, where they started as an Account Executive, Ticketing & Group Sales in April 2014, eventually becoming a Senior Account Executive from December 2015 to April 2017. During their time at NASCAR, Drew was responsible for various tasks such as group ticket sales, premium sales, season ticket sales, and managing ticket operations. Drew also contributed to social media strategy and content development, as well as production and management of Victory Lane celebrations.
In 2017, Drew joined the Orange Bowl Committee as a Manager, Ticket Operations & Analytics from April 2017 to April 2019. Drew then moved on to D.C. United, where they held several roles, starting as Director, Ticket Operations in May 2019 until November 2019. Drew then became the Senior Director and later the Vice President, Business Strategy & Analytics, with their most recent role starting in January 2023.
Throughout their career, Drew has gained experience in ticket operations, analytics, sales, management, and marketing, showcasing their versatility and adaptability in various industries.
Drew Bentley has a background in sports administration, business administration (marketing), and high school education. From 2011 to 2014, they attended Simpson College, where they obtained a Bachelor's degree in Sports Administration. Prior to that, from 2010 to 2011, they attended the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, focusing on Business Administration with a specialization in Marketing. Drew'ssecondary education was completed at Burlington High School from 2006 to 2010. In addition to their academic qualifications, Drew Bentley has obtained certifications in Business Analytics from Wharton Executive Education in July 2022 and CPR/AED from the American Heart Association.
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On this episode, Host Krish Kumar sits down with Matt Brand, the Senior Vice President of the Houston Astros.
Matt Brand joined the Houston Astros organization in 2011 and now enters his 11th full season with the ballclub as the teamâs Senior Vice President of Corporate Sponsorships.Prior to coming on board with the Astros, Matt spent 25 years in the supply chain industry, holding various executive sales leadership positions specializing in the retail, automotive, and energy sectors. While with Eagle Global Logistics, he served as Vice President of Sales for Asia-Pacific, living in both Hong Kong and Singapore.
Matt has served on the board of the Make-A-Wish Foundation for the Texas and Gulf Coast Region, the Baylor Sports Management Advisory Board, the General Motors (GM) Supplierâs Council and was a member of the Petroleum Equipment Suppliers Association (PESA).
Matt was raised in Selah, WA, and played baseball at Lewis & Clark State College. He and his wife, Casey, have two sons, Josh and Jake, and make their home in Houston.
Recorded and Edited by Shiv Govil.
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On this episode, Host Krish Kumar sits down with Rod Wood, the President and CEO of the Detroit Lions.
As Detroit Lions Team President and CEO, Rod Wood oversees all football and business operations of the Lions organization and reports directly to Principal Owner and Chair Sheila Ford Hamp. He was originally appointed Team President on Nov. 19, 2015.Following organizational changes at the end of the 2020 season, Wood and Mrs. Hamp set out to establish a new leadership vision for the Lions. On December 15, 2020, Wood welcomed Lions Legend Chris Spielman to a formal role in the organization as Special Assistant to President/CEO and Chairperson. Together, along with Chief Operating Officer Mike Disner, the group began the process of bringing the right general manager and head coach to Detroit.
The thorough search for the Lions' new leadership tandem resulted in the arrival of Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell. Holmes was named executive vice president and general manager on January 14, 2021 after spending 18 seasons with the Los Angeles Rams (2003-20) in a variety of roles, including most recently director of college scouting. That same week, Campbell, a former tight end with 22 years of NFL experience, including 11 as a coach and 11 as a player, was named the team's new head coach.
Upon his initial hiring, Wood immediately began evaluating all business functions within the Lions and Ford Field. Concurrent with his organizational evaluation, Wood's "everything is on the table" approach to shaping the business affairs of the franchise has made a tangible and positive impact on the business operations for both the Lions and Ford Field on and off the field.
In his six years, Wood has implemented significant changes that range from day-to-day operations to new branding and has done so guided by a mission to improve the team's competitive financial position, fan engagement and overall customer experience. Wood has strengthened the Lions and Ford Field brands with improved business partnerships and more strategic alliances that positively influence business initiatives and provide necessary financial support to the club's football operations.
