Interperformances Expands in United States

SAN MARINO, NEW YORK, and WARREN, N.J., Jan. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/-- Interperformances (IP), which for 31 years has been one of the leading companies in international basketball, has reached an agreement with Zito Partners to expand its presence in the United States, and add to the services it offers its clients.

Under the terms of the agreement, Zito Partners will form a new company, InterperformancesUSA (IPZ), and be the exclusive representative of Interperformances and its athletes in the U.S. market.

InterperformancesUSA will have offices in New York, New Jersey and Florida and be led by Robert Zito, founder of Zito Partners.

"I am excited about Bob's plans to build and expand our great brand in the United States," said Dr. Luciano Capicchioni, founder and president of Interperformances. "We have been known as the leading organization to send foreign players to the National Basketball Association and to find non-U.S. opportunities for U.S. players hoping to compete overseas.  Bob's plan to both grow our basketball footprint, and expand into areas beyond basketball, beginning with soccer, is a natural extension of our firm."

Founded in 1986, Interperformances has been recognized as a global leader in sports management and representation.  The company represents more than 300 athletes worldwide.

Zito Partners is a marketing and communications firm offering brand-building, crisis and marketing communications strategies for both large and small corporations, as well as individuals.  The company was formed in 2010 by Robert Zito, a former member of the management committees of both the New York Stock Exchange and Bristol-Myers Squibb.  Previously, he helped re-brand Sony as a global entertainment leader after the company's acquisitions of CBS Records and Columbia Pictures.

"The opportunity to build on the great Interperformances basketball brand is a dream for anyone with my background, and a natural extension for Zito Partners," said Zito, who started his professional career as a sports writer and who has employed and represented players, the NFL Alumni, auto races, and sports complexes.

InterperformancesUSA will offer a full suite of services for the individuals it represents, and build its brand on the integrity of its people, and the family –centric environment which has defined Zito Partners.

Zito Partners, which has developed brand-building and issues management strategies for its clients, will support InterperformancesUSA talent with personal brand-building, marketing and communications strategies.

The company will not focus solely on basketball. IPZ will launch with both soccer and basketball groups, and will add management functions in baseball, football, hockey, golf and tennis, as well as media and entertainment.

Providing guidance to the firm's management and its clients will be an all-star Advisory Board, including:

• Carol Blazejowski, Associate Vice President of Montclair State University, former captain of the U.S. Women's Olympic basketball team and a member of the National Basketball Hall of Fame. Ms. Blazejowski also spent 14 years as President and General Manager of the WNBA New York Liberty;
• Dr. Luciano Capicchioni, the founder of Interperformances;
• Armand Del Medico, Senior Vice President, UBS Wealth Management;
• John Gallucci, Jr., the Chief Executive Officer of JAG Physical Therapy;
• Richard Grasso, the former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the New York Stock Exchange;
• Bob Hurley, a member of the National Basketball Hall of Fame and the legendary coach of St. Anthony High School in Jersey City, New Jersey; and
• Col. Jack Jacobs, a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient and political and military analyst for NBC.  Col. Jacobs is also developing plans for the company's media & entertainment group.

Jeff Curtin, a former All-American soccer player at Georgetown University and a standout with the Chicago Fire of the MLS, will lead the IPZ soccer group. 

Among those leading the IPZ basketball group are Mark Strickland, a retired NBA veteran who also played basketball overseas, Vic Carstarphen, a former standout guard for Temple University, and Tomi Rose, a career entrepreneur and the senior vice president of the sports & entertainment division of Opulence International Realty.

Bruce Kostic and James Sammartino, career advertising industry executives, will help launch the golf and tennis groups, and work on endorsement opportunities for IPZ clients.

"When we formed Interperformances, we envisioned a firm that would support professionals in sports and entertainment, but basketball quickly became our primary focus," said Dr. Capicchioni.  "The vision of the IPZ team in the United States is consistent with our initial goals and we look forward to working with Bob and his team, and supporting their efforts moving forward, continuing the growth of Interperformances."

About IPZ:  InterperformancesUSA (IPZ) is a family-focused management, representation, and consulting firm, built on the integrity of its professionals, and developing whole life solutions for its clients. For more information, visit www.ipzusa.com.

About Interperformances:  Interperformances is a full-service agency specializing in the representation of professional athletes around the world.  The company has offices and representatives in 14 countries and represents more than 300 athletes, currently playing in 20 countries worldwide. For more information, visit www.interperformances.com.

About Zito Partners: Zito Partners builds, energizes and defends brands. A boutique firm representing a select group of clients from a range of industries, Zito Partners believes in a "ready, aim, fire" approach – understand the client…develop the appropriate strategy against the key target constituencies…and execute against the plan. And through its strategic alliance with Ketchum, Ketchum Zito Financial, Zito Partners is assisting additional clients with their financial communications needs.  For more information, visit www.zitopartners.com.

Media Contact: 
Kyrsten Van Natta
(862) 205-9841 
[email protected]

SOURCE Zito Partners

Related Links

http://www.zitopartners.com