LakePoint Sports Announces Greg Barckhoff Among Hiring Blitz

ATLANTA, Sept. 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- LakePoint Sports, the nation's premier youth sports destination located in the Metro Atlanta area, announced today several additions to its growing professional team, including naming veteran Atlanta executive Greg Barckhoff as its Executive Vice President, Partnerships and Marketing.

The full list of new team members is:

• Greg Barckhoff, Executive Vice President, Partnerships and Marketing
• David Healy, Executive Vice President, Strategic Brand Integration
• Heather Higdon, Director, Experiential Events and Operations
• David Pate, Director, Partnerships and Marketing
• Corbin Bryant, Manager, Marketing and Youth Initiatives

"At LakePoint Sports, these past few months have been a period of significant progress as we forge new partnerships, launch new initiatives and chart a new course forward," said Mark M. O'Brien, President and CEO, LakePoint Sports. "We're building something special here, and these talented men and women will work with the dedicated team members already in place at LakePoint Sports to help us carry the positive momentum from this year into an exciting, sustainable future of growth and success."

With more than 20 years of experience in sports and entertainment sales, Barckhoff brings a wealth of expertise to LakePoint Sports. He's held executive leadership positions with the Atlanta Sports Council, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Georgia Dome, Comcast Sports Southeast and On Location Experiences. Prior to moving to Atlanta, he worked in various capacities for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Milwaukee Brewers and the Jeep Aloha Bowl.

Currently, Barckhoff is Vice President, Partnerships for the Atlanta Basketball Host Committee, the organization working in conjunction with the NCAA to plan and coordinate the 2020 NCAA Final Four from April 4-6, 2020 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. As Barckhoff joins LakePoint Sports, he will continue to lead fundraising efforts for the Atlanta Basketball Host Committee through the completion of the tournament next year.

"Greg's experience, knowledge and entrepreneurial energy have proven to be invaluable for our Atlanta Basketball Host Committee," said Dan Corso, President of the Atlanta Sports Council. "The NCAA Men's Final Four is one of the premier sports events in the world, and it offers another opportunity for Atlanta to take center stage in 2020. Thanks to Greg's work, we're going to be ready for our starring role, and I'm confident he'll bring that same passion to succeed to LakePoint Sports."

Barckhoff, who holds a B.S. in Marketing from the University of Kentucky and a M.Ed. in Sports Management from the University of Georgia, has extensive experience in developing, coordinating and managing sports events.

"LakePoint Sports has established itself as the nation's premier youth sports destination, and I'm excited to join their growing team and build new relationships and develop innovative partnerships that can take our story across the country," said Barckhoff. "There is a tremendous foundation to build on here and the future is limitless, and I'm excited about this opportunity."

Healy has extensive experience working with a number of prominent global brands, including ESPN, Anheuser Busch, Coca-Cola and AT&T. He also has strong ties to the sports landscape in Atlanta, working with the Atlanta Hawks and Atlanta United.

As a senior leader at CSE, a renown sports and entertainment agency based in Atlanta, Healy launched the Emerging Accounts team and oversaw various brand marketing efforts for clients. He also established its Integrated Services Group which included public relations, social and digital media, diversity and inclusion, experiential marketing and CSE's in-house technology lab.

With 17 years of experience in event planning and production, Higdon will head up LakePoint Sports' efforts to develop and activate immersive experiences for athletes, partners and the community. Her impressive resume includes producing events for Turner/Warner Media, Publix, Gulf Stream, Kohler, Michelin and Home Depot. Higdon has a B.S. in recreation management and a M.S. in sports management, both from Georgia Southern University.

A graduate of Auburn University, Pate has nearly a decade of agency experience working with brands like Coca-Cola and SunTrust, helping to develop and manage partnership activations for the National Football League, Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer and the NCAA Final Four. He also worked for the Atlanta Falcons in corporate partnerships and premium sales.

Bryant is a retired NFL player, compiling stints with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills and New York Giants, and working in the offseason in the NFL's corporate offices, Under Armour and the University of Cincinnati. He stepped away from the game in 2018 and worked as a marketing and promotions associate at the University of Georgia. Bryant was a two-time All-Big Ten selection at Northwestern where he earned his B.S. in learning and organizational change and M.Ed. in sports management.

About LakePoint Sports

LakePoint Sports, the premier youth sports destination in the country, is committed to a mission of creating lifelong memories for athletes, families and the community one experience, one game, one guest at a time. Located in the Metro Atlanta area, the 1,300-acre destination boasts eight Major League-sized baseball fields; three multi-use fields for soccer, lacrosse, rugby, football and more; a 170,000-square-foot Champions Center; featuring 12 full-size basketball courts which convert to 24 full-size volleyball courts as well as accommodations for gymnastics, cheer and many more indoor sports and events. LakePoint Sports is the official home to the training camp of the Harlem Globetrotters, and it features partnerships with Prep Baseball Report (PBR) and PlaySight Interactive. For more information, visit https://www.lakepointsports.com.

Media Contact: Johnathan McGinty (Jackson Spalding), [email protected]

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SOURCE LakePoint Sports

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