In February 2017, Wood unveiled plans for the first major renovation to the Detroit Lions' home stadium, Ford Field, since it opened its doors in 2002. The $100 million investment incorporated a complete overhaul of the audio and visual experience that featured new videoboards as well as a new state-of-the-art sound system. The stadium's premium spaces also received a complete makeover with expanded offerings to fans.
With the fan game-day experience a primary focus for Wood, his team also implemented a significant upgrade to the stadium's Wi-Fi and oversaw the return of a team cheerleading squad for the first time in four decades.
During this time, the team also unveiled a comprehensive rebranding initiative that emphasized the classic colors of Honolulu Blue and Silver. At the forefront of the team's rebranding and perhaps its most visible assets, the Lions' new uniforms, revealed in April 2017, now feature Home, Away, Throwback and Color Rush combinations. In 2021, the team also unveiled a white pant that is now included in the uniform combinations.
At the League level, Wood was appointed to and serves on the NFL's Investment Committee. For the eight years prior to his appointment as team president, Wood worked closely with the Detroit Lions organization and the Ford Family in his role as President and CEO of Ford Estates.
Prior to joining Wilmington Trust, Wood held an executive position with Comerica Bank where he oversaw 12 offices in four states
Wood graduated from Goodrich (Mich.) High School, and earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Michigan and a graduate degree from the ABA Graduate School of Commercial Banking.
Recorded and Edited by Shiv Govil.
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On this episode, Host Krish Kumar sits down with Adam Grossman, the Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of the Boston Red Sox.
As Chief Marketing Officer of the Boston Red Sox, Adam Grossman oversees the organizationâs Marketing, Broadcasting, Baseball Communications & Media Relations, Social Media, Advertising, Digital Content, and Creative Service departments. Additionally, he and his team partner closely with the Ticketing, Sales, Corporate Sponsorship, and Business Analytics departments to help drive the clubâs principal revenue streams.During his tenure with the Red Sox, Grossman has driven the modernization of the marketing department into a digital-first, data-driven team. The team is particularly focused on leveraging customer data, fan segmentations, marketing automation, and engaging content to expand the fan base, better engage with existing fans, drive ticket sales, and connect with younger and more diverse audiences. These efforts led to a number of ticketing milestones in 2022, including growing the $9 student ticket program to 70,000 subscribers and setting the three highest regular season ticket revenue gates in club history. He also led the clubâs efforts with Nike to launch the first City Connect uniforms, which ushered in a new era for on-field uniform design across the league. Grossman also works closely with Major League Baseball on domestic and international marketing initiatives and has taken a leadership role in strengthening the relationship between the league and the clubs.
Throughout his career, Grossman has been committed to social justice work and expanding the DEI efforts of his organizations, including as a member of the Red Soxâ Social Justice Advisory Committee. In 2017, Grossman spearheaded the creation of "Take the Lead," a first-of-its-kind partnership between Boston's five major professional sports teams and the NAACP Boston Branch designed to combat racism and hate speech in sports venues and in the Boston community.
In addition to these responsibilities, Grossman heads up marketing for Fenway Sports Management, a sister company of the Red Sox. FSM is a leading sports and entertainment agency that provides sales, marketing, and consulting services for parent company Fenway Sports Groupâs elite portfolio of properties, which includes Liverpool FC, the Pittsburgh Penguins, LRMR/LeBron James, NESN, and NASCAR team RFK Racing.
After beginning his career with the Red Sox in 2002 as an intern, Grossman was named Special Assistant to President/CEO Larry Lucchino in 2004 before being promoted to Vice President of Marketing in 2008. Prior to assuming his current role, he served as Senior Vice President of Public Affairs for the Miami Dolphins from 2009 to 2011.
Grossman was selected as one of Sports Business Journal's "40 Under 40" Award recipients in 2020 and was one of eight members selected to the 2014 Eisenhower Fellowships program chaired by General Colin L. Powell. A Cum Laude graduate of Duke University, Grossman co-founded a student-led organization to improve the Durham Bulls Youth League and also spearheaded a $450,000 renovation project to refurbish two baseball fields in Durhamâs inner city.
Grossman lives in Brookline, MA with his wife, Candy Hannemann, and their two daughters, Stella and Luiza.
Recorded and Edited by Shiv Govil. -
On this episode, Host Krish Kumar sits down with David Roselle, the Founder and CEO of Doorlist.
David Roselle is the Founder and CEO of DoorList, an event management platform he created in February of 2022. He is originally from Charlotte, NC, and attended the University of Virginia, where he studied Computer Science and Commerce. He created DoorList after seeing the inadequacies of existing event management solutions firsthand in Charlottesville. At Virginia, he was also a member of their Menâs Lacrosse team and won the 2021 NCAA National Championship.DoorList is a social-first events platform targeting the types of events that might use wristbands or a guest list. It launched at UVA in February 2022 and has since exploded throughout the United States, replacing more than 300,000 wristbands across 40+ universities. DoorList makes list creation and event management a breeze, allowing admins to add entire organizations or let guests invite their friends. Once inside, guests can share photos and engage with others who have also scanned in.
Recorded and Edited by Shiv Govil. -
On this episode, Host Krish Kumar sits down with Mike Klein, the Chief Chess Officer of ChessKid.
Mike Klein (also known as FunMasterMike) started playing chess when he was four years old. When he was six, he played his first national chess tournament and incidentally faced a "movie star"âhe lost a game to IM Joshua Waitzkin, the player featured in the movie "Searching For Bobby Fischer." It was this same tournament featured at the end of the film.
In 1987, Klein became the youngest member of the inaugural All-America Chess Team, one of the highest national honors a young chess player can attain.Klein won the K-3 Division of the National Elementary Championship a year later when he was eight. He also won a Bughouse National Chess Championship in 1992 and the North Carolina High School Championship five times from 1993 to 1997.
In 1996, Klein earned his national master title. He earned his FIDE master title in 2006 and reached his peak FIDE rating of 2326 in 2007.A self-proclaimed grinder, Klein takes pride in his tenacious and fighting playing style. According to the FunMaster himself, he consistently gets into difficult positions but often manages to squeeze something out of them.
Klein retired from professional chess and has dedicated himself to teaching chess full-time for more than 20 years in Charlotte and New York.
Klein started his career as a chess journalist in 2008 after WGM Jennifer Shahade recommended him to Chess Life magazine's Director of Publications, Dan Lucas. He gained momentum as a journalist after covering the Chess Olympiad in the same year when the United Stated earned two bronze medals.Klein won the Chess Journalists of America (CJA) award for Chess Journalist of the Year in 2012, 2015, and 2018. He has also won other awards from the CJA, such as Best Tournament Report, and several writing awards for major newspapers.
Klein started his career as a chess journalist in 2008 after WGM Jennifer Shahade recommended him to Chess Life magazine's Director of Publications, Dan Lucas. He gained momentum as a journalist after covering the Chess Olympiad in the same year when the United Stated earned two bronze medals.Klein won the Chess Journalists of America (CJA) award for Chess Journalist of the Year in 2012, 2015, and 2018. He has also won other awards from the CJA, such as Best Tournament Report, and several writing awards for major newspapers.
Recorded and Edited by Shiv Govil. -
On this episode, Host Krish Kumar sits down with Steve Mitchell, the CEO and Managing Director of Argonaut Private Equity in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Mr. Mitchell is the CEO and Managing Director and has been a Managing Director at Argonaut for over fifteen years, executing over $1.5 billion of direct investments during that time. Mr. Mitchell joined Argonaut in 2004 and is responsible for sourcing and leading investments, managing the portfolio and setting overall strategy of the firm. Prior to Argonaut, Mr. Mitchell was a Principal at both Radical Incubation and 2929 Entertainment, where he led acquisitions in the media, sports, and entertainment sectors on behalf of Mark Cuban. He was previously a corporate attorney at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, specializing in mergers and acquisitions. Born and raised in Tulsa, and a member of the Cherokee Nation, Mr. Mitchell is a graduate of Baylor University and the University of San Diego School of Law.Recorded and Edited by Shiv Govil.
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On this episode, Host Krish Kumar sits down with Jennifer Yu.
Jennifer Yu is a two-time US Womenâs Chess Champion and Woman Grandmaster. She is the reigning 2022 US Women's Champion and 2022 US Girls' Junior Champion. Throughout her chess career, she had numerous record-breaking wins. In 2014, she won a gold medal at the World Youth Chess Championships, becoming the first American girl in 27 years to do so. The following year she became the youngest person and the first girl to become the VA State Champion. Her international accolades include bronze medals in both the World Junior Girlsâ Championship and the Womenâs Olympiad. In 2019, she won the US Womenâs Chess Championship as the first teenager in almost two decades. She is a rising junior studying economics at Harvard.
Recorded and Edited by Shiv Govil. -
On this episode, Host Krish Kumar sits down with Jarrod Dillon, the President of Orlando City SC.
Reporting directly to ownership, Dillon creates and oversees a unified front office strategy for both Orlando City and Orlando Pride, working alongside both Soccer Operations teams to bring a best-in-class experience to fans and to the Orlando community.
Dillon joined Orlando City SC and the Orlando Pride after six years with Vinik Sports Group (VSG). Over his tenure with VSG, Dillon started as the franchiseâs EVP of Sales and Marketing before being promoted to Chief Marketing and Revenue Officer. In this role, Dillon was responsible for leading the revenue strategies for all VSG properties including the National Hockey Leagueâs Tampa Bay Lightning, AMALIE Arena, Yuengling Center, Identity Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay Sports, and third-party media rights for the University of South Florida Athletics.During his tenure, the Lightning were named ESPNâs 2016 Franchise of the Year and were two-time finalists for Sports Business Journalâs Team of the Year (2016, 2021), amassing more than 240 consecutive sellouts.
Prior to his most recent experience in the NHL, Dillon also worked with Major League Baseballâs San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants, as well as with the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League, in roles encompassing ticket and suite sales, customer service, analytics, and corporate partnerships.
Recorded and Edited by Shiv Govil.
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On this episode, Host Krish Kumar sits down with Dewayne Hankins, the President of the Portland Trail Blazers.
Dewayne Hankins enters his tenth season with the Trail Blazers and Rose Quarter in 2022-23, and first full season as President of Business Operations. Hankins was named to his new role in November 2021 and oversees all aspects of the Trail Blazers & Rose Quarter business operations while working closely with General Manager Joe Cronin and the basketball staff. Additionally, Hankins serves as an Alternate Governor for the NBA Board of Governors.Since starting his new role in November 2021, Hankins has reshaped the senior leadership of the organization to streamline revenue, lead with data-informed decision making and focus on the fan experience. Throughout the past two years, Hankins was critical in leading the organization through the various waves of the COVID-19 pandemic both internally and externally.
Hankins served as Chief Commercial Officer and Executive Vice President since 2020, he oversaw the teamâs Brand Marketing, Broadcast, Content, Commercial Partnerships, Creative Services, Esports, Fan Development, Game Operations and Retail departments. Under his leadership, the organizationâs critically acclaimed social media team won the NBAâs Digital Innovation Award five times, with social engagement and web traffic performing higher than ever year-over-year. Hankins also played an instrumental part in utilizing the Trail Blazersâ data-driven digital strategy to achieve franchise records in ticket sales and corporate partnerships, specifically in digital media revenue.
By providing the marketing strategy for Rose Quarter events, Hankins assisted in bringing in an increasing number of concerts to the campus. He was named as one of the International Leaders Under 40 Class of 2018 by Leaders in Sports, based in London and was selected to speak at South by Southwest (SXSW) on three occasions, including 2020, 2017 and 2016.
In 2021, Hankins played a key role in two major deals for the organization, bringing in StormX as a jersey patch partner and finalizing a broadcast deal with ROOT SPORTS. StormX marked the first Cyptocurrency company to sign an NBA jersey patch deal and the organizationâs first International Rights Partner. Meanwhile, the ROOT SPORTS carriage agreement brought Trail Blazers games to more fans than ever before across Oregon, Washington and Alaska. Hankins was also integral in hiring the teamâs broadcast talent, with the Trail Blazers consistently finishing in the top five in the NBA in TV ratings overall.
Before joining the Trail Blazers organization from Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), Hankins oversaw the digital efforts of AEGâs sports properties worldwide, including the LA Kings and LA Galaxy, most notably the Kingsâ cutting-edge social media initiatives from 2010-13. Prior to joining AEG, he spent time with the Minnesota Wild and Miami Marlins. Hankins currently serves as a Director on the Oregon Business Council, Sport Oregonâs Board of Directors and as board member of the Trail Blazers Foundation. He also serves on the board of All Hands Raised, a local nonprofit focused on racial equity in Multnomah Countyâs education system. A native of Lockport, Ill., Hankins is a 2002 graduate of Iowa State University, where he majored in Journalism & Mass Communications. He and his wife, Gloria, and their sons, Hudson (10) and Grady (8), reside in Northwest Portland.
Recorded and Edited by Shiv Govil.
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On this episode, Host Krish Kumar sits down with Steve Griggs, the President and CEO of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Vinik Sports Group.
Prior to being tabbed as CEO, he spent one year as team president and four as chief operating officer. Griggs first joined the organization as COO on August 31, 2010. He oversees all of the organization's business operations, including all concerts and events held at AMALIE Arena. In 2021 he became a two-time Stanley Cup Champion after the Lightning captured back-to-back titles. Griggs' name is engraved twice on the Stanley Cup to memorialize those achievements.In 2020, Griggs spearheaded the creation of the Vinik Sports Group, which serves as the parent company for the Tampa Bay Lightning, the lease holding entity for AMALIE Arena and other sports and entertainment assets, while becoming the umbrella brand for three new business verticals: VSG Commercial Sales, VSG Facilities and VSG Live. He also oversaw the introduction of the Lightning and AMALIE Arena's new Cur(ate) TPA initiative, bringing to life a focus to deliver fans and arena guests the very best in fresh, local food and beverage options, while also concentrating on variety, value, service and sustainability. Under the Cur(ate) TPA umbrella, Griggs oversaw the design and opening of the new Cigar City Brewing Taproom on Ford Thunder Alley. The new Cigar City Brewing Taproom opened during the 2019-20 season and represented new food and beverage options for AMALIE Arena guests for event and select non-event days. Griggs continues to play a significant role in the vast improvements being made each year to AMALIE Arena. Over the past nine years, the team has invested close to $100 million in renovations to the arena with more scheduled, continuing to create a world class experience of fans, season ticket members and corporate partners.
Griggs has helped lead the Lightning through six very successful seasons on and off the ice, including back-to-back Stanley Cup Championships and the Bolts' unprecedented regular season success in 2018-19, the team winning a franchise-best 62 games, tied for the most ever in NHL history. The Bolts' 128 regular season points in 2018-19 were the fourth most all-time in League history and the most in the NHL by 21 points over second-place finishers Calgary and Boston, allowing Tampa Bay to capture its first-ever Presidents' Trophy. The Lightning secured two-straight Atlantic Division crowns (2018 and 2019) and their third and fourth division titles overall with Griggs as CEO. Under Griggs' guidance, the Lightning unveiled a new third jersey and uniform system to much success during the 2018-19 season, an undertaking nearly two years in the making and a collaborative work between the Lightning, adidas and the NHL. On February 7, 2020, Griggs led the charge on the new naming rights of the Lightning's practice facility, TGH Ice Plex.
Off the ice, the Lightning continued to transform the Tampa Bay landscape through its grassroots community efforts. The Lightning's community hockey department, Lightning Made, has opened new outdoor street hockey rinks across the Tampa Bay area, and is committed to opening 10 public outdoor street hockey rinks through their Build the Thunder 2.0 and Connect the Thunder programs. Lightning Made handed out its 100,000th street hockey stick at Colson Elementary School in April 2019 as part of the Equip the Thunder program, which started in 2015 and has been dedicated to introducing the game of hockey to fourth- and eighth-grade students by donating hockey equipment to schools. Griggs also spearheaded the organization's launch of the new Lightning Made Training Center, a focal point for youth to learn the game and for the team to continue teaching and educating more than just on-ice skills.
Recorded and Edited by Shiv Govil. -
On this episode, Host Krish Kumar sits down with Larry Freedman, the President and Chief Business Officer of LAFC.
Freedman has been with the Club since 2014 and was named the MLS 2019 Doug Hamilton Executive of the Year and was a finalist for the 2020 World Football Summit Best Executive Award. Under Freedmanâs leadership, LAFC has sold out every MLS home match in its history and developed a stadium that is the premier sports, concert and entertainment venue in the Heart of Los Angeles. With Freedman at the helm, LAFC has been named one of the Best Employers in Sports by Front Office Sports and to Fast Companyâs annual list of The Worldâs Most Innovative Companies.
Recorded and Edited by Shiv Govil. - Show more
